WEBVTT 00:00:00.500 --> 00:00:01.433 Good morning, church. 00:00:01.433 --> 00:00:03.169 How we doing? 00:00:03.169 --> 00:00:04.905 Good morning. Good morning. 00:00:04.905 --> 00:00:08.942 I'll tell you, can we give this worship team a round of applause? 00:00:08.942 --> 00:00:13.380 I have the honor and privilege of getting to work with them every week, and I just love it. 00:00:13.380 --> 00:00:15.882 I mean, it's it's amazing. 00:00:15.882 --> 00:00:18.719 So we've got some people doing, some setting up behind. 00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:22.957 So to kind of get everything structured for today. 00:00:23.024 --> 00:00:23.792 Thank you, Jim. 00:00:23.792 --> 00:00:27.094 Can we give Jim---- he loves to be recognized. 00:00:27.094 --> 00:00:28.963 Jim loves to be recognized. 00:00:28.963 --> 00:00:30.699 I'll hear about this all week that I did that. 00:00:30.699 --> 00:00:33.902 But anyway, and thank you, Caroline, for getting that set up. 00:00:33.902 --> 00:00:35.938 She might need some help there, Jim. 00:00:35.938 --> 00:00:38.673 Thank you. 00:00:38.673 --> 00:00:51.054 When Pastor John asked if I would speak this morning, I really felt this message come- come up inside on making this more of a commencement message. 00:00:51.054 --> 00:00:59.061 When you hear a commencement message at a high school, it's usually the seniors are graduating, going into college, going into the workforce. 00:00:59.061 --> 00:01:04.067 Or if you hear that a college they're graduating and they're going into the next. 00:01:04.067 --> 00:01:17.481 But in order for us to really understand that we're finishing 2023, we're going into 2024, I think we need to reflect on some of the things that happened throughout the world this last year. 00:01:17.481 --> 00:01:22.653 So production, can we get some pictures up here and we'll kind of look at and walk through these. 00:01:22.653 --> 00:01:25.757 This is an earthquake that took place, took place in Turkey this year. 00:01:25.757 --> 00:01:27.091 Some of you probably didn't even know this. 00:01:27.091 --> 00:01:31.496 55,000 people died in this earthquake. 00:01:31.563 --> 00:01:33.632 Let's see what else we've got on here. 00:01:33.632 --> 00:01:38.471 We've got obviously, we've seen politics, corruption and politics. 00:01:38.471 --> 00:01:40.373 It's been popping up on every side. 00:01:40.373 --> 00:01:44.510 This party, that party, this group, this saint, what else we got going on here? 00:01:44.510 --> 00:01:45.344 France. 00:01:45.344 --> 00:01:46.746 This happened in Paris. 00:01:46.746 --> 00:01:52.852 Thousand protesters were arrested in one night in a riot that just erupted in the city, it was mass destruction. 00:01:52.852 --> 00:01:54.855 Millions and millions of dollars. 00:01:54.855 --> 00:01:57.391 Let's see what else Groceries. 00:01:57.391 --> 00:01:58.459 How many of you have been shopping? 00:01:58.459 --> 00:01:59.694 Have you all seen prices? 00:01:59.694 --> 00:02:04.231 Look, I got three kids, and that box of cereal has gotten expensive. 00:02:04.231 --> 00:02:05.766 Grocery prices, Crazy. 00:02:05.766 --> 00:02:08.036 What else we got going on? 00:02:08.036 --> 00:02:08.736 Let's see here. 00:02:08.736 --> 00:02:10.604 Interest rates. 00:02:10.604 --> 00:02:12.407 Crazy. 20 year high. 00:02:12.407 --> 00:02:14.742 What's going on? 00:02:14.742 --> 00:02:15.610 What's up with that? 00:02:15.610 --> 00:02:18.313 What else we got? 00:02:18.313 --> 00:02:24.954 The war with Israel and Hamas-- praying for the peace of Israel like we're seeing scripture come alive. 00:02:24.954 --> 00:02:26.855 Revelations in time is lining up. 00:02:26.855 --> 00:02:29.258 What does this mean? Is it soon? 00:02:29.258 --> 00:02:29.725 Is it in the. 00:02:29.725 --> 00:02:30.926 Are we in the tribulation? 00:02:30.926 --> 00:02:33.163 Are we in the end time? So where are we? 00:02:33.163 --> 00:02:35.298 What else have we got? 00:02:35.298 --> 00:02:36.633 More natural disasters. 00:02:36.633 --> 00:02:41.572 Amazon right now is facing the worst drought that it's ever had in history. 00:02:41.572 --> 00:02:44.307 Not even There's no records of a drought this bad. 00:02:44.307 --> 00:02:47.478 We're seeing other other natural disasters throughout the earth. 00:02:47.478 --> 00:02:49.312 What else we got now? 00:02:49.413 --> 00:02:50.647 The war in Ukraine and Russia. 00:02:50.647 --> 00:02:51.515 They're still at it. 00:02:51.515 --> 00:02:53.350 Still going at it right now. 00:02:53.350 --> 00:02:58.323 It's it's crazy what all happened this year. 00:02:58.323 --> 00:02:59.723 So where are we? 00:02:59.723 --> 00:03:00.658 What's going on? 00:03:00.658 --> 00:03:01.893 What's the posture of the believer? 00:03:01.893 --> 00:03:03.228 Do we run and hide? 00:03:03.228 --> 00:03:06.365 Do we do we do we grab our shotguns and our tuna? 00:03:06.365 --> 00:03:09.100 Do we? You know, what is it? 00:03:09.100 --> 00:03:16.808 Well, one thing I encourage you is this is we are closer today than we were yesterday of his return. 00:03:16.876 --> 00:03:17.276 Amen. 00:03:17.276 --> 00:03:20.212 Can we all agree to that? 00:03:20.212 --> 00:03:32.492 And I'm going to tell you, it is my personal conviction, my personal conviction that we will see the greatest outpouring of his spirit and the last days when we're going to see mass salvation, crazy miracles take place. 00:03:32.492 --> 00:03:35.496 I believe that with everything in me. 00:03:35.562 --> 00:03:39.933 But the question is this how do we posture ourself with where we're at now? 00:03:39.933 --> 00:03:48.143 So if you've got your Bibles, open up to I Thessalonians Chapter five, Paul breaks this down. 00:03:48.143 --> 00:03:54.716 And what we're going to do is break down the posture of believers in where we're supposed to be today. 00:03:54.716 --> 00:03:58.753 I'm going to tell you right now, this is what we just experienced in 2023. 00:03:58.753 --> 00:04:03.992 I'm going to tell you something that is not going to maybe be completely encouraging, but just know this. 00:04:03.992 --> 00:04:10.733 We're on the winning side. In 2024 we're probably going to see a lot more stuff. 00:04:10.733 --> 00:04:12.235 It's just the reality. 00:04:12.235 --> 00:04:13.870 It's an election year. 00:04:13.870 --> 00:04:15.604 We're probably, you know, interest rates. 00:04:15.604 --> 00:04:17.607 Who knows where we're going to see that go. 00:04:17.607 --> 00:04:19.776 Grocery prices, everything. 00:04:19.776 --> 00:04:29.786 So in First Thessalonians chapter five, Paul breaks this down as the day of the Lord and where the posture of the believers are. 00:04:29.853 --> 00:04:30.821 I'm going to read this. 00:04:30.821 --> 00:04:34.391 I'm going to read down from verse one down to ten. 00:04:34.391 --> 00:04:46.704 But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. 00:04:46.704 --> 00:04:55.314 For when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they shall not escape. 00:04:55.314 --> 00:05:00.954 But you brethren are not in the darkness so that the day you should overtake you as a thief. 00:05:00.954 --> 00:05:03.723 You are all sons of the light, sons of the day. 00:05:03.723 --> 00:05:05.791 We are not of the night, nor the darkness. 00:05:05.791 --> 00:05:08.795 Therefore, let us not sleep as others do. 00:05:08.795 --> 00:05:15.569 But let us watch and be sober for those who sleep, sleep at night and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 00:05:15.569 --> 00:05:33.988 But let us who are the days sober put on the breastplate of faith and love and as the helmet of hope and of salvation for God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that we that whether we are wake or sleep, shall together with him. 00:05:34.055 --> 00:05:35.223 That is encouraging. 00:05:35.223 --> 00:05:36.190 Let me just tell you this. 00:05:36.190 --> 00:05:37.892 That is encouraging. 00:05:37.892 --> 00:05:41.096 Paul saying, Hey, look, here's what's going on. 00:05:41.096 --> 00:05:45.401 Don't be like the world. At that time, that message when he says be sober at night. 00:05:45.401 --> 00:06:09.492 What that was about was the ritual of that, that in the culture, in that church, the Thessalonians was was they would party all night be very do all kind of crazy sexual acts be drunk all night and totally to disconnect from reality and Paul is like, listen, listen he's going to come like a thief in the night and you need to be ready for his return. 00:06:09.492 --> 00:06:12.329 You need to have your heart postured and ready. 00:06:12.329 --> 00:06:14.865 That's why it's like keep the full armor of God on. 00:06:14.865 --> 00:06:17.535 Have you ever seen someone when they're ready, are watching? 00:06:17.535 --> 00:06:19.002 Have you ever been fishing or hunting? 00:06:19.002 --> 00:06:26.377 And you watch a hunter that's watching every movement of the woods looking, okay, where's that big buck coming up? 00:06:26.377 --> 00:06:30.749 Or where you're out fishing and you're, and you’re fishing off the bottom and you're just watching your line. 00:06:30.749 --> 00:06:31.983 You're watching your line. 00:06:31.983 --> 00:06:34.353 There's this intention, there's this focus. 00:06:34.353 --> 00:06:36.555 Paul's like, listen, you've got to be awake. 00:06:36.555 --> 00:06:40.892 You've got to be alert, you've got to be paying attention to what is going on. 00:06:40.892 --> 00:06:48.033 You need to be aware of the times, but you don't need to be consumed with it and just know if you're ready, you're fine, you'll be good. 00:06:48.033 --> 00:06:52.172 But you have your heart postured in that position. 00:06:52.238 --> 00:06:57.011 And when he brought up the whole point on being sober minded, this was really convicting to me. 00:06:57.011 --> 00:06:59.012 And let me tell you why. 00:06:59.012 --> 00:07:03.850 It's very easy to find things. 00:07:03.850 --> 00:07:05.954 And I'm not just talking alcohol sober. 00:07:05.954 --> 00:07:13.595 It's very things to medicate where you're not sober minded is very easy. 00:07:13.661 --> 00:07:19.067 That phone and social media, anything to numb out reality. 00:07:19.067 --> 00:07:22.403 And I'm going to tell you as a parent, I got convicted. 00:07:22.403 --> 00:07:23.172 Thank you, Holy Spirit. 00:07:23.172 --> 00:07:29.978 I got convicted where I had to start putting timers on certain apps because, you know, it's been a long day. 00:07:29.978 --> 00:07:30.947 It's been night. 00:07:30.947 --> 00:07:33.182 You know, your kids like, let's do this, let's do that. 00:07:33.182 --> 00:07:35.218 You're like, I don't want to do anything. 00:07:35.218 --> 00:07:36.786 You know, that kid's like, will you lay in bed with me? 00:07:36.786 --> 00:07:37.519 And you pull out your phone. 00:07:37.519 --> 00:07:40.057 You're just like, okay, go to sleep, go to sleep. 00:07:40.057 --> 00:07:43.093 And you're scrolling and you're scrolling and you're numbing out. 00:07:43.093 --> 00:07:44.360 You're not being sober minded. 00:07:44.360 --> 00:07:49.365 You're not being in tune with your child in that moment. 00:07:49.466 --> 00:08:01.579 Or I remember not too long ago we were watching a family movie and it was a movie I really didn't want to watch It’d been a long day and I'm sitting there and we're watching it, and a few minutes later I'm like, let's check my email. 00:08:01.579 --> 00:08:03.747 let's check Instagram, Let's check this. 00:08:03.747 --> 00:08:07.985 Let's check that. One of my kids go, Hey, you're going to watch this with us? 00:08:07.985 --> 00:08:10.254 It was very convicting. 00:08:10.254 --> 00:08:14.726 But that is an example of not being sober minded. 00:08:14.726 --> 00:08:20.833 It's even though Paul was referring to the way that they would party all night, pull these all nighters, be wild and crazy. 00:08:20.833 --> 00:08:30.843 There are things that we do, whether and there's good things that we do that we that that prevent us from being sober minded, even good habits. 00:08:30.843 --> 00:08:31.745 I love working out. 00:08:31.745 --> 00:08:36.984 I work out every day if I'm not careful, that is me not being sober-minded. 00:08:36.984 --> 00:08:52.333 That is me disconnecting, that is me checking out, whether it's food, whether it's other forms of addiction, anything we use to medicate our hearts, to disconnect this from the reality of where we're at is preventing us from being sober minded. 00:08:52.399 --> 00:08:56.705 So let's read on a little bit. 00:08:56.772 --> 00:09:05.748 So Paul was encouraging that the church being like, Look, you need to be aware of the times, but you also need to be like the wise virgins and not the foolish virgins of Matthew 25. 00:09:05.748 --> 00:09:09.317 If y'all know that story, the Wise Virgins had the oil and they were ready. 00:09:09.317 --> 00:09:11.553 They were ready for the groom, they were ready, they were in tune. 00:09:11.553 --> 00:09:12.322 They were ready. 00:09:12.322 --> 00:09:15.158 Whenever he comes, whenever you shoot shows, we're going to be ready. 00:09:15.158 --> 00:09:19.729 But then the foolish virgins when he came, we're not ready. 00:09:19.830 --> 00:09:21.465 So let’s read back down a little further. 00:09:21.465 --> 00:09:31.509 Verse 11 therefore comfort each other, edify one another, just as also as you're doing various exhortations. 00:09:31.509 --> 00:09:41.619 And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who are labor among you and are over you in the Lord, admonishing and esteem them very highly in love for their work sake. 00:09:41.619 --> 00:09:44.221 Be at peace among yourselves. 00:09:44.221 --> 00:09:45.856 Can I tell you? 00:09:45.856 --> 00:09:48.894 So I want to encourage you if you don't have a Bible reading plan. 00:09:48.894 --> 00:09:50.729 Pastor John's got one out there. 00:09:50.729 --> 00:09:51.429 Do it. 00:09:51.429 --> 00:10:02.542 I'm doing the one year Bible reading thing, and at the end of I'm finished with just today, finished Revelation, just finished the Bible starting again in the morning. 00:10:02.642 --> 00:10:20.193 In the last few gospels that John emphasizes time and time again, Hey, encourage one another, encourage one another, be at peace, be at peace, encourage one another. 00:10:20.260 --> 00:10:39.014 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn those who are unruly, comfort the faint hearted uphold the weak be patient with all See that no one renders evil for evil, but always pursue what is good for yourselves and for all. 00:10:39.081 --> 00:10:44.687 The way we're supposed to be as believers in the time that we're living in this verse is this. 00:10:44.687 --> 00:10:45.888 We're supposed to be alert. 00:10:45.888 --> 00:10:46.922 We're supposed to be aware. 00:10:46.922 --> 00:10:52.528 We're supposed to walk in the full armor of God, be ready at all times. 00:10:52.729 --> 00:10:56.131 But we're also supposed to encourage one another. 00:10:56.131 --> 00:11:01.004 We're supposed to breathe life into each other's hearts. 00:11:01.071 --> 00:11:06.176 You know, it's interesting In the American culture, sometimes two best friends can be walking side by side. 00:11:06.176 --> 00:11:11.048 And unless you're watching their facial expressions, you don't know they’re best friends. 00:11:11.048 --> 00:11:21.125 When you go to other cultures, they demonstrate that a little bit later on, Paul's like, Hey, look, greet each other with a holy kiss. 00:11:21.125 --> 00:11:25.964 Now look, I love you all, but if you do that to me, you're going to regret it. 00:11:25.964 --> 00:11:29.902 But culturally, that was how they greeted each other. 00:11:29.902 --> 00:11:31.102 That was part of the customs. 00:11:31.102 --> 00:11:33.371 That was part, Hey, this is a sign of affection. 00:11:33.371 --> 00:11:36.708 This is a sign that this is someone that I'm close to. 00:11:36.708 --> 00:11:48.554 Paul's like, show that affection, encourage one another. In Uganda-- the men in Uganda, if they're really good friends, if they're really close friends, they walk hand-in-hand. 00:11:48.554 --> 00:11:49.923 I remember seeing that the first time. 00:11:49.923 --> 00:11:51.792 And I was like, What is that? 00:11:51.792 --> 00:11:53.360 That's weird. 00:11:53.360 --> 00:12:06.139 But the more I got to learn the culture, this is how they express that we are friends, we are brothers, we are here together, we are doing life together. 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:12.279 Paul's like, Hey, look, encourage each other, speak life, breathe life. 00:12:12.279 --> 00:12:14.215 Sow seeds into people's life. 00:12:14.215 --> 00:12:25.059 I'll tell you, one conviction I had years ago was whenever I'm finding a struggle that I'm struggling in like an area, I find someone who has the same struggle and I bless them. 00:12:25.059 --> 00:12:31.734 If it's finances are bless them, if it's they're struggling with something emotionally and need prayer for something, depression. 00:12:31.734 --> 00:12:42.412 I find out what that need is and I bless them in that area Paul is saying, Hey, encourage each other, bring hope. 00:12:42.511 --> 00:12:44.581 Going back to cultures. 00:12:44.581 --> 00:12:55.091 I remember when I was in college, I went to a Christian college in Dallas, Texas-- half the school, or I’d say probably a third of the school was Latin. 00:12:55.192 --> 00:13:06.203 And if you read if you know anything about the Latin culture, the way they greet each other is with a kiss on the side of the cheek. 00:13:06.303 --> 00:13:13.010 And guys, girls- now guys don't do that, but if a guy's greeting a girl, they would they would kiss her on the side of the cheek. 00:13:13.010 --> 00:13:17.048 Let me tell you something, This is before I met Adrienne, so hang on. 00:13:17.048 --> 00:13:28.061 When you're 18 years old and you're exposed to a whole new culture of the Latin world man, you'd be like, I want to greet this beautiful Latin girl. 00:13:28.128 --> 00:13:29.928 But again, that is the culture. 00:13:29.928 --> 00:13:32.731 That was how they do that. 00:13:32.731 --> 00:13:33.332 So how did. 00:13:33.332 --> 00:13:39.072 But here's the question I'm asking us today is how do people know we're believers? 00:13:39.072 --> 00:13:42.676 How do we people know that we're there for each other? 00:13:42.676 --> 00:13:47.548 Encouraging, putting hope into each other's life is it expressed? 00:13:47.548 --> 00:13:52.253 Is expressed through the way we're doing things? 00:13:52.352 --> 00:14:00.361 Can we can people watch our lives in a way and go, man, they got something different than I have. 00:14:00.361 --> 00:14:02.096 They've got they've got hope. 00:14:02.096 --> 00:14:04.298 You and I carry hope. 00:14:04.298 --> 00:14:06.302 But let me tell you something. 00:14:06.302 --> 00:14:32.428 All these things over here, political war, inflation, natural disasters, prophecy, scriptures, if I'm not careful, those things without the Word of God and His Spirit and Holy Spirit leading me into all wisdom, those things without those, I’ll move in fear. 00:14:32.495 --> 00:14:41.438 And when I move in fear, I don't love well, when I'm afraid I do not love well. 00:14:41.438 --> 00:14:47.546 And the message that Paul was saying to the church was saying, look, you have hope. 00:14:47.546 --> 00:14:51.182 Don't be afraid. 00:14:51.249 --> 00:14:57.056 Walk in love, walk in peace. 00:14:57.121 --> 00:15:01.460 Don't be afraid. 00:15:01.559 --> 00:15:05.999 I know for me personally, I'll do really well. 00:15:05.999 --> 00:15:11.236 I'll be like, you know, I'll be like on cloud nine, I'll have my time with Jesus and all that. 00:15:11.236 --> 00:15:15.609 And then Adrienne will be like, Hey, look, we got this bill we need to pay, or We got to do this or we got to do that. 00:15:15.609 --> 00:15:21.215 And I'm like, If I'm not careful, I'll move in fear. 00:15:21.280 --> 00:15:23.817 If I'm not careful, I'm not walking in hope. 00:15:23.817 --> 00:15:28.755 If I'm not careful, I'm not walking in love. 00:15:28.855 --> 00:15:36.630 And there's times to, as believers when we read the word, if we're not careful, we let this drive us to fear and control. 00:15:36.630 --> 00:15:42.504 And we don't see his beautiful love message to us through it. 00:15:42.604 --> 00:15:45.039 This is a love letter to us. 00:15:45.039 --> 00:15:46.475 This is meant to encourage us. 00:15:46.475 --> 00:15:52.114 It's meant to drive us to hope, drive us to him. 00:15:52.181 --> 00:16:07.297 But if I let what we saw last year or what we could potentially see this year, the politics, the the, the natural disasters, this that if I'm not careful, I'm not walking in hope but fear. 00:16:07.397 --> 00:16:09.399 Alright, let’s read down a little further. 00:16:09.399 --> 00:16:13.169 All right. 00:16:13.236 --> 00:16:25.082 Verse 15, Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 00:16:25.149 --> 00:16:34.960 This is a pivotal key verse in this passage. 00:16:35.027 --> 00:16:38.797 What does it look like to pray without ceasing? 00:16:38.797 --> 00:16:41.801 What does that look like? 00:16:41.833 --> 00:16:46.105 The second part of that verse is actually I feel the key that unlocks the whole passage 00:16:49.208 --> 00:16:54.748 in everything give thanks. 00:16:54.813 --> 00:16:58.485 In everything give thanks. 00:17:00.453 --> 00:17:04.090 We enter his gates with what? 00:17:04.157 --> 00:17:06.493 With what exactly? 00:17:06.493 --> 00:17:13.433 In his courts, with praise, he inhabits the praises of his people. 00:17:13.534 --> 00:17:15.670 So I want to do a little illustration this morning. 00:17:15.670 --> 00:17:17.471 I'm a very visual learner. 00:17:17.471 --> 00:17:18.640 It's just how I learn. 00:17:18.640 --> 00:17:20.575 So, Mr. 00:17:20.575 --> 00:17:22.443 Troy, can you come up? Thank you, sir. 00:17:22.443 --> 00:17:29.551 So I asked Troy to come up, and I'm a little taller than him, so I got him a little a little step stool here. 00:17:29.551 --> 00:17:31.753 There we go. Stand right there. 00:17:31.753 --> 00:17:33.055 Thank you, sir. 00:17:33.055 --> 00:17:34.757 I'm sorry. I asked Josh Lightle. 00:17:34.757 --> 00:17:36.792 He had this opp- look, we're about the same height now. 00:17:36.792 --> 00:17:43.967 I asked Josh Lightle, but he had a family thing come up, so just know that Josh could have been this role. 00:17:43.967 --> 00:17:49.272 But anyway, I'm going to ask Troy to be Jesus. Here you go Jesus. 00:17:49.272 --> 00:17:51.674 Doesn’t he make a good Jesus? I think so. 00:17:51.674 --> 00:17:55.746 He had a little thicker beard last time, but anyway, he makes a good Jesus. 00:17:59.450 --> 00:18:03.186 what we do in prayer is this. 00:18:03.253 --> 00:18:12.564 We try to take Jesus, Jesus and we try to pull Jesus over in front of our situation and we try to put him right here, be like, okay, fix this political situation. 00:18:12.564 --> 00:18:16.769 Thank you Jesus, he's fixing my political situation, it's all good. 00:18:16.769 --> 00:18:20.439 And then we look back and we're like, Jesus, I need you. 00:18:20.439 --> 00:18:21.307 Do me a favor. 00:18:21.307 --> 00:18:22.208 I need you to fix this. 00:18:22.208 --> 00:18:23.308 Inflation Finances. 00:18:23.308 --> 00:18:32.919 Groceries are expensive, kids are expensive, and then we're trying to go on with life and we look back and we're like, oh there's just so many things that are going on. 00:18:33.019 --> 00:18:34.354 But here's what happens. 00:18:34.354 --> 00:18:41.595 When we enter his gates with thanksgiving, he responds. 00:18:41.662 --> 00:18:42.096 Did you catch that? 00:18:42.096 --> 00:18:43.364 This is the key thing. 00:18:43.364 --> 00:18:49.236 When we enter his gates with thanksgiving, he responds. 00:18:49.303 --> 00:18:53.840 This is something that personally right now that I'm trying to be more proactive in. 00:18:53.840 --> 00:19:01.750 Whenever I start having a thought of woe is me or this or that, I start making a list of things I'm thankful for. 00:19:01.750 --> 00:19:02.616 Just start writing them. 00:19:02.616 --> 00:19:03.984 Start writing them down. 00:19:03.984 --> 00:19:07.321 I'm thankful that I have a wood stove in the winter. 00:19:07.321 --> 00:19:09.157 Thank you. I have a AC in the summer. 00:19:09.157 --> 00:19:10.826 I thank you that I live by the river. 00:19:10.826 --> 00:19:13.128 I thank you for my guitars and thank you for my children. 00:19:13.128 --> 00:19:15.196 I think I just. I start making a list. 00:19:15.196 --> 00:19:22.105 I start making that list and writing it out until whatever feeling I'm feeling leaves. 00:19:22.238 --> 00:19:23.173 Because I'm... 00:19:23.173 --> 00:19:24.773 Thank you, Lord. Thank you for this. 00:19:24.773 --> 00:19:25.808 But here's the key thing. 00:19:25.808 --> 00:19:36.252 When we enter the praying without ceasing from a place of thanksgiving, this is what happens. Come here. Jesus. 00:19:36.353 --> 00:19:39.356 He starts to respond to us. 00:19:39.490 --> 00:19:41.491 Okay, now check this out. 00:19:41.491 --> 00:19:43.594 Then suddenly. Thank you. 00:19:43.594 --> 00:19:47.164 We enter with thanksgiving and he responds to the praises of his people. 00:19:47.164 --> 00:19:49.968 He responds as we pray from that place without ceasing. 00:19:49.968 --> 00:19:53.238 Then suddenly, guess what my focus is? 00:19:53.305 --> 00:19:55.874 Where is my focus? 00:19:55.874 --> 00:19:58.309 Where's my focus? 00:19:58.309 --> 00:20:01.313 What about everything else? 00:20:01.380 --> 00:20:04.750 It's not my focus. 00:20:04.817 --> 00:20:05.817 Is it there? 00:20:05.817 --> 00:20:09.588 Yes, but guess who is taking care of everything? 00:20:09.588 --> 00:20:15.494 Guess who will show me the steps of obedience to walk in? Right. 00:20:15.561 --> 00:20:19.332 So I want to encourage you right now. 00:20:19.398 --> 00:20:26.073 When you go to that place of praying without ceasing, start with thanksgiving. 00:20:26.073 --> 00:20:30.944 Start with thanksgiving. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts, with praise. 00:20:30.944 --> 00:20:35.782 This was this was what God the father showed Moses in the tabernacle. 00:20:35.782 --> 00:20:37.919 This is the model of the tabernacle. 00:20:37.919 --> 00:20:41.690 You would enter the outer courts with thanksgiving. 00:20:41.690 --> 00:20:42.958 Thank you, Jesus. 00:20:42.958 --> 00:20:52.034 Can we give Jesus a round of applause? 00:20:52.101 --> 00:20:54.002 deacons, you can go ahead and prepare communion. 00:20:54.002 --> 00:20:55.704 That'd be great. 00:20:55.704 --> 00:21:02.478 But this year, I really want to see the posture of each of our hearts. 00:21:02.478 --> 00:21:03.613 And I'm talking to myself. 00:21:03.613 --> 00:21:28.071 I'm not just this isn't me just pointing fingers to learn to pray without ceasing and to start with thanksgiving because no matter what I face, my focus must be Jesus. 00:21:28.173 --> 00:21:29.140 And he responds. 00:21:29.140 --> 00:21:36.515 And if I can stay in that place, no matter if it's okay, is this prophecy lining with Scripture, is this political thing happen, is worried about my finances? 00:21:36.515 --> 00:21:37.782 What about nature? 00:21:37.782 --> 00:21:40.786 Hey, Jesus is going to be my focus. 00:21:40.853 --> 00:21:44.123 Jesus is going to be my focus. 00:21:44.222 --> 00:21:52.898 I was dropping off my boys at school the other day and our our children go to a private school in Jtown. 00:21:52.898 --> 00:21:55.701 And it's a sacrifice, plain and simple. 00:21:55.701 --> 00:22:13.487 It's cost money, and we sacrifice and we penny pinch and we do what we need to do for our children to go and and again, that's I know some people can't you know, they're not supposed to, but it's been a good fit for our kids. 00:22:13.587 --> 00:22:18.759 Coen, my oldest son, was dropping him off and he looked at me, said, Hey, dad, thanks. 00:22:18.759 --> 00:22:20.060 Thanks. 00:22:20.060 --> 00:22:21.429 I know it's expensive. 00:22:21.429 --> 00:22:24.432 Thanks. 00:22:24.633 --> 00:22:31.472 As a father, I hear my son say that I'm like, Heck yeah, I'll sacrifice. 00:22:31.472 --> 00:22:33.474 I'll do whatever it takes. 00:22:33.474 --> 00:22:41.817 Responding to his thanksgiving is I'm going to draw near. 00:22:41.817 --> 00:22:45.855 I want to do whatever it takes to sacrifice for whatever he needs. 00:22:45.855 --> 00:22:49.326 I'll do it. 00:22:49.392 --> 00:22:55.465 So let’s read down the last little part of this. 00:22:55.531 --> 00:22:58.635 Got my notes all twisted up here. 00:22:58.635 --> 00:23:03.507 There we are. 00:23:03.574 --> 00:23:07.711 In verse 19, Do not quench the spirit. 00:23:07.711 --> 00:23:11.015 Do not despise prophecies and test all things. 00:23:11.015 --> 00:23:14.286 Hold fast to what is good and abstain from evil. 00:23:14.286 --> 00:23:22.126 Abstain from every form of evil. 00:23:22.227 --> 00:23:33.338 One thing too that I'm pushing for myself right now is to be slow to judge, be slow to judge. 00:23:33.338 --> 00:23:34.874 If it looks a little different. 00:23:34.874 --> 00:23:37.844 Hey, look, God will never violate his word. 00:23:37.844 --> 00:23:42.082 He never -- He doesn't have a problem blowing up the boxes I put his word in. 00:23:42.082 --> 00:23:44.585 Okay? 00:23:44.585 --> 00:23:48.321 But I don't want to have a critical spirit. 00:23:48.321 --> 00:23:53.794 I don't want to have a critical spirit and quench the spirit of God and what he's doing. 00:23:53.794 --> 00:23:58.432 And look, I can be sarcastic sometimes. 00:23:58.532 --> 00:24:01.403 That comes from a bad place. 00:24:01.403 --> 00:24:05.140 I want that area to be refined more. 00:24:05.207 --> 00:24:08.175 I want his spirit to move through me. 00:24:08.175 --> 00:24:09.243 I want to be sensitive. 00:24:09.243 --> 00:24:19.622 I want to be slow to judge, quick to speak and say, Hey, look, whatever the spirit of God is doing, run it through the word, run it to the character of God. 00:24:19.689 --> 00:24:21.590 Say, Lord, I trust you. 00:24:21.590 --> 00:24:29.499 You breathe life on what needs to be life breathed upon and the things aren't, you, you take care of. 00:24:29.566 --> 00:24:38.375 So here's what I want to do now, as we're kind of-- deacons, y'all can go ahead and start serving the community-- Here's what I want to do. 00:24:38.375 --> 00:24:42.512 I want you to each take a moment for a second. 00:24:42.512 --> 00:24:51.021 The worship team is going to play in the background, and I want you to begin to ask the Lord-- no, excuse me. 00:24:51.021 --> 00:24:52.589 Let me rephrase that. 00:24:52.589 --> 00:24:54.125 Thank you, sir. 00:24:54.125 --> 00:24:58.630 I want you to begin to tell him what you're thankful for. 00:24:58.696 --> 00:25:02.401 Begin to tell him what you're grateful for. 00:25:02.401 --> 00:25:04.470 Begin to thank him for things. 00:25:04.470 --> 00:25:06.438 I don't care how big they are, how small they're. 00:25:06.438 --> 00:25:09.741 If you have a pen and paper, write them down. 00:25:09.842 --> 00:25:12.511 It could be your thankful for that gift you got for Christmas. 00:25:12.511 --> 00:25:16.449 You’re thankful for that family member that you got to see. 00:25:16.449 --> 00:25:51.886 So again, as they're serving communion, go ahead and do that. 00:25:51.987 --> 00:25:54.656 If you’ve got something to write it down, please write it down. 00:25:54.656 --> 00:25:59.194 If not's no big deal, just let your spirit begin to thank him. 00:25:59.194 --> 00:25:59.795 Thank him. 00:25:59.795 --> 00:26:01.096 Thank you for this. 00:26:01.096 --> 00:26:03.199 Thank you Lord for your son. 00:26:03.199 --> 00:26:06.869 Thank you for your peace that passes all understanding. 00:26:06.869 --> 00:26:11.106 Thank you that I can trust you. 00:26:11.173 --> 00:26:36.634 Sometimes when I'm struggling with something to be thankful for, I go to Psalm 139 and I just begin to make this personal. 00:26:36.701 --> 00:26:39.637 It's like, you know my sitting down and my rising up. 00:26:39.637 --> 00:26:46.846 You understand my thoughts afar off, you comprehend my path and me lying down. 00:26:46.846 --> 00:26:48.279 He knows everything. 00:26:48.279 --> 00:26:53.118 He knows the thought before I think it and it doesn't scare him. 00:26:53.219 --> 00:26:57.624 He knows every desire of my heart. 00:26:57.723 --> 00:27:08.469 And I'm just telling you, Church, No matter what we face this year, learning to pray without ceasing, learning to be thankful. 00:27:08.469 --> 00:27:11.337 Just like when Troy came towards me. 00:27:11.337 --> 00:27:13.473 And I'm staying in a place of praying without ceasing. 00:27:13.473 --> 00:27:14.407 I'm not stopping. 00:27:14.407 --> 00:27:17.377 I'm pressing in, I’m praying and I'm thankful. 00:27:17.377 --> 00:27:23.751 I’m entering his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. 00:27:23.751 --> 00:27:25.987 I'm drawing near. 00:27:25.987 --> 00:27:39.000 So as you take this communion right now, we take the body and we say, Thank you, Jesus for your body. 00:27:39.000 --> 00:27:47.576 That was broken. 00:27:47.644 --> 00:27:58.755 We take the blood and we say, Thank you, Jesus for your blood that washes away all sins, every sin that I would ever commit. 00:27:58.821 --> 00:28:02.692 We thank you for your blood. 00:28:02.692 --> 00:28:03.193 Take it. 00:28:03.193 --> 00:28:17.675 Choose. 00:28:17.741 --> 00:28:30.256 So the end of this passage, Paul says that the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 00:28:30.321 --> 00:28:31.856 Amen. 00:28:31.856 --> 00:28:48.275 And I want to encourage you, Church, No matter what this year brings, no matter what we face, we're going to love others well, and we're going to move in a spirit of thanksgiving. 00:28:48.275 --> 00:28:54.013 We're going to pray without ceasing, and we're going to rejoice in all things. 00:28:54.114 --> 00:28:57.117 Amen. Amen. 00:28:57.151 --> 00:28:59.319 Amen. 00:28:59.319 --> 00:29:03.057 Church. 00:29:03.124 --> 00:29:04.491 I just I just feel. 00:29:04.491 --> 00:29:13.335 this right at the end of service here, I want to pray a blessing over every household and then I'll do a couple announcements for Pastor John. 00:29:13.335 --> 00:29:19.775 So if you want to receive it, just kind of posture yourself in a receiving place. Like it's a gift. 00:29:19.775 --> 00:29:22.310 There we go. Nice. 00:29:22.310 --> 00:29:30.686 Heavenly Father, I thank you for every home I pray this year, Lord would be a year of breakthrough for every household. 00:29:30.686 --> 00:29:51.275 I prayed, Lord, that you would shine your light upon the face of each person here this morning over every home that Lord, you would draw them closer to you, Father, if there's an area of need Lord that you would provide, if there's an area of healing that needs to take place, Lord, that you would provide. 00:29:51.275 --> 00:29:58.516 Lord If there's sickness or disease that they're carrying into the next year, Lord, that you would minister to them there and you would bring healing. 00:29:58.516 --> 00:30:05.557 Father, I pray the blood of Jesus over every household, the full armor of God over every household this year, Lord. 00:30:05.557 --> 00:30:18.438 Lord, no matter what comes their way, that they will stand and rejoice in all things, that they will walk in a spirit of thanksgiving, that they will pray without ceasing because of you. 00:30:18.438 --> 00:30:22.509 Because, Lord, we thank you that we're on the winning side with you. 00:30:22.675 --> 00:30:27.346 We thank you that you've gone before us and prepared the way. 00:30:27.346 --> 00:30:29.682 In Jesus name, Amen. 00:30:29.682 --> 00:30:32.185 Amen. Amen. Amen, church.