WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:05.679 The scripture is taken from Isaiah chapter 43 verses 18 to 19. 00:00:05.679 --> 00:00:10.759 "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. 00:00:10.759 --> 00:00:14.039 See, I'm doing a new thing, now it springs up. 00:00:14.039 --> 00:00:16.480 Do you not perceive it? 00:00:16.480 --> 00:00:26.000 I'm making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." That's the word of the Lord. 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:28.160 Praise be to God. 00:00:30.160 --> 00:00:32.399 Thanks, Jade, for reading that. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.200 The scripture is for this morning. 00:00:35.200 --> 00:00:37.439 We have a guest speaker this morning. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:39.479 Her name is Eileen, Pastor Eileen. 00:00:39.479 --> 00:00:42.920 She pastors a church in North Vancouver. 00:00:42.920 --> 00:00:43.920 Yeah. 00:00:43.920 --> 00:00:50.679 So I'll give her a little bit of time to be able to share a little bit about herself this morning, but we would like to pray for her before she gives us the word. 00:00:50.679 --> 00:00:57.159 So Eileen, why don't you come up here and we want to pray for you before you give us God's word here this morning. 00:00:58.119 --> 00:00:59.119 Let's pray, Church. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:03.679 Father, we thank you this morning for the opportunity to come into your presence. 00:01:03.679 --> 00:01:11.439 We know that we are invited into your courts and help us to come with thanksgiving and praises in our hearts. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:14.640 This morning we want to lift up Pastor Eileen to you. 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.680 We thank you for her ministry. 00:01:16.680 --> 00:01:22.439 We thank you for her family and we thank you for all that you've done with her and through her. 00:01:22.439 --> 00:01:25.680 And so this morning we asked that you would just anoint her, God. 00:01:25.680 --> 00:01:30.959 This morning her heart, her spirit, her speech, her preparation. 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:38.879 As she delivers your word to us, that we, the body, might be attentive to your spoken word this morning. 00:01:38.879 --> 00:01:46.920 Help us to receive with open hearts, humble hearts, to hear what you have to share with us and speak to us here this morning. 00:01:46.920 --> 00:01:48.760 So to your glory we pray. 00:01:48.760 --> 00:01:50.599 We ask all these things in Jesus' name. 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:51.599 Amen. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:52.599 Amen. 00:01:52.599 --> 00:01:53.599 Thank you. 00:01:53.599 --> 00:01:54.599 Can you just come up? 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:56.280 This is the recording. 00:01:56.280 --> 00:01:57.280 Gotcha. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:01:58.280 Okay. 00:01:58.280 --> 00:01:59.280 Thank you. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:02.079 Thank you Pastor Sam for inviting me. 00:02:02.079 --> 00:02:09.280 So I bring greetings from, okay guys, I think my church beats for the longest name, okay? 00:02:09.280 --> 00:02:11.639 That's why he can't probably remember it all. 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:15.879 It's North Shore Pacific Grace Mennonite Brethren Church. 00:02:15.879 --> 00:02:16.879 Yeah. 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.680 NSPG, NBC. 00:02:18.680 --> 00:02:22.520 Or North Shore PG. 00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:27.879 So we're on the other side of the continent, so we bring you peace, okay? 00:02:27.879 --> 00:02:31.560 And I'm just so grateful to be able to worship with you guys here today. 00:02:31.560 --> 00:02:35.879 I've actually known Ruby and Sam for a very, very long time. 00:02:35.879 --> 00:02:47.639 In fact Ruby, since we were probably young teenagers, and then Sam, long, long time, since we, before we became pastors. 00:02:47.639 --> 00:03:00.919 And honestly, I'm just so blessed that you guys have, I mean you guys should be blessed to have him because over the years of knowing him, he's such a faithful, a caring person. 00:03:00.919 --> 00:03:05.719 And I know he's helped me through a lot of my challenges and ups and downs. 00:03:05.719 --> 00:03:09.560 And yeah, you guys really have a really good pastor. 00:03:09.560 --> 00:03:14.500 And so today, let's refresh our soul with God's word. 00:03:14.500 --> 00:03:17.360 And so we're going to turn to the passage again. 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:28.020 It's very short, but I want us to be able to just quiet our hearts and prepare our heart for what he is about to tell us today. 00:03:28.020 --> 00:03:33.919 So why don't we just pray again and just ask God to come and speak to us. 00:03:33.919 --> 00:03:39.419 Father God, thank you for being such a caring and loving God. 00:03:39.419 --> 00:03:46.039 We ask that you will speak to us in such a way that we can't ignore you and you will transform us one way or the other. 00:03:46.039 --> 00:03:48.439 And we pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:03:48.439 --> 00:03:49.439 Amen. 00:03:49.439 --> 00:03:53.439 Yeah, so our passage again, let's read it out together. 00:03:53.439 --> 00:04:00.240 It says, "Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:03.840 Remember I am, or behold, I am doing a new thing. 00:04:03.840 --> 00:04:05.419 Now it springs forth. 00:04:05.419 --> 00:04:07.280 Do you not perceive it? 00:04:07.280 --> 00:04:16.720 I will make a way into wilderness and rivers in the desert." Wow, what a beautiful and encouraging passage for us. 00:04:16.720 --> 00:04:22.920 Now when we just read this verse, we would naturally think that it's about like forgetting our past. 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:29.000 You know, your past is in the past and God has forgiven you. 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:35.319 But we're going to look at this in the context to see the beauty and power of this passage. 00:04:35.319 --> 00:04:42.120 Now at this time of the passage, the Israelites were actually in captivity in Babylon. 00:04:42.120 --> 00:04:52.399 So try to imagine that you were there back in that time and thinking about what they might be going through or feeling. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:56.920 Maybe it feels like COVID-19 all over again, where we're stuck in that time. 00:04:56.920 --> 00:05:03.399 Oh, by the way, here's a picture beforehand of my family and my... 00:05:03.399 --> 00:05:09.199 You know what, I noticed that my son's grade three teacher is here. 00:05:09.199 --> 00:05:10.560 Mrs. Tseng. 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:13.720 You've probably known her as Vivian, but yeah. 00:05:13.720 --> 00:05:17.319 And then my daughter, youngest one, was born during pandemic. 00:05:17.319 --> 00:05:22.319 She's six now and same age as Sam and Ruby's kids. 00:05:22.319 --> 00:05:28.439 And yeah, you can tell from the picture, the personality of each of them. 00:05:28.439 --> 00:05:33.319 And so yeah, just hear and bring you blessing from them. 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:35.839 Okay, so back to the passage. 00:05:35.839 --> 00:05:43.519 Yeah, and just think of like, because COVID, it feels like we were in captivity at that time. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:45.399 We don't want to think about that anymore, right? 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:56.360 But for the Israelites, they were at such a low point that they constantly needed assurance that things would eventually turn around for them. 00:05:56.360 --> 00:06:06.120 So why would God tell his people to remember the former things, nor consider the things of old? 00:06:06.120 --> 00:06:07.120 Right? 00:06:07.120 --> 00:06:13.519 Well, we have to look back at some of the verses before that, which is verse 16 and 17. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:20.639 And it says, okay, this is what the Lord says. 00:06:20.639 --> 00:06:39.959 He who made a way through the sea, a path through the mighty waters, who drew out the chariots and horses, the army and reinforcements together, and they lay there never to rise again, extinguished, snuffed out like a wick. 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:42.240 Okay, so think of that imagery. 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:43.720 And that was what we read. 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:49.439 Does that bring to mind an event that happened to the Israelites? 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:50.759 I love interaction. 00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:52.800 So what do you guys think? 00:06:52.800 --> 00:06:53.800 Egypt? 00:06:53.800 --> 00:06:54.800 Yeah, what? 00:06:54.800 --> 00:06:55.800 Crossing the Red Sea. 00:06:55.800 --> 00:06:56.800 Crossing the Red Sea, yes, right? 00:06:56.800 --> 00:07:08.519 You know, and so it's about the Exodus event when like God used Moses to, you know, let my people go, right? 00:07:08.519 --> 00:07:14.160 He freed the Israelites from Egypt, brought them to the Red Sea, parted the Red Sea. 00:07:14.160 --> 00:07:18.920 They walked on dry land and Pharaoh's army, they tried to chase them. 00:07:18.920 --> 00:07:24.279 And then what happened was the waters came back over them and drowned them. 00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:25.279 Right? 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:33.120 And so we jump to verse 18, and this talks about remember not the former things. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:34.120 Okay. 00:07:34.120 --> 00:07:38.639 And I love how ESV, like this version, translates verse 18. 00:07:38.639 --> 00:07:41.600 It says remember not. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:55.759 Now in the original language in Hebrew, it is "tiskeru." But "tiskeru" means remember, but it also means like to reflect on, to commemorate, to observe. 00:07:55.759 --> 00:08:03.639 So essentially what God is telling the people of Israel is basically to stop commemorating. 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:10.399 And "tiskeru" means like stop reflecting on, like stop remembering the former things. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:23.779 And when we look at this verse in context, we realize that God is actually talking about a very specific event that the Israelites are not to dwell on or to remember. 00:08:23.779 --> 00:08:27.160 And he's talking about the Exodus event. 00:08:27.160 --> 00:08:32.600 He's telling them, you got to stop reflecting on that event. 00:08:32.600 --> 00:08:38.159 Now to the Israelites, like the Exodus event was huge. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.480 Like they just love that story. 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:43.759 They love it because that was their deliverance story. 00:08:43.759 --> 00:08:47.320 Anytime that they get to talk about it, they will tell you about it, right? 00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:57.559 But why in the world would God tell the Israelites to stop remembering this important event? 00:08:57.559 --> 00:09:03.080 Well, if you look at the next verse, verse 19, it says it right there. 00:09:03.080 --> 00:09:08.080 It says, "Behold, I am doing a new thing. 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:09.360 Now it springs forth. 00:09:09.360 --> 00:09:21.519 Do you not perceive it?" So the reason God is telling the Israelites to stop remembering the Exodus event is because he wants them to behold, right? 00:09:21.519 --> 00:09:28.320 Behold means to stop paying attention because I am doing something new. 00:09:28.320 --> 00:09:31.080 Do you not see it? 00:09:31.080 --> 00:09:39.000 Because well, for them, they were so busy commemorating that Exodus event that they failed to see the new thing that God was doing. 00:09:39.000 --> 00:09:55.320 They were so bent on reflecting on the Exodus and what God did for the ancestors in the past that they basically failed to see what God wanted to do something for them in this present moment for them. 00:09:55.320 --> 00:10:16.240 Now I think for the Israelites at that time of this prophecy, they were probably saying,"Oh man, that was like the height of God's power when he was able to split the water of the Red Sea and there's no way that he could top that." That is probably as high and as powerful as God can be. 00:10:16.240 --> 00:10:24.840 So for them, they commemorated that event to the point that they failed to see what God was trying to tell them. 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:27.080 But God is saying, "Forget that. 00:10:27.080 --> 00:10:28.919 I am doing something new. 00:10:28.919 --> 00:10:48.759 Something that might even rival and surpass what I did with your ancestors in the past." And for that reason, you need to stop remembering, commemorating, reflecting on that Exodus event so that you can perceive and understand this new thing that I'm doing. 00:10:48.759 --> 00:11:05.840 So with that in mind, verse 18 and 19 is not talking about forgetting the bad things in the past or just any general thing that happened before, but it's telling us not to focus that anymore because I'm doing something new. 00:11:05.840 --> 00:11:10.600 You know, look, you need to focus on what God wants to do now. 00:11:10.600 --> 00:11:21.019 And yes, I recognize that there are some bad things in the past that keep us from moving forward or experiencing new things that God has for you. 00:11:21.019 --> 00:11:31.759 But guess what, sometimes we also focus on the good things too that God did in our past, and that also keeps us from moving forward as well. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:39.080 Because we are saying that, you know, God could never heal me again just like He did back then. 00:11:39.080 --> 00:11:47.200 Or, you know, I remember that time when God provided for me, for my family, and I just don't know if He's going to do that again. 00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.259 You know, that was a one-time thing. 00:11:50.259 --> 00:11:58.019 And sometimes, like, we need to remember we can't expect that our past victories to sustain us. 00:11:58.019 --> 00:12:04.679 And sometimes we cannot allow our past failures to paralyze us, right? 00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:11.360 The past is a great place to learn from, but sometimes it's a terrible place to live in. 00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:18.120 Because if we live in the past, we will never embrace the future that God has in store for us. 00:12:18.120 --> 00:12:33.679 Now, Isaiah, he reminds us that the people of the great things that God did for the forefathers when He brought them out of Egypt, he's saying He will make His business to do that again for you. 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:38.200 Because He is the Holy One of Israel, and He's able to do that. 00:12:38.200 --> 00:12:48.240 Now, although this generation is very different, but the Lord could also make a way in the wilderness, as well as a way through the Red Sea. 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:56.659 And the same power that God can make a way through the sea is the same that He can make a way through the wilderness for us as well. 00:12:56.659 --> 00:13:08.799 And sometimes we are able to believe that, you know, God probably might be able to do some things, but maybe He can't do or won't do other things in our lives. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:26.519 Maybe if, I don't know for what your background is, maybe if you had a hard upbringing, maybe some people have called you names, or you've been ignored, or maybe you've lost hope, and you don't expect tomorrow will be any better or worse, or any different than today. 00:13:26.519 --> 00:13:36.159 And sometimes we expect that, you know, God will help us through maybe today's disappointments, but we still believe, but do we still believe that tomorrow will be better? 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:37.600 You know what? 00:13:37.600 --> 00:13:45.679 Let me ask you, what would keep me from perceiving what God is doing? 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:51.039 What is stopping us from believing that? 00:13:51.039 --> 00:13:56.600 Maybe it's expecting that it will look like what He's done before. 00:13:56.600 --> 00:14:05.120 So here I am, maybe looking for God to part the Red Sea, because that's what He did last time, so maybe He'll do that again in my life. 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:13.000 But sometimes the greatest barrier to what God is doing is what He used to do. 00:14:13.000 --> 00:14:26.519 You know, maybe for some of you, when you became a Christian, when you first became a Christian, maybe you opened your Bible and you're like, "Okay, I'm just going to open the Bible anywhere," and God just spoke to me. 00:14:26.519 --> 00:14:40.320 And at that time, I believe it was weird because the verse number matched the time that I was reading, and at that moment it was so heavenly. 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:51.279 And now when you open the Bible again, you're thinking, "Okay, I'm just going to flip to it and God, please speak to me again like how you did." And then you flip and you're like, "What is this? 00:14:51.279 --> 00:14:54.120 Why is this depressing psalm? 00:14:54.120 --> 00:15:05.360 You know, God, speak to me! Speak to me how you used to speak to me!" And God is telling us, "I am speaking to you, but on a different frequency," right? 00:15:05.360 --> 00:15:11.960 And He's telling us, "I need you to go deeper and I need you to dig for something new." Right? 00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:18.720 Forget not His faithfulness, but forget the form that it came in. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:23.159 And for the Israelites, they just couldn't get this. 00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:28.440 So in Hebrews chapter 6, maybe I don't have it up, but I'm going to read it out. 00:15:28.440 --> 00:15:57.440 In verse 1 it says, "Therefore, let us move beyond the elementary teachings about Christ and be taken forward to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death and of faith in God." And so the writer here, he's saying to keep looking for God, to look like the law, because that's what we're addicted to, right? 00:15:57.440 --> 00:15:59.200 And so here's a warning for us. 00:15:59.200 --> 00:16:03.840 We can get addicted to one form of deliverance. 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:10.039 And then when grace comes along, we don't even know what to do with it because it's not what God used to do. 00:16:10.039 --> 00:16:12.559 So we've got to move on, okay? 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:24.120 Some of you, you might have grown up from religious environment, and for you, God wasn't happy until you were miserable, okay? 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:29.159 Or it didn't count as church unless you had to endure it, right? 00:16:29.159 --> 00:16:34.799 You need to move on from that because God is doing a new thing. 00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:43.440 You need to open your hands, lift it up to God, and be free in His presence because He's going to do a new thing in your life, right? 00:16:43.440 --> 00:16:44.440 Do you not see it? 00:16:44.440 --> 00:16:47.360 It will spring forth out of the ground, right? 00:16:47.360 --> 00:16:49.919 Do you not perceive it? 00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:59.480 You know, what got me is when God did it at the Red Sea, He actually made a way through the waters, okay? 00:16:59.480 --> 00:17:00.840 That's what He did, right? 00:17:00.840 --> 00:17:05.240 He made a way through the waters. 00:17:05.240 --> 00:17:21.859 So picture this, the waters stood up and the water separated them from their freedom, and it stood in a tension like walls on either side until they got through it and then it drowned the Egyptians. 00:17:21.859 --> 00:17:33.119 And so for the Israelites, they loved that story because that story reminded them of their deliverance where He made a way through the waters. 00:17:33.119 --> 00:17:40.519 And Isaiah says that this time, God is going to make a way, but He's not going to make a way through the waters. 00:17:40.519 --> 00:17:46.039 It says He's going to make a way in the wilderness. 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:51.500 It says verse 19, "Behold, I am doing a new thing. 00:17:51.500 --> 00:17:52.779 Now it springs forth. 00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:55.119 Do you not perceive it? 00:17:55.119 --> 00:18:02.440 I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." Okay, question time. 00:18:02.440 --> 00:18:09.440 Let me ask you, what did they need in the wilderness? 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:13.440 Even more essential, water, right? 00:18:13.440 --> 00:18:14.440 Water. 00:18:14.440 --> 00:18:21.559 So what used to be a barrier is about to be a blessing. 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:24.720 Do you see the faithfulness of God? 00:18:24.720 --> 00:18:25.920 You see what I'm saying? 00:18:25.920 --> 00:18:31.539 What used to be a barrier is now going to become a blessing. 00:18:31.539 --> 00:18:39.880 What did threaten to kill you is now what God is bringing forth to bless your life. 00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:42.359 And so God says, "I am your creator. 00:18:42.359 --> 00:18:43.920 I am your king. 00:18:43.920 --> 00:18:45.200 And this is what I do. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:48.960 I turn barriers into blessings. 00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:57.559 I turn water to dry ground into sustenance for your survival. 00:18:57.559 --> 00:19:01.559 I turn pain into power. 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:05.400 I turn shame into grace. 00:19:05.400 --> 00:19:09.279 I turn mourning into dancing. 00:19:09.279 --> 00:19:17.900 And I turn abuse and I make things straight and make a way." And he's saying, "I am a way maker. 00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:20.920 I am worthy of worship. 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:24.480 I'm worth the praise. 00:19:24.480 --> 00:19:25.480 And I love this. 00:19:25.480 --> 00:19:30.559 You're doing a new thing in your life. 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:32.039 Do you not perceive it? 00:19:32.039 --> 00:19:43.000 Do you not see it now?" I don't know what you guys gone through, but 10 years of your anniversary that you're celebrating soon, it's a celebration. 00:19:43.000 --> 00:19:46.079 It's worth commemorating. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:47.079 But you know what? 00:19:47.079 --> 00:19:50.200 There's so much more that's going to be coming. 00:19:50.200 --> 00:19:53.839 And what's next is better. 00:19:53.839 --> 00:19:58.680 What he's going to do is a new thing for your church. 00:19:58.680 --> 00:20:12.920 And that's what my faith believe is that sometimes when I find myself in the wilderness, a wilderness is not a situation where you feel like you're about to die. 00:20:12.920 --> 00:20:19.000 A wilderness is a situation like these exiles in Babylon. 00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:21.839 They're probably wondering, "How long, oh Lord? 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:37.960 How long am I going to feel like I'm in a place emotionally that I don't understand?" It wasn't the physical surrounding of Babylon that made them weep as they sat by the rivers. 00:20:37.960 --> 00:20:42.039 It wasn't a lack of prosperity. 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:45.079 It was a lack of purpose. 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:56.079 And they were asking, "How long am I going to wander in this place?" And by this time, I'm not sending Moses to get you out. 00:20:56.079 --> 00:21:01.279 This time, I'm going to send the water to where you are. 00:21:01.279 --> 00:21:03.960 And I'm going to bless you in that place. 00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:06.920 Because God is saying, "I am a way maker. 00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:12.279 I believe it and I see you do it again. 00:21:12.279 --> 00:21:28.160 But how you do it is up to you." I don't know if this will help, but sometimes when I get in situations and I just don't see a way, I don't know if you're there right now or you're going through that or you just came out of one. 00:21:28.160 --> 00:21:31.240 One thing I know is that you will find yourself. 00:21:31.240 --> 00:21:36.519 I know it feels terrible because you might feel trapped. 00:21:36.519 --> 00:21:38.920 You feel uncertain. 00:21:38.920 --> 00:21:48.640 But know this encouragement is that here comes water springing forth from the ground to where you are. 00:21:48.640 --> 00:22:19.880 I don't know what that looks like, but when I get into that internal wilderness where sometimes I can't feel God like I used to feel God, it used to be like, "Hallelujah!" But now it's like, "Hallelujah!" When I get into that place, I don't know how, I don't know who and I don't know when, but I realize it's not my job to predict the way that God is going to make. 00:22:19.880 --> 00:22:25.680 So I don't have to know how if I know who. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:37.920 And God is saying, "I am the Alpha and Omega, beginning and the end." And a lot of us, we're probably stuck in beta blessing a lot of times. 00:22:37.920 --> 00:22:42.759 Like our phones, we can't receive the upgrade because we're so stuck in the way that God used to move. 00:22:42.759 --> 00:22:44.960 It's our phones, right? 00:22:44.960 --> 00:22:47.440 We don't receive the system upgrade. 00:22:47.440 --> 00:22:50.400 Over time, certain functions won't work. 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:55.559 But God is saying to us now that I am doing a new thing. 00:22:55.559 --> 00:23:18.480 I know it doesn't feel like how it used to feel, but God is saying, "I'm still faithful." I know it doesn't look like how it used to look like, but God is saying, "I am still faithful." I know some things have changed in our country or our world, but He's saying, "I'm still faithful because I am the Lord." I was the Lord. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:19.480 I will be the Lord. 00:23:19.480 --> 00:23:21.019 I will make a way. 00:23:21.019 --> 00:23:25.480 It's what I do and it's who I am and I am making a way for you now. 00:23:25.480 --> 00:23:28.359 Do you not see it? 00:23:28.359 --> 00:23:33.500 And let's be honest, sometimes our answer is no, no, I don't really see it. 00:23:33.500 --> 00:23:37.799 Because sometimes we might be looking backwards, right? 00:23:37.799 --> 00:23:45.960 I find the greatest barriers for people is not looking what's before them, but what's behind them, right? 00:23:45.960 --> 00:23:49.400 That God has already dealt with. 00:23:49.400 --> 00:24:00.480 So whoever God is sending me to preach today, maybe you're five or you're 65, you know, or maybe you feel like you're older and you feel the best has already been behind me. 00:24:00.480 --> 00:24:01.480 I've done all that. 00:24:01.480 --> 00:24:03.279 Well, let me tell you, okay? 00:24:03.279 --> 00:24:04.799 The devil is a liar, okay? 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:14.400 If he's talking, he's lying because the best is not behind you because God has already been to your future and He's saying, "Hurry up and receive, okay? 00:24:14.400 --> 00:24:29.359 I want to bless you with what you have, with the strength you have and you can still minister and still work for God, whatever age you are in, even if you feel like you're older." And He's saying, "I am doing a new thing and I am doing a new thing in your life. 00:24:29.359 --> 00:24:33.319 I'm doing a new thing in this church, in this city, in this world. 00:24:33.319 --> 00:24:37.359 And you see how I parted the water when you needed to go through it? 00:24:37.359 --> 00:24:46.759 Now I'm going to make the water come up from when you need it the most." You know, God always wanted to do something new for His people. 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:50.920 He always wanted to do something new for you today. 00:24:50.920 --> 00:24:56.359 And I pray, my prayer is that before you leave this room, that you will be transformed one with the other. 00:24:56.359 --> 00:24:57.960 Please, please don't ignore Him. 00:24:57.960 --> 00:25:06.480 He's always showing you something and He wants to show something new for you because the best days are yet to come. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:11.960 And God wants to prepare your church and He will, like He will. 00:25:11.960 --> 00:25:14.599 And now let's look at what He will promise us, okay? 00:25:14.599 --> 00:25:17.000 We talk about this new thing, okay, I get it, right? 00:25:17.000 --> 00:25:19.200 But what does He promise us? 00:25:19.200 --> 00:25:25.559 Well, in Scripture it's filled with so much that He wants to share with you. 00:25:25.559 --> 00:25:28.519 You know, He promised us a new heart, right? 00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:32.519 That's in Ezekiel 36 verse 26. 00:25:32.519 --> 00:25:33.519 And what about Jesus? 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:34.839 What does He promise to give us? 00:25:34.839 --> 00:25:37.240 Well, He promises us a new life. 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:44.079 John 10, 10, He says, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." Right? 00:25:44.079 --> 00:25:47.279 He also wants to give us a new mind. 00:25:47.279 --> 00:25:49.759 He wants to give us a new identity. 00:25:49.759 --> 00:25:59.519 In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17, He says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:05.240 The old has passed away, behold, the new has come." Right? 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:10.920 So notice all the new things that God wants to give His people. 00:26:10.920 --> 00:26:13.279 This is the hope for Christians, right? 00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:18.559 Is that when we die, there's also going to be a new heaven and a new earth. 00:26:18.559 --> 00:26:23.440 There's going to be a new Jerusalem, new body, thank goodness, and no more pain, right? 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:25.480 No more tears. 00:26:25.480 --> 00:26:35.640 And so today, if you feel that God can't change your life or transform you, I want to remind you that God wants to do something new in your life. 00:26:35.640 --> 00:26:53.079 If you accept Christ in your life and if you receive the gospel message of Jesus Christ, which is the life and death, the burial and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, like all these things that we mentioned and much more, like He will give you a new heart, a new life, a new mind, a new spirit. 00:26:53.079 --> 00:26:57.779 You can't be a new Christian with an old heart, okay? 00:26:57.779 --> 00:27:06.980 If you abandon this sinful life and embrace this new life in Jesus Christ, you can experience the goodness of God in your life. 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:09.559 And so God wants to refresh you. 00:27:09.559 --> 00:27:10.559 Right? 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:12.279 We're halfway through the year. 00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:14.619 There's still halfway more to go, okay? 00:27:14.619 --> 00:27:16.960 And He still wants to do something new. 00:27:16.960 --> 00:27:19.559 And so let's anticipate that. 00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:25.240 And when we do, He promised to remove these obstacles of coming to you. 00:27:25.240 --> 00:27:30.599 Maybe not the way that you perceive it, but in His way and in His time. 00:27:30.599 --> 00:27:43.240 So whatever may be holding us back, maybe wrong thinking, past mistakes, failed relationships, remember Christ has died for them, right? 00:27:43.240 --> 00:27:45.640 We are no longer under that control. 00:27:45.640 --> 00:27:55.720 You know, when I had a leg injury, okay, so let me tell you, okay, this was a couple of years ago, but I was so excited to join PentaSport. 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:59.119 I don't know if you guys have been involved in that. 00:27:59.119 --> 00:28:08.259 And so I church, we've been involved in, it's a church league, and like they have sports that you would join, and it's a competition kind of. 00:28:08.259 --> 00:28:14.079 And so I waited like nine years to play with my church. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:15.480 And I was so excited. 00:28:15.480 --> 00:28:16.480 I love sports. 00:28:16.480 --> 00:28:19.720 I'm a sports girl, except I don't run, okay? 00:28:19.720 --> 00:28:24.519 The only time I run is away from my children, run errands, running late, whatever. 00:28:24.519 --> 00:28:25.960 But I know I can run to Jesus, okay? 00:28:25.960 --> 00:28:33.599 But like right before it started, I injured my leg, and I could not play for most of the season. 00:28:33.599 --> 00:28:37.079 And I was so, so disappointed. 00:28:37.079 --> 00:28:41.319 And I found this physiotherapist, a really good one who treats legs. 00:28:41.319 --> 00:28:56.000 And she told me, she said, "Okay, we need to do some rehab, and I want you to do a quarter turn, okay?" It's very little. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:28:59.680 She told me to just jump, and jump a quarter, right? 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:01.279 And I'm like, "Okay, okay, let me do that. 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:03.279 It's not hard." Right? 00:29:03.279 --> 00:29:12.279 And so I remember standing there, and then all of a sudden my body froze, and I could not do it. 00:29:12.279 --> 00:29:18.559 It's not just my leg injury, but all of a sudden I felt this fear in my body that I couldn't control. 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:24.240 And I, oh mind you, I had three knee surgeries on the same leg from sports. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:28.880 And so it was just really hard for me to get over that. 00:29:28.880 --> 00:29:30.759 And ever since then, it's been healed. 00:29:30.759 --> 00:29:35.039 But after having that new injury, I thought that everything was fine. 00:29:35.039 --> 00:29:38.680 But she was like, "Okay, try it. 00:29:38.680 --> 00:29:51.440 I want you to jump and just move." And I'm thinking, "Why are you telling me to do something when I can't do it?" But I knew I can't give up. 00:29:51.440 --> 00:29:56.039 So I went over home that week trying to train myself. 00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:58.160 And eventually I was able to do it. 00:29:58.160 --> 00:29:59.160 I could do it now. 00:29:59.160 --> 00:30:00.960 It's just this, right? 00:30:00.960 --> 00:30:14.759 But what I noticed was that sometimes our body holds onto a lot of things that we don't realize and we have to retrain our minds and our body to embrace something new and try something new. 00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:22.000 And sometimes it might take several times to be able to do that. 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:24.079 And so I had to be open. 00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:26.319 I had to be willing to do it. 00:30:26.319 --> 00:30:35.319 Just because of the injury, it shouldn't stop me from being rehabilitated again. 00:30:35.319 --> 00:30:38.279 And so my leg is now stronger than ever. 00:30:38.279 --> 00:30:39.640 But sometimes I get it. 00:30:39.640 --> 00:30:53.319 Sometimes if we're going through something very deep and traumatic, I want to advise you to please seek a professional or doctor or a therapist to help you go through those hard and deep issues and be open to how God is working in your life. 00:30:53.319 --> 00:30:55.599 Because He wants to do something new. 00:30:55.599 --> 00:31:01.799 He wants you to help embrace this new life in Jesus Christ, however that looks like for you. 00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:09.519 And so Jesus is our way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. 00:31:09.519 --> 00:31:19.359 And He will transform our desert into fields of blessings and our wasteland into gardens of abundance. 00:31:19.359 --> 00:31:20.839 Just picture that. 00:31:20.839 --> 00:31:28.799 And so let's join in on God's great and new things for the rest of the year and believe that the best is yet to come. 00:31:28.799 --> 00:31:29.799 Let's pray. 00:31:29.799 --> 00:31:35.039 Father, we want to hone in on that. 00:31:35.039 --> 00:31:36.420 Not just our circumstances. 00:31:36.420 --> 00:31:38.039 We give that into your hands. 00:31:38.039 --> 00:31:42.400 But we want to look to you because you are a way maker. 00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:44.440 You delight in us. 00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:46.359 You created us. 00:31:46.359 --> 00:31:50.319 And you are in the business of restoring us. 00:31:50.319 --> 00:31:54.880 And you're not willing to let us go and give up on us. 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:55.880 Thank you for that. 00:31:55.880 --> 00:32:01.599 And may all of us here be open to what you will show us. 00:32:01.599 --> 00:32:06.559 Maybe there's moments and areas in our lives that may be very, very hard. 00:32:06.559 --> 00:32:14.359 But Father, not by our own strength, but through your power, through your Spirit to help us through those things. 00:32:14.359 --> 00:32:21.839 And that we as a church community can be able to help each other, walk with each other, knowing that you will guide us. 00:32:21.839 --> 00:32:22.839 Thank you God. 00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:26.640 And we trust you that you are continuing doing a new thing. 00:32:26.640 --> 00:32:28.480 And we pray all this in Jesus' name. 00:32:28.480 --> 00:32:29.000 Amen.