WEBVTT 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:05.120 Well, if you can't hear it, it's still coming down outside. 00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:12.240 Let it rain, let it rain. 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.039 Open the floodgates of heaven. 00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:20.320 Let it rain. 00:00:22.239 --> 00:00:24.079 Let it rain. 00:00:26.800 --> 00:00:29.359 Open the floodgates. 00:00:29.920 --> 00:00:30.719 One more time. 00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:32.159 Let it rain. 00:00:32.560 --> 00:00:34.719 Let it rain. 00:00:35.280 --> 00:00:38.320 Oh, let it rain. 00:00:38.560 --> 00:00:40.479 Pour out your spirit God. 00:00:41.359 --> 00:00:45.679 Open the floodgates of heaven. 00:00:46.799 --> 00:00:49.280 Let it rain. 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:51.119 Let it rain. 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:52.799 Let it rain. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:55.119 Open your floodgates. 00:00:55.759 --> 00:00:59.920 Open the floodgates of heaven. 00:01:01.200 --> 00:01:03.920 Let it rain. 00:01:06.480 --> 00:01:09.920 I told him the play won't keep going, and we end up on another song. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:16.480 Sometimes we see it pouring on everybody else outside. 00:01:17.519 --> 00:01:23.200 And we forget that the same God that is pouring it out out there can pour it out in here. 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:30.000 That you may see everybody else getting their blessing, and you feel like you're not walking in yours. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:36.159 But let me tell you, there's an old song count your blessings, name them one by one. 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:43.040 Because when you begin to name what God has done for you, you begin to see that oh, I am walking in the blessing. 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:45.359 I am walking in what he's called me to do. 00:01:45.519 --> 00:01:47.280 I am where I'm supposed to be. 00:01:47.439 --> 00:01:51.680 My God is still on the throne and he's still blessing his people. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:01:56.959 Because we serve a God that never sleeps and he never slumbers. 00:01:59.359 --> 00:02:01.040 We serve a big God. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:11.520 We serve a mighty God, we serve a faithful God, and He is worthy of all of the praise. 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:26.560 Even Jesus Himself, living the perfect life, when someone called Him good, pointed the glory and the honor to his Father. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:35.599 Who are we to receive honor and glory that belongs to an Almighty God? 00:02:38.639 --> 00:02:46.240 If you have your Bibles with you today, if you will stand with me for the reading of God's word in James chapter 4, verse 8. 00:02:50.240 --> 00:02:59.680 So oftentimes when I'm studying and God gives me a scripture, I like to go to different translations just to see what the other world's looking at. 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:02.000 You ever heard of the message Bible? 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:06.000 I usually teach and preach from the new living translation. 00:03:06.080 --> 00:03:07.919 It's very common man speak. 00:03:08.080 --> 00:03:09.840 Anyone can understand it. 00:03:10.000 --> 00:03:20.719 Um I'm not going to preach from a version that I don't understand myself because we need to be on guard of thinking we're better because we study a different version. 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:26.879 And if people cannot understand it, like the eunuch said, what am I supposed to do if I don't understand it? 00:03:27.039 --> 00:03:30.080 He had the word of God in front of him, but he had no understanding. 00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:32.719 So I believe in understanding in the house of the Lord. 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:37.280 So we're gonna read in the New Living Translation first, and then I'm gonna switch over to the message Bible. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.479 And once I read that, I kept going. 00:03:40.639 --> 00:03:42.639 So hold on, hold on with me. 00:03:42.879 --> 00:03:50.000 In verse 8 in James chapter 4, it says, Come close to God, and God will come close to you. 00:03:51.199 --> 00:04:02.159 Now, if you really dissect what the Word of God says, and when it says it in the order of which it says it, you know that when it speaks, it has a purpose. 00:04:02.719 --> 00:04:08.240 When it says first that you are to do something, that means you have to get to work. 00:04:08.400 --> 00:04:12.639 If you want to see God work in your life, you need to be a person of action. 00:04:13.039 --> 00:04:16.720 We know that faith without action is pointless. 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:20.480 So come close to God, and God will come close to you. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:23.519 Wash your hands, you sinners. 00:04:25.199 --> 00:04:32.160 Purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:36.560 Now, this is a common, a common issue. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:42.079 Not in the world out there, but in the church house, we serve two masters. 00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:53.439 We want to be like the world and and fit in with the world, and no one ever dislikes us in the world because we look, act, and talk just like them. 00:04:54.720 --> 00:05:00.720 But the Bible says that it is a badge of honor to be persecuted for his name's sake. 00:05:00.879 --> 00:05:07.439 If you're never entering in any kind of persecution in your life on behalf of the Lord, you are not living correctly. 00:05:11.360 --> 00:05:13.360 Was that too hard for a Sunday morning? 00:05:14.000 --> 00:05:15.920 Good, because we're going deeper. 00:05:16.240 --> 00:05:24.639 So the message translation, it reads it like this yell a loud no to the devil and watch him scamper. 00:05:25.759 --> 00:05:30.480 Say a quiet yes to God, and he'll be there in no time. 00:05:31.439 --> 00:05:33.040 This is what I liked about this. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:35.759 Quit dabbling in sin. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:40.639 Purify your inner life. 00:05:40.959 --> 00:05:43.279 Quit playing the field. 00:05:46.399 --> 00:05:49.680 And I had to go to nine and ten because it kept getting better. 00:05:50.160 --> 00:05:51.040 Hit bottom. 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:52.879 Anyone else learn the hard way? 00:05:53.519 --> 00:05:56.639 You have to hit bottom and cry your eyes out. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:05:59.360 It's talking about a state of repentance. 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:02.800 Hitting bottom is great, it hurts. 00:06:02.879 --> 00:06:04.160 You'll remember that. 00:06:04.399 --> 00:06:09.920 But if you don't repent and turn from your wicked ways, it is all for nothing. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:12.560 The fun and games are over. 00:06:13.199 --> 00:06:15.839 Get serious, really serious. 00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.639 Get down on your knees before the master. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:24.000 It is only the only way to get on your feet. 00:06:24.959 --> 00:06:27.439 Get on your knees before the master. 00:06:27.600 --> 00:06:31.519 It is the only way to get back on your feet, child of God. 00:06:32.800 --> 00:06:36.720 Father, we thank you so much for your mercy and your grace and your spirit. 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:47.120 I pray, God, that you prepare even the hardest of hearts today, that your word penetrate and be transformed under the almighty power of God. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:49.839 In your precious name we pray. 00:06:50.480 --> 00:06:52.160 Amen and amen. 00:06:52.480 --> 00:06:54.720 You may be seated if you can. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:01.759 Some of y'all gonna have to, this is this is kind of a joke, but it's kind of not. 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:06.560 Some of y'all gonna have to turn your hearing aids up because that rain is loud. 00:07:08.160 --> 00:07:21.839 We had the same issue Tuesday at prayer meeting, and so I had the combination of talking to the prayer people here on Tuesday mornings and the loud rain, and then I was also excited about the verse I was giving them, and I almost started preaching. 00:07:22.319 --> 00:07:25.279 And I was like, excuse me, I got I got a little excited. 00:07:25.439 --> 00:07:32.639 But this so Friday night we had a thing at the mod cob, and it was for Rahab's retreat. 00:07:32.720 --> 00:07:34.399 So we had a thing over there. 00:07:34.560 --> 00:07:38.000 We had a uh dinner, it was for charity, they raised some money. 00:07:38.240 --> 00:07:46.480 And then Saturday, we had at from 9 to 2, we had a serving time of uh just getting some stuff ready. 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:51.439 We helped Sister Helen with actually my job was mixing the icing. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:52.959 I had no clue. 00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.079 This is how much I bake. 00:07:54.160 --> 00:07:55.839 I don't because it's of the devil. 00:07:56.079 --> 00:08:02.480 And um, it is because I'll gain 50 pounds in one sitting because I won't stop. 00:08:02.639 --> 00:08:03.600 I have a problem. 00:08:03.839 --> 00:08:05.519 So I eliminate the problem. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:09.040 I I can't I can't be around it. 00:08:09.360 --> 00:08:20.000 So I was sitting there with all my willpower, and I didn't know that icing coming out of the can, you have to put hot water in it to make it soft and put a little bit and mix it up. 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:21.360 I had no clue. 00:08:21.600 --> 00:08:22.879 So that was my job. 00:08:23.040 --> 00:08:32.960 Uh they had Sister Jesse putting on the icing of the cakes and Sister Helen the same way because I told them that I do not, you don't want me putting icing on the cake because it'll be ugly. 00:08:34.000 --> 00:08:39.039 And if I'm that person, I will mess it up on purpose so I have the opportunity to eat it. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:41.919 So all I did was mix the icing. 00:08:42.240 --> 00:08:52.639 Well, then at the same time, going on at uh First Assembly here in Longview, uh over on 4th Street, right across from the hospital, we had what we call it's a it's a yearly thing. 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:58.960 It's called steak Longview, not S-T-E-A-K for those who are hungry, but praise the Lord for some good steak, amen. 00:08:59.519 --> 00:09:02.320 But it was steak, like a steak in the ground. 00:09:03.759 --> 00:09:05.759 And we participated in it last year. 00:09:05.840 --> 00:09:09.279 The numbers were a little lower this year, but we had I have the stats on it. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:11.440 We had 54 people show up. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:25.759 We have 14 churches, and so what we do is every year we go to the entrances of Longview and we put a stake in the ground with scriptures on it because we are taking back the city of Longview for our God. 00:09:28.720 --> 00:09:34.000 And this year, the focus was children, schools, and administration. 00:09:34.559 --> 00:09:37.360 How many of y'all know we need to pray for our teachers? 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:38.559 Amen. 00:09:39.039 --> 00:09:44.000 My kids in the school, I specifically asked, can we get stakes for pine tree? 00:09:44.639 --> 00:09:46.399 Junior high specifically. 00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:55.039 So, and we also staked, so there's 30 gates that we every little road doesn't count, but kind of the main entrances of Longview. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:01.360 We stake them off with scriptures for our children because if you haven't noticed or been paying attention, our children are under attack. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:14.080 Some of the things and reports that I'm hearing from crazy stuff that I never would thought that I would ever hear them trying to implement into our schools and sneak it in there. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:17.840 And like the other day, we had to get some more medication for Tristan. 00:10:18.240 --> 00:10:24.799 And no longer can you go to the website and apply for more medicine if they're of the age of what? 00:10:25.279 --> 00:10:27.039 Was it even 14? 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:30.240 They have to give their consent for the parent. 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:36.000 I'm telling you, this is Christmas, this is home, this is over in Tyler where we go to his doctor. 00:10:36.480 --> 00:10:43.919 He has to give consent for us to the boy don't even know what from down right now. 00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:45.440 He's a teenager. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:49.440 I'm not going to embarrass him because he's in here. 00:10:49.679 --> 00:10:53.840 But ask me anytime of some stories, and I'll give you some stories where his brain just didn't connect. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.080 I got a truckload of those. 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:01.679 But they're saying that I have to get permission from my child to get into his medical documents. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.159 They are attacking our children. 00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:10.720 They're coming out, they're trying to confuse truth and sinful living to be the same. 00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.320 Baby, can you bring me my water? 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:13.360 I forgot it on the seat. 00:11:14.000 --> 00:11:17.120 So if you've been following along, so that's what we did yesterday. 00:11:17.279 --> 00:11:19.919 It was a great day of serving and taking back. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:29.919 And very soon, once the weather is not as cold or this, we're going to hand out stakes with scriptures. 00:11:30.559 --> 00:11:39.279 And every person who is represented here, every location that is represented here, you are going to go where you reside in your part, and you are going to do your part. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:47.519 You're going to pray the word of God over where you are, and we are going to take back the city of Longview, Kilgore, or wherever you come from. 00:11:47.679 --> 00:11:48.559 New Diana? 00:11:52.559 --> 00:11:57.759 Because if you've been around, if you've had kids in the school system for any amount of time, you know this is not a game. 00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:01.519 They're not playing, they're being out loud with it. 00:12:02.080 --> 00:12:06.639 And they don't care what anybody says, and then they end up making laws that go along with it. 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:11.679 The Bible says, reprobate mind. 00:12:13.279 --> 00:12:17.279 In the last days, he's going to pour out his spirit, but also there's going to be a great falling away. 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:27.519 There was somebody that I admired in the community of Bible teaching that I just watched a video on yesterday about he is now affirming to the homosexual life. 00:12:27.759 --> 00:12:31.039 And he will not say that it is a sin, and the church is the problem. 00:12:35.600 --> 00:12:37.200 Sin is sin. 00:12:38.720 --> 00:12:42.799 It is not our standard, but it is the word of God's standard. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:46.240 Whatever the word of God says is wrong, it is wrong. 00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:50.240 But we still have to show God's love to the people that don't know his love. 00:12:50.399 --> 00:12:53.200 How will they come to God if we do not show the love? 00:12:55.279 --> 00:12:59.279 If we will talk more about them than we pray about them, you're in the wrong. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:01.440 Let's move on. 00:13:02.559 --> 00:13:04.480 We've been in our shut up series. 00:13:05.039 --> 00:13:06.320 Now we started off. 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:08.080 Oh, so let me tell you about. 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:12.720 So next Sunday is the first Sunday of February. 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:16.960 If y'all don't know, fellas, it's Valentine's Day coming up. 00:13:17.519 --> 00:13:20.320 If you ain't planned it out by now, you kind of slow. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:20.879 Alright? 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:23.440 Get on it before she finds out that you didn't know. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:24.000 Okay? 00:13:24.320 --> 00:13:25.600 I'm trying to help you. 00:13:25.759 --> 00:13:26.559 Just take this. 00:13:26.720 --> 00:13:27.519 Don't look at her. 00:13:27.600 --> 00:13:28.559 Just keep looking straight. 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:29.440 She don't know. 00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:30.480 We're on the same page. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:31.519 Just go do your thing. 00:13:31.679 --> 00:13:32.879 Buy her something good. 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:43.279 So our our series coming up next week is going to be called Let's Get Involved. 00:13:45.279 --> 00:13:46.799 Let's get involved. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:49.840 So we're going to be breaking down common relationships. 00:13:49.919 --> 00:13:50.879 These are going to be principles. 00:13:50.960 --> 00:14:01.519 If you're single or if you are married or you're dating or whatever, these are going to be principles, biblical principles, that are going to show you things in the spirit that you need to be mindful of. 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:04.320 So week one, we're going to go through each phase. 00:14:04.559 --> 00:14:10.240 I'm going to point out some physical things and you're going to understand them in a spiritual manner because we're going to go through some scripture. 00:14:10.399 --> 00:14:12.799 Number one is going to be the dating phase. 00:14:13.279 --> 00:14:16.639 What you should look for, what you should not settle for. 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:20.080 And if you are married, are you still dating? 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:21.120 Think about it. 00:14:21.200 --> 00:14:21.840 Don't answer. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:23.279 You might say the wrong answer. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:26.799 Because if you ain't still dating her, fellas, you ain't trying no more. 00:14:28.720 --> 00:14:31.840 You think now that she's in your fly trap, you ain't got to try as hard. 00:14:31.919 --> 00:14:35.519 And then you wonder why you're still having dating issues after you got married. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:37.759 Because you quit on her. 00:14:38.399 --> 00:14:41.200 Ladies, I'm going to speak to you for a second. 00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:45.200 All you got to do is make us feel like we know what we're talking about. 00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:46.639 It ain't complicated. 00:14:46.799 --> 00:14:47.120 Okay? 00:14:47.360 --> 00:14:54.320 We're trying to figure y'all out, but you just respect us and show us that you uplift us and you honor what we say, even though it may be stupid, we're good. 00:14:56.960 --> 00:15:00.480 If my wife, if I'm doing something at the house and she's like, oh, it looks good, baby. 00:15:00.559 --> 00:15:03.360 I know she's probably lying, but I don't care. 00:15:03.519 --> 00:15:04.799 I fixed it, it was done. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:05.919 She probably goes behind me. 00:15:06.240 --> 00:15:09.360 Okay, this is what I talked about before: the laundry situation. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:10.080 All right. 00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.200 I love her so much. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:15.279 I do her laundry, and I the other day I said, baby, don't do it right in front of me. 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:19.519 She fulfolded the laundry I folded of hers right in front of my face. 00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:26.480 Talk about strip a man of his pride and dignity right in front of me. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:29.919 Just show us that what we're doing matters to you. 00:15:30.080 --> 00:15:30.960 We're good. 00:15:31.279 --> 00:15:31.919 We are good. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:32.639 We're easy. 00:15:32.879 --> 00:15:34.480 God made it so simple. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:35.919 So simple. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:40.320 The number two, after you're dating somebody, you go into this covenant phase. 00:15:40.559 --> 00:15:41.840 God loves this. 00:15:42.559 --> 00:15:43.759 God loves a covenant. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:45.200 He is a God of covenant. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.120 That's why he hates divorce. 00:15:47.279 --> 00:15:49.360 He can forgive it, but he hates it. 00:15:50.320 --> 00:15:52.320 That's not his and his design. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:59.519 This is the place where God is honored and he takes great joy because he is a God of covenant. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:06.159 A place that spiritually, the church body keeps pretending that we are committed to God, but we're still dating him. 00:16:07.679 --> 00:16:13.919 We're still coming to church on Sundays, but doing all the rest of the stuff, seeing everybody else on the on the other days. 00:16:16.000 --> 00:16:18.559 Some may call them two-time Christian folk. 00:16:20.080 --> 00:16:29.679 Well, you pretend to love God and sit at his table because you like his food, but you're saying you're married to him, you're wearing the ring, but you're playing footsie with the devil under the table. 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:34.559 We'll go on from there. 00:16:36.159 --> 00:16:37.360 The honeymoon phase. 00:16:37.600 --> 00:16:38.320 Anybody ever been there? 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:39.360 Anybody ever been married? 00:16:39.440 --> 00:16:41.039 You been in the honeymoon phase before? 00:16:41.600 --> 00:16:42.960 Boy, it's good. 00:16:43.840 --> 00:16:46.000 They can't do nothing wrong. 00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:47.519 Life is good. 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:52.799 And then on week four, the honeymoon phase is over. 00:16:53.360 --> 00:16:58.480 Reality comes in, it sets in, real life takes hold of you. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:02.960 I tell my wife all the time, like we argue, we bicker, we fight, we do our thing. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:04.559 She gets mad, she don't talk to me. 00:17:04.640 --> 00:17:06.319 I get mad, I won't shut up. 00:17:09.200 --> 00:17:12.640 The worst thing I can do when we're in the middle of an argument is make a joke. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:14.799 But to me, that's how I cope. 00:17:17.200 --> 00:17:22.079 And she, man, she does not like me in those moments. 00:17:22.720 --> 00:17:23.759 And I know it. 00:17:23.920 --> 00:17:24.640 I try. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:28.480 But my filter, y'all, is so small that all the other words go around it. 00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:29.759 I try. 00:17:30.400 --> 00:17:39.599 But we said we said this multiple times to each other in the last year or so, that we still don't we're we're coming up on eight years and we still don't feel like we're out of our honeymoon phase. 00:17:40.079 --> 00:17:40.880 Now, why is that? 00:17:40.960 --> 00:17:42.559 How do you keep the honeymoon phase alive? 00:17:42.640 --> 00:17:46.880 You keep trying to date that person and win them over all the time. 00:17:47.279 --> 00:17:51.759 If they're not your best friend, if you don't enjoy their company, you're in the wrong marriage. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:54.400 And you probably made a stupid mistake. 00:17:54.799 --> 00:17:58.000 I'm not saying you can get out of it, you're stuck now, but I'm just saying. 00:17:58.319 --> 00:17:59.759 So that is kind of where we're going. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:03.519 There's a lot more to it, but we're gonna cut it off right there for time's sake. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:07.920 So in this series of shut up, we did week one, and that was voices. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:17.920 We talked about the voices we allow to speak into our lives, the external, the local, and the internal that actually have no business speaking into our lives. 00:18:18.240 --> 00:18:19.759 But we allow them every day. 00:18:20.400 --> 00:18:29.200 And then week two, we really focused in and dived in on the internal voices to make every thought captive and submit to Jesus Christ. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:34.799 Every single thought, good or bad, to submit it to Jesus Christ. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:36.720 Now, why do we want to do this? 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:47.519 Because we know that our life and the people in your influence, in your house, in your home, your family members, your life will go in the direction of your strongest thoughts. 00:18:48.079 --> 00:18:54.559 Whatever you repeat in your mind, even if it is a lie, even if it's a lie about yourself, you will eventually begin to feel it. 00:18:54.720 --> 00:19:02.160 You'll begin to realize, oh, well, maybe I am just this or I am just that because you're letting other people tell you instead of a heavenly father tell you. 00:19:02.880 --> 00:19:09.039 And then you end up wearing a badge and a name tag, and that is not your name. 00:19:09.440 --> 00:19:14.799 Your name, you are called child of God, you are called saved and redeemed and changed. 00:19:15.759 --> 00:19:17.920 And then last week we had shut up and dance. 00:19:18.000 --> 00:19:19.279 We talked about the little baby. 00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:22.960 When they start dancing and bobbing, everybody else in the room starts getting on it too. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.680 Everybody gets happy when you get your dance back. 00:19:26.000 --> 00:19:29.680 When you get your dance back, it brings joy to everybody else around you. 00:19:30.160 --> 00:19:32.880 You move different, you feel different, you got joy in your life. 00:19:32.960 --> 00:19:34.559 That's what we're talking about when we say dance. 00:19:34.720 --> 00:19:36.480 We have joy back in our life. 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:39.599 Shut up and dance. 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:45.039 Sometimes in the middle of desperation, you still gotta dance. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:56.240 Because if you realize that your joy comes from the Lord and not possessions and things and people and relationships, your joy will stay constant instead of constantly fluctuating. 00:19:56.960 --> 00:20:01.599 Because if the devil can rob you of your joy, he can deplete you of your strength. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:08.960 If the devil can rob you of your joy, he can deplete you of your strength. 00:20:09.200 --> 00:20:13.759 And so this week, it's gonna be the last one on shut up, so I'm gonna stop telling talking to y'all like that. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:17.039 Shut up and dig. 00:20:18.000 --> 00:20:19.599 Shut up and dig. 00:20:20.319 --> 00:20:30.480 Now, some of you probably at one time in your life have had a house, a home, knew somebody who did, your aunt, your uncle, your mom, your dad, your sister, your brother, your kids, whatever. 00:20:30.559 --> 00:20:32.079 They have had a house with a yard. 00:20:35.440 --> 00:20:40.240 When we first got our home together after we got married, I was proud, man. 00:20:40.319 --> 00:20:45.359 I went, got me a husky barna, push mower, self-propelled. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:47.920 I thought I was the stuff. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:50.240 Because we've been living in a little apartment. 00:20:50.400 --> 00:20:51.920 We have more room now. 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:54.640 I had a yard, right at half an acre. 00:20:54.720 --> 00:20:59.279 Some of y'all it's like half an acre, but to us from an apartment, that's a mansion and yard. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:00.400 That's just crazy. 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:02.240 Less than a thousand square foot. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:05.920 Now we got 1,500 square feet and a yard. 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.440 It goes down to the lake. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:09.039 Woo! Come on, somebody. 00:21:09.279 --> 00:21:16.880 Well, in all the goodness, for about three to four weeks, I loved mowing the yard until I didn't. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:29.680 I took pictures and put them on my Instagrams of my new mower sitting in the yard with it freshly mowed. 00:21:30.640 --> 00:21:32.160 It was so stupid. 00:21:32.480 --> 00:21:36.160 But I was proud because I had a yard. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:39.200 I was proud because I had my own mower now. 00:21:39.359 --> 00:21:41.680 I had I went and got me a weed eater, too. 00:21:42.079 --> 00:21:47.119 Those stupid things after a month or so, they won't stay going, but man, I loved it. 00:21:47.759 --> 00:21:51.680 And then something happened over and over and over again. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.599 It's the craziest thing. 00:21:54.079 --> 00:22:02.319 So I would I would get out there, I'd mow the yard, you know, in the middle of the summer, sweating, nasty, and we do this stupid thing where we We water the yard so it grows more so we can water it again. 00:22:02.400 --> 00:22:05.039 So we grow, we can cut it and grow it and cut it and grow it. 00:22:06.400 --> 00:22:07.920 Well, that's what happened. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:11.519 I cut that grass, I'd be sweating, I'd feel accomplished with my chest up. 00:22:12.160 --> 00:22:14.319 Yeah, baby, I got the yard done today. 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:18.960 Wearing my work boots. 00:22:20.160 --> 00:22:22.400 Steel toes, not these. 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:25.279 I actually do have work boots, y'all. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:29.680 And next week, about the same time, I go out in the yard again. 00:22:29.839 --> 00:22:31.839 You know those little lightning rod things that shoot up? 00:22:31.920 --> 00:22:34.240 It's it grows faster than anything else in the yard. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:41.359 And it makes it look like I wasn't gonna say the phrase that came to my mind. 00:22:42.079 --> 00:22:43.680 It did not look good. 00:22:44.160 --> 00:22:46.480 And looked like I didn't care about my yard. 00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:49.599 But last week I gave so much attention to it. 00:22:50.880 --> 00:22:53.119 And so I would start that thing up again. 00:22:53.359 --> 00:22:59.759 I put gas in it, finally get it going, mow that yard again. 00:23:00.640 --> 00:23:05.359 And about four months later, I started realizing I didn't maybe I didn't need a weed eat so much. 00:23:09.680 --> 00:23:11.440 And then it started getting cool. 00:23:11.519 --> 00:23:13.039 I'm like, oh thank God. 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:17.519 So it starts spreading out every couple weeks, then every every month. 00:23:18.079 --> 00:23:19.759 Then I put the lawnmower up. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:23.440 Well, then it gets all fresh and nice again in the springtime, and guess what? 00:23:23.519 --> 00:23:25.440 That stupid grass came right back. 00:23:26.480 --> 00:23:30.559 Something I was so proud of at one point that I loved. 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:33.440 But I didn't like once I started having to do the work. 00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:41.759 And so what happened is it didn't matter how sharp my blades were or how good my mower was, it always came back next week. 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:54.720 And if I really was that worried about the problem that I was having, because I ended up hating mowing the yard, I would have got a shovel out there and made it all dirt. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:24:03.440 But yet I kept doing it surface level, and every week the same problem that I had kept coming back. 00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:06.880 Some of y'all are doing that in your spiritual walk in the gardens of your heart. 00:24:08.240 --> 00:24:13.200 You're getting just the surface every week, and you come back to your garden and you're like, oh, wait a minute, what is that doing back? 00:24:14.079 --> 00:24:18.000 Because you didn't go deeper, you didn't do any digging. 00:24:18.319 --> 00:24:20.480 We do the same thing in our spiritual walk. 00:24:20.640 --> 00:24:27.279 We get the mower out and we cut what we see on the surface, and we never go any deeper to the source of the problem. 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:32.640 If you're having issues with your fruit, you need to start checking your root. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:45.119 So we feel like we've actually done something and we still have the same bad fruit week after week when all we did was mow it down on the surface. 00:24:46.160 --> 00:24:49.119 And if we never dig, you'll never get to the root of the problem. 00:24:49.279 --> 00:24:52.720 We have become satisfied with coming to church. 00:24:53.519 --> 00:24:55.200 Anybody else love their church? 00:24:55.599 --> 00:25:00.880 But I love my church, but there is more to God than coming to a building on a Sunday morning. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:08.240 We have become satisfied with coming to church, singing a few songs, maybe coming to the altar. 00:25:08.480 --> 00:25:09.279 A great time. 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:10.799 Anybody ever come to the altar? 00:25:10.960 --> 00:25:18.400 You feel good, you got something, you felt revitalized, refreshed, and you go out that door, and your stupid life is still trying to get you. 00:25:20.240 --> 00:25:22.880 You go back to your house and you got the same yard. 00:25:25.519 --> 00:25:41.920 You got the same neighbors, and we act like because now we have our ticket to heaven, guaranteed fire insurance, no longer going to hell, that all is good in the world and we are good to go. 00:25:42.480 --> 00:25:48.400 But I'm here to tell you today that there is more to God than fire insurance. 00:25:50.240 --> 00:25:55.279 There is something deeper in the spiritual realm that you can't get to. 00:25:59.279 --> 00:26:06.079 You can serve in the church your entire life, you can give all that your bank account can give. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:14.559 But if you do not understand that it is not a physical gain, but a spiritual need in your life, you will constantly have that hold. 00:26:15.200 --> 00:26:17.599 Your spirit will never be satisfied. 00:26:21.440 --> 00:26:25.920 There is more to be had in your spirit. 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:32.880 God wants to do more for you than just a He wants more between you and Him than just a surface-deep relationship. 00:26:33.039 --> 00:26:41.440 When we allow ourselves to become intimate with God, things will be revealed to you that you never knew were available. 00:26:43.279 --> 00:26:47.920 So we're going to talk about four principles today that will help you get deeper roots into God. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:52.480 You got to start digging, you got to start getting beyond the surface with God. 00:26:52.640 --> 00:26:58.960 You've got to go below what you see and understand who God is and what He has for you. 00:26:59.359 --> 00:27:03.759 There is no possible way that you can be as strong as you need to be. 00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:10.799 And when the devil comes against you, you'll be able to guard against him if you do not understand what is available to you. 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:15.599 You won't understand the weapons of warfare, spiritual warfare that we have. 00:27:15.759 --> 00:27:20.400 There is nothing physical that you can obtain that will give you a spiritual edge. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:25.119 It has to be spiritually sought after and dug for. 00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:35.200 Now, one thing that we constantly have issues with in this culture is we do not know how to rest. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:39.759 But I don't want you to just rest. 00:27:39.839 --> 00:27:50.799 I want you to learn to rest in God's sovereignty, in his power, in his hand, not in yours. 00:27:51.200 --> 00:27:52.400 What he can do. 00:27:52.640 --> 00:27:56.079 Look in Psalm 16, verse 11. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:06.720 It says, You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy. 00:28:06.880 --> 00:28:07.920 There's that word again. 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:13.839 Granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever. 00:28:14.079 --> 00:28:17.119 He has supreme power and authority. 00:28:17.359 --> 00:28:21.599 Take comfort and take rest in the Father. 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:27.759 There is nothing, nothing more restful than resting in the arms of Jesus. 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:35.039 Lord, remind us how to rest in you. 00:28:35.200 --> 00:28:36.480 Striving tempts us. 00:28:36.559 --> 00:28:37.519 Listen to this. 00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:43.440 Have you ever been in a relationship where you feel like you're always the one doing and you never can do enough? 00:28:45.279 --> 00:28:54.000 Sometimes we paint this picture of God in this way, and we strive to constantly be doing something for Him instead of being in Him. 00:28:54.240 --> 00:28:56.559 And we're working and working and working. 00:28:56.720 --> 00:28:58.160 Yes, we need workers in the fields. 00:28:58.240 --> 00:29:04.400 We need people who have a burden for the ministry, but you will wear yourself out if you do not remain in God. 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:12.319 Because when we start to strive, this tempts us to believe that it is dependable on us. 00:29:14.160 --> 00:29:16.000 And it is not about you. 00:29:16.240 --> 00:29:19.680 This power, this sovereignty, this rest is not found in you. 00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:21.200 It has to come from God. 00:29:21.359 --> 00:29:27.920 If you're not careful, you'll get ahead of God and start trying to figure out things on your own. 00:29:28.079 --> 00:29:34.240 We have a great example of someone who was given a promise by God, and his name was Abram. 00:29:35.519 --> 00:29:38.160 And his name was changed to Abraham. 00:29:38.319 --> 00:29:43.680 God promised him he would be the father of many nations, that his descendants would not be able to be counted. 00:29:44.240 --> 00:29:49.599 And it was not happening in the time frame that he wanted it to happen. 00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:51.200 So what did he do? 00:29:51.839 --> 00:29:53.920 He started trying to do it on his own. 00:29:54.079 --> 00:30:01.759 Has anybody in here before been told that something was going to happen in your life, that God was on the way, that his mercy and grace is so good. 00:30:01.920 --> 00:30:02.799 Oh, that's good. 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:04.559 Let me figure out what to do next. 00:30:04.720 --> 00:30:06.559 No, you need to shut up. 00:30:07.359 --> 00:30:08.559 You need to stop. 00:30:09.119 --> 00:30:11.839