WEBVTT NOTE Podcast: Acts 29 Vancouver Episode: The quality of Hearing Publishing Date: 2013-07-07T06:00:44-07:00 Podcast URL: https://acts29.ca Episode URL: https://acts29.ca/the-quality-of-hearing/ 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.000 Guys, last week we talked about training and we got stuck, in a good way perhaps. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:13.000 So this week we'll go further ahead and as I went over the questions you asked last week 00:00:13.000 --> 00:00:18.000 and the things we were talking about in training, I realized that we'll have to break it down even further. 00:00:18.000 --> 00:00:22.000 So thanks to mainly James, this is going to take longer. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.000 It's a stretched out version of training. 00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:29.000 So today we are only going to talk about one aspect of it and that's training your hearing. 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.000 Training your hearing. That's the first thing we need to train. 00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:46.000 And here's the thing guys, sometimes the word training may not be the kind of word you want to hear associated with Christian living. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:53.000 So whenever a word I say brings up a certain image in your head and you don't like that image, 00:00:53.000 --> 00:00:56.000 don't get stuck there, replace that word with something else. 00:00:56.000 --> 00:01:01.000 So training, call it formation of spiritual habits. 00:01:01.000 --> 00:01:05.000 Call it grace-filled, Holy Spirit-inspired practice. 00:01:05.000 --> 00:01:09.000 Call it my mind is a student, the Holy Spirit is a teacher. 00:01:09.000 --> 00:01:16.000 Call it whatever you want so that the word does not prevent you from exploring it further. 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:18.000 So change the word. 00:01:19.000 --> 00:01:25.000 And just to quickly repeat some of the lines I repeated last time. 00:01:25.000 --> 00:01:32.000 Why are we training? Because our minds are fashioned by the world and we want to renovate it with the word and the Spirit. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:39.000 See, if you notice the Bible doesn't say, and then Jesus said, I'll come and I'll clothe you in myself. 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:44.000 The Bible doesn't say, this is the armor of God, Jacob. Now, just could you stand still while I put it on you? 00:01:44.000 --> 00:01:47.000 No, no, no, no, no. The Bible says put on the armor of God. 00:01:47.000 --> 00:01:50.000 Romans 13, 14 says put on Jesus Christ. 00:01:50.000 --> 00:01:59.000 There is an active doing which is not natural, which is why Paul had to emphasize that listen, put on, take it on, put it on. 00:01:59.000 --> 00:02:02.000 There is a certain diligence involved in it. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:07.000 And so much of the kingdom of God has to do with hearing and doing. 00:02:07.000 --> 00:02:13.000 Have you noticed how in the Bible it always says, this is one of Jesus' favorite phrases, eh? 00:02:13.000 --> 00:02:17.000 That's him who has ears, hear. 00:02:17.000 --> 00:02:27.000 And Paul would say, especially in Hebrews, today if you hear the voice of God, today if you hear, do not harden your hearts, today if you hear. 00:02:27.000 --> 00:02:37.000 So the kingdom of God has much to do, the quality of the kingdom of God has much to do with the quality of the kingdom of God in your life and my life has much to do with the way we hear. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:40.000 So today we'll be focusing on how to hear. 00:02:40.000 --> 00:02:44.000 How can I improve the quality of my hearing? 00:02:44.000 --> 00:02:51.000 Because if I improve the quality of my hearing, the word, I'll improve the renewing of my mind. 00:02:51.000 --> 00:02:54.000 And if I improve the renewing of my mind, why do you say that, Jacob? 00:02:54.000 --> 00:02:59.000 Because the Bible says that the renewing of the mind comes through the word. 00:02:59.000 --> 00:03:07.000 So the quality of my hearing affects the way I think and the way I think affects the way I live out my life in Christ. 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:14.000 So we're going to only look at training our hearing so that we can hear well, so that we can be transformed. 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.000 Guys, the first thing we need to establish is there are degrees of hearing. 00:03:17.000 --> 00:03:21.000 There are degrees of hearing that apply to you and I in different areas of our lives. 00:03:21.000 --> 00:03:25.000 For instance, take John 12, 27-30. 00:03:25.000 --> 00:03:27.000 John 12, 27-30. 00:03:27.000 --> 00:03:31.000 John 12, 27-30. 00:03:38.000 --> 00:03:41.000 Hey, did anyone get one of these from anyone's car? 00:03:44.000 --> 00:03:46.000 I need a new one because it's broke, guys. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:48.000 Do your thing. 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.000 So I passed through your sending us into the neighborhood to steal and there are... 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.000 No, just to your mom's car. 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.000 Okay, so degrees of hearing. 00:03:59.000 --> 00:04:01.000 Guys, John 12, 27-30. 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.000 Here's what it says, then a voice came from heaven. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:08.000 I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. 00:04:08.000 --> 00:04:13.000 Meaning Jesus was praying to the Father and then a voice came from heaven saying, 00:04:13.000 --> 00:04:16.000 I have glorified it and I will glorify it again. 00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:21.000 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. 00:04:21.000 --> 00:04:24.000 Others said an angel had spoken to him. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:28.000 Jesus answered, this voice has come for your sake, not mine. 00:04:28.000 --> 00:04:30.000 Guys, here's the thing about this passage. 00:04:30.000 --> 00:04:35.000 God spoke and when he was speaking, he was speaking for the sake of the people. 00:04:35.000 --> 00:04:37.000 Not really for Jesus because Jesus makes that clear. 00:04:37.000 --> 00:04:39.000 But listen to what happens. 00:04:39.000 --> 00:04:44.000 Some actually heard what God spoke, which is why it's recorded in the Gospels. 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:46.000 So some heard it. 00:04:46.000 --> 00:04:50.000 Others heard what they thought was thunder. 00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:51.000 Thunder. 00:04:51.000 --> 00:04:58.000 And a third group heard and said it was something that an angel had spoken. 00:04:58.000 --> 00:05:02.000 You have the same thing being spoken from the heavens, the voice of God, 00:05:02.000 --> 00:05:06.000 and three separate groups of people hear it in three different ways. 00:05:06.000 --> 00:05:08.000 And none of them were wrong. 00:05:08.000 --> 00:05:11.000 It was loud. 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:14.000 It was a heavenly voice. 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:18.000 But only some heard what God was saying. 00:05:18.000 --> 00:05:20.000 The rest heard loudness. 00:05:20.000 --> 00:05:24.000 One group said this is definitely not just loud but it's heavenly. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:29.000 But a third group said not only is it loud, not only is it heavenly, 00:05:29.000 --> 00:05:32.000 but it is the voice of God and here is what God said. 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:39.000 And very clearly Jesus says, by the way, this was for your sake, not for mine. 00:05:39.000 --> 00:05:45.000 So it's odd how our hearing has varying degrees of hearing. 00:05:45.000 --> 00:05:47.000 Varying degrees. 00:05:47.000 --> 00:05:50.000 Remember that about yourself and about myself. 00:05:50.000 --> 00:05:55.000 That even as you sit here and I speak, all of us have varying degrees of hearing 00:05:55.000 --> 00:05:58.000 as you listen to what I'm saying. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:01.000 The same as seeing. 00:06:01.000 --> 00:06:03.000 The same as seeing, yeah. 00:06:03.000 --> 00:06:06.000 Yeah. 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:10.000 And it has much to do with how we approach things. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.000 We'll talk about that some more. 00:06:12.000 --> 00:06:14.000 The other, so that's degrees of hearing. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:19.000 The next thing I want to tell you about hearing is that obedience and hearing are very intertwined. 00:06:19.000 --> 00:06:32.000 The word obedience actually carries the sense of listening to, listen under. 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:35.000 That's the sense of the word. 00:06:35.000 --> 00:06:38.000 Obedience is to listen under. 00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:53.000 And strangely enough, disobedience is to listen around. 00:06:53.000 --> 00:06:58.000 Obedience is to listen under and disobedience is to listen around. 00:06:58.000 --> 00:07:02.000 So disobedience is not a lack of listening or a lack of even doing. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:06.000 Disobedience is if this is the word, 00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:12.000 obedience is listening under the word, disobedience is listening around the word. 00:07:12.000 --> 00:07:17.000 This is why many of us without knowing or walking in disobedience 00:07:17.000 --> 00:07:22.000 because we don't come under the word, we go around the word. 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:28.000 Eli listened around the word. 00:07:28.000 --> 00:07:32.000 Eli is that guy who was a high priest in Israel who Samuel grew up under. 00:07:32.000 --> 00:07:38.000 Eli listened around the word, which is why he ended up in the situation he was in. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:41.000 Samuel listened under the word. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:45.000 And by the way, Samuel comes from the word Shama-ul, 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:50.000 which means one who heeds the word and does it. 00:07:50.000 --> 00:07:56.000 Even the very name Samuel carries the sense of listening under. 00:07:56.000 --> 00:08:01.000 Go ahead, Diana. 00:08:01.000 --> 00:08:06.000 Eli was given words from God and instead of doing them, he chose to listen around, 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:13.000 which is why his sons ended up where his sons ended. 00:08:13.000 --> 00:08:16.000 Okay, listening around. God says to Samuel, 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:20.000 God says to Eli, Eli, your sons are up to this and that. 00:08:20.000 --> 00:08:23.000 Make sure that you don't go condoning what they're doing. 00:08:23.000 --> 00:08:27.000 Take action so that things may go well with you and your family. 00:08:27.000 --> 00:08:30.000 Samuel chose not, Eli chose not to do that. 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:35.000 And in choosing not to do that, not only do Eli's sons die, 00:08:35.000 --> 00:08:39.000 but Eli forever loses his high priesthood from his family line 00:08:39.000 --> 00:08:41.000 because he chose to listen around. 00:08:41.000 --> 00:08:45.000 To listen around is to listen some but not listen fully. 00:08:45.000 --> 00:08:50.000 That's listening around. 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:51.000 Yeah, it will translate into doing. 00:08:51.000 --> 00:08:58.000 I mean that's a huge part of hearing, which we'll come to. 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:02.000 So guys, when it comes to hearing, hearing and obedience go hand in hand. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:12.000 This is why in Hebrews 4, 2, and 6 and 7, it says that Israel heard. 00:09:12.000 --> 00:09:18.000 Israel was good at hearing, but Israel didn't mix their hearing with obedience. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:24.000 And because they didn't mix their hearing with obedience, they never entered into rest. 00:09:24.000 --> 00:09:28.000 Just think of this. Think of how far-reaching it is, the quality of our hearing. 00:09:28.000 --> 00:09:33.000 Our hearing, if it's not coupled with obedience, will never allow you and I to enter into rest. 00:09:33.000 --> 00:09:36.000 And I'm not talking about heaven. I'm not talking about heaven. 00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:42.000 I'm talking about rest here on earth where you only do what you're told to do because you hear and do. 00:09:42.000 --> 00:09:45.000 Jesus walked in rest. Jesus ran in rest. 00:09:45.000 --> 00:09:49.000 Jesus strived in rest, are they? 00:09:53.000 --> 00:10:00.000 This is why guys, it's fascinating how these little words like hearing can have such far-reaching effects. 00:10:00.000 --> 00:10:04.000 These are foundational things that we miss. 00:10:04.000 --> 00:10:10.000 And maybe increase. The intent of this is partly to point out our defective hearing, 00:10:11.000 --> 00:10:14.000 but more than anything else, after pointing that out, is to say, 00:10:14.000 --> 00:10:16.000 okay, from now on I'm going to change the way I listen. 00:10:16.000 --> 00:10:20.000 I'm going to change the quality of my listening because Jesus kept saying this. 00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:24.000 Pay heed to how you hear. Listen to how you hear. 00:10:24.000 --> 00:10:28.000 Let him who has ears hear. Why does he keep saying that? 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:31.000 It wasn't a pet Jewish phrase, by the way. 00:10:31.000 --> 00:10:36.000 Even Eli knew, right? Because he told Samuel how to respond to God. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:39.000 Eli knew. It wasn't that Eli didn't know. Good point. 00:10:39.000 --> 00:10:41.000 It was that he listened around despite knowing. 00:10:41.000 --> 00:10:44.000 He taught Samuel how to hear, man. 00:10:48.000 --> 00:10:52.000 The quality of your hearing then affects your output. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:10:54.000 Just imagine this. 00:10:54.000 --> 00:10:57.000 Here's where, because we hear a certain message preached a certain way, 00:10:57.000 --> 00:11:00.000 we forget the main core of the parable. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:04.000 The parable of the sower, we immediately connect it to salvation. 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:08.000 But here's what Jesus says about the parable of the sower in Matthew 13. 00:11:09.000 --> 00:11:13.000 Those that listen to my word and do not understand it. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.000 Then he goes on to say, those that listen to my word and receive it with joy, 00:11:17.000 --> 00:11:22.000 those that hear me and let it sink for a while but circumstances, drive them away. 00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.000 And then he finally ends the whole parable saying, 00:11:25.000 --> 00:11:31.000 as you hear, so shall the output of your life be, 30, 60 or 100-fold. 00:11:31.000 --> 00:11:32.000 Amazing. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:35.000 That parable is about how you hear. 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:39.000 That parable is about how you hear the word. 00:11:39.000 --> 00:11:45.000 And according to how I hear the word, my life will produce 30, 60 or 100-fold. 00:11:49.000 --> 00:11:54.000 So if Jacob's life at present is not producing 100-fold in some areas, 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:58.000 it's because in those areas, Jacob does not couple hearing with doing and obedience. 00:11:58.000 --> 00:12:00.000 That's one of the reasons. 00:12:01.000 --> 00:12:05.000 And note too guys, that Jesus says hear, he doesn't say read. 00:12:05.000 --> 00:12:08.000 I understand that reading the word is important, 00:12:08.000 --> 00:12:12.000 but note that the emphasis is on hearing the word. 00:12:13.000 --> 00:12:15.000 On hearing the word. 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:19.000 Remember, till 1600, there was no question of reading the word. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.000 Don't think that the Old Testament, they sat down and lit their lamps 00:12:26.000 --> 00:12:30.000 or sat by the cloud of fire and said, 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:32.000 okay, pull out your Old Testaments and let's read. 00:12:32.000 --> 00:12:34.000 No, there were no Old Testaments. 00:12:34.000 --> 00:12:39.000 Nor did Paul teach from the New Testament, because there was no New Testament. 00:12:39.000 --> 00:12:43.000 All of it happened through hearing the word. 00:12:46.000 --> 00:12:52.000 So as much as reading is to be absolutely encouraged because you divide the word right, 00:12:52.000 --> 00:12:55.000 note that the emphasis is on hearing the word. 00:12:55.000 --> 00:13:00.000 And that's why there must be a primacy given to teaching in every church 00:13:00.000 --> 00:13:03.000 above worship, above gifts, above everything else. 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:09.000 It's vital that teaching be given primacy and not worship. 00:13:09.000 --> 00:13:15.000 Any church that is worship centered is actually putting the cart before the horse. 00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:22.000 Because even an understanding of God in worship comes from what you have learned about Him through teaching. 00:13:22.000 --> 00:13:24.000 Which is where I want to put something else in, guys. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:29.000 Guys, I'm a five-fold teacher, meaning I'm an equipper. 00:13:29.000 --> 00:13:33.000 There's a grace given to me by Christ, which allows me to teach the way I teach. 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:37.000 It's going to be very hard for you to keep notes of everything I say, 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.000 because most of the time they're not even in my notes. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:47.000 So as much as keeping notes helps, I'll tell you what will really help you if you listen to what is taught. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:49.000 But Jacob, you overload us with information. 00:13:49.000 --> 00:13:51.000 True, I'm trying to change that habit of mine, 00:13:51.000 --> 00:13:56.000 which is why for the next few weeks we'll keep going over old teachings. 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:03.000 But so if you take notes, it's good because you can go over notes. 00:14:03.000 --> 00:14:06.000 Some of us are more print friendly than anything else. 00:14:06.000 --> 00:14:08.000 So taking notes is fine. 00:14:08.000 --> 00:14:13.000 But if you're not taking notes, then I would strongly suggest that you listen to the old teachings. 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:17.000 But if you're not taking notes, then I would strongly suggest that you listen to these messages 00:14:17.000 --> 00:14:22.000 either online or in your vehicle or at home or even when you're going to sleep. 00:14:22.000 --> 00:14:24.000 If I'm the one who puts you to sleep, so be it. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:31.000 But the point is this, guys, for a five-fold teacher it's almost impossible to take notes of everything. 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:36.000 And if you don't listen, may I suggest to you that you're at a disadvantage. 00:14:36.000 --> 00:14:39.000 This is the only reason why I listen to my own sermons. 00:14:40.000 --> 00:14:45.000 Sometimes I get tired. I tell the Lord, Father, I'm listening to my own voice and it's beginning to grate. 00:14:45.000 --> 00:14:51.000 Because I talk to myself anyways at home because I live alone and I use different accents too. 00:14:54.000 --> 00:14:57.000 Oh, if you only eavesdrop, you'd hear such funny conversations. 00:14:58.000 --> 00:15:00.000 Sometimes I think even God is amused. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:06.000 But the point is this, the reason I listen to my CDs in the vehicle is because I want to hear what is taught. 00:15:06.000 --> 00:15:09.000 Because sometimes things that I said are not in my notes. 00:15:11.000 --> 00:15:13.000 It's to your advantage because it's through hearing that this happens. 00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:15.000 The emphasis is on hearing. 00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:18.000 So here's something else then, guys. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:22.000 Jesus said, the sower went out and sowed the seed of the word. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.000 The soil was the quality of your hearing. 00:15:26.000 --> 00:15:28.000 So who is the sower today? 00:15:31.000 --> 00:15:33.000 Hey, look at these fancy things there. 00:15:33.000 --> 00:15:35.000 They've got erasers at the end. 00:15:36.000 --> 00:15:40.000 It might take forever, but at least it's fun. 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.000 Anyways, who is the sower today? 00:15:45.000 --> 00:15:47.000 Who is the sower today? 00:15:49.000 --> 00:15:50.000 Pardon? 00:15:51.000 --> 00:15:53.000 Yeah, anyone who teaches is a sower. 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:55.000 Or let's qualify it even further. 00:15:55.000 --> 00:15:58.000 Who is the sower today? The preacher or the teacher. 00:15:58.000 --> 00:16:02.000 Who is the bona fide preacher? Who's a real preacher? 00:16:02.000 --> 00:16:04.000 One who is sent. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:07.000 You don't become a preacher because you went to Bible school. 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:17.000 I told them this very clearly when I first started asking Jason to teach at Acts 29. 00:16:17.000 --> 00:16:21.000 I said, make sure that we don't hear one of your Greek sermons. 00:16:21.000 --> 00:16:23.000 I don't want that. 00:16:23.000 --> 00:16:28.000 If you want to teach at Acts 29, teach because God has deposited something in you. 00:16:28.000 --> 00:16:33.000 And if you notice, he has changed so much from when he first started teaching. 00:16:33.000 --> 00:16:36.000 When he first started teaching, he'd always tell you what the word meant in Greek. 00:16:38.000 --> 00:16:41.000 We want to know the Father, not in Greek or Hebrew. 00:16:41.000 --> 00:16:45.000 We want to know him through what he has been taught by the Father. 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:51.000 So, who is a bona fide preacher? 00:16:51.000 --> 00:16:53.000 A bona fide preacher is someone who is sent. 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:57.000 What do I mean by sent? Someone who is appointed, someone who is commissioned to teach. 00:16:57.000 --> 00:16:59.000 That's what a bona fide preacher is. 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:04.000 Not everybody who teaches is necessarily sent, eh? 00:17:04.000 --> 00:17:08.000 Which is why it was important to send Su. 00:17:10.000 --> 00:17:12.000 We'll talk about that another time. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:19.000 One of the singular qualities of a sent preacher or teacher of the word is that the word preached is the word lived. 00:17:19.000 --> 00:17:22.000 The word preached is the word lived. 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:26.000 There is very little separation between the message and the messenger. 00:17:26.000 --> 00:17:31.000 You have a right to come up to me and gently, if possible, tell me that, 00:17:31.000 --> 00:17:34.000 Jacob, there's a gap between what you preach and what you practice. 00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:36.000 You have a right to do that. 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:41.000 And if you are... Initially, I may be defensive. 00:17:41.000 --> 00:17:46.000 I may not like you for two or three hours, but I promise you, if you are right, I will listen. 00:17:46.000 --> 00:17:48.000 And I will make every effort to change. 00:17:48.000 --> 00:17:53.000 That's one of the singular qualities of someone who is sent to teach. 00:17:53.000 --> 00:17:57.000 That the difference between what is taught and what is practiced is minimum. 00:17:58.000 --> 00:18:00.000 I'm literally challenging you on that, eh? 00:18:00.000 --> 00:18:05.000 To come and you have the right to check me when my life doesn't match. 00:18:05.000 --> 00:18:07.000 And I promise you, there will be areas like that. 00:18:07.000 --> 00:18:11.000 When I throw out this challenge, I'm not saying you will not find this gap in my life. 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:15.000 I'm saying you will find that gap in my life and you have a right to do that. 00:18:15.000 --> 00:18:16.000 Gently. 00:18:18.000 --> 00:18:19.000 Like I do. 00:18:21.000 --> 00:18:22.000 Excuse me? 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:24.000 Did you snigger? 00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:29.000 Guys, so here's the catch now, eh? 00:18:29.000 --> 00:18:30.000 And this is important. 00:18:30.000 --> 00:18:33.000 We said just now that hearing... 00:18:33.000 --> 00:18:36.000 The sore is the one who is sent. 00:18:37.000 --> 00:18:38.000 So here's the thing, guys. 00:18:38.000 --> 00:18:40.000 You have to be careful. 00:18:40.000 --> 00:18:42.000 The sore is the one who is sent. 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:45.000 So here's the thing, guys. 00:18:45.000 --> 00:18:51.000 You will not be able to hear well if you are not able to receive the one who is sent. 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:57.000 Just think of this. 00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:59.000 And it's happened to me many times. 00:18:59.000 --> 00:19:03.000 I'll be sitting in a church and there'll be some guy who comes up to teach. 00:19:03.000 --> 00:19:04.000 And his teaching is brilliant. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:08.000 But the moment he walked in, I didn't like the color of his shirt. 00:19:09.000 --> 00:19:11.000 I didn't like his accent. 00:19:11.000 --> 00:19:13.000 I didn't like the way he looked. 00:19:13.000 --> 00:19:18.000 I didn't like the ceremony that he came in with. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:23.000 So there I'm sitting in the church and the guy is speaking the truth and teaching the truth. 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:28.000 But I have an attitude in my heart and I'm not able to give honor to the one that God has sent. 00:19:28.000 --> 00:19:34.000 And therefore I take myself out from the ability to hear him properly. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.000 Because as I receive the sent one, so I receive the sent word. 00:19:38.000 --> 00:19:41.000 Do you understand why people could not receive Jesus? 00:19:42.000 --> 00:19:44.000 Everybody said this about Jesus. 00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:47.000 That here is a man who speaks with great authority. 00:19:47.000 --> 00:19:48.000 Where did he learn it from? 00:19:48.000 --> 00:19:52.000 Isn't this the brother of Judas and James and some of those other guys? 00:19:52.000 --> 00:19:54.000 And isn't Joseph and Mary his father and mother? 00:19:54.000 --> 00:19:56.000 Where does he get such authority from? 00:19:56.000 --> 00:20:00.000 People who hung out with Jesus, people said of them, these have surely been with Jesus. 00:20:00.000 --> 00:20:02.000 But because look at their authority too. 00:20:02.000 --> 00:20:07.000 If this man preached with authority signs and wonders, why couldn't people receive it? 00:20:07.000 --> 00:20:10.000 Because they said he is from Galilee, from Nazareth. 00:20:10.000 --> 00:20:12.000 He's a carpenter's son. 00:20:12.000 --> 00:20:13.000 What can he tell us? 00:20:15.000 --> 00:20:19.000 The way you receive a sent one, so let me make it even more nitty gritty. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:26.000 The way you receive me a sent one in this house will surely determine the quality of your hearing. 00:20:26.000 --> 00:20:34.000 One of the things I always have to do is if you do something that I find annoying, that I find offensive, 00:20:34.000 --> 00:20:39.000 one of the things I have to do immediately is go and say, father, I'm carrying offense against Diana. 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:45.000 I need to get rid of it immediately because if I don't, then anything I do with Diana will carry offense in it. 00:20:45.000 --> 00:20:47.000 I got to get rid of it. 00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:54.000 In the same manner, if you carry offense against me, get rid of it fast because you will be the one who gets it. 00:20:54.000 --> 00:21:01.000 If you carry offense against me, get rid of it fast because you will not benefit from anything I do for you or I do for God here. 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:03.000 Get rid of it, guys. 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:07.000 Because the way you receive the sent one is the way you will receive the sent one. 00:21:13.000 --> 00:21:19.000 The reception of the sent one prepares your ground to receive the word that God sent through you, through the sent one. 00:21:19.000 --> 00:21:22.000 And remember, guys, just think of this. 00:21:23.000 --> 00:21:29.000 Let's assume Jason was teaching today and I'm beginning to think this guy, he's got a few degrees, 00:21:29.000 --> 00:21:33.000 what a show off, has a van now, thinks he's a big shot. 00:21:33.000 --> 00:21:38.000 So I'm sitting here with this offense in my heart. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:48.000 And he is teaching and the word that's coming through him is the word that will bring life to a situation in my livelihood. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:55.000 But because I have now chosen to seem a certain way, that sent word, which is supposed to bring life to me, 00:21:55.000 --> 00:22:03.000 will fail to get traction in the ground of my heart because the ground of my heart is hard against the one through whom the word is coming. 00:22:06.000 --> 00:22:09.000 I've made this mistake so many times, it's crazy. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.000 Sorry, ask that again, Mariam. 00:22:17.000 --> 00:22:19.000 No, it's for the believer and unbeliever. 00:22:19.000 --> 00:22:24.000 In fact, the unbeliever has to be given greater latitude because he doesn't know these truths. 00:22:24.000 --> 00:22:27.000 For believers, we've got to change the attitude we function with. 00:22:27.000 --> 00:22:28.000 Go ahead. 00:22:40.000 --> 00:22:44.000 There are tears in your heart that prevent good seed from growing, yeah, in a sense. 00:22:44.000 --> 00:22:50.000 I would put it this way, that the ground of your heart becomes hard because you're not able to recognize the one sent by God. 00:22:54.000 --> 00:22:55.000 Grow, yeah. 00:22:55.000 --> 00:22:58.000 I don't know if that analogy applies fully here. 00:22:58.000 --> 00:23:05.000 I would say it is more the hardening of the heart towards a certain person and therefore the heart becomes hard against the word the person is bringing. 00:23:07.000 --> 00:23:10.000 And guys, the other thing is when you... 00:23:11.000 --> 00:23:13.000 Yeah, we'll leave it at that. 00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:29.000 Guys, some of you are benefiting more here at Acts 29 simply because you have recognized the sent one and therefore the word that God sends through me becomes more easily permeable in the soil of your life. 00:23:32.000 --> 00:23:33.000 It's the same with Eddie. 00:23:34.000 --> 00:23:54.000 I remember after the India trip, Eddie turned around to me and he said, Jacob, in 2007, you chose in your heart to recognize me as one sent into your life by God and therefore you've been practicing the word that I have deposited in your life. 00:23:54.000 --> 00:24:00.000 And that's why you're seeing the increase in your life that others that have done the same thing too have not seen yet. 00:24:00.000 --> 00:24:02.000 And he goes around the world, they to different places. 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:05.000 Fascinating how this works. 00:24:05.000 --> 00:24:09.000 These are scriptural principles, guys, even though they sound like self-promotion. 00:24:09.000 --> 00:24:12.000 And by now you should know me better. 00:24:12.000 --> 00:24:17.000 If you don't, well, meet me for coffee and pay for it. 00:24:20.000 --> 00:24:21.000 I'm kidding, guys. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:23.000 Sometimes this is a process. 00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:24.000 It took me... 00:24:24.000 --> 00:24:25.000 It takes a while. 00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:29.000 I don't want to get arrogant here because it will take away from what I'm trying to say. 00:24:29.000 --> 00:24:31.000 So bring yourself under... 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:38.000 In a way, guys, when you bring yourself under the covering of the word that a sent one brings, you're also bringing yourself under the covering of the sent one. 00:24:38.000 --> 00:24:39.000 Let me say that again. 00:24:39.000 --> 00:24:40.000 If you don't... 00:24:40.000 --> 00:24:42.000 If it doesn't register immediately, it's okay. 00:24:42.000 --> 00:24:48.000 When you bring yourself under the covering of the word that God brings through a sent one, and I'm pointing to myself right now. 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:51.000 It could be any of us who God commissions and sends. 00:24:52.000 --> 00:24:59.000 When you bring yourself under the covering of the word that comes through a sent one, in a sense, you're bringing yourself under the covering of the sent one. 00:24:59.000 --> 00:25:05.000 In the Old Testament, before John the Baptist or during the John Baptist time, even baptism was along those lines, you know. 00:25:05.000 --> 00:25:09.000 When someone got baptized by a particular teacher, you know what you were saying? 00:25:09.000 --> 00:25:12.000 You were saying that I completely agree with the doctrine of this teacher. 00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:19.000 And in baptizing myself under this teacher, I'm saying that I see him as my covering and follow after him. 00:25:21.000 --> 00:25:23.000 That's not the way it functions now. 00:25:23.000 --> 00:25:29.000 I'm not saying that yesterday when we baptized Rob and Marcus that they were pledging allegiance to me. 00:25:29.000 --> 00:25:30.000 They were not. 00:25:30.000 --> 00:25:33.000 But this was a practice that was prevalent during Jesus' time. 00:25:35.000 --> 00:25:40.000 The next thing about hearing, guys, is hearing has to happen humbly. 00:25:40.000 --> 00:25:42.000 You have to hear humbly. 00:25:42.000 --> 00:25:44.000 Where does it say so? 00:25:44.000 --> 00:25:45.000 James 1.21. 00:25:45.000 --> 00:25:46.000 James 1.21. 00:25:46.000 --> 00:25:56.000 It says, Therefore, Jacob, get rid of all moral filth and evil and humbly accept the engrafted word. 00:25:56.000 --> 00:25:57.000 I love that. 00:25:57.000 --> 00:26:06.000 Therefore, Jacob, get rid of all moral filth and evil and humbly accept the engrafted word or the word planted in you which can save you. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:10.000 Humbly accept the word. 00:26:10.000 --> 00:26:14.000 Which means I'll have to lower myself if I want to learn from you. 00:26:16.000 --> 00:26:18.000 This is why people prefer learning from the Holy Spirit. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:21.000 Because it's easy to humble yourself before the Holy Spirit. 00:26:21.000 --> 00:26:25.000 But it's darn hard to humble yourself before someone that the Holy Spirit sends. 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:36.000 Because if I want to learn from you, it's impossible for me to learn from you unless I humble myself. 00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:37.000 So let's assume for a second. 00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:38.000 And listen, why is it? 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:39.000 Because I've got pride. 00:26:39.000 --> 00:26:40.000 One. 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.000 Two. 00:26:41.000 --> 00:26:44.000 Because I look at you and you don't look like a teacher, Kamal. 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:49.000 I see you in the flesh and you don't look convincing enough. 00:26:49.000 --> 00:26:53.000 And thirdly, I don't discern what the Lord is trying to do through your life and mine. 00:26:53.000 --> 00:26:54.000 And therefore, what do I do? 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:56.000 I do not humble myself. 00:26:56.000 --> 00:26:59.000 And when I don't humble myself, I don't humble myself. 00:26:59.000 --> 00:27:01.000 I don't humble myself. 00:27:01.000 --> 00:27:03.000 I don't humble myself. 00:27:03.000 --> 00:27:04.000 I do not humble myself. 00:27:04.000 --> 00:27:12.000 And when I don't humble myself, the word that God wants to plant through you into my life does not get planted, does not get engrafted. 00:27:12.000 --> 00:27:16.000 Look at why we need to talk about the quality of our hearing. 00:27:23.000 --> 00:27:24.000 Fascinating. 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:28.000 Yes. 00:27:28.000 --> 00:27:32.000 Humility is not a key to the soul. 00:27:32.000 --> 00:27:33.000 Humility. 00:27:33.000 --> 00:27:35.000 Is humility one of the fruits of the spirit? 00:27:35.000 --> 00:27:38.000 I would say for me, it's a gift. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:39.000 Okay. 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:40.000 I'm not sure. 00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:42.000 Someone check Galatians 5. 00:27:42.000 --> 00:27:45.000 Just like Jalot said, I love him. 00:27:45.000 --> 00:27:46.000 Okay. 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:47.000 Humility is not. 00:27:47.000 --> 00:27:49.000 But it is something that is a... 00:27:49.000 --> 00:27:50.000 Let's put it this way. 00:27:50.000 --> 00:27:55.000 It's not in the list of the Galatians, but it's a prime quality of Jesus. 00:27:55.000 --> 00:27:59.000 It actually is, because you take those qualities and... 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:00.000 Yeah, it's... 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:02.000 Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord. 00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:05.000 I mean, Jesus is the ultimate expression of humility. 00:28:05.000 --> 00:28:09.000 So it's impossible to be Jesus-like without being humble. 00:28:09.000 --> 00:28:11.000 And so, let me put it this way. 00:28:11.000 --> 00:28:14.000 If I don't humble myself, there's no question of me learning from you. 00:28:14.000 --> 00:28:17.000 And I'm at the greatest risk in this church for not learning from you, eh? 00:28:17.000 --> 00:28:22.000 Because I, after all, as of today, I'm the senior pastor. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:30.000 And given that I'm the senior pastor, if I don't discern the way you're coming to me as sent from God, 00:28:30.000 --> 00:28:37.000 if I don't decide that Derek can perhaps teach me something, though he's half my age, 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:39.000 what, you're 18 right now, right? 00:28:39.000 --> 00:28:44.000 And if I don't discern these things, there's no question of me ever learning. 00:28:44.000 --> 00:28:45.000 I'm at the greatest risk. 00:28:45.000 --> 00:28:48.000 This is why pastors are at the greatest risk of not learning. 00:28:48.000 --> 00:28:51.000 Husbands are at a great risk of not learning from their wives. 00:28:53.000 --> 00:28:56.000 Teachers, they're the worst of the lot. 00:28:58.000 --> 00:29:01.000 Which is why James 3, verse 1 says what? 00:29:02.000 --> 00:29:05.000 I love it when the response is so tremendous. 00:29:05.000 --> 00:29:15.000 It says that, listen, any of you who want to be teachers, don't be too enthusiastic. 00:29:15.000 --> 00:29:24.000 Because teachers are judged doubly that they'll be judged more severely than the rest. 00:29:25.000 --> 00:29:26.000 We'll come to that later. 00:29:27.000 --> 00:29:30.000 Guys, so accept the word humbly and cherish it. 00:29:30.000 --> 00:29:32.000 And then the first part of the verse comes true. 00:29:32.000 --> 00:29:33.000 Get rid of all evil. 00:29:33.000 --> 00:29:35.000 I love Psalm 199. 00:29:35.000 --> 00:29:36.000 I learned it when I was Derek's age. 00:29:37.000 --> 00:29:38.000 And here's what it said. 00:29:38.000 --> 00:29:40.000 It said, how shall a young man keep his way pure? 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.000 By cherishing the word. 00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:46.000 So on one hand, Paul is saying, therefore, set aside all moral filth and evil. 00:29:46.000 --> 00:29:47.000 How do you do that? 00:29:47.000 --> 00:29:48.000 By cherishing the word. 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.000 How do you cherish the word? 00:29:49.000 --> 00:29:53.000 By receiving it humbly from the ones that are want to plant it in you. 00:29:53.000 --> 00:29:54.000 Why do I resist that? 00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:55.000 Because I got pride in my heart. 00:29:55.000 --> 00:29:56.000 What can you teach me? 00:29:57.000 --> 00:29:59.000 Because I got pride in my heart. 00:29:59.000 --> 00:30:01.000 You don't look and fit the type. 00:30:01.000 --> 00:30:02.000 Because I got pride in my heart. 00:30:02.000 --> 00:30:03.000 I got pride in my heart. 00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:04.000 And I'm proud of it. 00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.000 I'm proud of it. 00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:06.000 I'm proud of it. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.000 I'm proud of it. 00:30:07.000 --> 00:30:08.000 And I'm proud of it. 00:30:08.000 --> 00:30:09.000 You don't look and fit the type. 00:30:09.000 --> 00:30:10.000 Because I got pride in my heart. 00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:13.000 Because I don't discern you as one sent from God. 00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:16.000 Therefore, you're not able to engraft in me the word God wants to. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:23.000 Another one. 00:30:24.000 --> 00:30:25.000 Hearing and legalism. 00:30:25.000 --> 00:30:28.000 We talked about this three weeks ago or two weeks ago. 00:30:28.000 --> 00:30:33.000 Guys, the more legalistic and more stubborn you are, the less you will be able to hear. 00:30:34.000 --> 00:30:38.000 The more legalistic and the more stubborn you are, the less you will be able to hear. 00:30:38.000 --> 00:30:39.000 Why? 00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:43.000 Because Galatians 3 says that legalism dulls you. 00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:45.000 Legalism dulls you. 00:30:45.000 --> 00:30:48.000 Dulls you in the sense because you cannot... 00:30:48.000 --> 00:30:49.000 Don't worry, Roxanne. 00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:51.000 You can step out there and do what you want. 00:30:51.000 --> 00:30:52.000 When I walk, you don't have to run back in. 00:30:54.000 --> 00:31:00.000 Legalism has the ability to dull you to the things of God. 00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:02.000 Guys, you can't put a new cloth on an old? 00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:05.000 These things we should know. 00:31:05.000 --> 00:31:06.000 Not wine skin. 00:31:06.000 --> 00:31:09.000 You can't put a new cloth on an old? 00:31:10.000 --> 00:31:11.000 Rag. 00:31:11.000 --> 00:31:12.000 You can't. 00:31:12.000 --> 00:31:18.000 Legalism is holding on to the old which was once godly and unable to let go. 00:31:18.000 --> 00:31:22.000 Therefore, it is impossible to hear because God is speaking something new. 00:31:22.000 --> 00:31:23.000 Why stubbornness? 00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:27.000 Guys, if you and I are stubborn, it's going to be very difficult to hear the word of God. 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:31.000 Why? 00:31:31.000 --> 00:31:33.000 Because stubbornness is akin to? 00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:38.000 Rebellion is akin to witchcraft. 00:31:38.000 --> 00:31:40.000 Stubbornness is akin to? 00:31:41.000 --> 00:31:42.000 We've got to visit the Old Testament more often. 00:31:42.000 --> 00:31:43.000 Idolatry. 00:31:43.000 --> 00:31:45.000 1 Samuel 15, verse 22. 00:31:45.000 --> 00:31:46.000 Stubbornness is like? 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:47.000 Idolatry. 00:31:48.000 --> 00:31:49.000 Rebellion is like? 00:31:49.000 --> 00:31:50.000 Witchcraft. 00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:57.000 Guys, it is natural when there is stubbornness to have a dumbness or a dullness like the very idols that they're supposed to represent. 00:31:57.000 --> 00:32:02.000 Move away from stubbornness and legalism and you'll find that you hear better. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:07.000 Some of us may not be legalistic but we are stubborn. 00:32:07.000 --> 00:32:11.000 One of the things my mom said to me over and over again, Jacob, you're so blooming stubborn. 00:32:13.000 --> 00:32:15.000 And my mom's not the only one. 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:16.000 Others have said it too. 00:32:20.000 --> 00:32:22.000 What is the root of stubbornness? 00:32:23.000 --> 00:32:25.000 Being an authority unto oneself. 00:32:25.000 --> 00:32:26.000 Control. 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:27.000 Pardon? 00:32:30.000 --> 00:32:37.000 Bitterness may be a product of it but I think the reason I'm stubborn is because I want to be an authority unto myself. 00:32:37.000 --> 00:32:39.000 I don't want to listen to you. 00:32:39.000 --> 00:32:43.000 I am the one who runs my life and you have no right to tell me what to do. 00:32:46.000 --> 00:32:47.000 Pride. 00:32:47.000 --> 00:32:52.000 It leads to that perceived notion as we were saying before, oh he's wearing this color shirt. 00:32:52.000 --> 00:32:59.000 It was some bitter happen about that color and it leads to, I don't like what he's saying, I will not receive this. 00:32:59.000 --> 00:33:00.000 Could be. 00:33:02.000 --> 00:33:03.000 I'm not making a concession. 00:33:03.000 --> 00:33:04.000 I actually think it could be. 00:33:06.000 --> 00:33:08.000 Legalism brings spiritual dullness, guys. 00:33:08.000 --> 00:33:11.000 The more legalistic and stubborn you are, the less you hear. 00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:12.000 Here's another one. 00:33:12.000 --> 00:33:13.000 Hearing and doing. 00:33:14.000 --> 00:33:16.000 James 1, 22. 00:33:16.000 --> 00:33:17.000 Do not be deceived. 00:33:17.000 --> 00:33:30.000 If you hear and don't do, you're like a guy who stood, guys don't do this, a guy who stood in front of the mirror and spent hours doing stuff and he walks away from the mirror and he doesn't know what he looks like. 00:33:31.000 --> 00:33:36.000 That's what, guys, if I don't, here's the thing. 00:33:36.000 --> 00:33:43.000 If I hear and don't do, I never get to practice what I've been taught and I never come into an encounter with God in that area. 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:44.000 Listen to me again. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:45.000 It's only 11.15. 00:33:45.000 --> 00:33:47.000 You got strength to stay till 11.40. 00:33:49.000 --> 00:33:51.000 Oh, those days when we used to go on for three and a half hours. 00:33:51.000 --> 00:33:52.000 How I missed them. 00:33:56.000 --> 00:33:59.000 Matt and Rachel, you are so fortunate to come into our lives at this time. 00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:01.000 You should have come two years ago. 00:34:02.000 --> 00:34:04.000 Three and a half hours, man, it would go on. 00:34:04.000 --> 00:34:06.000 Three and a half hours, man, it would go on. 00:34:09.000 --> 00:34:20.000 Okay, guys, if I do not practice what I hear, it's impossible for me to encounter God in the very things that the word is supposed to test me in. 00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:28.000 It's impossible for me to encounter God in the very things that God wants to test me in. 00:34:28.000 --> 00:34:32.000 How does God know that you are approved in the study of the word? 00:34:32.000 --> 00:34:39.000 In the very area that you're studying, he'll have you encounter him in a situation where he'll try and see how you're doing. 00:34:42.000 --> 00:34:43.000 I love that. 00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:44.000 Part of me loves that. 00:34:44.000 --> 00:34:45.000 Part of me doesn't. 00:34:46.000 --> 00:34:51.000 So imagine, let's assume God is teaching me about patience. 00:34:51.000 --> 00:34:54.000 Everywhere I turn in the word, I'm reading about patience. 00:34:54.000 --> 00:34:55.000 So what does God do? 00:34:55.000 --> 00:34:56.000 So what does God do? 00:34:56.000 --> 00:35:03.000 Now he has me encounter him in a situation where I need patience. 00:35:04.000 --> 00:35:08.000 And it'll prove whether the word I heard is the word I practice. 00:35:09.000 --> 00:35:10.000 So what does he do? 00:35:10.000 --> 00:35:11.000 He sends me James. 00:35:12.000 --> 00:35:13.000 No, I'm just kidding. 00:35:15.000 --> 00:35:16.000 James didn't hear me. 00:35:17.000 --> 00:35:18.000 Oh, you heard me. 00:35:18.000 --> 00:35:23.000 He probably has not sent you. 00:35:23.000 --> 00:35:25.000 No, he's the sent one. 00:35:26.000 --> 00:35:28.000 Sorry James, I had to do that. 00:35:29.000 --> 00:35:31.000 I can come and apologize later. 00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:33.000 I think I spent... 00:35:33.000 --> 00:35:34.000 No, forget it. 00:35:35.000 --> 00:35:36.000 Moving on. 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:44.000 The quality of hearing is terrible if it's not followed by doing, because it leaves my mind untransformed. 00:35:44.000 --> 00:35:45.000 Here's another one guys. 00:35:45.000 --> 00:35:47.000 There are three more to go and then we'll stop. 00:35:48.000 --> 00:35:49.000 Itching ears. 00:35:50.000 --> 00:35:52.000 Itching ears has a connection with hearing. 00:35:52.000 --> 00:35:54.000 Itching ears in hearing. 00:35:54.000 --> 00:35:55.000 Itching ears in hearing. 00:35:55.000 --> 00:35:58.000 It's in 2 Timothy 4.3. 00:35:58.000 --> 00:36:00.000 2 Timothy 4.3. 00:36:01.000 --> 00:36:05.000 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, 00:36:06.000 --> 00:36:08.000 but wanting to have their ears tickled, 00:36:09.000 --> 00:36:12.000 they will accumulate for themselves teachers and teachers, 00:36:12.000 --> 00:36:16.000 they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, 00:36:16.000 --> 00:36:19.000 and will turn away their ears from the truth, 00:36:19.000 --> 00:36:21.000 and will turn aside to myths. 00:36:22.000 --> 00:36:23.000 My THS. 00:36:24.000 --> 00:36:26.000 For the time is coming, and is now upon us, 00:36:27.000 --> 00:36:29.000 when we will not endure sound doctrine, 00:36:29.000 --> 00:36:32.000 but will want to have our ears tickled, 00:36:32.000 --> 00:36:33.000 and so what will we do? 00:36:33.000 --> 00:36:37.000 We'll accumulate for ourselves teachers in accordance to our own desires, 00:36:37.000 --> 00:36:39.000 and will turn our ears from the truth, 00:36:39.000 --> 00:36:41.000 and will turn aside to fables and myths. 00:36:42.000 --> 00:36:45.000 Notice here that the problem is not with the teacher, 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:46.000 the problem is with the hearer. 00:36:50.000 --> 00:36:52.000 When it comes to itching ears, 00:36:52.000 --> 00:36:55.000 it's not saying that the teachers are necessarily bad or wrong. 00:36:55.000 --> 00:36:57.000 It's saying your ears are itching. 00:36:57.000 --> 00:36:58.000 So what do you do? 00:36:58.000 --> 00:37:01.000 Do you accumulate to yourself multiple teachers, 00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:06.000 so that at some point someone will say something that fits your desire and needs. 00:37:07.000 --> 00:37:08.000 And your paradigm. 00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:10.000 I think Chris said this once. 00:37:10.000 --> 00:37:11.000 Don't... 00:37:13.000 --> 00:37:15.000 No, I think she said it. 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:19.000 Believe what you read, don't read what you want to believe or something. 00:37:23.000 --> 00:37:25.000 Believe what you read, don't read what you believe. 00:37:27.000 --> 00:37:30.000 We have a tendency to read what we want to believe. 00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:35.000 We have a tendency to listen to people who will tell us what we already want to believe. 00:37:35.000 --> 00:37:37.000 And the intent is believe what you read, Jacob. 00:37:37.000 --> 00:37:44.000 Don't keep reading to find out something that will help you believe what may not be the complete truth. 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:46.000 Oh, you got the quote from me. 00:37:54.000 --> 00:37:56.000 The problem is with the hearer and not the teacher. 00:37:56.000 --> 00:37:58.000 Guys, this is what we talked about last week. 00:37:58.000 --> 00:38:01.000 You cannot eat at multiple tables. 00:38:01.000 --> 00:38:03.000 It's a case of itching ears. 00:38:03.000 --> 00:38:05.000 Desist and find your main table. 00:38:05.000 --> 00:38:07.000 You cannot eat at multiple tables. 00:38:09.000 --> 00:38:13.000 You can go occasionally pick and taste and see how the other table is doing. 00:38:13.000 --> 00:38:15.000 But you cannot eat at multiple tables. 00:38:15.000 --> 00:38:18.000 It's accumulating multiple teachers unto yourself. 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:22.000 It's a case of having itching ears. 00:38:25.000 --> 00:38:28.000 Okay, before I go on to the next two, any questions? 00:38:29.000 --> 00:38:30.000 Go ahead. 00:38:34.000 --> 00:38:35.000 You can. 00:38:35.000 --> 00:38:36.000 You can. 00:38:36.000 --> 00:38:38.000 But know where your main table is at. 00:38:38.000 --> 00:38:40.000 That's what I'm saying. 00:38:40.000 --> 00:38:41.000 You can listen to others. 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:45.000 There will be people who will tell you stuff that you won't get where you normally eat. 00:38:46.000 --> 00:38:51.000 There will be people who add important truths to what you already know, 00:38:51.000 --> 00:38:53.000 which you won't get where you presently eat. 00:38:53.000 --> 00:38:57.000 But you don't go jumping from one to the other. 00:38:57.000 --> 00:39:00.000 You know where your primary stream of table is. 00:39:00.000 --> 00:39:01.000 You eat there. 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:03.000 And then you decide, this has become my main table. 00:39:03.000 --> 00:39:07.000 I will have tributaries coming in as God wants and I will gain from them. 00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:09.000 But this is my primary table. 00:39:09.000 --> 00:39:13.000 And the intent then becomes, I will not accumulate teachers unto myself. 00:39:16.000 --> 00:39:19.000 Because if this church becomes the ultimate expression of all truth, 00:39:19.000 --> 00:39:23.000 then this church is actually where Jesus Christ dwells every day, 00:39:23.000 --> 00:39:25.000 like he's actually here. 00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:27.000 Because surely we have all the truth. 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:30.000 The moment we begin to say that, something is seriously wrong. 00:39:31.000 --> 00:39:36.000 Because there are tons of other churches out there that are speaking truths that we haven't yet discovered. 00:39:38.000 --> 00:39:40.000 So yes, we will learn. 00:39:40.000 --> 00:39:42.000 But know where your main table is and eat there. 00:39:42.000 --> 00:39:46.000 And guys, spend time figuring out where your main table is. 00:39:48.000 --> 00:39:50.000 Here are some ways to identify your main table. 00:39:50.000 --> 00:39:56.000 And I may not be able to tell you all of them because this is not where I wanted to go. 00:39:57.000 --> 00:40:02.000 Your main table better be somewhere where you get challenged and uncomfortable. 00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:09.000 If the place you go to most is a place where you feel comfortable 00:40:09.000 --> 00:40:13.000 because everything is nice and people are nice and the message is nice, flee. 00:40:16.000 --> 00:40:18.000 It's a bad idea to go there. 00:40:18.000 --> 00:40:21.000 Secondly, make sure that wherever you go, 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:27.000 there is some kind of personal relationship with someone who can upgrade you spiritually. 00:40:28.000 --> 00:40:31.000 Because upgrade comes through association. 00:40:32.000 --> 00:40:36.000 So wherever you go and decide that this is the main table that I'm going to sit at and eat, 00:40:36.000 --> 00:40:38.000 know this, that you have to have someone. 00:40:38.000 --> 00:40:40.000 May not be the pastor in a large church, 00:40:40.000 --> 00:40:42.000 because a large church may have 500 people like us. 00:40:42.000 --> 00:40:44.000 But know that you have to have someone. 00:40:44.000 --> 00:40:46.000 Thank you for a few smiles. 00:40:48.000 --> 00:40:50.000 Speaking in faith, man. 00:40:50.000 --> 00:40:51.000 So here's the thing. 00:40:51.000 --> 00:40:57.000 Whenever you go to a church, make sure that you have somebody who is at a level spiritually far above you 00:40:57.000 --> 00:41:00.000 or much higher than you that you can connect to. 00:41:00.000 --> 00:41:04.000 Because you will not upgrade if you do not connect with someone who is operating at a level higher than you. 00:41:04.000 --> 00:41:07.000 And when I say connect, I don't mean how's the weather. 00:41:07.000 --> 00:41:09.000 I mean, how's the environment. 00:41:09.000 --> 00:41:12.000 I mean someone who has the ability to challenge and speak into your life. 00:41:12.000 --> 00:41:16.000 Till you find that, do not decide that this is going to be my main table. 00:41:16.000 --> 00:41:20.000 Third, if you want to come to a place where you want to say, 00:41:20.000 --> 00:41:22.000 this is the main table that I'll sit at, 00:41:22.000 --> 00:41:31.000 make sure that it's a place where one area is not continuously emphasized to the exclusion of other areas. 00:41:31.000 --> 00:41:35.000 Every single area is not continuously emphasized to the exclusion of other areas. 00:41:35.000 --> 00:41:37.000 Every tribe has a trait. 00:41:37.000 --> 00:41:42.000 So there will be some churches that speak a social gospel because God has given them that trait. 00:41:42.000 --> 00:41:44.000 They are supposed to do that. 00:41:44.000 --> 00:41:47.000 But let it not be to the exclusion of other things 00:41:47.000 --> 00:41:51.000 because otherwise you'll have one appendage that is larger than the rest of your body 00:41:51.000 --> 00:41:53.000 and you end up looking misshapen. 00:41:57.000 --> 00:42:01.000 It's possible to come to Acts 29 and only hear about the apostolic. 00:42:01.000 --> 00:42:05.000 It's possible to come to Acts 29 and only hear about the apostolic. 00:42:05.000 --> 00:42:08.000 And if that is the only thing you hear in Acts 29, leave. 00:42:11.000 --> 00:42:14.000 Because you will have an appendage that is longer than, 00:42:14.000 --> 00:42:18.000 you'll have one hand that is longer than every other part of the body. 00:42:18.000 --> 00:42:21.000 Or you'll have your nose sticking out like Pinocchio. 00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:27.000 Sorry, say that again. 00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:30.000 Yeah, yeah. 00:42:30.000 --> 00:42:33.000 So if there's only an emphasis on that, something is wrong. 00:42:34.000 --> 00:42:36.000 It has to be wholesome. 00:42:37.000 --> 00:42:41.000 And then after all this, look for are the people loving? 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:46.000 What do we do? The first thing we look for is are the people loving? 00:42:47.000 --> 00:42:48.000 Really? 00:42:49.000 --> 00:42:52.000 This is a messy place. There'll be people who offend you. 00:42:53.000 --> 00:42:55.000 If people are not offending you at Acts 29, 00:42:55.000 --> 00:42:58.000 it's either because we've gotten the hang of liking each other 00:42:58.000 --> 00:43:00.000 or it's because they're being false with you. 00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:06.000 It's the first thing we look for in a church. 00:43:06.000 --> 00:43:08.000 I went in there and I felt tremendously loved. 00:43:08.000 --> 00:43:11.000 That's good the first couple of times. May you feel loved. 00:43:12.000 --> 00:43:16.000 But if they come back a third time and they don't feel loved, it's okay. 00:43:18.000 --> 00:43:20.000 I meant that in the nicest way. 00:43:22.000 --> 00:43:25.000 Because that's not the criteria that Matt and Rachel are going to use 00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:28.000 to decide where they want to fit themselves. 00:43:34.000 --> 00:43:37.000 Do you disagree? Do you want to challenge what I'm saying? 00:43:40.000 --> 00:43:43.000 Just in case I'm wrong, do you want to challenge this? 00:43:55.000 --> 00:43:57.000 You don't know how to keep that to the very top? 00:43:57.000 --> 00:43:59.000 Yeah, that's another good question. 00:43:59.000 --> 00:44:03.000 What do you do when the church sets the bar up high? 00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:07.000 Two choices, man. And this, the pastor of the church has to decide. 00:44:07.000 --> 00:44:10.000 Do you want to lower the bar or keep the bar high? 00:44:11.000 --> 00:44:13.000 And some churches, God may instruct them, 00:44:13.000 --> 00:44:15.000 listen, I want you to lower the bar. 00:44:16.000 --> 00:44:19.000 Not lower the standards of Christ, but for the sake of the people, 00:44:19.000 --> 00:44:23.000 lower the bar so that people are able to achieve what they need to achieve 00:44:23.000 --> 00:44:24.000 and feel encouraged. 00:44:24.000 --> 00:44:27.000 In some churches, they'll say, set the bar high. 00:44:28.000 --> 00:44:29.000 And so what will it do? 00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:31.000 It'll cause people to stretch and reach out. 00:44:31.000 --> 00:44:35.000 Some may not make it and you may have to sit down with them and encourage them. 00:44:35.000 --> 00:44:37.000 Some will keep, but there'll be continuous growth. 00:44:38.000 --> 00:44:43.000 About five years ago, I don't know if some of the guys who were in the leadership remember this, 00:44:43.000 --> 00:44:45.000 we had this choice to make. 00:44:45.000 --> 00:44:48.000 And very clearly, I still have it in my notes that I keep when God speaks, 00:44:48.000 --> 00:44:51.000 very clearly, we were told to keep the bar high. 00:44:53.000 --> 00:44:55.000 One is not wrong, one is not right. 00:44:55.000 --> 00:44:57.000 Both are acceptable. 00:44:58.000 --> 00:45:01.000 So sometimes in a church, you have to set the bar low because that's what God is saying. 00:45:02.000 --> 00:45:10.000 Bar low meaning, let's pick on Tavis. 00:45:10.000 --> 00:45:12.000 Let's assume that Tavis is a high jumper. 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:18.000 And so Jason is training him and he sets the bar for the high jump at this level. 00:45:18.000 --> 00:45:22.000 And Tavis is able to kind of get it, kind of fall. 00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:28.000 And Jason keeps increasing it very little at a time because he knows Tavis' makeup. 00:45:28.000 --> 00:45:31.000 And so he wants Tavis to be encouraged as he goes higher and higher. 00:45:31.000 --> 00:45:33.000 And then there is Evelyn. 00:45:33.000 --> 00:45:35.000 And Evelyn is a high jumper too. 00:45:35.000 --> 00:45:37.000 But she's got a completely different makeup. 00:45:38.000 --> 00:45:42.000 You give her a half an inch at a time, it's like, let me go play hockey instead. 00:45:43.000 --> 00:45:47.000 So you've got to, and let me go play for the Canucks and not the Maple Leafs. 00:45:48.000 --> 00:45:50.000 May that be the case with all your kids. 00:45:50.000 --> 00:45:54.000 But then you can set the bar up, in Evelyn's case, a foot higher. 00:45:54.000 --> 00:45:59.000 And Evelyn looks at it and she knows it's impossible, but something begins to beat inside her. 00:46:10.000 --> 00:46:13.000 I agree. Thank God we started with new wine skins. 00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:18.000 No, everybody needs a new wine skin. 00:46:18.000 --> 00:46:27.000 As in that understanding here, but if somebody possesses old wine and you wanted to pour wine into that, you can pour new wine into that, right? 00:46:27.000 --> 00:46:29.000 Or the wine skin will rupture. 00:46:29.000 --> 00:46:32.000 Agreed, James. But here's the advantage Acts 29 had. 00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:36.000 Acts 29 is a church plant and therefore had no baggage. 00:46:37.000 --> 00:46:40.000 The only baggage Acts 29 had was the baggage Jacob came with. 00:46:42.000 --> 00:46:43.000 We don't have a baggage, is that? 00:46:43.000 --> 00:46:47.000 No, no, no. What I'm trying to say is that Acts 29 had no baggage. 00:46:48.000 --> 00:46:51.000 And Acts 29 didn't have the baggage of a 40-year-old church. 00:46:52.000 --> 00:46:57.000 We didn't have to deal with boards, we didn't have to deal with rules, we didn't have to deal with traditions because we had none. 00:46:59.000 --> 00:47:02.000 So let me move on and complete this thing. 00:47:03.000 --> 00:47:04.000 Guys, here's another thing. 00:47:04.000 --> 00:47:07.000 Satan and hearing. Satan has things to do with hearing, eh? 00:47:07.000 --> 00:47:09.000 Satan has things to do with hearing. 00:47:09.000 --> 00:47:11.000 Is it shutting well? 00:47:11.000 --> 00:47:14.000 If not, go and tell Wayne that the door still needs some help. 00:47:15.000 --> 00:47:18.000 Guys, Satan has things to do with hearing. 00:47:18.000 --> 00:47:20.000 Matthew 13, 19. 00:47:20.000 --> 00:47:26.000 And when a person does not understand the word, Satan comes and steals the word? 00:47:27.000 --> 00:47:30.000 Crazy, eh? Guys, just listen to this. 00:47:30.000 --> 00:47:32.000 I only have two more. 00:47:32.000 --> 00:47:34.000 I mean, after this, I only have one more heading to go. 00:47:34.000 --> 00:47:37.000 So get encouraged that it's coming to an end soon. 00:47:37.000 --> 00:47:39.000 It's coming to an end soon. 00:47:39.000 --> 00:47:40.000 Guys, just listen to this. 00:47:40.000 --> 00:47:42.000 Just listen to this. 00:47:42.000 --> 00:47:44.000 When you do not understand the word... 00:47:53.000 --> 00:47:55.000 He certainly hasn't learned the prayer. 00:47:55.000 --> 00:47:57.000 Lord, if this is your will, open the door. 00:47:57.000 --> 00:47:59.000 If it's not your will, shut the door. 00:47:59.000 --> 00:48:00.000 And I'm glad for him. 00:48:02.000 --> 00:48:10.000 Guys, when you don't understand the word, please recognize the fact that there's someone waiting to snatch it away. 00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:20.000 When you do not understand the word that you hear, please be aware that there is someone waiting in the wings to snatch it away. 00:48:21.000 --> 00:48:25.000 What we do is when we don't understand something... 00:48:25.000 --> 00:48:26.000 And it's... 00:48:26.000 --> 00:48:31.000 By the way, one of the things I really liked about Diana... 00:48:31.000 --> 00:48:36.000 Liked, it's in the past tense, about Diana, just in case she thinks I'm encouraging her... 00:48:36.000 --> 00:48:44.000 One of her problems was she would always hear with her mind and not her spirit. 00:48:44.000 --> 00:48:48.000 Sometimes she still does that, but she's almost cured. 00:48:48.000 --> 00:48:53.000 So she would listen to things with her mind and not her spirit. 00:48:53.000 --> 00:49:00.000 So if Diana couldn't process things with her mind, she would not be able to grasp a truth. 00:49:00.000 --> 00:49:02.000 And so one day I sat down with Diana and I told her... 00:49:03.000 --> 00:49:07.000 And that's why she'd ask question upon question upon question. 00:49:07.000 --> 00:49:08.000 One of the reasons. 00:49:08.000 --> 00:49:12.000 And one day I sat down and told her that for the next six months, I don't want you to ask questions. 00:49:12.000 --> 00:49:16.000 You guys don't know this, because we allow questions here. 00:49:16.000 --> 00:49:20.000 But in her case, she needed not to ask questions. 00:49:20.000 --> 00:49:23.000 And so for six months, she stopped asking questions. 00:49:23.000 --> 00:49:26.000 You probably weren't aware of it because other people started asking questions. 00:49:26.000 --> 00:49:29.000 And when she stopped asking questions, here's what she had to do. 00:49:29.000 --> 00:49:35.000 She now had to hear and receive things first in her spirit and then process it in the mind. 00:49:35.000 --> 00:49:43.000 All to say that when you don't understand, do not then stop listening. 00:49:43.000 --> 00:49:46.000 I was talking to somebody earlier this week and I was saying to them that listen, 00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:49.000 when you don't understand something, you shut down. 00:49:49.000 --> 00:49:52.000 Because I'm not able to understand it. I shut down. 00:49:52.000 --> 00:49:55.000 No man, no. When you don't understand something, 00:49:55.000 --> 00:49:59.000 know that there is someone waiting to snatch that seed away. 00:49:59.000 --> 00:50:03.000 So when I don't understand something, I immediately say, Spirit of God, I'm not getting it. 00:50:03.000 --> 00:50:07.000 Either you make it happen or can you bring this back later and revive it? 00:50:07.000 --> 00:50:10.000 Because I know there is something here. In my spirit, I know it. 00:50:10.000 --> 00:50:13.000 But in my thinker, I'm not able to process it. 00:50:13.000 --> 00:50:16.000 So Spirit of God, can you bring it alive or can you bring it back later? 00:50:16.000 --> 00:50:21.000 And I write it down so I can go and ponder on it as Mary did. 00:50:22.000 --> 00:50:26.000 Because otherwise, there is someone called the devil waiting to snatch the good seed 00:50:26.000 --> 00:50:28.000 that has just been laid on your soil. 00:50:28.000 --> 00:50:31.000 But because you and I are human, we are not understanding it. 00:50:35.000 --> 00:50:38.000 Because the Bible says so, Jesus said, some did not understand it 00:50:38.000 --> 00:50:41.000 and the devil came and snatched the word away. 00:50:41.000 --> 00:50:44.000 Do not shut down when you don't understand. 00:50:46.000 --> 00:50:48.000 Do not shut down. 00:50:49.000 --> 00:50:52.000 There is something called the spirit of stupor. 00:50:52.000 --> 00:50:54.000 Jesus talked about it. 00:50:54.000 --> 00:50:57.000 He said, listening you do not hear. 00:50:57.000 --> 00:50:59.000 Understanding you do not perceive. 00:50:59.000 --> 00:51:01.000 Jesus is talking about it. 00:51:01.000 --> 00:51:03.000 He calls it a spirit of stupor. 00:51:03.000 --> 00:51:08.000 Where suddenly it's like nothing goes through. 00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:11.000 Know that it's not a God thing and resist it. 00:51:11.000 --> 00:51:16.000 As we resist it again and again and practice resisting it, it flees. Why? 00:51:16.000 --> 00:51:19.000 Because when you submit to God, which is submitting to his word, 00:51:19.000 --> 00:51:23.000 and resist the devil, he flees from you. 00:51:24.000 --> 00:51:26.000 Also know that when it comes to hearing and Satan, 00:51:26.000 --> 00:51:30.000 this applies in the scripture, it's being applied to unbelievers, 00:51:30.000 --> 00:51:32.000 but it's true for us too. 00:51:32.000 --> 00:51:34.000 Romans chapter 4, verse 4. 00:51:34.000 --> 00:51:38.000 The God of this age has blinded our minds 00:51:38.000 --> 00:51:43.000 so that the light of the gospel does not shine through. 00:51:44.000 --> 00:51:47.000 It's talking about unbelievers in that context, 00:51:47.000 --> 00:51:51.000 but may I suggest to you that the God of this age is presently involved 00:51:51.000 --> 00:51:53.000 in blinding sometimes our minds too, 00:51:53.000 --> 00:51:57.000 which is why there are tons of churches and there are situations in your life and my life 00:51:57.000 --> 00:52:02.000 where even though something is told us again and again, it doesn't go through. 00:52:02.000 --> 00:52:08.000 I went and taught some of these things for four days in Prince George and nothing changed. 00:52:08.000 --> 00:52:13.000 Nothing changed. 00:52:13.000 --> 00:52:19.000 Because the God of this age has the ability to blind us to some truths. 00:52:19.000 --> 00:52:24.000 So know that Satan has a place in affecting hearing. 00:52:24.000 --> 00:52:28.000 And the last one guys, the last one is equippers in hearing. 00:52:28.000 --> 00:52:31.000 Equippers in hearing. What do we mean by equippers? 00:52:31.000 --> 00:52:33.000 Ephesians 4, we'll talk about that. 00:52:33.000 --> 00:52:35.000 So here's the first scripture. 00:52:35.000 --> 00:52:38.000 The first scripture is from 1 John 2.20. 00:52:38.000 --> 00:52:43.000 1 John 2.20 says, 00:52:43.000 --> 00:52:51.000 The anointing is in you 00:52:51.000 --> 00:53:00.000 and will lead you into all truth. 00:53:00.000 --> 00:53:06.000 Meaning the anointing as in the Spirit of God is in you and will lead you into all truth. 00:53:06.000 --> 00:53:10.000 So that's 1 John 2.20. 00:53:10.000 --> 00:53:17.000 And yet when you look at Ephesians 4, 12 to 14, 00:53:17.000 --> 00:53:23.000 it says God has appointed in the church apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists. 00:53:23.000 --> 00:53:25.000 Why has he appointed them? 00:53:25.000 --> 00:53:29.000 He has appointed them to equip the body. 00:53:29.000 --> 00:53:31.000 Why? 00:53:31.000 --> 00:53:46.000 So that they will not be tossed about by false doctrine. 00:53:46.000 --> 00:53:54.000 But come into truth. 00:53:54.000 --> 00:53:57.000 Hey, where's Ruth? 00:53:57.000 --> 00:53:59.000 Okay. 00:53:59.000 --> 00:54:03.000 When I said truth, I remembered Ruth. 00:54:03.000 --> 00:54:06.000 So on one hand, 1 John 2.20 says, 00:54:06.000 --> 00:54:11.000 Jacob, the anointing of the Holy Spirit is in you and will lead you into all truth. 00:54:11.000 --> 00:54:14.000 So then why do I need teachers? 00:54:14.000 --> 00:54:17.000 And yet it says, Jacob, I have appointed. 00:54:17.000 --> 00:54:18.000 Who has appointed? Christ has appointed. 00:54:18.000 --> 00:54:22.000 Who has Christ appointed? Apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors and evangelists. 00:54:22.000 --> 00:54:24.000 Why? To equip the body. 00:54:24.000 --> 00:54:27.000 Why? So that among other things, 00:54:27.000 --> 00:54:32.000 we will not be tossed about to and fro by false doctrine or by the winds of false doctrine 00:54:32.000 --> 00:54:36.000 and through the craftiness of men, but instead that we may come into the truth. 00:54:36.000 --> 00:54:38.000 It's like aerodynamics and gravity. 00:54:38.000 --> 00:54:40.000 On one hand, you have the Holy Spirit to instruct you. 00:54:40.000 --> 00:54:45.000 On the other hand, you also have equip us to help you learn. 00:54:45.000 --> 00:54:49.000 Both work together and you fly. 00:54:49.000 --> 00:54:52.000 Either one is missing and you don't fly. 00:54:57.000 --> 00:55:00.000 So guys, please don't be a maverick. 00:55:00.000 --> 00:55:05.000 Learn and draw from Christ appointed equip our gifts in your midst 00:55:05.000 --> 00:55:09.000 and learn and draw without hesitation or resistance. 00:55:09.000 --> 00:55:12.000 Learn and draw. 00:55:12.000 --> 00:55:18.000 I wouldn't ask Jason to teach if I didn't think he was gifted as a teacher 00:55:18.000 --> 00:55:22.000 to equip and he'll grow in it. 00:55:22.000 --> 00:55:25.000 I am an equiper. 00:55:25.000 --> 00:55:29.000 I mean, what can I say? 00:55:29.000 --> 00:55:34.000 So draw and there are, let me not stop with Jason and me. 00:55:34.000 --> 00:55:36.000 There are others here. 00:55:36.000 --> 00:55:38.000 Some of us are ministers. Some of us are equipers. 00:55:38.000 --> 00:55:43.000 Almost always the church is divided into, not divided into. 00:55:43.000 --> 00:55:47.000 Christ is both a minister and an equiper. 00:55:47.000 --> 00:55:49.000 He had the ability to minister the people. 00:55:49.000 --> 00:55:52.000 He had the ability to equip. 00:55:52.000 --> 00:55:58.000 And therefore the body of Christ is made up of ministers and equipers. 00:55:58.000 --> 00:56:04.000 Some of you, right from the start, the day you were born, are meant to be equipers. 00:56:04.000 --> 00:56:07.000 Some of us are meant to be ministers. 00:56:07.000 --> 00:56:10.000 Neither is greater than the other. 00:56:10.000 --> 00:56:13.000 Who is greater? The coach or the player? 00:56:17.000 --> 00:56:19.000 The coach gets paid less in hockey. 00:56:19.000 --> 00:56:22.000 But both are of equal value. 00:56:22.000 --> 00:56:25.000 I mean, when an equiper begins to function like a minister, 00:56:25.000 --> 00:56:31.000 it's like a coach playing hockey. 00:56:31.000 --> 00:56:35.000 The point is, in your midst today are equipers. 00:56:35.000 --> 00:56:38.000 Don't be a maverick. Draw and learn from them, guys. 00:56:38.000 --> 00:56:40.000 Draw and learn from them. 00:56:40.000 --> 00:56:42.000 Draw and learn from them. 00:56:42.000 --> 00:56:46.000 How do you draw and learn from them? And that's the last point. 00:56:46.000 --> 00:56:49.000 How do you draw and learn from them? 00:56:49.000 --> 00:56:53.000 Oh, shoot. That was the wrong end. 00:56:53.000 --> 00:56:55.000 Okay, later. 00:56:55.000 --> 00:56:58.000 How do you draw and learn from them? 00:56:58.000 --> 00:57:01.000 Through honor. 00:57:01.000 --> 00:57:07.000 Through honor. 00:57:07.000 --> 00:57:10.000 And humility. 00:57:10.000 --> 00:57:13.000 Ah, two words that really great as humans, eh? 00:57:13.000 --> 00:57:15.000 Great as in D-R-A-T-E. 00:57:15.000 --> 00:57:19.000 How do you learn from anybody? Not just from equipers. 00:57:19.000 --> 00:57:21.000 How do you learn from anybody? 00:57:21.000 --> 00:57:27.000 Through honoring them and through humility. 00:57:27.000 --> 00:57:34.000 So it's impossible for me to access the grace in your life till I honor you. 00:57:34.000 --> 00:57:40.000 Let's pick on somebody. 00:57:40.000 --> 00:57:45.000 Let's pick on Joan. 00:57:45.000 --> 00:57:50.000 So Joan has certain skills when it comes to bookkeeping, accounting, 00:57:50.000 --> 00:57:57.000 handling numbers and stuff like that. 00:57:57.000 --> 00:58:03.000 And so let's assume I want to learn that skill from her. 00:58:03.000 --> 00:58:08.000 Unless I come with an attitude saying I want to learn from you 00:58:08.000 --> 00:58:11.000 and recognize you as someone better than me in this area, 00:58:11.000 --> 00:58:14.000 if I don't come with that attitude, I don't learn. 00:58:14.000 --> 00:58:19.000 Secondly, I do not learn from her unless I honor the gift in her. 00:58:19.000 --> 00:58:26.000 Because honor is the seed to access things in anybody's life. 00:58:26.000 --> 00:58:30.000 Do you understand now why it says in the Bible that 00:58:30.000 --> 00:58:33.000 pay particular attention to the elders among you 00:58:33.000 --> 00:58:38.000 particularly to those that teach for their worthy of double honor, 00:58:38.000 --> 00:58:42.000 which is why we are doubling its pay. 00:58:42.000 --> 00:58:44.000 Worthy of double honor. 00:58:44.000 --> 00:58:46.000 We didn't increase it by 10% or 15% today. 00:58:46.000 --> 00:58:53.000 We just straight doubled it because they're worthy of double honor. 00:58:53.000 --> 00:58:58.000 So if you want to hear, if I want to hear, I have to honor the one side, 00:58:58.000 --> 00:59:01.000 recognize the scent ones. 00:59:01.000 --> 00:59:06.000 So guys, I'm done. Here's what you need to do. 00:59:06.000 --> 00:59:11.000 By the way, if anything I said chaffs and you think to yourself, 00:59:11.000 --> 00:59:15.000 this is all about his own self-promotion or this isn't sitting well with me, 00:59:15.000 --> 00:59:19.000 then may I let you know that it's not God's fault, it's not the devil, 00:59:19.000 --> 00:59:21.000 it's not even me, it's you. 00:59:21.000 --> 00:59:24.000 So fix it. Because what I've told you is the truth, man. 00:59:24.000 --> 00:59:26.000 And it's scriptural. 00:59:26.000 --> 00:59:30.000 Is there any solution for blindness and dullness? 00:59:30.000 --> 00:59:35.000 Yeah. If there's dullness in my life, the first thing I have to do is find out 00:59:35.000 --> 00:59:40.000 whether...the way I attack it is whenever there's dullness, 00:59:40.000 --> 00:59:41.000 two things I do. 00:59:41.000 --> 00:59:46.000 One, I go into deliberate discipline of reading and hearing the word. 00:59:46.000 --> 00:59:51.000 Deliberate discipline. Because as a pastor, because this is my job of sorts, 00:59:51.000 --> 00:59:52.000 this is all I do. 00:59:52.000 --> 00:59:55.000 But sometimes I do it for Sundays, not for my son. 00:59:55.000 --> 00:59:59.000 So I go into deliberate discipline of reading and hearing the word. 00:59:59.000 --> 01:00:03.000 Second thing I do is I recognize that there might be areas of stubbornness 01:00:03.000 --> 01:00:06.000 or legalism in my life. 01:00:06.000 --> 01:00:08.000 Because I know that it will dull me. 01:00:08.000 --> 01:00:12.000 Third, I come against any spirit of dullness in my life. 01:00:12.000 --> 01:00:14.000 These are the three things I do. 01:00:14.000 --> 01:00:18.000 Fourth, I ask God if there's any stronghold in my mind that is preventing His truth 01:00:18.000 --> 01:00:21.000 from coming in and then I pull down those strongholds. 01:00:21.000 --> 01:00:26.000 I would suggest that you go home and check and see what is it, 01:00:26.000 --> 01:00:30.000 what are three areas that are preventing you from hearing 01:00:30.000 --> 01:00:33.000 to the extent that you can hear? 01:00:33.000 --> 01:00:36.000 What are the three areas? Three of all these things I've told you, 01:00:36.000 --> 01:00:46.000 what are three things that you can pick on that's diseaseing your ability to hear? 01:00:46.000 --> 01:00:49.000 And I guess the best way to conclude this, 01:00:49.000 --> 01:00:52.000 now you'll have to decide whether you want to go over these notes 01:00:52.000 --> 01:00:55.000 or go listen to this teaching or not. 01:00:55.000 --> 01:01:02.000 And after that you'll have to decide, do I want to do anything about it or not? 01:01:02.000 --> 01:01:06.000 Decisions, decisions. 01:01:06.000 --> 01:01:09.000 Yep. 01:01:09.000 --> 01:01:12.000 I heard the first part. The second part is what? 01:01:12.000 --> 01:01:15.000 Just say the second sentence? 01:01:15.000 --> 01:01:40.000 Yeah. 01:01:40.000 --> 01:01:45.000 No. Today we're only talking about hearing the word, as in the word that is spoken. 01:01:45.000 --> 01:01:48.000 Yeah. And I like the way you put it, eh? 01:01:48.000 --> 01:02:00.000 Guys, this just so smirks as if this is all about self-aggrandizement, but it's not. 01:02:00.000 --> 01:02:04.000 What Jeff said is this. He said that today what I get from the message is 01:02:04.000 --> 01:02:09.000 that a lot of this has to do with hearing the word from the one who speaks 01:02:09.000 --> 01:02:15.000 or the one that is sent. And actually he's hit the nail on the head, man. 01:02:15.000 --> 01:02:20.000 Yeah. That is kind of exactly what it is. 01:02:20.000 --> 01:02:22.000 And through that process we learn. 01:02:22.000 --> 01:02:29.000 Because even though the anointing is within me, to learn, I learn through people. 01:02:29.000 --> 01:02:32.000 And does this have anything to do with hearing God? 01:02:32.000 --> 01:02:38.000 Not really, because that's a separate teaching where we talk about how to hear God for everyday decisions. 01:02:38.000 --> 01:02:43.000 Here we're talking about hearing the word and to increase the quality of a hearing 01:02:43.000 --> 01:02:46.000 so that our very way of living improves. 01:02:46.000 --> 01:02:55.000 So in a sense what Jeff said is really exactly what it is. 01:02:55.000 --> 01:02:59.000 This is how we learn, guys. Any other questions? 01:02:59.000 --> 01:03:02.000 I'm done, so feel free to ask questions.