WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:01.280 Mark 11. 00:00:01.439 --> 00:00:06.959 Now, when they drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:10.480 Now, Mount of Olives is actually higher than Jerusalem. 00:00:10.640 --> 00:00:18.239 And when I took a tour the two times I've been to Israel, we've done our group picture at the Mount of Olives because it's a little bit higher. 00:00:18.320 --> 00:00:24.960 And you can see the Dome of the Rock, you can see the Eastern Wall, you can see the Kidron Valley there. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:26.559 That's what he's coming up to. 00:00:26.640 --> 00:00:27.920 So he's come from Bethany. 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:28.559 He's coming up. 00:00:28.960 --> 00:00:37.200 He's risen from almost sea level in Jericho, which was last week, to now about 2,500 feet above sea level. 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.280 So he's working his way up. 00:00:39.600 --> 00:00:43.119 He's coming in to his final days. 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:56.399 He sent two of his disciples and he said to them, Go into the village opposite you, and as soon as you've entered it, you will find a colt tied on which no one has sat. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:00.000 Loose it and bring it. 00:01:00.320 --> 00:01:14.719 Now this is of significance because royalty and objects used for sacred purposes, religious purposes, and royalty would always be an object that had never been used before. 00:01:15.359 --> 00:01:19.840 So he's picking a donkey that had never been used before. 00:01:20.159 --> 00:01:25.599 And when I was studying this, I know this isn't really the point, but I just want to bring it up. 00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:39.599 To all the young women, you that are in high school and middle school here tonight, you have been given a sacred body. 00:01:41.040 --> 00:01:53.599 You young men in middle school and high school, you've been given a sacred body, a physical body that God has designed for sacred and beautiful purposes. 00:01:55.040 --> 00:02:07.120 And our vision for you, and of course, there's always a restart if this hasn't happened, but our vision for you would be that you would come into that holy matrimony. 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:18.400 We call it holy matrimony, that you had come into holy matrimony having waited and saved yourself for your husband or for your wife. 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:20.639 There's something sacred about that. 00:02:20.719 --> 00:02:27.520 There's something sacred about the fact that they came to a cult that had never been written before. 00:02:28.240 --> 00:02:29.520 It was for the king. 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:32.159 It's for Jesus. 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:35.759 He would be the first one to ride that cult. 00:02:36.400 --> 00:02:37.840 And sex is like that. 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:40.080 Sex is a beautiful thing. 00:02:40.560 --> 00:02:42.240 And it's sacred before the Lord. 00:02:42.319 --> 00:02:45.199 And in holy matrimony, that's what it's meant for. 00:02:45.360 --> 00:02:52.240 And so I want to encourage you to watch over that area, to trust God with that area. 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:53.439 And wait. 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:58.719 And save it as that sacred time that you would be with your husband or wife when you get married. 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:02.080 And if anyone says to you, Why are you doing this? 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:04.080 say the Lord has need of it. 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.400 And immediately he will send it here. 00:03:06.719 --> 00:03:07.599 Verse 4. 00:03:07.840 --> 00:03:13.199 So they went their way and found the colt tied by the door outside on the street, and they loosed it. 00:03:13.439 --> 00:03:19.199 But some of those who stood there said to them, What are you doing loosening the colt? 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:24.240 Now, isn't it amazing when we read we study the scriptures how detailed it is? 00:03:24.560 --> 00:03:31.599 I mean, it's amazing to me the detail we have in Scripture with the life of Christ, both Mark. 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:37.199 Luke's more detailed than Mark, but Mark here is extraordinarily detailed. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.560 And they spoke to them just as Jesus had commanded. 00:03:40.800 --> 00:03:42.159 So they let them go. 00:03:42.319 --> 00:03:47.599 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their clothes on it, and he sat on it. 00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:56.000 And many spread their clothes on the road, and others cut down leafy branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 00:03:56.400 --> 00:04:01.520 This was customary for subjects to do in homage to a king. 00:04:01.840 --> 00:04:07.199 If you recall when Elisha, when Elisha anointed Jehu king. 00:04:07.439 --> 00:04:25.519 See, when God anointed Jehu king to take back the kingship and the authority from Ahab and his evil wife and his evil kingdom, they the people came out with robes and they laid them down on the steps, and Jehu walked across it. 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:27.120 That's in 1 Kings 9. 00:04:27.759 --> 00:04:28.480 Verse 9. 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:36.160 Then those who went before and those who followed cried out, saying, Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:41.199 Blessed is the kingdom of our Father David that comes in the name of the Lord. 00:04:41.439 --> 00:04:43.360 Hosanna in the highest. 00:04:43.439 --> 00:04:46.399 And they're and they're conjuring up Psalm 118. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:49.680 Psalm 118, it speaks of Hosanna to the Lord. 00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:59.120 They're screaming out, save now, save now, proclaiming to the king. 00:04:59.360 --> 00:05:02.240 When we next week, the timing of this is amazing. 00:05:02.399 --> 00:05:08.639 Next week, when we go into that baptismal, we should say Hosanna. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:09.920 Save now. 00:05:10.000 --> 00:05:11.360 Now does baptism save you? 00:05:11.439 --> 00:05:13.120 No, baptism doesn't save you. 00:05:13.279 --> 00:05:24.399 But it's an outward, physical, public proclamation of a private decision, an inward decision you've made to be a Jesus follower. 00:05:24.639 --> 00:05:28.639 We could, with all legitimacy, shout out, save now. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:30.480 Hosanna, he comes. 00:05:30.560 --> 00:05:42.240 And for some of you, there's going to be such a significant work of God in your baptism that it's going to be like you got saved again. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:57.519 You see, I explain in our treatise on baptism that I believe that in some circles, some of you that come out of maybe more of a what I call a baptistic background would see baptism as symbolic only. 00:05:58.160 --> 00:06:13.839 But I come out of a Lutheran background, and I see that baptism is not only symbolic, it's also sacred from the perspective of there is actually a means of grace that occurs in baptism. 00:06:14.000 --> 00:06:22.000 There is a release of grace into the one who's receiving baptism, listen, with spiritual power on it. 00:06:22.959 --> 00:06:24.399 Rightly administered. 00:06:24.639 --> 00:06:25.439 Rightly administered. 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:32.079 I mean, you can't take a hose and just start hosing down the neighborhood and say, I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. 00:06:32.639 --> 00:06:44.399 But rather that the baptism is a covenant between you and God with the decision that you've made to follow Christ, and there is spiritual power in it, church. 00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:52.480 I mean, it's also symbolic of the death of Christ and the life of Christ as we come in and out of the water. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:54.879 But there's power in that. 00:06:55.279 --> 00:07:01.279 And so people are proclaiming, believing Jesus to be the king. 00:07:01.439 --> 00:07:14.000 But we're going to learn next week, and the next week, as each day passes, that their understanding of what the king, the Messiah would be like and who Jesus has come to be and to do, there's confusion. 00:07:14.319 --> 00:07:15.759 There's confusion about that. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:19.120 Even among the disciples, they don't understand his purpose. 00:07:19.439 --> 00:07:25.360 I had the privilege on Sunday to be at another church here in town, and they asked me to speak on revelation. 00:07:26.560 --> 00:07:29.439 I love teaching revelation. 00:07:29.680 --> 00:07:31.519 It might be the next book we go into. 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:33.439 I'm thinking I've been praying about that. 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:45.040 But the thing that hit me as I was preparing that message is how the Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, depict a king in humility. 00:07:45.519 --> 00:07:50.639 But revelation of all the books of the Bible presents a king in victory. 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:59.920 And so revelation was written to the people of God to see a king who's going to come in his victorious reign. 00:08:00.160 --> 00:08:02.079 That's what happens at baptism. 00:08:02.399 --> 00:08:09.279 Baptism is us saying that we're coming and we're proclaiming publicly for everyone to see in the body of Christ. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:12.800 I want Jesus to be king in my life. 00:08:13.839 --> 00:08:16.399 I want Jesus to rule in my life. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:20.240 And it is proclaiming it to the body of Christ. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:22.399 And so all of Jerusalem comes out. 00:08:22.639 --> 00:08:25.360 And it's a fulfillment of Zechariah 9:9. 00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:32.159 In Zechariah 9.9, the prophetic word is rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. 00:08:32.480 --> 00:08:36.960 Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, your king is coming to you. 00:08:37.120 --> 00:08:45.120 He is just and having salvation lowly and riding on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey. 00:08:45.360 --> 00:08:50.720 So Jesus comes in Zechariah 9:9, prophetic fulfillment. 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:52.000 Verse 11. 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.679 And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. 00:08:55.759 --> 00:08:56.639 And I like this part. 00:08:56.799 --> 00:09:00.000 It's almost like he's a special ops guy. 00:09:00.240 --> 00:09:03.759 And he's like spying out what he's going to do the next day. 00:09:04.080 --> 00:09:07.519 He goes into Jerusalem, into the temple. 00:09:08.000 --> 00:09:15.120 So when he had looked around at all the things, as the hour was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. 00:09:15.360 --> 00:09:17.120 So you know what he's about to do. 00:09:17.440 --> 00:09:23.360 He comes in, he's looking for something, he checks things out, he leaves. 00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:37.919 Now the next day, so this is Monday of the final week, Monday, when they had come out from Bethany, he was hungry, and seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, he went to see if perhaps he would find something on it. 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:44.879 When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:51.360 In response, Jesus said to it, Let no one eat fruit from you ever again. 00:09:52.080 --> 00:09:54.159 And his disciples heard it. 00:09:54.799 --> 00:09:58.080 Now, it's important to understand the uniqueness of fig trees. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:02.240 Fig trees produce fruit before they produce leaves. 00:10:02.559 --> 00:10:07.600 Orange trees don't do that, apple trees don't do that, apricot trees don't do that, but fig trees do. 00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:11.600 And we used to have a fig tree in my aunt and uncle's house at my grandfather's ranch. 00:10:11.679 --> 00:10:14.399 And so we would always go, you could just smell figs like all the time. 00:10:14.639 --> 00:10:20.960 Always, it always seemed, I mean it's in South Carolina, so it's warm there, but it seemed like it was always producing figs. 00:10:21.120 --> 00:10:23.519 So he comes and it's the opposite. 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.960 He sees leaves, but no fruit. 00:10:28.240 --> 00:10:30.720 And he's he's used to seeing a fig tree. 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:34.639 If it has leaves, it should have fruit because the fruit came before the leaves. 00:10:35.120 --> 00:10:38.080 And the picture here is not of a fig tree. 00:10:38.559 --> 00:10:42.000 The picture is the nation of Israel. 00:10:42.240 --> 00:10:45.279 He's prophetically speaking of the nation of Israel. 00:10:45.519 --> 00:10:49.279 Israel has the leaves, but it doesn't have the fruit. 00:10:49.759 --> 00:10:51.840 Men and women, we can say that of many churches. 00:10:52.000 --> 00:11:00.720 They have the leaves, they have the vestiges, they have the outward appearance of being a church, but where's the fruit? 00:11:00.960 --> 00:11:03.120 Many believers are this way, right? 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:05.279 We've all been this way in our lives. 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:08.080 We have the leaves, but we don't have the fruit. 00:11:08.480 --> 00:11:14.000 And so he looks at it, he says, You've got, you know, Jesus could have said at that point, you have the word. 00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:21.759 You have the laws of Moses, you have the miracles found in the Torah. 00:11:23.279 --> 00:11:25.360 And yet there's no fruit. 00:11:25.519 --> 00:11:42.480 You take your people here, but then the Messiah is in your midst, and you're actually rejecting his grace call and his love call to the people, and you've got you've got the you've got the word and you've got the promises and you've got the commands. 00:11:43.519 --> 00:11:45.440 But you don't have the fruit. 00:11:46.159 --> 00:11:53.039 And your legalism and your lack of heart, for the heart of God is killing you. 00:11:54.240 --> 00:11:58.159 So Jesus is starting to get a little bit angry here. 00:11:59.759 --> 00:12:04.240 I like uh a uh blog I read recently. 00:12:04.559 --> 00:12:10.159 Is Jesus more like Mother Teresa or William Wallace? 00:12:12.799 --> 00:12:17.120 And you guys have seen my blog where I said I've compared kind of Jesus. 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.039 We like to see Jesus almost like a Mr. 00:12:19.120 --> 00:12:20.879 Rogers with a beard. 00:12:22.799 --> 00:12:27.759 We're gonna see a little more of William Wallace in the next few minutes. 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.919 It says it's a lone fig tree. 00:12:36.960 --> 00:12:45.279 Men and women, if you've ever been around fruit trees, you know that the only way that a fruit tree can produce fruit is with cross-pollination. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:49.840 So we we have an apple tree in our backyard and I've planted two other apple trees. 00:12:49.919 --> 00:12:57.120 We have an apricot tree and I've planted two other apricot trees, because if you get cross-pollination, then they'll produce fruit. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:00.720 I think that's a metaphor for the Christian life. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:07.279 That God doesn't want us to live the Christian life alone. 00:13:07.679 --> 00:13:13.360 You can't cross-pollinate, you can't bear fruit without others in your life. 00:13:13.519 --> 00:13:16.960 And at the road, that's why we have C groups, and that's why we have D groups. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:19.440 And it's so important that you're cross-pollinating. 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:25.840 I came in this morning, excuse me, I came in this evening, and I and in there in the lobby were all these prayer groups. 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:27.759 There's these prayer groups going on. 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:29.200 And I thought, that's so cool. 00:13:29.279 --> 00:13:38.399 And there's these ladies at one table and they were holding hands and they were praying for something, and then I walked through the door, and the men that come here to pray at 515 were over here praying. 00:13:38.799 --> 00:13:40.320 Cross-pollination. 00:13:40.720 --> 00:13:41.919 Cross-pollination. 00:13:42.080 --> 00:13:46.960 If you're a loner in your Christian life, it's gonna be difficult to grow. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:48.639 It's gonna be difficult to grow. 00:13:48.799 --> 00:13:51.519 You'll have the leaves, but you won't have the fruit. 00:13:51.679 --> 00:13:53.120 Don't you want the fruit? 00:13:53.440 --> 00:13:54.480 Life's hard enough. 00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:57.519 Why do it alone when you don't have to? 00:13:58.000 --> 00:13:59.120 Verse 15. 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.039 So they came to Jerusalem. 00:14:01.279 --> 00:14:06.559 Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:08.159 This is no Mr. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:09.919 Rogers with a beard. 00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:14.720 And overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.960 And he would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 00:14:19.120 --> 00:14:23.440 So Jesus comes up and he is torqued off. 00:14:23.519 --> 00:14:29.279 And he's pr he's he's he's looking at what has happened to the court of the Gentiles. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:31.919 So he's coming into the court of the Gentiles. 00:14:32.000 --> 00:14:44.720 As he comes into the court of the Gentiles, Malachi 3 says this Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. 00:14:44.960 --> 00:14:48.399 Even the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight. 00:14:48.559 --> 00:14:51.840 Behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts. 00:14:52.000 --> 00:14:54.879 But who can endure the day of his coming? 00:14:55.120 --> 00:14:57.039 And who can stand when he appears? 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:01.600 For he is like a refiner's fire and like launderer's soap. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:05.440 He will sit as a refiner in a purifier of silver. 00:15:05.679 --> 00:15:09.039 He will purify the sons of Levi. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:20.320 Jesus comes with the dishonest gain that was happening in the court of the Gentiles, which was the outer court of the temple. 00:15:21.120 --> 00:15:26.159 Much evidence that there was a kickback to all of the priests during that time. 00:15:26.399 --> 00:15:36.879 So they were allowed to have their wares, they were allowed to have their booths, and then the kickback came to the priest, and Jesus comes in and he sees this area. 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:44.000 Listen, this area was designated for those that were non-Jews to come and worship. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:50.799 It was a place for those who were not Jews, who couldn't enter into the holy place to come and they could worship there. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:53.600 And there were many, many Gentiles who had come there. 00:15:53.759 --> 00:15:55.279 But now it's packed. 00:15:55.440 --> 00:16:09.600 It's packed with Jews and probably Gentiles too, that are settling, making money, merchandise in an economy that was a temple economy that had begun to grow at that time, and you couldn't get in there. 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:14.639 Historians believe it was impossible to even get in there unless you were selling stuff. 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:20.799 You weren't even allowed in at a point later on in the temple worship unless you did have something to sell. 00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:28.639 So you're selling sometimes pigeons and you're sometimes selling sheep to those that are going in to do sacrifices, and the Gentiles couldn't get there. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:34.879 And so what Jesus is about to say is significant for the location in which this happened. 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:37.440 Verse 17, look what he says. 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:46.879 Then he taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations? 00:16:47.919 --> 00:16:51.440 But you have made it a den of thieves. 00:16:51.759 --> 00:17:04.640 So Jesus is proclaiming his kingship, Jesus is proclaiming his messiahship, even over the finances of the temple and the commercial purposes that he gained access into all parts of the temple. 00:17:04.880 --> 00:17:21.359 But he's saying this is what this was created for, not for commercial purposes, but rather to be a place of prayer for the nations where the nations can come and where we can lift up entreaties for the nations. 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:28.000 And church, this is what we're, this is what the church is called to, to be a house of prayer for the nations. 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:33.759 So starting next week, we've got a new edition that we're putting into our service. 00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:38.319 And we're gonna begin each service praying for a nation. 00:17:38.559 --> 00:17:46.640 And so next week, I've asked uh George Stankey to lead us in prayer before we do the reading for Israel. 00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:49.359 And we're gonna lift up the nation of Israel. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:58.480 And speaking of Israel, did how many of you watched or have watched since then the Benjamin Benjamin Netanyahu speech? 00:17:58.720 --> 00:18:01.839 I really encourage you to YouTube that and watch that. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:06.160 It's a very, very important speech in our day. 00:18:06.799 --> 00:18:10.960 So the court of the Gentiles had become commercial. 00:18:12.640 --> 00:18:14.880 And it wasn't a house of prayer. 00:18:16.000 --> 00:18:21.200 And the church can become commercial and not be a house of prayer. 00:18:22.240 --> 00:18:34.799 Church, I have such a vision, and we have such a vision here of a ranch someday, maybe out east, where we could make it a place of prayer, where you could go 24-7 for prayer. 00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:41.519 A place that we would we would have out there, have access for worship and prayer constantly going on. 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:51.440 Things are happening in our world right now that I want to encourage you, church, be in prayer. 00:18:53.200 --> 00:18:54.880 ISIS is on the move. 00:18:55.200 --> 00:18:56.640 Iran is on the move. 00:18:56.880 --> 00:18:58.799 Russia is on the move. 00:19:01.039 --> 00:19:03.039 It's getting dangerous out there. 00:19:03.759 --> 00:19:12.799 I watched an interview with a Jordanian president with uh CNN last week, and he spoke of a coming World War III. 00:19:13.200 --> 00:19:15.279 The beginnings of a coming World War III. 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:19.599 We must be a house of prayer. 00:19:21.279 --> 00:19:34.079 Because I don't want to get too far off here, but I do believe that because of the sin and immorality of our nation, we will have war. 00:19:35.920 --> 00:19:40.720 The protection of the Lord is lifting over our nation. 00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:44.319 Prepare for war. 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:48.799 Prepare for war even in your own home. 00:19:49.119 --> 00:19:52.000 They're coming after your kids. 00:19:53.680 --> 00:20:10.079 Almost every day the last two weeks, I've either been on the phone with, texted with, or did counsel with parents with young people that have not only gone astray but are in deep, deep trouble. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:12.880 It's happening all over the place. 00:20:13.680 --> 00:20:16.960 Satan wants the blood of your kids. 00:20:17.200 --> 00:20:22.720 He's already got over 50 million through abortion, and now he's going after those who were not aborted. 00:20:22.960 --> 00:20:28.640 And he's gonna take those kids and he will steal, kill, and destroy. 00:20:29.119 --> 00:20:33.119 So, church, we've got to learn to fight in prayer. 00:20:33.759 --> 00:20:43.359 And the scribes and chief priests heard it and sought how they might destroy him, for they feared him, because all the people were astonished at his teaching. 00:20:43.519 --> 00:20:45.759 When evening had come, he went out of the city. 00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:48.880 People in power kill what they fear. 00:20:49.519 --> 00:20:52.559 People in power kill what they fear. 00:20:52.880 --> 00:20:55.519 And the temple system was being attacked. 00:20:55.680 --> 00:21:06.000 The temple system, that the systems of power were under attack by Christ, and they're going to destroy Christ. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:06.960 Verse 20. 00:21:07.119 --> 00:21:18.880 Now in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig tree dried up from the roots, and Peter, remembering, said to him, Rabbi, look, the fig tree which you cursed has withered away. 00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:24.160 So Jesus answered and said to them, and this is crucial, guys, listen to what he says. 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:28.160 And this is the essence of what I want to communicate tonight. 00:21:28.319 --> 00:21:29.680 Have faith in God. 00:21:30.799 --> 00:21:46.799 For surely I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed, and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 00:21:47.039 --> 00:21:56.480 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.680 The incredible power. 00:22:00.799 --> 00:22:03.039 Of believing prayer. 00:22:04.079 --> 00:22:08.319 The incredible power of believing prayer. 00:22:08.480 --> 00:22:14.319 This is not only the lesson of the fig tree church, this is the lesson of the latter days. 00:22:15.039 --> 00:22:18.000 This is the lesson of the latter days church. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:23.680 This is the lesson to the latter days saints and worshipers and warriors. 00:22:23.920 --> 00:22:26.480 Men, this is a lesson to you. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.279 God has called you to be men of believing prayer. 00:22:31.440 --> 00:22:32.720 Women, this is a lesson. 00:22:32.880 --> 00:22:46.640 This is a word to you, to be women of God who will trust God, who will get on your knees for your family, who will pray for your husband, who believe that God can move any mountain out of your way. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:51.440 In the latter days, there's going to be this great empowering. 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:53.359 I see it, it's happening now. 00:22:53.519 --> 00:23:01.279 There's a great empowering coming, and the church is going to be the most powerful army on the face of the earth through prayer. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:03.039 To be a house of prayer. 00:23:03.200 --> 00:23:06.480 So he says, look, the church is to be a house of prayer. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:09.039 And now he's telling us how to do it. 00:23:09.519 --> 00:23:12.079 This is what a house of prayer looks like. 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:17.519 A house of prayer is a corporate body, but the house of prayer is every one of us in this room. 00:23:17.839 --> 00:23:19.759 You are a house of prayer. 00:23:21.279 --> 00:23:22.720 You are a house of prayer. 00:23:22.960 --> 00:23:25.680 Men and women, you are a house of prayer. 00:23:25.839 --> 00:23:29.359 And what God can do through houses of prayer. 00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:31.359 Here's what he says. 00:23:31.519 --> 00:23:33.920 I see four lessons of faith in prayer here. 00:23:35.599 --> 00:23:38.079 Four points that Jesus makes about prayer. 00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.799 Number one, this is really important. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:42.160 Don't miss this. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.680 The object of our faith is God. 00:23:47.119 --> 00:23:48.880 He says, have faith in God. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:23:54.559 The object of believing prayer is God, not faith. 00:23:56.319 --> 00:23:58.480 You don't have faith in faith. 00:23:58.720 --> 00:24:00.319 You have faith in God. 00:24:01.440 --> 00:24:12.240 So some of the teaching out there, a little bit more of that word faith teaching, almost seems to lend itself to having faith in faith. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:13.440 It's not what he's saying. 00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:16.240 He says, first of all, have faith in God. 00:24:16.880 --> 00:24:20.240 You're putting your faith in God, not in your faith. 00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:23.599 Anybody here have some ebbs and flows in their faith? 00:24:23.839 --> 00:24:26.000 Anybody here struggle with your faith sometimes? 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:26.720 Hello. 00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:30.240 But my faith is not in my faith. 00:24:30.480 --> 00:24:32.400 And my faith is not in your faith. 00:24:32.640 --> 00:24:34.480 And your faith's not in my faith. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:38.720 Our faith is in God, creator of the heavens and the earth. 00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:47.279 You look at your marriage, you look at your situation, you look at your addictions, and you're down and you're bummed, and you're thinking, how in the world am I ever going to get out of this? 00:24:47.440 --> 00:24:49.200 Don't think about your situation. 00:24:49.359 --> 00:24:50.720 Put your faith in God. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:52.720 You say, Well, I'm new to the Lord. 00:24:52.799 --> 00:24:54.640 I don't know much about the things of the Lord. 00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:58.079 I'm just starting to do P, B, and J. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:01.359 And I'm just learning, I just started to eat that candy bar. 00:25:01.680 --> 00:25:04.720 And I'm just learning, have faith in God. 00:25:04.880 --> 00:25:08.400 Not your faith, not your experience, not what you can or can't do. 00:25:08.559 --> 00:25:09.920 Put your faith in God. 00:25:10.319 --> 00:25:12.880 Church, put your faith in Jesus Christ. 00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:31.920 Second thing he says, he says, have faith in God, for assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 00:25:32.559 --> 00:25:42.160 So secondly, focus your prayer on the power of God to remove that mountain in your life. 00:25:43.359 --> 00:25:44.640 Let me say it again. 00:25:44.880 --> 00:25:52.319 Focus your prayer on the power of God to remove that mountain in your life. 00:25:52.559 --> 00:26:02.160 Not how much faith you have, not how good you are, not how faithful you've been, but focus in on the problem. 00:26:02.480 --> 00:26:03.759 Focus in on the mountain. 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:05.519 Does anybody have any mountains? 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:09.519 It might be sitting right next to you. 00:26:19.920 --> 00:26:22.160 We all have marriage problems. 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:27.359 Boyfriend problems, girlfriend problems if you're hopefully I'm speaking to those that are single. 00:26:28.720 --> 00:26:37.599 But some of you have that problem too. 00:26:39.839 --> 00:26:49.599 Focus your heart on the power of God to remove mountains, not just the mountain. 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:56.640 If you just focus on the mountain and pray about the mountain, you'll be just thinking about the mountain. 00:26:57.519 --> 00:26:59.599 I've learned that doesn't do any good. 00:26:59.920 --> 00:27:02.720 You I prayed about it and nothing happened. 00:27:03.440 --> 00:27:09.359 No, focus on the power of God to remove the mountain, not just the mountain. 00:27:10.000 --> 00:27:12.880 It changes literally everything. 00:27:13.119 --> 00:27:14.720 I had this on Wednesday. 00:27:14.880 --> 00:27:16.799 Wednesday night I couldn't sleep. 00:27:17.599 --> 00:27:20.559 And there were several things that were mountains. 00:27:20.799 --> 00:27:24.720 And all I could do, you think, man, he's going to give us a really good example. 00:27:24.799 --> 00:27:26.240 I'm going to tell you how not to do it. 00:27:26.400 --> 00:27:26.720 Okay? 00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:32.319 So on Wednesday night, all I thought about was the mountain all night and I didn't sleep. 00:27:33.279 --> 00:27:35.039 And then I'm studying this. 00:27:35.200 --> 00:27:36.960 I'd studied it on Tuesday. 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:44.720 I'd written some notes and I just realized, you know, I didn't do the very thing that I wrote here. 00:27:44.960 --> 00:27:52.400 I was focusing on the mountain instead of focusing on the power of God to remove that mountain. 00:27:52.799 --> 00:27:54.240 Don't miss this, guys. 00:27:54.319 --> 00:27:55.200 This is important. 00:27:55.440 --> 00:28:00.240 Focus on the power of God to remove that mountain. 00:28:00.720 --> 00:28:01.680 And he will. 00:28:02.960 --> 00:28:03.920 And he can. 00:28:04.480 --> 00:28:06.319 And he's looking for men and women who trust him. 00:28:06.480 --> 00:28:07.680 Now here's number three. 00:28:08.000 --> 00:28:09.039 Here's number three. 00:28:09.359 --> 00:28:10.720 This is the hard one. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:12.880 I hate this part. 00:28:13.599 --> 00:28:14.880 Speak to it. 00:28:16.640 --> 00:28:17.440 Speak to it. 00:28:17.599 --> 00:28:19.119 That's what he tells us. 00:28:19.759 --> 00:28:28.799 So I I was sharing, I was sharing at a church last week on Sunday, and I was speaking on speaking to something. 00:28:28.960 --> 00:28:33.359 So I said, speak to that demon and tell it to go. 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:37.599 And I had a gentleman challenge me on that during the Q ⁇ A time. 00:28:37.680 --> 00:28:39.680 I did a Q ⁇ A time about that. 00:28:40.240 --> 00:28:44.640 And so we were suddenly speaking to each other about speaking to it. 00:28:45.119 --> 00:28:46.880 And it was an interesting dialogue. 00:28:47.039 --> 00:28:51.440 So I came away going, okay, is this really that important? 00:28:51.839 --> 00:28:58.720 And the next day I open up this passage and he says here that we're supposed to speak. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:04.319 He says, Whoever says to the mountain, be removed and be cast into the sea. 00:29:04.799 --> 00:29:06.079 Speak to it. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:10.240 That's how salvation comes, church. 00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:10.720 Right? 00:29:10.880 --> 00:29:12.319 Romans 10, 9 and 10. 00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:17.839 If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God is raised him from the dead, you'll be saved. 00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:23.440 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth, confession is made unto salvation. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:36.000 Now I don't have time, but I've done whole sermons on this, on the importance of when you speak stuff, the correlation they found in the brain with what you believe. 00:29:36.319 --> 00:29:44.400 That there is something that happens when you speak it that communicates to your brain that you actually believe it. 00:29:45.359 --> 00:29:55.839 So if so, from this day forward, men, if you got a wife that's walking around the house speaking to stuff to leave, they've got permission to do that. 00:29:56.000 --> 00:30:01.200 And wives, if your husband starts walking around and he's speaking stuff, just make sure you don't say it to your boss. 00:30:01.359 --> 00:30:04.160 I mean, say it in the quiet of your own prayers, okay? 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:07.839 But he's saying, speak to the mountain and tell it to be removed. 00:30:12.400 --> 00:30:17.759 Vision always happens twice. 00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:22.480 Vision always happens twice. 00:30:23.119 --> 00:30:31.680 The vision you see in your mind's eye in your heart, and then when you speak it, are two versions of the same vision. 00:30:31.839 --> 00:30:34.319 But until we speak it, it's not a vision. 00:30:34.720 --> 00:30:37.359 Until you speak it, it's not going to happen. 00:30:37.759 --> 00:30:39.599 And so he says, speak to it. 00:30:39.759 --> 00:30:45.759 The writer of Hebrews says, so we may boldly say, the Lord is my helper. 00:30:46.559 --> 00:30:48.160 I will not fear. 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:56.559 Proverbs says, death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. 00:30:57.119 --> 00:31:05.279 That seems to be, even physiologically and psychologically, faith kicks in when you say it, when you speak it. 00:31:06.559 --> 00:31:19.119 Men, women, to say that you love your wife, to say that you love your husband, releases love into the atmosphere of your home. 00:31:19.839 --> 00:31:34.480 When you, as a coach, some of you are coaches, and you've got your kids there, and you're getting ready to go into the ballgame, you're getting ready to go into whatever it is you compete in in that sport, and you tell those young boys and girls they can do it. 00:31:35.839 --> 00:31:43.920 When you say to your son or your daughter that I see in you greatness, I see in you beauty. 00:31:44.400 --> 00:31:46.240 Something's released into their heart. 00:31:46.480 --> 00:31:49.839 Faith is released into their heart by speaking it. 00:31:52.079 --> 00:31:55.279 But then he has this caveat that none of us like. 00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:56.880 Verse 25. 00:31:58.000 --> 00:32:04.480 And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. 00:32:05.039 --> 00:32:09.440 That your father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:17.519 But if you do not forgive, neither will your father in heaven forgive your trespasses. 00:32:18.319 --> 00:32:22.240 So first, the object of our faith is always God. 00:32:23.119 --> 00:32:27.599 Two, focus your prayer on the power of God to remove obstacles in your life. 00:32:27.839 --> 00:32:29.200 Three, speak it. 00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:31.920 Fourthly, forgive. 00:32:33.359 --> 00:32:36.319 Forgive those who wronged you from your heart. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:41.119 Because your prayers will be hindered if you don't forgive. 00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:46.480 Jesus said, for if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 00:32:46.640 --> 00:32:53.759 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 00:32:55.680 --> 00:32:59.039 Now, forgiveness and trust are two different things. 00:33:00.480 --> 00:33:00.960 Hello? 00:33:02.240 --> 00:33:06.160 Forgiveness and trust are two different things. 00:33:06.480 --> 00:33:10.559 You can forgive someone, you don't have to trust them. 00:33:11.119 --> 00:33:19.519 You can forgive them and be released of any of that animosity that you carried through the power of God, but you don't have to have a friendship with them. 00:33:19.759 --> 00:33:21.359 You don't have to trust them. 00:33:21.680 --> 00:33:25.920 Because, see, forgiveness is between you and God, and you're commanded to forgive. 00:33:26.240 --> 00:33:28.079 Trust is earned. 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:34.720 So you can't determine just by forgiving someone that they're going to change. 00:33:35.759 --> 00:33:41.519 When we're forgiving, we're releasing the power of that sin off of our heart. 00:33:41.680 --> 00:33:42.880 We're being released from that. 00:33:42.960 --> 00:33:43.839 We're being forgiven. 00:33:44.000 --> 00:33:46.000 We're receiving Christ's forgiveness. 00:33:46.319 --> 00:33:53.839 But the person who has maybe created the offense that you are forgiving may never change. 00:33:55.279 --> 00:33:57.839