WEBVTT 00:00:00.239 --> 00:00:02.720 Today we have a very special privilege. 00:00:03.040 --> 00:00:06.480 Pastor Stillval Weems is here this weekend to be speaking. 00:00:06.639 --> 00:00:10.560 Pastor Robert is actually at his church in Jacksonville, Florida. 00:00:10.720 --> 00:00:13.599 Pastor Stilval is the senior pastor of Celebration Church. 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:15.919 It is a multi-campus church. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:22.000 They've got campuses all over the country, but also they have uh other campuses around the world. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:25.519 Over 10,000 people call Celebration Church home. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.920 He's also the author of the book Awakening. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.960 I know many of you have read the book or are presently reading it. 00:00:31.120 --> 00:00:31.760 Here's how I know. 00:00:31.839 --> 00:00:34.960 We've sold out of it now three times here at Gateway Church. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:37.359 So that lets you know it is an incredible book. 00:00:37.439 --> 00:00:38.719 We're gonna get some more in. 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:41.600 If you don't have it or you haven't read it yet, make sure you grab that. 00:00:41.759 --> 00:00:44.880 Pastor Silval also is married, his wife Carrie. 00:00:45.039 --> 00:00:49.119 They have three children that they are immensely proud of, one son and two daughters. 00:00:49.200 --> 00:00:53.600 And I want you to give him a very, very warm Gateway Church welcome. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:55.600 Would you welcome Pastor Silval Weeds? 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:00.079 Thanks. 00:01:00.240 --> 00:01:01.119 Thanks, Preston. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:02.000 Thanks, Smith. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:02.960 Oh, great. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:03.600 Thanks. 00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:04.560 Thanks so much. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:05.920 You guys can be seated. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:06.879 Thank you. 00:01:07.120 --> 00:01:07.519 Thank you. 00:01:07.680 --> 00:01:11.439 Oh, it's such an honor, such a privilege to be here at Gateway. 00:01:11.680 --> 00:01:21.280 Well, you know, you guys have such phenomenal leadership here at Gateway, and I want to let you know that I respect and admire your pastor so much. 00:01:21.519 --> 00:01:24.879 Pastor Robert, listen, he is just phenomenal. 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:26.000 He loves God. 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:27.280 He loves people. 00:01:27.439 --> 00:01:30.799 He and Debbie have been such inspirations to Carrie and I. 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:40.480 And I want to let you guys know that you are under the best leadership right here at Gateway, where you can grow in your place and be everything that God has called you to be. 00:01:40.640 --> 00:01:46.959 Would you give your pastors, Pastor Robert and Debbie, and all the leadership here at Gateway, a big, big hand right now? 00:01:48.400 --> 00:01:49.599 Phenomenal. 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.319 Phenomenal, phenomenal people. 00:01:54.400 --> 00:01:55.599 And look what God has done. 00:01:55.680 --> 00:02:00.079 I mean, can you look, this is not a building, this is a house of worship. 00:02:00.319 --> 00:02:01.760 What a testimony to. 00:02:01.920 --> 00:02:04.319 I mean, this is like Six Flags over Jesus. 00:02:04.400 --> 00:02:05.200 You know what I'm saying? 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:12.080 It's like that's what that's what people are talking about out there when they say, Yeah, I'm going to Dallas to go to Six Flags. 00:02:12.159 --> 00:02:15.199 They're like, You mean Gateway or that, you know, that other thing over there? 00:02:15.919 --> 00:02:17.840 But look what God has done. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:24.080 You are planted in a great house, and you know your best days are yet ahead, and God's doing great things. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:29.759 I just encourage you to keep moving forward in the things of God and the purposes of God here at Gateway. 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:30.639 Get plugged in. 00:02:30.879 --> 00:02:31.280 Connect. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:37.280 I know Saturday there is a membership class, the vision class, and of course, Freedom Ministries and your groups. 00:02:37.439 --> 00:02:38.800 So many things going on here. 00:02:38.879 --> 00:02:44.960 I really encourage you to plug in so that you can move forward in everything that God has for your life. 00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:47.840 Just a little bit about me. 00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:00.719 I got booed in the Saturday night service, so I'm only kidding. 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:03.039 It wasn't a boo, just some cautious concerns. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:08.960 But actually, when I went to LSU, I made a couple of really good choices when I went to LSU. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:13.919 The first choice I made was I chose to join the wildest fraternity on campus. 00:03:14.159 --> 00:03:15.360 It was a great decision. 00:03:15.439 --> 00:03:20.080 And then what I did, I compounded that good decision with another really good decision. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:24.719 I chose to work at the wildest bar on campus. 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:30.159 And seriously, I had big dreams, I had goals for my life, I had aspirations. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:34.800 I was a bouncer and I aspired to be a bartender. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:43.840 You know, that was back in the late 80s, early 90s, you know, Tom Cruise cocktail, gonna be one of those guys. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:50.240 But I'm so glad that God had another plan for my life. 00:03:50.400 --> 00:03:51.680 Can you say amen to that? 00:03:51.759 --> 00:03:59.520 And you know, and we're we're in a series here at Gateway called 2020 God's Vision for Your Life. 00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:02.719 And I'm so glad that I responded to God's vision for my life. 00:04:02.800 --> 00:04:06.800 I'm so glad that so many of you have responded to God's vision for your life. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:17.279 And we're talking about that vision where we get saved, we get healed, we get set free, we get discipled, we get equipped, we get empowered, and then we serve. 00:04:17.360 --> 00:04:25.439 And so I just really encourage you to take in all during this series because it is so powerful when you get a hold of God's vision for your life. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:28.240 And I want to talk to you about the fourth thing today. 00:04:28.319 --> 00:04:30.720 I want to talk to you about discipleship. 00:04:30.879 --> 00:04:36.000 So if you have your Bibles, I want you to go to Genesis chapter 8. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:38.160 Genesis chapter 8. 00:04:38.240 --> 00:04:40.879 You know, there's so many things that we could say about discipleship. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:44.319 Discipleship being a disciplined follower of Jesus Christ. 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:52.800 I think one of the most powerful principles that Jesus said about discipleship or what being a disciple means is when he said, follow me. 00:04:53.040 --> 00:04:54.800 Two simple words, follow me. 00:04:54.959 --> 00:05:00.720 You know, as disciples, we never arrive where we can say, okay, I'm completely discipled. 00:05:01.040 --> 00:05:03.439 But being discipled is a process. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:05.279 We go from glory to glory. 00:05:05.759 --> 00:05:07.360 God always has new things for you. 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:10.720 How many of you are excited about the new things that God has for you in 2011? 00:05:10.879 --> 00:05:12.079 It's going to be a great year. 00:05:12.240 --> 00:05:16.399 I believe that it can be your best year ever. 00:05:16.560 --> 00:05:18.480 Seriously, I know, you know, we hear that all the time. 00:05:18.639 --> 00:05:20.959 It's going to be the best year, it's going to be a great year. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:26.959 But the truth is, it will be your best year ever if it's your best year spiritually. 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:34.160 If it's your best year spiritually, no matter what happens on the outside, it will be your best year ever. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:36.879 And part of being a disciple is making that commitment. 00:05:36.959 --> 00:05:44.480 I'm going to keep following Jesus, I'm going to keep moving forward in the things of God, and we're going to take a look actually at an Old Testament character here. 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:52.720 We're going to look at the life of Noah, and he gives us a great example of what it means to move forward in the things of God. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:56.959 So I'm going to begin reading here in chapter 8, verse 6. 00:05:57.600 --> 00:06:05.600 It says, So it came to pass at the end of 40 days that Noah opened the window of the ark which he had made. 00:06:05.680 --> 00:06:08.160 How many of you know this was a great day for Noah? 00:06:09.199 --> 00:06:14.480 Being cooped out with all those animals, no AC, no ventilation, man. 00:06:14.560 --> 00:06:16.480 I mean, Noah is opening the window. 00:06:16.639 --> 00:06:18.000 He is fired up. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:20.160 It's a great day for Noah. 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:22.000 So he opens the window, verse 7. 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:29.600 It says, Then he sent out a raven which kept going to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. 00:06:30.079 --> 00:06:39.680 But the I'm sorry, verse 8, it says, He also sent out from himself a dove to see if the waters had receded from the face of the ground. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:49.199 But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. 00:06:49.439 --> 00:06:57.199 So he put out his hand and took her and drew her into the ark himself. 00:06:57.680 --> 00:07:02.639 And he waited yet another seven days, and again he sent the dove out from the ark. 00:07:02.800 --> 00:07:15.040 Then the dove came to him in the evening, and behold, a freshly plucked olive leaf was in her mouth, and Noah knew that the waters had receded from the earth. 00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:22.319 I've entitled this message, Discipled Moving Forward in the Things of God. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:23.279 Let's pray. 00:07:23.439 --> 00:07:24.639 Father, we thank you for your word. 00:07:24.800 --> 00:07:28.879 Lord, I ask for an open heaven over gateway over all of our locations. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:33.120 God, we want to hear from you and we thank you that you are here speaking to us. 00:07:33.279 --> 00:07:37.600 You're going to speak to our hearts and how to move forward in the things of God in 2011. 00:07:37.680 --> 00:07:40.000 So truly, this can be our best year ever. 00:07:40.160 --> 00:07:41.360 In Jesus' name. 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:42.959 And everybody said. 00:07:44.160 --> 00:07:45.279 Amen and amen. 00:07:45.360 --> 00:07:50.480 Let me give you a few facts here about this story, where Noah is in his life, and about the ark. 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:56.319 First of all, very just powerful, powerful illustration of Scripture and the Word of God. 00:07:56.560 --> 00:08:06.240 Earlier in chapter 8, the Bible says that the ark came to rest on the top of Mount Ararat on the 17th day of the seventh month. 00:08:06.480 --> 00:08:08.800 Now let me tell you why that is significant. 00:08:09.040 --> 00:08:21.279 Because in Exodus chapter 12, you can read about this in verses 1 through 5, God changes the seventh month to the first month when he establishes the Hebrew religious calendar. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:28.079 Because that is when he delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt into the promised land. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:35.919 On the 14th day of the first month in the Hebrew religious calendar, remember that's formerly the seventh month that we see right here. 00:08:36.080 --> 00:08:37.120 That's the Passover. 00:08:37.279 --> 00:08:38.879 That's when they celebrate the Passover. 00:08:38.960 --> 00:08:44.320 We know that was the day that Jesus was crucified as our Passover Lamb. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:47.200 What happened three days after Jesus was crucified? 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:51.919 On the 17th, Jesus rose from the dead. 00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:59.519 So the same, the date, so to speak, that date is a type and shadow of the ark coming to rest. 00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:01.279 The ark represents salvation. 00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:02.720 That is a type and shadow. 00:09:02.799 --> 00:09:07.360 It's the actual the same date that Jesus rose from the grave. 00:09:07.519 --> 00:09:08.000 Come on. 00:09:08.159 --> 00:09:13.200 When you trust in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I'm telling you there will be rest for your life. 00:09:13.360 --> 00:09:15.120 Can you give God a good hand in that? 00:09:15.279 --> 00:09:30.720 Is that unbelievable that the ark, the ark comes to rest on the same date in the Hebrew calendar that Jesus rose from the dead and rested at the right hand of God, the Father Almighty. 00:09:30.799 --> 00:09:31.840 We serve a great God. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:39.279 But anyway, this story here, you know, we're taking a snapshot of this story right here, but this ordeal for Moses for Noah, can you believe this? 00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:47.679 From the time that he loaded the animals on the ark until the time Noah stepped off of the ark, this ordeal was 377 days. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:49.440 That is like a nightmare cruise. 00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:50.399 You know what I'm saying? 00:09:50.720 --> 00:09:52.159 377 days. 00:09:52.240 --> 00:09:56.480 The ark was incredible, 97,000 square feet, three stories high. 00:09:56.639 --> 00:09:59.679 There's about 17,600 species of animals. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:04.399 Scholars tell us that there was plenty of room for all those species to fit on the ark. 00:10:04.480 --> 00:10:09.759 In fact, if they were young when God brought them in, you know, there's about twice, there's plenty of room. 00:10:09.840 --> 00:10:11.759 You could have fit double on this ark. 00:10:11.840 --> 00:10:13.679 So just incredible, incredible story. 00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:17.600 But here's Noah at this point in the story. 00:10:17.919 --> 00:10:26.799 Man, he's, you know, he found grace in the eyes of God and he was righteous, and of course, the ark represents salvation, and he's so grateful and thankful that God has saved him. 00:10:26.960 --> 00:10:31.039 He's so grateful and thankful that God has delivered him from the judgment. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:36.720 But now Noah is at the point where he is ready for his life to move forward. 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:40.879 And I find that that's a lot about how we are as believers. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:43.919 You know, man, we're we're thankful for our salvation. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:45.600 We're thankful for the grace of God. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:50.399 We're thankful that God has saved us, that God has healed us. 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:53.279 But man, we want to move forward in the purposes of God. 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:56.159 We're ready to really take hold of all that God has for us. 00:10:56.240 --> 00:10:59.120 We're ready to be everything that God has called us to be. 00:10:59.200 --> 00:11:01.600 We're ready to experience God at the next level. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:04.080 Come on, how many of you are ready of that for 2011? 00:11:04.159 --> 00:11:06.159 Man, you're ready to move forward. 00:11:11.120 --> 00:11:13.279 So here's Noah, man. 00:11:13.360 --> 00:11:14.879 He's he's ready to move forward. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:16.559 All right, the rain stop. 00:11:16.879 --> 00:11:17.360 Here we go. 00:11:17.440 --> 00:11:18.559 I'm ready to move forward. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:21.279 And what he does is he takes two birds. 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:25.600 And the first bird that he throws out, the Bible tells us, is a raven. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:36.960 So Noah throws out this raven, and this raven just goes to and fro, back and forth, just out there flying around everywhere. 00:11:38.000 --> 00:11:48.080 It's the same language that the Bible uses in the book of Job, where it talks about that Satan has been going to and fro across the earth. 00:11:48.240 --> 00:11:51.360 You see, the raven represents our flesh. 00:11:51.759 --> 00:11:59.440 The raven represents those things that we are trusting to move our life forward that are not God or God's plan. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:08.080 The raven represents those things that we have been relying on in our own strength to try to move us forward. 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:16.159 But I don't know if you're like me, I found every time I've relied on a raven, those ravens are unreliable, they are unstable, they're crazy, man. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:18.960 They're to and fro, they're back and forth. 00:12:21.840 --> 00:12:27.039 Noah realized, man, if I mess around with this raven, he's gonna get me in trouble. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:31.600 How many of you, you've had some ravens get you in trouble in your life? 00:12:33.519 --> 00:12:36.000 So then Noah throws out the dove. 00:12:36.559 --> 00:12:46.559 The dove goes out, and then the dove, you know, obviously looks around, and the dove comes back to Noah, and we know that the dove represents in scripture what? 00:12:46.799 --> 00:12:48.720 Almost every time, the Holy Spirit. 00:12:48.960 --> 00:12:52.720 The Holy Spirit descended on Jesus like a dove at his baptism. 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.279 The dove is always a symbol of the Holy Spirit. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:02.000 And so here comes the dove, but it's interesting, the dove just doesn't come back and land on the ark. 00:13:02.159 --> 00:13:10.960 In other words, the dove doesn't really have a habitation or a place to land, it's not gonna force its way in. 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:19.120 And so Noah realizes this and he's like, man, this this this this dove, okay, I can rely on this dove. 00:13:19.440 --> 00:13:21.919 This dove is gonna help me move forward. 00:13:22.240 --> 00:13:25.600 This dove is gonna bring me where I need to be. 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:34.159 And so what he does is he gets aggressive, and the Bible paints this picture that he gets out there on the ark, he reaches out, he stretches out. 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:36.000 Come on, what did Preston talk about? 00:13:36.240 --> 00:13:41.440 Sometimes we have to stretch into the things that God has for us. 00:13:41.600 --> 00:13:50.480 He stretches out, he lifts his hand, and he actually creates a space for the dove to land. 00:13:52.799 --> 00:13:58.240 See, God needs space to land in your life. 00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.120 God will not force his way in. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:12.320 If you want to move forward in the things that God has for your life, you're gonna have to create some space for God because God is a filler, he's not a forcer. 00:14:13.200 --> 00:14:15.759 God is a filler, he's not a forcer. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:21.759 The earth was created for man to fill, but man was created for God to fill. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:23.360 And is the dove coming in? 00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:25.440 The dove's not gonna land somewhere on the ark. 00:14:25.840 --> 00:14:27.840 The dove's like, Noah, I need you. 00:14:28.000 --> 00:14:34.480 If you want to move forward, I need for you yourself to create some space so I can land. 00:14:34.639 --> 00:14:43.120 So he reaches out, he stretches, it's a sign of surrender, and he creates a space for the dove representing the Holy Spirit to really come into his life. 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:44.799 He pulls her in. 00:14:48.480 --> 00:14:50.559 I want to ask you, are you really passionate? 00:14:50.639 --> 00:14:54.559 Are you proactive about really pulling the Spirit of God into your life? 00:14:55.039 --> 00:14:57.200 Because that's how you're gonna move forward. 00:14:57.360 --> 00:14:59.600 Have we created the space for God to land? 00:14:59.759 --> 00:15:09.039 You know, a lot of people think, you know, well, well, Stovol, if, you know, I come to church here every now and then here at Gateway, and man, it's great worship and it's great building. 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:13.039 I just know, you know, if God's gonna do a miracle in my life, well, it's just gonna happen. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:16.879 If God wants to bless me, you know, he's sovereign, he'll he'll just do it. 00:15:17.519 --> 00:15:20.159 God will just, you know, he'll just, I'm I'm here. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:28.080 Listen, God does not respond to need, God responds to faith. 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:30.960 And God meets our needs through our faith. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:36.159 And if you are gonna really experience everything that God has for you, you've got to get proactive. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:41.679 And I'm talking about really creating some space for God to land in your life. 00:15:42.399 --> 00:15:43.440 It was so important. 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:50.240 So it you know, you notice how Noah, when he was ready for his life to move forward, he didn't get out there and was like, okay, which way is the wind blowing? 00:15:50.480 --> 00:15:52.080 Now, where's that piece of land? 00:15:52.559 --> 00:15:53.679 Where's that next mountain? 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.279 Let me try to figure this all out. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:15:59.600 God was like, No, look, Noah, if you want to move forward, you just got to create some space for me to land. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:01.919 And that is exactly how it is in our lives. 00:16:02.159 --> 00:16:06.399 We spend so much of our time trying to figure out how am I gonna get out of this mess? 00:16:06.559 --> 00:16:08.159 How am I gonna solve this problem? 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:10.480 Life throws us a curveball. 00:16:11.519 --> 00:16:24.159 This thing's going on with our kids, this thing's going on with our family, this thing's happening in our business, and we we try to connect all the dots, we start throwing out ravens to try to fix our own problems. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:28.159 Listen, we don't have the capacity to figure everything out. 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:34.639 You're trying to connect three dots, there's like a zillion got dots in God's eternal scheme. 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:36.799 Only God can figure everything out. 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:41.279 He's gonna work all things according to his purpose, he's gonna work all things for his good. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:47.039 You're not created to figure everything out, you are created for worship and trust. 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:55.600 And I'm telling you, if you want your life to move forward in 2011, all God is asking you to do is just create some space for me to come in there and land. 00:16:57.120 --> 00:17:00.159 What happened at the beginning of our world? 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.519 God wanted to create the world. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:02.159 What did he need? 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:03.120 He needed space. 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:06.640 He needed an earth that was without form and void. 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:08.240 Clear space. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:10.319 And the Spirit of God hovered above the waters. 00:17:10.480 --> 00:17:11.839 What does the water represents? 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:12.960 The word of God. 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:17.599 You bring the word of God into your life, you create some space for God to land. 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:23.359 The Spirit of God's gonna come in there, you're gonna see creation, you're gonna see life, you're gonna see light, you're gonna see movement. 00:17:25.279 --> 00:17:27.680 Jesus on the cross, you know what the cross was? 00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:29.759 The cross was just a space. 00:17:32.240 --> 00:17:36.640 Christ needed a space to die for our sins. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:43.359 So in your life, the first principle of discipleship is all right, you know, we talk about getting in the word. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:46.400 Well, have you created space for that to happen? 00:17:49.119 --> 00:17:51.119 You're gonna do that in the morning, you're gonna do that in the evening. 00:17:51.359 --> 00:17:52.319 Where's the space you've created? 00:17:52.400 --> 00:17:53.279 Well, well, you need to pray. 00:17:53.359 --> 00:17:55.839 Well, where's the space that you've created for prayer? 00:17:56.000 --> 00:17:57.920 God is a filler, he's not a forcer. 00:17:58.079 --> 00:18:06.000 Every person that got a breakthrough that their lives move forward in the New Testament, you always see it didn't just happen, but they remember the woman with the issue of blood? 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:08.000 She she what'd she have to do? 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:08.799 There was no space. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:15.200 She had to press through the crowd, she had to make some space to get in there to be with Jesus. 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:20.160 When we give our tithe, well, imagine your financial portfolio, it's 100%. 00:18:20.640 --> 00:18:27.680 So when you tithe, you're taking that 10% hole, you're creating a space for God to fill. 00:18:28.319 --> 00:18:30.559 God's a filler, he's not a forcer. 00:18:30.720 --> 00:18:32.880 And whatever God fills, he multiplies. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:34.319 Come on, can you give God a hand? 00:18:34.400 --> 00:18:35.920 We're gonna create some space. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:38.160 We're gonna create some space. 00:18:40.160 --> 00:18:43.200 So, so here's what Noah does. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:56.079 He's like, All right, man, I'm creating a space, and and he reaches out there in worship, and it's like it's like he stretches his hand out, it's like he's surrendering again to God. 00:18:56.720 --> 00:18:59.680 And I know you may think, well, wait, Noah, he already surrendered, right? 00:18:59.759 --> 00:19:03.119 He was already saved, and and he already had the grace of God. 00:19:04.720 --> 00:19:10.000 And that's a lot we think that the same thing as believers. 00:19:10.160 --> 00:19:17.200 You know, when we think about surrendering to God, we think, well, you know, I got saved 10 years ago and I got filled with the Holy Spirit eight years ago. 00:19:18.240 --> 00:19:25.759 But if you're a disciple, surrender, it is a daily act, it is a daily practice. 00:19:26.240 --> 00:19:30.319 Noah was surrendering to God afresh so that his life could move forward. 00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:35.519 You see, it's the grace of God that keeps us, but it's obedience that moves us forward. 00:19:36.960 --> 00:19:39.519 Noah was kept by the grace of God, and that's great. 00:19:39.599 --> 00:19:45.200 We're all kept by the grace of God, and your life can keep going to and fro, and you can keep coming to church every now and then. 00:19:45.359 --> 00:19:46.480 Gay, am I being too? 00:19:46.720 --> 00:19:48.880 I'm trying not to be too direct to you, but come on. 00:19:48.960 --> 00:19:53.279 We're talking about being a disciple, we're talking about moving forward in the things of God. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:00.799 The grace of God keeps us, but it's obedience that moves us forward. 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:09.680 So Noah's like, all right, man, and he surrenders afresh, that sign of reaching his hand, he surrenders afresh to God. 00:20:09.839 --> 00:20:14.319 You know, that's what Jesus taught us to do in the first line of the Our Father prayer. 00:20:14.799 --> 00:20:20.799 In the first line of the Our Father prayer, Jesus taught us how to surrender. 00:20:20.960 --> 00:20:25.519 He said, Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:26.640 You break that down. 00:20:26.720 --> 00:20:29.519 First of all, our Father, here's what I do every single morning. 00:20:29.680 --> 00:20:31.680 I get up, I surrender my life to God. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:34.240 I say, My Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. 00:20:34.400 --> 00:20:36.640 My Father, that focuses on the goodness of God. 00:20:36.799 --> 00:20:38.480 Lord, I thank you that you are my father. 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.920 Lord, I thank you that you love me. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.160 God, I am your child, I'm your son. 00:20:42.400 --> 00:20:48.240 Lord, I thank you that not just my past sins are forgiven, but my past, present, and future sins are forgiven. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:49.759 I thank you for eternal life. 00:20:49.920 --> 00:20:51.119 I thank you that I'm saved. 00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.400 I thank you that you love me. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.200 Come on, can you thank God for his goodness in your life? 00:20:55.359 --> 00:20:57.119 That's what the grace of God is. 00:21:00.960 --> 00:21:06.240 The grace of God is the practical outworking of the goodness of God in your life. 00:21:06.400 --> 00:21:10.400 The next thing I focus on, our Father who is in heaven, Lord, I thank you that you're in heaven. 00:21:10.559 --> 00:21:13.359 God, nothing is too hard for you. 00:21:13.599 --> 00:21:16.079 Nothing is impossible for you. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:19.920 God, I thank you that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:25.440 I thank you, God, that you're gonna work all things according to your purpose for those who love you. 00:21:25.759 --> 00:21:28.480 God, I thank you that you have all power, you have all authority. 00:21:28.640 --> 00:21:33.759 Lord, I might be freaked out about this situation, but you're not freaked out about this situation. 00:21:34.319 --> 00:21:37.920 The very hairs on my head are numbered, my days were marked out before you, God. 00:21:38.000 --> 00:21:39.759 You are in control, you have all power. 00:21:39.839 --> 00:21:42.640 You created the universe, you have all authority, God. 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:47.519 You are in control, and I trust you today because you're a great God. 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:51.680 You're a good God, you're a great God. 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:56.319 But also, Lord, hallowed be thy name. 00:21:56.640 --> 00:21:59.519 Hallowed, sanctified, set apart, glorified be thy name. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:03.039 Lord, above all things, I want to live for your glory. 00:22:03.759 --> 00:22:05.839 God, I mark this day for the glory of God. 00:22:06.240 --> 00:22:09.200 Whether things go my way or not, Lord, it's all about your glory. 00:22:09.359 --> 00:22:11.680 If I have to suffer, help me to suffer well. 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:13.440 Help me to live for you today. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:15.839 It's not about Stovall, it is about Jesus. 00:22:16.079 --> 00:22:17.599 It is about your glory, God. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:24.400 And above everything else, let me glorify you so that I can have a testimony. 00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:29.599 The goodness, the greatness, and the glory of God. 00:22:30.160 --> 00:22:35.599 The very thing Jesus taught us to pray every day was to put into practice the act of surrender. 00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:37.359 And then right after that, you know what I do? 00:22:37.519 --> 00:22:39.839 I pray to be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:42.559 We're not filled one time, but be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:43.759 That command, it's a regular thing. 00:22:43.839 --> 00:22:45.440 I say, Lord, fill me with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:45.519 --> 00:22:46.240 You know why? 00:22:46.480 --> 00:22:52.720 Because most of the things that I pray for, I find would be solved if I would just be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:53.039 --> 00:22:57.440 And most of the things that we pray for, we wouldn't pray for if we'd just be filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:22:57.599 --> 00:23:00.079 We're praying to get over this, forgive this person, or whatever. 00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:01.680 Well, love is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:04.000 If you're walking in love, those things are solved. 00:23:05.440 --> 00:23:11.759 We're burnt out, we're you know, we're freaked out, we're whatever, we're stressed out, we're worried. 00:23:12.240 --> 00:23:14.640 Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:16.079 --> 00:23:17.759 We're fatigued, we're exhausted. 00:23:17.920 --> 00:23:21.519 Joy, the joy of the Lord is your strength, and joy is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. 00:23:21.680 --> 00:23:28.960 If we would just get filled with the Holy Spirit, come on, man. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:37.920 Every single day, I'm telling you so much of what we worry about, we wouldn't even be thinking about if we just get filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:23:38.079 --> 00:23:49.680 Let's create some space for God like never before in 2011 so that we can be the disciples that God's called us to be. 00:23:49.759 --> 00:24:06.319 And when you create that space, and God's moving in your life, that gives you the confidence to believe God, to have faith, to trust him in difficult situations. 00:24:06.480 --> 00:24:20.880 You know, um, way back when before we started the church, Carrie and I would lead mission teams to South America, and one of the places we love to go was Peru, and we go down in the jungles of Peru and in the Andes Mountains down there, and it was just an incredible time. 00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:24.799 And one time we were leading this team, it was a pretty big team, about 20 people. 00:24:24.960 --> 00:24:37.839 And uh if you've ever been down to Peru, uh the weather situation there is very volatile because you have these high Andes mountains, and then you have the hot jungle, and then you have the Pacific Ocean. 00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:48.559 And at several times a year, that combination of weather, it makes these real low-lying clouds and this real dense fog, especially in the mountain regions. 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:56.880 And so when you're flying into these mountain villages, it can make for a real nerve-wracking flight. 00:24:57.440 --> 00:25:02.880 Because you're coming in, there's there's supposed to be a place to land down there beneath these clouds. 00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:07.440 But because the clouds are so low, you're already below the mountain peak. 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:12.559 So it's like you're in inside the mountains, but you're still above the clouds. 00:25:12.640 --> 00:25:19.519 And so it can just be terrifying, nerve-wracking, because you can't see a clear space to land down there. 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:30.880 And we were leading this team down there, and it was a great team, but there was this one guy on our team, and uh man, he was just kind of one of these zealot guys, and he was like, Man, I want to die for Jesus. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:35.200 And it was still where there was some danger down in Pruise a long time ago with the shining path. 00:25:35.359 --> 00:25:40.880 He's like, Man, I'm telling these terrorists to repent, and man, uh I'm I'm ready to give my life. 00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:42.160 Just give me a machete. 00:25:42.240 --> 00:25:49.200 I'm ready to take on the witch doctors, and you know I'm saying what, you know, every place you go to, you know, he's preaching in the restaurants. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:53.920 I mean, great guy, just you know, real zealous like that, not a lot of wisdom. 00:25:58.640 --> 00:26:08.799 So, anyway, so anyway, we're going in for this landing underneath the mountains, but above the dense clouds, and I mean, I guess there's a runway down there somewhere. 00:26:09.039 --> 00:26:15.119 So we go in there, and man, as soon as we hit those clouds, whoosh, nose dive. 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:17.599 Or at least it felt like it. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:23.680 So the plane is going down, it's going down and carrying out. 00:26:23.920 --> 00:26:25.279 We're like, oh Jesus. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:27.839 I'm like, I can't, but I'm like, I can't believe it's over. 00:26:27.920 --> 00:26:29.359 I'm only like 26. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:38.880 We're like, oh Jesus, and the good these girls on the team are sitting behind us, like, oh Jesus, oh no, no. 00:26:39.119 --> 00:26:41.359 And then right behind that is the guys. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:59.680 And I kind of look back, and that guy, that zealot guy on the team, he he stands up like the plane's going down, and he stands up like this, he goes, like he's gonna say something. 00:26:59.839 --> 00:27:02.640 So you know what I'm thinking, probably the same thing you're thinking. 00:27:02.720 --> 00:27:05.920 I'm like, this guy's gonna preach to everybody. 00:27:06.240 --> 00:27:11.359 This guy's gonna tell everybody they better repent, they're going to hell, the plane's going down. 00:27:12.559 --> 00:27:20.160 You know, I'm this guy's been living for this moment, you know, die for Jesus, preach while the plane's going down. 00:27:22.720 --> 00:27:32.319 So it's going down and he stands up and he goes, ah, ah, oh, beep, beep, beep, beep, beep, blank ity, blank, blank, blang, blank. 00:27:37.839 --> 00:27:43.279 Standing up, just on the seat going, ah, blang, bling, blang, blank, beep, beep. 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:47.119 I mean like serious cussing, man. 00:27:50.720 --> 00:27:53.200 And then the pain plane leveled out. 00:27:59.039 --> 00:28:01.200 He was so embarrassed. 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:25.839 So anyway, you know, when the plane landed, I pulled him aside privately and I just said, listen, the next time if the plane's going down and you feel led to stand up and cuss everybody out, can you just say something about Jesus at the very end in case some people need to get sick? 00:28:26.079 --> 00:28:27.359 No, I'm sorry. 00:28:31.920 --> 00:28:33.200 But you know what? 00:28:34.319 --> 00:28:36.319 That's just like a lot of us. 00:28:38.079 --> 00:28:48.880 When we can't see a clear space, or when we haven't created a clear place for God to lie, God's with us, He's there. 00:28:49.519 --> 00:29:06.480 But when we haven't created that space for God in our lives, when the turbulence of life hits, we freak out instead of trusting God in the trial or trusting God in the crisis, so we can be a bring a testimony to Jesus. 00:29:06.559 --> 00:29:08.400 Come on, we're gonna create some space this year. 00:29:08.559 --> 00:29:10.559 God's a filler, he's not a forcer. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:16.240 And every trial that we have to go through, we're gonna bring a testimony to Jesus and God's gonna move our lives forward. 00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:18.160 Can you give him a hand for that, huh? 00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:20.079 So, Noah. 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:32.559 So, Noah, so what he does is he surrenders, and then the next thing he does, he doesn't deal with the raven anymore. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:35.440 He says, I'm surrendering to you, Dove. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:37.920 Dove, you you uh you got some major benefits. 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:39.359 You're gonna help me move forward. 00:29:39.440 --> 00:29:41.440 You're you know, you're you're coming back to me and all this. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:45.119 That raven, that raven is crazy, that raven is to and fro. 00:29:45.279 --> 00:29:51.279 So you see, the next time that Noah sends a bird out, he doesn't send out both of them or another raven. 00:29:51.519 --> 00:29:53.920 He exclusively deals with the dove. 00:29:55.599 --> 00:30:02.799 And that's the next thing if we if if our lives are gonna move forward, we've got to stop messing around with those ravens. 00:30:05.119 --> 00:30:08.240 We gotta stop messing around with those things. 00:30:09.680 --> 00:30:11.920 Come on, all of us have some ravens. 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:16.319 Those things that we think are gonna move us forward, but you know they're not God. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:25.200 And every time it causes hurt, pain, craziness, frustration. 00:30:25.359 --> 00:30:28.000 That's what happens when we trust in our flesh, man. 00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:29.920