The Restriction Has Been Lifted

0:00:00.880 --> 0:00:06.920 Okay, the scripture that the Lord led me to as 0:00:06.920 --> 0:00:13.200 we complete this season. It didn't seem like to me 0:00:13.280 --> 0:00:15.520 a Christmas scripture at first, but I think it is. 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:21.840 It's in Exodus chapter forty. You're like getting the Christmas 0:00:21.840 --> 0:00:26.360 story in the New Testament. Jesus is all up in 0:00:26.400 --> 0:00:29.720 your Bible. You just got it. He's like, where's Waldo. 0:00:29.880 --> 0:00:33.800 You just got to know how to spot it. But 0:00:33.920 --> 0:00:39.280 in Exodus forty, there is something I want to show 0:00:39.280 --> 0:00:44.880 you today, Verse thirty three. Let's go. Then Moses set 0:00:44.960 --> 0:00:49.479 up the courtyard around the tabernacle and alter and put 0:00:49.840 --> 0:00:53.440 up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:57.560 so Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the 0:00:57.600 --> 0:01:00.120 tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord Lord 0:01:00.200 --> 0:01:03.520 filled the tabernacle. Moses could not enter the tent of 0:01:03.600 --> 0:01:07.400 meeting because the cloud had settled on it, and the 0:01:07.440 --> 0:01:10.720 glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. In all the 0:01:10.760 --> 0:01:14.480 travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:18.120 the tabernacle, they would set out. But if the cloud 0:01:18.319 --> 0:01:22.200 did not lift, they did not set out until the 0:01:22.280 --> 0:01:27.880 day it lifted. So the cloud of the Lord was 0:01:28.000 --> 0:01:31.959 over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the 0:01:32.000 --> 0:01:36.520 cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites 0:01:37.120 --> 0:01:41.200 during all their travels. So the Lord gave me good 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:43.759 tidings of great joy to preach to you this Christmas season. 0:01:44.120 --> 0:01:47.400 My title is an announcement. Get ready to shout. God 0:01:47.440 --> 0:01:57.840 said to tell you the restriction has been lifted. All 0:01:57.880 --> 0:02:02.440 open your mouth, holds your teeth, and unto God, the 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:07.680 restriction has been lifted. Put it in the chat right now. 0:02:07.800 --> 0:02:12.440 The restriction has been lifted. Tell your neighbor you can 0:02:12.520 --> 0:02:16.880 move around the room the restriction. You are now free 0:02:16.960 --> 0:02:28.600 to brace him to. The restriction has been Listen all right, now, 0:02:28.680 --> 0:02:32.920 be seated. I had fun doing that on the road. 0:02:32.960 --> 0:02:36.560 We were going out on elevation nights all around the country, 0:02:37.240 --> 0:02:39.440 and I would make a joke when I would get 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:41.480 up in these different cities. I'd say, hey, now, I 0:02:41.560 --> 0:02:44.760 know that some of y'all haven't been to church in 0:02:45.360 --> 0:02:49.640 two years, ever since twenty twenty two or twenty twenty. 0:02:49.680 --> 0:02:53.200 And it's twenty twenty two, so I've got two years 0:02:53.240 --> 0:02:55.320 of makeup church to have with you tonight. So I'm 0:02:55.320 --> 0:02:58.160 gonna preach about three hours. And they kind of laugh 0:02:58.200 --> 0:02:59.960 and you could see people looking at each other like, 0:03:00.040 --> 0:03:01.880 how does you know I hadn't been back to church 0:03:03.360 --> 0:03:05.960 because for the longest, and I don't mean to do 0:03:06.000 --> 0:03:08.880 any church. I'll put a trigger warning on this real quick, okay, 0:03:09.000 --> 0:03:12.120 because that phrase the restriction has been lifted. It takes 0:03:12.200 --> 0:03:15.800 us all to a certain place. And this is not 0:03:15.800 --> 0:03:18.880 a political message. This is just an illustration that I 0:03:18.880 --> 0:03:21.079 want to use to get you into the Christmas message. 0:03:21.320 --> 0:03:24.640 So relax, all right, I'm not going to say anything 0:03:24.680 --> 0:03:27.560 that's going to get us banned or canceled or arrested 0:03:27.680 --> 0:03:30.600 or anything like that. All right, now that we got 0:03:30.639 --> 0:03:34.480 that out of the way, the illustration is this. A 0:03:34.560 --> 0:03:37.240 man walks up to me and ask me a question. 0:03:37.960 --> 0:03:40.640 This was about three months after they lifted the restriction 0:03:40.920 --> 0:03:44.320 where we could start gathering again for church in person. 0:03:45.320 --> 0:03:50.120 And he sees me in a public place and he says, yo, pastor, 0:03:50.840 --> 0:03:56.160 are the restrictions lifted? Are y'all meeting in church now? 0:03:56.720 --> 0:03:58.680 And I said, yeah, We've been meeting for three months, 0:03:58.760 --> 0:04:00.720 and I've been preaching the whole time, and we've been 0:04:00.760 --> 0:04:04.480 putting the sermons online. And he goes, oh, cool, Well, 0:04:04.560 --> 0:04:09.280 I'm coming this Sunday. Then, he walks off. He turns around, 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:15.360 walks back, walks back over to me and looks guilty 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:20.960 and goes, I can't lie to my pastor. I knew 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:26.200 y'all were having church again. I follow every account on 0:04:26.800 --> 0:04:31.800 Instagram that Elevation Church has. I just hadn't come back yet. 0:04:33.200 --> 0:04:35.240 So I am going to be there Sunday. But I 0:04:35.240 --> 0:04:38.159 couldn't lie to you about why it didn't that I 0:04:38.200 --> 0:04:41.520 hadn't come back because I didn't think I could come back. 0:04:42.200 --> 0:04:44.480 I just didn't come back and I hadn't come back. 0:04:45.160 --> 0:04:47.120 I'm like, it's all right, man, give me a hug. 0:04:47.839 --> 0:04:50.440 We can hug now. The restrictions are lifted. Give me 0:04:50.440 --> 0:04:54.440 a hug. And so as a moment, there was a 0:04:54.480 --> 0:04:58.600 teaching moment for me, not about pandemics and viruses or 0:04:58.640 --> 0:05:01.799 any of that stuff. It was moment to me about 0:05:01.880 --> 0:05:05.880 human nature. There's a moment for me to realize that 0:05:06.000 --> 0:05:13.880 sometimes the restriction is gone, but the conditioning remains. To 0:05:13.920 --> 0:05:17.560 where he said, Hey, I just got used to not 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:21.800 doing it, so I'm not doing it, and I have 0:05:21.839 --> 0:05:24.200 an excuse as I can't do it. This is not 0:05:24.279 --> 0:05:26.279 a sermon for all of y'all who are watching online 0:05:26.279 --> 0:05:28.880 by the way. I think it's great to watch online. 0:05:29.040 --> 0:05:30.720 This is not saying don't watch. I wouldn't put the 0:05:30.720 --> 0:05:32.839 sermon online if I didn't want you to watch it online. 0:05:32.960 --> 0:05:36.200 But what the man said to me was powerful. He said, 0:05:36.320 --> 0:05:39.160 I knew I could come back. I just haven't been 0:05:39.160 --> 0:05:42.039 coming back. But rather than say I hadn't been coming 0:05:42.080 --> 0:05:44.760 back and deal with why I haven't been coming back 0:05:44.760 --> 0:05:46.680 because I got into the habit of not coming back, 0:05:47.080 --> 0:05:49.600 I wanted to ask you can I come back? Because 0:05:49.680 --> 0:05:51.640 I ask you can I come back, it gives the 0:05:51.640 --> 0:05:54.719 impression that I'm confused, and then I can blame my 0:05:54.800 --> 0:06:03.919 complacency on my confusion. He said. The restriction has been lifted, 0:06:04.960 --> 0:06:08.480 but my routine has been established, and the fact is 0:06:08.960 --> 0:06:11.640 I need to get back. Why are y'all in the 0:06:11.720 --> 0:06:14.159 room looking convicted? Y'all are here, you should be shouting 0:06:14.200 --> 0:06:18.000 about this part of the sermon. It's not even about 0:06:18.040 --> 0:06:19.719 whether you're in this room or not. It's really not. 0:06:19.880 --> 0:06:24.920 It's about whether you're in faith. It's about whether you're 0:06:25.200 --> 0:06:28.320 in the place God has called you to, and it's 0:06:28.360 --> 0:06:31.400 about whether or not you're allowing God to lead you 0:06:31.440 --> 0:06:35.599 in this season of your life, which is exactly what 0:06:35.720 --> 0:06:38.120 I gave you a picture of from Exodus chapter forty, 0:06:39.080 --> 0:06:41.760 where the Lord is leading his people. How many believed 0:06:41.760 --> 0:06:45.920 the Lord leads his people. That's one of the identifying 0:06:46.080 --> 0:06:50.000 marks of knowing that you belong to God. That Jesus said, 0:06:50.000 --> 0:06:54.359 my sheep know my voice, and they listen, and so 0:06:54.480 --> 0:06:57.200 not only do they hear it, but they go with it. 0:06:57.920 --> 0:07:01.040 And so one of the marks of my maturity in 0:07:01.080 --> 0:07:04.640 God is that not only is he speaking, but that 0:07:04.720 --> 0:07:07.680 I am in step with him, that He is leading me, 0:07:08.200 --> 0:07:11.320 that he is leading me to be kinder, more generous, 0:07:11.840 --> 0:07:15.200 that he is leading me to be more disciplined in 0:07:15.240 --> 0:07:20.560 the areas that matter. In fact, that's the word that 0:07:20.640 --> 0:07:22.960 Holly and I are putting on our offering today. Just 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:26.480 a few moments, people from all over our church, our 0:07:26.520 --> 0:07:29.480 global community, and even online are going to be giving 0:07:29.520 --> 0:07:32.560 to the work of God through this ministry. And every 0:07:32.680 --> 0:07:36.360 year we challenge every person, every family pick a word. 0:07:36.680 --> 0:07:39.120 My kids all have a word. Their words are just 0:07:39.160 --> 0:07:41.880 as unique as they are as people. I'm telling you 0:07:41.920 --> 0:07:44.000 as hilarious because they were all making fun of each 0:07:44.040 --> 0:07:46.560 other's words at the table last night, and I was like, 0:07:46.640 --> 0:07:48.840 you'll need to stop making fun of each other's words, 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:50.760 and we need to set an example for the people 0:07:50.800 --> 0:07:53.120 of God and give as a family. We can't be 0:07:53.200 --> 0:07:55.600 fighting like this as we're trying to set an example 0:07:55.640 --> 0:07:58.120 of faith. And So my word that I told Holly 0:07:58.680 --> 0:08:00.800 because sometimes I ask her in this, just tell her 0:08:01.040 --> 0:08:02.920 and she trusts me, so she lets me be the 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:05.440 leader of our home. I said, our word is actually leadership. 0:08:07.760 --> 0:08:11.840 Our word is leadership because there are two things I'm 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:14.960 becoming more convinced about with every year God leaves me 0:08:15.040 --> 0:08:18.760 on this planet. One is that He is leading me, 0:08:20.880 --> 0:08:25.960 and the other one is that I need it. How 0:08:26.040 --> 0:08:31.200 much stupid stuff have I done? How many relationships have 0:08:31.280 --> 0:08:35.080 I wasted my time investing in because I didn't let 0:08:35.200 --> 0:08:39.440 God lead me. Think how much money you could have 0:08:39.520 --> 0:08:43.080 saved on first dates if you would have listened to 0:08:43.160 --> 0:08:47.040 the Lord and let him lead you. Touch the person 0:08:47.120 --> 0:08:49.920 next to you and say, let him lead you. It's 0:08:50.000 --> 0:08:52.960 not like he doesn't want to. It's not like God 0:08:53.080 --> 0:08:56.160 is cruel up there trying to hide his will from you. 0:08:56.480 --> 0:09:00.520 It's not like God is some kind of masochistic master 0:09:00.840 --> 0:09:03.720 who wants to put you in situations and not show 0:09:03.760 --> 0:09:06.280 you what to do. I mean, if you need further 0:09:06.440 --> 0:09:09.360 proof that God wants to lead you, look to the 0:09:09.480 --> 0:09:13.200 extremes which he was willing to go to lead his 0:09:13.360 --> 0:09:17.959 people through the wilderness in Exodus chapter forty. If you 0:09:18.000 --> 0:09:21.160 don't think God wants to lead you, watch this example 0:09:21.520 --> 0:09:24.320 is brilliant. God says, I'm gonna give you a place 0:09:24.440 --> 0:09:27.680 called the tabernacle. You could put it right in the 0:09:27.720 --> 0:09:30.960 wilderness at the base of Mount Sinai. I'm gonna give 0:09:30.960 --> 0:09:33.760 you my commandments, ten of them, and even when you 0:09:33.840 --> 0:09:36.480 break them, I'm gonna give you the tablets again, so 0:09:36.520 --> 0:09:39.160 you can have another start. Because I am the God 0:09:39.200 --> 0:09:42.800 of new beginnings and second chances, and I will lead 0:09:42.880 --> 0:09:45.760 you even when you lead your self astray. If you 0:09:45.800 --> 0:09:50.959 are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot deny himself. 0:09:51.320 --> 0:09:54.760 And when you get done with the commandments, build a tabernacle, 0:09:55.080 --> 0:09:58.120 a place for my glory to dwell, a place where 0:09:58.120 --> 0:10:00.360 there can be an altar, a place where there can 0:10:00.400 --> 0:10:02.960 be a basin for the priests to wash their hands, 0:10:03.000 --> 0:10:06.000 in a place where there can be a cherub him 0:10:06.240 --> 0:10:08.840 where the presence of God can dwell. In the most 0:10:08.840 --> 0:10:11.960 holy place. After you get through the curtains and the 0:10:12.040 --> 0:10:15.480 lamp stand and the table of showbread, all which are 0:10:15.520 --> 0:10:18.960 pointing to the ultimate revelation of God in Jesus Christ, 0:10:19.000 --> 0:10:22.320 our Savior, born on Christmas Day. God said, I'm going 0:10:22.400 --> 0:10:25.920 to put a provisional tint in the wilderness, so you'll 0:10:25.920 --> 0:10:28.320 have a place to meet with me, and when you 0:10:28.400 --> 0:10:30.920 mess it up, you'll have a place to make it right, 0:10:31.280 --> 0:10:33.920 so you don't get so far off track that you 0:10:34.040 --> 0:10:43.400 can't come back, because I am your leader. So he 0:10:43.480 --> 0:10:47.360 did something very cool. I think it's cool. To get 0:10:47.400 --> 0:10:50.400 them where they needed to go. He gave them this 0:10:50.559 --> 0:10:54.440 cloud that would settle over the tabernacle and then it 0:10:54.480 --> 0:10:57.720 would lift, and when it lifted, that meant it was 0:10:57.760 --> 0:11:01.600 time for them to move, and when it stayed that minute, 0:11:01.600 --> 0:11:04.120 it was time for them to stay. And all they 0:11:04.160 --> 0:11:08.120 had to do was obey. And I kind of wish 0:11:08.280 --> 0:11:13.360 that this Christmas God would give me a cloud like 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:17.480 that cloud. Wouldn't that be cool? Come on, wouldn't that 0:11:17.559 --> 0:11:21.560 be amazing God just telling you, nope, don't take that job, 0:11:21.640 --> 0:11:25.079 come over here, stay right there. That would be awesome. 0:11:25.880 --> 0:11:29.720 I would love it. But the only thing is if 0:11:29.720 --> 0:11:33.920 he gave them a cloud to lead them, which would 0:11:33.920 --> 0:11:37.760 be a cloud by day and a pillar of fire 0:11:37.800 --> 0:11:39.800 by night. Now, let me explain this for a moment 0:11:40.040 --> 0:11:41.560 before I tell you why the cloud wouldn't be as 0:11:41.559 --> 0:11:43.400 cool as you think it would be, because it wouldn't 0:11:43.400 --> 0:11:44.360 be as cools you think it would be. And I'm 0:11:44.360 --> 0:11:46.199 gonna show why in just a moment, But first let 0:11:46.200 --> 0:11:48.920 me say this. The cloud looked like one thing in 0:11:48.960 --> 0:11:54.600 the daytime and another thing at nighttime. So God never changes. 0:11:56.040 --> 0:12:01.440 Thank God that he never changes. However, our relationship with 0:12:01.520 --> 0:12:07.240 him does. God is always leading you, and God is 0:12:07.240 --> 0:12:11.400 always leading me. But he will lead me through different 0:12:11.400 --> 0:12:15.920 things in different seasons. And it doesn't mean he's changed. 0:12:15.960 --> 0:12:19.000 It doesn't mean that he's less faithful. It doesn't mean 0:12:19.080 --> 0:12:21.880 that he's forgotten. It doesn't mean that he's punishing me. 0:12:23.120 --> 0:12:29.600 But God leads me in different ways in different seasons. 0:12:30.400 --> 0:12:33.400 I had a conversation with this very thing about this 0:12:33.600 --> 0:12:37.239 very thing with my kids. I haven't had this conversation 0:12:37.320 --> 0:12:40.400 with Abby yet because it's a conversation that I had 0:12:40.440 --> 0:12:43.440 with Elijah when he became a teenager and Graham when 0:12:43.480 --> 0:12:45.480 he became a teenager. And I'll have it with Abby 0:12:45.800 --> 0:12:48.920 here soon as well, so you can get it early. Abby, 0:12:49.920 --> 0:12:53.199 I said, Hey, I love you, but I want to 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:56.800 talk to you a little bit about how our relationship 0:12:56.840 --> 0:13:00.880 is going to change as you grow tour and you 0:13:00.920 --> 0:13:04.319 want more freedom. So I establish something, and I don't 0:13:04.320 --> 0:13:06.280 know if this is good or not. Maybe I can 0:13:06.320 --> 0:13:09.360 improve it before I get it to Abby, and I 0:13:09.360 --> 0:13:12.120 can practice on the boys and then get it right 0:13:12.160 --> 0:13:14.920 on her. They already pick on me that she gets 0:13:14.960 --> 0:13:18.000 all of the benefits of my inexperience being worked out 0:13:18.000 --> 0:13:20.320 on them, and now I am a much better dad 0:13:20.360 --> 0:13:23.480 for her. But this is what I said, And y'all 0:13:23.480 --> 0:13:24.760 tell me if you think this is good or not. 0:13:25.160 --> 0:13:30.120 I said, my love for you is set. I'm your dad. 0:13:30.960 --> 0:13:33.520 If you get hooked on drugs or if you get 0:13:33.520 --> 0:13:37.520 a diploma, I'm your dad. If you come home and 0:13:37.559 --> 0:13:39.040 you have to tell me the worst news ever, I'm 0:13:39.080 --> 0:13:41.040 your dad. I love you. I can't stop loving even 0:13:41.040 --> 0:13:43.560 though I want to, I can't stop loving you. It's 0:13:43.600 --> 0:13:46.280 like sometimes I try to not love you and it 0:13:46.800 --> 0:13:50.360 just boomerangs back. So that is set. And if there 0:13:50.440 --> 0:13:52.720 is a level of my love for you, it's like 0:13:52.920 --> 0:13:55.880 level eleven. It's not even ten. It's like level eleven. 0:13:55.920 --> 0:13:57.840 I love you. I love you more than I should 0:13:57.880 --> 0:14:00.800 love you. That's why sometimes I don't even see things 0:14:00.840 --> 0:14:02.360 that are wrong with you, because I love you too 0:14:02.440 --> 0:14:04.319 much to see it. And that's why sometimes you get 0:14:04.320 --> 0:14:06.200 on my last nerve because I love you so much. 0:14:11.320 --> 0:14:14.200 And that was a conversation that my love for you 0:14:14.320 --> 0:14:20.880 is set, but your freedom is not set in this house. 0:14:22.440 --> 0:14:29.840 Your freedom is contingent on your behavior in three specific areas. 0:14:30.560 --> 0:14:32.360 And I'm making all this up the first time when 0:14:32.400 --> 0:14:33.880 I gave it to Elijah, and I had it better 0:14:33.920 --> 0:14:35.280 when I got to Graham. I'll get it better when 0:14:35.280 --> 0:14:38.800 I get to Abbey. I said, it's three things. It's respect. 0:14:41.040 --> 0:14:45.560 You will respect me. You will respect your mom. And 0:14:45.600 --> 0:14:46.880 if you're going to pick one of the two of 0:14:46.960 --> 0:14:51.760 us not to respect, disrespect me because if you disrespect her, 0:14:52.120 --> 0:14:54.080 you will find out what it is like to have 0:14:54.160 --> 0:14:59.600 me against you. I know this parenting style is very 0:14:59.640 --> 0:15:01.960 ANTIQ weighted and everything like that, but it's just where 0:15:02.000 --> 0:15:04.600 I come from from my understanding of my role, my 0:15:04.680 --> 0:15:08.560 parental role. If you want my resource, you will give 0:15:08.560 --> 0:15:14.000 me respect. So we talk about that. Then there will 0:15:14.040 --> 0:15:18.320 be responsibility, like you got to get your crap done 0:15:18.520 --> 0:15:20.000 or I'm gonna have to treat you like you don't 0:15:20.040 --> 0:15:22.000 know how to get your crap done. But if you 0:15:22.000 --> 0:15:24.320 can get your crap done, this is the Bible somewhere too. 0:15:24.960 --> 0:15:27.600 If you don't get faithful over little, faithful over much. 0:15:28.360 --> 0:15:29.880 If you can prove to me that you can do 0:15:29.920 --> 0:15:32.360 a few things, well I can let you do more things. 0:15:32.440 --> 0:15:34.440 But you know it's like a leash. You've heard these 0:15:34.440 --> 0:15:37.880 parents and illustrations before. And how much liberty, how much 0:15:38.000 --> 0:15:40.840 license you get, is not going to be dependent on 0:15:40.880 --> 0:15:45.120 how much I love you. Because I love you eleven, 0:15:45.480 --> 0:15:50.240 but I can't let you eleven just because I love you. 0:15:52.320 --> 0:15:54.280 I didn't put that in my notes, but I kind 0:15:54.320 --> 0:15:58.360 of liked it. I love you eleven. My love won't leave. 0:16:00.160 --> 0:16:06.920 But your privileges, your permissions, your liberty, and your license 0:16:07.000 --> 0:16:12.640 depend on three things. And it's respect and its responsibility, 0:16:13.640 --> 0:16:17.320 and most of all is trust. If I can't trust you, 0:16:18.640 --> 0:16:22.440 I can love you, but I can't let you just 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.640 because I love you. I've got to be able to 0:16:25.760 --> 0:16:31.320 trust you some. And then I said, how good is 0:16:31.360 --> 0:16:34.920 this parenting seminar? They ought to put me on focus 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:37.880 on the family. With this, I got something to say. 0:16:38.080 --> 0:16:41.120 I'm saving my parenting book till all my kids are sixty, 0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:43.840 so I can see how it all turns out. But 0:16:43.920 --> 0:16:45.920 this is one thing I had to do in real time. 0:16:46.160 --> 0:16:50.960 I'm like, it's changing, our relationship is changing. I'm not changing. 0:16:51.400 --> 0:16:55.520 I love you. That's set. It's eleven. It's not going 0:16:55.600 --> 0:16:58.800 to go to nine Monday and seven Tuesday and all 0:16:58.920 --> 0:17:02.320 then Wednesday win a big softball game. We're back to 0:17:02.400 --> 0:17:06.960 a le that's not performance based. My love is set 0:17:07.560 --> 0:17:10.160 at eleven. Now now I want to tell you something, 0:17:10.200 --> 0:17:12.159 to get real, real clear before I move on. In 0:17:12.200 --> 0:17:17.480 this message, God's love for you is set at level eleven. 0:17:20.400 --> 0:17:24.120 Very rarely for a righteous man would someone die. But 0:17:24.280 --> 0:17:28.159 God demonstrates his own love for us through this that 0:17:28.359 --> 0:17:33.280 while we were still screwed up, while we were still filthy, 0:17:33.840 --> 0:17:38.200 while we were still sin stain, while we were still 0:17:38.200 --> 0:17:43.320 creating same through our perpetual behavior that defied him, while 0:17:43.359 --> 0:17:47.560 I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. So 0:17:47.720 --> 0:17:52.680 that's set. It's not changing. What self separate us from 0:17:52.760 --> 0:17:56.280 the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. You 0:17:56.320 --> 0:18:00.560 can't take it away. It's set. You can't snatch it, 0:18:00.800 --> 0:18:05.480 you can't soil. It is set, is protected, His settle 0:18:05.840 --> 0:18:15.760 is paid for his purchased in BLI his love for me. No, 0:18:15.920 --> 0:18:24.480 but just that. And then out of understanding this, we 0:18:24.560 --> 0:18:30.280 get the opportunity to make the decision. How much of 0:18:30.320 --> 0:18:34.240 his love do we want to live in? How much 0:18:34.240 --> 0:18:38.879 of his freedom do we want to experience? So it 0:18:38.880 --> 0:18:45.120 says in Exodus that God gave the people not only 0:18:45.160 --> 0:18:47.640 a place where he could meet with them, the tabernacle, 0:18:48.359 --> 0:18:52.760 but over the tabernacle came a cloud, and the cloud 0:18:52.800 --> 0:18:55.760 represented his glory in his presence. Let me show you 0:18:55.800 --> 0:18:58.119 something so cool. I know you will like this because 0:18:58.119 --> 0:19:00.760 I loved it when I saw it. In Exitus forty 0:19:00.840 --> 0:19:03.240 thirty three, put it on the board, please, It says 0:19:03.600 --> 0:19:11.560 that Moses finished the work. You see that Moses finished 0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:17.320 the work. Everybody says, so Moses finished. Go to verse 0:19:17.359 --> 0:19:22.840 thirty four. Well this blessed me, it said, the Lord filled. 0:19:24.320 --> 0:19:26.720 Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the 0:19:26.760 --> 0:19:30.000 glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. So let's put 0:19:30.040 --> 0:19:37.600 those two together. Ready, So Moses finished, the Lord filled. 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:46.840 Stop asking God to fill stuff that you won't finish. 0:19:47.400 --> 0:19:53.480 God doesn't bless good intentions. God doesn't bless your to 0:19:53.520 --> 0:19:59.520 do list. He blesses your done stuff that you push through. Now, 0:19:59.560 --> 0:20:03.240 what is that have to do with restriction. It has 0:20:03.320 --> 0:20:06.080 everything to do with restriction. It has everything to do 0:20:06.200 --> 0:20:07.800 with the man who walked up to me and said, 0:20:08.640 --> 0:20:11.560 I knew I could come back, but I'm not coming 0:20:11.600 --> 0:20:15.640 back because I got so used to not coming that 0:20:15.880 --> 0:20:21.439 my conditioning was set down here and my permission was 0:20:21.480 --> 0:20:24.480 set up here, and so I've been living at the 0:20:24.600 --> 0:20:28.840 level of my conditioning. I stopped coming even though I 0:20:28.880 --> 0:20:32.480 have permission to come back. And now there's a gap. 0:20:32.480 --> 0:20:34.880 And he said, I feel bad, and I said, don't 0:20:34.880 --> 0:20:40.679 feel bad, just come back. You could come back. The 0:20:40.760 --> 0:20:45.720 restrictions are lifted, you could come back. Come on back. Sunday. 0:20:46.000 --> 0:20:48.959 I'll look for you. And I want to tell you 0:20:49.160 --> 0:20:53.480 he was here. Boy, I preached to that man that Sunday. 0:20:53.760 --> 0:20:56.680 I did good too. He sat right center. I guess 0:20:56.680 --> 0:20:58.720 he got here early. And I never said a word 0:20:58.720 --> 0:21:01.320 about him, but I preached to him because he was here, 0:21:03.400 --> 0:21:10.080 and nothing changed about the situation, only his decision. So 0:21:10.240 --> 0:21:14.600 the cloud had this little thing where it would come 0:21:14.680 --> 0:21:18.680 down and fill the tabernacle, and then it would lift. 0:21:19.040 --> 0:21:22.680 And when it lifted, everybody say when it lifted, Oh 0:21:22.880 --> 0:21:27.880 say it with faith. When it lifted. That's it. That's it. 0:21:28.040 --> 0:21:30.840 God was saying to his people, you can move now, 0:21:32.080 --> 0:21:35.840 you can go now, you can you can go forward now. 0:21:36.040 --> 0:21:38.760 He wanted to lead them all the way to the 0:21:38.840 --> 0:21:42.280 Promised Land, all the way to the land of Canaan, 0:21:43.080 --> 0:21:46.680 flowing with milk and honey, the land where the grapes 0:21:46.680 --> 0:21:48.560 are so big you need a partner to help you 0:21:48.640 --> 0:21:51.399 carry him on a pole, all the way to the 0:21:51.480 --> 0:21:54.280 land of Canaan, where they could have their own land 0:21:54.320 --> 0:21:57.480 and settle in it and declare the goodness of God 0:21:57.760 --> 0:22:00.879 as their inheritance. He wanted to lead them all the 0:22:00.880 --> 0:22:03.720 way to Canaan, so he gave them a cloud. See, 0:22:03.920 --> 0:22:07.440 and when the cloud lifted, they got up. And when 0:22:07.480 --> 0:22:09.920 they got up and moved forward, the cloud took them 0:22:10.240 --> 0:22:14.120 until it's settled again. And when it settled, they settled. 0:22:14.280 --> 0:22:17.760 And this was the system God gave them in the wilderness. 0:22:18.119 --> 0:22:19.719 And I'm thinking it would be kind of good if 0:22:19.720 --> 0:22:22.359 God would give me this for my wilderness. You know, 0:22:22.760 --> 0:22:26.320 let me know what to do. Give me clarity, God. 0:22:26.640 --> 0:22:28.480 I just need to see how many of you want 0:22:28.520 --> 0:22:31.080 God to show you something in your life right now, 0:22:31.400 --> 0:22:36.120 this or that, him or her, them or them Here 0:22:36.560 --> 0:22:42.240 or there now or later, yes or no? Clarity, Clarity, clarity, clarity, clarity. 0:22:42.440 --> 0:22:44.680 I need to see. I can't live in a cloud 0:22:44.680 --> 0:22:48.080 of confusion not knowing is this God. I've got to 0:22:48.200 --> 0:22:50.720 know it's God if I'm going to go. The only 0:22:50.920 --> 0:22:57.000 problem with that, The only problem with that is that 0:22:57.200 --> 0:23:02.680 God can give you clarity, but if you don't commit. 0:23:06.320 --> 0:23:08.080 In fact, I'm going to go a little further than that. 0:23:09.160 --> 0:23:18.879 Clarity comes from commitment. Abraham, go to the land I 0:23:18.920 --> 0:23:22.240 will show you. And a lot of us are confused 0:23:22.920 --> 0:23:27.440 because we're not committed. We haven't really decided to serve 0:23:27.520 --> 0:23:31.400 God with our whole heart. So now we're asking God, Oh, 0:23:31.680 --> 0:23:33.879 show me. I want one of those clouds. Lord, I 0:23:33.880 --> 0:23:35.760 want one of those clouds to lead me into a 0:23:35.800 --> 0:23:38.680 new career. I want one of those clouds to show me. God, 0:23:38.800 --> 0:23:41.439 give me one of those clouds like Moses had. Moses 0:23:41.480 --> 0:23:44.080 had a cloud. God give me a cloud and lead me. 0:23:44.160 --> 0:23:49.480 What good would it do? The cloud led them around 0:23:49.560 --> 0:23:54.320 and around and around and around in the wilderness, because 0:23:54.359 --> 0:23:58.159 when it finally got them to Canaan, they didn't have 0:23:58.240 --> 0:24:01.919 the courage to go in and conquer it. Did you 0:24:01.960 --> 0:24:06.120 hear what I said, God? Gave them clarity. Okay, this 0:24:06.200 --> 0:24:08.080 is what I want you to do. This is where 0:24:08.119 --> 0:24:10.160 I want you to go. Here is who I've called 0:24:10.200 --> 0:24:11.960 you to be. This is what I want to give 0:24:12.000 --> 0:24:15.840 to you. They had clarity, but they didn't have the 0:24:16.000 --> 0:24:20.160 courage to act on the clarity that God gave them. 0:24:21.640 --> 0:24:25.359 So we keep saying, God, I need more information, God, 0:24:25.480 --> 0:24:30.600 I need more knowledge. We don't need knowledge, we need commitment, 0:24:32.240 --> 0:24:35.359 because the moment you decide I'm going to be free, 0:24:35.680 --> 0:24:39.840 God will show you where the keys are. The moment 0:24:39.880 --> 0:24:43.720 you decide not just dabble, not just testing, not just 0:24:44.560 --> 0:24:47.919 not just sometimes, not just once every three weeks, not 0:24:48.080 --> 0:24:50.400 just when you hear a sermon, get fired up. The 0:24:50.440 --> 0:25:00.000 moment you commit to it, God will give you clarity. 0:25:00.160 --> 0:25:04.680 Clarity comes with commitment. The moment you decide, I'm gonna 0:25:04.760 --> 0:25:06.840 be a better husband, God will show you how to 0:25:06.840 --> 0:25:09.760 be a better husband. The moment you decide I am 0:25:09.800 --> 0:25:12.720 not gonna keep running to these drugs anymore. God will 0:25:12.760 --> 0:25:14.760 show you who to talk to that can help you 0:25:14.800 --> 0:25:18.520 make different decisions. The moment you decide, the moment you commit, 0:25:19.760 --> 0:25:25.199 and the moment that you step is the moment that 0:25:25.280 --> 0:25:32.959 you're strengthened so now we've got a conversation that we 0:25:33.040 --> 0:25:34.800 need to have, not how much does God love you? 0:25:35.880 --> 0:25:39.600 That's say. And guess what we don't even need to 0:25:39.640 --> 0:25:45.400 talk about is God with you? His presence is said? 0:25:46.920 --> 0:25:50.879 You think you can run God off? Us don't know, 0:25:50.920 --> 0:25:52.760 and us don't feel God's presence. What does that have 0:25:52.800 --> 0:25:56.480 to do. Feeling God's presence is not a factual indication 0:25:57.720 --> 0:26:03.320 of whether God's presence has left you or not. You 0:26:03.359 --> 0:26:05.199 know why you're not feeling his presence because you're not 0:26:05.200 --> 0:26:09.400 saying any prayers. Yes, I do, I pray every day. No, 0:26:09.760 --> 0:26:12.520 you close your eyes, you worry. You call it prayer? 0:26:18.760 --> 0:26:22.520 Nice little Christmas message I brought you today. No, I 0:26:22.600 --> 0:26:24.840 want to help people. I'm past the point in my 0:26:24.920 --> 0:26:29.399 life of wanting to be like a religious entertainer. And 0:26:29.800 --> 0:26:32.240 the fact is what I saw study in the passage, 0:26:32.359 --> 0:26:36.480 because I was so consumed with this cloud, I'm like, yes, Lord, 0:26:36.880 --> 0:26:40.080 leave me. God. Show me where the water is, Show 0:26:40.119 --> 0:26:43.199 me where the food is, Show me where the opportunity is, 0:26:43.600 --> 0:26:46.760 show me the money, show me the ministry, show me God, 0:26:46.880 --> 0:26:49.119 show me show me. And the Lord is like, what 0:26:49.240 --> 0:26:52.640 good did it do them to have the cloud? When 0:26:52.680 --> 0:26:56.240 they finally got where I was taking them, they didn't 0:26:56.280 --> 0:26:59.639 have the courage to do it, So don't last for 0:26:59.640 --> 0:27:03.760 the cloud asked for the courage to go forward in 0:27:03.960 --> 0:27:10.160 knowing that He's with you. Okay, Lord, I'll do it. 0:27:10.520 --> 0:27:14.480 Just give me a confirmation. Lord, I'm just waiting for 0:27:14.600 --> 0:27:16.720 a confirmation that it is your will for me to 0:27:16.720 --> 0:27:20.199 give in this offering. Okay, cool. I confirmed it on 0:27:20.280 --> 0:27:29.600 Calvary when I gave my only begotten son. When Guy 0:27:29.680 --> 0:27:31.840 was asking me, what do you do when you don't 0:27:32.119 --> 0:27:36.080 clearly know what God wants you to preach? And my 0:27:36.160 --> 0:27:40.600 answer was really surprising to me and to him. I thought, 0:27:41.800 --> 0:27:43.840 because I do know what that feels like. I know 0:27:43.920 --> 0:27:48.840 what that feels like. And I said, I get my 0:27:48.880 --> 0:27:56.520 hair cut. He goes, uh, I said, no, that's I 0:27:56.640 --> 0:27:58.359 just thought about it. What do I do when I 0:27:58.400 --> 0:28:01.159 don't know what God has called me to preach? I 0:28:01.200 --> 0:28:04.760 get my haircut Because when I get in the chair 0:28:04.800 --> 0:28:12.520 to get my hair cut, it symbolizes the decision that 0:28:12.680 --> 0:28:19.600 Sunday I'm expecting to say something, and that sends the 0:28:19.640 --> 0:28:23.960 signal to the Holy Spirit. Oh, He's gonna show up, 0:28:24.560 --> 0:28:28.080 So now you show up. Because when I make the 0:28:28.119 --> 0:28:31.119 decision to be here. It's as simple as a haircut. 0:28:31.240 --> 0:28:33.119 I know that doesn't sound deep. I know I should 0:28:33.160 --> 0:28:35.359 study Greek. I know I should speak in tongues. I 0:28:35.400 --> 0:28:38.040 know I should do all that, but sometimes that doesn't 0:28:38.080 --> 0:28:41.040 work for me. So I say it's time for a 0:28:41.040 --> 0:28:45.880 haircut because of what the haircut means. The haircut means 0:28:46.160 --> 0:28:50.040 I'm gonna do this. The haircut means I'm not staying 0:28:50.080 --> 0:28:54.320 in my pajamas and eating Oreos and having communion with 0:28:54.360 --> 0:28:57.640 oreos and orange juice Sunday and calling in a guest. 0:28:57.680 --> 0:29:00.320 I'm gonna preach. And then after I get my hair cut, 0:29:00.640 --> 0:29:02.920 I pick out my clothes and I put them to 0:29:02.960 --> 0:29:04.280 the side. You know that little valley you gave me 0:29:04.320 --> 0:29:06.320 about seven years ago. I still got it in my closet. 0:29:06.360 --> 0:29:09.760 It's my Sunday clothes. I keep it there. And when 0:29:09.760 --> 0:29:12.040 I go put over my clothes, over on that little 0:29:12.040 --> 0:29:14.640 thing in my closet. The devil says, uh oh, he's 0:29:14.720 --> 0:29:21.480 doing that. We tried to discourage him all week. Didn't work. 0:29:22.080 --> 0:29:26.320 Looks you see that fresh fade Verdict is planning to breach. 0:29:26.920 --> 0:29:30.600 Come on, you see them getting up and signing up 0:29:30.640 --> 0:29:34.600 for classes that means they're doing it. You see them 0:29:34.680 --> 0:29:39.280 signing up for counseling. That means, oh, it didn't work. 0:29:39.760 --> 0:29:42.480 Try to keep them out, try to keep them down, 0:29:42.960 --> 0:29:46.240 try to tell them go home is sober. But watch them. 0:29:46.400 --> 0:29:50.160 They're picking out their clothes, they're picking out their next course, 0:29:50.440 --> 0:29:54.360 they're sending the text. They're showing up because they're downloading 0:29:54.400 --> 0:29:59.400 the sermon Bloa. They're showing in the gym bo. They 0:29:59.520 --> 0:30:10.560 say there zees whoa. They're doing that. And now God 0:30:10.640 --> 0:30:14.080 can show you what to do because you've decided I'm 0:30:14.160 --> 0:30:21.080 doing it. So it's not how much of his presence 0:30:21.400 --> 0:30:24.320 do you have, it's how much of his power do 0:30:24.440 --> 0:30:32.000 you want? Because power is attractive, the presence, and you 0:30:32.080 --> 0:30:37.600 got to show up. You got to show up. I'm 0:30:37.640 --> 0:30:40.160 showing up and I'm doing it and I won't be 0:30:40.280 --> 0:30:44.400 the same. Now, God, what are we doing? Because I'm 0:30:44.400 --> 0:30:49.720 doing it? So what are we doing? Even when the 0:30:49.720 --> 0:30:53.000 cloud came down, Watch what happened. Moses couldn't go into 0:30:53.040 --> 0:30:56.760 the tent when the cloud came at the door. Well 0:30:56.760 --> 0:30:59.360 that's kind of weird. God, you're trying to block your 0:30:59.400 --> 0:31:06.320 servant with your presence. But Moses had restrictions. Don't get 0:31:06.360 --> 0:31:10.440 me wrong. Moses is one of the greatest leaders who 0:31:10.560 --> 0:31:14.520 ever lived. But even Moses could only go so far. 0:31:15.800 --> 0:31:19.360 Even Moses could only do so much. I told you 0:31:19.440 --> 0:31:22.200 this was a Christmas scripture, and I'm gonna prove it 0:31:22.240 --> 0:31:26.200 to you right now. I never realized until I saw 0:31:26.360 --> 0:31:31.840 Moses in the in the scriptures of Exodus chapter forty, 0:31:33.000 --> 0:31:38.640 how he was only pointing to the Messiah who would 0:31:38.680 --> 0:31:43.760 be born millennia after his life ended. I will prove 0:31:43.800 --> 0:31:49.360 it to you succinctly, but thoroughly. Watch this. Both Moses 0:31:50.000 --> 0:31:56.240 and Jesus were babies. So far we have not narrowed 0:31:56.240 --> 0:32:00.200 the field much as that applies to most humans. Let's 0:32:00.200 --> 0:32:05.720 go a little bit deeper. Both Moses and Jesus were 0:32:05.960 --> 0:32:10.880 a part of a political threat that extinguished the lives 0:32:10.920 --> 0:32:14.680 of every Hebrew boy under the age of two. You 0:32:14.760 --> 0:32:18.600 remember how Pharaoh tried to kill every two year old 0:32:18.600 --> 0:32:22.000 and underboy that was born in the time of Moses. 0:32:22.600 --> 0:32:25.040 And do you remember how Herod in the New Testament 0:32:25.600 --> 0:32:27.720 tried to kill the one who was born king of 0:32:27.760 --> 0:32:30.800 the Jews, but since he couldn't find him, he had 0:32:30.840 --> 0:32:34.719 to kill everything around him. The enemy will attack stuff 0:32:35.000 --> 0:32:39.320 around you and circumstances. But it's not about what's around you, 0:32:39.400 --> 0:32:43.960 It's about what's in you. Because Jesus the Messiah was born, 0:32:46.000 --> 0:32:49.400 and so they both had to survive assassination attempt before 0:32:49.440 --> 0:32:53.840 they were two years old. Moses and Jesus both had 0:32:53.840 --> 0:32:58.720 that in common. And Moses was laid in a basket 0:32:59.000 --> 0:33:03.760 that was woven with straw, and Jesus was laid in 0:33:03.840 --> 0:33:08.760 a manger that was filled with straw. And Moses came 0:33:08.840 --> 0:33:13.240 up out of Egypt to deliver his people, and Jesus 0:33:13.720 --> 0:33:17.840 came up out of Egypt to deliver his people. And 0:33:18.000 --> 0:33:22.560 Moses brought the Ten Commandments from the mountain, and Jesus 0:33:22.600 --> 0:33:25.920 went up on a mountain and taught the ten Beatitudes, 0:33:26.320 --> 0:33:31.240 and Moses saw the glory of God. But this is 0:33:31.280 --> 0:33:35.760 where Moses is different than the Messiah. This is where 0:33:35.800 --> 0:33:39.000 Moses can only take you so far. This is where 0:33:39.080 --> 0:33:42.600 leadership can only get you so far unless it comes 0:33:42.640 --> 0:33:46.800 from the Lord. Because Moses said, sow me your glory, 0:33:47.120 --> 0:33:51.680 and Jesus said, I am the glory of God. Do 0:33:51.840 --> 0:33:58.160 you not know? Joh one fourteen. And the word became 0:33:58.480 --> 0:34:05.520 flesh and dwell among us, and we beheld his glory. 0:34:06.040 --> 0:34:09.640 The glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 0:34:10.440 --> 0:34:18.920 full of grace and truth. Now the word dwelt literally 0:34:19.000 --> 0:34:24.080 means tabernacle. Don't you see what Jesus was doing that 0:34:24.120 --> 0:34:27.439 Moses couldn't do. Don't you see what Christmas really is 0:34:27.719 --> 0:34:30.160 as opposed to what we thought it was. We thought 0:34:30.239 --> 0:34:33.600 Christmas was a nice, comforting thought. We thought that Christmas 0:34:33.640 --> 0:34:36.520 was God coming to say it's very nice to meet you. 0:34:36.920 --> 0:34:40.440 I'm sending a baby, because who doesn't love babies. Don't 0:34:40.480 --> 0:34:43.920 you see this coming full form? Don't you see that 0:34:44.000 --> 0:34:47.279 the nation of Israel was in the womb of the wilderness, 0:34:47.600 --> 0:34:50.399 becoming the nation that God would bless the earth through, 0:34:50.920 --> 0:34:53.640 just like Jesus was born in the womb of Mary 0:34:54.000 --> 0:34:57.360 to save his people from their sins, and the word 0:34:57.840 --> 0:35:02.080 became flesh and dwelt among us. What does that mean? 0:35:02.440 --> 0:35:06.600 He tapernacle in the middle of the wilderness. He tapernacle 0:35:06.880 --> 0:35:09.640 in the middle of my sin, and he was born 0:35:10.320 --> 0:35:15.040 in the straw to save me from my sin. This 0:35:15.120 --> 0:35:26.440 is Christmas. It is God saying because I am here. 0:35:26.560 --> 0:35:34.880 Emmanuel means God with us. That is his intimacy. You 0:35:35.000 --> 0:35:38.400 don't have to go to a tabernacle or a church 0:35:38.520 --> 0:35:42.239 building or an altar to meet with God anymore. The 0:35:42.360 --> 0:35:56.360 restriction has been You don't have to sacrifice pigeons and 0:35:56.480 --> 0:36:00.719 doves and goats and bulls to be right with God anymore. 0:36:00.960 --> 0:36:04.440 But by offering your faith, God has already offered his 0:36:04.600 --> 0:36:07.880 son to take away your sin. That's what the lamb 0:36:07.920 --> 0:36:16.320 of God does. The restriction has been lifted. The restriction 0:36:18.080 --> 0:36:23.080 has been lifted so much so that when God wanted 0:36:23.120 --> 0:36:26.720 to announce good news of great joy to all people, 0:36:27.640 --> 0:36:32.080 he did not announce it in a synagogue. He announced 0:36:32.080 --> 0:36:39.200 it to the shepherd's to let you know that God 0:36:39.280 --> 0:36:44.080 can do what he wants to. God can use who 0:36:44.120 --> 0:36:54.000 he chooses to, and that includes you. But you've got 0:36:54.080 --> 0:36:59.920 God in this little tiny box, this little baby Jesus box, 0:37:00.000 --> 0:37:06.040 this little Ricky Bobby Talladagon Knight baby Jesus box. The 0:37:06.080 --> 0:37:09.600 spirit of religion is the Ricky Bobby's spirit. By the way, 0:37:11.000 --> 0:37:13.600 And I'm not endorsing any movies or anything like that, 0:37:13.680 --> 0:37:15.720 but I think maybe you could do a Bible study 0:37:15.760 --> 0:37:20.680 around it. How baby baby Jesus. Go back to the 0:37:20.680 --> 0:37:23.120 conversation I have with my kids. All Right, It's like 0:37:23.800 --> 0:37:30.120 God doesn't change, but Jesus didn't stay a baby. That's 0:37:30.160 --> 0:37:33.399 his incarnation. That's how he came into the world through 0:37:33.440 --> 0:37:36.000 a virgin womb. To show you that all things are possible. 0:37:36.360 --> 0:37:39.040 Once the dude comes through a virgin womb, all bets 0:37:39.040 --> 0:37:44.279 are off. That was the first announcement that God can 0:37:44.320 --> 0:37:48.960 do what he wants to in your life. You know, 0:37:49.040 --> 0:37:50.640 the cloud was kind of had a mind of its 0:37:50.640 --> 0:37:53.400 own in Exodus. It would move when it wanted to. 0:37:54.239 --> 0:37:57.040 The cloud didn't move on a set schedule because even 0:37:57.080 --> 0:38:01.080 in the wilderness, God was teaching us that he is consistent, 0:38:02.160 --> 0:38:09.839 but he is not predictable. He's consistent, he'll be there, 0:38:10.560 --> 0:38:12.640 but he's gonna look like one thing in the daytime, 0:38:13.400 --> 0:38:17.000 one thing at the nighttime. And may I add he's 0:38:17.040 --> 0:38:20.239 not gonna move every Monday at three o'clock, because if 0:38:20.239 --> 0:38:22.320 he moved every Monday at three o'clock, you would worship 0:38:22.360 --> 0:38:26.719 Monday at three o'clock. If he always blessed you through 0:38:26.760 --> 0:38:28.960 the same people, you're like, they didn't call me back. 0:38:29.120 --> 0:38:31.120 That's because God wants you to be a blessing to 0:38:31.200 --> 0:38:33.560 somebody else, and if he keeps feeding you through the 0:38:33.600 --> 0:38:40.279 same people, you will move. He's consistent. His presence is 0:38:40.440 --> 0:38:43.680 set at level eleven. If you make your bed in hell, 0:38:43.840 --> 0:38:46.800 he's there. If you're having a great day and polishing 0:38:46.840 --> 0:38:52.680 your halo, he's there. But watch this all? Is this 0:38:52.800 --> 0:38:58.760 so powerful? The cloud had a mind of its own. 0:39:00.120 --> 0:39:06.080 God's thoughts are not your thoughts, and his ways are 0:39:06.160 --> 0:39:11.120 not your ways. And the stable was not the airbnb 0:39:11.680 --> 0:39:15.279 that Mary and Joseph would have chosen to rest and 0:39:15.320 --> 0:39:20.200 recuperate after the birth of their baby boy. And he 0:39:20.360 --> 0:39:27.640 didn't stay a baby. You've met Baby Jesus. You like 0:39:27.719 --> 0:39:33.040 Baby Jesus. You carry Baby Jesus, but there will come 0:39:33.080 --> 0:39:34.960 a point in your life where you need Jesus to 0:39:35.000 --> 0:39:40.720 carry you. So I want to go to the Christmas 0:39:40.760 --> 0:39:46.880 scripture that you've never heard before. On Christmas, where we 0:39:46.960 --> 0:39:54.200 meet not baby Jesus, but break through Jesus. In Luke 0:39:54.280 --> 0:39:59.200 chapter five, the Bible says that he had come to Capernaum. 0:39:59.280 --> 0:40:04.440 Now the baby Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Break through Jesus. 0:40:04.440 --> 0:40:06.640 If you want to meet this Christ, he can be 0:40:06.719 --> 0:40:10.560 found in Capernaum. That's where he based himself to do 0:40:10.680 --> 0:40:14.320 his miracles. The Bible says when he got to Capernaum, 0:40:14.360 --> 0:40:18.840 he was teaching and preaching. Why, because he is the Word, 0:40:19.680 --> 0:40:21.760 wouldn't you love to hear the word preach the word. 0:40:22.719 --> 0:40:25.960 I bet that would be good. I bet that would 0:40:25.960 --> 0:40:29.520 be awesome to hear the word preach the word. It 0:40:29.600 --> 0:40:33.000 was such an attraction that they gathered and nobody could 0:40:33.040 --> 0:40:35.479 get in the door. They closed it, and they tried 0:40:35.520 --> 0:40:37.759 to send these guys to overflow. And I want you 0:40:37.800 --> 0:40:40.919 to watch what happened in the meantime. In Luke, chapter five, 0:40:41.040 --> 0:40:44.840 verse seventeen, the Bible says, one day Jesus was teaching, 0:40:45.320 --> 0:40:48.239 and the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you're 0:40:48.280 --> 0:40:51.279 not ready for this. They were sitting there, and they 0:40:51.320 --> 0:40:55.719 had come from every village of Galilee, all the surrounding 0:40:55.880 --> 0:40:59.800 zip goats, and from Judea and Jerusalem. And watch this. 0:41:00.160 --> 0:41:04.840 The power of the Lord was with Jesus. Well, of 0:41:04.880 --> 0:41:10.360 course it was He's Jesus, and power is attracted to presence. 0:41:10.840 --> 0:41:14.040 So since he is God in human flesh, the Word 0:41:14.280 --> 0:41:17.200 became flesh and dwelt among us. It makes sense that 0:41:17.320 --> 0:41:21.400 the power would be where the presence was. God is here, 0:41:21.719 --> 0:41:25.440 and anything can happen. God is here, and all things 0:41:25.480 --> 0:41:29.680 are possible. God is here. Change might break any minute 0:41:29.840 --> 0:41:33.080 God is here, so I might flood your soul. Any 0:41:33.160 --> 0:41:36.840 minute God is here. Something can happen right now because 0:41:37.080 --> 0:41:39.840 God is here, so the power of the Lord was 0:41:39.880 --> 0:41:42.719 with Jesus to heal the sick Verse eighteen. Let me 0:41:42.760 --> 0:41:47.160 preach this Christmas scripture. Some men came carrying a paralyzed 0:41:47.200 --> 0:41:50.440 man on a mat and tried to take him into 0:41:50.520 --> 0:41:54.360 the house to lay him before Jesus, but they couldn't. 0:41:54.680 --> 0:41:56.759 When they could not find a way to do it 0:41:57.040 --> 0:41:59.480 because of the crowd, wa'ts what they did. They went 0:41:59.680 --> 0:42:04.880 up on the roof and they lifted their friend. So 0:42:04.960 --> 0:42:08.359 when they said there's no way, you can't do it. 0:42:08.920 --> 0:42:11.960 The moment that they said there isn't a way, it 0:42:12.120 --> 0:42:16.800 sparked creative faith in the minds of these committed friends. 0:42:17.320 --> 0:42:20.040 And they looked all around for a little while, and 0:42:20.080 --> 0:42:23.000 they tried to find somebody who was sleeping at the door, 0:42:23.040 --> 0:42:26.000 maybe an usher who wasn't paying attention. But since they 0:42:26.000 --> 0:42:30.120 couldn't sneak past a sleepy usher, they devised another way 0:42:30.400 --> 0:42:33.439 on the roof. There were many that day who came 0:42:33.480 --> 0:42:37.080 to the same door, needing a miracle from the Son 0:42:37.160 --> 0:42:40.760 of God. But they turned around and left not because 0:42:40.840 --> 0:42:43.960 they couldn't find a way, but because they didn't commit 0:42:44.040 --> 0:42:47.120 to find a way. You quit too quick, you give 0:42:47.200 --> 0:42:50.480 up too easy. You'll go home too fast. You get 0:42:50.520 --> 0:42:54.040 too discouraged by one person telling you you look stupid. 0:42:54.280 --> 0:42:57.400 You quit too easy, you give up too fast. These 0:42:57.440 --> 0:43:01.080 men didn't leave. They lifted. They said, if we can't 0:43:01.120 --> 0:43:04.520 get through it, we gotta go over it. We go 0:43:04.920 --> 0:43:13.920 find a way. God's our friend needs Jesus. So they 0:43:14.080 --> 0:43:19.680 go up on the roof. They went up around the 0:43:19.760 --> 0:43:24.880 restriction you can't go in. And when they got up, 0:43:25.440 --> 0:43:30.959 they lowered their friend down. And watch what Baby Jesus did. 0:43:33.640 --> 0:43:36.040 Let me hold you right here for a moment. You've 0:43:36.080 --> 0:43:39.600 been praying to Baby Jesus. Little Jesus, you can carry 0:43:39.600 --> 0:43:42.920 around like a good luck charm, talking about Oh Jesus, 0:43:42.960 --> 0:43:44.799 I think you're for your presence with me. It's just 0:43:44.840 --> 0:43:48.160 so good to know you're with me. I love Baby 0:43:48.239 --> 0:43:51.680 Jesus too, but I'm at the stage of my life 0:43:51.680 --> 0:43:54.160 and I assume somebody is too or else. God want 0:43:54.239 --> 0:43:58.560 to give me this message. I don't need to carry him, 0:43:58.960 --> 0:44:04.680 I need him to carry me. I don't just need 0:44:04.760 --> 0:44:07.799 him to show me where to go. I need him 0:44:07.840 --> 0:44:12.640 to help me do it, because I can't without him. Now, 0:44:12.680 --> 0:44:17.480 this man in the passage is physically restricted. There is 0:44:17.520 --> 0:44:21.160 a physical limitation, but it isn't always It isn't always 0:44:21.200 --> 0:44:25.040 a physical limitation. It isn't always a physical restriction. Sometimes 0:44:25.080 --> 0:44:29.239 it is emotional. Sometimes it is familial. Sometimes it is 0:44:29.280 --> 0:44:32.279 the pattern of the way that you have processed your 0:44:32.320 --> 0:44:35.400 past experiences that will lock you up tight like a 0:44:35.520 --> 0:44:38.279 jail cell and say you can't go out. But now 0:44:38.360 --> 0:44:41.200 this is not baby Jesus you're dealing with, is it. 0:44:42.680 --> 0:44:47.000 We beheld his glory, the glory as of who the 0:44:47.080 --> 0:44:51.720 only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 0:44:52.800 --> 0:44:55.359 So when they couldn't find a way in, they went up. 0:44:56.760 --> 0:44:58.960 When they couldn't find a way through the crowd, they 0:44:59.000 --> 0:45:03.760 went on the roof. And when Jesus I love this part. 0:45:04.080 --> 0:45:10.400 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, friend, your sins 0:45:10.400 --> 0:45:13.320 are forgiven. Now watch these Pharisees how they think about 0:45:13.360 --> 0:45:16.759 Jesus Verse twenty one. The pharisees and the teachers of 0:45:16.800 --> 0:45:19.640 the law begin to think to themselves, who is this 0:45:19.760 --> 0:45:25.000 fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins? But God alone? 0:45:25.640 --> 0:45:29.799 They didn't know who they were dealing with. Yet their 0:45:29.840 --> 0:45:35.520 limitation was the very truth that Jesus was proving, because 0:45:35.800 --> 0:45:42.480 he was God alone, so he can do this. So 0:45:42.560 --> 0:45:47.239 they're saying, you can't do that, you can't heal him 0:45:47.280 --> 0:45:51.759 like that, you can't forgive him like that. But the 0:45:51.840 --> 0:45:56.960 restriction on God that you put on God only limits you, 0:45:58.480 --> 0:46:04.680 it doesn't limit him. Who am I to deny what 0:46:04.840 --> 0:46:09.400 the Lord can do? And let me tell you something else. 0:46:09.960 --> 0:46:13.799 Even if people don't like you, they can't limit what 0:46:14.000 --> 0:46:18.120 God does through you. Trust me. I know if God 0:46:18.239 --> 0:46:22.120 wants to use you, he will. He can't forgive you, 0:46:22.480 --> 0:46:26.560 he can't cleanse you, and he can save to the uttermost. 0:46:30.000 --> 0:46:33.359 Who you think you are, Jesus? Who you think you are? 0:46:33.480 --> 0:46:36.200 You're the carpenter's son. Who you think you are? You 0:46:36.280 --> 0:46:38.719 were born of a virgin nobody really even believes her 0:46:38.760 --> 0:46:41.920 story anyway? Who you think you are? Jesus, Let me 0:46:41.960 --> 0:46:44.440 show you who I am? He said, so that you 0:46:44.600 --> 0:46:47.600 may know that the son of Man. I feel God 0:46:47.640 --> 0:46:50.919 on this, so that you may know that the Son 0:46:50.960 --> 0:46:54.120 of Man has authority. Get me the verse twenty five. 0:46:54.320 --> 0:46:57.680 This is my Christmas scripture this year. It's an unusual one. 0:46:57.880 --> 0:47:01.920 It's an orthodox unorthodox. It's not a common one, but 0:47:02.040 --> 0:47:06.120 it's powerful. It said that. Immediately the man stood up 0:47:06.160 --> 0:47:08.560 in front of him and took what he had been 0:47:08.640 --> 0:47:11.840 lying on and went home, praising God. Why did he 0:47:11.920 --> 0:47:14.920 do that? Go back to verse twenty four, Jesus said. 0:47:15.040 --> 0:47:18.359 Jesus said, I want you to know that the son 0:47:18.400 --> 0:47:24.160 of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins. So 0:47:24.239 --> 0:47:28.799 he said to the paralyzed man, I tell you, get up, 0:47:29.680 --> 0:47:35.400 take your mat what was restricting you, and lift what 0:47:35.600 --> 0:47:40.399 you were lying on, and walk out of here healed 0:47:40.760 --> 0:47:45.520 and forgiven, and with a second chance, and with a 0:47:45.719 --> 0:47:52.920 new identity, so that you may know that God is 0:47:53.040 --> 0:48:02.480 with us. I don't know what you were lying on 0:48:02.520 --> 0:48:05.239 when you came in, but it's been lying to you. 0:48:05.560 --> 0:48:08.239 God is thigger than this. God is thigger than this. 0:48:08.640 --> 0:48:11.480 God is bigger than your thoughts. God is bigger than 0:48:11.520 --> 0:48:23.759 your back ground. Oh God, the restriction has been lifted. Yeah, 0:48:23.920 --> 0:48:28.360 Jesus said, If I be lifted up, I will draw 0:48:28.920 --> 0:48:32.640 all men to me. I'm preaching the cradle, I'm preaching 0:48:32.680 --> 0:48:35.960 the cross, I'm preaching the empty tomb. I'm all the 0:48:36.000 --> 0:48:46.000 way in Eastern to tell you that the restriction. But 0:48:46.160 --> 0:48:51.719 I can't. But you can. If you will get up, 0:48:52.760 --> 0:48:57.680 get up, and live into what Christ died for for 0:48:57.800 --> 0:49:07.320 your life. That's Christmas. That's Christmas time. I breakthrough Jesus, 0:49:08.440 --> 0:49:12.239 not baby Jesus. Thank God for Baby Jesus. Thank God 0:49:12.280 --> 0:49:14.960 for your baby faith. Thank God for the point that 0:49:15.040 --> 0:49:17.400 you met God at seventeen years ago. Why are you 0:49:17.480 --> 0:49:21.160 still in that wilderness? Why aren't you moving? Why aren't 0:49:21.200 --> 0:49:24.720 you growing? Why are you still replaying that? The Bible 0:49:24.760 --> 0:49:27.680 says that when Jesus saw their faith, he said, I 0:49:27.719 --> 0:49:33.480 want to show you what I can do, So get up. 0:49:33.520 --> 0:49:38.719 I know you came in restricted, but I want you 0:49:38.760 --> 0:49:44.560 to get up. Get up. And what you were lying 0:49:44.600 --> 0:49:49.719 on when you came in is a lie, an excuse 0:49:51.080 --> 0:49:56.759 that is moving you away from the very gift that 0:49:56.840 --> 0:50:00.960 I died to give you. So now when I tell 0:50:01.000 --> 0:50:09.319 you that Moses had a cloud that lifted up, but 0:50:09.440 --> 0:50:17.480 you have a Christ who came down, do you see 0:50:17.719 --> 0:50:21.759 why this is good news? Do you see why God 0:50:21.800 --> 0:50:24.600 had me preach this message to you before the year ends, 0:50:26.040 --> 0:50:29.799 Because the restriction isn't real anymore. Sin has no more 0:50:29.840 --> 0:50:36.920 power over you anymore. Keep seeing that guy in my mind, 0:50:37.160 --> 0:50:40.320 he said, Ah, I can't lie to you. I told 0:50:40.360 --> 0:50:43.120 you that I didn't think I could come, But the 0:50:43.160 --> 0:50:48.919 truth is I wouldn't, and the issue is that I won't. 0:50:50.680 --> 0:50:56.600 But if you, my brother, my sister, can receive this 0:50:56.920 --> 0:51:03.440 Christmas sermon in your heart that God has raised Jesus 0:51:03.480 --> 0:51:06.880 from the dead, this could be the best Christmas of 0:51:06.920 --> 0:51:13.240 your life, not just to celebrate and spend and consume, 0:51:15.120 --> 0:51:20.440 but to really know that God is able to do 0:51:20.520 --> 0:51:26.720 immeasurably more than you asked or imagine. Ooh, exceeding abundantly 0:51:27.719 --> 0:51:34.239 above the limit that you put on. God is a lie. 0:51:34.400 --> 0:51:36.839 I must speak to a few. I'm too old, that's 0:51:36.880 --> 0:51:45.399 a lie. Abraham was a hundred Shut up, I'm too young. 0:51:45.640 --> 0:51:48.560 Timothy tried that. God said, don't let anybody say you're 0:51:48.600 --> 0:51:53.480 too young. I screwed up. Rehab was a prostitute. Shut 0:51:53.560 --> 0:51:58.359 up and do what God gave you to do. Oh, 0:51:58.400 --> 0:52:01.640 I'm not bold, I'm Timid was a whimp. God called 0:52:01.680 --> 0:52:08.960 him a warrior. The restriction has been lifted. Let me 0:52:09.000 --> 0:52:12.560 try one more. I don't have anything in me. Mary 0:52:12.760 --> 0:52:16.719 was a virgin. Shut up, get up, take your back 0:52:17.040 --> 0:52:23.160 and walk in the favor of Almighty God. The restrictions 0:52:24.360 --> 0:52:34.600 is lifted. The bribe couldn't hold him, Harry couldn't kill him, 0:52:35.239 --> 0:52:44.040 and he's here. Who am I to deny with the 0:52:44.200 --> 0:52:54.360 lawkin to Who am I to deny? What the Lord? Dude? 0:52:55.440 --> 0:53:05.000 Proclaim it and f they say you are? This is 0:53:05.000 --> 0:53:17.600 not for everybody. This is for somebody though you are. Yes, Lord, 0:53:18.680 --> 0:53:26.560 you are exceeding abundantly above all you ask or imagine. 0:53:27.080 --> 0:53:31.480 Take the limits off of God. You. Who am I? 0:53:33.920 --> 0:53:41.439 Who am I to dinner? What the In just a moment, 0:53:41.480 --> 0:53:45.800 we're going to give our offering. We're giving today in faith. 0:53:47.040 --> 0:53:50.480 We're giving today in obedience. We're giving today at every 0:53:50.520 --> 0:53:53.240 location and all over the world, online and in person. 0:53:54.120 --> 0:53:56.480 We are not believing that we're doing God a favor 0:53:56.520 --> 0:54:00.760 by giving to him. We're stretching our faith to his kingdom, 0:54:00.840 --> 0:54:04.239 knowing that he has been good and he is worthy. 0:54:04.400 --> 0:54:06.960 Everybody who believes he's worthy, clap your hands and give 0:54:07.040 --> 0:54:19.560 him praise. I want you to get your envelope. No 0:54:19.640 --> 0:54:21.959 one leaving. I preach short so we would have time. 0:54:23.040 --> 0:54:29.200 So get your envelope short. Err preached an hour, Bro, 0:54:29.640 --> 0:54:36.760 that was short. Look at me. This is an opportunity. 0:54:37.719 --> 0:54:43.160 This is an opportunity for you to demonstrate the faith 0:54:44.160 --> 0:54:48.160 that you just declared. Holly and I have prepared now 0:54:48.200 --> 0:54:51.560 our seventeenth offering. Come here, Autumn, Come here, Greg, Come on. 0:54:52.800 --> 0:54:54.640 Autumn sent me a text today. I want you to 0:54:54.680 --> 0:54:58.759 pray over this. Come on, Holly. Autumn sent me a 0:54:58.800 --> 0:55:01.160 text today she said, this is She sent me in holiotex. 0:55:01.239 --> 0:55:04.400 She said, this is our seventeenth year end offering that 0:55:04.440 --> 0:55:09.959 we've given in in that amazing the seventeenth offering. That's 0:55:09.960 --> 0:55:15.719 so cool, that blessing, that blessing, that blessing. I thought 0:55:15.719 --> 0:55:20.000 about it. Who would have thought that we be speaking 0:55:20.040 --> 0:55:21.680 you remember when you came for the first time at 0:55:21.719 --> 0:55:24.919 Providence High School? And now look at God all over 0:55:24.960 --> 0:55:29.719 the world Venezuela, Brazil, everywhere there's World Cup, there's elevation. 0:55:31.120 --> 0:55:36.000 God is so good? Who am I to deny what 0:55:36.080 --> 0:55:38.759 He can do? Sometimes I get to thinking, well, maybe 0:55:38.800 --> 0:55:40.920 we've gone as far as we can go as a ministry. No, 0:55:41.080 --> 0:55:44.120 the devil is a liar, the restriction. We didn't even 0:55:44.200 --> 0:55:47.680 have multi site church when we started, we didn't have Epham. 0:55:48.080 --> 0:55:51.600 This is the greatest day of our church that we've 0:55:51.680 --> 0:55:57.040 ever been in. Who am I who denied what the 0:55:57.080 --> 0:56:01.560 Lord can do things. Your campus pastors are going to 0:56:01.600 --> 0:56:04.200 come in just a moment and they're going to instruct 0:56:04.239 --> 0:56:08.239 you to give. It's a special time of giving for 0:56:08.320 --> 0:56:11.520 all of you who tithe regularly to this ministry. I 0:56:11.560 --> 0:56:16.080 thank God for you. You are what enables God to 0:56:16.160 --> 0:56:19.600 move through this ministry. You're the vessel, You're the vehicle. 0:56:19.840 --> 0:56:23.920 And I pray a thousandfold blessing and a harvest of 0:56:24.000 --> 0:56:27.239 peace and righteousness in your home and your family and 0:56:27.320 --> 0:56:32.439 your business. As you give. We also want to pray 0:56:32.480 --> 0:56:35.000 over your words, so you'll have the opportunity to write 0:56:35.040 --> 0:56:38.160 down your word, and not only will our staff be 0:56:38.239 --> 0:56:41.759 praying that over you, but you will be believing for it. 0:56:42.400 --> 0:56:47.160 Who am I to deny what the Lord can do? 0:56:48.040 --> 0:56:52.520 He's able, God is able. The message has come into 0:56:52.600 --> 0:56:56.440 a close, but it's your move now. Has God blessed 0:56:56.480 --> 0:56:59.040 you to be a blessing? I want to invite you 0:56:59.120 --> 0:57:01.319 to be a part of this year and offering and 0:57:01.400 --> 0:57:04.000 give a gift, a significant gift to help us preach 0:57:04.040 --> 0:57:09.520 the gospel of Jesus Christ. God never stops working and 0:57:09.560 --> 0:57:12.160 he invites us to be a part of that with him. 0:57:12.440 --> 0:57:15.480 You can go to Elevationchurch dot org right now and 0:57:15.520 --> 0:57:18.240 you can see all of the options. If you've never 0:57:18.280 --> 0:57:22.919 started to tithe, give God consistently regularly that first ten 0:57:22.960 --> 0:57:26.160 percent of everything that He's blessed you with. Today is 0:57:26.200 --> 0:57:28.680 the day to begin. Or for those of you who 0:57:28.760 --> 0:57:31.320 want to give and above and beyond one time offering 0:57:32.240 --> 0:57:34.640 just to thank God and to trust Him and to 0:57:34.680 --> 0:57:36.520 make a difference in the world, you can do that 0:57:36.560 --> 0:57:40.960 too at Elevationchurch dot org. You can find the Promise 0:57:41.480 --> 0:57:45.320 Year end offering, or you can give to our regular ministry. 0:57:45.680 --> 0:57:48.080 But we thank God for you. Make sure you let 0:57:48.200 --> 0:57:51.000 us know what you're believing God for in this coming year, 0:57:51.360 --> 0:57:53.760 so we can stand with you in faith and together 0:57:54.240 --> 0:58:00.000 see what God can do through you. God bless you.