WEBVTT 00:00:07.679 --> 00:00:11.759 You're listening to the road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:12.720 --> 00:00:22.079 How many of you know that the goal of Jesus coming wasn't just a salvation of souls, but he wants to take over the earth. 00:00:22.480 --> 00:00:30.879 He wants to bring a divine order, a kingdom order over all of the earth in every realm. 00:00:31.199 --> 00:00:32.719 He wants the media. 00:00:32.880 --> 00:00:34.640 He wants athletic teams. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:36.399 He wants your business. 00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:38.159 He wants your family. 00:00:38.320 --> 00:00:40.640 It starts with him getting your soul. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:43.679 But men and women, it doesn't end there. 00:00:44.479 --> 00:00:49.200 At The Road, our mission is to empower people to change the world. 00:00:49.439 --> 00:00:53.520 For more information on The Road, visit theroad.org. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:58.560 We hope you are encouraged by today's message from Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:04.239 --> 00:01:08.400 How many of you know that Jesus had a magnificent obsession? 00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:12.400 He preached on the kingdom of God over a hundred times. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:16.640 He taught his disciples to preach on the kingdom of God. 00:01:17.359 --> 00:01:26.799 He taught us in Matthew 5 and 6 to pray, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:01:27.040 --> 00:01:30.959 And Jesus was obsessed with this idea that he came with the kingdom. 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:46.000 So when we've talked about here at the road, our desire and our passion to be a part of building a kingdom revolution in the Rockies, and people ask me, what is that? 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:48.079 My answer is always the same. 00:01:48.239 --> 00:01:49.519 Go to the Gospels. 00:01:49.680 --> 00:01:51.760 Go to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:55.439 That's a kingdom of God revolution. 00:01:55.760 --> 00:02:05.280 The greatest army, the greatest group of leaders, the greatest band of men and women the world has ever known. 00:02:05.840 --> 00:02:17.919 120 men, women, and children up in that upper room, touched by the Holy Spirit, rocked the world under a dictatorship. 00:02:18.159 --> 00:02:47.759 If you think we have problems in Washington, can you imagine planting churches all over the United States or all over the world under Nero, Domitian, and some of the most desperate, evil, bloodthirsty dictators the world has ever known, and they did it, and they did it to such a degree that by the fourth century Constantine had to make Christianity legal because it was taking over everything. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:51.840 He kind of had that concept, I think, if you can't beat them, join them. 00:02:52.000 --> 00:02:53.120 And so he did. 00:02:53.280 --> 00:03:09.680 And so the Spirit of God in 300 years just took over the known world at that time in the Middle East and then over into Spain and the tribal areas of Europe and then jumped across the way into Great Britain and those tribes in there. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:12.080 I mean, churches are getting planted everywhere. 00:03:12.240 --> 00:03:14.080 It's happening today, folks. 00:03:14.319 --> 00:03:17.520 There is a kingdom revolution in China right now. 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:22.479 You don't hear about it unless you read certain periodicals, but it's amazing what God's doing in China. 00:03:22.639 --> 00:03:25.039 There's a kingdom revolution in Indonesia. 00:03:25.199 --> 00:03:27.520 There's a kingdom revolution in Malaysia. 00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:30.080 There's a kingdom revolution in Latin America. 00:03:30.319 --> 00:03:32.960 Time magazine did an article a few years ago. 00:03:33.199 --> 00:03:42.560 All the new companies, all the new entrepreneurs that are coming up in Latin America because they've gotten saved and they figured out the kingdom. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:50.080 And when you get saved and you really become obsessed with the kingdom, you realize all this potential that's within you. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:51.520 It's amazing. 00:03:51.680 --> 00:03:57.120 And if you get obsessed with the kingdom, you're going to get obsessed with your potential. 00:03:57.439 --> 00:04:02.080 Because God put it there and you're created in the image of Jesus Christ. 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.400 And he came in power and authority. 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:08.000 And so we start to discover the image of God in our life. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:16.079 And so what happens when we really get obsessed by the kingdom is we become fired up for the king and for his kingdom. 00:04:16.160 --> 00:04:30.240 And suddenly circumstances actually become not obstacles, but opportunities, not something that's done to you, but something that's done for you, so you can make an impact and you can be changed. 00:04:30.560 --> 00:04:32.639 I like what Brian said about marriage. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:33.759 It's W-R-K. 00:04:34.000 --> 00:04:35.120 It's work, right? 00:04:35.439 --> 00:04:36.079 It is. 00:04:36.720 --> 00:04:42.720 Well, your purpose on this earth is not primarily your own happiness. 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:50.720 Actually, your purpose here on the earth is to be more and more like Christ, to be more sanctified, and that's why you marry that one. 00:04:51.920 --> 00:04:53.839 They're gonna sanctify you. 00:04:54.079 --> 00:04:58.560 And they if they're not sanctifying you right now, then somebody's not living, man. 00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:02.000 I mean, you you're always attracted to your opposite. 00:05:02.160 --> 00:05:11.120 And so you get in that relationship, and the very thing that attracted you to that other person is the very thing that you start to hate, right? 00:05:11.920 --> 00:05:16.959 So so you have to have a renewal of your mind and your focus on what your marriage is about. 00:05:17.040 --> 00:05:18.639 That's what we're gonna talk about. 00:05:18.959 --> 00:05:20.720 So it's for it's for any of us. 00:05:20.800 --> 00:05:22.240 But here's the deal. 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:27.279 Today, Jesus in his sermon is talking about the kingdom of God. 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:35.519 And we've been through about eight weeks where for four weeks leading up to Christmas, I did a set of messages. 00:05:35.680 --> 00:05:41.040 And then as we talked about Prepare 2020, we did a set of messages and we had our special meetings at the beginning of the year. 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:42.639 We're going back to Matthew now. 00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:47.839 And so the rubric over all of this is a kingdom of God revolution. 00:05:48.079 --> 00:05:49.199 That's our desire. 00:05:49.920 --> 00:05:50.639 So here's the deal. 00:05:50.800 --> 00:05:52.000 Everybody remember this. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:59.439 The vision of the road is to bring a kingdom of God revolution to the Rocky Mountain region. 00:05:59.759 --> 00:06:01.199 That's our vision. 00:06:01.759 --> 00:06:06.399 Our mission is empowering people to change the world. 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:10.319 You can't have a kingdom of God revolution unless you get empowered. 00:06:10.399 --> 00:06:21.360 And you have to make a decision at some point in your journey that you're gonna keep growing, that you're gonna keep learning, that you're gonna stay on the cutting edge of learning. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:25.600 I'm gonna talk about that at AIM on Tuesday morning. 00:06:25.680 --> 00:06:28.319 That's our men's, what we used to call morning fire. 00:06:28.399 --> 00:06:34.240 We call it AIM, all in men, 6 a.m., the godly hour of 6 a.m. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:36.079 We have a great breakfast. 00:06:36.240 --> 00:06:39.360 Matt Wilcox and caters it, fantastic breakfast. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:41.920 You come in there, it's getting bigger and bigger and bigger. 00:06:42.000 --> 00:06:44.000 We're almost up to 70 guys coming. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:47.040 So this Tuesday, I'm gonna talk about breakthrough. 00:06:47.600 --> 00:06:50.480 How do you get a breakthrough in your life? 00:06:50.639 --> 00:07:11.120 Well, let me tell you this: if we don't keep growing, I don't care what age you are, man or woman, if you settle, if you just settle for the way it's been, then what's gonna happen is you're gonna be just like that mayhem Allstate commercial where he says, I'm a tailgator, tailgating on my way to a tailgate. 00:07:11.279 --> 00:07:14.480 And remember the guy in front of him keeps looking, and I can't go any faster. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:16.319 And bam, he hits the car in front of him. 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:18.319 You've got to have a fresh vision. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:28.879 You've got to have fresh focus in your life, not always looking back to the good old days or looking back to the person who betrayed you or always blaming your parents for something that happened in your life. 00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:30.720 It's your life to live, right? 00:07:31.120 --> 00:07:38.959 So Jesus is challenging us with the kingdom of God all the way through the book of Matthew. 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:40.560 But let me give you a definition. 00:07:40.879 --> 00:07:42.160 You might have forgotten this. 00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:43.680 I've done it before. 00:07:43.839 --> 00:07:45.920 Let me give a definition of the kingdom of God. 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:48.560 Let me just say this: the kingdom of God's not a democracy. 00:07:48.639 --> 00:07:52.879 Isn't it great to know that in 2020, Jesus is not up for re-election? 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:01.040 You know, he's still on the throne, he's still the king, and if you don't like him, then you're gonna have to deal with that, but he's still the king. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.439 Okay, so he rules over a kingdom. 00:08:03.600 --> 00:08:06.639 So here's the definition of the kingdom of God. 00:08:06.879 --> 00:08:07.439 Kingdom. 00:08:07.759 --> 00:08:10.399 I'm not real smart, I'm from Georgia, but I figured it out. 00:08:10.720 --> 00:08:11.519 Kingdom. 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:14.079 So it means the king's domain. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:16.800 That's what a kingdom is, the king's domain. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:23.120 A kingdom is the governing influence of a king over his territory. 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:28.399 How many of you know that the earth is his territory? 00:08:29.839 --> 00:08:36.080 Now Satan has control over vast parts of it. 00:08:36.240 --> 00:08:43.120 Jesus admitted that when he was talking to Satan during his 40 days of fasting and prayer and temptation. 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:53.360 But how many of you know that the goal of Jesus' coming wasn't just the salvation of souls, but he wants to take over the earth. 00:08:53.759 --> 00:09:02.159 He wants to bring a divine order, a kingdom order over all of the earth in every realm. 00:09:02.480 --> 00:09:09.440 He wants the media, he wants athletic teams, he wants your business, he wants your family. 00:09:09.600 --> 00:09:12.000 It starts with him getting your soul. 00:09:12.480 --> 00:09:14.960 But men and women, it doesn't end there. 00:09:16.080 --> 00:09:21.679 As a young believer in college, I became obsessed with Jesus. 00:09:22.000 --> 00:09:26.159 But as a missionary, I became obsessed with the kingdom. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:32.639 As I discovered a whole land that had no understanding of Jesus in Asia. 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:45.200 So a kingdom is the governing influence of a king over his territory, impacting it with his mind, his will, his purpose, and his intention. 00:09:46.320 --> 00:09:48.240 Producing citizens. 00:09:49.279 --> 00:09:56.639 Producing a citizenry of people who express his culture and reflect his nature. 00:09:56.960 --> 00:10:02.639 We reflect his nature, but we express his culture. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:14.080 So the problem in America today is there's not enough kingdom citizens expressing his nature and reflecting his culture. 00:10:14.799 --> 00:10:18.960 Because if we did that, we would rock this world. 00:10:19.279 --> 00:10:21.039 We would rock this world. 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:24.799 So turn in your Bibles to Matthew 6. 00:10:25.679 --> 00:10:29.919 This is where we we ended two months ago. 00:10:30.080 --> 00:10:35.840 And from now on, we're going to move through here in 2020, through Matthew, Kingdom of God Revolution. 00:10:36.000 --> 00:10:37.840 We're at Matthew 6, 19. 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:39.919 So turn to Matthew 6, 19. 00:10:40.080 --> 00:10:43.759 And let me encourage you if you haven't gotten our journal. 00:10:44.639 --> 00:10:49.440 In the journal is a place for you to take notes every Sunday. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:50.879 It's all right there in your notes. 00:10:51.440 --> 00:10:54.720 And if you follow the journal, you'll read through the whole Bible in a year. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:55.840 You'll see the verses at the top. 00:10:56.000 --> 00:10:57.759 Jay Enman set this up really good. 00:10:57.919 --> 00:11:02.720 So you can go through the whole Bible in a year and take notes and do your own personal journal. 00:11:02.799 --> 00:11:10.320 And then you got 2020, and you can put it right there in the bookshelf like I've done with my journals, and we'll give you one for 2021. 00:11:10.559 --> 00:11:13.279 And unless the Lord comes back, and then we won't. 00:11:13.440 --> 00:11:17.440 But outside of that, you'll get another one for 2021 with our theme. 00:11:17.679 --> 00:11:22.000 Our theme in 2020 is partnership with the Holy Spirit, partnership with God. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:26.159 But anyway, I want to read all these verses because they're all related. 00:11:26.240 --> 00:11:29.200 And I'm calling this the magnificent obsession. 00:11:29.279 --> 00:11:30.240 So look at verse 19. 00:11:30.399 --> 00:11:36.879 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 00:11:37.120 --> 00:11:46.399 But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:50.080 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 00:11:50.480 --> 00:11:52.720 Now the lamp of the body is the eye. 00:11:52.879 --> 00:11:57.120 If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:00.720 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. 00:12:00.879 --> 00:12:06.720 If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness? 00:12:06.960 --> 00:12:16.720 No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will love one and despise the other. 00:12:16.960 --> 00:12:21.679 You cannot serve God and mammon, mammon being money. 00:12:21.919 --> 00:12:24.639 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:27.759 He's going to now say, he's going to talk about worrying four times here. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:34.879 Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:38.639 Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:42.879 Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap, nor gather into barns. 00:12:43.039 --> 00:12:45.200 Yet your heavenly father feeds them. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:47.919 Are you not of more value than they? 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:53.519 So he's speaking here of your value, how much value he places on each one of you. 00:12:53.679 --> 00:12:57.360 Which of you, by worrying, can add one cubic to a stature? 00:12:57.519 --> 00:13:00.879 Let me just say, anybody who's a chronic worrier, it's me. 00:13:01.039 --> 00:13:02.799 And I'm only five foot seven. 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:04.480 So I totally agree with this. 00:13:04.639 --> 00:13:07.200 It has not helped my stature whatsoever. 00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:09.360 So why do you worry about clothing? 00:13:09.519 --> 00:13:11.840 Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:14.480 They neither toil nor spin. 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.919 And yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like the grass of the field. 00:13:20.000 --> 00:13:23.919 How many of you have been up hiking and seen the wildflowers? 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:24.960 I mean, in Colorado. 00:13:25.360 --> 00:13:26.720 Just unbelievable, beautiful. 00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:27.679 God did that. 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:28.720 God does that. 00:13:29.440 --> 00:13:31.600 He's reminding you of Colorado. 00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:33.440 Remember the wildflowers. 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:34.639 Verse 30. 00:13:34.879 --> 00:13:44.799 Now if God clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, you of little faith? 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:47.440 That's the part you should circle, underline, or highlight. 00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.480 Little faith. 00:13:48.639 --> 00:13:49.519 That's our problem. 00:13:49.759 --> 00:13:55.279 Therefore do not worry, saying, What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or what shall we wear? 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:58.240 For after all, these things the Gentiles seek. 00:13:58.320 --> 00:14:01.600 For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:03.360 So he knows that those are important. 00:14:03.600 --> 00:14:06.559 But for, and this is the point, but seek first. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:14.559 So all of this is under this rubric of seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.960 And then all these things shall be added to you. 00:14:17.039 --> 00:14:19.200 Everything we've read, all that'll be added to you. 00:14:19.440 --> 00:14:26.159 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. 00:14:26.399 --> 00:14:29.679 Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:31.120 So I want to talk about three things. 00:14:31.200 --> 00:14:35.919 I see three things in this passage about an obsession with the kingdom. 00:14:36.159 --> 00:14:38.559 When we get obsessed by the kingdom, here's the first thing. 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:44.399 When we get obsessed by the kingdom, it changes your priorities. 00:14:44.720 --> 00:14:48.799 Number one, it changes your priorities. 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:51.120 Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth. 00:14:51.279 --> 00:15:03.440 Verse 19, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:04.960 Verse 21 is really important. 00:15:05.200 --> 00:15:09.360 For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:10.559 Here's the deal. 00:15:10.720 --> 00:15:13.679 Our treasures are what we think about. 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:22.639 Put it down this way that your treasures are what you think about, dream about, and put your time, energy, and money into. 00:15:22.799 --> 00:15:23.600 That's your treasure. 00:15:23.679 --> 00:15:28.879 I don't care what you say your treasures are, if you just look at your checkbook, you know what your treasures are. 00:15:29.120 --> 00:15:36.399 If you look at your phone and see your calendar and the meetings you have, it tells you a little bit about what your treasures are. 00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:40.480 Have you ever seen someone who's falling in love with another person? 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:42.720 Everything changes. 00:15:42.879 --> 00:15:45.360 They get so obsessed by that person. 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:49.519 It's super, it's super weird, you know, to be around them. 00:15:49.679 --> 00:15:51.440 Because they want to know where that other person is. 00:15:51.600 --> 00:15:58.639 They're always texting, they're always getting together, and they're getting ready to go to the couples conference, you know, and things like that. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:02.480 Because they now have, right, they have a new treasure. 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:08.559 When I bought my lab puppy, I started spending a lot of time with my that was my, you know, my treasure. 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:10.480 My heart was there. 00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:22.559 And some of you that have commiserated with me about your dogs, um, it's not always a happy time because they they do things in the house that they're not supposed to do and all that. 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:27.519 But what happens is your your heart follows your treasure. 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:39.440 And he's saying, look, I I want I want to change your priorities by you understanding that much of what you put your time, energy, and money into is gonna go away. 00:16:40.080 --> 00:16:41.840 It's it's gonna be destroyed. 00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:52.559 If it's of this earth, if most of your treasure is is focused on this earth, and that's and that's where your heart is, where it could be, it could rust, it could be destroyed. 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:56.159 How many were around in the 2008 meltdown? 00:16:56.320 --> 00:16:57.120 Raise your hand. 00:16:57.360 --> 00:16:58.960 You that were in jobs and stuff. 00:16:59.039 --> 00:17:03.440 I mean, it affected people even to this day. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:11.920 Even in where we are now, some 12 years later, some people are still digging themselves out of that situation, right? 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:21.039 So if if that was the main place, and I'm not saying, and he's not saying you can't have treasure having anything to do with mammon, we're gonna get to that. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:28.160 He's saying, though, that the focus of your priorities, the challenge is to make the kingdom your priority. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:29.599 Because there's three things. 00:17:29.920 --> 00:17:39.920 Men and women, there's only three things that last for eternity, only three things that last forever: God's word, men's souls, and God. 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:41.200 That's it. 00:17:41.519 --> 00:17:55.279 So the challenge as us as a people who believe in the king, love the king, or surrender to the king and his kingdom, is to make our treasure in the kingdom. 00:17:55.599 --> 00:18:05.680 And as you saw in the understanding of the whole aspect of what his sermon is, it actually has an impact on what you worry about. 00:18:06.400 --> 00:18:13.519 They say you're worried about these things, you're worried about these treasures that you have, and I say to you, I'll take care of that. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:15.119 I value you. 00:18:15.359 --> 00:18:17.440 I created you for a purpose. 00:18:17.519 --> 00:18:18.960 I gave you unique gifts. 00:18:19.200 --> 00:18:22.000 I'll take care of your finances, I'll work that out. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:26.880 Will you not seek my kingdom and my righteousness first? 00:18:27.119 --> 00:18:31.519 If you'll make that your number one priority, I'll do mighty things. 00:18:31.680 --> 00:18:33.440 I'll do exciting things in your life. 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:36.079 You'll be set free from worry. 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:39.359 So Jesus said, This is crazy. 00:18:39.440 --> 00:18:42.480 This is one of the craziest verses in the Bible. 00:18:42.799 --> 00:18:52.880 Jesus said, This is when Peter asked him, after he had had a conversation with a rich young ruler, he said, What about us? 00:18:53.680 --> 00:18:57.599 Rich young ruler, he says to him, Sell everything you have and come and follow me. 00:18:57.759 --> 00:19:03.359 And he's sad, and then Jesus says, Well, with God, with man this is impossible, with God, all things are possible. 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:06.240 Makes that statement, then Peter goes, Well, wait, we've left everything. 00:19:06.480 --> 00:19:09.519 Then Jesus makes one of the most astounding statements in the Bible. 00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:18.400 And it really impacted my wife and I when we were struggling about the mission field and going on the mission field when we were in our early twenties. 00:19:18.640 --> 00:19:54.480 Jesus answered and said, Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or fathers or mother or wife or children or lands for my sake and the gospel, and we can insert there the kingdom, who shall, listen to this, who shall not receive a hundredfold now, in this time, houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:19:56.079 Isn't that crazy? 00:19:56.400 --> 00:20:07.759 He's saying that as we give up and we go after the kingdom, he's gonna give us a hundredfold return, even in physical things. 00:20:07.920 --> 00:20:09.200 Now that's a mystery. 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:13.200 I don't understand all that, but I'll tell you this, give you a little example. 00:20:13.440 --> 00:20:21.680 So when I when I went to college, I got a full right scholarship for for gymnastics. 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:27.519 But my parents had saved$7,500 for me in a college account. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:31.039 By the way, that's what you do when you only have two kids. 00:20:31.279 --> 00:20:39.440 Um and so they said, You this is your money, you can have it, um, do whatever you want with it. 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:40.640 So I invested it. 00:20:40.720 --> 00:20:51.839 So did some research and invested it in like seven different uh companies that were in stocks and stuff when I came back from the mission field. 00:20:52.079 --> 00:20:59.440 So that would be some that'd be 14 years later, and praise God for Jimmy Carter being president because interest rates were you know at 20%. 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:01.039 So that's good. 00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.640 If you're an investor, that's bad if you're trying to buy a house. 00:21:04.960 --> 00:21:09.279 But that$7,500 had become$92,000. 00:21:10.319 --> 00:21:15.920 That got me through grad school and the startup of Mountain Springs when I started that out. 00:21:16.079 --> 00:21:25.440 Um that cool so God does crazy things when you are committed and obsessed with his kingdom. 00:21:25.839 --> 00:21:30.079 And most believers, in my opinion, they're not obsessed with the kingdom. 00:21:30.160 --> 00:21:42.160 They're in the kingdom and they've got fire insurance and they like that, and they like maybe the way I speak, so they come to hear me, or they like the worship that Brian does, they come and they like the fellowship. 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:42.880 That's all great. 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:43.759 I mean, that's fine. 00:21:43.920 --> 00:21:50.559 But if you at some point in your journey, if you don't get obsessed with the kingdom by hanging out with us, I'm definitely doing something wrong. 00:21:50.799 --> 00:21:57.039 Because I want to get you fired up for the king and for the kingdom because it works. 00:21:58.000 --> 00:21:59.359 I'm really pragmatic. 00:21:59.440 --> 00:21:59.759 I'm not. 00:22:00.079 --> 00:22:03.839 From Oklahoma, but if it doesn't work, I don't do it. 00:22:04.160 --> 00:22:06.640 The kingdom works, gang. 00:22:07.359 --> 00:22:21.119 And God's probably not going to send 99% of you out to Africa with a pith helmet, you know, uh uh uh darting around for spears from naked natives. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:23.119 That's probably not gonna happen to you. 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:25.039 So get that out of your mind. 00:22:25.680 --> 00:22:28.240 Get Jesus as your focus. 00:22:28.480 --> 00:22:30.240 You get Jesus as your focus. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:33.440 He's gonna say and guide you in things that are gonna be so exciting. 00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.559 It's a great adventure. 00:22:34.720 --> 00:22:36.640 I could have named this the great adventure. 00:22:36.799 --> 00:22:38.880 It's the magnificent obsession. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:39.440 That's first. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:39.920 Number two. 00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:41.440 Number two, really important. 00:22:41.920 --> 00:22:45.119 The magnificent obsession changes your vision. 00:22:45.359 --> 00:22:48.799 The magnificent obsession changes your priorities first. 00:22:48.960 --> 00:22:50.799 Number two, it changes your vision. 00:22:51.039 --> 00:22:55.759 Jesus says, the lamp of your body is the eye. 00:22:56.000 --> 00:22:59.680 If therefore your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light. 00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:02.480 But if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. 00:23:02.640 --> 00:23:06.720 If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness. 00:23:06.960 --> 00:23:08.640 So it's very interesting. 00:23:08.960 --> 00:23:10.160 Let's just do a little experiment. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:11.039 Everybody stand up. 00:23:11.200 --> 00:23:12.640 Okay, everybody stand up. 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:20.559 Okay, I want you to look around and find something that is red. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:22.799 Look around, see if you see anything red. 00:23:23.119 --> 00:23:24.880 Look around, see something red. 00:23:25.039 --> 00:23:26.079 Okay, everybody sit down. 00:23:26.160 --> 00:23:27.359 That was all the time you get. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:28.400 Close your eyes. 00:23:28.559 --> 00:23:29.839 Close your eyes. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:33.920 Okay, how many can tell me what they saw that was green? 00:23:35.839 --> 00:23:37.119 Oh, yeah, a few of you. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:37.759 That's awesome. 00:23:37.839 --> 00:23:38.960 That's fantastic. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:40.400 Here's my point. 00:23:40.799 --> 00:23:41.839 Jot this down. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:42.720 Don't forget it. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.599 I'm gonna talk about it at AIM on Tuesday morning, too. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:48.160 You find what you're looking for. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:53.920 You find what you're looking for, and usually you miss what you're not looking for, right? 00:23:54.240 --> 00:23:58.880 So Jesus says, seek and you shall knock and the door shall be. 00:23:59.599 --> 00:23:59.920 Yeah. 00:24:00.079 --> 00:24:03.519 So it's a kingdom principle that you find what you're looking for. 00:24:03.599 --> 00:24:04.480 Here's the problem. 00:24:04.799 --> 00:24:09.359 Most of you are looking at your own life, and here's what you're saying. 00:24:09.599 --> 00:24:11.519 Man, I'm never good at math. 00:24:11.759 --> 00:24:13.680 Oh, I'm never good at finance. 00:24:13.839 --> 00:24:16.079 Oh, I'll never be able to have that kind of a job. 00:24:16.240 --> 00:24:18.400 Oh, that guy's so much smarter than me. 00:24:18.559 --> 00:24:24.319 And what you're doing is you are finding everything wrong with yourself because that's what you're looking for. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:33.599 But if you start having a fresh vision, a kingdom vision of what God can do through you, I'm smart, I'm intelligent, I can make a difference. 00:24:33.759 --> 00:24:36.160 All things are possible through Christ who lives in me. 00:24:36.240 --> 00:24:46.799 I'm gonna partner with the Holy Spirit, I'm gonna make an impact in my job, I'm gonna get that promotion, I'm gonna uh have relationships that are positive and good and wholesome, you'll find them. 00:24:47.359 --> 00:24:48.640 You'll find them. 00:24:48.960 --> 00:24:50.640 You absolutely will find them. 00:24:50.720 --> 00:24:58.000 And so what happens in the church, you know, and I get around pastors, they talk to me and we're talking about different things, and they're talking about all the problems in their church. 00:24:58.079 --> 00:25:04.799 And I mean, seriously, it's like, ah! I say, yeah, you're finding what you're looking for. 00:25:05.359 --> 00:25:09.440 You don't believe in your people, you're not empowering your people. 00:25:09.759 --> 00:25:11.920 You know, I don't know what they're looking for sometimes. 00:25:12.079 --> 00:25:15.680 I have no idea what most pastors are looking for in their churches. 00:25:15.839 --> 00:25:23.119 But anything we do, and in my case, it's being a pastor, man, I just see geniuses all over this room. 00:25:23.440 --> 00:25:24.720 I always do. 00:25:24.960 --> 00:25:29.680 And it makes me prepare my messages well because you guys are smart, you're not dumb. 00:25:29.920 --> 00:25:30.880 And I believe in that. 00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:31.839 I believe in you. 00:25:32.000 --> 00:25:39.440 I believe in every one of you in this room that you should be successful, effective, powerful, and full of joy. 00:25:39.680 --> 00:25:47.759 Because the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, the kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in partnering with the Holy Spirit. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:50.000 That's Romans 14, 17. 00:25:50.400 --> 00:25:51.279 Rememorize it. 00:25:51.359 --> 00:25:52.000 Say it to yourself. 00:25:52.079 --> 00:25:53.599 I want righteousness, peace, and joy this year. 00:25:53.680 --> 00:25:55.920 I don't want to just be, I don't want to live my life just for food. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:58.480 I don't want to just live my life for, you know, money. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:00.720 I don't want to just live my life for promotion. 00:26:00.799 --> 00:26:03.440 I'm living my life with righteousness, peace, and joy. 00:26:03.519 --> 00:26:18.559 And here's what they're finding, you know, in all the research that's out there, Harvard, Yale, all these places in positive psychology, they're finding that people who are full of, they don't say righteousness, peace, and joy, but they say people that are full of happiness, that are secure in who they are, are successful. 00:26:18.960 --> 00:26:23.279 And they were successful before they were successful. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:32.240 They were already successful because they loved, they love God, they love their life, they know who they are, and then they doors open for them. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:36.400 Because they find what they're looking for. 00:26:36.640 --> 00:26:47.119 It's interesting this word I here in um in our passage, verse 22 and 23, I has the idea of healthy or unhealthy. 00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:49.119 Healthy or unhealthy. 00:26:49.279 --> 00:26:59.839 The reason that's so important is because when you make the kingdom your focus, when you start putting your faith in the king and in his kingdom, you start making healthy choices. 00:27:00.079 --> 00:27:02.160 You start doing healthy things. 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:05.680 So I say to young people, you don't want to have sex before marriage. 00:27:05.839 --> 00:27:07.039 Bad idea. 00:27:07.440 --> 00:27:16.480 You want to get a you want to get a girl pregnant or you want to get a guy that you know you don't even like, and you have a one-night stand with him, and he's the dad of your kid, and the guy's an idiot? 00:27:16.640 --> 00:27:17.680 I mean, is that what you want? 00:27:17.839 --> 00:27:20.000 I mean, let's think practically here, right? 00:27:20.160 --> 00:27:23.279 And so the reality is, is don't do that. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.319 And it's in the scriptures. 00:27:26.559 --> 00:27:31.920 It's amazing if we follow the word how clear your conscience is most of the time. 00:27:32.240 --> 00:27:32.799 Right? 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:41.119 So if you want to walk in joy, righteousness, peace, if you want to see success most of the time in your life, then make healthy decisions. 00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:42.000 Because this is what's fun. 00:27:42.160 --> 00:27:47.680 Liz and I, we go through the Proverbs every morning according to the day of the month and stuff. 00:27:47.759 --> 00:27:50.880 And it's all, you know what, you know what Proverbs is? 00:27:51.599 --> 00:27:54.720 Proverbs is life coaching from God. 00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:59.200 Anybody, how many would you like to have Jesus as your life coach? 00:28:00.000 --> 00:28:01.599 You're at the right church. 00:28:01.839 --> 00:28:04.160 That's why we go verse by verse through scripture. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:05.759 It's not my opinion, it's right there. 00:28:05.920 --> 00:28:11.200 And so Proverbs is skill in living, it's God's life coaching of you. 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:14.720 You start following Proverbs, then you know right from wrong. 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:16.640 You know health from unhealth. 00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:26.079 I mean, Proverbs is over 50% about finances, it's also about over 50% about being prudent and working hard. 00:28:26.400 --> 00:28:32.559 All the things that you're trying to inculcate into your children and your grandchildren is all in Proverbs. 00:28:32.720 --> 00:28:34.799 Because it just makes kingdom sense. 00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:38.720 It's just kingdom sense and it's healthy, and so that's what he's talking about is health. 00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:44.960 So, thirdly, and lastly, the magnificent obsession changes your master. 00:28:45.200 --> 00:28:53.279 Okay, it changes your master, it changes your priorities, changes your vision, and then thirdly, it changes who's the master over your life. 00:28:53.440 --> 00:28:55.920 Therefore, I say to you, do not worry about your life. 00:28:56.000 --> 00:29:05.680 And excuse me, verse 24, no one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to one and despise the other. 00:29:05.839 --> 00:29:08.000 You cannot serve God and mammon or money. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.559 So here's what's interesting: the word serve here means enslaved to. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:19.359 So either you possess your money or your money possesses you. 00:29:19.519 --> 00:29:30.960 And when you get a new master, when you start following Scripture and you start following the kingdom route to success and effectiveness, it sets you free. 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:32.160 Remember this. 00:29:32.400 --> 00:29:34.799 The kingdom way is always freedom. 00:29:34.960 --> 00:29:35.759 Say that again. 00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:39.599 The kingdom way is always freedom. 00:29:39.839 --> 00:29:44.240 Listen, the world's way is always enslavement. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:45.519 Say it again. 00:29:45.680 --> 00:29:49.200 The world's ways are always enslavement. 00:29:50.240 --> 00:30:05.200 If you watch TV for any amount of time and you look at the commercials that come up about all the pharmaceuticals, I mean, you seriously think that if you if you turned your ankle slightly going up a step, you need a drug. 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:07.359 You need a drug for that. 00:30:07.519 --> 00:30:17.119 You know, and it shows all these happy people, and they're also happy, a lot of butterflies in it, usually, and they're playing with their kids, and they're riding their bikes, and they're jogging. 00:30:17.279 --> 00:30:20.720 I don't know anybody who's on a ton of pharmaceuticals that's living like that. 00:30:21.359 --> 00:30:21.680