WEBVTT 00:00:28.480 --> 00:00:35.679 The rest of the worship team, um I forgot to tell you the word I was supposed to tell you from bringing you up there in the first place. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:46.159 Uh the Lord is bringing revival to this house, he's gonna bring it other places, but this is going to be a house that's going to steward and sustain revival. 00:00:46.399 --> 00:00:49.840 This is not fairy tale, this is not make-believe, this is a reality. 00:00:50.000 --> 00:00:52.079 For some of us, you may doubt that, but that's okay. 00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:54.320 When it happens, you'll be like, oh my gosh. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:59.200 There's gonna be a lot of souls that are gonna be saved, okay? 00:00:59.280 --> 00:01:03.600 This is all this is all the starting point, this is the building grounds, okay? 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:09.840 Nothing, nothing, we never see God do anything great without a people responding in faith. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:10.319 You know what? 00:01:10.400 --> 00:01:11.120 I don't see it yet. 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:17.359 When it was Elijah, he looked off, he saw a small crowd, a cloud, and he said, get ready, the rain is coming. 00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:18.159 Okay. 00:01:18.879 --> 00:01:22.319 I'm not calling myself Elijah yet. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:24.319 Just kidding. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:25.280 That was a joke. 00:01:25.439 --> 00:01:27.599 If you're new here, that was a joke. 00:01:29.439 --> 00:01:31.439 Uh you could turn that music off. 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:40.640 We uh we've got invisible musicians here playing all the time. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:43.519 That was angelic music. 00:01:44.400 --> 00:01:48.000 But music worship team, he's bringing a move of his spirit. 00:01:48.079 --> 00:01:49.359 You're going to help host it. 00:01:49.519 --> 00:01:52.319 Part of this move is going to be worship-oriented. 00:01:52.400 --> 00:02:01.200 It's going to be both in the presence, in experiencing his glory, which was what was happening today, but it's also going to be in warfare and contending. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:01.840 Okay? 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:05.680 There's times that we dig for those wells. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:08.960 There's times that we contend the worship team, you're playing a part in that. 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:15.120 And sometimes I think we think that what we do on the worship team just what happens on Sundays by showing up early. 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.759 Actually, that's what's happening during the week. 00:02:17.919 --> 00:02:19.520 That's happening in our prayer life. 00:02:19.599 --> 00:02:20.319 That's happening. 00:02:20.479 --> 00:02:24.240 What we're contending for, we're going to bring out on the platform. 00:02:25.360 --> 00:02:26.719 Did y'all catch that? 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:31.439 What happens in the secret place is going to overflow in the public places. 00:02:33.360 --> 00:02:38.800 So this is both the Lord encouraging you of, hey, I'm doing something, but also it's a call to respond. 00:02:38.960 --> 00:02:45.039 Hey, what goes on in your secret life is going to show that anointing is going to come out, and you can't fake it. 00:02:45.520 --> 00:02:46.159 Amen. 00:02:50.479 --> 00:02:51.120 Welcome. 00:02:51.919 --> 00:02:54.560 We didn't do announcements, so I'm trying to like fill all the parts. 00:02:54.639 --> 00:02:55.520 I'm sorry, Gary. 00:02:56.000 --> 00:02:58.960 Well, we might get to them at the end, but we need to move on. 00:02:59.199 --> 00:03:10.000 We have been talking about spiritual warfare a lot, and the Lord, I feel like, really wants to hit this message this morning because I believe this goes into alignment of some of the things that God has been doing here this morning. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:10.879 Amen? 00:03:11.680 --> 00:03:13.280 And that's the helmet of salvation. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:19.599 Now, all the other armor pieces are great, but I would say this is where the rubber meets the road, the helmet of salvation. 00:03:20.240 --> 00:03:20.560 Okay? 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:29.039 This message is going to be very spiritual, but it's going to sound very non-spiritual. 00:03:31.520 --> 00:03:32.240 Is that okay? 00:03:32.879 --> 00:03:34.639 Hey kids, where y'all at? 00:03:35.439 --> 00:03:36.479 Raise your hand. 00:03:38.639 --> 00:03:42.000 Every time I say helmet, I want y'all to say something. 00:03:42.080 --> 00:03:43.120 What do you want to say? 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:44.400 You tell me. 00:03:44.479 --> 00:03:46.400 What do you want to say every time we're gonna play a game? 00:03:46.479 --> 00:03:49.599 Every time I say helmet, you wanna say Jesus? 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:51.039 Kids, do y'all agree? 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.000 Or do y'all have anything else? 00:03:54.159 --> 00:03:55.520 Y'all wanna say wahhoo? 00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:57.759 Popcorn? 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:00.960 Are y'all okay with popcorn? 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:02.960 Do you like no? 00:04:03.120 --> 00:04:04.159 She said no. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:06.800 Are we gonna have to paper rock scissors it? 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:09.759 Do you know how to do paper rock scissors? 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:10.560 Come up here. 00:04:10.719 --> 00:04:11.840 Hey, come up here, Caleb. 00:04:11.919 --> 00:04:12.639 Give them a hand. 00:04:12.800 --> 00:04:14.479 Come up here on the stage. 00:04:15.280 --> 00:04:16.240 Come on. 00:04:20.240 --> 00:04:21.600 Okay, so here's the game. 00:04:21.680 --> 00:04:22.240 Here's the rules. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:23.040 How are you doing, sir? 00:04:23.120 --> 00:04:23.680 I'm David. 00:04:24.000 --> 00:04:24.560 Caleb. 00:04:24.720 --> 00:04:25.600 How are you doing, lady? 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:26.240 What's your name? 00:04:26.560 --> 00:04:27.120 Abby. 00:04:27.439 --> 00:04:28.800 Oh, it's so nice to meet you. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:33.839 Okay, so we're doing paper, rock, scissors to determine what are the kids gonna say every time I say helmet. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:35.600 She wants to say Jesus. 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:37.519 And you want to say popcorn. 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:40.240 Very, very spiritual. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:41.759 What's happening right now? 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:44.160 So are we gonna do best two out of three? 00:04:44.480 --> 00:04:45.839 Paper, rock, scissors, do you not do it? 00:04:45.920 --> 00:04:48.319 You're gonna go one, two, three, and then do it. 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:48.720 Alright? 00:04:48.879 --> 00:04:50.160 So stand right here. 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:52.800 Two, three, go. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:54.399 Oh, there's one. 00:04:54.560 --> 00:04:54.879 Okay. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:56.160 The best two out of three. 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:56.560 Let's go. 00:04:56.639 --> 00:04:57.120 Here we go. 00:04:57.279 --> 00:04:58.319 Two, three. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:00.079 Okay, it's tied up. 00:05:00.160 --> 00:05:00.800 This is the game. 00:05:00.959 --> 00:05:01.519 You ready for this? 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.199 Hey, give them share for them, church. 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:04.480 What's going on here? 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:06.399 Here we go. 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.560 One, two, three. 00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:11.040 Oh, you lost. 00:05:11.279 --> 00:05:11.759 Hey, okay. 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:13.360 So we're saying popcorn, okay? 00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:14.480 Is that okay? 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:16.000 Yeah! 00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:17.199 It's okay. 00:05:17.360 --> 00:05:18.240 Give them a hand. 00:05:18.480 --> 00:05:19.279 You're so smart. 00:05:21.600 --> 00:05:26.079 So every time I say helmet, you're gonna say helmet. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:28.160 Helmet. 00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:33.199 Popcorn. 00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:35.839 I didn't tell you to say anything. 00:05:36.240 --> 00:05:37.120 I said popcorn. 00:05:37.199 --> 00:05:37.839 That was a trick. 00:05:37.920 --> 00:05:39.439 You gotta pay attention, kids. 00:05:39.680 --> 00:05:40.000 Okay? 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:44.000 You gotta pay attention in school, but you gotta pay attention in church, right? 00:05:44.560 --> 00:05:46.800 Because we have to have our helmet of salvation on. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:50.639 Y'all missed it, kids. 00:05:50.959 --> 00:05:52.560 You were too busy coloring. 00:05:52.720 --> 00:05:54.720 You were too busy on your iPads. 00:05:54.800 --> 00:05:58.079 You need to focus up here because the Lord wants to talk to you too. 00:05:58.560 --> 00:06:00.240 The Lord likes to talk to children. 00:06:00.399 --> 00:06:00.800 Did you know? 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:03.920 Raise your hand if you knew that God likes to talk to children. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:04.959 He's over there. 00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:09.279 He's like, He's like, I'm ready for warfare. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:10.879 Jesus, sign me up. 00:06:10.959 --> 00:06:13.439 I'm like Sam, y'all here I am, Lord. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:15.120 Thank you, Jesus. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:19.920 Lord, I thank you for what you have started, what you are doing, and what you're gonna continue to do, Lord. 00:06:20.000 --> 00:06:22.480 And we just thank you, Lord, there's an overflow of your presence, Lord. 00:06:22.560 --> 00:06:30.000 There's an overflow that's gonna come from this service into our personal lives, our personal walks, our family, our friends, our work, everything that we do from day to day. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:36.399 And Lord, I say that this church and everyone connected to it is walking in victory in the name of Jesus, not defeat. 00:06:37.279 --> 00:06:43.680 Walking into victory, we break off every victim mentality, every mindset of defeat, every mindset of loss and discouragement, Lord. 00:06:43.759 --> 00:06:44.560 And I thank you today. 00:06:44.639 --> 00:06:55.439 You're bringing a revelation of your truth, and I rebuke every religious spirit, both the religious that denies the supernatural, and then the religious that tries to control or over-define the supernatural. 00:06:56.319 --> 00:06:58.240 Ooh, someone needed to hear that. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:06:59.360 Amen. 00:07:00.879 --> 00:07:03.279 The helmet of salvation, Ephesians 6 said. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.439 I forgot that y'all were doing that. 00:07:05.519 --> 00:07:06.800 That scared me. 00:07:13.279 --> 00:07:14.399 You got me, kids. 00:07:14.480 --> 00:07:15.439 You got me. 00:07:15.759 --> 00:07:18.000 I don't know if this was a good idea. 00:07:19.040 --> 00:07:20.480 I just don't know. 00:07:21.360 --> 00:07:24.160 Put on salvation as your helmet. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:27.519 This is what Paul says. 00:07:27.759 --> 00:07:28.879 He says, put it on. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.319 Everyone say, put on. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:35.040 In verse 13 of Ephesians, he also says, put on, but he says, put on all the armor. 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:38.800 The put on he uses here is different from the put on in verse 13. 00:07:39.120 --> 00:07:41.600 Because this put on means to receive something. 00:07:41.839 --> 00:07:45.920 Understand, when we're talking about salvation, we don't just make salvation happen ourselves. 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:46.480 We receive it. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:46.959 Amen? 00:07:47.040 --> 00:07:48.240 Because it's a gift. 00:07:49.199 --> 00:07:53.920 The context of all the armor of God, before we even got to this point, Paul said, be strong in the Lord. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:59.439 Everything that we're doing is from a posture of receiving and responding from something that we've already received. 00:07:59.600 --> 00:08:05.920 The Christian walk is not about conjuring up everything ourselves, it's about receiving something and then acting upon it. 00:08:08.399 --> 00:08:13.040 I receive the truth of God so that it can impact my life and I live from his truth. 00:08:13.120 --> 00:08:14.639 I don't make up truth. 00:08:15.360 --> 00:08:15.680 Okay? 00:08:16.399 --> 00:08:18.240 Put on salvation as your helmet. 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:20.959 Amen, kids. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:22.160 Good job. 00:08:22.959 --> 00:08:28.319 Paul is talking about a Roman soldier's headpiece. 00:08:32.799 --> 00:08:33.919 See what I did there? 00:08:35.279 --> 00:08:40.080 Loophole! He's talking about a Roman soldier's helmet. 00:08:41.120 --> 00:08:45.519 Typically, these headpieces would be made of iron or bronze. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:46.399 They were made of metal. 00:08:46.480 --> 00:08:50.320 Sometimes they would have a leather on the inside to help them make help them be more comfortable, okay? 00:08:50.480 --> 00:08:52.159 But these helmets were big. 00:08:52.320 --> 00:08:53.919 They covered all over the head. 00:08:54.000 --> 00:08:57.519 They covered the ears, they protected the eyes, they even protected around the mouth, okay? 00:08:57.679 --> 00:09:00.159 They weren't necessarily comfortable to wear. 00:09:00.879 --> 00:09:01.200 Okay? 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.480 We need to remember that as we go into this. 00:09:04.639 --> 00:09:07.039 They weren't necessarily comfortable to wear. 00:09:07.200 --> 00:09:10.960 This armor piece is not necessarily always going to be fun to do. 00:09:12.159 --> 00:09:12.480 Okay? 00:09:12.879 --> 00:09:18.080 So, and we know that this is a this is a symbolic thing that Paul's giving to the church. 00:09:18.320 --> 00:09:25.840 He's using these armor pieces because it helps us remember, but it also helps give some meaning to what is how is this going to affect our life? 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:27.759 We had the belt of truth around our loins. 00:09:27.840 --> 00:09:28.879 That that kind of means something. 00:09:28.960 --> 00:09:31.440 We have the breastplate of righteousness that's covering our heart. 00:09:31.600 --> 00:09:33.840 Well, we know the heart in Scripture means something. 00:09:33.919 --> 00:09:37.840 It's not just talking about the physical organ, it's talking about our deepest desires. 00:09:37.919 --> 00:09:40.000 It's talking about our true self. 00:09:41.519 --> 00:09:47.039 Let's, for simplicity's sake, in today's message, let's just determine that the heart is our true self. 00:09:47.200 --> 00:09:49.759 That's where our real desires live. 00:09:50.240 --> 00:09:50.559 Okay? 00:09:51.919 --> 00:09:54.000 We have the breastplate of righteousness over that. 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:57.440 And then we have we prepare our feet with the gospel of peace. 00:09:57.679 --> 00:10:00.080 The feet, a lot of time in scripture, is talking about walking. 00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:02.320 Walking can symbolize as we live our life. 00:10:02.480 --> 00:10:04.799 Our life is like a walk, like a journey. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:08.080 And actively going, doing something, going somewhere. 00:10:08.240 --> 00:10:11.840 I can want to go somewhere, but until I start walking, I'm not going to go anywhere. 00:10:12.000 --> 00:10:14.879 And he says, prepare your feet with the gospel of peace. 00:10:15.519 --> 00:10:22.720 Make spreading the gospel, being a witness of Jesus Christ, being a bringer of peace, changing the atmosphere wherever we go. 00:10:22.960 --> 00:10:24.320 Make that a part of your life. 00:10:24.399 --> 00:10:25.919 It establishes confidence in us. 00:10:26.000 --> 00:10:30.240 And then we have the shield of faith that we're holding up that's blocking these arrows. 00:10:31.039 --> 00:10:34.639 In the spiritual sense, that's what faith is going to do. 00:10:35.600 --> 00:10:39.360 Kids, kids, there's an actual enemy out there that's unseen, but you know what? 00:10:39.440 --> 00:10:41.200 Jesus Christ has beat that enemy. 00:10:42.159 --> 00:10:43.279 Did you hear me? 00:10:43.519 --> 00:10:45.759 Jesus Christ has beat that enemy. 00:10:46.080 --> 00:10:48.559 Sometimes that enemy wants to look big and scary. 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:49.919 And he'll be like, ah. 00:10:51.279 --> 00:10:52.480 Was that scary? 00:10:53.440 --> 00:10:54.879 Did someone say no? 00:10:57.440 --> 00:10:59.120 I'm going to have to work on it. 00:11:00.000 --> 00:11:01.120 Who said no? 00:11:03.759 --> 00:11:07.759 Alright, I'm going to work on scaring all y'all, but I'm going to do it when you're least expecting it. 00:11:08.720 --> 00:11:14.480 You're going to be eating your little graham crackers and apple juice, and I'm going to scare you, and you're going to pour it all over yourself, and I'm going to be like, ah. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:18.159 Should have had your helmet of salvation on. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:22.080 Air high five. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:22.559 Go. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:25.919 I love that some of the adults did it. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:30.480 I like air high fives. 00:11:30.720 --> 00:11:31.840 I'm still a kid. 00:11:32.000 --> 00:11:32.559 I love that. 00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:33.519 Amen. 00:11:36.320 --> 00:11:38.159 So we have protection of our head. 00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:43.360 So we're, and when we look at this from a Christian perspective, the context of this, the head is talking about the mind. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:44.960 The mind is where thoughts live. 00:11:46.240 --> 00:11:49.120 This is going to be a different piece of armor, okay? 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.360 This is not talking about the heart. 00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:52.879 This is talking about the mind. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:56.799 So what I would say is wisdom would tell us, hey, what does the Bible say about the mind? 00:11:56.960 --> 00:11:59.440 What does the Bible say about our thought life? 00:12:00.240 --> 00:12:03.919 In fact, the Bible has a lot to say about our minds and our thought life. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:06.480 We look at Romans chapter 12, verse 2. 00:12:06.639 --> 00:12:08.240 This is the first part of it. 00:12:08.559 --> 00:12:12.720 It says, Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.320 I'm just changing everything up. 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:33.600 It's a new translation. 00:12:33.759 --> 00:12:36.799 I call it the DIT, Dave's International Translation. 00:12:37.919 --> 00:12:40.159 I'm glad I made one person laugh. 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:42.720 Thank you, whoever you are. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:44.960 Just make sure you come to every service. 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:49.759 It says, Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 00:12:49.840 --> 00:12:54.320 In Ezekiel 36, this is an Old Testament prophecy through the pro the prophet Ezekiel. 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:58.320 God says this, he says, I'm going to give them a new heart. 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:01.519 Talking about the time that we live in today. 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:04.240 I'm going to give them a new heart. 00:13:04.320 --> 00:13:05.840 Now the heart is our true self. 00:13:06.000 --> 00:13:13.919 So God is saying is that I'm going to change who they truly are to be who I truly made them to be in desire for them to be. 00:13:14.159 --> 00:13:16.000 I'm going to give them a new heart. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:20.320 That was back then talking about now that we are meant to experience. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.720 God is transforming us from the inside out. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:26.720 In the Old Testament, there was an external law meant to change us from the outward in. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:27.919 Things are different today. 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:30.480 He's working in and outwardly. 00:13:31.519 --> 00:13:32.639 But that's a heart. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:34.399 We're talking about a mind. 00:13:35.440 --> 00:13:36.879 There's a difference. 00:13:38.559 --> 00:13:45.039 How sad would it be if we went into a battle and we're expecting God to fight the battle? 00:13:45.440 --> 00:13:46.240 Think about this. 00:13:46.480 --> 00:13:52.559 How sad would it be if we're expecting God to fight the battle, but God was expecting us to fight the battle? 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.639 Would we win the battle? 00:13:56.080 --> 00:13:57.519 Kids, would we win that battle? 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:01.919 No, we would not win that battle. 00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.159 It's okay. 00:14:04.879 --> 00:14:06.240 I mean, she gets it. 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:07.919 It would be awful. 00:14:08.399 --> 00:14:12.639 We're expecting God to come fight a battle for us, and He's expecting us to fight it. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:15.759 You see, God is saying, I'm gonna come and I'm gonna change your heart. 00:14:15.840 --> 00:14:17.519 I'm gonna change who you truly are. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:19.840 I'm gonna change your deepest desires. 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.600 But Paul here is saying, let God transform you. 00:14:25.120 --> 00:14:27.840 Wait a second, God's all powerful. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:31.279 Why is this verse saying, let God do it? 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:34.399 Again, Bible, just soak it in. 00:14:34.720 --> 00:14:38.720 If this challenges any of your theology, again, Bible, just soak it in. 00:14:39.600 --> 00:14:45.600 The Bible challenges my theology sometimes, and my theologies have to change to support what the Bible teaches us. 00:14:45.759 --> 00:14:46.720 Y'all with me? 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:48.639 Let God transform you. 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:54.399 I'm gonna come give you a new heart, and then he says, Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:14:55.919 He's talking about our mind. 00:14:57.919 --> 00:14:59.679 He's talking about our mind. 00:15:00.799 --> 00:15:04.000 And what he's saying is, is what's going on in our thought life? 00:15:04.159 --> 00:15:09.440 What is going on in our minds is actually going to either allow or not allow God to transform us. 00:15:09.600 --> 00:15:17.519 God wants to, God's promised He'll do it, but all of a sudden you're telling me that the way I think can actually determine whether or not I'm going to be transformed or not. 00:15:18.080 --> 00:15:19.519 That's a lot of power. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:21.200 I'm gonna be honest. 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:25.600 That you know, the my thought life does not seem like something that that would be that big of a deal. 00:15:25.759 --> 00:15:27.600 That would have that much power. 00:15:30.399 --> 00:15:32.159 Then in the next part of the verse, he says this. 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:35.200 He says, Then you will be able to test and approve kids. 00:15:35.840 --> 00:15:38.080 How many of you have taken a test before? 00:15:38.720 --> 00:15:40.559 Everyone in here, I have two. 00:15:41.200 --> 00:15:43.279 I've homeschooled and I went to public school. 00:15:43.360 --> 00:15:44.960 I got all kinds of tests. 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:47.360 Raise your hand if you like tests. 00:15:48.960 --> 00:15:49.600 One. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:52.320 No, there's two, three. 00:15:52.480 --> 00:15:55.679 There's no raise. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:59.440 Okay, teachers take no, not the kids, the kids don't like tests. 00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:05.360 What? 00:16:05.600 --> 00:16:06.080 Really? 00:16:06.720 --> 00:16:07.039 Okay. 00:16:07.759 --> 00:16:08.559 We have a divide. 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.840 We'll have to work this out later. 00:16:10.159 --> 00:16:11.679 Paper, rock, scissors. 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.200 The second part of this verse says, let God trans. 00:16:15.679 --> 00:16:20.720 Sorry, it says, Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is, his good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:16:20.799 --> 00:16:21.679 I want you to catch this. 00:16:21.759 --> 00:16:22.799 This is the second part of this verse. 00:16:22.960 --> 00:16:24.320 Again, we're talking about the mind. 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:26.159 We're not talking about the heart. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:26.960 Okay? 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:32.639 Test here means to give critical examination to something. 00:16:33.039 --> 00:16:40.159 When I'm looking at something, a critical examination, I'm looking at something and I'm deciding, I'm like, wait a second, is this right or is this wrong? 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:45.759 Kids, have you ever been there where you have to like determine, is something right or is something wrong? 00:16:46.000 --> 00:16:47.279 Raise your hand if you've been there. 00:16:47.440 --> 00:16:55.679 Do you remember those times where mom or dad said, don't do this, and then all of a sudden you come to a moment and you're like, okay, I could do this, but mom and dad said, don't. 00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:57.840 Is this right or is this wrong? 00:16:58.799 --> 00:17:00.559 Have you ever chosen wrong before? 00:17:00.639 --> 00:17:02.320 Raise your hand and let's just be honest today. 00:17:02.399 --> 00:17:03.840 Have you ever chosen wrong before? 00:17:04.079 --> 00:17:06.880 Have you paid the consequences of choosing wrong? 00:17:07.119 --> 00:17:08.799 I paid the consequences a lot. 00:17:08.880 --> 00:17:10.160 My parents used to spank me. 00:17:10.240 --> 00:17:14.160 I don't know if that's, you know, not all parents do that, but my parents used to spank me. 00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:18.160 And I had this little thing as they hold my hand and they had a little stick, okay? 00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:20.160 They didn't beat me, but they spanked me. 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:20.720 Alright? 00:17:20.799 --> 00:17:21.440 I didn't like it. 00:17:21.519 --> 00:17:22.319 They would hold my hand. 00:17:22.400 --> 00:17:23.759 I wasn't even planning on sharing this. 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:24.960 This might be prophetic. 00:17:25.039 --> 00:17:26.880 Or pathetic, whatever. 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:30.880 They would hold my hand up and they would then they would they would spank me, okay? 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:33.200 But what I would do is I would run from it. 00:17:33.359 --> 00:17:35.759 But they were holding my hand, so I ran in circles like this. 00:17:35.920 --> 00:17:38.799 And they'd be circling trying to hit me, and I was like, Stop. 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:43.359 I was very skilled at dodging. 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:51.119 Then you will be able to test and approve, make a critical examination of something. 00:17:51.279 --> 00:17:53.440 Look at what Paul is saying here in the text. 00:17:53.519 --> 00:17:57.039 He's saying that God desires to transform us, God's changing our heart. 00:17:57.200 --> 00:17:58.319 Ezekiel tells us that. 00:17:58.480 --> 00:18:01.920 But yet the way we think is either going to allow or not allow it. 00:18:02.079 --> 00:18:09.039 And now what it's saying is that we're called to critically examine our thought life, to approve God's will for us. 00:18:11.359 --> 00:18:14.319 If I'm called to approve of it, that means I'm looking at stuff. 00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:15.359 I'm not approving of God. 00:18:15.519 --> 00:18:16.559 God doesn't need my approval. 00:18:16.640 --> 00:18:20.799 What I'm doing is I'm approving of his will being implemented into my life. 00:18:21.039 --> 00:18:24.000 I'm saying, okay, this is good, let that happen. 00:18:24.240 --> 00:18:29.119 This is not good, because if I have the ability to approve something, I also have the ability to reject something. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:33.519 This is a lot of power. 00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:43.279 And I think that sometimes this challenges our Christianity a little bit, as far as what is God's responsible for doing and what are we responsible for doing. 00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:46.079 You hearing me? 00:18:46.319 --> 00:18:48.799 I'm gonna mess with some religious people today. 00:18:50.720 --> 00:18:55.680 Sometimes we think, okay, God's responsible for doing this, and I just gotta trust Him and just walk in it. 00:18:55.839 --> 00:19:00.160 I appreciate that, but there's too many verses that also tell us to take up our own cross. 00:19:01.839 --> 00:19:12.640 Paul is calling for the church to engage in what God is wanting to do, to make a conscious decision, change the way you think, actually take effort to examine and approve God's will for your life. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:19.359 You see, I work in the computer world, and sometimes we deal with programs that have like millions of lines of code. 00:19:19.519 --> 00:19:21.839 Does anyone else have you ever looked at programming before? 00:19:22.000 --> 00:19:22.880 Computer languages? 00:19:23.039 --> 00:19:23.680 It's crazy. 00:19:23.920 --> 00:19:25.039 Millions of lines of code. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:25.599 You know what? 00:19:25.680 --> 00:19:30.319 It only takes one bad line of code to distort, to mess up the whole program. 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:35.920 And what I'm what I think Paul is trying to say here is he's saying that God's will for you is perfect. 00:19:36.079 --> 00:19:41.599 There's nothing else in life that even comes close to perfection, but God's will and his plans for you are perfect. 00:19:41.839 --> 00:19:46.000 But if we have a bad line of code in our thinking, that can distort it. 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:49.759 Because maybe all of a sudden we start approving of things that's not God's will. 00:19:49.920 --> 00:19:52.880 And then maybe we start rejecting what is God's will. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:55.200 And that's happening up in our mind. 00:19:55.599 --> 00:19:57.680 Our mind is like a gate. 00:19:58.160 --> 00:20:01.839 It's letting stuff in and it's letting stuff out. 00:20:02.079 --> 00:20:03.519 The mind is not the heart. 00:20:03.680 --> 00:20:08.480 I can desire to please God, but my mind's gonna choose what pleasing God looks like. 00:20:08.559 --> 00:20:12.319 And then my mind's gonna choose whether or not I actually take action to please God. 00:20:12.880 --> 00:20:14.079 Faith lives in the heart. 00:20:14.319 --> 00:20:14.880 Amen? 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:19.920 Faith, I believe in God with all my heart, and I desire to please God. 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:22.880 But it's the mind that carries the knowledge of God. 00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:27.039 We don't just please God by just following our heart. 00:20:27.119 --> 00:20:29.119 We've got to learn what pleases God. 00:20:30.000 --> 00:20:30.799 I've got a verse. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:31.839 Let me give you a verse. 00:20:32.079 --> 00:20:33.200 Colossians 1 10. 00:20:33.279 --> 00:20:38.160 It says, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:40.640 This is that same language that Paul's using, okay? 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:41.359 Pleasing. 00:20:42.160 --> 00:20:43.440 We desire to please God. 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:44.640 That lives in our heart. 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:45.359 That's noble. 00:20:45.440 --> 00:20:46.160 I appreciate that. 00:20:46.240 --> 00:20:47.279 But look at what it says. 00:20:47.440 --> 00:20:52.240 It says, bearing fruit, anytime you see bearing fruit, that means we're doing something. 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:55.359 That means something's actually being produced in our life, okay? 00:20:55.599 --> 00:20:58.000 Good feelings does not mean good fruit. 00:20:59.200 --> 00:21:00.960 Pure desires, I just love God. 00:21:01.039 --> 00:21:02.400 That doesn't mean you're bearing fruit. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:06.240