Being The Authentic You

0:00:00.440 --> 0:00:03.160 Hi, this is Joel and Victoria. Thanks for listening to 0:00:03.200 --> 0:00:05.960 our podcast and thanks for supporting the ministry. 0:00:06.120 --> 0:00:08.440 If you enjoy today's message, why don't you be a 0:00:08.440 --> 0:00:10.000 blessing and share it with a friend. 0:00:10.320 --> 0:00:13.040 We appreciate you and pray for God's very best in 0:00:13.080 --> 0:00:15.960 your life. Well, don't bless you. It's great to be 0:00:16.079 --> 0:00:18.880 with you today, and I hope you'll stay connected with 0:00:18.960 --> 0:00:22.600 us during the week through our daily podcast or YouTube channel, 0:00:22.720 --> 0:00:25.680 social media, and you can come visit us in person. 0:00:25.920 --> 0:00:27.640 We'd love to have you be a part of one 0:00:27.680 --> 0:00:30.320 of our services. But I like to start with something 0:00:30.400 --> 0:00:33.080 funny and don't be offended. It's just a joe. But 0:00:33.640 --> 0:00:37.200 I heard about these three people, a Russian, an American 0:00:37.400 --> 0:00:42.000 and a blonde. They were talking together. The Russian proudly said, 0:00:42.080 --> 0:00:45.239 we were the first ones in space. The Americans said, well, 0:00:45.280 --> 0:00:47.919 we were the first ones on the moon. The blonde said, 0:00:47.960 --> 0:00:50.520 that's nothing. We're gonna be the first ones on the sun. 0:00:51.320 --> 0:00:53.640 The American the Russian they laugh, and you can't go 0:00:53.680 --> 0:00:56.040 to the sun. It's too hot to be burned up. 0:00:56.480 --> 0:00:58.800 The blonde said, we know that, we're not that dumb. 0:00:58.960 --> 0:01:04.679 We're gonna go at night, all right. Y'all. I'm married 0:01:04.720 --> 0:01:09.640 to a beautiful, smart, intelligent blonde. But I don't need 0:01:09.640 --> 0:01:12.760 a ride home. But here we go, y'all. This is 0:01:12.840 --> 0:01:15.840 my Bible. I am what it says I am. I 0:01:15.920 --> 0:01:18.280 have what it says I have. I can do what 0:01:18.360 --> 0:01:21.160 it says I can do. Today I will be taught 0:01:21.240 --> 0:01:25.360 the word of God. I boldly confess. My mind is alert, 0:01:25.680 --> 0:01:28.760 my heart is receptive. I will never be the same. 0:01:29.280 --> 0:01:33.640 In Jesus' name, God bless you. I want to talk 0:01:33.680 --> 0:01:37.759 to you today about being the authentic you. It's easy 0:01:37.800 --> 0:01:40.520 to go through life trying to protect our image and 0:01:40.959 --> 0:01:44.640 always look good and impress people, and we can't let 0:01:44.640 --> 0:01:47.720 them see our flaws, our shortcomings, or they may think 0:01:47.800 --> 0:01:50.800 less of us. So we live with this pressure to 0:01:50.880 --> 0:01:55.040 perform and to pretend and to wear a mask. But 0:01:55.080 --> 0:01:58.080 the people we're trying to impress, the ones that look 0:01:58.160 --> 0:02:00.960 like they have it all together, they have issues too. 0:02:01.880 --> 0:02:06.280 Everyone is struggling with something, and the scripture says God's 0:02:06.360 --> 0:02:11.280 power shows up greatest in our weaknesses, not in our strengths, 0:02:11.720 --> 0:02:14.960 not in the areas we excel, but in our struggles, 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:19.360 our flaws, the things we're trying to hide. God is 0:02:19.400 --> 0:02:22.760 not looking for the fake you to pretend you to 0:02:22.840 --> 0:02:26.440 cover up you. He's looking for the real you, the 0:02:26.520 --> 0:02:31.280 you that's not perfect, the you that can get jealous, angry, afraid, 0:02:32.080 --> 0:02:35.239 the you that doesn't always feel worthy or good enough. 0:02:36.200 --> 0:02:39.040 When you get honest with yourself and you don't try 0:02:39.080 --> 0:02:43.280 to camouflaws your struggles and live wearing masks to keep 0:02:43.320 --> 0:02:46.600 up your image, that's when God will step in and 0:02:46.720 --> 0:02:50.680 help you to change instead of hiding what we're struggling with. 0:02:51.240 --> 0:02:54.440 When we go to God and admit our dependence on him, 0:02:54.960 --> 0:02:58.079 say God, I need you. I don't like being this way. 0:02:58.560 --> 0:03:02.360 I'm afraid, angry, or i don't feel like i'm good enough. 0:03:02.440 --> 0:03:06.079 Help me to change. It's not a weakness to admit 0:03:06.240 --> 0:03:09.560 you don't have it all together. It's a strength. When 0:03:09.600 --> 0:03:12.760 you take off the mask and you're open before God, 0:03:13.200 --> 0:03:16.600 he doesn't fault you, that's when his power shows up 0:03:16.800 --> 0:03:21.079 to change you. When Jesus saw Peter out fishing, he 0:03:21.120 --> 0:03:23.880 called him to be his first disciple. He said, from 0:03:23.880 --> 0:03:27.120 now on, you're gonna fish for men. Peter fell on 0:03:27.160 --> 0:03:30.200 his knees and said, Lord, go away from me. I'm 0:03:30.240 --> 0:03:34.360 not worthy. I'm a sinful man. He was saying, Lord, 0:03:34.520 --> 0:03:38.920 I have flaws. I'm hot tempered, I use bad language, 0:03:39.120 --> 0:03:42.440 I'm impatient. He didn't try to cover up who he 0:03:42.680 --> 0:03:47.160 was protect his image. He was honest, he was vulnerable. 0:03:47.960 --> 0:03:51.080 Jesus didn't say thanks, Peter, I didn't realize how messed 0:03:51.160 --> 0:03:54.600 up you were. I chose the wrong man. No, after 0:03:54.680 --> 0:03:59.400 Peter told him all his flaws and weaknesses, Jesus said later, Peter, 0:03:59.680 --> 0:04:02.560 you are a rock, and upon you I will build 0:04:02.600 --> 0:04:06.640 my church. He was saying, Peter, I know everything about you, 0:04:06.800 --> 0:04:10.640 the good, the bad, the ugly, And because you're open, 0:04:11.240 --> 0:04:15.360 because you're vulnerable, not wearing a mask, I'm gonna make 0:04:15.440 --> 0:04:19.320 you into something more than you've ever imagined. God has 0:04:19.400 --> 0:04:23.160 not faulting you for having weaknesses areas that just struggle 0:04:23.240 --> 0:04:27.840 in can be pride, jealousy, and compromising. He knows what 0:04:27.880 --> 0:04:31.000 you're dealing with. He didn't choose you because you have 0:04:31.080 --> 0:04:35.279 it altogether. He chose you because of what you can become. 0:04:36.360 --> 0:04:39.800 God would rather work with someone like Peter that's open 0:04:39.880 --> 0:04:43.680 and honest than someone that tries to hide and pretend 0:04:43.839 --> 0:04:47.440 and wear a mask. See Jesus could have gone to 0:04:47.480 --> 0:04:51.120 the temple and chosen one of the Pharisees, the religious 0:04:51.200 --> 0:04:55.240 leaders to become disciples. They looked the part. They worked 0:04:55.279 --> 0:04:58.960 in the temple, they wore long robes and prayed in 0:04:59.040 --> 0:05:02.839 public every day. They taught in the synagogue. You know 0:05:02.880 --> 0:05:07.360 why he didn't choose them. They wore masks, They were pretenders. 0:05:07.920 --> 0:05:12.040 They acted one way, nice, holy kind, but on the 0:05:12.040 --> 0:05:16.120 inside it was a different story. They didn't care about people. 0:05:16.440 --> 0:05:18.799 They cared about how they were going to be seen. 0:05:19.600 --> 0:05:23.600 They were arrogant, harsh, putting rules on people that they 0:05:23.600 --> 0:05:27.160 couldn't keep. Jesus had strong words for them. He said 0:05:27.160 --> 0:05:31.200 in Matthew twenty three, you are like whitewashed tombs. You 0:05:31.240 --> 0:05:34.840 look great on the outside, but on the inside you're 0:05:34.880 --> 0:05:38.640 full of dead men's bones. He was saying, you're a fake, 0:05:39.360 --> 0:05:43.160 you're a pretender. You go around, we're in masks, acting 0:05:43.240 --> 0:05:46.760 one way, but your motives are wrong. He called them 0:05:46.839 --> 0:05:51.400 hypocrites because they were too faced, projecting one thing, when 0:05:51.400 --> 0:05:56.160 in reality they were just the opposite. It's significant Jesus 0:05:56.200 --> 0:06:00.440 didn't call Peter a hypocrite. Why Peter admitted he was 0:06:00.480 --> 0:06:05.080 a sinner, unworthy, not making good choices. He didn't try 0:06:05.080 --> 0:06:08.279 to hide it. He was open and the problem with 0:06:08.360 --> 0:06:12.239 the Pharisees wasn't that they had issues. They were dealing 0:06:12.279 --> 0:06:14.960 with pride and wrong motives. We all have some kind 0:06:15.000 --> 0:06:18.520 of issue. The problem was they acted like they had 0:06:18.520 --> 0:06:22.160 it all together. They put on masks to pretend and 0:06:22.240 --> 0:06:26.400 cover up the issues they were dealing with. This temptation 0:06:26.560 --> 0:06:29.520 comes to us all to be a pharisees. I gotta 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:32.919 protect my image, make sure I look good, nobody sees 0:06:33.000 --> 0:06:37.000 my weaknesses. We have to wear this mask for our friends, 0:06:37.040 --> 0:06:40.560 and this mask at work, and a mask for relatives, 0:06:40.800 --> 0:06:45.200 a mask at the gym. Some people are professional pretenders. 0:06:45.720 --> 0:06:49.120 They got a mask for every situation. But it's a 0:06:49.160 --> 0:06:53.440 lot of pressure to be fake. Have to camouflage and 0:06:53.760 --> 0:06:57.160 perform so we'll be well thought of and invited into 0:06:57.200 --> 0:07:01.000 their group. If people can't accept you for who you are, 0:07:01.320 --> 0:07:04.200 then you don't need them. If you have to perform 0:07:04.279 --> 0:07:08.560 perfectly and be pressured into being something you're not, do 0:07:08.680 --> 0:07:12.280 yourself a favor. Take off that mask, Quit being a 0:07:12.360 --> 0:07:15.640 lesser version of who you are, and be the authentic you. 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:19.760 If they can't handle it, they fault you because you're 0:07:19.760 --> 0:07:23.360 not perfect, then move on with your life. Your time 0:07:23.560 --> 0:07:27.120 is too valuable to be a fake you, a pretend you, 0:07:28.200 --> 0:07:30.920 a you that has to play up to people, or 0:07:30.960 --> 0:07:34.240 you'll be looked down on take the pressure off. They 0:07:34.280 --> 0:07:37.440 may act like a Pharisee, like they have it all together, 0:07:37.720 --> 0:07:40.360 but they have issues too. None of us are a 0:07:40.400 --> 0:07:44.520 finished product. The Apostle Paul wrote over half of the 0:07:44.560 --> 0:07:48.080 books in the New Testament. He was a brilliant scholar, 0:07:48.760 --> 0:07:52.640 trained at the highest levels, spoke five languages, came from 0:07:52.680 --> 0:07:56.480 an influential family. He could have told us all his strengths, 0:07:57.000 --> 0:08:00.680 how accomplished he was, how smart. But he said in 0:08:00.800 --> 0:08:04.160 Roman seven, the good I know I should do, I 0:08:04.240 --> 0:08:06.880 don't do it. But the bad I don't want to do, 0:08:07.040 --> 0:08:10.760 I keep doing it. He said in Philippians, I'm still 0:08:11.040 --> 0:08:14.520 not all that I should be. He wasn't ashamed to 0:08:14.600 --> 0:08:18.000 admit that he still had flaws. He still didn't perform 0:08:18.040 --> 0:08:21.240 perfectly all the time. He could have easily put on 0:08:21.280 --> 0:08:24.840 a mask and just let us see his greatness. Man, 0:08:24.880 --> 0:08:28.160 I've written books of the Bible. I've changed history. Yes, 0:08:28.240 --> 0:08:32.680 I got it all together. Admitting your shortcomings isn't weak, 0:08:32.960 --> 0:08:37.200 it's strength. You're showing God that you're depending on him 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:40.280 when you try to handle it all on your own, 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:43.000 and you put different masks to cover up what you're 0:08:43.040 --> 0:08:47.840 dealing with. God will step back. His power doesn't show 0:08:47.920 --> 0:08:50.640 up as much in our strengths, but in our weaknesses. 0:08:51.600 --> 0:08:53.600 The mistake we can make it. We try to hide 0:08:53.640 --> 0:08:57.160 the weakness. We can't be vulnerable. People may think less 0:08:57.200 --> 0:09:00.640 of us. We have to protect our image. No, you 0:09:00.720 --> 0:09:04.080 have to take your image off the throne. Your image 0:09:04.120 --> 0:09:07.160 is not gonna get you to your destiny. Having people 0:09:07.440 --> 0:09:11.120 like you being well thought of is not gonna move 0:09:11.160 --> 0:09:15.359 you to your purpose. Paul was more accomplished than anyone, 0:09:15.800 --> 0:09:18.800 but he was vulnerable enough to say, I still don't 0:09:18.840 --> 0:09:22.560 have it altogether. I'm still depending on God's grace and 0:09:22.640 --> 0:09:26.000 mercy and favor. That's why God could use him in 0:09:26.040 --> 0:09:29.880 such a great way. There's power in being the real you, 0:09:30.600 --> 0:09:33.880 not the fake you. To pretend you the Pharisee you, 0:09:34.400 --> 0:09:37.600 that's a trap to keep you from seeing the favor 0:09:37.640 --> 0:09:40.640 of God in a greater way. A friend of mine 0:09:40.720 --> 0:09:44.160 is a pastor, and years ago he was on drugs 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:48.120 and had problems with alcohol, and he was very angry 0:09:48.160 --> 0:09:51.959 and would have these violent outbursts where he couldn't control 0:09:52.000 --> 0:09:55.319 his temper and he came from a broken family and 0:09:55.400 --> 0:09:58.439 his father was the same way, and he hated everything 0:09:58.480 --> 0:10:01.560 about his dad. But the son turned out just like 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.400 him and looked like he would live in a defeated, 0:10:04.440 --> 0:10:08.800 addicted life. In his twenties, God stepped in and supernaturally 0:10:08.840 --> 0:10:12.000 freed him, turned his life around. He became a minister, 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:16.720 was pastoring his church and telling his story, helping so 0:10:16.800 --> 0:10:21.600 many people. The problem was he still had these anger issues. 0:10:22.240 --> 0:10:24.640 He was free from the drugs, free from the alcohol, 0:10:25.320 --> 0:10:29.560 but the smallest thing would set him off. He would explode. 0:10:29.600 --> 0:10:32.400 Not something normal, he'd get a little upset. These were 0:10:32.559 --> 0:10:36.960 violent outbreaks. He'd harm people and throw things and be 0:10:37.040 --> 0:10:42.280 out of control. When he calmed down, he was so ashamed, embarrassed. 0:10:42.720 --> 0:10:45.000 He didn't want to be that way. He knew it 0:10:45.080 --> 0:10:49.720 was ruining his marriage, damaging his children, but he felt trapped. 0:10:50.360 --> 0:10:52.880 He was a pastor, he was supposed to have it 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:56.400 all together. People looked up to him. He said, I 0:10:56.440 --> 0:11:00.719 can't tell anyone, what will people think. It'll run reputation. 0:11:01.080 --> 0:11:04.440 I could lose my church. So he did what many 0:11:04.480 --> 0:11:07.280 of us do. He hid it. He put on a 0:11:07.360 --> 0:11:11.000 mask and acted like everything was okay. Of course, his 0:11:11.120 --> 0:11:15.240 family his children. They knew the truth, looked like they 0:11:15.240 --> 0:11:19.480 were a model family, but behind closed doors there was chaos. 0:11:20.440 --> 0:11:23.960 What's significant was he was a good man. He was 0:11:24.000 --> 0:11:27.200 crying out for help, but he wouldn't take his image 0:11:27.240 --> 0:11:31.200 off the throne. His ego and how he looked kept 0:11:31.240 --> 0:11:35.000 him from telling anyone. And the scripture talks about how 0:11:35.000 --> 0:11:39.000 the enemy lives in darkness. Anything we keep in the 0:11:39.120 --> 0:11:43.160 dark is in the enemy's territory. As long as it's hidden, 0:11:43.320 --> 0:11:47.120 he has authority in that area, the darkness covered up. 0:11:47.240 --> 0:11:50.920 That's his domain. But first John One says, if you 0:11:51.040 --> 0:11:54.600 walk in the light as God is in delight, then 0:11:54.640 --> 0:11:58.880 the blood of his son Jesus purifies us from all sin. 0:12:00.080 --> 0:12:03.200 When you bring into the light what you're struggling with, 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:08.000 you come into God's territory. In the light. When you're 0:12:08.080 --> 0:12:12.000 open and honest, forces of darkness cannot hold you back. 0:12:13.080 --> 0:12:17.320 That's why the enemy works so hard with shame, guilt, 0:12:17.600 --> 0:12:20.560 What people will think, how our image is going to 0:12:20.600 --> 0:12:24.760 be affected. He'll whisper, You got to hide that struggle, man. 0:12:25.160 --> 0:12:29.320 Don't let people see your weaknesses. Pretend you're okay, act 0:12:29.400 --> 0:12:33.040 like you have it altogether. Those are tricks to try 0:12:33.040 --> 0:12:36.480 to keep you from coming into the light. In the light, 0:12:36.600 --> 0:12:42.080 there's freedom. In the light, there's deliverance, there's wholeness, there's victory. 0:12:42.920 --> 0:12:44.719 The enemy will tell you just the opposite, and ho 0:12:44.840 --> 0:12:48.360 you'll be looked down on, you'll be ashamed. In the light, 0:12:48.600 --> 0:12:53.079 there is no condemnation. There is mercy for mistakes. There 0:12:53.160 --> 0:12:57.720 is forgiveness. There are new beginnings. No more covering it up. 0:12:58.160 --> 0:13:01.320 Get out of the enemy's domain and come over into 0:13:01.360 --> 0:13:06.080 God's territory. One time David made a mistake. He committed 0:13:06.200 --> 0:13:10.199 adultery and had the lady's husband killed. For one year, 0:13:10.320 --> 0:13:14.040 he hid it. He was so ashamed, covered it up, 0:13:14.240 --> 0:13:18.959 wouldn't tell anyone. For that year. David was sick, he 0:13:19.040 --> 0:13:21.680 was weak, not able to go out and fight battles. 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:25.000 He was going to keep it hidden. But the prophet 0:13:25.120 --> 0:13:28.760 Nathan confronted him, said David, I know what you've done, 0:13:28.840 --> 0:13:32.400 and it's not right. Well, David was smart enough to 0:13:32.480 --> 0:13:36.400 take off the mask to quit pretending. He said in 0:13:36.400 --> 0:13:41.440 Psalm fifty one, God, I acknowledge my transgression. He was saying, 0:13:41.720 --> 0:13:44.520 I'm not hiding it anymore. I'm not going to keep 0:13:44.520 --> 0:13:46.800 covering it up. I'm going to bring it into the light. 0:13:47.960 --> 0:13:50.480 It's not natural, I know, to admit our struggles and 0:13:50.679 --> 0:13:53.600 bring them to God. We're not proud of it. We 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:57.079 know we should do better. But God already knows what 0:13:57.120 --> 0:14:01.000 you struggle with. It's not a surprise to him. Whether 0:14:01.000 --> 0:14:05.480 there's mistakes, failure's pride, jealousy. When you come to him, 0:14:05.640 --> 0:14:10.080 there is no condemnation. People may judge you, but God 0:14:10.160 --> 0:14:14.079 forgives you. He restores you, He gives you another chance. 0:14:15.080 --> 0:14:18.040 In the story of the Prodigal Son, he left home, 0:14:18.280 --> 0:14:23.120 wasted all of its inheritance, partying, living wild, making bad choices. 0:14:23.880 --> 0:14:26.600 He ended up living in a hog pen, having to 0:14:26.600 --> 0:14:29.760 eat the hog food to survive. Finally decided to go 0:14:29.840 --> 0:14:32.560 back home. The father was at the end of the 0:14:32.640 --> 0:14:36.080 driveway watching for him. He ran and hugged his son 0:14:36.160 --> 0:14:39.920 and kissed him well. The son started apologizing, Dad, I'm 0:14:39.960 --> 0:14:42.800 so sorry for all the trouble. I don't deserve to 0:14:42.840 --> 0:14:46.320 be in this family. The father stopped him and didn't 0:14:46.400 --> 0:14:50.440 let him finish his apology. This father never brought up 0:14:50.520 --> 0:14:54.920 the son's past. He never addressed his mistake. Why were 0:14:54.920 --> 0:14:58.760 you so immature? You've ruined our family name. This father 0:14:59.000 --> 0:15:02.960 represents God. We think when we bring it into the light, man, 0:15:03.000 --> 0:15:06.800 we're gonna get beraided, chewed out. But God doesn't bring 0:15:06.880 --> 0:15:10.120 up your past. He's not looking back. He's going to 0:15:10.200 --> 0:15:13.280 help you to move forward. But here's the whole key. 0:15:14.080 --> 0:15:18.560 God can't heal what we don't reveal. If you keep 0:15:18.600 --> 0:15:21.840 it in the dark, you're gonna stay stuck. David said. 0:15:21.880 --> 0:15:26.120 God requires truth in the inner parts, in the parts 0:15:26.160 --> 0:15:30.040 no one can see, not the image, not what we're protecting, 0:15:30.640 --> 0:15:33.680 not we're in the mask, but what's behind the mask, 0:15:34.000 --> 0:15:38.320 the real you, the authentic you, the you that has weaknesses, 0:15:38.640 --> 0:15:41.800 the you that struggles in areas. If you'll bring that 0:15:41.960 --> 0:15:45.560 into the light, God can restore you and free you 0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:48.520 and help you to overcome. And when I say the light, 0:15:48.640 --> 0:15:50.160 I don't mean you've got to go out and announce 0:15:50.200 --> 0:15:54.960 it to everybody. But between you and God, the honest God. 0:15:55.000 --> 0:15:58.160 I'm struggling with my temper. God, I'm jealous of this 0:15:58.320 --> 0:16:00.560 jerk at work, I'm in this person at work. God, 0:16:00.600 --> 0:16:03.440 I don't feel good about myself. Or God helped me 0:16:03.480 --> 0:16:05.920 to not watch things that I know are dragging me down. 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.720 That's truth in the inner parts. That's what God responds to. 0:16:11.720 --> 0:16:15.000 There's no shame in asking for help, but there is 0:16:15.120 --> 0:16:19.560 shame in covering it up, hiding wearing a mask. That's 0:16:19.600 --> 0:16:23.440 a heavy weight that's gonna drag you down. This pastor's 0:16:23.480 --> 0:16:26.360 wife kept telling him he couldn't keep living this way, 0:16:27.080 --> 0:16:30.720 pretending everything was okay. She encouraged him to get help, 0:16:30.800 --> 0:16:34.560 but again he said, I know I should, but I'm 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:37.840 supposed to be the example. What are people gonna think. 0:16:38.920 --> 0:16:42.720 Sometimes we're more concerned about our image than we are 0:16:42.760 --> 0:16:46.320 in getting well. The people you'll worried are gonna think 0:16:46.440 --> 0:16:49.240 less of you. If you knew their struggles, you wouldn't 0:16:49.240 --> 0:16:53.200 worry about it. Everyone's dealing with something. One day he 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:56.680 got his courage up and he met with some pastor friends, 0:16:56.720 --> 0:16:59.480 and they took him in and encouraged him god in 0:16:59.520 --> 0:17:03.400 a support group, surrounded himself with people that loved him 0:17:03.440 --> 0:17:07.960 and challenged him. Today he's completely free. He's been pastoring 0:17:08.040 --> 0:17:11.840 for twenty years, the most kind, gracious person you could 0:17:11.840 --> 0:17:15.679 ever meet. But here's my point. He would still be 0:17:15.840 --> 0:17:18.639 dealing with that anger. If he had not been willing 0:17:18.840 --> 0:17:23.119 to take off his mask. He'd kept pretending acting like 0:17:23.200 --> 0:17:26.600 everything was fine, he wouldn't still be married. He wouldn't 0:17:26.600 --> 0:17:30.639 still have his church. God's power shows up greatest in 0:17:30.720 --> 0:17:35.400 our weaknesses, but you have to invite him into your weakness. 0:17:35.720 --> 0:17:38.879 You can't hide it and have his power. You can't 0:17:38.880 --> 0:17:42.680 wear a mask and expect God to free you. Paul 0:17:42.720 --> 0:17:47.840 said in Second Corinthians, we see God's glory with unveiled faces. 0:17:48.480 --> 0:17:51.439 Are you missing God's glory because your face is veiled, 0:17:51.880 --> 0:17:56.560 there's a mask. Are you not seeing favor breakthroughs because 0:17:56.560 --> 0:18:01.000 you're hiding something You're embarrassed by it to keep it covered. 0:18:01.400 --> 0:18:04.560 God already knows about it. It's okay to go to 0:18:04.680 --> 0:18:08.960 him with an unveiled face. Be honest with God. That's 0:18:09.000 --> 0:18:12.160 when you're going to see his mercy, his favor. He 0:18:12.200 --> 0:18:15.080 knows how to heal, how to restore, how to make 0:18:15.119 --> 0:18:18.240 it new again, like with the prodigal. He's not going 0:18:18.280 --> 0:18:21.000 to bring up the past. He's not going to condemn you. 0:18:21.240 --> 0:18:23.600 He's going to free you and set you on a 0:18:23.640 --> 0:18:26.920 path to victory. It was a man in the scripture 0:18:27.040 --> 0:18:30.760 named Zachius. He was a tax collector, and they were 0:18:30.800 --> 0:18:34.720 known for being dishonest and cheating people, and nobody liked him. 0:18:35.240 --> 0:18:37.720 He was the chief tax collector. He was in charge 0:18:37.760 --> 0:18:41.440 of all the dishonest people. Well, he heard that Jesus 0:18:41.480 --> 0:18:43.879 was coming through town and he wanted to see him. 0:18:44.240 --> 0:18:48.199 Streets were filled with people, so crowded. The problem was 0:18:48.280 --> 0:18:52.560 Zachias was short. He was small in stature. The average 0:18:52.600 --> 0:18:55.879 man's height in that day was five foot five inches tall, 0:18:55.960 --> 0:19:00.720 and scholars say that Zachius was probably four feet sinches tall, 0:19:01.000 --> 0:19:05.280 about my brother Paul's height. It's interesting. It's interesting that 0:19:05.359 --> 0:19:08.760 the scripture tells us he was short. It has a 0:19:08.800 --> 0:19:12.720 deeper meaning than just his height. But in life he 0:19:12.760 --> 0:19:17.720 came up short. He had wealth, position, influence, but he 0:19:17.840 --> 0:19:21.160 was dishonest. He was looked down on, didn't feel good 0:19:21.160 --> 0:19:25.679 about himself in some way. We're all short. We're going 0:19:25.720 --> 0:19:28.800 to have a good marriage, a good job, but we 0:19:28.840 --> 0:19:32.240 struggle with our self esteem. As a parent, we can 0:19:32.240 --> 0:19:35.199 come up short and feel guilty we're not raising our 0:19:35.280 --> 0:19:38.360 child as good as we should. People that are arrogant, 0:19:38.600 --> 0:19:43.119 they're short, trying to cover their insecurity. The scripture says, 0:19:43.240 --> 0:19:46.919 we've all fallen short of the glory of God. What 0:19:46.960 --> 0:19:50.359 do we do when we're short? Zach Kius he climbed 0:19:50.400 --> 0:19:53.000 up in a tree to make up for his lack 0:19:53.040 --> 0:19:57.120 of height. Now he was back to having an impressive position. 0:19:57.680 --> 0:20:00.840 He had the best view in the place that vantage. 0:20:01.000 --> 0:20:03.800 Nobody could tell he was short. He is up there, 0:20:03.800 --> 0:20:07.800 feeling good, waiting for Jesus. About that time, Jesus came 0:20:07.840 --> 0:20:12.199 walking by hundreds of people on the street, everybody hollering, waving, 0:20:12.480 --> 0:20:16.560 trying to get his attention. Suddenly Jesus stopped, looked up 0:20:16.560 --> 0:20:21.440 in the tree and said, Zacheus. He froze, thought, did 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:25.520 he just call my name? Zachius had never met Jesus. 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:30.080 He wasn't a religious person, he hadn't lived an upstanding life. 0:20:30.080 --> 0:20:34.000 He was a cheater, a deceiver, a con man. But 0:20:34.160 --> 0:20:38.320 notice Jesus knew his name. No matter where you are, 0:20:38.840 --> 0:20:42.720 no matter what you've done, God still knows you. He's 0:20:42.800 --> 0:20:46.119 calling your name today. He still has a plan and 0:20:46.240 --> 0:20:50.400 purpose so you can become who He's created you to be. 0:20:50.359 --> 0:20:52.480 Because Jesus could have said, hey, man up there in 0:20:52.480 --> 0:20:57.399 the tree, Hey sir, hey fella, but he called him Zachius. 0:20:57.840 --> 0:21:02.439 The name Zakias means pure one. Jesus looked at this 0:21:02.640 --> 0:21:06.920 man known for being dishonest, and on purpose called him 0:21:07.080 --> 0:21:11.040 pure one. The whole crowd was standing there in amazement, 0:21:11.240 --> 0:21:15.240 thinking he just called him pure. But God doesn't call 0:21:15.280 --> 0:21:20.240 you who you are. He calls you who you can become. Zachias. 0:21:20.760 --> 0:21:22.840 He's up there in the tree to make up for 0:21:22.960 --> 0:21:27.040 his shortness. He's up there looking impressive again, got the 0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:31.160 upper hand, keeping up his image. Now even Jesus calls 0:21:31.240 --> 0:21:35.040 him by name. He's feeling good. Then, Jesus said, Zachias, 0:21:35.480 --> 0:21:38.040 come down out of that tree. I want to go 0:21:38.080 --> 0:21:42.280 to your house and have dinner. He's both excited and terrified. 0:21:43.200 --> 0:21:46.240 If he comes down from the tree, everyone will see 0:21:46.240 --> 0:21:49.159 how short he is. The tree is making up for 0:21:49.240 --> 0:21:52.199 his lack of height, something that he can hide his 0:21:52.320 --> 0:21:55.199 weakness in. As long as he's in the tree, he 0:21:55.240 --> 0:21:59.040 looks important. Nobody can see the real Zachias up there. 0:22:00.119 --> 0:22:03.040 God is not going to bless the pretend version of you. 0:22:03.920 --> 0:22:07.800 He's not gonna favor the fate version. Jesus said, in effect, 0:22:07.920 --> 0:22:11.200 zach kis, I want to turn things around. I want 0:22:11.200 --> 0:22:13.760 to free you from those bad habits. But as long 0:22:13.800 --> 0:22:18.080 as you're in the tree pretending everything looks okay, covering 0:22:18.119 --> 0:22:21.400 the real issues, I can't help you. But if you'll 0:22:21.440 --> 0:22:24.639 come down from that tree, if you'll be okay with 0:22:24.800 --> 0:22:28.080 being short, then I'll make up for your shortness. I'll 0:22:28.119 --> 0:22:32.719 heal you, I'll free you. Anything we have to have 0:22:32.920 --> 0:22:36.159 to make up for our shortness is our tree. I 0:22:36.240 --> 0:22:39.879 gotta work hard get my fourteenth degree to prove that 0:22:39.920 --> 0:22:43.560 I'm valuable. That's a tree. I gotta look impressive to 0:22:43.600 --> 0:22:47.440 make up for my insecurity. A tree. God is saying 0:22:47.480 --> 0:22:50.280 to us what he said to zach kis if you'll 0:22:50.320 --> 0:22:54.720 come down from that tree, if you'll quit pretending, hiding, 0:22:54.960 --> 0:22:58.160 wearing masks and get it in the light, then I'll 0:22:58.280 --> 0:23:03.119 change anything this holding you back. There's great power waiting 0:23:03.160 --> 0:23:07.160 for you, great favor, great deliverance, but it shows up 0:23:07.520 --> 0:23:11.280 in the weakness. When you're willing to get honest, come 0:23:11.359 --> 0:23:14.600 down from that tree. God will step in and do 0:23:14.840 --> 0:23:18.560 what you can't do. He's not gonna find fault. Zachias 0:23:18.680 --> 0:23:22.399 was a cheater, he deceived people. One version said he 0:23:22.560 --> 0:23:27.040 was scume, yet Jesus called him pure. There is no 0:23:27.280 --> 0:23:30.840 condemnation when you come to our God. Come down out 0:23:30.880 --> 0:23:34.760 of that tree. The pride, the insecurity, the struggle you 0:23:34.800 --> 0:23:39.160 can't tell anyone about, you can tell God. You don't 0:23:39.200 --> 0:23:42.840 have to live wearing a mask. Covering things up. You 0:23:42.920 --> 0:23:47.600 can be real. There's power in authenticity. Zychias was up 0:23:47.640 --> 0:23:51.520 there torn between two worlds. If I come down, if 0:23:51.520 --> 0:23:56.159 I'm honest, I quit pretending, what will people think? The 0:23:56.320 --> 0:24:00.720 enemy was whispering, Zachius, you better stay up here. Look bad. 0:24:00.800 --> 0:24:04.119 It's gonna ruin your image. You may lose some business. 0:24:04.760 --> 0:24:07.720 God will never ask you to do something and not 0:24:07.760 --> 0:24:10.479 give you the power to do it. Zach he has 0:24:10.560 --> 0:24:12.639 dug down dead and said, all right, I'm coming down, 0:24:13.520 --> 0:24:16.399 got to Jesus and admitted that he had done wrong. 0:24:17.000 --> 0:24:19.560 He said, I've cheated people, but from now on, I'm 0:24:19.560 --> 0:24:23.320 gonna pay them back four times what I've taken. Got 0:24:23.320 --> 0:24:25.800 it out in the open, like Peter when he said 0:24:25.800 --> 0:24:29.240 I'm a sinner, I've made mistakes. When you come into 0:24:29.280 --> 0:24:34.000 the light, there's freedom, there's breakthroughs. Jesus looked at him 0:24:34.040 --> 0:24:37.680 and says, zach Kus, today salvation has come to your home. 0:24:38.640 --> 0:24:42.520 That day he was changed forgiven. He left a new man. 0:24:43.920 --> 0:24:47.240 Is there a tree you're in today? Make up for 0:24:47.320 --> 0:24:51.720 what you don't have, Hide your shortcomings. As long as 0:24:51.760 --> 0:24:55.520 you're in that tree, your image is good. You look impressive. 0:24:56.119 --> 0:25:00.720 Nobody will see your shortness. What I'm saying it's okay 0:25:00.760 --> 0:25:04.800 to be short. We're all short in some way. But 0:25:04.840 --> 0:25:08.199 the people that don't let their shortness stop them are 0:25:08.240 --> 0:25:11.200 the people that come down from the tree and come 0:25:11.240 --> 0:25:14.280 into the light. The people that take off the mask, 0:25:15.000 --> 0:25:18.000 that don't try to hide things, but go to God 0:25:18.080 --> 0:25:22.119 with unveiled faces. That's when you'll see the glory of God. 0:25:22.800 --> 0:25:26.960 His strength shows up the greatest in our weakness. The 0:25:27.119 --> 0:25:30.000 enemy would love for us to go through life hiding 0:25:30.040 --> 0:25:33.280 what we're struggling with. Don't fall into that trap. There 0:25:33.359 --> 0:25:37.240 is power to break any addiction, power to free you 0:25:37.280 --> 0:25:41.000 from compromise, Power like Peter, to turn you into a 0:25:41.200 --> 0:25:45.520 rock that will impact your family line. I'm asking you 0:25:45.600 --> 0:25:48.879 to be the authentic you, not the fake you, not 0:25:49.000 --> 0:25:52.399 to pretend you. Get rid of those masks and stay 0:25:52.440 --> 0:25:56.200 in the light. If you'll do this, I believe and declare, 0:25:56.720 --> 0:26:04.879 like zach Kias today, salvation is into your home, Deliverance, freedom, healing, breakthroughs, 0:26:05.240 --> 0:26:09.600 the fullness of your destiny in Jesus' name, And if 0:26:09.640 --> 0:26:13.600 you receive it, can you say amen? I'd like to 0:26:13.600 --> 0:26:16.399 give you an opportunity to make Jesus the lord of 0:26:16.480 --> 0:26:20.360 your lie. Would you pray with me? Just say, Lord Jesus, 0:26:21.000 --> 0:26:24.720 I repent of my sins, Come into my heart. I 0:26:24.920 --> 0:26:27.960 make you my Lord and savior. If you prayed that 0:26:28.040 --> 0:26:31.080 simple prayer, we believe you got born again and we'd 0:26:31.119 --> 0:26:33.440 love to send you some free information on your new 0:26:33.480 --> 0:26:36.000 walk with the Lord. You can go to the website 0:26:36.119 --> 0:26:38.840 or check out the number on the screen. But I 0:26:38.880 --> 0:26:41.840 hope you get into a good Bible based church and 0:26:41.920 --> 0:26:43.560 keep God first place. 0:26:44.840 --> 0:26:47.000 It's easy to let the day get away from us 0:26:47.080 --> 0:26:50.080 before the day even starts. The first few minutes of 0:26:50.080 --> 0:26:53.320 your morning are more powerful than you might think. Life 0:26:53.359 --> 0:26:56.320 moves really fast sometimes, and it can be easy to 0:26:56.400 --> 0:27:00.160 begin each day by zeroing in on your problems. 0:26:59.600 --> 0:27:03.480 But the truth how you start the day can determine 0:27:03.480 --> 0:27:05.679 what kind of day is going to be. I'd love 0:27:05.720 --> 0:27:08.679 to send you my devotional three minute mornings start your 0:27:08.720 --> 0:27:09.840 day the blessed way. 0:27:10.080 --> 0:27:12.560 Three minutes doesn't seem like a lot of time, but 0:27:12.640 --> 0:27:15.080 when you put God first place and get your mind 0:27:15.080 --> 0:27:17.560 going in the right direction, is set in the tone 0:27:17.640 --> 0:27:19.560 for a blessed productive day. 0:27:19.760 --> 0:27:22.640 It's filled with inspiration and encouragement to help you begin 0:27:22.680 --> 0:27:25.959 each day with a fresh attitude. Grateful that you're alive. 0:27:26.359 --> 0:27:29.280 It's amazing what happens when you take three minutes and 0:27:29.320 --> 0:27:32.920 speak blessings over your life and declaring God's favor. Three 0:27:32.960 --> 0:27:34.679 Minute Mornings is our gift. 0:27:34.440 --> 0:27:37.320 To you as our way of saying thank you for 0:27:37.440 --> 0:27:40.000 your gift of any amount. This month, we would like 0:27:40.040 --> 0:27:43.040 to send you a copy of Joel's new devotional three 0:27:43.119 --> 0:27:47.359 Minute Mornings. Start your day in faith. This powerful book 0:27:47.400 --> 0:27:51.000 will open the pathways to experience God's presence and peace 0:27:51.040 --> 0:27:55.560 in your life, and there you will find renewed energy, assurance, 0:27:55.720 --> 0:27:59.240 and wisdom to face your day. The Bible promises that 0:27:59.320 --> 0:28:02.800 God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him, 0:28:02.840 --> 0:28:06.120 So as you pause for only three minutes and take 0:28:06.200 --> 0:28:09.159 in his wonderful promises in this book, you will be 0:28:09.240 --> 0:28:13.040 positioning yourself to receive all the amazing things that God 0:28:13.119 --> 0:28:16.359 has in store for you. Please request your copy today 0:28:16.560 --> 0:28:21.080 and watch anxiety turn to divine answers, weakness to strength, 0:28:21.440 --> 0:28:27.720 problems to renewed possibilities, frustrations to God's favor. Yes, only 0:28:27.840 --> 0:28:30.600 three minutes will transform your entire day. 0:28:31.359 --> 0:28:33.520 From the time I was a little boy, my parents 0:28:33.560 --> 0:28:36.399 taught me the value of starting the day off in faith. 0:28:36.720 --> 0:28:40.040 Three Minute Mornings will help you do just that. Victoria 0:28:40.040 --> 0:28:43.040 and I pray for you every day for God's very best. 0:28:43.560 --> 0:28:45.800 We want to thank you for your prayer and support. 0:28:46.160 --> 0:28:49.680 You're impacting people all over the world. A special thank 0:28:49.720 --> 0:28:52.800 you to our Champion of Hope partners for your monthly support. 0:28:53.200 --> 0:28:55.960 If you're not a partner, I hope you'll consider becoming one. 0:28:56.640 --> 0:28:59.920 Remember you can watch the services online every Sunday morning, 0:29:00.360 --> 0:29:04.600 download our daily podcast, listen on Serious Exam, watch our 0:29:04.640 --> 0:29:08.600 YouTube channel and the Joel Ostein Network streaming on television 0:29:08.680 --> 0:29:11.560 twenty four hours a day until we see you again. 0:29:11.920 --> 0:29:13.840 May the Lord bless you and keep you. 0:29:14.600 --> 0:29:17.600 Be sure to request your copy of three Minute Mornings 0:29:17.720 --> 0:29:21.520 start your day in faith. 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