New Number Same Name

0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:02.800 --> 0:00:05.800 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 0:00:05.880 --> 0:00:07.720 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:09.520 Hope this inspires you. 0:00:09.680 --> 0:00:10.680 Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:12.840 Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 0:00:12.880 --> 0:00:13.399 in your life. 0:00:13.840 --> 0:00:29.480 Enjoy the message. 0:00:31.840 --> 0:00:42.000 Isaiah forty three, Isaiah Chapter forty three, Isaiah Chapter forty. 0:00:41.640 --> 0:00:54.800 Three, Verse number nineteen, nineteenth Anniversary. 0:00:56.120 --> 0:00:57.680 The nineteenth verse. 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:06.200 Of Isaiah Isaiah forty three, Verse nineteen. 0:01:07.280 --> 0:01:16.000 See I am doing a new thing. 0:01:17.040 --> 0:01:17.200 Now. 0:01:17.360 --> 0:01:20.080 Pastor Holly already told you we're entering our twentieth year 0:01:20.120 --> 0:01:23.880 of ministry today, but before we go to year twenty, 0:01:23.920 --> 0:01:27.520 the Lord wants to give us something from verse nineteen. See, 0:01:27.560 --> 0:01:33.199 I am doing a new thing. Everybody shout the next word. 0:01:33.560 --> 0:01:39.480 Now it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I 0:01:39.520 --> 0:01:44.480 am making a way in the wilderness and streams in 0:01:44.600 --> 0:01:46.080 the wasteland. 0:01:47.760 --> 0:01:48.040 Today. 0:01:48.080 --> 0:01:50.640 I want to talk to you from a formal sounding topic, 0:01:50.680 --> 0:01:52.960 but I'm going to make it really plain in just 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:54.640 a few moments I have. I want to talk to 0:01:54.680 --> 0:01:59.240 you on our nineteenth church anniversary at Elevation as we 0:01:59.320 --> 0:02:04.080 enter our twentieth year of ministry about our future and 0:02:04.280 --> 0:02:11.440 our former, our future and our former. And I don't 0:02:11.440 --> 0:02:13.760 know if that title is going to hit like I 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:17.440 wanted to, So let me give you title number two. 0:02:17.720 --> 0:02:26.440 New number, same name, new number, same name. Father. I 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:27.320 thank you for your word. 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.919 As it goes forth, May it go forth with penetrating 0:02:29.960 --> 0:02:34.000 insight with Holy Spirit power. May it go forth with 0:02:34.040 --> 0:02:36.400 healing medicine to those who need it, who are standing 0:02:36.400 --> 0:02:38.359 on the brink in the precipice of the new season 0:02:38.400 --> 0:02:41.800 of their life, asking you what's next, and feeling nervous. 0:02:41.840 --> 0:02:44.519 Perhaps they're concerned for one of their friends, one of 0:02:44.560 --> 0:02:47.800 their children. Perhaps they're concerned for their mother, their father, 0:02:47.919 --> 0:02:49.880 someone who's not in this room with them. Perhaps they're 0:02:49.880 --> 0:02:53.160 concerned about their own health. Perhaps they're thinking about this 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:55.000 job that they've just taken and whether it was the 0:02:55.080 --> 0:02:56.839 right one, or whether they're going to get the call back. 0:02:56.880 --> 0:02:59.679 Perhaps they're praying their way through a season of loneliness 0:03:00.120 --> 0:03:03.360 those needs. But from this place, this pulpit that you 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:06.400 have entrusted to me for these moments, I decree and 0:03:06.440 --> 0:03:09.359 declare that the eternal wisdom of Almighty God will go 0:03:09.480 --> 0:03:12.359 for it. It will not be checked by a demon 0:03:12.400 --> 0:03:16.160 it will not be hindered by Satan. It will break 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:20.320 through and penetrate the life that it was intended to effect. 0:03:20.880 --> 0:03:23.120 And I give you the glory in advance because it 0:03:23.160 --> 0:03:26.800 is your word, and it is your work, and it 0:03:26.880 --> 0:03:31.720 is your church, and so it is your praise in Jesus' name. 0:03:32.320 --> 0:03:32.720 Amen. 0:03:34.000 --> 0:03:46.320 Amen, you may be seated. Of all of the questions 0:03:46.360 --> 0:03:48.880 people ask me before a church anniversary, this has to 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:55.360 be the dumbest. I say that lovingly when they say, 0:03:56.520 --> 0:03:58.440 if you could go back and start all over. 0:03:58.320 --> 0:03:59.280 Again, would you do it? 0:04:00.400 --> 0:04:05.240 No? And sometimes they say it even more extreme than that. 0:04:05.320 --> 0:04:07.800 Don't you just sometimes want to go back to the 0:04:07.800 --> 0:04:11.040 early days and start the church all over again. No, 0:04:12.360 --> 0:04:16.120 don't want to do that again, back to those days 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:18.920 when you weren't here. It was terrible before you got here. 0:04:20.480 --> 0:04:22.320 Let me tell you, it's terrible before you got here. 0:04:23.080 --> 0:04:25.039 Till a person next to you, This church sucked before 0:04:25.080 --> 0:04:30.120 you showed up. Tell them that on every location Riverwalk 0:04:30.760 --> 0:04:37.080 University City. One of the things that I always aim 0:04:37.160 --> 0:04:40.400 to do as I stand before you, and I hope 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:41.160 that you sense this. 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:45.120 Is give you a good grounding in. 0:04:44.560 --> 0:04:48.800 The context of this scripture before moving to the application 0:04:49.400 --> 0:04:52.159 because I understand that you can pretty much make the 0:04:52.200 --> 0:04:57.120 Bible say something that it never really meant to. 0:04:57.040 --> 0:04:58.360 Say or was intended to say. 0:04:59.400 --> 0:05:02.720 And although I read you that verse about I'm doing 0:05:02.720 --> 0:05:05.200 a new thing for verse nineteen, and I am going 0:05:05.240 --> 0:05:06.320 to preach that verse today. 0:05:07.200 --> 0:05:07.599 I thought'd be. 0:05:07.600 --> 0:05:09.599 Helpful if we establish a little bit of context and 0:05:09.640 --> 0:05:12.400 go back to the top of this to get a 0:05:12.440 --> 0:05:16.680 sense of who is Isaiah and why is he saying this, 0:05:16.800 --> 0:05:19.039 and who is he saying it to. So I want 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:21.440 to back up to verse sixteen. I gave you to 0:05:21.520 --> 0:05:23.520 verse fifteen in the back, but I'm going to go 0:05:23.560 --> 0:05:27.720 to verse sixteen for now. And this first sentence, this 0:05:27.800 --> 0:05:30.240 is something I really feel strongly about. He said, This 0:05:30.320 --> 0:05:34.159 is what the Lord says. Now, I think you should 0:05:34.160 --> 0:05:36.559 circle that in your Bible or highlight it or something, 0:05:37.360 --> 0:05:40.360 because that's what we're trying to get to every time 0:05:40.400 --> 0:05:44.640 we come together as a church. This is what the 0:05:44.680 --> 0:05:47.960 Lord says. I don't know if you've noticed, but it's 0:05:48.000 --> 0:05:51.800 never been harder to hear from God, not because we 0:05:51.839 --> 0:05:56.160 don't have access to his word, but because we have 0:05:56.320 --> 0:06:02.280 so many voices attacking his voice, to the point where 0:06:02.279 --> 0:06:05.440 many of us are confused and we can't tell what's 0:06:05.480 --> 0:06:11.039 God and what's the algorithm. Sometimes we can't tell what's 0:06:11.080 --> 0:06:14.560 God and what's just us worrying and calling it prayer. 0:06:16.520 --> 0:06:19.800 The biggest wrestling match of my life standing before you 0:06:19.839 --> 0:06:23.479 each and every week, is to figure out what comes 0:06:23.520 --> 0:06:24.440 after this phrase. 0:06:24.680 --> 0:06:27.080 This is what the Lord says. 0:06:28.279 --> 0:06:31.600 Notice that the text doesn't remark this is what the 0:06:31.600 --> 0:06:32.920 Lord said. 0:06:37.320 --> 0:06:38.400 It would be one thing. 0:06:38.279 --> 0:06:41.440 For us to just gather together weekly, have a short 0:06:41.480 --> 0:06:45.320 history lesson on people who lived in the past that 0:06:45.480 --> 0:06:48.680 is designed in order to keep us from ever feeling 0:06:48.800 --> 0:06:52.120 challenged to bring the Word of God into our everyday life, 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:56.279 so that God just remains a mere superstition in our life, 0:06:56.880 --> 0:06:59.640 someone that Grandma used to talk about that we run 0:06:59.680 --> 0:07:03.000 to for comfort when our lives feel unstable. But the 0:07:03.040 --> 0:07:07.719 cutting edge ministry of gospel preaching is to come with 0:07:07.839 --> 0:07:10.320 the Word of God, timeless and eternal, written in the 0:07:10.320 --> 0:07:12.800 pages of Scripture, not to be altered, taken away from, 0:07:12.920 --> 0:07:15.240 or added to. Not one jot nor one tittle from 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:18.760 this thing is supposed to be altered, and to bring 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:24.080 it into the contemporary experience of a diversity of personalities ethnicities. 0:07:24.960 --> 0:07:28.440 This is what the Lord says, and I never feel 0:07:28.440 --> 0:07:30.680 ready to preach just because I have three points. I 0:07:30.720 --> 0:07:33.080 never feel ready to preach just because I have a story. 0:07:33.240 --> 0:07:35.800 I never feel ready to preach just because my voice 0:07:35.840 --> 0:07:38.840 feels strong. I only feel ready to preach when I 0:07:38.880 --> 0:07:43.640 can feel you getting what you need from your God. 0:07:45.320 --> 0:07:49.920 When that happens, get out of my way. Get out 0:07:49.920 --> 0:07:53.720 of my way, because once I sense that God has 0:07:53.800 --> 0:07:57.480 given me what he wants you to have, Once I 0:07:57.640 --> 0:08:00.360 sense that God has put something in my hear it 0:08:00.440 --> 0:08:05.960 for your situation. This is what the Lord says, and 0:08:06.040 --> 0:08:09.200 Isaiah goes on. We're going to follow his thought pattern 0:08:09.280 --> 0:08:11.320 for a moment before we come to my main point today. 0:08:12.240 --> 0:08:15.200 This is what the Lord says, he who made a 0:08:15.240 --> 0:08:19.280 way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, 0:08:19.880 --> 0:08:23.000 who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and 0:08:23.040 --> 0:08:29.920 reinforcements together, and they lay there, never to rise again, extinguished. 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:32.240 Snuffed out like a whit. 0:08:32.520 --> 0:08:35.960 Now we've gone two verses and we still haven't gotten 0:08:36.000 --> 0:08:41.840 to what God says. Think of Isaiah as someone who 0:08:41.880 --> 0:08:46.160 is introducing a guest speaker. If on our anniversary today 0:08:46.640 --> 0:08:49.920 I was coming to bring up a guest speaker, I 0:08:49.920 --> 0:08:52.400 would come before you, and I would begin to give 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:56.800 background information on that speaker. The reason for giving background 0:08:56.840 --> 0:09:00.959 information on the speaker you might lean in to hear 0:09:00.960 --> 0:09:02.960 what they have to say, especially if you don't know 0:09:03.000 --> 0:09:06.400 who they are, because I want you to know, Hey, no, 0:09:06.520 --> 0:09:11.240 Pastor Steven's definitely my favorite preacher. Pastor Holly's my second. 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:14.679 I'm saying this facetiously. By the way, I don't care 0:09:14.720 --> 0:09:17.160 who your favorite preacher is. It matters what God says. 0:09:17.200 --> 0:09:19.280 Anybody God wants to use in your life, that's fine 0:09:19.320 --> 0:09:23.960 with me. But I would want to build credibility for 0:09:24.040 --> 0:09:27.199 a speaker that you were not familiar with. So I 0:09:27.280 --> 0:09:31.520 might say they've written three best selling books, or they've 0:09:31.800 --> 0:09:36.320 done amazing work with the homeless community in their city, 0:09:36.480 --> 0:09:39.160 or they have been recognized and regarded as one of 0:09:39.160 --> 0:09:42.320 the premier experts on or they've pastored their church thirty 0:09:42.320 --> 0:09:45.880 seven years and they've been married thirty four years, happily 0:09:45.920 --> 0:09:49.120 married for thirty two of those thirty four years. And 0:09:49.160 --> 0:09:53.840 I would begin to build your interest and your confidence 0:09:54.720 --> 0:09:58.520 in the speaker by giving you a bit of their background. 0:10:00.000 --> 0:10:02.400 He says. This is what the Lord says. 0:10:02.520 --> 0:10:04.880 Go back to verse sixteen briefly for me, please, I 0:10:04.920 --> 0:10:07.720 want to break this down. And he proceeds not to 0:10:07.760 --> 0:10:12.079 give the direct word of God, but indirectly he begins 0:10:12.120 --> 0:10:17.160 to describe the works of God at a time that 0:10:17.320 --> 0:10:20.760 was at least seven hundred years in the past. Now 0:10:20.760 --> 0:10:23.839 every Bible student will know that this is a flashback 0:10:23.920 --> 0:10:27.280 to an event in the scripture called the Exodus. This 0:10:27.360 --> 0:10:31.480 is when God brought his people out of Egypt. They 0:10:31.480 --> 0:10:33.920 did not get all the way to the Promised Land. 0:10:33.960 --> 0:10:37.439 Their unbelief blocked them from that. But God brought them 0:10:37.480 --> 0:10:42.600 through raging waters the Red Sea. He drowned the chariots 0:10:42.640 --> 0:10:46.839 of the Egyptian pharaoh, and all of those chariots lay there, 0:10:47.280 --> 0:10:51.960 never to rise again. It's as if Isaiah is bringing 0:10:52.000 --> 0:10:54.640 God into the frame for the people to hear from 0:10:54.840 --> 0:10:57.360 and he says to them, the Lord has a message 0:10:57.400 --> 0:11:00.720 for you. And before I tell you what he says, 0:11:01.480 --> 0:11:06.600 let me remind you what he does. This is not 0:11:06.760 --> 0:11:10.160 one of the gods of Babylonia who was crafted by 0:11:10.200 --> 0:11:13.240 human hands. This is not one of the gods of 0:11:13.280 --> 0:11:17.560 Assyria that was dreamt up by a human imagination. This 0:11:17.720 --> 0:11:20.280 is the God who's about to speak to you, who 0:11:20.320 --> 0:11:23.640 made a way through the sea a path through the 0:11:23.720 --> 0:11:24.480 mighty waters. 0:11:24.480 --> 0:11:26.760 I'm about to preach, who drew. 0:11:26.640 --> 0:11:30.600 Out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, 0:11:31.080 --> 0:11:34.680 and they lay there, never to rise again. So before 0:11:34.720 --> 0:11:37.280 you hear what God is about to say to his people, 0:11:37.720 --> 0:11:40.640 remember what he did to their enemies, so that you 0:11:40.720 --> 0:11:44.480 have confidence that the God that is fighting your battles 0:11:44.520 --> 0:11:49.440 today has been here before. God has been here before. 0:11:49.520 --> 0:11:53.040 Even if you haven't been here before, God goes ahead 0:11:53.080 --> 0:11:56.680 of you into everything you call today. In fact, when 0:11:56.679 --> 0:11:58.960 you talk about the future, God doesn't have a word 0:11:58.960 --> 0:12:03.080 in his vocabulary for that. That's in your dictionary, not his. 0:12:03.960 --> 0:12:09.080 God doesn't talk about future. God talks about eternity. And God, 0:12:09.120 --> 0:12:11.600 who sits out of time, gives you a box called 0:12:11.600 --> 0:12:13.040 time so you don't go crazy. 0:12:13.679 --> 0:12:15.320 And he allows you to think about. 0:12:15.080 --> 0:12:18.280 The future because you cannot compartmentalize well, and so he 0:12:18.360 --> 0:12:21.440 allows you to think of something called tomorrow, even though 0:12:21.480 --> 0:12:24.520 to him God, tomorrow is already history. 0:12:24.840 --> 0:12:27.280 Let me remind you that God. 0:12:27.040 --> 0:12:30.319 Who has already been into your future, has proven himself 0:12:30.360 --> 0:12:35.600 faithful in your past. And that's what you'd expect me 0:12:35.640 --> 0:12:39.640 to preach about on an anniversary Sunday, right, Look what 0:12:39.800 --> 0:12:43.199 the Lord has done. Right, that's what I want to 0:12:43.240 --> 0:12:47.040 preach on an anniversary Sunday, because what he's done is 0:12:47.200 --> 0:12:52.640 comfortable and comforting. What he's done, I have a frame 0:12:52.679 --> 0:12:57.480 of reference for I never understood why people shouted over 0:12:57.520 --> 0:13:03.160 Isaiah forty three nineteen. In verse nineteen, he says, see, 0:13:03.200 --> 0:13:07.680 I am doing a new thing, and everybody shouts, And 0:13:07.760 --> 0:13:11.040 I think that's strange. In a couple of weeks, we're 0:13:11.080 --> 0:13:13.520 going on elevation nights and we'll be sharing in different 0:13:13.559 --> 0:13:16.480 cities the Love of Jesus and the Gospel of Jesus, 0:13:16.679 --> 0:13:17.199 and we'll. 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:18.000 Be sharing songs. 0:13:18.960 --> 0:13:21.920 And you know how to really lose a crowd in 0:13:22.000 --> 0:13:25.160 an arena like that, Just tell them we want to 0:13:25.280 --> 0:13:28.600 share a new song with you, the one you never 0:13:28.640 --> 0:13:29.240 heard before. 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:35.040 If they cheer for that, they're being polite. They don't 0:13:35.440 --> 0:13:38.280 want a new song. I even see y'all do it 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:41.880 on Sundays. Poor Chris. 0:13:42.440 --> 0:13:46.360 Can we give it up for Chris, the real Chris Brown, 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:54.840 Our Chris Brown. I'm just getting to the point in 0:13:54.880 --> 0:13:56.800 my life where I thank God for consistent people. 0:13:57.480 --> 0:13:58.800 And Chris is so consistent. 0:13:58.960 --> 0:14:01.360 Every week I'll watch him out here and and he 0:14:01.400 --> 0:14:04.400 has the hard line, the hardest line, to say, you know, 0:14:04.480 --> 0:14:05.600 we just finished singing. 0:14:05.440 --> 0:14:07.760 Graves into gardens or gyra or. 0:14:07.760 --> 0:14:09.800 Something like that, and now he has to look you 0:14:09.880 --> 0:14:12.320 right in your eyes and say, are you all. 0:14:12.200 --> 0:14:13.880 Ready to sing a new song? Church? 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:19.880 And y'all are faking it too, because you're you're. 0:14:19.680 --> 0:14:20.640 Polite and nice. 0:14:21.280 --> 0:14:28.440 Yeah, we want to sing a new song. New doesn't 0:14:28.480 --> 0:14:34.600 always feel improved at first, does it? New doesn't always 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:41.880 feel improved at first. One of the things about God's 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:45.680 word that is so wonderful to me is that although 0:14:45.680 --> 0:14:49.480 it's foundational and does not change, it is always fresh. 0:14:49.600 --> 0:14:51.440 Therefore, it's always relevant. 0:14:53.040 --> 0:14:55.840 When God gets ready to speak to you about a 0:14:55.880 --> 0:14:59.800 situation in your life, he will remind you of some 0:14:59.840 --> 0:15:02.800 of the roads that He's already led you through. 0:15:03.160 --> 0:15:04.440 But he doesn't stop there. 0:15:04.480 --> 0:15:08.960 Because after Isaiah reads the resume of this God we've 0:15:08.960 --> 0:15:11.880 come to worship and serve, mentioning the central event in 0:15:12.080 --> 0:15:16.239 Israel's history, the one that they couldn't stop celebrating about 0:15:16.280 --> 0:15:20.800 seven centuries later. The first time that he speaks on 0:15:20.840 --> 0:15:25.280 behalf of God, because that's what prophets did. He says 0:15:25.320 --> 0:15:28.320 a word we would not expect to hear in this context. 0:15:28.640 --> 0:15:31.760 For after he says, God drew your enemies out into 0:15:31.840 --> 0:15:34.760 the water, killed the horses and chariots of those who 0:15:34.760 --> 0:15:37.840 were chasing you, gave you a great and mighty deliverance, 0:15:38.320 --> 0:15:41.280 made your way through clean so you could praise him today. 0:15:41.880 --> 0:15:43.800 Right after he says that, in verse. 0:15:43.560 --> 0:15:47.400 Eighteen, he gives the first instruction from God. And it 0:15:47.480 --> 0:15:50.760 is counterintuitive, and you are forgiven. If it's surprising to 0:15:50.840 --> 0:15:57.760 you forget, well, then why are you mentioning it? Why 0:15:57.760 --> 0:16:02.280 are you mentioning what I'm meant to forget? And that's strange. 0:16:03.320 --> 0:16:05.960 I love studying the Bible with y'all because we would 0:16:06.040 --> 0:16:07.280 just read write over this right. 0:16:07.880 --> 0:16:10.720 God is doing a new thing. I'm gonna have a 0:16:10.760 --> 0:16:13.360 new wife. I'm gonna have a new kid when I 0:16:13.400 --> 0:16:15.560 get home. I read a book one time. It was 0:16:15.600 --> 0:16:19.280 called how to have a new Husband in twenty one days. Hey, y' 0:16:19.280 --> 0:16:20.560 to talking about taking the same husband. 0:16:20.560 --> 0:16:21.880 And if you do this, you can change him, and 0:16:21.880 --> 0:16:23.600 you can manipulate him and just compliment him when he 0:16:23.600 --> 0:16:25.320 carries the groceries in, and he'll think he's strong and 0:16:25.360 --> 0:16:26.360 he'll carry the groceries more. 0:16:26.440 --> 0:16:27.560 How to have a new husband in. 0:16:27.480 --> 0:16:32.880 Twenty one days, that is not Isaiah's message. In fact, 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:36.960 Isaiah is saying, now that I have reminded you of 0:16:37.000 --> 0:16:42.040 all of these former things that God has done, Forget 0:16:42.280 --> 0:16:44.200 the former things. 0:16:45.440 --> 0:16:46.200 Say that real quick. 0:16:46.240 --> 0:16:52.800 Forget the former, Forget the former Forget the dress you 0:16:52.880 --> 0:16:58.160 used to fit into, the people you used to want 0:16:58.200 --> 0:17:01.960 to see at the party. Forget the drugs that you 0:17:02.080 --> 0:17:04.760 used to get high on. Right, that's what he's talking about. No, 0:17:06.000 --> 0:17:09.800 he's talking about things God did. Now, I get it 0:17:09.800 --> 0:17:12.480 if he's saying, forget the things that you used to 0:17:13.160 --> 0:17:13.680 sin with. 0:17:14.960 --> 0:17:16.240 But he's actually. 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:20.440 Saying, forget the things that you used to celebrate. And 0:17:20.480 --> 0:17:22.800 I studied it, and I studied it, and I said, well, Lord, 0:17:22.800 --> 0:17:26.520 should we not celebrate the anniversary? Should we not put 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:29.320 up all the old pictures of when you made a way? 0:17:29.520 --> 0:17:31.359 We had no money and we had no. 0:17:32.480 --> 0:17:35.440 Connections and you built this church? Is it a sin 0:17:35.600 --> 0:17:38.240 to celebrate what you did? 0:17:39.119 --> 0:17:41.679 And so as I read it, it became clear to 0:17:41.720 --> 0:17:43.679 me why so many of us stay stuck in the 0:17:43.720 --> 0:17:47.160 past and we cannot grow. By the way, there is 0:17:47.240 --> 0:17:50.200 one thing that you can do that God can't do. 0:17:51.480 --> 0:18:05.320 Grow grow you do, Graham said to me one time recently, 0:18:05.680 --> 0:18:08.040 He said, corn dogs fell off. 0:18:10.000 --> 0:18:11.440 I said, what does that even mean? 0:18:11.520 --> 0:18:14.879 Can you say that in English? He said, corn dogs 0:18:14.960 --> 0:18:17.280 used to be so big. Remember when corn dogs were 0:18:17.280 --> 0:18:18.480 big they fell off. 0:18:19.320 --> 0:18:22.280 And I told them they didn't. Corn dogs didn't fall off. 0:18:23.240 --> 0:18:30.200 You grew up. See the difference. He thinks corn dogs changed. 0:18:30.960 --> 0:18:34.199 Corn dogs don't change. Corn day dogs. This is the 0:18:34.200 --> 0:18:38.240 Bible says it. Corn dogs are the same yesterday, today, 0:18:38.720 --> 0:18:45.480 and forever. But you changed. You changed. And as we 0:18:45.560 --> 0:18:46.399 are being. 0:18:46.320 --> 0:18:49.440 Changed by the glory of the Lord, we see more 0:18:49.480 --> 0:18:53.600 of his glory as we are changed by him, and 0:18:53.640 --> 0:18:56.000 we begin to realize that a lot of what we 0:18:56.040 --> 0:19:02.199 call growth is forgetting what we thought we knew. So 0:19:03.000 --> 0:19:06.280 a lot of what we call going forward we will 0:19:06.320 --> 0:19:10.400 forget what we thought God had promised as we learn 0:19:10.560 --> 0:19:14.800 what he really promised. A lot of our problem is 0:19:14.880 --> 0:19:20.120 when we overlay our preferences on God's promises. And I'm 0:19:20.119 --> 0:19:21.960 going to take that further, so you better let that 0:19:22.040 --> 0:19:26.640 one sink in. When you overlay your preference over God's promise. 0:19:27.680 --> 0:19:30.560 But here's the even worst part. You lay your preference 0:19:30.680 --> 0:19:34.720 over God's promise and then you attach God's promise to 0:19:34.800 --> 0:19:35.240 your plan. 0:19:38.920 --> 0:19:40.200 And that's not how this works. 0:19:41.800 --> 0:19:44.920 So Isaiah is speaking to people about the exodus, which 0:19:44.920 --> 0:19:48.680 happened seven hundred years ago, and he's speaking to them 0:19:48.680 --> 0:19:52.679 about their exile, which they're currently in because they're in 0:19:52.680 --> 0:19:56.400 a place called Babylonia and they were taken there by Nebekinezer, 0:19:57.200 --> 0:19:58.240 but they're going to be led. 0:19:58.119 --> 0:19:59.000 Out by Cyrus. 0:20:00.240 --> 0:20:01.840 And he says, I'm doing a new thing, but I 0:20:01.880 --> 0:20:03.280 want to remind you of the old thing. But no 0:20:03.400 --> 0:20:06.199 sooner does he remind them of who is speaking than 0:20:06.240 --> 0:20:09.280 he says, this is what the Lord says, forget. 0:20:12.400 --> 0:20:12.919 The former. 0:20:14.240 --> 0:20:15.800 And I don't think this means that we can't go 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:20.800 shopping for Iron Maiden t shirts, as some of us 0:20:20.800 --> 0:20:23.560 are wont to do. I don't think that God is 0:20:23.560 --> 0:20:27.479 against nostalgia. I don't think that God is against memory. 0:20:28.800 --> 0:20:32.400 But I'm very conflicted about those of us who are 0:20:32.520 --> 0:20:37.040 staying stuck in a stage of our spiritual growth and 0:20:37.080 --> 0:20:43.320 calling it our whole story. Remember, the Red Sea was 0:20:43.359 --> 0:20:45.359 not the finish line for the people of God. 0:20:46.359 --> 0:20:47.359 It was the foundation. 0:20:48.840 --> 0:20:51.919 And is it possible that you've been taking something in 0:20:51.920 --> 0:20:55.080 your life that was meant to be a foundation and 0:20:55.160 --> 0:21:00.720 treating it as a finish line. And I'll tell you 0:21:00.760 --> 0:21:02.679 some of the things that we say when we're trying 0:21:02.720 --> 0:21:06.080 to take foundations. Nobody sees a foundation of a house 0:21:06.359 --> 0:21:07.640 and then pays the builder. 0:21:07.359 --> 0:21:10.400 The full amount, unless you're a fool. 0:21:10.680 --> 0:21:12.520 If you're building a house and they put up the foundation, 0:21:12.640 --> 0:21:13.880 keep a little of that money back. 0:21:14.119 --> 0:21:15.960 Because they've got still more to do. 0:21:16.840 --> 0:21:20.840 And when God lays a foundation in your life and 0:21:20.880 --> 0:21:24.840 you call it finished, you end up crossing the Red Sea, 0:21:25.040 --> 0:21:28.399 getting through the waters, and spending forty years in a wilderness. 0:21:30.600 --> 0:21:31.680 So I hear. 0:21:31.640 --> 0:21:35.320 Christians often say things like I'm just a sinner saved 0:21:35.359 --> 0:21:38.639 by grace. I saw a bumper sticker one time that 0:21:38.720 --> 0:21:43.639 said Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven. Now I understand the 0:21:43.640 --> 0:21:45.520 heart of that. We're saying we're not better than you. 0:21:46.200 --> 0:21:47.879 It's not like we don't cuss our kids out, we 0:21:47.960 --> 0:21:49.040 just don't do it in church. 0:21:54.240 --> 0:21:56.040 This is the praise in church. I forgot. 0:22:00.080 --> 0:22:04.520 But when you say Christians aren't perfect, just forgiven, if 0:22:04.520 --> 0:22:06.880 that helps you to receive God's grace for where you're at, 0:22:06.960 --> 0:22:08.199 that is a wonderful truth. 0:22:09.240 --> 0:22:10.560 But if it causes you to. 0:22:10.680 --> 0:22:14.080 Remain or the way the prophet Isaiah put it, he said, 0:22:14.320 --> 0:22:19.240 don't dwell on it. Don't dwell on the past. Let 0:22:19.240 --> 0:22:21.200 me show you this in verse eighteen. It's right there 0:22:21.200 --> 0:22:24.880 in the text. He says, forget the former things. 0:22:25.400 --> 0:22:27.600 Do not dwell on the past. 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:31.000 Then why did you spend two verses telling me about 0:22:31.040 --> 0:22:34.320 the past if you don't want me to dwell on it? 0:22:35.000 --> 0:22:39.800 So God says, I gave you those experiences to draw from, 0:22:39.840 --> 0:22:45.200 not to dwell on. The difference, I gave you those 0:22:45.240 --> 0:22:46.640 experiences to. 0:22:46.760 --> 0:22:49.000 Draw from, not to dwell on. 0:22:49.920 --> 0:22:53.040 To dwell in it is to live in something that 0:22:53.119 --> 0:22:55.480 God intended to be temporary. 0:22:55.960 --> 0:22:57.440 Okay, when there is. 0:22:57.400 --> 0:23:01.040 A truth spoken over your life concerning what God has 0:23:01.119 --> 0:23:04.120 given you, concerning who God has called you, concerning who 0:23:04.320 --> 0:23:07.440 He has, who He has made you to be, let's 0:23:07.440 --> 0:23:10.119 get that phrase embedded. Who He has made you to be. 0:23:10.880 --> 0:23:14.119 When God has planted that truth inside of you, that 0:23:14.320 --> 0:23:19.199 is a foundational truth. But the foundation is not meant 0:23:19.680 --> 0:23:23.359 to be the finish line of your faith. And so 0:23:23.520 --> 0:23:26.080 then if you just imagine this, you're building a house, 0:23:26.119 --> 0:23:30.160 they pour the foundation, You set up tents and pay 0:23:30.200 --> 0:23:34.560 them full price, and you have no indoor plumbing, and 0:23:34.640 --> 0:23:38.119 you certainly have no marble countertops, and you paid for 0:23:38.200 --> 0:23:41.240 him and you got no run in water and you 0:23:41.320 --> 0:23:44.560 paid for it is paid for, but you're. 0:23:44.440 --> 0:23:48.199 Not living in it. It's paid for, but you said no, 0:23:48.200 --> 0:23:49.240 I'm a live in this tent. 0:23:50.520 --> 0:23:53.440 See a lot of Christians and they don't realize what's 0:23:53.480 --> 0:23:59.159 already been paid for. So now I'm living down in 0:23:59.280 --> 0:24:04.840 something that Jesus' glood already purchased more than. But I 0:24:04.920 --> 0:24:08.879 can't see past what I've been through. So I figure 0:24:08.920 --> 0:24:11.679 this Red Sea was meant to be the result. The 0:24:11.760 --> 0:24:13.919 Red Sea was just the road to get where I 0:24:14.040 --> 0:24:20.760 was going. It wasn't the place I was meant to stay. 0:24:21.720 --> 0:24:24.520 So I'm gonna fight every single one of you that says, 0:24:25.040 --> 0:24:28.280 men the good old days of Elevation Church, back when 0:24:28.280 --> 0:24:30.359 we used to be at Providence High School. 0:24:31.000 --> 0:24:32.000 Providence High School. 0:24:32.000 --> 0:24:34.520 If you think the good old days of Elevation Church, 0:24:35.080 --> 0:24:38.200 you were not setting up at Providence High School or 0:24:38.240 --> 0:24:40.760 tearing down. All that shows me is you were in 0:24:40.760 --> 0:24:43.280 a volunteer. That's why you thought it was the. 0:24:43.280 --> 0:24:44.040 Good old days. 0:24:46.920 --> 0:24:51.320 It is a perspective of praise that you get when 0:24:51.359 --> 0:24:55.119 you see, Oh God brought me through that, but he 0:24:55.200 --> 0:25:00.280 did not lead me to that as my destination. I 0:25:00.400 --> 0:25:04.040 declare over your life today, that everything you have seen 0:25:04.119 --> 0:25:08.240 God do was a foundation. He is not done building 0:25:08.280 --> 0:25:12.040 in your life. He is not done building in your 0:25:12.080 --> 0:25:16.160 blood life. He is not done building on your experience. 0:25:16.960 --> 0:25:19.080 He is not done building through your pain. 0:25:23.080 --> 0:25:27.320 Forget how far you've come. What I thought I was 0:25:27.320 --> 0:25:30.159 supposed to remember how far I've come. 0:25:30.520 --> 0:25:32.640 And last week I did a good little message because 0:25:32.680 --> 0:25:36.720 I preached on look forward, not far, and I was 0:25:36.760 --> 0:25:39.520 illustrating that when we tend to get too far out 0:25:39.520 --> 0:25:42.840 ahead of ourselves. Man, I prayed before our twentieth year 0:25:42.880 --> 0:25:44.879 of ministry started, I said, Lord, let me give him 0:25:44.880 --> 0:25:46.800 the plan for the next twenty years of the church. 0:25:47.400 --> 0:25:50.440 I started praying that in January. I was praying it 0:25:50.520 --> 0:25:51.040 up till. 0:25:50.960 --> 0:25:51.800 Nine twenty nine. 0:25:52.320 --> 0:25:55.520 Church started at nine thirty. And the lawyer said, Nope, 0:25:55.560 --> 0:26:01.760 not twenty years. How about twenty minutes. How about twenty minutes. 0:26:02.200 --> 0:26:03.879 Get up and preach the word. This is what the 0:26:03.880 --> 0:26:07.000 Lord says for your current situation. You know why we 0:26:07.040 --> 0:26:09.400 want God's plans to be so far in the future, 0:26:09.640 --> 0:26:15.880 because we're not committed to His presence in our daily life. 0:26:16.359 --> 0:26:19.439 This is what the Lord says. This is what the 0:26:19.480 --> 0:26:21.520 Lord says. Now, the Lord's going to speak to you 0:26:21.560 --> 0:26:24.400 in many ways through your life. I didn't give them 0:26:24.400 --> 0:26:26.480 Hebrews one one, but it came up in my spirits. 0:26:26.480 --> 0:26:28.120 So I'm gonna find it in my own big fat 0:26:28.119 --> 0:26:31.679 bible and read it to you right now, my small 0:26:31.720 --> 0:26:39.600 print bible, my bible that I could read nineteen years 0:26:39.640 --> 0:26:43.400 ago when we started this church, back when I could 0:26:43.440 --> 0:26:52.800 find the Book of Hebrews chapter one. It begins our 0:26:52.840 --> 0:26:59.480 twentieth year ministream. In the past, God spoke to our ancestors. 0:26:59.480 --> 0:27:02.399 I'm not being this is the scripture for really. In 0:27:02.440 --> 0:27:05.680 the past, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets 0:27:06.160 --> 0:27:09.719 at many times, in various ways. That's what I want 0:27:09.800 --> 0:27:13.040 you to get at many times, in various ways in 0:27:13.119 --> 0:27:16.159 the past verse two. But in these last days he 0:27:16.200 --> 0:27:20.360 has spoken to us by his son, whom he appointed 0:27:20.359 --> 0:27:23.600 heir of all things, and through whom he also made 0:27:23.960 --> 0:27:26.160 the universe. Now what that makes me think is God's 0:27:26.200 --> 0:27:31.960 been doing this a long time. He's consistent. Say that 0:27:32.000 --> 0:27:34.880 out loud. God is consistent. Put it in the chat. 0:27:34.920 --> 0:27:39.880 God is consistent. The worlds were framed by the word 0:27:39.920 --> 0:27:41.800 of God. So when Isaiah says, this is what the 0:27:41.840 --> 0:27:44.920 Lord says, God didn't just start speaking, you just started listening. 0:27:47.520 --> 0:27:49.399 He's just waiting for us to tune in when we 0:27:49.440 --> 0:27:51.919 start our worship service at church bridges joining of what 0:27:52.000 --> 0:27:56.920 Heaven is doing around the clock. Because he's consistent. He's 0:27:57.000 --> 0:28:00.520 consistently holy. That's why the angels call him Holy, Holy, Holy. 0:28:01.240 --> 0:28:03.640 When you say it three times, it underscores not only 0:28:03.680 --> 0:28:07.200 the significance of it, but the consistency of it. God 0:28:07.240 --> 0:28:09.480 doesn't take an off day from doing the right thing. 0:28:10.320 --> 0:28:13.080 Jesus was without sin, and yet he was made to 0:28:13.119 --> 0:28:15.480 become sin so that we who had sinned could become 0:28:15.520 --> 0:28:18.320 the righteousness of God through him. That's what he means 0:28:18.320 --> 0:28:23.000 by his son, who created the universe. Jesus did not 0:28:23.119 --> 0:28:25.760 become God when he was born. He was always God. 0:28:26.280 --> 0:28:28.920 He will always be God. He is Alpha and Omega. 0:28:29.640 --> 0:28:33.399 He's consistent. He was there from the foundation of the world. 0:28:33.920 --> 0:28:36.320 The world was framed by the very word of God 0:28:36.359 --> 0:28:38.600 that is coming into your heart today. 0:28:38.760 --> 0:28:41.840 He's consistent. Say it again. He's consistent. 0:28:43.280 --> 0:28:45.560 He didn't just start feeding his people when he gave 0:28:45.600 --> 0:28:46.880 them manna in the wilderness. 0:28:47.680 --> 0:28:51.800 He's consistent. He'd been feeding them all of their life. 0:28:52.080 --> 0:28:55.880 He's consistent. God can find so many ways to feed 0:28:55.920 --> 0:28:58.920 his children. If it's not manna in the wilderness, it 0:28:58.920 --> 0:29:00.520 will be the fruit of Canaan. But I'll tell you 0:29:00.520 --> 0:29:04.560 one thing. He's consistent, and he'll feed you. Whether it's 0:29:04.680 --> 0:29:07.920 ravens bringing you food which were considered unclean, bring into 0:29:08.000 --> 0:29:11.840 a Hebrew prophet a bird that was considered unclean by 0:29:11.840 --> 0:29:14.280 the Jewish religion. God can feed you anywhere you are, 0:29:14.320 --> 0:29:16.560 and he can find you anywhere you are, and he 0:29:16.600 --> 0:29:19.400 can fill you anywhere you are because he formed you. Now, 0:29:19.960 --> 0:29:24.680 whoever forms you knows what to fill you with. Whoever 0:29:24.720 --> 0:29:26.160 forms you knows what to fill you with. 0:29:27.040 --> 0:29:27.720 And the one who. 0:29:27.680 --> 0:29:30.480 Knows your future formed you before your future begin. Because 0:29:30.520 --> 0:29:33.560 the prophet Isaiah said, and excuse me, the prophet Jeremiah, 0:29:33.640 --> 0:29:36.240 his buddy, said, in Jeremiah chapter one, verse five, before 0:29:36.280 --> 0:29:40.120 you were born, I formed you in my mother's womb. 0:29:40.200 --> 0:29:42.720 I was knit together because he was formed. And so 0:29:43.120 --> 0:29:46.560 all of my days he has been faithful all my life. 0:29:46.640 --> 0:29:51.360 He has been so so good. That's the consistency of God. 0:29:52.240 --> 0:29:56.080 He is a consistent friend. He doesn't duck out when 0:29:56.080 --> 0:29:58.240 it's a liability to know your name or your number. 0:29:59.240 --> 0:30:02.960 He's a consistent stint friend. He's a friend that sticks 0:30:02.960 --> 0:30:06.040 closer than a brother. He knows how to celebrate your 0:30:06.080 --> 0:30:10.280 wins with you because he's consistent. He's not intimidated like 0:30:10.360 --> 0:30:12.000 some of your friends when you're doing good, and they 0:30:12.080 --> 0:30:13.920 only want to come around when you're doing bad, because 0:30:14.000 --> 0:30:15.040 misery loves company. 0:30:15.400 --> 0:30:16.280 He's consistent. 0:30:16.320 --> 0:30:18.360 He'll step into your good moment and he can be 0:30:18.440 --> 0:30:20.360 proud of you pass the point where other people can 0:30:20.440 --> 0:30:26.240 because he has no insecurities. He's consistent, he has no insufficiencies. 0:30:26.280 --> 0:30:27.160 He's consistent. 0:30:27.880 --> 0:30:30.040 He doesn't run out of energy. He doesn't get tired 0:30:30.080 --> 0:30:32.480 of carrying you. He doesn't say, because you pray to me, 0:30:32.520 --> 0:30:34.200 tomorrow is kind of late right now, and I'm not 0:30:34.240 --> 0:30:35.200 really a night person. 0:30:35.240 --> 0:30:36.160 He's consistent. 0:30:37.120 --> 0:30:39.120 He's not waiting for you to get the eyeboogers out 0:30:39.120 --> 0:30:41.600 of your eyes. He's a morning person too. He's consistent. 0:30:42.280 --> 0:30:45.920 He doesn't sleep, he doesn't slumber. He's consistent. He doesn't 0:30:45.920 --> 0:30:48.000 come off his throne when one party wins an election 0:30:48.120 --> 0:30:51.560 or another one wins the next one. He's consistent. He's 0:30:51.640 --> 0:30:55.920 Israel's king and your creator. He's consistent. He is consistent, 0:30:56.000 --> 0:30:58.720 so consistent that he'll walk with you, not only through 0:30:59.000 --> 0:31:01.240 the joys and the outain tops of your life, but 0:31:01.280 --> 0:31:03.200 in the sorrows of your life. He's not ashamed to 0:31:03.240 --> 0:31:06.720 be associated with you. He's consistent. If you hadn't caught 0:31:06.760 --> 0:31:08.480 any fish, he'll tell you where to throw the net 0:31:08.480 --> 0:31:08.840 out again. 0:31:08.880 --> 0:31:10.040 Because he's consistent. 0:31:11.000 --> 0:31:14.680 He's so consistent he's worthy of praise when your feelings 0:31:14.680 --> 0:31:16.600 are telling you that you're not worthy of his love. 0:31:16.640 --> 0:31:19.160 He's consistent. He's consistent. 0:31:19.520 --> 0:31:21.360 He relates to you on the basis of what he 0:31:21.400 --> 0:31:23.000 did for you, not what you do for him. So 0:31:23.080 --> 0:31:25.920 even if you hadn't done it right lately, he's consistent. 0:31:26.760 --> 0:31:29.000 When people walk out of your life, they walk out 0:31:29.040 --> 0:31:31.600 of your life for different reasons. He stays in your 0:31:31.600 --> 0:31:35.360 life for one reason, because you're his. He's consistent. He's 0:31:35.400 --> 0:31:38.800 a good father. He's consistent. If your father wasn't a 0:31:38.800 --> 0:31:40.880 good father, he'll pick up where your father and your 0:31:40.920 --> 0:31:43.000 mother forsake you, then the Lord will take you up 0:31:43.280 --> 0:31:49.520 because he's consistent. I'm celebrating today that he's consistent that 0:31:49.640 --> 0:31:52.840 I've never seen the righteous forsaken, nor is seed begging bread. 0:31:52.880 --> 0:31:55.840 He's consistent, So there's never been a time that I 0:31:55.920 --> 0:31:57.880 called to him, and he was busy with another one 0:31:57.880 --> 0:32:01.920 of his kids that he liked more. Even when I 0:32:01.960 --> 0:32:04.040 was trying to run away to Tarsus, she got me 0:32:04.120 --> 0:32:06.280 to nineveh in the belly of a whale, because he 0:32:06.320 --> 0:32:09.080 has many vehicles to get his voice to where he 0:32:09.120 --> 0:32:09.680 wants it to go. 0:32:09.720 --> 0:32:10.640 He's consistent. 0:32:11.280 --> 0:32:13.320 If there is one thing I love about God is 0:32:13.320 --> 0:32:17.160 that he's consistent. How many have found him to be consistent, 0:32:17.200 --> 0:32:20.760 and you can testify and come into agreement that he's consistent. 0:32:28.240 --> 0:32:31.080 But he's also creative. 0:32:33.160 --> 0:32:35.240 And I don't know if you know any creative people, 0:32:36.560 --> 0:32:40.280 but sometimes creativity and consistency don't get along so well. 0:32:42.840 --> 0:32:45.200 If you've ever lived with an artist, sometimes they don't 0:32:45.240 --> 0:32:45.640 know how to. 0:32:45.600 --> 0:32:46.320 Make their bed up. 0:32:47.800 --> 0:32:51.040 If you've ever lived with somebody who was creatively gifted, 0:32:51.120 --> 0:32:57.400 sometimes they're a little sporadically wired. God is consistent, but 0:32:57.480 --> 0:33:00.680 he's also creative. And I was praying, Lord, give me 0:33:00.720 --> 0:33:03.000 something special to show them today. This is our anniversary, 0:33:03.040 --> 0:33:04.840 it's the beginning of our twentieth year of ministry. 0:33:05.320 --> 0:33:09.040 I want us to have a twenty twenty vision. Come on, Lord, 0:33:10.600 --> 0:33:12.520 And what he spoke to me was something beautiful. 0:33:13.800 --> 0:33:15.840 He began to speak to me as I was falling 0:33:15.880 --> 0:33:18.560 asleep and waking up, and he took me to a 0:33:18.600 --> 0:33:20.720 text because I think at my heart I'm a storyteller. 0:33:21.200 --> 0:33:22.960 If you ever do the math on my sermons, a 0:33:22.960 --> 0:33:25.920 lot of them are based around stories. And so the 0:33:26.000 --> 0:33:29.080 prophetic declaration of Isaiah and the story of the people 0:33:29.080 --> 0:33:31.920 coming through the Red Sea, and the mention of the 0:33:31.920 --> 0:33:35.480 author of Hebrews about the supremacy, the superiority, the efficiency 0:33:35.520 --> 0:33:40.200 of Jesus Christ, our Savior, it all kind of finds 0:33:40.680 --> 0:33:43.880 a unity point in my mind in two of the 0:33:43.920 --> 0:33:47.360 miracles that Jesus did, and I won't belabor them, but 0:33:47.400 --> 0:33:49.840 I do want to show them to you in their entirety. 0:33:50.840 --> 0:33:55.520 In Mark chapter eight, Jesus heals a blind man. Now 0:33:55.520 --> 0:33:59.360 what drew me to this passage initially was the Lord 0:33:59.400 --> 0:34:00.840 told Isaiah. 0:34:00.680 --> 0:34:03.080 See, I am doing a new thing. 0:34:04.280 --> 0:34:06.360 And so I started realizing a lot of us don't 0:34:06.400 --> 0:34:10.879 have a supply problem, we have a site problem. It's 0:34:10.920 --> 0:34:16.080 not that God hasn't spoken, we just can't see. And 0:34:16.120 --> 0:34:19.280 realizing that one of the most frequent miracles that Jesus 0:34:19.360 --> 0:34:21.760 performed in the scripture was the healing of blind eyes. 0:34:22.480 --> 0:34:25.400 I went and studied different people that he healed of blindness, 0:34:25.440 --> 0:34:28.760 because I believe we all have spiritual blindness, blind spots, 0:34:29.400 --> 0:34:30.719 things that we say, Well, if I could go back, 0:34:30.719 --> 0:34:32.200 i'd do it different. But I didn't know that five 0:34:32.280 --> 0:34:35.200 years ago. I didn't know that I was hurting my child. 0:34:35.239 --> 0:34:37.040 I was trying to discipline them. But now I see 0:34:37.040 --> 0:34:38.640 that I was too harsh. 0:34:39.239 --> 0:34:41.480 I didn't mean to. I was trying to. 0:34:41.719 --> 0:34:43.360 I was trying to provide for my family, but I 0:34:43.440 --> 0:34:46.799 ended up kind of abandoning them emotionally and in an 0:34:46.800 --> 0:34:48.640 attempt to give them what I didn't have, which was 0:34:48.680 --> 0:34:50.360 money growing up, I didn't give them what I did have, 0:34:50.400 --> 0:34:52.440 which is love. And I'm looking back, and I was 0:34:52.480 --> 0:34:55.640 blinded by that. And so the healing of the Savior 0:34:56.480 --> 0:34:59.160 and the new thing that God is doing often brings 0:34:59.280 --> 0:35:02.400 restoration of spiritual sight what Paul called the eyes of 0:35:02.440 --> 0:35:06.799 your heart being enlightened. And in Mark chapter eight, there 0:35:06.880 --> 0:35:09.880 is a mention of a man I don't believe we 0:35:09.960 --> 0:35:13.480 get his name in the scripture, but Jesus did something 0:35:13.520 --> 0:35:14.320 amazing for it. 0:35:14.480 --> 0:35:14.680 Now. 0:35:15.520 --> 0:35:17.120 I don't know when you're watching this, but if you're 0:35:17.120 --> 0:35:19.160 about to go to lunch, this might ruin your appetite. 0:35:19.760 --> 0:35:22.720 It's kind of gross Mark Chapter eight please. 0:35:24.160 --> 0:35:27.799 They the disciples in Jesus came to Bethseta, and some 0:35:27.880 --> 0:35:33.040 people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Jesus 0:35:33.080 --> 0:35:36.400 to touch him. Pay attention to every detail that you can. 0:35:36.640 --> 0:35:39.239 It will reward your attention if you'll pay attention to 0:35:39.320 --> 0:35:44.040 every detail in this little story. He took verse twenty 0:35:44.040 --> 0:35:47.719 three the blind man by the hand let him outside 0:35:47.800 --> 0:35:51.600 the village. When he'd spin on the man's eyes and 0:35:51.640 --> 0:35:54.840 put his hands on him, Jesus asked, do you see anything? 0:35:56.440 --> 0:35:57.319 I told you this is. 0:35:58.120 --> 0:36:00.560 Not a very appetizing miracle. I need to read that again, 0:36:00.560 --> 0:36:02.560 because you didn't even react to it. And it's so weird. 0:36:03.360 --> 0:36:06.960 When he had spit on the man's eyes, we just 0:36:07.000 --> 0:36:10.840 glossed over that, like that's just something people do, like 0:36:10.880 --> 0:36:13.080 he did a hail Mary over him or something. He 0:36:13.280 --> 0:36:16.960 spit on the man's eyes and then put his hands 0:36:16.960 --> 0:36:18.560 on him, and Jesus asked, do you see anything. 0:36:18.800 --> 0:36:21.960 He looked up and said, you did pretty good. I 0:36:22.040 --> 0:36:22.680 see people. 0:36:22.800 --> 0:36:25.640 They look like trees walking around. Now I'm gonna point 0:36:25.640 --> 0:36:27.640 out to you real quick. The fact that he knew 0:36:28.160 --> 0:36:33.080 what trees looked like means that he had been able 0:36:33.120 --> 0:36:38.720 to see it sometime in the past, so he's restoring 0:36:38.800 --> 0:36:39.959 his sight some things. 0:36:39.960 --> 0:36:41.080 God wants to bring. 0:36:40.880 --> 0:36:43.400 You back to you really do know what it means? 0:36:44.960 --> 0:36:46.960 And he said, I see it, but it's blurry. Have 0:36:47.080 --> 0:36:50.120 you got any blurry blessings in your life right now? 0:36:50.920 --> 0:36:54.520 I see it, but it's blurry. It's working, but it 0:36:55.280 --> 0:36:56.759 seems a little off. Can can you? 0:36:57.400 --> 0:36:58.960 I don't want you to spit on me again, but 0:37:00.320 --> 0:37:01.520 can I get a second touch? 0:37:02.920 --> 0:37:04.080 Can I get a second touch? 0:37:05.400 --> 0:37:08.239 The Bible says something very powerful once more, Jesus put 0:37:08.239 --> 0:37:10.120 his hands on the man's eyes, and then his eyes 0:37:10.160 --> 0:37:13.880 were open. His sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 0:37:14.600 --> 0:37:17.360 Jesus sent him home, saying, don't even go into the village. 0:37:17.640 --> 0:37:18.560 What a great story. 0:37:19.440 --> 0:37:21.400 If that were the passage we were preaching from, we 0:37:21.440 --> 0:37:26.680 would say every miracle is messy, Every miracle is messy. 0:37:27.480 --> 0:37:28.960 Spit in your eyes is messy. 0:37:30.080 --> 0:37:33.560 We would also say that many miracles in your life 0:37:34.760 --> 0:37:38.399 happened over the period of time because there were two 0:37:38.400 --> 0:37:42.840 touches involved. But we're not viewing this miracle in isolation, 0:37:42.960 --> 0:37:50.080 because Jesus is consistent, but he's also creative. And here's 0:37:50.080 --> 0:37:53.920 what I mean. Go to Mark chapter ten. Another blind man, 0:37:54.120 --> 0:37:55.920 this one whose name we do know. Give me my 0:37:55.960 --> 0:37:56.359 Mark ten. 0:37:56.400 --> 0:37:56.680 Please. 0:37:58.280 --> 0:38:01.440 Then they came to Jericho. Is a different town, beth 0:38:01.560 --> 0:38:07.680 sta mark a Jericho Mark ten. As Jesus and his disciples, 0:38:07.719 --> 0:38:10.680 together with the large crowd, were leaving the city, a 0:38:10.680 --> 0:38:15.320 blind man, same condition. Bartimaeus which means son of Timaeus, 0:38:15.440 --> 0:38:20.000 was sitting by the roadside begging next verse when he 0:38:20.000 --> 0:38:22.759 heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth. He could hear, 0:38:22.800 --> 0:38:26.480 but he couldn't see. He began to shout because he 0:38:26.520 --> 0:38:28.880 could shout though he couldn't see. He's using everything that 0:38:28.920 --> 0:38:29.839 he has available. 0:38:30.440 --> 0:38:34.440 Jesus. He calls the name, son of David, have mercy 0:38:34.480 --> 0:38:34.759 on me. 0:38:35.640 --> 0:38:37.600 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but 0:38:37.640 --> 0:38:40.359 he shouted all the more, Son of David. 0:38:40.080 --> 0:38:41.000 Have mercy on me. 0:38:41.320 --> 0:38:44.240 I'm using restraint because everything in me wants to preach. 0:38:44.600 --> 0:38:47.160 Don't you let them shut you up. Don't you let 0:38:47.239 --> 0:38:50.160 them shut you down. Don't you let them call you crazy. 0:38:50.440 --> 0:38:53.360 They tried to do it to me for almost twenty years, 0:38:53.719 --> 0:38:56.400 and if I had listened to everything they said about me, 0:38:56.800 --> 0:39:00.040 I wouldn't be here preaching to your beautiful self, I 0:39:00.040 --> 0:39:09.239 should dare miss what God has for you down the road. Man, 0:39:09.320 --> 0:39:12.439 y'all are easy to preach to today. Come back next week. 0:39:12.520 --> 0:39:16.200 Somebody in here is making a difference. What verse were 0:39:16.200 --> 0:39:18.560 we on? Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, 0:39:18.560 --> 0:39:20.400 but he shouted all the more, son. 0:39:20.239 --> 0:39:24.000 Of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stopped and said, 0:39:24.040 --> 0:39:25.680 call him. 0:39:25.719 --> 0:39:29.839 So they the disciples, you're ready called the blind man 0:39:31.560 --> 0:39:36.040 called the blind man, share up on your feet. 0:39:37.239 --> 0:39:41.920 He's calling you. Throwing his cloak aside. He jumped to 0:39:41.960 --> 0:39:45.799 his feet and came to Jesus. What do you want 0:39:45.840 --> 0:39:49.200 me to do for you? Jesus asked him, and. 0:39:49.120 --> 0:39:52.160 The blind man said, Rabbi, I want to see now. 0:39:52.200 --> 0:39:54.000 I can't prove it in the text because the text 0:39:54.000 --> 0:39:56.680 says that the blind man threw his cloak. I can't 0:39:56.680 --> 0:39:59.080 prove it in the text because the text says that 0:39:59.120 --> 0:40:01.320 he shouted loud. I can't prove it in the text. 0:40:01.560 --> 0:40:04.160 But I think when he said I want to see, 0:40:04.560 --> 0:40:06.799 Peter and the other disciples backed up a little bit 0:40:09.080 --> 0:40:16.520 because the last time Jesus did what he's asking him 0:40:16.520 --> 0:40:23.040 to do. And maybe they even said to the God, 0:40:23.200 --> 0:40:25.920 hey man, you might want to. You got a change 0:40:25.920 --> 0:40:29.480 of clothes, you know, just to prepare you. This can 0:40:29.520 --> 0:40:31.920 be kind of traumatic if you're not expecting it, just 0:40:31.960 --> 0:40:32.560 to let you know. 0:40:33.120 --> 0:40:38.200 But watch this. Jesus is a healer. He's consistent. 0:40:38.680 --> 0:40:40.600 He doesn't tell the man Now I don't feel like healing. 0:40:40.680 --> 0:40:41.560 Check back Thursday. 0:40:41.640 --> 0:40:46.080 Thursday is my healing day because he's consistent. But the 0:40:46.160 --> 0:40:51.640 same Savior who is consistent is also creative, which means 0:40:51.680 --> 0:40:55.319 he is not constrained, which means he doesn't have to 0:40:55.360 --> 0:40:59.880 do the same thing this time that he did last time, 0:41:01.280 --> 0:41:02.160 which means. 0:41:01.920 --> 0:41:05.560 That he's gonna heal the man. But this time, watch, 0:41:05.600 --> 0:41:13.120 it's a little different. Jesus just said, go verse fifty two, 0:41:14.080 --> 0:41:17.719 your faith has healed you. And immediately he received this 0:41:17.800 --> 0:41:22.040 side and followed Jesus along the road. And barthol of 0:41:22.120 --> 0:41:22.520 You and. 0:41:22.400 --> 0:41:25.280 Andrew and John and James and Peter are like, wait, Jesus, 0:41:26.400 --> 0:41:27.440 you forgot to spit. 0:41:29.920 --> 0:41:30.640 You gotta spit. 0:41:30.719 --> 0:41:35.520 Remember the chapter eight when Jesus did, I mean, when 0:41:35.560 --> 0:41:38.319 you got to spit on him like that, He's not 0:41:38.320 --> 0:41:39.359 gonna work if it doesn't spit. 0:41:39.440 --> 0:41:41.120 I mean, you spin on that guy and you still 0:41:41.160 --> 0:41:42.120 had to do it. Twice. 0:41:42.800 --> 0:41:44.480 If you're taking notes of as a disciple, here's what 0:41:44.520 --> 0:41:47.200 you're writing down, because you've never seen anything that's amazing before. Right, 0:41:47.200 --> 0:41:48.880 she's walking on healing blind eyes and stuff. So you're 0:41:48.920 --> 0:41:50.520 keeping notes. Okay, we're gonna have to do this without 0:41:50.560 --> 0:41:50.960 him one day. 0:41:51.000 --> 0:41:51.920 So what does he do? Okay? 0:41:52.040 --> 0:41:55.319 So he spits and then the first touch doesn't really work, 0:41:55.320 --> 0:41:57.720 so you got to do it twice, okay. 0:41:57.960 --> 0:41:59.279 And then Jesus walks right. 0:41:59.239 --> 0:42:02.680 Up on this man name Bartimas, and the man's screaming, 0:42:02.760 --> 0:42:04.320 and they're like, you're not supposed to scream, and Jesus like, 0:42:04.320 --> 0:42:06.600 I don't mind him screaming, don't bother me. 0:42:07.320 --> 0:42:08.799 And the man throws his cloak, and Jesus like, let 0:42:08.880 --> 0:42:10.000 him throw off anything he wants to. 0:42:11.880 --> 0:42:19.120 And Jesus looks straight at that man and heals him 0:42:19.160 --> 0:42:27.040 how he wants to, how he chooses to. He's healing you, 0:42:28.360 --> 0:42:33.200 but maybe not how you want him to, maybe not 0:42:33.400 --> 0:42:38.120 how you're used to. Isaiah said, remember when the sea split, 0:42:39.680 --> 0:42:44.160 it's not gonna split this time right instead, Verse nineteen. 0:42:44.200 --> 0:42:49.319 I'm doing a new thing. Even now. It springs up 0:42:50.960 --> 0:42:54.000 the song you're singing from seven hundred years ago. The 0:42:54.120 --> 0:42:54.800 sea split. 0:42:55.920 --> 0:42:57.120 This time the water. 0:42:56.880 --> 0:43:00.839 Isn't gonna split, It's gonna spring, but it's still water. 0:43:02.840 --> 0:43:04.879 And I wonder, is this not the wisdom of God? 0:43:04.960 --> 0:43:07.799 Because he knows we'll get addicted to miracles. 0:43:09.000 --> 0:43:12.160 And not be dependent on him. 0:43:12.360 --> 0:43:15.240 So he says, you wanted me to do it like that, Nah, 0:43:15.760 --> 0:43:18.680 I'm not splitting to see this time. This time is 0:43:18.680 --> 0:43:22.160 coming from a different place. Now you assume that God 0:43:22.239 --> 0:43:25.240 isn't speaking, I wonder, are you just not seeing? 0:43:27.200 --> 0:43:28.080 And he's speaking? 0:43:29.360 --> 0:43:31.880 Because the same Savior that spit in the man's eyes 0:43:32.400 --> 0:43:38.680 didn't spit this time. This time he just spoke because 0:43:38.680 --> 0:43:43.560 he's creative, so he doesn't have to spit. He can speak, 0:43:44.080 --> 0:43:47.239 he can spit. He can spit while he speaks. Like me, 0:43:50.400 --> 0:43:52.000 A lady told me one time, I sit on at 0:43:52.080 --> 0:43:54.279 least the fourth throw because watching you preaches like be 0:43:54.320 --> 0:43:55.719 in a sea world. I gotta get out of his 0:43:55.760 --> 0:44:00.439 flash zone. She said, you spit when you speak. And see, 0:44:00.480 --> 0:44:04.440 God doesn't always have to spit when he speaks. He's consistent, 0:44:04.520 --> 0:44:08.080 but he's creative. And sometimes the fact that he is 0:44:08.120 --> 0:44:11.880 so creative causes you to forget how consistent he is. 0:44:13.200 --> 0:44:16.239 Because while you're waiting for him to spit. He's just 0:44:16.320 --> 0:44:21.840 speaking one word. Go, one word from God. This is 0:44:21.880 --> 0:44:25.799 what the Lord says, Go. And I came into the 0:44:25.800 --> 0:44:30.280 first weekend of our twentieth year of ministry to declare 0:44:30.360 --> 0:44:32.680 to you that not only is this the praise Church, 0:44:33.840 --> 0:44:38.800 but this is the proclamation church. This is the proclamation Church, 0:44:39.719 --> 0:44:42.840 where the word of the Lord reaches beyond the barriers 0:44:42.840 --> 0:44:47.000 of a physical campus or location, beyond the demographic of 0:44:47.040 --> 0:44:52.400 a certain socioeconomic stratus or class, beyond the backgrounds that 0:44:52.440 --> 0:44:55.160 we've all experienced up to this point. God said, forget 0:44:55.160 --> 0:44:58.759 all of that. I am not defining your life by 0:44:58.800 --> 0:45:01.919 the former. This is the most beautiful thing he gave 0:45:02.000 --> 0:45:06.520 me in so long, because after he said forget the 0:45:06.560 --> 0:45:11.319 former thing Verse twenty, he said, even the wild jackals 0:45:11.800 --> 0:45:14.319 and the owls know how to honor me, because I 0:45:14.400 --> 0:45:17.200 provide water in the wilderness. 0:45:17.719 --> 0:45:19.600 The sea is not splitting this time. 0:45:19.960 --> 0:45:23.040 It doesn't need to the same people aren't going to 0:45:23.080 --> 0:45:24.080 call you this time. 0:45:24.480 --> 0:45:27.359 They don't need to. It's not going to feel the. 0:45:27.320 --> 0:45:29.960 Same way this time. It doesn't have to. He said, 0:45:30.000 --> 0:45:34.400 I provide water in the wilderness, and so the animals 0:45:34.480 --> 0:45:36.160 honor me, and waiting for the verse to come back 0:45:36.200 --> 0:45:40.000 up so I can finish it out and streams in 0:45:40.080 --> 0:45:42.160 the wasteland to give drink. 0:45:42.239 --> 0:45:45.640 To my people. Watch this, my chosen. 0:45:46.920 --> 0:45:52.279 That's who you are, my people, my chosen Verse twenty one, 0:45:53.160 --> 0:46:01.160 the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my. 0:46:02.600 --> 0:46:03.000 Praise. 0:46:05.360 --> 0:46:08.480 Leave the verse un let's splash around in this water 0:46:08.560 --> 0:46:12.640 for a minute. He said, I want you to forget 0:46:12.680 --> 0:46:17.080 the former because you are the people I formed for myself. 0:46:18.320 --> 0:46:21.680 And since he is God and is not limited by time, 0:46:22.520 --> 0:46:25.000 he formed you for a future that only he knows. 0:46:26.040 --> 0:46:30.000 So everything you feel insecure about let it go is 0:46:30.080 --> 0:46:31.480 not going to matter. 0:46:31.840 --> 0:46:36.520 Because he is your former. What do you mean former? 0:46:37.040 --> 0:46:40.200 The same Hebrew word that Isaiah uses for former is 0:46:40.239 --> 0:46:46.479 translated as potter and planner. So what's he saying? Let 0:46:46.520 --> 0:46:49.560 go of your plan so I can show you my purpose. 0:46:54.360 --> 0:46:57.480 Let go of every plan that you made without God. 0:46:58.719 --> 0:47:01.759 Let go of every plan that you made by consulting 0:47:01.800 --> 0:47:04.920 your past. Let go of every plan that. 0:47:05.000 --> 0:47:06.920 Was limited to the people you have around you. 0:47:07.040 --> 0:47:13.320 Right now, there's new rivers, new streams, new blessings, new wells, 0:47:14.000 --> 0:47:19.080 new beginnings. 0:47:22.480 --> 0:47:25.879 And what has stayed the same for. 0:47:25.719 --> 0:47:31.319 Twenty years now in this church is the name, the 0:47:31.440 --> 0:47:37.160 name of Jesus the Great. I am in flesh, incarnate 0:47:37.280 --> 0:47:40.320 in action the name of Jesus. 0:47:41.760 --> 0:47:47.440 The numbers have changed, The numbers have changed greatly. I 0:47:47.560 --> 0:47:51.720 used to preach to a room full of nineteen people. 0:47:53.080 --> 0:47:57.800 My passion wasn't lower. I didn't talk softer. 0:47:59.239 --> 0:48:04.560 I'll scream louder because I was desperate and youthful. 0:48:06.360 --> 0:48:11.200 Nothing changed about that when the numbers changed. But it's 0:48:11.239 --> 0:48:12.080 an amazing thing. 0:48:13.680 --> 0:48:18.040 How sometimes God is speaking to you but you. 0:48:17.960 --> 0:48:20.719 Don't recognize him because it doesn't come from where you 0:48:21.600 --> 0:48:22.200 expect it. 0:48:22.560 --> 0:48:22.759 Wow. 0:48:24.360 --> 0:48:27.839 I have one friend in my life who changes his 0:48:27.880 --> 0:48:35.120 phone number about every ten months. Every time he changes 0:48:35.160 --> 0:48:38.360 his number, and he knows exactly who he is. I 0:48:38.400 --> 0:48:40.920 don't even bother anymore to replace his old name with 0:48:40.960 --> 0:48:43.640 his new name. I just put a year out beside it, 0:48:46.800 --> 0:48:50.279 and let's say his name is is John. I have 0:48:50.400 --> 0:48:55.719 John twenty nineteen, John twenty twenty, John twenty twenty one, 0:48:56.280 --> 0:48:59.840 first quarter, John twenty twenty one, second quarter. 0:49:00.440 --> 0:49:01.040 In my phone. 0:49:01.080 --> 0:49:05.880 I got his name like fourteen times, but he hasn't changed. 0:49:09.160 --> 0:49:15.640 Just where he's calling me from. 0:49:16.239 --> 0:49:23.520 Same name, new number, same name, new number. 0:49:24.520 --> 0:49:27.600 I commit to you afresh and anew on this the 0:49:27.680 --> 0:49:31.640 beginning of our twentieth year, and anybody who needs to leave, 0:49:31.680 --> 0:49:33.160 I'm gonna give you a second to do it before 0:49:33.200 --> 0:49:37.200 I close this message. Thank you so much. Now, y'all 0:49:37.239 --> 0:49:37.640 look at me. 0:49:38.960 --> 0:49:42.600 I don't care how many or how few God sends us. 0:49:43.960 --> 0:49:45.799 There is one name that is able. 0:49:45.560 --> 0:49:50.080 To save in this ministry. There is one name that 0:49:50.160 --> 0:49:53.879 is able to heal in this ministry. There is one 0:49:54.000 --> 0:49:56.640 name that is able to get your kids off drugs. 0:49:56.320 --> 0:49:59.479 In this ministry. There is one name that is able 0:49:59.520 --> 0:50:02.120 to put your arn't back together in this ministry. 0:50:02.880 --> 0:50:06.040 And as long as the name of Jesus is being proclaimed, 0:50:06.800 --> 0:50:11.120 this is what the Lord says. There will always be 0:50:11.200 --> 0:50:15.440 a current word over this house. There will always be 0:50:15.520 --> 0:50:21.200 a fresh word over your life. And Father, I just 0:50:21.239 --> 0:50:26.799 thank you today for your word in our wilderness. You 0:50:26.880 --> 0:50:30.160 showed me before I stood up to preach God that 0:50:30.280 --> 0:50:33.720 this is what you have to say to this people 0:50:34.239 --> 0:50:37.200 on this day, and you gave me a word for 0:50:37.239 --> 0:50:37.880 this occasion. 0:50:37.880 --> 0:50:40.600 But I don't believe it was just for our church anniversary. 0:50:41.760 --> 0:50:43.600 I believe in my heart because I know you to 0:50:43.640 --> 0:50:49.000 be good, that you are too consistent to ever change, 0:50:49.320 --> 0:50:51.640 and you are too creative to do the same thing 0:50:51.680 --> 0:50:55.280 the same way twice. So we thank you that although 0:50:55.360 --> 0:50:59.480 our world feels unstable, unsteady, and changing all around us, 0:51:00.160 --> 0:51:04.959 never been a more important time for us to look 0:51:05.000 --> 0:51:06.080 toward your faithfulness. 0:51:08.640 --> 0:51:09.680 With your head's bowed and. 0:51:09.640 --> 0:51:14.160 Your eyes closed, there's somebody here that God is calling 0:51:14.200 --> 0:51:17.319 to for salvation. I would like to give you the 0:51:17.320 --> 0:51:20.960 invitation today, whether online or in the room, to receive 0:51:21.040 --> 0:51:24.719 Jesus Christ as your savior and Lord. There is no 0:51:24.800 --> 0:51:29.680 more important decision than this. There is no more important decision, 0:51:29.960 --> 0:51:32.040 not where you're gonna live, not who you're gonna marry, 0:51:32.239 --> 0:51:35.040 who your heart belongs to, who you trust in for 0:51:35.280 --> 0:51:38.040 the salvation of your soul. This is the most important 0:51:38.040 --> 0:51:41.480 decision you will ever make. This has always been a 0:51:41.560 --> 0:51:43.680 church where people are welcome to come as they are, 0:51:44.800 --> 0:51:47.040 But it's also a church where God's not gonna let you. 0:51:47.040 --> 0:51:48.160 Stay that way. 0:51:49.040 --> 0:51:52.920 He wants to change you called you chosen, so right now, 0:51:52.960 --> 0:51:56.239 heads bowed, eyes closed. If this is your moment and 0:51:56.320 --> 0:51:58.680 you're ready to commit your life to Christ or recommit 0:51:58.719 --> 0:51:59.880 your life to Christ, I'm gonna. 0:51:59.719 --> 0:52:00.520 Lead you a prayer. 0:52:01.719 --> 0:52:07.360 This prayer is not magical, but the power of God 0:52:07.440 --> 0:52:12.560 when you pray this prayer is miraculous. And right now, 0:52:12.600 --> 0:52:15.439 in this moment, if you're ready to come to God 0:52:15.440 --> 0:52:17.880 and be forgiven of your sins, I want you to 0:52:17.880 --> 0:52:19.640 repeat after me, and the whole church is going to 0:52:19.680 --> 0:52:24.640 pray with you. Pray this Heavenly Father. Today is my 0:52:24.880 --> 0:52:30.239 day of salvation. I am a sinner in need of 0:52:30.280 --> 0:52:36.000 a savior. And I believe that Jesus Christ is the 0:52:36.040 --> 0:52:40.480 Son of God and the savior of the world. And 0:52:40.520 --> 0:52:45.600 today I make Jesus the Lord of my life. I 0:52:45.640 --> 0:52:50.200 believe he died that I would be forgiven and rose 0:52:50.239 --> 0:52:52.920 again to give me life. 0:52:53.120 --> 0:52:58.200 This is my new beginning. I am a child of God. 0:52:59.120 --> 0:53:00.719 If you pray that, sh at your hand up on 0:53:00.760 --> 0:53:04.480 the count of three, one, two, three, and we're praising God. 0:53:04.360 --> 0:53:07.640 With you, praising God with you. 0:53:09.239 --> 0:53:16.320 Awesome man, awesome on every location. We celebrate you on 0:53:16.440 --> 0:53:18.440 every come on. This is the praise Church. 0:53:20.120 --> 0:53:21.560 This is the praise Church. 0:53:27.480 --> 0:53:28.680 You know, we gotta do right. 0:53:29.800 --> 0:53:32.440 You know what we gotta do right. We gotta give God. 0:53:32.320 --> 0:53:34.960 The biggest praise we've given him in our twentieth year. 0:53:35.800 --> 0:53:53.759 Five four three, twenty seconds to break brow pass those 0:53:53.840 --> 0:53:54.720 bibles around. 0:53:56.440 --> 0:53:59.239 Yeah, take that Bible, man, get in it. Find out 0:53:59.320 --> 0:54:03.040 this is what the Lord says. Never wait till you 0:54:03.080 --> 0:54:05.960 get to church to hear what the Lord says. The 0:54:06.040 --> 0:54:08.160 devil follows you around all weeks, so don't wait till 0:54:08.200 --> 0:54:12.600 Sunday to suit up. What a privilege, What an honor. 0:54:13.360 --> 0:54:16.399 I love being your pastor. Holly loves it too. Coming 0:54:16.520 --> 0:54:20.680 up with me, Bebe, I got you. 0:54:24.520 --> 0:54:25.320 I'll tell you one. 0:54:25.160 --> 0:54:27.040 More story I left out of my sermon, and then 0:54:27.600 --> 0:54:29.360 I'll let the campus pastors all close. 0:54:29.520 --> 0:54:33.880 You mind if I close here? Okay, take this for 0:54:34.000 --> 0:54:36.920 me real quick. I was going to tell you this, 0:54:37.000 --> 0:54:38.680 but I feel like maybe it was for this moment. 0:54:41.239 --> 0:54:43.640 When we were in Los Angeles a couple of years 0:54:43.640 --> 0:54:47.080 ago doing one of our elevation nights, I found myself 0:54:47.400 --> 0:54:49.160 on the brink of something like what I've heard a 0:54:49.239 --> 0:54:51.240 panic attack is before I went out to preach. 0:54:51.960 --> 0:54:53.640 Now, I begin to understand. 0:54:53.160 --> 0:54:56.200 That because of the adrenal fatigue of doing that so 0:54:56.239 --> 0:54:58.000 many nights in a row, I really have to manage 0:54:58.000 --> 0:54:58.560 my energy. 0:54:59.000 --> 0:55:01.239 But there was a moment before I went out to preach. 0:55:01.000 --> 0:55:02.680 To the people of God, and I thought, I'm not 0:55:02.719 --> 0:55:05.360 going to be able to do it tonight. Combined with 0:55:05.440 --> 0:55:07.880 fatigue was the fact that I was a little bit 0:55:07.920 --> 0:55:10.200 awe struck by how many people were coming to be 0:55:10.239 --> 0:55:12.520 a part of the ministry. And it blew my mind. 0:55:12.560 --> 0:55:14.160 And it didn't make me think I'm the man, look 0:55:14.200 --> 0:55:17.600 at me now. It made me think, God, what in 0:55:17.640 --> 0:55:20.239 the world am I doing here? And I began to 0:55:20.280 --> 0:55:23.560 remember my past almost so vividly that, although I'm thankful 0:55:23.600 --> 0:55:26.040 for it, it kind of became a limitation on what 0:55:26.080 --> 0:55:28.600 I thought the Lord could do through me, because what 0:55:28.719 --> 0:55:31.120 is a boy from a town of six thousand people 0:55:31.200 --> 0:55:35.399 doing preaching to fourteen thousand in LA And it kept 0:55:35.440 --> 0:55:38.040 getting worse because they kept telling me about different people 0:55:38.080 --> 0:55:40.279 that were coming that night, and some of them were 0:55:40.400 --> 0:55:43.600 very well known. And as I was just freaking out 0:55:43.760 --> 0:55:46.040 with God for a moment, hollywalked in. 0:55:46.960 --> 0:55:47.680 When she did, I. 0:55:47.640 --> 0:55:50.560 Had a sort of flashback of all of the ministry 0:55:50.600 --> 0:55:53.359 that we've done together since we were eighteen years old, 0:55:54.440 --> 0:55:56.280 and all of a sudden, I was no longer in 0:55:56.440 --> 0:56:00.799 Los Angeles, California, preaching to fourteen thousand. I was back 0:56:00.800 --> 0:56:05.000 in a little town called Loris, South Carolina, preaching to 0:56:05.040 --> 0:56:09.279 fourteen I was no longer in California at all. I 0:56:09.360 --> 0:56:14.480 was in Cowpins, South Carolina, preaching to six and I 0:56:14.520 --> 0:56:16.960 realized something in that moment that gave me confidence that 0:56:17.000 --> 0:56:20.320 I've held on through many situations in my life, and maybe. 0:56:20.080 --> 0:56:21.640 It'll bless you too. 0:56:21.880 --> 0:56:25.040 I realized that although the numbers are much bigger, the 0:56:25.080 --> 0:56:29.920 faithfulness of God has always been the same. And as 0:56:29.960 --> 0:56:34.680 I looked at Holly and I began to remember all 0:56:34.719 --> 0:56:36.640 of those times that we stood and saying, Lord, I 0:56:36.680 --> 0:56:39.480 lift your name on high, and every move I make 0:56:39.560 --> 0:56:42.240 in you, I make in you, make me move Jesus, 0:56:43.239 --> 0:56:46.200 and Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary. And as 0:56:46.239 --> 0:56:49.640 the deer panted for the water, and I realized I 0:56:49.680 --> 0:57:04.520 got the same girl and the same God. So after 0:57:04.560 --> 0:57:06.960 I say this, I'm going to dismiss you, So campus pastors, 0:57:06.960 --> 0:57:07.640 you better take. 0:57:07.520 --> 0:57:08.080 It right now. 0:57:09.239 --> 0:57:11.320 I don't know what this new season of your life 0:57:11.360 --> 0:57:13.680 is intimidating you with, threatening you with. I don't know 0:57:13.680 --> 0:57:16.000 what's in your past that haunts you or what you 0:57:16.040 --> 0:57:17.160 wish you could go back to. 0:57:18.600 --> 0:57:20.320 But I declare Isaiah. 0:57:20.200 --> 0:57:24.880 Forty three nineteen over every man, woman, boy, girl and 0:57:24.960 --> 0:57:31.680 family in Elevation Church today. See I am doing a 0:57:31.800 --> 0:57:32.320 new thing. 0:57:33.440 --> 0:57:37.360 Now it springs up. Now it springs up. Do you 0:57:37.440 --> 0:57:40.840 not perceive it? And what's what God is doing? I 0:57:40.880 --> 0:57:41.720 am making a. 0:57:41.680 --> 0:57:47.160 Way in the wilderness and streams in the way slang. 0:57:48.040 --> 0:57:50.640 So everybody believes that the God who was with you 0:57:50.800 --> 0:57:55.000 then is with you now. Give him an eternal praise. 0:57:57.840 --> 0:58:01.600 I love you, God, bless thank you. Let's do this 0:58:01.800 --> 0:58:04.600 twentieth year right. God is with you. 0:58:05.200 --> 0:58:08.720 God is for you. Have a great day. Happy annivers 0:58:08.800 --> 0:58:09.280 for Church. 0:58:12.760 --> 0:58:13.880 Thank you for joining us. 0:58:14.200 --> 0:58:16.640 Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 0:58:16.720 --> 0:58:20.200 this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 0:58:20.640 --> 0:58:22.840 You can click the link in the description to give 0:58:22.920 --> 0:58:27.080 now or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more 0:58:27.080 --> 0:58:30.920 information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:58:31.200 --> 0:58:32.520 You can share it with your friends. 0:58:32.800 --> 0:58:35.080 You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 0:58:35.120 --> 0:58:37.240 share it on your social stories and tag us at 0:58:37.280 --> 0:58:38.120 Elevation Church. 0:58:38.200 --> 0:58:39.200 Thanks again for listening. 0:58:39.240 --> 0:58:44.800 God bless you.