WEBVTT 00:00:00.719 --> 00:00:04.879 It's time now for the rope with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:06.000 --> 00:00:11.599 Church, what Jesus is looking for in the last day's church is rented hearts. 00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:13.919 Broken heart. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:19.839 Broken-hearted people get God's attention. 00:00:20.320 --> 00:00:24.480 Broken-hearted people get God's attention. 00:00:24.719 --> 00:00:29.199 Welcome to another edition of The Road with Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:34.240 Steve is the head pastor of The Road in Colorado Springs, Colorado. 00:00:34.399 --> 00:00:42.000 It's our vision to make whole-hearted disciples of Jesus Christ and to see you grow in the grace and knowledge of his love. 00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:52.399 If you're in the area, we meet at Chapel Hills Church, located at 2025 Harleman Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado, 80920. 00:00:52.799 --> 00:00:57.439 You can go to our website at therode.org for service times. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.079 That's thheroad.org. 00:01:01.600 --> 00:01:05.840 Here now with today's message is Pastor Teacher Steve Holt. 00:01:09.280 --> 00:01:11.280 So we are in the book of Joel. 00:01:11.519 --> 00:01:13.680 We are in the book of Joel. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:18.879 And I want to give us a little bit of a summation of where we've been. 00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:30.319 And we've now done four messages in the book of Joel, and we've been looking at the book of Joel as a prophetic book for the last days, for the coming of the Lord. 00:01:30.560 --> 00:01:35.120 And the theme, the theme of the book of Joel is the day of the Lord. 00:01:35.359 --> 00:01:38.480 Now, I said this before, I'll repeat it again. 00:01:38.719 --> 00:01:46.799 I believe there is a day of the Lord, capital D, and then there's days of the Lord, small case D. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:55.040 And I believe what we're entering into right now in the next few years are days of the Lord leading up to the day of the Lord. 00:01:55.359 --> 00:02:05.040 And so as we see days of the Lord happening, these are moments of judgment, devastation, warning to us. 00:02:05.200 --> 00:02:11.759 We might call them harbingers, warnings of the Spirit of God that the Lord is on the move. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:12.639 Do you understand that? 00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.800 The Lord is on the move right now. 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:21.759 God is moving across the land, and He is bringing devastation even to some churches. 00:02:21.919 --> 00:02:27.520 There are churches out there that are not going to be able to handle what's coming. 00:02:27.680 --> 00:02:32.800 There's going to be believers out there that think that everything's business as usual. 00:02:32.960 --> 00:02:37.120 You know, they're kind of Sunday, they're sort of Sunday Christians, you know. 00:02:37.280 --> 00:02:40.319 And then maybe if you come to the roads, you're a Saturday Christian. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:43.840 But you know, it's kind of a one-day-a-week sort of Christianity. 00:02:43.919 --> 00:02:45.680 It's not going to cut it, gang. 00:02:46.000 --> 00:02:48.080 I'll tell you right now, it's not going to cut it. 00:02:48.319 --> 00:02:53.599 God is allowing demonic powers to rise across the globe. 00:02:53.759 --> 00:03:02.960 And if you are not spiritually in tune with the Spirit of God and how He works, you're going to be filled with fear. 00:03:03.199 --> 00:03:05.439 You're going to be filled with fear. 00:03:05.599 --> 00:03:12.240 And you're going to have to make a choice whether you're going to have a firsthand faith or a secondhand faith. 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:13.840 And here's what I mean by that. 00:03:14.080 --> 00:03:20.879 Firsthand faith is where you are personally experiencing an intimate relationship with God. 00:03:21.039 --> 00:03:25.680 You start to learn to recognize his voice, to hear his voice. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:28.800 You understand that God gives dreams and visions. 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.039 We're going to talk about that next in the next message. 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:34.879 We're going to talk about dreams and visions, how God speaks through dreams and visions. 00:03:35.039 --> 00:03:42.080 You've got to be able to understand that, or you're going to be super confused because you're going to have a secondhand faith. 00:03:42.159 --> 00:03:53.120 And a secondhand faith is where you kind of derive your faith based on your favorite pastor or your favorite Christian, and you're living off of their books, or you're living off their faith. 00:03:53.199 --> 00:03:55.039 It's not going to cut it, gang. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:00.960 You've got to have a firsthand faith, or you're going to get wrapped up in fear. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:03.919 And I don't know if you, you know, I predicted it. 00:04:04.000 --> 00:04:06.560 I mean, I don't want to say I'm a prophet or anything, because I'm not. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:07.759 But remember? 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:20.560 Three weeks ago, I gave you the statistic that 81% of Americans say there's going to be another terrorist attack on our soil, and then four days later, we have one in San Bernardino. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.600 So that's the kind of stuff that's coming down, gang. 00:04:23.759 --> 00:04:35.199 And so if we don't have a personal, vital, dynamic, growing intimacy with the Lord, we're going to get wrapped up in fear, and I'd rather be wrapped up in faith. 00:04:35.839 --> 00:04:39.199 And so the book of Joel is preparing us. 00:04:39.360 --> 00:04:49.120 It is saying that literally there was a day of the Lord, small D, small case D, that came into Israel, and the locusts literally came in and devastated the land. 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:52.480 And that there was an enemy coming from the north. 00:04:52.959 --> 00:04:58.319 The Assyrians were coming from the north, and he warns them with a trumpet blast. 00:04:58.480 --> 00:05:06.240 And so what we've studied the last few weeks is these harbingers in America today and around the world today, let me just give you some. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:11.439 9-11 was a harbinger, a warning of coming disaster to our nation. 00:05:11.680 --> 00:05:18.160 Hurricane Katrina wiped out an entire city, was a harbinger of the Lord. 00:05:18.240 --> 00:05:25.120 The Oklahoma tornadoes, category five with 200 mile per hour winds, created fear in the heartland. 00:05:25.360 --> 00:05:35.279 In Colorado Springs, Waldo Canyon fire, Black Forest fire, two biggest fires ever in Colorado history in the last three years. 00:05:35.439 --> 00:05:40.240 Do you think God is not judging Colorado Springs? 00:05:40.720 --> 00:05:42.959 Where much is given, much is expected. 00:05:43.199 --> 00:05:58.560 Mass killings in Kenya in April, shooting down of a Russian airliner just a few weeks ago, the Paris massacre, shootings in Colorado Springs, too, in the last couple months, and the worst terror attack since 9-11 in San Bernardino. 00:05:59.120 --> 00:06:04.000 We are seeing harbingers, days of the Lord coming. 00:06:04.319 --> 00:06:06.720 And it's not business as usual, gang. 00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:09.279 And here's the deal: we've got to understand this. 00:06:09.680 --> 00:06:11.279 We've got to understand this. 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:26.399 I don't know what the Lord can do more than constantly remind us that the enemy's on the move and that we have got to have a close, intimate, growing relationship with Jesus Christ and God's patience. 00:06:26.560 --> 00:06:27.519 God is patient. 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:28.800 Remember, we studied that. 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:31.839 In Joel, I believe God's saying he's patient. 00:06:32.399 --> 00:06:33.680 He's patient with us. 00:06:33.839 --> 00:06:35.439 Almost like a sunrise. 00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:42.160 You know, you see the sun rising, and if you just stare at the sunrise, it seems like it's really kind of slow. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:44.639 But it's gonna get there, right? 00:06:44.800 --> 00:06:50.480 And so you see the sunrise and you see the effects of it, and it's kind of it seems slow, but it starts moving. 00:06:50.720 --> 00:06:51.279 That's what God's doing. 00:06:51.360 --> 00:06:52.560 That's what a harbinger is. 00:06:52.639 --> 00:07:03.920 It's like it's the patience of the Lord giving us opportunity to repent, giving us opportunity to cry out to him to prepare the way of the Lord. 00:07:04.319 --> 00:07:06.240 And so Longfellow wrote this. 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.000 This is a great line. 00:07:08.319 --> 00:07:14.240 The mills of God grind slowly, yet they grind exceedingly small. 00:07:14.639 --> 00:07:19.920 Though with patience he stands waiting, with exactness he grinds all. 00:07:20.319 --> 00:07:25.600 And so God is patient because he's wanting the whole earth to hear the gospel. 00:07:25.759 --> 00:07:35.279 So here's what's amazing: there is there's something terrifically terrorizing about what God's doing if you're not following the Lord. 00:07:35.439 --> 00:07:39.120 If you're messing around tonight, you have a lot to fear. 00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:41.360 And you better get right with God. 00:07:41.600 --> 00:07:48.639 If you're walking with God the best you know how and you're trying to pursue him and you're going after him, these are gonna be exciting days. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:50.000 These are exciting days. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:53.439 I'd rather be on the side of exciting than on the side of terror. 00:07:53.920 --> 00:07:58.560 And so you're gonna see these twofold themes running through. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:08:00.000 So here's what I want you to do. 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:01.279 I want you to turn to Psalm 2. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:10.879 And this sounds a little bit counterintuitive, but I want you to look at Psalm 2, and I want to give you a little phrase, and I don't know if it's in your notes or not. 00:08:11.120 --> 00:08:15.680 A Psalm 2 rage will require a Joel II response. 00:08:16.000 --> 00:08:22.720 A Psalm 2 rage will require a Joel II response. 00:08:23.120 --> 00:08:24.800 Here's what Psalm 2 says. 00:08:24.959 --> 00:08:32.799 Psalm 2 says this Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing? 00:08:33.120 --> 00:08:53.519 The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord, and listen up, I mean, read the whole verse, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds in pieces and cast away their cords from us. 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:55.600 You know, that's the way I feel right now. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:09:19.360 I mean, when I look at the decisions that are being made, the stuff that's coming out of the Supreme Court, the kind of stuff that's happening just in America alone, it's been happening for years in Europe, it's the kings of the earth, the presidents of the earth, the premiers of the earth, the prime ministers of nations say, I don't want these Christians, I don't want their stuff, I don't want their Bible. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.840 Get their Bible out of the schools, get that as far away. 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:35.840 I don't want these cords, I don't want these restrictions about gay marriage, I don't want these restrictions about sexuality, I don't want these restrictions about morality. 00:09:36.480 --> 00:09:39.120 You know you can't legislate morality. 00:09:39.679 --> 00:09:42.240 I don't want these bonds on me, right? 00:09:42.399 --> 00:09:43.679 I mean, aren't we hearing this? 00:09:43.840 --> 00:09:50.799 Like all the time, like every day it's the drumbeat in the news, and it's prophesied right here. 00:09:50.960 --> 00:09:53.039 The Psalm two rage. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:10:04.080 And so in verse 2 he says, the kings of the earth set themselves against the rulers and they take counsel together against the Lord, but against his anointed. 00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:09.759 They hate churches like us, and in the last days we're gonna be hated. 00:10:10.320 --> 00:10:12.960 And that's why I believe many will apostasize. 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:21.200 That's why many, their love for the Lord will grow cold, Jesus said in Matthew 24, talking about the last days, because it will be hard for you. 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:30.639 You're gonna go to work and you're gonna be in a conversation, and you realize if I'm if I say anything, if I take any kind of a stand, I could lose my job. 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:33.039 That's where it's going, gang. 00:10:33.360 --> 00:10:34.639 That's where it's going. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:37.519 It's right here, Psalm 2. 00:10:37.759 --> 00:10:39.279 But I love what he says next. 00:10:39.360 --> 00:10:40.399 Look at verse 4. 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:44.559 It says, Whoa, he who sits in the heavens shall laugh. 00:10:44.879 --> 00:10:46.559 God laughs about it. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:50.399 Really? 00:10:50.799 --> 00:10:52.240 I'm so worried. 00:10:52.399 --> 00:10:56.480 And so God's in heaven going, oh, I didn't know this was gonna happen. 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:58.960 Wow, those are really mean people. 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:01.919 Oh, they're hurting my church. 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:03.840 Oh, I don't know what to do. 00:11:04.080 --> 00:11:08.320 I'm all stupefied by the situation. 00:11:09.519 --> 00:11:12.240 The Lord who sits in the heavens laughs. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:19.519 The Lord shall hold them in derision, and then he shall speak to them in his wrath and distress them in his deep displeasure. 00:11:19.679 --> 00:11:25.919 Yet I have set my king on my holy hill of Zion. 00:11:26.320 --> 00:11:28.000 You know, here's the type, guys. 00:11:28.159 --> 00:11:34.720 This is to me, the most beautiful type is either Ezekiel or John at Patmos. 00:11:34.960 --> 00:11:36.320 Let's just take John at Patmos. 00:11:36.879 --> 00:11:39.360 So, John, that's under Domitian or Nero. 00:11:39.440 --> 00:11:43.519 We're not exactly sure, but Domitian or Nero are the emperors of Rome. 00:11:43.840 --> 00:11:46.480 They're slaughtering Christians in Rome. 00:11:46.720 --> 00:11:52.879 They're lighting them up, they're putting oil on them, and they're lighting them up during the festivities and banquets and stuff. 00:11:52.960 --> 00:11:58.720 And John, who's preaching the gospel, he's been boiled in oil from here down, probably carries those scars. 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:04.240 And in Revelation chapter 4, which we're gonna go into Revelation after we finish with Joel, and we're gonna come to this part. 00:12:04.399 --> 00:12:11.279 Revelation chapter 4, God takes him, he sees a vision of heaven, and God's on the throne. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:26.240 He's on the throne, he's not off the throne, and the 24 elders and the seraphim and the cherubim, and they're worshiping him, and it was much like what we're gonna be heading into, and he's still on the throne. 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:29.919 That gets me fired up. 00:12:30.240 --> 00:12:42.480 He's not leaving his throne, doesn't matter who's president, doesn't matter what's happening in Russia, doesn't matter what's happening in Syria, doesn't matter what's happening in Israel, doesn't matter what's happening in the United States of America, he's still on the throne. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:48.159 And so when we come here at the road, we worship God. 00:12:49.039 --> 00:12:52.879 And we we preach the word and then we worship God. 00:12:53.039 --> 00:12:55.039 I want you to worship him with abandonment. 00:12:55.200 --> 00:12:59.519 I want you to, when we go in and Michelle starts to leave us, and we're gonna just go for it. 00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:02.639 We should go for it every Saturday night. 00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:04.240 Go for it. 00:13:04.559 --> 00:13:13.679 Because it's the best and the and the and the most important and the deepest thing we do is that we come and we worship him. 00:13:13.840 --> 00:13:18.720 And what worship means to me is that we completely focus our heart on the Lord. 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:32.720 You forget about Christmas, you forget about Christmas trees, you forget about gift giving, you forget about the turkey, you forget about all that, and you just for 30 minutes or so, or 20 minutes, whatever it is, and we just worship the Lord. 00:13:33.519 --> 00:13:35.600 We all stink on the first song. 00:13:35.840 --> 00:13:36.879 I mean, we just do. 00:13:37.519 --> 00:13:38.799 I mean, you guys sound gray. 00:13:38.879 --> 00:13:39.600 I don't mean it that way. 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:46.879 I just mean it like you're kind of you can't get focused, and you got and you get this, you know, all that stuff's going on, and everything. 00:13:47.200 --> 00:13:53.360 But by the second song or third song, it starts to happen, right? 00:13:54.000 --> 00:14:02.159 So the way you prepare for worship at the road is the other six days of the week you also worship. 00:14:02.559 --> 00:14:04.559 You have a personal worship life. 00:14:04.799 --> 00:14:06.399 You put on the headphones, man. 00:14:06.559 --> 00:14:14.320 You go into your closet or you or go walk in the woods or whatever you like to do, and just take two songs or three songs and just worship the Lord. 00:14:14.559 --> 00:14:23.039 You go, oh man, you're worshiping and you're thinking, man, I got four meetings today, and I've got to remember to to that I gotta tell Joe, you know, this thing and everything. 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:24.080 Well, then write it down. 00:14:24.159 --> 00:14:24.720 That's fine. 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:25.519 That's okay. 00:14:25.759 --> 00:14:26.799 Just do it. 00:14:26.960 --> 00:14:29.600 Even if it stinks, even if it's not very good. 00:14:29.840 --> 00:14:32.960 I mean, I'm the most unanointed worshiper in this room. 00:14:33.120 --> 00:14:34.000 I promise you. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:35.600 I'm so unanointed. 00:14:35.759 --> 00:14:36.720 It's not even fine. 00:14:36.799 --> 00:14:37.840 I'm terrible. 00:14:38.080 --> 00:14:40.559 I I got I got all kinds of stuff swimming in my head. 00:14:40.720 --> 00:14:44.240 Every once in a while, though, I actually break in and I worship the Lord. 00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:47.360 But I'm not gonna quit, and you shouldn't either. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:52.559 I will declare the decree, the Lord has said to me, You are my son, today I've begotten you. 00:14:52.720 --> 00:15:01.120 Verse 8, ask of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance and the ends of the earth for your possession. 00:15:01.279 --> 00:15:03.200 See, this is where God's going in the latter days. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:09.759 He's looking for people who will not quit until they get their prayers answered. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:21.039 He's looking for people that will take a hold of the heart of God and keep going after it and keep knocking on heaven until God answers. 00:15:22.720 --> 00:15:25.360 So I believe what he's doing, he's weeding out. 00:15:25.679 --> 00:15:27.919 We call it the sheep and the goats. 00:15:28.080 --> 00:15:30.879 He's he's kind of weeding out those that can't handle it. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:37.279 And so, you know, that that's why I think the pressure is coming and you've got to press in. 00:15:37.440 --> 00:15:43.440 Here's the thing: pressure should cause us to press in to Jesus more. 00:15:43.919 --> 00:15:45.600 And I think that's what pressure does. 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.000 Pressure really defines the sheep and the goats. 00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:54.240 Pressure really defines those who want to really go after the Lord wholeheartedly and those that are half-hearted. 00:15:54.399 --> 00:16:01.600 Because half-hearted people will start blaming God, be frustrated with God, tell us all their problems, all God's fault. 00:16:01.679 --> 00:16:03.120 I can't believe God did that to me. 00:16:03.200 --> 00:16:04.639 I can't believe I lost my job. 00:16:04.799 --> 00:16:07.440 I just started tithing and then I lost my job. 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:09.279 See, that's what it'll do for you. 00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:14.960 Those kind of people, and some of you are those kind of people, and I've been one of those kind of people. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:26.159 You gotta turn it around and you gotta go after the Lord again, and you gotta forget about the past and you gotta press in again, and it's worth it because you start to experience God on a whole new level. 00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:28.480 So let's look at chapter two of Joel. 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:36.480 So, a Psalm 2 Rage, which is a world we're living in, is gonna lead us to a Joel II response. 00:16:36.720 --> 00:16:40.639 And so, not unlike what was happening in the book of Joel. 00:16:40.799 --> 00:16:46.799 So, you guys that have been with me, in chapter 2, verse 1, we looked at this trumpet, and we had a trumpet call. 00:16:46.879 --> 00:16:55.440 We actually had George Stanky here, and George did the shofar those two weeks in a row, and you heard a real shofar, and that's what he's talking about. 00:16:55.600 --> 00:17:02.399 And a trumpet blast, the first trumpet blast in ancient times was a warning blast. 00:17:02.559 --> 00:17:05.680 That's a warning, and you saw that in Lord of the Rings. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:13.200 And Lord of the Rings, there was a warning blast that came out when they were lighting all the piers and stuff because the enemy's coming. 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:15.759 So you're getting a warning in Joel. 00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:25.119 Then there's a second blast, and the second trumpet blast, midway down in chapter two, means impending danger. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:28.079 That means you can see the enemy coming. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:32.559 They could see the Syrians coming, they could see themselves getting surrounded. 00:17:32.720 --> 00:17:33.920 It is happening. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:34.880 It is happening. 00:17:35.039 --> 00:17:45.119 It's happening in San Bernardino, it's happening in Colorado Springs, it's happening in Black Forest, it's happening in Waldo Canyon, it's happening down here at Planned Parenthood. 00:17:45.200 --> 00:17:48.079 It's like impending danger. 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:51.440 And so that was a second trumpet blast. 00:17:51.599 --> 00:17:55.359 And here's what the second trumpet blast means: it means return to the Lord. 00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:56.480 Return to the Lord. 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:03.359 You see, Israel had no other options but to either rebel or return. 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:05.200 That's what your options will be, guys. 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:07.680 Your options are gonna be rebel or return. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.400 Oh, oh, Steve. 00:18:10.480 --> 00:18:13.359 Well, you know, he's so emotional. 00:18:13.599 --> 00:18:18.799 You know, he's a southerner, you know, and he had too much grits that week or something. 00:18:18.960 --> 00:18:21.200 You know, it's not that bad. 00:18:21.519 --> 00:18:22.880 See, that'll be the response. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:24.240 That's the rebellious crowd. 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:25.599 You know, it's not that bad. 00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:28.640 So you're gonna be caught with your pants down spiritually. 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:36.640 Because what's gonna happen is your faith is not gonna be able to sustain you as the demonic powers rise in our land. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:41.680 And if you're not careful, you're gonna lose your marriage, you're gonna lose your family, you're gonna lose it all. 00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:45.440 Because I'm telling you, this is not the America we grew up in, gang. 00:18:45.759 --> 00:18:50.880 This is not uh Ozzy and Harriet, this is not Beaver Cleaver America anymore. 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:52.799 This is a different America. 00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:58.559 You know, over 50% are going through divorce, maybe 50% in this room have gone through a divorce. 00:18:58.720 --> 00:19:06.160 I mean, that's because the enemy's been attacking our marriages and our families now for a generation, and it's only gonna get worse. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:08.079 It's not getting any better. 00:19:08.559 --> 00:19:15.119 And so God's looking for a people that he can raise up in these latter days, and here's what he says. 00:19:15.279 --> 00:19:17.119 Look at chapter 2, verse 18. 00:19:17.200 --> 00:19:22.960 That's where we're gonna pick it up here tonight, and I'm gonna take us back a little and we're gonna move forward a little bit. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:24.079 Only a little bit. 00:19:24.160 --> 00:19:25.279 I mean, I started studying this stuff. 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:27.039 I was like, man, I gotta get through Joel. 00:19:27.200 --> 00:19:29.599 I was like, there's no way I can get through Joel that fast. 00:19:29.759 --> 00:19:31.440 So sorry. 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.079 So we'll go, we'll actually go into the new year still in Joel, and then we'll go into Revelation after that. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:39.920 But chapter 2, verse 18, then the Lord will be zealous. 00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:40.799 I love this. 00:19:41.039 --> 00:19:46.400 The Lord will be zealous for his land and pity his people. 00:19:46.559 --> 00:19:48.799 You see, God wants to refresh us. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:54.640 He wants to refresh you, he wants to bless you, he has zeal for you. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:20:01.599 I mean, when Jesus came into the temple, he didn't just come in to kind of give a sacrifice. 00:20:01.839 --> 00:20:16.160 He came in and he saw what was happening in his temple and what a consumer marketplace it had become instead of a place of a house of prayer and worship, and he got really ticked. 00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:21.200 And so he started tearing everything up and took a whip and he tore the place up. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:26.240 And then it said the disciples later said, The zeal of the Lord has consumed him. 00:20:26.880 --> 00:20:28.319 That's what he's doing right now. 00:20:28.480 --> 00:20:33.119 I believe the zeal of the Lord is sweeping across the globe. 00:20:33.839 --> 00:20:37.359 I believe the zeal of the Lord is sweeping across America. 00:20:37.680 --> 00:20:43.359 He loves America, he loves his church, he loves his people, and he loves every country. 00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:46.240 Don't get me wrong, but we're I'm preaching in America, so I'm speaking in America. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:48.000 I mean, I was in Africa, I say about Africa. 00:20:48.160 --> 00:20:52.960 But the reality is he loves all people who love him, and he has zeal for you. 00:20:54.079 --> 00:20:57.119 You're here tonight because you love the Lord. 00:20:57.359 --> 00:20:58.880 You know, well, I don't love him that much. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:20:59.839 You know, that's okay. 00:21:00.000 --> 00:21:01.440 You love him a little bit. 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:05.759 And if you love him a little bit, he has zeal for you because you're a child of God. 00:21:06.000 --> 00:21:07.440 You're called beloved. 00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:11.279 That means you're deeply loved from the heart of God. 00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:13.519 And so he has a zeal for your heart. 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:15.440 He has a zeal for your family. 00:21:15.599 --> 00:21:18.799 You that are single, he has a zeal for your singleness. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:21.920 He knows your, you know, that some of the struggles with loneliness there. 00:21:22.000 --> 00:21:27.200 And some of you want to be married and you're not married and all that, and and and and some of you are getting married. 00:21:27.279 --> 00:21:36.799 I I remember the guy who said to me, He said, You know, I really dig this stuff about the second coming of Christ and everything, Steve, but can't I just get married and have sex before he comes back? 00:21:37.440 --> 00:21:38.640 I said, Yeah, maybe. 00:21:38.799 --> 00:21:40.480 I mean, I I totally understand that. 00:21:40.559 --> 00:21:43.279 I, you know, I did it, so it's a good thing. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:44.880 Do it the right way, though. 00:21:45.039 --> 00:21:46.640 Do it the right way, okay? 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.079 But look back, chapter 2, verse 1. 00:21:50.319 --> 00:21:52.880 Joel gives us the marks of the last days' church. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:56.559 So I want to talk about tonight some of the marks of the last days' church. 00:21:56.799 --> 00:21:59.599 Blow the trumpet in Zion and sound an alarm in my holy. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:07.440 Mountain, let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the Lord is coming, for it is at hand. 00:22:07.920 --> 00:22:09.200 Look at verse twelve. 00:22:09.440 --> 00:22:16.400 Now therefore saith the Lord, turn to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:21.200 Verse 13, Rend your heart and not your garments. 00:22:21.359 --> 00:22:29.359 Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness, and he relents from doing harm. 00:22:29.440 --> 00:22:30.400 Here's the first mark. 00:22:30.640 --> 00:22:38.720 The first mark of the last days church is cultivating, listen, the cultivating of wholehearted intimacy. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.799 That's the first mark. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:43.440 He says, Rend your heart, not your garments. 00:22:43.599 --> 00:22:50.799 The reason is, is because the priest at that time would rend their garments, but not their heart. 00:22:51.200 --> 00:23:02.720 And the only way I can relate to that in our present circumstances is pastors and leaders who pretend to be functioning in intimacy with the Lord, and they're really not. 00:23:02.799 --> 00:23:03.680 They're just religious. 00:23:03.839 --> 00:23:05.680 They're just posing and pretending. 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:07.680 And many believers do that. 00:23:08.000 --> 00:23:08.559 You know? 00:23:08.799 --> 00:23:14.079 They go to church, maybe they're moral, but their heart is far from him. 00:23:14.480 --> 00:23:17.039 You see, Jesus set up a whole new paradigm. 00:23:17.279 --> 00:23:19.839 Jesus, it's pretty weird about Jesus. 00:23:20.160 --> 00:23:31.599 Because he came, and quite frankly, the group of people that by holiness standards, as it related to outward behavior, was the Pharisees. 00:23:31.680 --> 00:23:33.279 And who was his arch enemy? 00:23:33.440 --> 00:23:34.480 The Pharisees. 00:23:34.640 --> 00:23:41.839 And the reason is, is because he was more interested in a heart than he was outward behavior. 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:47.759 Now I'm not saying you shouldn't have, you know, outward behavior, because the only way you know if you have the right heart is by changed behavior. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:49.119 So don't get me wrong. 00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:56.319 But here's the thing: you can have behavioral change, but not have a changed heart and just be religious. 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:58.640 And so that's what was happening at this time. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:18.480 These priests, they would fast and they would make sure everybody knew they were fasting, and then they would do all these prayers that everybody could see, and then they do these sacrifices, and then something bad happens, they would actually literally rip their garments, just kind of rip their garments, but their heart wasn't rent. 00:24:20.319 --> 00:24:28.480 Church, what Jesus is looking for in the last days church is rented hearts, broken hearts. 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:34.079 Broken hearted people get God's attention. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:38.799 Brokenhearted people get God's attention. 00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:43.200 And so he says, Rent your hearts. 00:24:43.680 --> 00:24:45.599 Seek me with your whole heart. 00:24:45.759 --> 00:24:47.279 That's what worship is. 00:24:47.599 --> 00:24:49.680 That's what we're trying to build up here. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:57.359 We're trying to build whole-hearted worshipers and warriors who, when we come into worship, we're all there. 00:24:57.599 --> 00:25:04.000 May not have all the songs perfect, may not have all our instruments perfect, but our hearts are right. 00:25:04.400 --> 00:25:07.279 You see, that's the one thing that you have the freedom to do. 00:25:07.519 --> 00:25:23.599 You may not be the most gifted, you may not be the most anointed by certain standards, but you have, you guys that are on the worship team, when you come up here, the one thing you have control over that nobody else has control over is what you do with your heart. 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:30.640 So you could get up here and just go, you know, or you get, you know, and then I totally mess it up. 00:25:30.720 --> 00:25:36.400 And we don't want that a lot because, you know, and nobody will come, but I mean seriously, but you know what I mean? 00:25:36.480 --> 00:25:45.440 It's like, I'm serious, if your heart's right, you won't do that much because God will just show up and you'll be in sync with the Spirit of God. 00:25:45.920 --> 00:25:47.599 Same in your job. 00:25:47.920 --> 00:25:56.559 I mean, here's the thing you know, a lot of Christians they talk about the good news, but they're the bad news. 00:25:57.279 --> 00:26:01.920 It's like, man, if that's a Christian, I'll become, you know, Hindu. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:02.799 You know? 00:26:02.960 --> 00:26:08.000 And so I think what I'd rather see is maybe we don't talk as much about it, we live it. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:09.200 Okay? 00:26:09.759 --> 00:26:17.599 And so a wrenched, a rented, a ripped, a broken heart is what the last days church has to be. 00:26:18.160 --> 00:26:22.640 That's the foremost, most important thing we do is wholeheartedness. 00:26:23.119 --> 00:26:30.880 And the way we define wholeheartedness around here is that we're we're okay with the dark side of our heart, that we'll that we'll be vulnerable about it. 00:26:30.960 --> 00:26:31.839 We'll go there. 00:26:32.000 --> 00:26:37.839 We'll say to the Lord, look, Lord, I've got a broken heart, and and look, I was abused when I was eight years old. 00:26:38.000 --> 00:26:39.920 And I'm gonna deal with that now. 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:43.279 Because you tell me to love you with all of my heart. 00:26:43.519 --> 00:26:46.480 Well, how can you love him with all your heart if half your heart's dark? 00:26:46.720 --> 00:26:50.880 Because you've been running from what happened 35 years ago your whole life. 00:26:50.960 --> 00:26:52.559 And I say, face it. 00:26:52.880 --> 00:26:54.720 He's big enough to heal it. 00:26:55.039 --> 00:26:58.000 And until you face it, you can't get healed from it. 00:26:58.160 --> 00:27:01.680 And so a whole heart is saying, I'm screwed up. 00:27:03.039 --> 00:27:08.400 Because the church has tended to sort of paint the picture of these perfect people. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:09.759 Let's be real. 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:11.440 We're not. 00:27:12.720 --> 00:27:15.680 And you know, and so we all have shame. 00:27:15.920 --> 00:27:26.079 We have shame areas, but you know how you break the power of shame is you face it, you name it, you say what it is, and then you take it to the foot of Jesus and you let him heal it. 00:27:26.240 --> 00:27:30.480 You let him, 2 Corinthians 4, you let him shine his light on it. 00:27:30.720 --> 00:27:35.599 Some of you have been through miserable divorces, some of you have been raped, some of you've had abortions. 00:27:35.759 --> 00:27:37.440 I mean, we've heard it all around here. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:38.559 And guess what? 00:27:38.720 --> 00:27:46.000 That's the route to wholeheartedness is owning it, giving it to the Lord, and saying, I'm a new creation in Christ. 00:27:46.240 --> 00:27:48.960 And I'm enough because Jesus is enough. 00:27:49.119 --> 00:27:54.160 And because he's enough, I can be transformed by him because it's not up to me anymore. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:56.240 I already know I'm up to no good. 00:27:56.720 --> 00:28:01.119 But Christ in me is the hope of glory, and I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 00:28:01.440 --> 00:28:02.960 That's the whole heart prayer. 00:28:03.039 --> 00:28:04.400 That's what I blogged about. 00:28:04.640 --> 00:28:07.440 That's what that blog was about on Thursday. 00:28:08.240 --> 00:28:12.240 But that prayer was that prayer of wholeheartedness. 00:28:12.319 --> 00:28:29.519 And so, you guys, as demonic power grows, as ominous world events increase, as the old, the old stuff that you used to depend on dissipates, you gotta have an intimate walk with God. 00:28:29.759 --> 00:28:30.400 You really do. 00:28:30.480 --> 00:28:34.960 And I'll talk about this the next time about dreams and visions and stuff like that, how God speaks today. 00:28:35.279 --> 00:28:40.240 He speaks mainly through God's word, but he also speaks extra-biblically. 00:28:40.960 --> 00:28:50.480 My wife and I and our family wouldn't be in Colorado Springs when we moved here 21 years ago if it wasn't through a dream that God gave Liz when we were on the island of Okinawa. 00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:55.599 And then we wouldn't have gone to California and I and all the stuff we did there if it wasn't God leading us. 00:28:55.759 --> 00:28:59.039 So God will lead you prophetically. 00:28:59.440 --> 00:29:00.319 But how do you know? 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:02.400 Well, how do I know if that's me or if that's God? 00:29:02.559 --> 00:29:03.920 You just learn by doing it. 00:29:04.079 --> 00:29:05.920 That's called firsthand faith. 00:29:06.079 --> 00:29:08.079 That's why I'm saying secondhand faith. 00:29:08.160 --> 00:29:12.799 And by the way, third hand, secondhand faith, that's a great place to start. 00:29:13.039 --> 00:29:14.240 That's a good place to start. 00:29:14.400 --> 00:29:17.839 Some of you are at that place and you're riding on the faith of others. 00:29:17.920 --> 00:29:18.720 That's fantastic. 00:29:18.880 --> 00:29:19.519 Keep coming. 00:29:19.680 --> 00:29:27.279 But there'll be a point in your journey as you get closer to the Lord where you're gonna go, you know, I don't, I gotta seek the Lord. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:30.000 I need to go to a cabin and fast and pray. 00:29:30.240 --> 00:29:32.000 I need to get away and fast and pray. 00:29:32.079 --> 00:29:33.200 I gotta seek God. 00:29:33.440 --> 00:29:34.960 That's firsthand faith. 00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.039 And he's gonna speak to you. 00:29:37.599 --> 00:29:38.559 He will. 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:51.839 The only favored people, listen, the only favored people in the kingdom are the people who by and large don't think they're favored, and so they seek God because they feel like if they don't seek God, they're not gonna get squats from him. 00:29:53.759 --> 00:29:54.559 I'm serious. 00:29:54.640 --> 00:29:56.640 I'm talking about athletes for God. 00:29:56.880 --> 00:29:59.359 I'm talking about zealous for the Lord. 00:29:59.440 --> 00:30:02.000 And like you're gonna seek him until he speaks, right? 00:30:02.240 --> 00:30:04.319 Like we need a worship leader right now. 00:30:04.559 --> 00:30:06.640 We need a worship pastor at the road. 00:30:06.720 --> 00:30:08.000 We don't have that. 00:30:08.960 --> 00:30:11.039 And we need to fast and pray about that. 00:30:11.200 --> 00:30:12.559 We need to seek God about that. 00:30:12.720 --> 00:30:17.599 God's got someone far the road who's our Davidic worship leader. 00:30:17.839 --> 00:30:21.359 And I don't know where they are, but they're out, he's out there somewhere. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:22.799 And we're gonna find him. 00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:30.000 But we're not gonna find him by sitting around going, I mean, you know, sometimes the worship's really good, and sometimes it's kind of crummy. 00:30:30.160 --> 00:30:36.799 And you know, if we only had a worship leader, I know firsthand how to do this. 00:30:41.359 --> 00:30:43.680 Steve Holt on the worship leader. 00:30:44.720 --> 00:30:46.720