WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:07.839 I want to read you three consecutive scriptures that I believe point and teaches us about keys to living the big life. 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:10.320 And there are key phrases that I'm going to pull out. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:14.640 The first one is in Romans chapter 12, 3, 4, and 5. 00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:24.719 For by grace given to me, I say to every one of you, do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 00:00:24.879 --> 00:00:25.600 Verse 4. 00:00:25.839 --> 00:00:32.479 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not have all the same function. 00:00:32.719 --> 00:00:35.039 Verse 5 is very important. 00:00:35.359 --> 00:00:41.280 So in Christ, in Christ, we who are many have one body. 00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:47.600 And each member belongs to all the others. 00:00:47.920 --> 00:00:52.079 Each member belongs to all the others. 00:00:52.240 --> 00:00:57.679 Let me read you another scripture in Hebrews chapter 10, verse 24 and 25. 00:00:58.079 --> 00:01:02.880 Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love and good deeds. 00:01:03.039 --> 00:01:05.040 Verse 25, Hebrews 10. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:13.040 Let us not give up meeting together, together, as some are in the habit of doing. 00:01:13.840 --> 00:01:18.000 Some are in the habit of not meeting together, not belonging. 00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:29.920 As some are in the habit of doing, it says, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as we see the day, the big day, Jesus' return, approaching. 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:32.480 Now look at Galatians chapter six. 00:01:32.560 --> 00:01:34.719 I'll finish up with this last couple verses. 00:01:34.799 --> 00:01:35.920 This is a great set of verses. 00:01:36.079 --> 00:01:40.400 One of my favorite verses in the Bible, Galatians chapter six, verse nine and ten. 00:01:41.200 --> 00:01:51.280 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 00:01:51.599 --> 00:01:52.480 Verse 10. 00:01:52.640 --> 00:02:07.599 Therefore, as we have an opportunity, let us do good to all the people, especially to those who belong to the family, those who belong to the family of believers. 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:13.439 I love the scriptures because it talks a lot about belonging and together and family. 00:02:13.599 --> 00:02:20.879 I look around at a world today, and I constantly talk to people in our world today that feel fragmented, and you see families that are fragmented. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:23.520 At times there are groups of people that are fragmented. 00:02:23.680 --> 00:02:34.800 All the while, while God has developed spiritual family to cure that whole longing for belonging, because I believe in every single person there is a longing for belonging. 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:40.879 See, Gateway Church, God has called us to do life together in spiritual family. 00:02:41.039 --> 00:02:45.599 God has called us to do life together in covenant relationship. 00:02:45.759 --> 00:02:51.599 We were never meant to be on a deserted, a deserted island in our walk with God. 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:58.560 We can't survive in the oceans of life, fighting the time and the tests and the trials as driftwood. 00:02:58.639 --> 00:03:04.159 I see so often so many people that have chosen to be driftwood and just kind of drift from here to there. 00:03:04.319 --> 00:03:05.599 Just kind of let life drift. 00:03:05.759 --> 00:03:08.080 Do you know what I've always found out about driftwood? 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:11.599 That eventually that driftwood as a person will drown. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:13.919 God's not called us to drift. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:19.039 God's not called us to drown in the swamps and in the tides of the world. 00:03:19.199 --> 00:03:22.960 God has put and God has given us spiritual family. 00:03:23.520 --> 00:03:24.639 He's not created us. 00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.919 We were not made to kind of be a solo act. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:32.560 Now, if you think about it, if there's anyone that could have been a solo act, it could have been our Savior. 00:03:32.719 --> 00:03:35.360 It's not as if he really needed the advice of other people. 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:38.080 It's not as if he had to stop and say, guys, what are you thinking about? 00:03:38.560 --> 00:03:39.919 What do you feel about this situation? 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:41.039 Can you help me? 00:03:41.360 --> 00:03:43.280 Jesus was God of the flesh. 00:03:43.360 --> 00:03:45.120 He was He was the fullness of the Godhead. 00:03:45.280 --> 00:03:46.000 He was everything. 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:46.960 He was perfect. 00:03:47.199 --> 00:03:49.439 He was all-knowing and he was all-powerful. 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.680 And he could take care of every situation. 00:03:51.840 --> 00:03:55.120 He never met a situation where he really felt like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:03:56.719 He always knew what to do. 00:03:56.879 --> 00:04:01.280 But it's interesting that the Savior of the world chose to do life together. 00:04:01.520 --> 00:04:06.000 The Savior of the world chose to put spiritual family around him. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:20.639 And if our Savior did that, and if the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords needed people and wanted people and desired people and chose to do life in relationship context, how much more do we need spiritual family and do life with one another? 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:26.160 You know, when I look at my life, I haven't made a lot of good decisions, but I've made three great decisions. 00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:31.759 First great decision I made was when I said yes to Jesus Christ in 1982, June the 21st. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:34.319 I said yes to Jesus through outreach. 00:04:34.480 --> 00:04:43.279 Somebody was out doing a witnessing out on the streets and they they reached me and I prayed a prayer two weeks later off of a little gospel track and said yes to Christ. 00:04:43.519 --> 00:04:48.800 Best decision I ever made in my life was when I bowed my knee to the Lord Jesus Christ. 00:04:49.040 --> 00:04:54.720 I tell you the second best decision was when I said yes to Delyn, my wife, when she proposed to be. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:58.160 Now, how many knows pastors not I'm not telling the truth right now? 00:04:58.240 --> 00:04:59.680 Dino's not telling the truth. 00:04:59.920 --> 00:05:02.079 I chased her and chased her and chased her. 00:05:02.240 --> 00:05:04.480 I fell in love with before she fell in love with me. 00:05:04.639 --> 00:05:06.560 I loved her when she was liking me. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:10.240 How many knows it's hard to say I love you and you get back, I like you. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:11.600 You don't want to do that. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:15.279 My brother, hold up if you're gonna get I like you and you're going for I love you. 00:05:15.439 --> 00:05:22.399 If you say I love you and she looks at you straight, just say something like I love you with the love of the Lord, or just add something to it. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.759 But I loved her, but she was liking me, but finally she was convinced. 00:05:27.839 --> 00:05:29.040 I don't know what took her so long. 00:05:29.120 --> 00:05:29.920 I mean, just check it out. 00:05:30.000 --> 00:05:30.560 I'm Italian. 00:05:30.639 --> 00:05:31.279 What's up with that? 00:05:31.360 --> 00:05:32.160 I mean, what's waiting? 00:05:32.319 --> 00:05:33.360 What are you waiting on? 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:37.360 But then finally, uh I proposed to her and she she played hard to get. 00:05:37.439 --> 00:05:38.480 She still plays hard to get. 00:05:38.560 --> 00:05:41.120 I mean, even this morning, she still thinks she's it on a stick. 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:43.680 I mean, she's just like, you better, you better watch yourself, boy. 00:05:43.759 --> 00:05:45.279 I mean, she's just still that way. 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:50.000 Second best decision I ever made was when uh was who I married. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:50.879 That is so important. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:51.920 It impacts everything. 00:05:52.160 --> 00:05:55.519 Who you decide to do life together in covenant in marriage. 00:05:55.680 --> 00:05:57.199 And so that was the other decision. 00:05:57.360 --> 00:05:59.839 The best greatest decision was saying was was proposed. 00:06:00.160 --> 00:06:02.160 Here's the third best decision I've ever made. 00:06:02.399 --> 00:06:03.040 And you know what? 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:08.879 Everything after this third decision really has been impacted in my life by those decisions. 00:06:09.040 --> 00:06:18.879 The third was when I decided to plant myself and get connected and committed in spiritual family in the context and perspective of the local church. 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:24.399 Third best decision I ever made was when I decided to do life in the local church. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:25.920 I was not raised in church. 00:06:26.160 --> 00:06:33.199 We were Baptist and Catholic, and we'd go to Baptist church on Christmas and Catholic church on Easter, and it was just kind of what we did. 00:06:33.279 --> 00:06:36.720 We were not committed to a local church, we were what I called kabaptist. 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:38.480 We just did both. 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:43.279 But we didn't go to church, but and so I didn't know anything about church much. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:50.720 So when I came to Christ at 18 years old, I found a church about three weeks after bowing my knee to Jesus, and I got connected to that thing, and it was different. 00:06:50.800 --> 00:06:54.800 It was a small church, it wasn't a lot of people, and and it was kind of a different church. 00:06:54.879 --> 00:06:58.399 It was an odd church, it was a little awkward, it was different than what I was experiencing. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:07:00.720 And long church, I mean long church. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:06.399 We'd go three or four hours, and it was just a you know, a handful of people in this room. 00:07:06.560 --> 00:07:11.360 We'd worship and sing for about an hour and a half, and and when they get done singing, they'd take requests. 00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.319 Like, does anybody got a song, like request line or something? 00:07:14.560 --> 00:07:17.519 People just throwing out songs and start singing that song. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:18.720 Then the preacher would preach. 00:07:18.800 --> 00:07:19.759 He'd preach forever. 00:07:19.920 --> 00:07:21.600 He was a great man, a godly man. 00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:22.560 I thank God for him. 00:07:22.720 --> 00:07:24.800 But he couldn't find a runway if he was circling. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:26.560 He just couldn't land the plane. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:30.959 I was like, you know, Mayday, Mayday, Mayday, land the plane, please. 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:33.279 He just went on and on and on and on. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:34.240 He was a good man. 00:07:34.399 --> 00:07:36.800 And it was kind of, you know, he just was hard, old school. 00:07:36.879 --> 00:07:37.920 But I got planted. 00:07:38.000 --> 00:07:38.879 I love that church. 00:07:39.199 --> 00:07:42.560 And God began to do, I mean, he'd preach along and he'd preach it. 00:07:42.720 --> 00:07:44.560 He was one of those guys, if you didn't like it, you could leave. 00:07:44.639 --> 00:07:47.040 I mean, every Sunday, he'd have a line, let me tell you something right now. 00:07:47.120 --> 00:07:50.240 If you don't like what God is doing, don't let the back door hit you in the back side. 00:07:50.399 --> 00:07:51.040 Glory to God. 00:07:51.120 --> 00:07:53.199 Somebody waiting on your seat right now. 00:07:55.680 --> 00:07:57.199 Why ain't they here? 00:07:58.319 --> 00:07:59.199 They're not here. 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:00.720 There were like 30 of us here. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:02.399 Where are they? 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:04.879 But I liked him. 00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:09.600 And in that context, in spiritual family, can I tell you? 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:27.439 In spiritual family, it changed my life and continues to change my life out of the decision to be connected and committed to the house of God and to the local church. 00:08:28.399 --> 00:08:34.639 My life has been radically changed because of being planted in God's house in every single way. 00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:36.960 I love the phrase in Psalm 68. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:42.080 It just says this in verse 6 God sets the lonely in families. 00:08:43.039 --> 00:08:49.759 But once that happens, when you get set in spiritual family, everything changes. 00:08:50.240 --> 00:08:51.519 I want to talk about that a little bit. 00:08:51.600 --> 00:08:56.799 I want to break that down because I want to talk about what happens once you set yourself in family. 00:08:57.279 --> 00:09:02.320 Because I believe setting yourself in family and committing and connecting to the house of God. 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:06.399 Many of you have chosen to make this your church, your local church. 00:09:06.480 --> 00:09:12.879 And I believe there are many that are here and you're watching at a campus or you're in an overflow and you're kind of figuring out, you know, where what is this thing about? 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:16.159 And maybe you've come off a summer and you've decided to get the kids back in church. 00:09:16.240 --> 00:09:17.679 You're kind of thinking about this year. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:26.480 I believe one of the greatest decisions you can make is to set yourself and commit and connect to the house of God and to this local church. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:28.639 Because there's some things that happen out of that. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:29.759 I'll give you five of them. 00:09:29.840 --> 00:09:30.879 Just make it real simple. 00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:37.360 Here's the first thing that happens when you set yourself in spiritual family, because I believe it's where you find a much larger life. 00:09:37.519 --> 00:09:40.320 The first one is this it builds your belief. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:45.279 We live in a world that has a huge deficit of belief. 00:09:45.519 --> 00:09:47.279 People don't know what they believe. 00:09:47.519 --> 00:09:55.440 And we're raising up a next generation that needs to know what to believe and what to believe in. 00:09:55.679 --> 00:10:03.519 Sitting under messages and teaching and preaching and small groups and resources throughout all these 28 years of being plugged into the local church. 00:10:03.679 --> 00:10:06.639 It's helped me to learn what to believe and what not to believe. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:15.440 It's helped me to discern between truth and error and what's God's word and what's not God's word, and what is the Holy Spirit saying, and what is the Holy Spirit not saying. 00:10:15.759 --> 00:10:16.240 It helps. 00:10:16.320 --> 00:10:19.600 And so a lot of times we have this deficit of belief in our life. 00:10:19.759 --> 00:10:21.519 Where do we learn how to what to what to believe? 00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:23.519 Where do we gather what to believe in? 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:25.840 How do we build the foundation of our belief? 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:29.919 We build it in the word of God and we get built it under the teaching of God's word. 00:10:30.159 --> 00:10:30.399 Why? 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:33.279 Because faith comes by hearing and hearing God's word. 00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:41.440 See, by being planted in the house of God and being connected to spiritual family, it has helped build my belief. 00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:45.200 What I believe today, I have learned in the house of God. 00:10:45.279 --> 00:10:45.840 And guess what? 00:10:46.000 --> 00:10:50.480 I'm gonna be able to pass it on, and I'm going to pass it on to the next generation. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:58.639 Here's a second thing that I want to give you as it relates to the benefits of being connected to the local church is this right here. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:01.600 It gives you a place to belong. 00:11:02.159 --> 00:11:06.960 You say, now, Dino, I can believe without belonging. 00:11:07.440 --> 00:11:11.039 Well, that would be just like, you know, kind of dating the church. 00:11:12.000 --> 00:11:14.720 And God doesn't want us to date the church. 00:11:15.039 --> 00:11:17.919 God wants us to belong in family. 00:11:18.240 --> 00:11:24.080 It'd be like saying, I want to play in the NBA, but I'm not going to join a team. 00:11:24.399 --> 00:11:25.120 Guess what? 00:11:25.360 --> 00:11:27.360 You're not going to play in the NBA. 00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:29.120 Or saying, you know what? 00:11:30.639 --> 00:11:34.639 I want to be in a marching band, but I'm not going to join the band. 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:40.000 How many knows there's no role really for a solo tuba player? 00:11:40.639 --> 00:11:42.720 I mean, God bless the tuba players. 00:11:42.879 --> 00:11:46.639 But I'm not downloading any tuba solos on my iPod. 00:11:48.000 --> 00:11:48.320 Oh. 00:11:50.000 --> 00:11:51.600 That ain't happening. 00:11:52.000 --> 00:11:54.960 A tuba player belongs in a marching band. 00:11:55.279 --> 00:11:55.919 Guess what? 00:11:56.080 --> 00:12:09.279 Once you believe, the greatest thing you can do is set yourself in a house like this to belong because it gives you a sense of belonging. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:12.399 So, I just want to float around. 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:14.080 You know what I found out? 00:12:14.240 --> 00:12:18.240 That there's no fruitfulness in floating around. 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:27.679 There's fruitfulness in our life when we plant ourselves in God's house with a sense of belonging. 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:38.559 Here's the third thing I've learned about just and really what happens as a result of being a spiritual family is it helps you to become all that God wants you to be. 00:12:38.879 --> 00:12:40.399 It helps you to become all that God. 00:12:40.639 --> 00:12:41.759 Right here at Gateway. 00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:48.639 You can learn how to become all that God wants you to be in this house, being connected in that campus. 00:12:49.279 --> 00:12:51.039 Where you can learn how to be a husband. 00:12:51.279 --> 00:12:52.799 Where you can learn how to be a dad. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:55.279 I've learned how to be a husband while watching other men. 00:12:55.519 --> 00:12:59.360 I've learned how to be a dad by watching other dads in the house of God. 00:12:59.600 --> 00:13:00.720 I learned how to be a friend. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:01.919 I've learned how to be a brother. 00:13:02.080 --> 00:13:03.600 I've learned how to be a servant. 00:13:03.919 --> 00:13:07.120 I've learned I'm I'm trying to learn how to be a man of God. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:23.759 Because of seeing other victorious men and women and families, I believe by grace I can be that because God wants to be to become a great husband and a great father and a true friend and a legit, authentic, genuine servant. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:25.440 Where are we going to learn that? 00:13:25.840 --> 00:13:28.000 We're not going to learn it out there in this crazy world. 00:13:28.240 --> 00:13:29.840 But we learn it in God's house. 00:13:30.000 --> 00:13:31.440 We learn it with God's people. 00:13:31.600 --> 00:13:33.039 We learn it with God's family. 00:13:33.200 --> 00:13:44.159 If you want to be all that God wants you to be, and you owe everything that God has for you, then I encourage you to set yourself in spiritual family. 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:48.639 Set yourself in the benefits and the blessings of the local church. 00:13:48.720 --> 00:13:49.600 Now here's the fourth thing. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:51.279 Do you know what I've you know what's happened to me? 00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:58.080 And I believe this is a result of every single person who sets himself, is it teaches you how to behave. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:08.799 Because there's some people in this room that at times you don't behave, all right. 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:10.320 Do you know what? 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:11.759 I've not always behaved. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:15.200 Before I came to Christ, hello ego, a little pride. 00:14:18.639 --> 00:14:19.759 What you doing, man? 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:21.279 A little arrogant. 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:23.360 Always chan-checking people. 00:14:28.480 --> 00:14:29.919 I got in God's house. 00:14:30.080 --> 00:14:37.120 I never forget a Bible college professor looked at me and said, Your pride is smelling up our chapel. 00:14:38.720 --> 00:14:40.240 You talking to me? 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:42.559 Like I have a pride issue. 00:14:42.720 --> 00:14:43.919 I ain't got no pride. 00:14:47.279 --> 00:14:55.360 He was helping me to learn how to behave that in God's kingdom, it's the humble, it's the broken that God blesses. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.799 I just had a little attitude. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:58.000 I lose my temper. 00:14:58.159 --> 00:15:00.720 You don't want to fight somebody, you know, a little cusser. 00:15:00.879 --> 00:15:03.679 I know nobody's ever struggled with that here at Gateway. 00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:04.159 Okay? 00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:05.919 You've all got halos. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:08.639 And you're all in denial. 00:15:09.279 --> 00:15:10.559 But you know, I just had a little attitude. 00:15:10.639 --> 00:15:11.440 Like, man, what you talking? 00:15:11.519 --> 00:15:12.639 You don't want to fight some people. 00:15:12.799 --> 00:15:14.159 Man, get out of my face, man. 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:14.799 And guess what? 00:15:14.879 --> 00:15:16.639 When you come to church, you can't do that. 00:15:16.879 --> 00:15:17.840 You can't act that way. 00:15:18.000 --> 00:15:25.519 I had to learn how to, you know, be say nice words and edify and not what to fight people and you know, and learn a different language. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:29.279 God, I didn't my my language didn't always behave right. 00:15:30.159 --> 00:15:41.200 I remember one time we were at a worship service in that little church, and we got so fired up, everybody was yelling like, hallelujah! Glory! And I didn't know what to yell, and I was just like, Party! Party. 00:15:44.240 --> 00:15:45.519 Hold up on that, brother. 00:15:45.600 --> 00:15:47.440 We hadn't gone over that yet. 00:15:48.799 --> 00:15:49.519 Not here. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.919 We'll catch that in the next class. 00:15:52.320 --> 00:15:53.759 We don't yell party. 00:15:54.639 --> 00:15:56.000 I didn't know how, and guess what? 00:15:56.080 --> 00:15:58.000 I'm still having to learn how to behave. 00:15:59.759 --> 00:16:02.559 I'm still learning how to be like Jesus. 00:16:03.120 --> 00:16:04.240 I still got some issues. 00:16:04.480 --> 00:16:06.960 Now my son played basketball this summer in some league. 00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:09.200 We never played in that kind of situation. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:12.240 And first couple games, we throwing them on the ground, fouling them. 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:13.919 But I got so fired up. 00:16:14.480 --> 00:16:15.120 What? 00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:16.879 What? 00:16:17.360 --> 00:16:18.399 Went to a game one night. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:19.679 They weren't calling nothing. 00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.720 He's knocking them over. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:26.000 He's the littlest kid on the on the, he's 14 years old, the smallest kid on the court, running him over, not calling nothing. 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:26.879 He's a point guard. 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:27.759 He can handle the ball. 00:16:27.840 --> 00:16:29.360 They're just knocking him over. 00:16:29.679 --> 00:16:30.320 What? 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.879 I said, foul! I mean, I got so fired up at the refs. 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:38.320 I was like, and one time they made a bad call and everybody's yelling. 00:16:38.480 --> 00:16:41.120 I'm like, weak! That was weak. 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:43.679 And everybody stops yelling and taught. 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.879 I said it one more time. 00:16:45.039 --> 00:16:46.799 Week, week, week, week, week, week. 00:16:47.039 --> 00:16:48.159 The whole gym. 00:16:51.200 --> 00:16:54.080 And my wife is like, you have got to calm down. 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:55.440 We're like an hour away from. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:57.679 Don't nobody know me here. 00:16:59.200 --> 00:17:00.240 Nobody know me here. 00:17:00.320 --> 00:17:01.679 I'm Dino, I'm a dad. 00:17:01.919 --> 00:17:02.559 Week. 00:17:04.319 --> 00:17:06.000 I get done with the game. 00:17:06.240 --> 00:17:08.640 All of a sudden I see the referee walking at me. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.920 Hey, Pastor, it's good to see you. 00:17:17.119 --> 00:17:18.559 Glory to God. 00:17:19.200 --> 00:17:20.480 Hallelujah. 00:17:21.359 --> 00:17:22.000 Amen. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.200 Amen. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:24.079 Amen. 00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:31.839 Where do you learn how to behave? 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:45.680 You will learn by the grace and the truth of the Holy Spirit how to behave in God's house with God's people under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. 00:17:46.240 --> 00:17:47.680 Can I have a good amen? 00:17:48.319 --> 00:17:50.960 And then here's the last thing, and I'll finish with this. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:18:02.160 I really believe it is in God's family, and one of the great results of being planted and being set in family is you will live the big life. 00:18:03.200 --> 00:18:06.240 Because together you are better. 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:08.960 Together you are better. 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:16.720 Where else can you partner with 75 ministries? 00:18:16.880 --> 00:18:18.799 You can't do that by yourself. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:24.880 In 23 countries, doing evangelism, discipleship, leadership. 00:18:25.200 --> 00:18:26.960 But you do it in this house. 00:18:27.599 --> 00:18:34.400 Digging wells, feeding the poor every day, providing shelter, taking care of children. 00:18:34.799 --> 00:18:36.799 You do it together in this house. 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.279 Locally, reaching out to the messianic community, providing a service. 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.119 What a great outreach. 00:18:43.680 --> 00:18:50.240 Making a difference at local shelters for women and children and the elderly and the widows. 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:52.799 Giving out food for those that are hungry. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:55.039 Visiting those that are in prison. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:19:00.480 Your life is bigger because you are in spiritual family. 00:19:00.640 --> 00:19:03.200 Because together we are better. 00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:05.200 Look what we get to do together. 00:19:05.519 --> 00:19:08.640 Can't do that all by myself, but I can do it together. 00:19:08.960 --> 00:19:11.440 We can make a dent in the darkness in this community. 00:19:11.680 --> 00:19:16.640 We can make a difference to the lonely, to the poor, to the hurting, to those that are without, to those that are fighting addiction. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:21.359 We can make a difference in those lives that matter so much to God. 00:19:22.160 --> 00:19:24.880 Together we can make a dent in the darkness. 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.079 Don't do life alone. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:28.319 I kind of encourage you, don't do life alone. 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:29.599 Don't sing solo. 00:19:30.079 --> 00:19:31.119 Don't drift. 00:19:31.599 --> 00:19:33.599 Set yourself in God's family. 00:19:34.000 --> 00:19:37.839 Decide to do life in the pack with God's family. 00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:44.720 There's strength, protection, love, forgiveness, mercy, character in the pack with God's family. 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:46.319 Now everybody's seen this before. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:49.680 I have children, so we stay on two channels at my house on television. 00:19:49.839 --> 00:19:53.759 We stay on the cooking channel and the animal kingdom channel. 00:19:54.079 --> 00:19:57.200 National Geographic Animal Planet Channel. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:01.119 We're either watching cupcakes or hummingbirds. 00:20:01.440 --> 00:20:03.039 Because right now we're all about cupcake wars. 00:20:03.119 --> 00:20:04.559 I mean, my whole life is cupcake wars. 00:20:04.720 --> 00:20:05.920 I mean, we're all about it right now. 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:07.279 And so that's what we watch. 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:11.039 We watch baking shows and cooking shows and we watch animals. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:16.880 And everybody has seen these shows on the animal uh channel where you see this, it's the African Serengeti. 00:20:17.839 --> 00:20:19.440 And somebody's narrating. 00:20:19.599 --> 00:20:21.839 And it shows a pack of like wildebees. 00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:24.079 And they're all together in a tight pack. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:26.640 Because they survive in a pack. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:27.920 And they're there together. 00:20:28.400 --> 00:20:29.039 There's strength. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:38.319 There's some old ones, there's some young ones, there's some wise ones, there's some fighters, there's some ones who's got some discernment, some big ears, and you know, ears twitching. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:41.039 There's some ones that can really smell real good. 00:20:42.559 --> 00:20:44.720 And there's just there's just strength in the pack. 00:20:44.799 --> 00:20:46.720 There's knowledge and wisdom in the pack. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:48.160 There's family in the pack. 00:20:48.319 --> 00:20:52.720 Because how many knows that every single day they are on the menu? 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:55.680 I mean, they're on the menu for of the of the prowlers. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:57.519 And in this in this scene, you always sit. 00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.079 Everybody knows it. 00:20:58.160 --> 00:20:58.960 We've all watched it. 00:20:59.039 --> 00:21:06.079 They're together, and there's always this group of lions that are kind of hanging out, yawning, just chilling, waiting. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:07.200 What are they waiting on? 00:21:07.359 --> 00:21:10.000 And it never, it always happens. 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:15.359 Out of the pack, there's always one that doesn't want to do life in the pack. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.720 Because they're in the pack and they're there together, just doing life. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:29.119 They're strong in the pack, and they're just kind of, if God is for us, again be again, one of them's a drummer, one of them's a guitar player. 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:30.559 It's just amazing in the pack. 00:21:30.720 --> 00:21:31.519 So they're all there. 00:21:31.599 --> 00:21:33.759 But there's always one that says, I want to be in the pack. 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:35.279 And he wanders off. 00:21:35.599 --> 00:21:36.799 You know, Luther, run it, run. 00:21:37.119 --> 00:21:37.680 There's Luther. 00:21:37.839 --> 00:21:38.880 Luther, where are you going? 00:21:38.960 --> 00:21:39.839 I don't need you. 00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:40.880 I don't need you. 00:21:40.960 --> 00:21:41.759 You don't know my name. 00:21:41.839 --> 00:21:42.319 You don't like me. 00:21:42.480 --> 00:21:43.359 Don't talk about me. 00:21:44.319 --> 00:21:46.079 Luther, you need to come over here by the pack. 00:21:46.160 --> 00:21:47.119 There's strength in the pack. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:48.400 I don't need nobody to tell me about. 00:21:49.920 --> 00:21:54.160 And then the lion's like, I went straight by the pack. 00:21:54.480 --> 00:21:55.759 Y'all wake up. 00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:57.519 It's time for lunch. 00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:59.279 Get up, get up, get up. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.680 Why? 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:04.240 Because the Bible says the enemy roams around like this roaring lion. 00:22:04.400 --> 00:22:07.519 It's the same spirit, it's a spiritual principle when you're watching National G. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:08.640 You're seeing it right there. 00:22:08.720 --> 00:22:12.000 And he wanders off of the pack and he gets, you know, he gets caught up in the lilies. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:13.759 Oh, the lilies are so amazing. 00:22:13.920 --> 00:22:16.079 And then he gets full of ADD, a little distracted. 00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:17.440 There's a butterfly that runs by. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.559 Oh, I just love butterflies. 00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:19.039 Oh my God. 00:22:19.279 --> 00:22:21.279 And the pack are like, oh, here we go again. 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:23.119 We're getting ready to see Buffet, man. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:25.440 Fired up right now, fired up the grill. 00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:25.759 Why? 00:22:25.839 --> 00:22:27.599 Because he's gotten out of the pack. 00:22:27.839 --> 00:22:29.039 Come back up over here, Luther. 00:22:29.279 --> 00:22:30.240 Luther, come back up here. 00:22:30.400 --> 00:22:31.119 Don't talk to me. 00:22:31.200 --> 00:22:32.079 I don't need that church. 00:22:32.160 --> 00:22:32.799 I don't need those people. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:34.000 I don't need you to talk to me. 00:22:34.079 --> 00:22:35.279 I don't need if God is force. 00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:36.319 I'm going to do my own thing. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:36.880 And he's over here. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:39.119 All of a sudden the line's like, the creeping. 00:22:39.759 --> 00:22:40.319 This is amazing. 00:22:40.400 --> 00:22:40.799 This is amazing. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:41.440 Laughing one. 00:22:41.680 --> 00:22:42.079