God Wants To Show You (Holly Furtick)

0:00:01.520 --> 0:00:02.800 Hey, this is Stephen Ferdick. 0:00:02.840 --> 0:00:05.800 I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. 0:00:05.920 --> 0:00:07.760 I wanted to thank you for joining us today. 0:00:08.080 --> 0:00:10.680 Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. 0:00:10.760 --> 0:00:12.880 Hope it gives your perspective to see God is moving 0:00:12.920 --> 0:00:13.560 in your life. 0:00:13.880 --> 0:00:14.920 Enjoy the message. 0:00:16.400 --> 0:00:18.000 We're gonna have such an amazing day. 0:00:18.040 --> 0:00:19.680 We're already having an amazing day. 0:00:20.640 --> 0:00:22.400 How many feel a little better now that you praise 0:00:22.520 --> 0:00:28.920 God the last thirty minutes. In just a moment, Holly 0:00:29.000 --> 0:00:30.680 is gonna come and preach our message today. 0:00:30.760 --> 0:00:32.600 Let's thank God in advance for the world he's going 0:00:32.680 --> 0:00:33.159 to speak. 0:00:33.760 --> 0:00:36.080 Let's say hello to our EPAM all over the world. 0:00:36.120 --> 0:00:40.479 Come on, Elevation Valentine, lift up your voice and welcome 0:00:40.479 --> 0:00:43.879 our EPHAM. Our campus is all over the world. We're 0:00:43.920 --> 0:00:47.199 glad you're with us today. At the end of the 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:49.600 message today, there's going to be a year end offering. 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:52.640 And this is a very special opportunity. 0:00:51.960 --> 0:00:53.200 For each and every one of us. 0:00:53.840 --> 0:00:56.360 How many know that the Bible says you can praise 0:00:56.440 --> 0:00:59.560 God with your lips, but your heart still be far 0:00:59.600 --> 0:01:00.960 from Him. 0:01:01.000 --> 0:01:01.680 That can happen. 0:01:02.560 --> 0:01:04.760 But one thing that I've learned that will always help 0:01:04.800 --> 0:01:07.280 me to draw near to God is through giving. 0:01:09.000 --> 0:01:09.679 Is through giving. 0:01:10.720 --> 0:01:13.240 So when people say I love to worship God, I 0:01:13.240 --> 0:01:16.399 hope they don't just mean I like music about God, 0:01:17.319 --> 0:01:20.240 because the greatest act of worship happens. 0:01:20.400 --> 0:01:23.759 When we bring Him our whole lives in full faith. 0:01:24.920 --> 0:01:27.320 And today you're going to see thousands of people do that. 0:01:27.360 --> 0:01:30.520 I'll cross all of our locations and online. Holly and 0:01:30.560 --> 0:01:33.320 I have our offering ready, and don't get nervous. She's 0:01:33.319 --> 0:01:36.080 not going to preach for forty minutes about money. 0:01:36.760 --> 0:01:39.679 I know you're like I invited my relative today. 0:01:39.720 --> 0:01:42.560 I thought there might be a Christmas sermon about a 0:01:42.640 --> 0:01:45.160 baby in a blanket and the wise man and the Magi, 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.120 and the message today will be applicable to all of 0:01:49.200 --> 0:01:52.160 us around the subject that I know God gave her 0:01:52.200 --> 0:01:54.640 because we both said to each other a month ago. 0:01:55.200 --> 0:01:57.280 That's the word that our church needs to hear on 0:01:57.320 --> 0:02:00.000 our offering weekend. And so the Lord has really been 0:02:00.120 --> 0:02:02.560 aligning this and I'm excited for you to hear it. 0:02:02.560 --> 0:02:04.880 But I want to tell you that for me as 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:12.239 I bring my offering today for the nineteenth year, remember 0:02:12.240 --> 0:02:15.320 when they used to call me a fly by night preacher, Well, 0:02:15.360 --> 0:02:20.120 I've been flying for a long night nineteen years now, 0:02:21.160 --> 0:02:23.760 and I'm just reminded of what we were singing. 0:02:23.919 --> 0:02:25.080 That was a great selection. 0:02:25.160 --> 0:02:27.320 We didn't work that in events, but you know, the 0:02:27.320 --> 0:02:29.359 Bible says that the gates of hell will not prevail 0:02:29.400 --> 0:02:34.440 against the Church, and actually the opposite happens when we 0:02:34.480 --> 0:02:36.640 proclaim the name of Jesus. The gates of hell start 0:02:36.680 --> 0:02:40.400 shaking when we show up. And I've just seen that 0:02:40.480 --> 0:02:43.320 time and time again, no matter what the enemy has 0:02:43.360 --> 0:02:45.640 tried to bring against our family and our church and 0:02:45.680 --> 0:02:47.680 all of the wonderful people who make up this church, 0:02:48.160 --> 0:02:51.880 that God keeps being faithful again and again. I've seen 0:02:51.880 --> 0:02:55.000 it in seasons of abundance, seasons of plenty, seasons of praise, 0:02:55.160 --> 0:02:58.320 seasons of criticism. I've seen it in seasons where my 0:02:58.360 --> 0:03:00.400 own heart was broken but I was preaching to others. 0:03:00.440 --> 0:03:02.280 I've seen it in seasons when I was on a 0:03:02.280 --> 0:03:04.160 mountaintop with the victory that. 0:03:04.200 --> 0:03:12.040 God is my source. God is my source. And so. 0:03:14.000 --> 0:03:16.120 If you're like me, you probably had to look for 0:03:16.160 --> 0:03:19.640 a check book. I don't write a lot of checks 0:03:19.680 --> 0:03:22.560 these days manually, but I always write this one. Of course, 0:03:22.600 --> 0:03:25.320 you can give online, and there will be instructions about 0:03:25.360 --> 0:03:25.799 that later. 0:03:26.440 --> 0:03:27.799 But really, I don't want you to get so. 0:03:27.760 --> 0:03:29.639 Caught up in the mechanics of what's going to happen 0:03:30.120 --> 0:03:33.000 later on that you missed the ministry and the miracle 0:03:33.040 --> 0:03:36.880 of it. Because I get so many testimonies from all 0:03:36.880 --> 0:03:40.400 over the world. Some of them come from people who 0:03:40.440 --> 0:03:43.400 are just living their lives normally and God blesses them 0:03:43.400 --> 0:03:46.800 through the words and the worship and the ministry that 0:03:46.840 --> 0:03:51.040 comes forth from this house, and some from life's lowest situations. 0:03:51.280 --> 0:03:55.120 Some write me from prisons, some write me after miscarriages, 0:03:55.960 --> 0:03:59.200 some write me as they're going through divorce. And you know, 0:03:59.240 --> 0:04:02.000 whether it's the everyday moments that God uses, how many 0:04:02.040 --> 0:04:04.800 would say that God has used this ministry to reach 0:04:04.840 --> 0:04:06.400 your heart at a time where you needed him. 0:04:07.880 --> 0:04:09.320 And notice I've said God did it. 0:04:11.720 --> 0:04:13.960 If you've ever been blessed through this ministry, it was 0:04:14.080 --> 0:04:17.440 God blessing you. But the thing I love about Jesus 0:04:17.560 --> 0:04:21.120 is that he always involves his disciples. One time, he 0:04:21.160 --> 0:04:23.120 needed to feed a crowd, and he could have probably 0:04:23.160 --> 0:04:25.760 just called down bread from heaven, but he asked them, 0:04:25.800 --> 0:04:28.640 what do you have, not because he needed what they had, 0:04:29.279 --> 0:04:33.359 but because they needed what he had. And when you 0:04:33.440 --> 0:04:36.200 learn this principle, whether today you're beginning to tithe for 0:04:36.240 --> 0:04:38.160 the first time, which is ten percent, or whether you're 0:04:38.160 --> 0:04:40.359 giving what Holly and I came prepared to give an 0:04:40.400 --> 0:04:41.520 above and beyond offering. 0:04:41.720 --> 0:04:43.560 And by above and beyond, I mean it hurts my 0:04:43.600 --> 0:04:45.800 feelings a little bit when I give it. That's how 0:04:45.800 --> 0:04:46.560 I always test it. 0:04:48.560 --> 0:04:50.920 And whatever you're giving today, I want you to understand 0:04:51.000 --> 0:04:56.239 what you're hooking into. We don't give to receive from God. 0:04:56.279 --> 0:05:04.040 We give because everything we have already comes from Him. 0:05:04.160 --> 0:05:07.400 So to all of you who are giving today. 0:05:07.440 --> 0:05:10.239 In just a little while after the sermon, I told Holly, 0:05:10.320 --> 0:05:13.159 before you preach and just absolutely do what only you 0:05:13.200 --> 0:05:13.560 can do. 0:05:14.400 --> 0:05:16.440 Let me look at the people, and let. 0:05:16.360 --> 0:05:17.800 Me look at the cameras for all the people that 0:05:17.880 --> 0:05:21.080 I can't see at campuses like Roanoke and shout out 0:05:21.160 --> 0:05:26.279 Ronoke Elevation, Ronoke Elevation, University City Elevation, Lake Norman, all 0:05:26.320 --> 0:05:28.840 the amazing locations, all of our pop ups, all of 0:05:28.880 --> 0:05:32.640 our watch parties, everybody here at Valentine, everybody watching this in. 0:05:32.600 --> 0:05:33.520 A hospital room. 0:05:34.080 --> 0:05:35.400 I want to look at all of you who are 0:05:35.400 --> 0:05:39.640 participating in this ministry and say thank you, Holly, and 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:42.240 I thank God for you for another year of amazing 0:05:42.279 --> 0:05:45.440 ministry sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. 0:05:47.880 --> 0:05:49.200 And just like you know, you. 0:05:49.200 --> 0:05:51.760 Raised your hand and said, this ministry means a lot 0:05:51.760 --> 0:05:53.719 to me and my family. Maybe you were saved through 0:05:53.720 --> 0:05:56.359 this ministry, maybe you were brought back to God. Maybe 0:05:56.360 --> 0:05:59.320 it's just been there for you in the times of 0:05:59.320 --> 0:06:00.280 your deepest nee. 0:06:00.880 --> 0:06:01.840 Just like you raise that. 0:06:01.839 --> 0:06:04.920 Hand, now you get to stretch that hand and give 0:06:04.960 --> 0:06:06.839 a gift that will be meaningful to God in you. 0:06:07.120 --> 0:06:08.640 And I love it because I don't want to end 0:06:08.760 --> 0:06:11.839 Christmas just consumerism. 0:06:11.000 --> 0:06:12.240 And busyness and all of that. 0:06:12.920 --> 0:06:16.159 I want to stop and say thank you Jesus for 0:06:16.240 --> 0:06:18.159 all You've done for me, and I trust you with 0:06:18.240 --> 0:06:18.839 my future. 0:06:20.760 --> 0:06:22.080 So I want to say a prayer. 0:06:23.520 --> 0:06:26.240 And after I pray, we'll welcome Holly up real, proper 0:06:26.720 --> 0:06:32.000 and strong. We'll clap with cheer, we'll lose our minds, 0:06:33.200 --> 0:06:35.040 we'll let her know we're ready for what God spoke. 0:06:35.080 --> 0:06:37.080 But would you join hands with the person next to you, 0:06:37.120 --> 0:06:39.640 if that doesn't give you germaphobia on the highest level, 0:06:41.080 --> 0:06:42.839 if it doesn't give you a panic attack, to touch 0:06:42.839 --> 0:06:45.480 your neighbor. Grab their hand, because I want to pray 0:06:45.520 --> 0:06:47.599 not only for Holly as she comes to share, and 0:06:47.680 --> 0:06:50.080 for you as you listen. I want to pray for 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:52.640 the things in your life that you need to trust 0:06:52.680 --> 0:06:56.160 God about. And whether you're giving a financial offering today, 0:06:56.200 --> 0:06:59.000 I still want to pray for you. I want to 0:06:59.000 --> 0:07:02.800 pray that the Lord would order your steps in the 0:07:02.800 --> 0:07:06.480 season to come, that he would bring the right people 0:07:06.560 --> 0:07:10.200 everybody say right people, that he would bring people who 0:07:10.240 --> 0:07:13.800 can bless you and people you can bless across your path. 0:07:14.800 --> 0:07:16.360 I want to pray that God would give you his 0:07:16.520 --> 0:07:20.760 wisdom for all of the difficult decisions that you're facing. 0:07:21.800 --> 0:07:23.880 I want to pray that you would hold on to 0:07:23.960 --> 0:07:25.840 the gifts that He's given you and not give up 0:07:25.840 --> 0:07:28.680 too easily. I want to pray that you would let 0:07:28.760 --> 0:07:31.960 go of distress that you're not supposed to carry anyway. 0:07:32.280 --> 0:07:34.840 Squeeze the hand of the person next to you, Let 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:37.120 them know that there's still life in front of them, 0:07:37.760 --> 0:07:40.120 let them know that there's still hope inside of them. 0:07:40.760 --> 0:07:42.920 Let them know that it's Christ in us, the hope 0:07:42.920 --> 0:07:43.480 of glory. 0:07:44.120 --> 0:07:46.320 And let's let the world know that we're preaching this 0:07:46.480 --> 0:07:50.360 gospel of Jesus Christ, that we are not a divided church. 0:07:50.400 --> 0:07:51.760 We are a united church. 0:07:52.440 --> 0:07:56.200 We unite under one name, the name that can break chains, 0:07:56.760 --> 0:07:59.800 the name that still makes ways, the name that makes 0:07:59.840 --> 0:08:01.680 the gates of Hell's shaikh. 0:08:01.800 --> 0:08:04.440 We are the Church of the Living God and Father. 0:08:04.520 --> 0:08:07.040 We give you praise today for the word that you're. 0:08:06.840 --> 0:08:10.360 About to speak through Pastor Holly Speak, Lord. 0:08:10.800 --> 0:08:15.560 We're listening in Jesus' name. Amen, clapt those hands. 0:08:16.000 --> 0:08:29.120 Here comes Holly, Here comes the word for your life. 0:08:33.720 --> 0:08:40.280 Well, Merry Christmas. I just have to add to that. 0:08:40.440 --> 0:08:44.280 I love coming to church at Christmas time. It is 0:08:44.320 --> 0:08:46.360 so easy to get caught up in the rush and 0:08:46.400 --> 0:08:49.240 the hustle and bustle. But when you set aside time 0:08:49.320 --> 0:08:53.360 to come to church and take a breath and worship 0:08:53.440 --> 0:08:56.800 God and allow him to recenter your heart and your focus, 0:08:56.960 --> 0:09:02.120 God always shows up and he blesses us. And I 0:09:02.320 --> 0:09:05.360 just have to add I am so excited about today. 0:09:05.400 --> 0:09:08.360 It's a special day at Elevation. We are bringing our 0:09:08.440 --> 0:09:12.480 offerings together today, as Steven said, as JJ said, we 0:09:12.559 --> 0:09:15.280 want to let you know we're bringing our offerings today. 0:09:15.720 --> 0:09:20.880 And I'm so excited because I absolutely love watching people 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.960 worship God by giving. There's no greater way to express 0:09:24.160 --> 0:09:27.360 your gratitude to Him than giving back a portion of Him. 0:09:27.400 --> 0:09:29.040 And like Steven said, we're going to get to that 0:09:29.160 --> 0:09:30.640 at the end. But for to have a word that 0:09:30.679 --> 0:09:33.800 I'm so excited to share with you today. Are you 0:09:33.840 --> 0:09:39.240 ready for the Word? All right, let's read our scripture 0:09:39.240 --> 0:09:41.680 together real quick before you sit down. I want to 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:46.040 preach today from Romans chapter twelve, verses one and two, 0:09:46.200 --> 0:09:50.240 one of the most iconic passages of Scripture, and I'm 0:09:50.600 --> 0:09:53.600 excited that God is allowing me to preach from it today. 0:09:53.640 --> 0:09:58.559 It says this, Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, 0:09:58.559 --> 0:10:02.080 in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as 0:10:02.120 --> 0:10:07.040 a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is 0:10:07.080 --> 0:10:09.719 your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the 0:10:09.760 --> 0:10:12.640 pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing 0:10:12.679 --> 0:10:15.360 of your mind. Then you will be able to test 0:10:15.400 --> 0:10:19.520 and approve what God's will is, His good, pleasing and 0:10:19.640 --> 0:10:22.960 perfect will. The title of my sermon today is God 0:10:23.280 --> 0:10:28.760 wants to show you. Let's pray one more time. Father, 0:10:28.880 --> 0:10:31.760 would you bless the reading of your word today? Holy Spirit? 0:10:32.120 --> 0:10:35.760 We welcome you in this place. We welcome you in 0:10:35.880 --> 0:10:39.920 this room, in all of our campuses, wherever anybody is watching, 0:10:40.200 --> 0:10:44.840 Holy Spirit come come into our hearts, speak to us today. 0:10:45.200 --> 0:10:49.600 We are listening. Lord in Jesus' name. Amen, you can 0:10:49.640 --> 0:10:55.520 have a seat. Earlier this month, I sat down with 0:10:55.760 --> 0:10:59.040 a few staff members and we recorded a video where 0:10:59.040 --> 0:11:01.960 we were looking back at all the amazing things that 0:11:02.000 --> 0:11:05.000 has happened in our church over twenty twenty four. My 0:11:05.160 --> 0:11:08.880 favorite part of the conversation, of course, was when we 0:11:08.920 --> 0:11:11.600 all went around and we shared one of our favorite 0:11:11.960 --> 0:11:15.000 messages from twenty twenty four. And when I was trying 0:11:15.000 --> 0:11:17.320 to figure out what my favorite one was, I was 0:11:17.440 --> 0:11:20.920 looking at a list of sermons that our pastor preached 0:11:21.040 --> 0:11:25.040 only in this year, and I was in awe, partially 0:11:25.120 --> 0:11:27.920 because I know how hard it is to prepare one sermon. 0:11:28.400 --> 0:11:30.760 Just so you know, I f only preached three times 0:11:30.760 --> 0:11:33.680 of this year, and he has preached I don't even 0:11:33.720 --> 0:11:36.559 know how many times. But as I looked at each 0:11:36.760 --> 0:11:39.600 title and I thought about the things that God has 0:11:39.640 --> 0:11:42.720 spoken to me throughout the year through the messages of 0:11:42.800 --> 0:11:47.080 our pastor, I was just amazed. I am a church girl, 0:11:47.120 --> 0:11:49.840 you know, I'm a pastor's daughter. I grew up in church. 0:11:49.880 --> 0:11:53.240 I guarantee you I've heard more sermons than anybody in 0:11:53.280 --> 0:11:56.679 this room, and I have heard a lot of bad sermons. 0:11:56.960 --> 0:12:00.160 And I do not take it for granted that every 0:12:00.200 --> 0:12:05.880 single week our pastor brings us such an incredible beast. 0:12:06.600 --> 0:12:08.679 If you don't get something from one of his sermons, 0:12:08.720 --> 0:12:12.760 it is your fault. So the past several weeks have 0:12:12.840 --> 0:12:15.360 been really special to me. I'm not sure if any 0:12:15.400 --> 0:12:18.520 of you noticed, but Pastor Stephen did this sneaky little 0:12:18.960 --> 0:12:23.640 non series series. He never called it anything, but all 0:12:23.679 --> 0:12:26.360 of the sermon titles began with God and they were 0:12:26.400 --> 0:12:29.320 followed by four words. Do you remember? It's okay if 0:12:29.320 --> 0:12:30.920 you don't. I had to look up the titles, but 0:12:30.960 --> 0:12:32.839 I want to remind you of them. The first one 0:12:32.840 --> 0:12:36.840 he did was God can use this too. The second 0:12:36.880 --> 0:12:40.160 one he did was God will work it in. The 0:12:40.200 --> 0:12:44.040 third one was God's got the hard part. The fourth 0:12:44.040 --> 0:12:47.760 one was God gave it to me. And today I 0:12:47.840 --> 0:12:50.320 just want to do a little tag on message with 0:12:50.440 --> 0:12:54.440 this sermon that I have called God wants to show you. 0:12:56.240 --> 0:13:00.000 I love to share memes and funny videos from social media. 0:13:00.240 --> 0:13:02.920 Anybody else like that? I think I have some people 0:13:02.960 --> 0:13:05.240 in my life that are like can't keep up with 0:13:05.280 --> 0:13:07.520 all the things that they're supposed to watch that I 0:13:07.520 --> 0:13:11.280 show them. I love dog videos, I love people falling. 0:13:11.800 --> 0:13:16.920 I love anything that will make me laugh. If your 0:13:17.040 --> 0:13:21.560 feed is full of like politics and I don't know, 0:13:21.640 --> 0:13:25.880 angry people, you would love my feed because it is 0:13:25.920 --> 0:13:28.920 so funny. And sometimes I lay in bed at night 0:13:29.000 --> 0:13:32.520 when Steven has fallen asleep, and I start scrolling through 0:13:32.960 --> 0:13:35.960 my feed and I start giggling because you know, like 0:13:36.000 --> 0:13:38.760 when you're supposed to be quiet and someone else is sleeping, 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:42.160 and I just start laughing. And I don't know, I 0:13:42.200 --> 0:13:45.960 think things are funnier late at night too, and so 0:13:46.120 --> 0:13:48.680 of course, like it's like, you know, twelve thirty, and 0:13:48.720 --> 0:13:51.200 I just start sending stuff. And the funny thing about 0:13:51.280 --> 0:13:53.840 memes is they show you how what you think is 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:57.280 the most hilarious thing in the world might not even 0:13:57.320 --> 0:14:00.680 be remotely funny to someone else. So you have to 0:14:00.679 --> 0:14:03.560 be really careful like who you show them to, because 0:14:03.600 --> 0:14:06.920 they can make you feel like really dumb. Right, So 0:14:07.080 --> 0:14:10.040 in my family, I'm not gonna call anyone out, but 0:14:10.280 --> 0:14:13.800 I have learned the hard way. My husband thinks that 0:14:14.000 --> 0:14:19.000 everything is fake or re enacted. He is such a skeptic. 0:14:19.920 --> 0:14:23.640 My boys do not get me. They don't even open 0:14:23.720 --> 0:14:25.840 my memes. I know because I'm like I said, did 0:14:25.880 --> 0:14:27.560 you see that it was so funny? They don't even 0:14:27.600 --> 0:14:31.440 open them. So Abby is my last shred of hope 0:14:31.760 --> 0:14:35.640 in the family. But we haven't let her get Instagram yet. 0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:40.640 So I have a saved folder called things to Show Abby, 0:14:41.720 --> 0:14:45.080 and a lot of days I'll pick her up from 0:14:45.120 --> 0:14:47.640 school and I'll say, oh, I have something so funny 0:14:47.680 --> 0:14:51.440 to show you, and we will laugh together at memes. 0:14:51.520 --> 0:14:57.640 And currently people dancing to songs from Wicked. So in 0:14:57.720 --> 0:15:00.200 our passage today, let me get back to the Bible. Well, 0:15:00.440 --> 0:15:04.480 Paul is trying to teach us that God is excited. 0:15:04.520 --> 0:15:07.840 He has something he wants to show us, which is 0:15:08.240 --> 0:15:11.880 his will. And every person here has something that they 0:15:12.000 --> 0:15:14.720 want God to give them direction on, right. I mean, 0:15:14.760 --> 0:15:18.280 maybe it is a relationship or a job, or a 0:15:18.400 --> 0:15:21.240 change that you think God might be calling you to make. 0:15:21.360 --> 0:15:23.640 Maybe you have something that you want to be set 0:15:23.680 --> 0:15:26.560 free from, or a habit that you know that isn't 0:15:26.560 --> 0:15:29.280 good for you. And we all want God to show 0:15:29.360 --> 0:15:32.520 us his will for our lives. And what I want 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:35.760 to show you from this passage today is that God 0:15:36.000 --> 0:15:40.880 wants to show you your next steps. He longs to 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:43.000 show He wants to show it to you more than 0:15:43.040 --> 0:15:48.000 you want to see it. But God is not Santa Claus, 0:15:49.080 --> 0:15:51.440 and you don't get to send him a letter with 0:15:51.560 --> 0:15:53.800 all the grown up things that you want for Christmas. 0:15:53.840 --> 0:15:56.240 You know, like, Dear God, this year, I would like 0:15:56.320 --> 0:16:00.440 to lose twenty pounds, own a home, get married, and 0:16:00.520 --> 0:16:02.960 get promoted at my job. And then on December twenty fifth, 0:16:03.120 --> 0:16:05.280 you wake up and under the tree is a detailed 0:16:05.280 --> 0:16:07.520 plan of all the decisions that you need to make 0:16:07.560 --> 0:16:09.040 and all the steps you need to take in twenty 0:16:09.080 --> 0:16:12.280 twenty five to accomplish these goals. That is not how 0:16:12.360 --> 0:16:16.960 it works, and Paul is giving us instructions on how 0:16:17.000 --> 0:16:20.320 to know what God's will is. But there is a 0:16:20.600 --> 0:16:24.560 very critical step that we cannot skip. So look at 0:16:24.560 --> 0:16:28.360 the verse again. It says, therefore, I urge you, brothers 0:16:28.400 --> 0:16:32.560 and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your 0:16:32.640 --> 0:16:37.760 bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. 0:16:37.880 --> 0:16:41.920 This is your true and proper worship. Second one, next verse, 0:16:42.000 --> 0:16:44.600 do not conform to the pattern of this world, but 0:16:44.640 --> 0:16:49.080 be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then then 0:16:50.240 --> 0:16:52.360 you will be able to test and approve what God's 0:16:52.360 --> 0:16:54.920 will is his good, pleasing and perfect will. There are 0:16:55.000 --> 0:16:57.960 a lot of things that you have to do before 0:16:57.960 --> 0:17:01.120 you get to that then, isn't there? And I want 0:17:01.120 --> 0:17:03.280 to break that down for us today. Keep the verse 0:17:03.360 --> 0:17:04.760 up there one more time. Look at it. Therefore, I 0:17:04.920 --> 0:17:08.440 urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy. 0:17:09.119 --> 0:17:12.480 You see, if you want to see things from God's 0:17:12.520 --> 0:17:15.240 point of view, if you want God to show you 0:17:15.400 --> 0:17:20.080 the way, you need to go at his speed. And 0:17:20.160 --> 0:17:23.320 I can tell you right now that you're probably going 0:17:23.640 --> 0:17:26.600 too fast. So the first thing that you need to 0:17:26.720 --> 0:17:31.159 do is slow down. I talk to the ladies at 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:33.840 Reflect about this, and I share with them this story. 0:17:33.880 --> 0:17:36.120 It's too good not to share it with the whole church. 0:17:37.000 --> 0:17:38.760 I'm going to shorten it though, because the ladies that 0:17:38.840 --> 0:17:43.040 Reflect we like long stories, and I've been told that 0:17:43.040 --> 0:17:46.520 that's not appropriate for Sunday morning. So anyway, one time, 0:17:46.520 --> 0:17:49.600 my family took a trip to Pennsylvania and my mom 0:17:49.680 --> 0:17:52.840 had planned for us to go to Gettysburg Military Park 0:17:52.840 --> 0:17:54.600 and we were going to do this guided history tour. 0:17:54.640 --> 0:17:56.320 And I know that might seem kind of strange, like 0:17:56.359 --> 0:17:58.960 my family was really nerdy. We weren't, but for some 0:17:59.000 --> 0:18:01.280 reason at the time, my sisters and my mom and 0:18:01.359 --> 0:18:04.879 I were really into Civil War history. It probably has 0:18:04.920 --> 0:18:06.960 to do it like some I don't know, series of 0:18:06.960 --> 0:18:08.720 books that we were reading, or show we were watching 0:18:08.840 --> 0:18:12.920 or whatever. So we arrived at Gettysburg, and we stopped 0:18:13.119 --> 0:18:16.200 at the visitor center and we picked up our map 0:18:16.440 --> 0:18:21.440 and our brochures and our guided cassette tape. I'm not 0:18:21.520 --> 0:18:23.800 even gonna make a joke about what a guided cassette 0:18:23.840 --> 0:18:29.160 tape is, Abby, I'll show you later. Now, very clearly 0:18:29.320 --> 0:18:35.600 though the INDI instructions, it said that the vehicle must 0:18:35.760 --> 0:18:40.680 maintain a speed of twenty miles per hour in order 0:18:41.040 --> 0:18:43.879 to see the sites that the tour guide on the 0:18:43.960 --> 0:18:46.760 cassette tape was going to be telling us about. Okay, 0:18:47.000 --> 0:18:49.920 so we pop in the tape and we start out, 0:18:50.160 --> 0:18:53.680 and the man starts saying something like, to begin our journey. 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:56.879 Look to your left, and you will see a statue, 0:18:56.960 --> 0:19:00.919 a memorial statue of Abraham Lincoln in the seis place 0:19:01.080 --> 0:19:04.399 where he gave the Gettysburg address. And I want you 0:19:04.440 --> 0:19:07.720 to know that that was the only historical site of 0:19:07.760 --> 0:19:12.680 Gettysburg that we got to see because my dad, who 0:19:12.760 --> 0:19:15.639 was not really into Civil War history at the time, 0:19:16.320 --> 0:19:20.879 just could not drive twenty miles an hour to save 0:19:21.280 --> 0:19:25.199 his life. He had to have been going at least forty, 0:19:25.480 --> 0:19:28.040 so every time the guy told us to look at something, 0:19:28.200 --> 0:19:31.640 we'd already passed it five miles back. Now I fact 0:19:31.760 --> 0:19:34.359 checked this story with my sister Emily, and she says 0:19:34.640 --> 0:19:37.440 that not only was that true, but she remembers crying 0:19:37.720 --> 0:19:40.320 because there was a statue of a dog that had 0:19:40.359 --> 0:19:43.080 like remained with the injured soldiers or something, and she 0:19:43.200 --> 0:19:45.000 really wanted to see it, and we never got to 0:19:45.040 --> 0:19:48.440 see it because nothing on the tape matched up with 0:19:48.520 --> 0:19:50.800 what we were seeing. And I want you to imagine 0:19:50.800 --> 0:19:52.880 my father in a car full of women who were 0:19:52.920 --> 0:19:58.240 constantly telling him to slow down. And I want to 0:19:58.280 --> 0:20:01.400 tell you today, but if you want God to show 0:20:01.440 --> 0:20:03.240 you his will for your life, you're gonna have to 0:20:03.280 --> 0:20:06.879 go with the speed that he requires. And if you 0:20:06.920 --> 0:20:10.919 want to experience the peace and the presence of Christ 0:20:11.040 --> 0:20:14.040 in your family this Christmas season, you're gonna have to 0:20:14.200 --> 0:20:17.320 slow down. Now. I know that this time of year, 0:20:17.440 --> 0:20:20.480 we all have a million things to do. There's responsibilities 0:20:20.600 --> 0:20:23.879 and obligations and programs that we did not ask to 0:20:23.960 --> 0:20:26.159 have to attend. And I know that some of you 0:20:26.400 --> 0:20:29.720 are working over time because they're gonna be extra bills 0:20:29.840 --> 0:20:31.600 that you're gonna have to pay. But I want you 0:20:31.680 --> 0:20:34.119 to know that what I am learning in the Christmas 0:20:34.119 --> 0:20:37.320 season and really throughout the year, is that the presence 0:20:37.680 --> 0:20:42.199 of Christ can be found in every moment of my 0:20:42.480 --> 0:20:46.920 day if I will slow down and look for it. 0:20:49.720 --> 0:20:53.280 Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit is 0:20:53.560 --> 0:20:58.120 always present. And God, like that tour guide on the tape, 0:20:58.240 --> 0:21:02.160 is trying to show me things along the way throughout 0:21:02.400 --> 0:21:05.800 my day. He's trying to guide me. But if I'm 0:21:05.840 --> 0:21:08.600 going forty in a twenty, I'm gonna miss the direction 0:21:09.000 --> 0:21:11.720 and the instruction that God is trying to give me. 0:21:14.240 --> 0:21:18.120 I rush because I'm over committed. I've packed too many 0:21:18.160 --> 0:21:21.359 things into one day. I rush because I have things 0:21:21.400 --> 0:21:24.320 that have to get done. There's work and appointments and 0:21:24.359 --> 0:21:28.159 commitments and activities and errands and dinners and homework and chores. 0:21:28.200 --> 0:21:34.200 Anybody with me, And sometimes I feel like I'm rushing 0:21:34.240 --> 0:21:38.359 though on purpose because it keeps me from having to 0:21:38.480 --> 0:21:44.520 feel and from having to acknowledge the things that I'm feeling. 0:21:45.320 --> 0:21:48.040 And I know that if I stay busy, then I 0:21:48.080 --> 0:21:52.080 don't have to think about the things that I'm disappointed about. 0:21:53.200 --> 0:21:54.840 So I put my shoes on at seven am and 0:21:54.880 --> 0:21:56.919 I don't take them off until nine am PM. And 0:21:56.920 --> 0:21:59.440 then I lay my head on my pillow at night, 0:21:59.600 --> 0:22:02.960 and I'm worried about everything that's going on. And then 0:22:03.000 --> 0:22:07.200 I wonder why I'm so anxious and so run down 0:22:07.480 --> 0:22:10.720 and so weary, and why I feel so far away 0:22:10.720 --> 0:22:13.199 from the presence of God. And I don't want to 0:22:13.200 --> 0:22:15.440 feel that way at the end of the year this year, 0:22:16.880 --> 0:22:19.679 and you don't have to feel that way. And Paul's 0:22:19.720 --> 0:22:23.560 writing this letter to Christians and Rome so when he 0:22:23.680 --> 0:22:27.199 says to them, offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, 0:22:27.280 --> 0:22:31.479 they would have automatically understood that a sacrifice was something 0:22:31.520 --> 0:22:35.159 that you place on an altar. So in Biblical times, 0:22:35.200 --> 0:22:39.439 beginning even with the patriarchs in Genesis with Abraham and 0:22:39.640 --> 0:22:44.320 Isaac and Jacob, when something significant was about to happen, 0:22:44.600 --> 0:22:49.320 or something important had just happened, often they would stop 0:22:49.600 --> 0:22:52.080 and build an altar, Like do you remember when Noah 0:22:52.119 --> 0:22:54.639 got off the ark he stopped. He built an altar, 0:22:54.800 --> 0:22:57.800 and the God showed him the rainbow of his promise. 0:22:58.240 --> 0:23:00.560 So by the time we get to Moses and the 0:23:00.560 --> 0:23:04.080 Ten Commandments, God is giving Moses the Ten Commandments. But 0:23:04.280 --> 0:23:08.240 right after that he also instructs Moses to tell the 0:23:08.280 --> 0:23:13.119 people this. Look at Exodus chapter twenty versus, starting in 0:23:13.240 --> 0:23:16.720 verse twenty two, I think, yeah, says this. Then the 0:23:16.760 --> 0:23:20.080 Lord said to Moses, tell the Israelites this you have 0:23:20.200 --> 0:23:23.280 seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven. 0:23:23.320 --> 0:23:25.920 He's talking about the Ten Commandments. Do not make any 0:23:25.960 --> 0:23:28.879 gods to be alongside me. Do not make for yourselves 0:23:28.880 --> 0:23:32.840 gods of silver or gods of gold. Make an altar 0:23:32.920 --> 0:23:36.000 of earth for me, and sacrifice on it your burnt 0:23:36.000 --> 0:23:40.400 offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, and your cattle. 0:23:40.720 --> 0:23:43.520 Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will 0:23:43.520 --> 0:23:47.320 come to you, and I will bless you. So the 0:23:47.359 --> 0:23:50.840 people that Paul is writing to they understood this idea 0:23:50.920 --> 0:23:54.560 that God was giving this direction in Exodus twenty to 0:23:54.640 --> 0:23:57.920 his children because they were going to be on the move. 0:23:58.320 --> 0:24:02.120 They had just left slavery in Egypt, but their journey 0:24:02.400 --> 0:24:05.000 was just beginning, and God knew that there were gonna 0:24:05.000 --> 0:24:08.240 be moments of great victory and moments of great fear. 0:24:08.480 --> 0:24:10.680 And he knew that they had battles ahead to fight, 0:24:10.880 --> 0:24:12.760 and they knew that He knew that they had giants 0:24:12.800 --> 0:24:16.520 ahead to face. And these moments could not wait for 0:24:16.640 --> 0:24:19.440 a tabernacle to be set up or for a temple 0:24:19.680 --> 0:24:22.240 to be built. That these moments called for an altar 0:24:22.440 --> 0:24:25.639 right there in the place where they were, right there 0:24:25.680 --> 0:24:29.240 in the feelings that they were feeling. And yes, you 0:24:29.280 --> 0:24:33.399 should schedule in time to worship God. Please do not 0:24:33.560 --> 0:24:37.720 let anything come between you and getting to church every 0:24:37.840 --> 0:24:40.600 single week. And you should be in an e group 0:24:40.720 --> 0:24:42.919 where you can discuss what God is speaking to you. 0:24:43.119 --> 0:24:46.840 And obviously you should set aside time with God in 0:24:46.880 --> 0:24:49.440 your house where you pray and you read your Bible. 0:24:49.480 --> 0:24:53.720 But if you think that worshiping God is segmented out 0:24:53.800 --> 0:24:57.359 like that, you're gonna miss so many things that God 0:24:57.400 --> 0:25:00.400 wants to show you in the one thousand moment moments 0:25:00.640 --> 0:25:04.720 of your day. And if we want God to show 0:25:04.800 --> 0:25:07.199 us where to go, we have to learn how to 0:25:07.320 --> 0:25:10.720 slow down in the middle of our day at your desk, 0:25:11.000 --> 0:25:14.720 in your car, in your kitchen, and bring God into 0:25:15.240 --> 0:25:18.800 the situation, bring him into the feelings that you're feeling. 0:25:18.880 --> 0:25:23.000 These are alter moments. God told Moses to make an 0:25:23.119 --> 0:25:26.440 earthen alter. That means that it doesn't have to be pretty. 0:25:26.720 --> 0:25:29.040 It doesn't have to wait for Sunday. It can be 0:25:29.320 --> 0:25:32.639 raw and it can be muddy. You can stop and 0:25:32.680 --> 0:25:35.639 you can celebrate a victory right where you are, or 0:25:35.680 --> 0:25:38.600 you can cry out to him for help. But you've 0:25:38.600 --> 0:25:42.320 got to learn how to slow down and acknowledge your 0:25:42.440 --> 0:25:45.880 feelings right there in the moment. Are you grateful? Are 0:25:45.880 --> 0:25:49.680 you afraid? Are you anxious? Are you excited? Are you nervous? 0:25:49.840 --> 0:25:53.280 Are you angry? Are you disappointed? Are you frustrated? God 0:25:53.480 --> 0:25:56.480 can handle all of that. He wants you to bring 0:25:56.560 --> 0:25:59.400 him in to the moment, and he wants to meet 0:25:59.520 --> 0:26:04.239 you right there. Then the next thing that you have 0:26:04.320 --> 0:26:09.480 to do is you have to make a sacrifice. God 0:26:09.760 --> 0:26:15.359 wants to show you his will, but you can't rush it, 0:26:16.119 --> 0:26:19.119 and you also can't ignore the steps that he wants 0:26:19.160 --> 0:26:22.560 you to take along the journey. So in our passage, 0:26:22.640 --> 0:26:24.840 Poll is saying to the church that God wants to 0:26:24.880 --> 0:26:28.359 show us a new way. He's saying the old law, 0:26:28.480 --> 0:26:31.119 the law of Moses, is done away with, and you 0:26:31.240 --> 0:26:33.840 no longer have to offer a bull or sheep or 0:26:33.880 --> 0:26:36.320 goats to a tone for your sins, because that's what 0:26:36.400 --> 0:26:39.359 they were doing. But the new law says that God, 0:26:40.240 --> 0:26:44.280 in view of his great mercy, he sent Jesus to 0:26:44.400 --> 0:26:48.600 die for our sins. So Jesus is already paid the price. 0:26:49.119 --> 0:26:52.520 And all God wants in return for that great price 0:26:52.840 --> 0:26:55.240 that he paid when he gave his son on the 0:26:55.320 --> 0:27:00.720 cross for our sins is our bodies as a living sacrifice. 0:27:01.720 --> 0:27:05.399 That means he wants all of you. He didn't just 0:27:05.480 --> 0:27:08.560 die for the pretty parts of your life, the church 0:27:08.640 --> 0:27:11.040 parts of your life. He died for all of it. 0:27:11.280 --> 0:27:13.960 He died for your hopes and your dreams. He died 0:27:14.000 --> 0:27:16.560 for your victories and your defeats. He died for your 0:27:16.600 --> 0:27:19.680 pride and for your shame. He wants you to bring 0:27:19.720 --> 0:27:23.600 it all to him. So what does it look like 0:27:23.920 --> 0:27:27.040 to make a sacrifice. A sacrifice is something that has 0:27:27.440 --> 0:27:31.439 value to you. It's a representation of trust. It's a 0:27:31.520 --> 0:27:36.440 symbol that expresses that God means more to you than anything, 0:27:36.840 --> 0:27:39.679 more than anything that you have, or anything that you 0:27:39.840 --> 0:27:42.800 have had, or anything that you want to have. So 0:27:42.840 --> 0:27:45.480 when you slow down and you have this moment where 0:27:45.520 --> 0:27:48.919 you bring God into your situation. You mark the moment 0:27:49.119 --> 0:27:53.520 by giving something back to God that's valuable to you. 0:27:54.720 --> 0:27:57.480 So David was building an altar one time and he 0:27:57.600 --> 0:28:01.320 said this statement, and it's so incredible. He said, I 0:28:01.359 --> 0:28:05.600 will not offer the Lord something that costs me nothing. 0:28:07.080 --> 0:28:10.600 So sacrifice is something that costs you something. Sometimes you 0:28:10.720 --> 0:28:14.560 have to sacrifice to God something that you love. I 0:28:14.600 --> 0:28:17.280 have had so many moments in my life where I've 0:28:17.320 --> 0:28:21.000 had to reluctantly let go of a dream, a dream 0:28:21.040 --> 0:28:23.879 or an idea that I had about my life that 0:28:23.960 --> 0:28:27.399 maybe just hasn't come to pass. And I've had to 0:28:27.440 --> 0:28:30.320 come to a place where I have to release my 0:28:30.560 --> 0:28:34.000 idea of what I thought my life would look like 0:28:34.400 --> 0:28:37.399 by now. I thought I'd be further along than this, 0:28:37.640 --> 0:28:40.880 or maybe I thought I would have a different career 0:28:41.000 --> 0:28:42.560 by now. I thought i'd be married by now. I 0:28:42.560 --> 0:28:45.760 thought have kids by now. We always all have these 0:28:45.800 --> 0:28:50.560 thoughts and dreams and aspirations that maybe haven't come to 0:28:50.680 --> 0:28:53.880 pass for us. And it's really hard at Christmas time 0:28:54.440 --> 0:28:59.360 because we see everyone's beautiful Christmas cards and I think 0:28:59.600 --> 0:29:03.239 when I look at them, sometimes I think, oh Am, 0:29:03.280 --> 0:29:07.760 I falling behind, you know, like we kick ourselves because 0:29:07.800 --> 0:29:10.000 we look at this family in this beautiful car and 0:29:10.040 --> 0:29:12.800 we think God. And if I had started selling that 0:29:12.880 --> 0:29:16.400 protein powder on Facebook to all my friends and family, 0:29:16.680 --> 0:29:22.200 I'd be spending Christmas in e'rerop skiing. Right now, you 0:29:22.280 --> 0:29:27.160 gotta be careful, you gotta slow down. It's okay, acknowledge 0:29:27.200 --> 0:29:31.320 the disappointment. Give it to God. When I'm giving you 0:29:31.920 --> 0:29:35.200 this stream, I'm giving it back. I'm laying it down 0:29:35.520 --> 0:29:37.480 on the altar. And sometimes when I say, I'm like, 0:29:37.560 --> 0:29:39.640 and Lord, if you want to give it back to me, 0:29:40.160 --> 0:29:42.600 that's okay, I'll let But right now I'm letting go, 0:29:43.600 --> 0:29:47.280 and I'm trusting that you are the God of immeasurably 0:29:47.440 --> 0:29:51.440 more than I could ask or imagine, and perhaps you 0:29:51.640 --> 0:29:55.440 have a better dream for me. I can't imagine something better, 0:29:55.480 --> 0:29:58.400 but God, I'm giving you this one because I want 0:29:58.440 --> 0:30:01.760 to sacrifice it to you right now, in this moment. 0:30:01.840 --> 0:30:05.640 Sometimes you sacrifice a person that you love. Maybe it's 0:30:05.760 --> 0:30:09.040 your spouse or your child, or a parent who you 0:30:09.200 --> 0:30:12.840 need to release to God, who you need to stop 0:30:13.080 --> 0:30:18.360 trying to control. And I've had so many moments. Sorry 0:30:18.440 --> 0:30:21.160 to my kids, but you need to know where I 0:30:21.200 --> 0:30:24.760 have come to God, and I have said, Lord, you 0:30:25.120 --> 0:30:30.080 love this person more than I do. I know that. 0:30:30.840 --> 0:30:34.520 So God, I'm letting go of my hopes and dreams 0:30:34.680 --> 0:30:38.760 and expectations for them, knowing God that just like you 0:30:38.800 --> 0:30:41.760 have good plans for me, you have good plans for them. 0:30:42.080 --> 0:30:45.800 And God, I know that you do not need my help. 0:30:47.920 --> 0:30:57.080 I'm available. Sometimes you have to let your disappointments go. 0:30:57.760 --> 0:30:59.600 You have to give them to God. You have to say, God, 0:31:02.120 --> 0:31:05.360 this did not turn out the way that I thought, 0:31:06.360 --> 0:31:10.440 So I'm surrendering my expectations to you. Remember Pastor Stephen 0:31:10.480 --> 0:31:13.280 preached don't let the funeral fool you, and he said, 0:31:13.600 --> 0:31:17.240 he said, you have to have a funeral for your expectations. 0:31:17.240 --> 0:31:20.440 And sometimes we said that that's a sacrifice that we 0:31:20.560 --> 0:31:23.480 give to God because it can be so disappointing when 0:31:23.520 --> 0:31:26.360 things and people don't turn out and don't treat us 0:31:26.360 --> 0:31:30.120 the way that we thought that they would. Sometimes you 0:31:30.240 --> 0:31:34.800 have to lay down a feeling or an emotion like anger. 0:31:37.200 --> 0:31:39.880 I just have to say that I'm afraid that we 0:31:40.000 --> 0:31:45.920 have become an angry generation of people, and every little 0:31:46.000 --> 0:31:49.520 thing that gets on our nerves and we think we 0:31:49.600 --> 0:31:53.840 need to tell everybody you know, Like, anything that gets 0:31:53.840 --> 0:31:55.840 some matters, I'm gonna let you know about it. It 0:31:55.840 --> 0:31:58.000 could be your spouse, or your teenager or a random 0:31:58.000 --> 0:32:01.560 person on YouTube, but you're going to void your outrage. 0:32:01.600 --> 0:32:03.000 And I just want to let you know you don't 0:32:03.040 --> 0:32:04.760 have to tell everyone. If you're angry. You can be 0:32:04.840 --> 0:32:09.560 angry and not say anything. And I know that anger 0:32:09.680 --> 0:32:13.640 is often an indicator of a deeper feeling that we're feeling, 0:32:13.720 --> 0:32:17.600 but I think that most angry people aren't really interested 0:32:17.640 --> 0:32:20.880 in figuring out why they're angry, because it feels good 0:32:20.920 --> 0:32:24.280 to be angry. Right. As long as you're angry, you 0:32:24.400 --> 0:32:28.480 never have to change anything about yourself. You never have 0:32:28.560 --> 0:32:31.440 to accept your own behavior because you just are angry 0:32:31.440 --> 0:32:34.080 at everybody else's behavior. If they do this, or if 0:32:34.120 --> 0:32:36.080 they wouldn't do this, or if they would have done this, 0:32:36.240 --> 0:32:39.080 then I wouldn't be so angry. And I'm not saying 0:32:39.120 --> 0:32:41.320 that there's never a time when you can't get angry, 0:32:41.360 --> 0:32:43.840 but what I am saying is that you can't afford 0:32:44.080 --> 0:32:48.440 to stay angry, because if you stay angry, then you 0:32:48.480 --> 0:32:52.040 will become bitter, and you will become someone that you yourself 0:32:51.920 --> 0:32:55.920 do not even like so put your anger on the altar. 0:32:56.160 --> 0:32:59.560 God can handle it. He can take anything. He wants 0:32:59.640 --> 0:33:02.560 all of you. He wants the ugly and the beautiful 0:33:02.560 --> 0:33:05.040 parts of your life. Sometimes you have to put your 0:33:05.120 --> 0:33:08.080 pride on the altar. Recently, I was having one of 0:33:08.120 --> 0:33:12.440 these slow moments with God. And it wasn't very pretty. 0:33:12.600 --> 0:33:14.920 It wasn't like a, oh, I need to grab my 0:33:15.000 --> 0:33:17.000 Bible and a cup of tea and a candle and 0:33:17.200 --> 0:33:22.000 have a quiet time. I was talking to God because 0:33:22.240 --> 0:33:24.640 I was having a hard time. I was disappointed in 0:33:24.720 --> 0:33:28.280 something that was going on and something that had happened, 0:33:28.640 --> 0:33:32.120 and I was trying really hard to do all of this, 0:33:32.160 --> 0:33:35.040 and I was trying to give it to God. But honestly, 0:33:35.360 --> 0:33:38.320 all that I kept thinking about every time that I 0:33:38.480 --> 0:33:43.040 was praying about it was these stories that I was 0:33:43.080 --> 0:33:46.080 making up in my head about what other people were 0:33:46.120 --> 0:33:49.560 saying about me. And I really was just telling God 0:33:49.600 --> 0:33:52.880 how unfair I thought that the whole situation was. And 0:33:53.000 --> 0:33:56.280 I wasn't making aid progress though, And I realize now 0:33:57.080 --> 0:33:59.360 that I was trying to have an alter moment with 0:33:59.480 --> 0:34:05.120 God without sacrificing anything to him. And it was a 0:34:05.120 --> 0:34:08.480 few days later that I was talking to Stephen. And 0:34:08.880 --> 0:34:11.279 as I was trying to get it out of what 0:34:11.440 --> 0:34:15.040 I was so frustrated and angry about, I realized that 0:34:15.280 --> 0:34:20.400 the maturity of my frustration wasn't actually in what happened, 0:34:20.440 --> 0:34:24.239 like the event, but it was in my pride of 0:34:24.400 --> 0:34:29.520 worrying about what other people were thinking about me, and 0:34:29.560 --> 0:34:32.719 I was just making it about me. And I don't 0:34:32.719 --> 0:34:35.520 want to acknowledge my pride in the situation. I just 0:34:35.560 --> 0:34:38.120 wanted to be angry that it had happened. But it 0:34:38.160 --> 0:34:41.880 wasn't until I began to surrender my pride that I 0:34:41.920 --> 0:34:46.120 began to feel peace about the situation. It wasn't until 0:34:46.160 --> 0:34:48.799 I was really able to be honest with God and say, God, 0:34:49.040 --> 0:34:52.080 you know what, I'm making this about me, and help 0:34:52.160 --> 0:34:55.680 me not make it about me. And when I was 0:34:55.719 --> 0:34:59.160 praying about it, I began to see it from a 0:34:59.239 --> 0:35:05.120 completely different perspective because I offered God the truth of 0:35:05.200 --> 0:35:09.160 how I was really feeling. Paul says, Therefore, brothers and sisters, 0:35:09.160 --> 0:35:12.359 in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as a 0:35:12.440 --> 0:35:17.000 living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your 0:35:17.360 --> 0:35:21.480 true and proper worship. That's the real way you worship God. 0:35:21.520 --> 0:35:25.840 When you get honest with him, and he says, do 0:35:25.920 --> 0:35:27.799 not conform to the pattern of this world, but be 0:35:27.880 --> 0:35:31.560 transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will 0:35:31.560 --> 0:35:33.520 be able to test and improve what God's will is. 0:35:33.880 --> 0:35:37.600 Then you will be able to test and approve what 0:35:37.640 --> 0:35:40.240 God's will is. You see, we want to fast forward 0:35:41.160 --> 0:35:44.200 from verse one to verse two. God show me your will. 0:35:44.239 --> 0:35:46.680 Should I move jobs? Should what college? Should I go to? 0:35:46.840 --> 0:35:49.360 Should I keep dating this guy? And God says, that's 0:35:49.600 --> 0:35:53.120 not how it works. There needs to be a commitment here, 0:35:53.760 --> 0:35:58.560 and that commitment is symbolized by my willingness to sacrifice 0:35:58.600 --> 0:36:03.440 to God something that costs me, something that hurts sometimes. 0:36:04.880 --> 0:36:08.279 And in this verse, this is so interesting. The word 0:36:08.560 --> 0:36:13.319 sacrifice is actually translated killing, So if you were to 0:36:13.400 --> 0:36:18.080 make a direct translation, it actually is saying make your 0:36:18.200 --> 0:36:23.000 life a living killing. And Paul is saying to these people, 0:36:23.040 --> 0:36:27.120 he's saying, we're not offering bulls and goats and sheep anymore. 0:36:27.520 --> 0:36:32.200 That was actually easier. You bring it, you kill it, 0:36:32.200 --> 0:36:36.720 it stays dead. But this sacrifice, it's a living killing. 0:36:36.920 --> 0:36:39.440 That means that this thing is gonna crawl off the 0:36:39.560 --> 0:36:45.319 altar every chance it gets. It would be nice if 0:36:45.320 --> 0:36:48.040 we could just sacrifice our anger once and for all 0:36:48.239 --> 0:36:50.480 and move forward. It would be nice if we could 0:36:50.560 --> 0:36:53.640 just surrender our disappointments to God and move on, or 0:36:53.640 --> 0:36:55.800 if we could let go of all of the weights 0:36:55.800 --> 0:37:01.000 that we're carrying. It doesn't work like that. A living killing. 0:37:01.040 --> 0:37:05.120 That means sometimes it's minute by minute, day by day. 0:37:06.560 --> 0:37:10.800 You have to keep doing it. One scholar said, it 0:37:12.200 --> 0:37:15.759 feels like a death, but on the other side of 0:37:15.800 --> 0:37:21.320 it is life, and that's why it's a living sacrifice. 0:37:21.360 --> 0:37:26.720 It's a sacrifice that leads to life. There's life when 0:37:26.760 --> 0:37:32.920 you let go. There's life when you let go. You 0:37:32.960 --> 0:37:36.839 want direction, you want guidance, you want peace about your decisions. 0:37:36.960 --> 0:37:42.960 It begins with a sacrifice. We cannot see God's will 0:37:43.680 --> 0:37:48.840 without doing things God's way. We don't get to skip 0:37:49.080 --> 0:37:52.399 the part where we have to give God something that's 0:37:52.520 --> 0:37:57.720 valuable to us. So we slow down, we build an altar, 0:37:57.760 --> 0:38:01.960 we bring God into our situation, make a sacrifice, and 0:38:02.080 --> 0:38:07.400 then we see our situation in a whole new way. 0:38:08.000 --> 0:38:12.960 That's my last point. See, the more that you begin 0:38:13.400 --> 0:38:18.759 to release your situation to God, the more that your 0:38:18.920 --> 0:38:23.799 mind begins to be transformed. That's when you begin to 0:38:23.880 --> 0:38:29.000 have a renewed vision of what God is actually trying 0:38:29.239 --> 0:38:35.120 to do in your life. Not too long ago, I 0:38:35.200 --> 0:38:40.319 was struggling with the same situation over and over and 0:38:40.400 --> 0:38:44.480 over again. You ever been there, And I'm telling you, 0:38:44.520 --> 0:38:49.080 I built many altars. I kept putting this situation on 0:38:49.200 --> 0:38:52.160 the altar, and when I tell you, it kept climbing off. 0:38:52.960 --> 0:38:59.040 It kept climbing off. And I was so disappointed because 0:38:59.080 --> 0:39:03.279 I felt like God was not listening to me. I mean, 0:39:03.360 --> 0:39:06.359 I had given him so many good ideas about how 0:39:06.360 --> 0:39:11.120 to fix this situation. You could do this, you could 0:39:11.160 --> 0:39:14.759 do that, God make them, do you know? I get 0:39:14.800 --> 0:39:20.600 God lots of ideas, to the point where I got 0:39:20.680 --> 0:39:24.040 so frustrated that I stopped talking to God about it, 0:39:24.080 --> 0:39:26.359 and not in a good way. I was just like, well, 0:39:26.640 --> 0:39:29.319 obviously God's not hearing me, and so I'm just I'm 0:39:29.320 --> 0:39:32.919 just not even gonna pray about this anymore. But God 0:39:33.000 --> 0:39:37.960 is so patient and he's so kind. And one day 0:39:38.440 --> 0:39:41.480 I wasn't looking, I wasn't praying about it, but I 0:39:41.520 --> 0:39:44.520 was reading my Bible and I came across this first 0:39:45.000 --> 0:39:49.600 and it grabbed me. And I went about my day, 0:39:49.600 --> 0:39:52.239 but I kept thinking about it. A couple of days 0:39:52.320 --> 0:39:55.040 went by, I was like, I gotta look that first 0:39:55.080 --> 0:39:57.719 back up. So I went back and I read it again, 0:39:57.760 --> 0:40:02.719 and I realized that it was the exact thing that 0:40:02.800 --> 0:40:06.600 I needed in that situation. So I printed out the 0:40:06.680 --> 0:40:10.040 verse and I put it up everywhere. I mean, it's 0:40:10.160 --> 0:40:12.839 kind of obnoxious that I put it up inside of 0:40:12.880 --> 0:40:15.439 the cabinet where our coffee mugs are, so I would 0:40:15.440 --> 0:40:17.320 see it first thing in the morning. I put it 0:40:17.400 --> 0:40:19.080 up on my mirror, I put it in my car. 0:40:19.239 --> 0:40:21.120 I taped it to a plant. 0:40:21.560 --> 0:40:21.880 And. 0:40:23.239 --> 0:40:28.319 Every time I worried about the situation, God reminded me 0:40:28.400 --> 0:40:31.799 of that verse. Every time I wondered what I was 0:40:31.800 --> 0:40:35.640 supposed to do, I remembered that verse. And I have 0:40:35.719 --> 0:40:40.760 to tell you something shifted in my heart. But nothing 0:40:41.120 --> 0:40:46.280 changed about the situation. The only thing that actually changed 0:40:46.640 --> 0:40:51.640 was my perspective and my attitude. And I'm telling you, 0:40:52.239 --> 0:40:55.799 it felt like God had given me marching orders, like 0:40:55.880 --> 0:40:59.560 he had given me the exact vision and direction that 0:40:59.719 --> 0:41:03.399 I needed for that situation. And I began to have 0:41:03.560 --> 0:41:10.160 peace because now I had a promise. I realize now 0:41:10.680 --> 0:41:15.720 that I wasted so much of my prayer time trying 0:41:15.760 --> 0:41:18.920 to show God what he needed to do God, you 0:41:19.000 --> 0:41:21.439 see this, if you would fix this, if you would 0:41:21.520 --> 0:41:24.080 change them, if you would make them understand and listen. 0:41:24.239 --> 0:41:28.360 There's nothing wrong with asking God to change your situation. 0:41:28.520 --> 0:41:31.719 Sometimes that's the only place where you can start right. 0:41:32.680 --> 0:41:36.719 But what I found is that breakthrough happens when I 0:41:36.880 --> 0:41:40.799 stop trying to show God what he needs to do, 0:41:41.200 --> 0:41:48.279 and I let him show me a way through. I 0:41:48.320 --> 0:41:51.880 feel like I need to say that again. Stop trying 0:41:51.920 --> 0:41:55.120 to show God. Let him show you. 0:41:56.160 --> 0:41:56.279 Now. 0:41:56.320 --> 0:41:58.520 I'm not going to share my verse with you, because 0:41:58.920 --> 0:42:02.280 it's my verse. You got to find your own verse. 0:42:03.200 --> 0:42:06.520 But I want to tell you something. The promises in 0:42:06.560 --> 0:42:11.440 this book they are for you. This is not just 0:42:11.520 --> 0:42:15.640 a book of stories. This book is life. This book 0:42:15.640 --> 0:42:19.040 has power. And when this book says I will never 0:42:19.160 --> 0:42:24.040 leave you nor forsake you, that means you. God is 0:42:24.080 --> 0:42:26.760 with you. So if you feel lost or you feel lonely, 0:42:26.960 --> 0:42:29.320 you put a promise on it. When you read that 0:42:29.440 --> 0:42:32.640 Jesus said peace, I leave with you, that means you. 0:42:33.360 --> 0:42:36.319 So when you feel anxious, you put a promise on it. 0:42:36.920 --> 0:42:39.480 The Bible says that if the sun sets you free, 0:42:39.520 --> 0:42:44.000 then you are free. Indeed, it's talking about you, So 0:42:44.040 --> 0:42:46.880 put a promise over your addiction. You don't have to 0:42:46.960 --> 0:42:50.680 wait for pastor Stephen to tell you about God's promises. 0:42:50.960 --> 0:42:54.640 They are right here. We got free by If you 0:42:54.680 --> 0:42:57.520 don't have a Bible, we got one for you. Pick 0:42:57.560 --> 0:43:00.279 it up and read it, and put a promise over 0:43:00.320 --> 0:43:04.279 your marriage, put a promise over your family. God's promises 0:43:04.440 --> 0:43:11.719 are generational, and they are ours for the taking. Abraham 0:43:11.760 --> 0:43:15.960 built an altar, and he called it the Lord will provide. 0:43:16.320 --> 0:43:19.840 Jacob built an altar, and he called it Mighty House 0:43:19.880 --> 0:43:22.960 of God. Moses built an altar, and he called it 0:43:23.080 --> 0:43:25.840 the Lord is my Banner. Geton built an altar, and 0:43:25.880 --> 0:43:28.960 he called it the Lord is my Peace. God wants to. 0:43:28.960 --> 0:43:32.239 Show you more than you want to see it. It 0:43:32.400 --> 0:43:36.840 starts with a process, Paul says, off of your bodies 0:43:36.880 --> 0:43:40.359 as a living sacrifice. Begin to transform and renew your 0:43:40.400 --> 0:43:43.359 mind and see your situation in the new light. And 0:43:43.640 --> 0:43:48.040 then then and only then will you be able to 0:43:48.160 --> 0:43:52.479 test and approve what God's will is. Slow down, put 0:43:52.520 --> 0:43:55.200 that thing back on the altar, and then put a 0:43:55.400 --> 0:43:57.560 promise over your situation. 0:43:58.960 --> 0:44:06.200 That's where the past. It's right here. But you're going 0:44:06.320 --> 0:44:08.719 so fast you don't even have time to open it 0:44:08.800 --> 0:44:14.440 up and let God speak to you. Today is a 0:44:14.480 --> 0:44:18.160 beautiful day at our church. It's a day when we 0:44:18.280 --> 0:44:22.080 cheerfully bring an offering to God. And we've been telling 0:44:22.080 --> 0:44:24.960 you for weeks to pray about it and prepare what 0:44:25.080 --> 0:44:28.080 God would have you to give, because we want you 0:44:28.640 --> 0:44:31.880 to give, because God has given so much to you. 0:44:32.000 --> 0:44:34.759 And when we give it, we're saying thank you. We're 0:44:34.840 --> 0:44:38.160 acknowledging that this is a place where you speak to 0:44:38.200 --> 0:44:40.560 me God, and so I want to give so that 0:44:40.719 --> 0:44:44.160 someone else can hear the messages that I'm hearing at 0:44:44.200 --> 0:44:47.000 a new campus or online in a different city, or 0:44:47.040 --> 0:44:50.360 maybe even a different country. And when we give, it 0:44:50.440 --> 0:44:55.480 is a beautiful act of worship. But don't forget when 0:44:55.520 --> 0:45:01.319 you give today that is sacrifice is often followed by 0:45:01.320 --> 0:45:06.279 a promise. Don't forget to put a word on your 0:45:06.360 --> 0:45:10.080 offering today. That's just as important. The word is just 0:45:10.120 --> 0:45:13.439 as important as the gift, because as you head into 0:45:13.480 --> 0:45:17.600 twenty twenty five, you're going to go in strong knowing 0:45:17.600 --> 0:45:20.560 that God has gone before you, that he knows what's 0:45:20.600 --> 0:45:23.360 ahead of you, and He's given you a promise to 0:45:23.400 --> 0:45:25.759 cling to in the coming day so that when the 0:45:25.840 --> 0:45:30.160 times get hard, you've got a word from God over 0:45:30.280 --> 0:45:35.799 your life. Everyone should have received an envelope when you 0:45:35.880 --> 0:45:37.880 came in. If you don't have one, an usher is 0:45:37.920 --> 0:45:39.960 going to bring one to you online. There's a link 0:45:40.000 --> 0:45:42.760 in the chat for you to participate, and in a moment, 0:45:43.160 --> 0:45:46.279 we're going to bring our offerings. But I want us 0:45:46.320 --> 0:45:49.480 to go slow today. I don't want us to just 0:45:49.560 --> 0:45:53.080 start singing and come forward and put our offering in 0:45:53.120 --> 0:45:59.040 the little thing. I want to make sure that you 0:45:59.080 --> 0:46:02.520 get to have a moment with God right here where 0:46:02.560 --> 0:46:05.440 you are. Whether you're watching in your home and you're 0:46:05.440 --> 0:46:07.960 sitting in a seat at one of our campuses, you 0:46:08.000 --> 0:46:13.240 can make the place where you're sitting an altar right now. 0:46:14.880 --> 0:46:20.279 I just want you to take a minute. Has God 0:46:20.320 --> 0:46:23.279 been grateful? Has God been good to you this year? 0:46:23.320 --> 0:46:26.160 Are you grateful for that? What does He brought you through? 0:46:27.560 --> 0:46:31.800 Maybe you need to surrender a disappointment to him. Maybe 0:46:31.800 --> 0:46:35.520 you need to let go of a person that you 0:46:35.680 --> 0:46:39.120 love and care about so much. I just want you 0:46:39.160 --> 0:46:42.359 to take a minute to let God show you your 0:46:42.400 --> 0:46:47.640 way forward. Take a minute to think about word your 0:46:47.719 --> 0:46:50.319 promise for twenty twenty five that you're going to put 0:46:50.360 --> 0:46:53.479 on the back of that envelope because when we come 0:46:53.560 --> 0:46:57.319 forward and we give, even if you're not able to 0:46:57.400 --> 0:47:00.839 participate in the offering today, we want you to bring 0:47:00.960 --> 0:47:04.160 your word and we want you to place it in 0:47:04.200 --> 0:47:06.920 the offering. And I want you to know we have 0:47:07.120 --> 0:47:11.640 people who have signed up who are prepared today and 0:47:11.880 --> 0:47:17.080 all week to pray over your word, to believe with 0:47:17.320 --> 0:47:22.040 you what God is speaking over your life for this year. 0:47:22.080 --> 0:47:25.400 So I just want to give you a moment. The 0:47:25.400 --> 0:47:28.680 band's going to come and sing, and then your campus 0:47:28.680 --> 0:47:32.839 pastor is going to come with instructions specifically on how 0:47:32.880 --> 0:47:35.920 we're going to take the offering. But before they do 0:47:36.000 --> 0:47:41.920 all of that, let God speak to you in this moment, 0:47:43.200 --> 0:47:53.719 just pause. Who wants to show you? So let we 0:47:53.719 --> 0:47:56.560 thank you for this word. We just steel it on 0:47:56.600 --> 0:48:02.040 our hearts today. I love you. It's in Jesus' name. 0:48:03.000 --> 0:48:05.839 Amen. Thank you for joining us. 0:48:06.160 --> 0:48:08.600 Special thanks to those of you who give generously to 0:48:08.680 --> 0:48:12.160 this ministry. Is because of you that this ministry is possible. 0:48:12.600 --> 0:48:15.160 You can click the link in the description to give now, 0:48:15.680 --> 0:48:19.560 or visit Elevationchurch dot org slash podcast for more information, 0:48:20.080 --> 0:48:22.880 and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. 0:48:23.160 --> 0:48:24.480 You can share it with your friends. 0:48:24.760 --> 0:48:27.040 You can click the share button, take a screenshot and 0:48:27.080 --> 0:48:29.200 share it on your social stories and tag us at 0:48:29.239 --> 0:48:30.080 Elevation Church. 0:48:30.160 --> 0:48:36.759 Thanks again for listening. God bless you.