WEBVTT 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:36.960 At the road. 00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:41.359 Our vision is to raise up wholehearted disciples of Jesus Christ. 00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:45.759 For more information on the road, visit theroad.org. 00:00:45.920 --> 00:00:49.039 We hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:00:51.359 --> 00:00:54.960 Tonight I'm not speaking, but I've asked Marcus to speak. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:56.960 Marcus, our worship pastor. 00:00:57.200 --> 00:01:14.879 He's also, he's also a I would call you a prayer intercession missionary with Axe School, which is out of the Jericho Center, every home for Christ, just down the road, and he's been our worship pastor, I think, all fall, so about three months and four months, and it's been a delight. 00:01:15.200 --> 00:01:23.280 So if you're taking notes, because he didn't get it to the app, he he's he's just so anointed that he doesn't even work from notes. 00:01:23.359 --> 00:01:25.359 It's just all he needs is the word of God. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:28.719 So he'll come up with just the word of God, no notes. 00:01:29.120 --> 00:01:33.920 That piece of paper that he has with him has nothing on it, but pictures that he drew just before the service. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:39.760 But it's can my my title last night was Contending for the Focus Life Vision. 00:01:40.000 --> 00:01:44.719 And tonight it's Contending for a Focused Life Intimacy. 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:46.879 So Marcus is going to be speaking on his head. 00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:47.760 Come on up, bro. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:48.640 Thanks. 00:01:56.319 --> 00:01:57.599 Good evening. 00:01:59.280 --> 00:02:00.959 Wasn't last night wonderful? 00:02:01.840 --> 00:02:02.799 It was awesome. 00:02:03.120 --> 00:02:06.239 I really enjoyed praying with you guys. 00:02:06.400 --> 00:02:15.039 I enjoyed seeking the Lord and worshiping and hearing Steve's message on just provoking us to live focused lives. 00:02:15.520 --> 00:02:20.639 I have to be provoked to live a focused life about every three weeks. 00:02:21.520 --> 00:02:23.840 And it normally comes from my wife, right? 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.680 You're like, oh, I'm not, I don't really want to keep that commitment. 00:02:29.919 --> 00:02:32.240 And she's like, that's not what Christ would do. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:33.759 I'm like, oh, honey, you're right. 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:34.719 Oh my gosh. 00:02:34.960 --> 00:02:36.159 I need to be a man of my word. 00:02:36.319 --> 00:02:38.400 Let my yes be, yes, but let my no be no. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:39.039 Amen? 00:02:39.439 --> 00:02:40.080 No, I do. 00:02:40.159 --> 00:02:44.319 I feel like I sign up about every three weeks. 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:47.520 How many of you guys know there's not a super Christian? 00:02:47.919 --> 00:02:52.479 There's just people who decide every day that Jesus is worthy. 00:02:52.719 --> 00:02:58.080 He wants us to have relationship with him, and he's filled us with his Holy Spirit to do it. 00:02:58.319 --> 00:03:03.680 And then we take out the Word of God and we put it on our lips, like David said. 00:03:03.919 --> 00:03:08.719 David said, All of the precepts of the law shall be on my lips. 00:03:09.039 --> 00:03:13.439 He said that the law of the Lord will be on his lips continually. 00:03:13.680 --> 00:03:15.520 And I think David found a secret. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:19.919 I think he found a secret to fellowshipping with God. 00:03:20.080 --> 00:03:21.840 It's through the Word of God. 00:03:22.319 --> 00:03:34.080 And I'm just going to give us a little, hopefully, uh, to spur us on in our walk tonight, of having a vision to have intimacy with Jesus. 00:03:34.560 --> 00:03:37.280 Jesus wants to draw near to his people. 00:03:37.439 --> 00:03:42.560 I mean, the whole Christmas incarnation narrative. 00:03:43.759 --> 00:03:45.520 It screams of this. 00:03:45.759 --> 00:03:56.240 The holy God, who is worshipped by angels and saints around his throne, looks at us and says, I'm going to get closer to them. 00:03:56.479 --> 00:03:59.039 I mean, he's already set apart a people Israel. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:03.520 He's already filled their tabernacle with his spirit. 00:04:04.240 --> 00:04:14.159 He was already worshipped by David night and day, by Solomon, and as the priests were ministering, the fire fell and the presence of the Lord filled the temple. 00:04:14.400 --> 00:04:19.439 And God is saying, I will be their God, they will be my people, I will dwell in their midst. 00:04:19.600 --> 00:04:22.720 And then Jesus comes and draws near to us. 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:30.480 That same Shekinah glory that you would fall down dead before if there was a sin in your life. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:34.240 Now came, and a prostitute is worshiping at his feet. 00:04:35.360 --> 00:04:37.680 And he's saying, I'm being worshipped. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.480 I'm being, she's repenting, she's coming to me. 00:04:40.639 --> 00:04:41.759 This is what I desire. 00:04:42.000 --> 00:04:45.600 Not only that, he dies for our sins. 00:04:46.160 --> 00:04:49.680 He rises from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. 00:04:49.839 --> 00:04:50.879 And what does he do? 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:52.959 He sends us the helper. 00:04:53.279 --> 00:04:56.959 And the church is filled by the Holy Spirit. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:04.879 And the Holy Spirit has come to help us, to remind us of the word of Jesus, to help us in fellowship with the Godhead. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:11.199 I mean, the power that created the cosmos lives inside of us. 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:17.279 I mean, the power of a billion exploding stars right now actually lives inside of us. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:19.680 Do you know what his passion is? 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:21.680 To reveal Jesus to us. 00:05:21.920 --> 00:05:25.279 The Holy Spirit's passion is to reveal Jesus to us. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:29.040 But not only that, it gets better and better and better. 00:05:29.199 --> 00:05:30.319 Jesus is going to return. 00:05:30.399 --> 00:05:33.439 And you're going to get a resurrected body that's filled with the Holy Spirit. 00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:34.399 Even more. 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:38.000 And you're going to get to rule and reign with Jesus for a thousand years. 00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:42.000 And not only that, he's going to make a new heaven and a new earth. 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:49.920 And the new Jerusalem is going to come down, and God is going to have his dream to dwell with his people. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:52.720 Well, this is not the introduction that I had planned. 00:05:52.800 --> 00:05:55.199 So I have to segue back to my notes here, okay? 00:05:55.439 --> 00:05:57.439 I'm just kind of like speaking and oh. 00:05:58.560 --> 00:05:59.920 But isn't he good? 00:06:00.560 --> 00:06:01.920 And he wants to be with us. 00:06:02.079 --> 00:06:04.720 He wants to share it with the family. 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:09.199 I like to think of have you guys ever read the dimensions of the New Jerusalem? 00:06:09.439 --> 00:06:12.959 Have you ever read that in Revelation 21? 00:06:13.279 --> 00:06:16.560 And it says it's 1,400 miles wide. 00:06:16.800 --> 00:06:25.920 It uses cubits, but if we convert it, it's 1,400 miles wide, 1,400 miles in length, and 1,400 miles high. 00:06:26.879 --> 00:06:28.480 That's a big city. 00:06:28.800 --> 00:06:36.480 That's a city that fills like Florida to Texas and up to like New York and stuff like that. 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:38.000 You know why? 00:06:38.800 --> 00:06:40.639 He wants a big family. 00:06:41.199 --> 00:06:46.319 He wants that whole house, the New Jerusalem, that whole city to be filled. 00:06:46.639 --> 00:06:48.800 That's why he's being patient with us right now. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:50.720 He's patient with humankind. 00:06:50.959 --> 00:06:57.199 Because he wants the gospel to go forth into every tribe, every tongue, every people, every nation. 00:06:57.439 --> 00:06:58.800 And praise God, he's been patient. 00:06:58.959 --> 00:07:01.279 Praise God, he's waited 2,000 years to come back, right? 00:07:01.600 --> 00:07:02.879 Or you and I wouldn't be here. 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:05.920 We wouldn't get to take part in the promises of God. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:10.079 Well, I'm getting ahead of myself, way ahead of myself, way, way ahead of myself. 00:07:10.319 --> 00:07:19.519 So, our subject tonight: contending for a focused life of intimacy with God or intimacy with Jesus. 00:07:20.160 --> 00:07:22.800 I'm going to speak from Ephesians chapter 1. 00:07:22.879 --> 00:07:30.240 So if you have your Bible, turn in your Bible to Ephesians chapter 1. 00:07:30.879 --> 00:07:38.720 I heard a preacher say the other day, and I promised that I would never say this joke, and it's coming to me right now, and I'm going to say it, and I know I'm going to regret it. 00:07:38.879 --> 00:07:44.399 He's like, if you have your Bible, turn in your Bible, or if you have your phone and you're a phony Christian. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:48.240 I said it. 00:07:48.800 --> 00:07:52.160 I whispered to my wife when I heard that joke, I was like, I'm never going to say that joke. 00:07:52.399 --> 00:07:53.439 And it came out. 00:07:53.519 --> 00:07:54.079 You know. 00:07:54.319 --> 00:07:57.680 You're a dad of seven, you get used to dad jokes, right? 00:07:57.920 --> 00:07:58.240 Okay. 00:07:58.720 --> 00:08:00.000 My wife apologizes. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:00.959 She couldn't join us tonight. 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:03.199 She has a part-time job and she's working tonight. 00:08:03.360 --> 00:08:05.360 So uh, or I would introduce her. 00:08:05.600 --> 00:08:07.279 But Ephesians chapter one. 00:08:08.160 --> 00:08:13.920 This, well, really the book of Ephesians, it's it's a wonderful book of the New Testament. 00:08:14.000 --> 00:08:16.000 It's uh it's a diamond of the New Testament. 00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:19.120 I mean, it's so clearly laid out. 00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:23.600 Um kind of like what Steve was saying of Philippians chapter three. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:39.679 If you want to know the mind of Paul, I do believe Philippians chapter three is one of the clearest pictures of what we have as to how Paul thought about his life and how he was pursuing believers to pursue and reach for the heights of what God has. 00:08:39.840 --> 00:08:46.960 But uh but the book of Ephesians is very clearly laid out in theology and then in practical application. 00:08:47.360 --> 00:08:54.559 Chapters one through three, it's who, what is God like, and how does he relate to us? 00:08:54.879 --> 00:09:01.840 And then chapters four, five, and six, it's okay, in that relationship, how do we walk out our Christian walk? 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:02.960 It's very practical. 00:09:03.120 --> 00:09:10.639 Chapter four, five, and six, it deals with slaves, it deals with marriage, it deals with fighting the battle that we're actually in. 00:09:11.039 --> 00:09:16.960 But I think chapters one through three, Paul was giving them here's the fuel for the fight. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:27.200 Here's the strength, the revelation of who God is, fueling the believer to have intimacy with him in the place of prayer and through the word of God. 00:09:27.360 --> 00:09:43.039 And that intimacy produces Christians that are looking, acting, thinking like God, and then revealing him in the earth through the power of messaging and the spoken word and the power of their lives being lived as holy before him. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:46.559 So we're gonna get into a little bit of the fuel, chapters one through three, okay? 00:09:46.639 --> 00:09:52.000 We're just gonna focus on chapter one, a little of the background of the book of Ephesians. 00:09:52.399 --> 00:09:57.519 Just like Philippians, Paul is chained to a guard as he writes this book. 00:09:57.759 --> 00:10:04.399 Okay, he has very little personal freedom, and actually, all of his possessions had been taken away. 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.320 I like to live my life. 00:10:06.399 --> 00:10:07.120 You know what? 00:10:07.360 --> 00:10:14.879 I want to live my life as if I'm gonna end up in prison and all of my possessions are gonna be taken away. 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:16.960 I actually want to live like that. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:24.480 I want to live as a pilgrim on this earth, and I'm looking to the heavenly city, I'm looking to my inheritance. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:28.639 Now, don't get me wrong, I want to make as much money as I can to do as much good as I can. 00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:32.320 I want my good works to shine forth the knowledge of God. 00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:42.240 But I want in my heart the word of God and the revelation of God to be sown so that if everything else is taken away, you know what? 00:10:42.480 --> 00:10:44.639 I know that I still have an inheritance. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:47.360 And that's what Paul is doing here. 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:54.159 Everything has been taken away from him, but you would never know it if you read the book of Ephesians. 00:10:54.480 --> 00:10:57.200 He speaks as though he's a millionaire. 00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:58.879 He speaks as he's a billionaire. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.039 I mean, just listen to some of these descriptions. 00:11:01.360 --> 00:11:06.480 He says that he's blessed with every spiritual blessing. 00:11:06.639 --> 00:11:10.879 He's blessed with every blessing that heaven and Jesus could think of. 00:11:10.960 --> 00:11:12.080 It's been given to him. 00:11:12.399 --> 00:11:18.399 He says he's been chosen by God the Father, and he's a son, and he has an inheritance. 00:11:18.639 --> 00:11:27.200 He said he's been filled with the very Spirit of the living God, and he has hope, he has treasure set apart for him in another age. 00:11:27.279 --> 00:11:30.080 And the hope of Christ is alive in his heart. 00:11:30.159 --> 00:11:32.639 That does not sound like a prisoner to me. 00:11:33.200 --> 00:11:37.039 That doesn't sound like one who is wallowing in his suffering. 00:11:37.200 --> 00:11:46.080 That sounds like one who is looking to where he is going and meditating on the glories of who Jesus is and his relationship with him. 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:48.080 We need that, right, guys? 00:11:48.240 --> 00:12:00.159 I love the quote that uh that uh uh Pastor Steve brought us last night from Victor Franco, the famous psychologist who was a concentration camp survivor in the Holocaust. 00:12:00.320 --> 00:12:10.159 And Steve reminded us last night that he said that no one, Victor Franco said that no one in that setting could steal his attitude. 00:12:10.639 --> 00:12:23.919 No one could steal what he was thinking, no one could steal what was alive in his heart, this hope of a future day where he would be released and where he would still have a future. 00:12:25.200 --> 00:12:27.120 And that's what Paul's doing here. 00:12:27.440 --> 00:12:30.960 No one is stealing the revelation of who Jesus is to him. 00:12:31.120 --> 00:12:33.919 No one is stealing his inheritance in the age to come. 00:12:34.159 --> 00:12:35.840 And so Paul is overflowing. 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:39.200 And actually, it's interesting, I'm a little bit of a Bible nerd. 00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:40.799 Any Bible nerds in here? 00:12:41.039 --> 00:12:43.039 I love Bible nerds, okay? 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:54.320 That just, you're not actually a nerd, but I love some of the ins and outs, some of the underlying things that these words are flowing from. 00:12:54.639 --> 00:12:58.559 Verses 3 through 14 actually in the Greek is one sentence. 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:00.559 Now look in that if you have in your Bible. 00:13:00.799 --> 00:13:06.080 It's one sentence in the Greek, and there's actually very little punctuation. 00:13:06.480 --> 00:13:06.799 Okay? 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:12.799 And it's driven Bible scholars like mad for years. 00:13:13.200 --> 00:13:16.960 Like, Paul, could you just put a comma in a period and just help us? 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:20.480 But it's almost as Paul can't write fast enough. 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:32.000 He's like overflowing in his heart, describing his sonship, describing his redemption, describing the grace and love of Jesus Christ. 00:13:32.240 --> 00:13:42.159 There's a psalm, Psalm 45, and it and it begins, and the psalmist says, My tongue is as of a pen of a ready rider. 00:13:42.480 --> 00:13:44.080 Any writers in the room? 00:13:44.480 --> 00:13:45.440 Any writers? 00:13:45.679 --> 00:13:48.559 You guys like to blog, you guys like to write books. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:54.960 You know when you are writing and you don't have writer's block and it's just flowing from your heart? 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:57.279 That's what the psalmist is describing. 00:13:57.519 --> 00:14:06.799 His tongue was a pen of a ready rider, and he had a good theme, and his good theme was the king, the majestic Messiah that was to be sent. 00:14:06.960 --> 00:14:09.840 And Paul, I think, is in that same vein. 00:14:09.919 --> 00:14:14.720 He's just overflowing of who Jesus is and who the Father is. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:18.240 So let's get into this a little bit, okay? 00:14:18.480 --> 00:14:20.000 I'm gonna pray one more time. 00:14:20.159 --> 00:14:36.960 We're gonna get into Ephesians 1, and we're gonna end with the prayer of Ephesians 1, and we're gonna end just with some practical instruction just on your prayer life before the Lord, contending for that intimacy with Jesus in the Word. 00:14:37.200 --> 00:14:41.440 Lord, we thank you for these five days. 00:14:42.240 --> 00:14:46.480 And Lord, we thank you that you love the gathering of your people. 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:56.399 You've actually instructed us to gather and to think on you and to worship you and to exhort one another in following you. 00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:59.200 So, Holy Spirit, right now we ask you to help us. 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:05.279 We ask you to come in our midst and reveal Jesus where human words fail. 00:15:05.519 --> 00:15:08.559 Open up our hearts, Holy Spirit, to who Jesus is. 00:15:08.799 --> 00:15:13.840 Right now, we ask you for a living revelation to be given to us. 00:15:14.639 --> 00:15:16.399 In Jesus' name, amen. 00:15:16.639 --> 00:15:18.480 So we're gonna begin with verse three. 00:15:18.720 --> 00:15:24.480 So Paul says this blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:33.120 Now, if you when you read that in Paul's language, it's almost as like you're looking at an exclamation point before the sentence, okay? 00:15:33.360 --> 00:15:36.240 So blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 00:15:36.399 --> 00:15:43.919 It was a praise and a blessing, and there was anticipation, if you were to hear that in the Greek, of what's to come. 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:46.159 He's gonna he's gonna unfold the blessings. 00:15:46.240 --> 00:15:47.519 Some exciting things are gonna come. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:56.000 And then Paul says this, and he has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:16:02.720 Now, guys, those are blessings we can walk in now and blessings that will be given to us then. 00:16:03.039 --> 00:16:10.399 Did you know you can walk in the favor of God if you actually cry out for the favor of God in the place of prayer? 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:22.159 Did you know you can walk in a greater empowerment for holiness if you actually open your mouth and say, Holy Spirit, empower me to live holy before the Lord. 00:16:22.639 --> 00:16:32.960 But did you know there are also wonderful gifts awaiting for us if we overcome, says Jesus in Revelation chapter 2 and chapter 3. 00:16:34.080 --> 00:16:38.799 Those who overcome, it says, they are gonna be given what's called the crown of life. 00:16:39.039 --> 00:16:40.080 Paul talks about this. 00:16:40.240 --> 00:16:52.080 He's I've fought the good fight, I've ran the rape, I've pressed on so that I could attain the prize and this crown of life that was going to be given to him. 00:16:52.960 --> 00:16:55.600 We're gonna want that crown of life, I guarantee you. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:17:05.839 It's gonna be special, it's gonna be significant, it's gonna have to do with the Lord and his gaze upon our life as we live before him. 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:09.519 And he says, Well done, enter into the joy of your master. 00:17:09.920 --> 00:17:11.920 Some of the other rewards we're gonna be given. 00:17:12.000 --> 00:17:15.279 Did you know you're actually gonna eat from the tree of life again? 00:17:15.599 --> 00:17:17.759 It says it in Revelation chapter 2. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:21.920 It says, Those who ever come, they're gonna eat from the tree of life again. 00:17:22.319 --> 00:17:25.839 That tree of life, I think it's gonna fuel our resurrected bodies. 00:17:25.920 --> 00:17:31.279 I don't know how it's all gonna work, but I think we're gonna want access to that tree of life. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:40.400 It says that there's gonna be hidden manna for us to feast on, and he's gonna give us a new name. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:44.240 And this name is gonna have special relationship between us and him. 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:50.640 How many of you have ever tainted your name in your life? 00:17:50.960 --> 00:17:53.680 You've done some things that you're not proud of. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:54.720 Anyone? 00:17:54.880 --> 00:17:56.160 My hands up. 00:17:56.640 --> 00:18:12.880 I've I've I've I've stumbled in sin, or or I've or I've been careless with my speech, or I've made that wrong decision and and that wrong financial decision, and you there's some shame involved in it. 00:18:13.119 --> 00:18:17.119 Or many of you, or maybe some of you, you've done way worse things. 00:18:17.279 --> 00:18:18.319 You've tainted your name. 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:19.279 Guess what? 00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:21.440 There's redemption in Jesus Christ. 00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:24.880 He's actually gonna give you a new name when you stand before him. 00:18:25.119 --> 00:18:32.799 If you continue to overcome, if you continue in this pursuit of a focused life in him. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:35.039 I mean, the word of God goes on and on. 00:18:35.200 --> 00:18:40.720 He's it says, to him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I'm gonna give authority over the nations. 00:18:40.960 --> 00:18:45.519 Have you ever read about those elders that surround the throne of God? 00:18:45.839 --> 00:18:52.880 And it says they're on a throne, it says they're robed in white robes, it says there's a crown upon their heads. 00:18:53.119 --> 00:18:55.519 I mean, it's kind of like the hierarchy of heaven. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:19:02.160 Like, who were these guys in life that they are that close to the throne of God? 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:08.079 But we know from Scripture that He can give us that authority as well. 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:11.279 He's gonna cause us to sit on thrones with Him. 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:22.240 And we're gonna be so grateful for the crown, for the robe that closes us in righteousness, for the authority he's given us, that we're gonna fall on our knees and we're gonna give it all back to him. 00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:23.200 And you know what? 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.319 He's gonna walk up to us. 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:24.640 Maybe. 00:19:24.720 --> 00:19:25.039 I don't know. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:26.000 This isn't scripture. 00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.799 This is me theorizing from scripture. 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:34.559 He's probably gonna walk up to us because he's the servant of servants, and he's probably gonna put it back on our heads. 00:19:35.119 --> 00:19:35.680 I love you. 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:37.440 I wanted you to have this. 00:19:37.920 --> 00:19:41.519 I've been thinking of you since before the foundations of the world. 00:19:41.680 --> 00:19:46.000 I've had a plan that you would live with me in glory forever. 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:49.279 And guys, we are gonna be exhilarated in God. 00:19:49.759 --> 00:19:52.480 Exhilarated, fascinated in God. 00:19:53.920 --> 00:19:57.039 Paul says, meditate on that now. 00:19:57.359 --> 00:20:01.119 Know that you have been given every spiritual blessing. 00:20:01.359 --> 00:20:06.079 When you come across a spiritual blessing in the Word of God, take time. 00:20:06.559 --> 00:20:11.359 Like actually stop and say, Lord, I actually want that spiritual blessing. 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:15.599 Would you help me to continue to overcome till the end? 00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:20.640 So Paul says, we are blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. 00:20:20.799 --> 00:20:31.519 The analogy I like to use with this, I have a small child, her name's Harvest, and she's just a firecracker. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:33.119 Does anyone know Harvest in here? 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:34.319 Have you guys ever seen Harvest? 00:20:34.720 --> 00:20:36.400 She is just hilarious. 00:20:36.559 --> 00:20:40.000 There's not one thought that goes through her head that doesn't come out of her mouth. 00:20:40.160 --> 00:20:40.480 Okay? 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:44.400 She's like a girl's girl verbal processor. 00:20:44.559 --> 00:20:46.720 All I have to do is just go on a drive with her. 00:20:46.799 --> 00:20:48.160 I don't have to talk. 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:53.599 And she's just like the squirrel on the tree in the mountains, and da-da-da-da-da-da. 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:54.880 And my friend the preschool day. 00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.480 Anyway, she's so cute. 00:20:56.799 --> 00:21:04.319 I think of her, and I think if I took her into a toy store and she said, Dad, can I get a toy? 00:21:05.200 --> 00:21:10.640 And I said to her, Harvest, I've already bought them all, and they're for you. 00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:14.160 Think of now, everyone smiles right there. 00:21:14.240 --> 00:21:16.240 Think of the smile that would come. 00:21:16.400 --> 00:21:21.200 The for harvest, it would be like a blood-curdling scream. 00:21:21.279 --> 00:21:24.480 You know, it'd be like, You're so wonderful! 00:21:24.720 --> 00:21:29.920 You know, it's like that type of like overwhelming sense of joy. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:38.960 The Holy Spirit actually wants to give that to us for the spiritual blessings that will be ours in the age to come. 00:21:39.759 --> 00:21:43.119 He can actually fill us with that type of fascination. 00:21:43.359 --> 00:21:46.559 It takes some time, it takes some meditation, and we're gonna get into that. 00:21:46.799 --> 00:21:53.039 But he can fill us with fascination for the hope that is ours and the inheritance we've been given. 00:21:53.359 --> 00:21:54.240 Let's move on. 00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:59.680 It says this verse four even as he chose us in him before. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:05.200 The foundation of the world that we should be holy and blameless before Him. 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:08.079 I love to confess this over my life. 00:22:08.400 --> 00:22:13.039 I look to the Lord, I close my eyes, and I say, I'm chosen. 00:22:13.519 --> 00:22:16.240 Thank you that you chose me. 00:22:17.599 --> 00:22:18.880 God has thoughts for us. 00:22:18.960 --> 00:22:21.680 He's been thinking of us before the foundation of the earth. 00:22:21.839 --> 00:22:22.960 Did you know that? 00:22:23.440 --> 00:22:30.559 Steve said last night, everyone has a mission, has a plan from the Lord over their life. 00:22:30.799 --> 00:22:31.839 This is scriptural. 00:22:32.000 --> 00:22:32.960 This is true. 00:22:33.279 --> 00:22:47.440 Psalm 139, Jeremiah chapter 1, that he knows us from our wombs, and he's actually been, not from our wombs, from our mother's womb, and he's actually been thinking of us before that day, before the foundations of the world. 00:22:47.920 --> 00:22:50.400 God has a lot of mental capacity. 00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:54.400 And you have his attention. 00:22:54.559 --> 00:22:55.759 Did you know that? 00:22:56.400 --> 00:23:02.160 And he's just waiting for us in the place of prayer to go, what are your thoughts toward me? 00:23:02.400 --> 00:23:05.839 What are your plans toward me for 2017? 00:23:06.400 --> 00:23:16.400 Steve and I were talking the other day, and we were so grateful that God is the God of the second chance, the third chance, the fourth chance, the fifth chance, the sixth chance, the seventh chance. 00:23:16.559 --> 00:23:24.079 Now, sometimes we have some earthly repercussions for our decisions, but God is the God of every day. 00:23:24.319 --> 00:23:25.119 Look to him. 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:26.960 Lord, what are your thoughts toward me? 00:23:27.119 --> 00:23:30.559 Did you know actually if you say that, Lord, what are your thoughts toward me? 00:23:30.720 --> 00:23:35.359 You'll be reading the Bible, and the Holy Spirit, a verse will jump off the page. 00:23:35.519 --> 00:23:36.160 It really will. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:37.359 This really works. 00:23:37.599 --> 00:23:40.319 If you ask God, what are you thinking toward me? 00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:42.880 What are your plans toward me? 00:23:43.279 --> 00:23:48.000 He will begin to communicate them through the power of his Holy Spirit through Scripture. 00:23:48.400 --> 00:23:54.720 So he's saying, We're chosen, we've been thought of before the foundation of the world for what? 00:23:54.880 --> 00:23:56.720 That we should be holy and blameless. 00:23:56.960 --> 00:24:02.480 When I stumble, when my mind is meditating on the wrong thing, I confess this over my life. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.160 No, this is not who I am. 00:24:04.319 --> 00:24:05.599 You know who I am? 00:24:06.000 --> 00:24:12.160 I've been chosen before the foundation of the world, and he's chosen me to be holy, and he's chosen me to be blameless. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:17.839 Did you know the Lord would never choose you to do something that he wouldn't empower you to fulfill? 00:24:18.160 --> 00:24:22.160 Love the Lord with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your mind, with all of your strength. 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:29.759 The fact that he commands it is a promise that he will undergird us by his Holy Spirit to fulfill it. 00:24:29.920 --> 00:24:30.720 Did you know that? 00:24:30.960 --> 00:24:32.240 He's kind, he's gracious. 00:24:32.319 --> 00:24:34.559 He's not going to call you to do something that you can't do. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:37.519 And you are chosen to be holy and blameless. 00:24:37.599 --> 00:24:42.559 Yes, before him in your resurrected body when you stand before him in eternity. 00:24:43.200 --> 00:24:49.599 But pursuing that now, Lord help us to be holy as you are holy. 00:24:49.680 --> 00:24:55.519 That's how he says it in Matthew chapter 5, 6, and 7, that we should be holy as he is holy. 00:24:55.759 --> 00:24:57.519 And that's actually attainable. 00:24:57.680 --> 00:25:03.039 Not to the fullness, but we can grow in holiness as we mature as believers. 00:25:03.200 --> 00:25:07.119 So Paul's saying we have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places. 00:25:07.279 --> 00:25:09.119 He's saying we're chosen. 00:25:09.359 --> 00:25:13.279 We're saying God has thoughts toward us from the foundations of the world. 00:25:13.440 --> 00:25:15.599 He's saying that we're called to be holy and blameless. 00:25:15.680 --> 00:25:18.400 And then he goes on, he just keeps overflowing. 00:25:18.720 --> 00:25:34.480 Verse 5, we are chosen in love, he says at the end of verse 4, and he predestines us for adoptions, for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, or I like to say the purpose of his desire. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:40.960 Verse 6, to the praise of his glorious grace with which he has blessed us in the beloved. 00:25:41.279 --> 00:25:48.559 I mean, it's just such rich language to the praise of not just his grace, but his glorious grace. 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:57.119 And Paul's praising that we've been brought in to the family of God, that we are sons and daughters of God. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:05.839 He's testifying to the Ephesians church, you were once the ungodly nations that had no inheritance in the promises of God. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:21.440 But now through this man called Jesus Christ, and he's going to get into his redemption, he's going to get into his blood, but through this man, you have been brought in as a full heir of the kingdom of God. 00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:25.200 I mean, just the description of the New Jerusalem. 00:26:25.359 --> 00:26:27.119 I can't get off the New Jerusalem today. 00:26:27.440 --> 00:26:32.720 Just the description of the New Jerusalem, it says its foundations are precious stones. 00:26:32.880 --> 00:26:35.119 The foundations of a city, they're precious stones. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:38.319 It says its streets are laid with gold. 00:26:38.480 --> 00:26:43.039 It says the gates are formed from a pearl. 00:26:43.839 --> 00:26:58.240 Have you ever gone into, I know that like doesn't like do much for us, but have you ever experienced going into like a really nice house or a really, really nice hotel? 00:26:58.720 --> 00:27:03.839 And there's no like there's no other response other than wow. 00:27:04.640 --> 00:27:05.279 You know? 00:27:06.000 --> 00:27:10.799 And automatically, you know, whoever owns this is a pretty powerful, important person. 00:27:11.039 --> 00:27:14.000 Can you imagine if you walked into the Broadmoor hotel? 00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:16.720 This is gonna happen to you one day on a much greater scale. 00:27:16.880 --> 00:27:22.480 But you walk into the Broadmoor hotel and the owner comes down and says, Hey, I've prepared this for you. 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:24.640 It's yours, it's all yours. 00:27:24.880 --> 00:27:27.680 The wealth that comes from it, everything, it's yours. 00:27:28.319 --> 00:27:30.640 You'd feel pretty good, wouldn't you? 00:27:31.200 --> 00:27:39.200 Think of that the next time you think of the New Jerusalem, you read Revelation 21, your internal inheritance, your eternal dwelling place. 00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:44.000 Jesus said, I go to prepare a place for you in my father's house. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:50.160 Jesus is being a carpenter in the New Jerusalem with all of his power, and he's preparing a place for you. 00:27:50.319 --> 00:27:53.599 He's telling angels to prepare a place for you. 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:57.200 And you're gonna walk in, he's like, and you're gonna go, this is too much. 00:27:57.279 --> 00:27:58.079 I don't deserve this. 00:27:58.160 --> 00:28:00.400 And he goes, Oh, you have no idea. 00:28:01.039 --> 00:28:03.279 The blood of my son has covered everything. 00:28:03.440 --> 00:28:05.920 Oh, you have no idea what I think for you. 00:28:06.160 --> 00:28:10.480 The way I feel toward Jesus, I feel toward you. 00:28:11.039 --> 00:28:14.640 What I'm gonna give him in the age to come, I wanna give it to you. 00:28:14.720 --> 00:28:15.839 I want to share it with you. 00:28:16.000 --> 00:28:17.440 And so does Jesus. 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:21.359 And I don't know how the Holy Spirit gets involved in there, but he's just going, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 00:28:21.519 --> 00:28:24.079 You know, he's like confirming with fire and wind. 00:28:24.160 --> 00:28:27.680 I don't know how he does it, but we're sons. 00:28:28.640 --> 00:28:31.519 We're accepted and we've been brought in. 00:28:31.759 --> 00:28:33.279 We're daughters. 00:28:34.160 --> 00:28:39.519 Now I've experienced this with my two adopted daughters, Minnie and B. 00:28:40.000 --> 00:28:50.160 I love my biological children, I love my adopted children, but I got to experience this progression of the Lord putting in our heart this adoption. 00:28:50.400 --> 00:28:53.680 And then the Lord putting in our heart Ethiopia. 00:28:53.920 --> 00:29:01.839 And then the Lord putting on our heart these two twins who were sitting in our in an orphanage who had never seen us, who had never known us. 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:05.119 And then pictures started to come. 00:29:05.279 --> 00:29:10.880 And my heart as a father started to be captured by these beautiful little girls. 00:29:11.599 --> 00:29:19.039 And I remember thinking, they have no idea that all that is mine is gonna be theirs. 00:29:19.200 --> 00:29:20.319 They have no idea. 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:29.440 They have no idea that everything that I work for, that I attain for, that I attain, I will give to them freely. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:47.519 And they're kind of sitting right now in the muck and in the mire, and they're in fear, and they're and they don't know what's gonna happen to their life, and they lost their parents, and they have no idea that I'm thinking of taking care of them in all things and in every way. 00:29:47.759 --> 00:29:49.599 And I'm here to give them peace. 00:29:49.839 --> 00:29:54.960 I think some of the time we forget of our full adoption in the Lord. 00:29:55.119 --> 00:29:57.519 We forget of our full acceptance before his throne. 00:29:57.680 --> 00:30:00.880 And I think sometimes we let that fear creep in. 00:30:01.039 --> 00:30:02.400 You know what I mean? 00:30:02.960 --> 00:30:06.319 And that holds us back from filling our destiny in God. 00:30:06.480 --> 00:30:10.000 Now I'm just kind of unfolding this and going into this. 00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:10.799 It does have a point. 00:30:10.960 --> 00:30:13.200 I'm not just describing fun things for a reason. 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:14.960 It actually has a reason. 00:30:15.279 --> 00:30:16.720 But we're adopted. 00:30:17.359 --> 00:30:18.880 And I just want to pause right here. 00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:26.240 So we have we have encountered right now in scripture, probably, let's see, we're blessed with every spiritual blessing, that's one. 00:30:26.559 --> 00:30:28.640 We are uh chosen, that's two. 00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:32.400 We have thoughts toward us from the foundation of the world, that's three. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:34.880 We're called to be holy and blameless, that's four. 00:30:35.039 --> 00:30:36.880 We're adopted as sons, that's five. 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:40.640