WEBVTT 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:05.360 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.919 We are so glad you joined us, and we hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:00:11.839 --> 00:00:13.039 All right, all right, all right, church. 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:13.599 How you guys doing? 00:00:13.679 --> 00:00:14.800 You guys doing good? 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:20.399 Come on, I know it's I know it's a little early, but hey, we're going into a new decade with a new decade of praise. 00:00:20.480 --> 00:00:21.039 How you guys doing? 00:00:21.120 --> 00:00:22.239 You guys doing good? 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:24.480 I love it. 00:00:24.559 --> 00:00:24.879 I love it. 00:00:24.960 --> 00:00:25.440 I love it, man. 00:00:25.519 --> 00:00:30.239 I'm so glad that you guys have decided to prioritize, make some space to come and worship with us today, man. 00:00:30.320 --> 00:00:31.679 We're so, so glad that you're here. 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:33.280 If it's your first time here, man, welcome. 00:00:33.359 --> 00:00:34.159 My name is Keith. 00:00:34.240 --> 00:00:41.679 My wife and I have the incredible privilege and honor of serving as the lead pastors here at Celebration Orlando, and we want to let you know we're just so, so glad that you're here. 00:00:41.920 --> 00:00:43.600 Also, can we do this church? 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:47.520 Can we show some love for everybody that's their first time or for those who are joining us on our podcast? 00:00:47.600 --> 00:00:51.039 We're gonna make sure that they know that they're welcome, even though they may not be in this room right now. 00:00:51.280 --> 00:00:53.200 Thank you guys so much for being with us. 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:56.960 If you're ever in the Orlando area, we'll pray that you'll come and spend some time with us. 00:00:57.359 --> 00:00:59.840 We would certainly want to do our best to make you feel right at home. 00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.920 Listen, guys, I I missed you last week. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:03.359 I was I was a little bit concerned. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.519 I was like, man, I wonder if our church is gonna come back. 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:09.840 Like, you know, we we took last week off and we did church at home and and the engagement was amazing. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:16.640 I was blown away at just seeing all of you just kind of posting and sharing your stories of being together in your communities and watching the service. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.159 And I pray it was an encouragement, but it really was an encouragement for me. 00:01:20.319 --> 00:01:25.200 Not not just because of the the experience, but just seeing you guys engage in it the way that you do. 00:01:25.280 --> 00:01:30.560 It really does fill my heart with so much joy to see that we have a church that is so driven and so connected to community. 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:31.920 So I'm I'm so thankful for you guys. 00:01:32.000 --> 00:01:36.159 I I pray for you often and and I'm grateful for just the way that you're that you're with us. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:41.920 Um, as we just saw a video from our our global senior pastor, some of you may be wondering, okay, what is what does that mean? 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:42.799 I thought you were the pastor. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:44.159 So let me let me give you some context. 00:01:44.319 --> 00:01:46.959 Celebration churches, we're part of a of a big family. 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:53.040 Celebration church was started over 20 years ago um in Jacksonville, Florida, and now we have locations all around. 00:01:53.200 --> 00:02:06.159 We have location obviously here in Orlando, Fort Lauderdale, we have location in Amelia Island, we have um location over in Zimbabwe, we have a location over in Thousand Hills over in Amsterdam, we have locations that are all over and even adding more to the family. 00:02:06.239 --> 00:02:11.199 So each area, each city has a lead pastor, which is the role that my wife and I serve in. 00:02:11.439 --> 00:02:20.479 But what I love is when we have these opportunities where we can all kind of come together as a big church family and kind of do something together because we have unique expressions in the city. 00:02:20.639 --> 00:02:24.000 Each congregation is different, the needs of every city is different. 00:02:24.080 --> 00:02:25.439 So we have the space to do that. 00:02:25.520 --> 00:02:28.719 But there's these moments where we believe that all of us can get on board with this. 00:02:28.879 --> 00:02:33.840 And we're entering into one of those seasons, and for us, that season is a season of scripture engagement. 00:02:33.919 --> 00:02:36.639 That's a really big deal for us as a church. 00:02:36.800 --> 00:02:41.919 We want to be known for having great services, dynamic worship and wonderful messages. 00:02:42.000 --> 00:02:44.560 All those things are gonna always be a part of who we are. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:55.520 But more than anything, if there's something that I feel that could can make me feel good as a pastor of this church, is knowing that at the end of the day, I didn't I didn't lead you to show up every Sunday, I led you to engage the word of God. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:59.759 That I that I led you to a place where you realize that the word of God is the thing that can change your life. 00:02:59.919 --> 00:03:07.919 Uh, a recent study came out and it said that people that read the Bible four times a week or more see substantial change in their life. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:09.199 Think about that. 00:03:09.439 --> 00:03:19.280 Four times or more, if you read the Bible four times or more per week, you're you're you're filled with more hope, you're filled with more joy, you just ultimately are just an overall better person. 00:03:19.680 --> 00:03:21.439 But four was the critical point. 00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.680 If it's anything less than four, you see marginal improvement. 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:35.120 My my hope is that we can be a church that not engages the word of God just on Sundays when you're here, but we can create a space and give you resources that you can engage the word of God every single day. 00:03:35.199 --> 00:03:37.520 And that is what that video we just saw was really all about. 00:03:37.680 --> 00:03:43.680 Our whole story, Bible reading plan, is it's very simple, but I I've learned a lesson over these past few years for myself. 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:48.639 I I used to think that that reading the Bible was um was something that you accomplished, it was a goal. 00:03:48.719 --> 00:03:51.039 So, how much scripture can I read per day? 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:55.120 But but as I've matured in my faith, I find that I read a lot less. 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:58.719 I read a lot less, but I learn a lot more. 00:03:59.120 --> 00:04:10.080 I can sometimes find myself reading a single passage of scripture for upwards of a week and just allowing it to flesh itself out and really give me practical application and revelation of what God is doing. 00:04:10.159 --> 00:04:14.479 And our hope is with this Bible reading plan, it's not aggressive where you're reading 18 chapters a day. 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:18.160 So if you miss a day, you might as well just chalk it up and try next year. 00:04:18.399 --> 00:04:21.199 It's it's literally less than one chapter a day. 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:31.759 But we don't say that in the sense of minimizing the value of it, but we've truly believed that if you can just read eight verses, ten verses, and really allow yourself to process through it that has the ability to transform your life. 00:04:32.000 --> 00:04:36.639 My hope and prayer is that if you don't already have a Bible reading plan, do this one with us. 00:04:36.800 --> 00:04:39.120 As a church, as a family, we're all gonna be doing this. 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:47.439 Some of our messages are gonna come from this, a lot of our content will spin from this, and we would love for all of us to all be connected all together and really be on this journey together. 00:04:47.600 --> 00:04:52.480 In addition to that, man, as Pastor Justin has just said, we're we're entering into a season of prayer and fasting. 00:04:52.560 --> 00:04:54.639 We're gonna be starting it up on Friday. 00:04:54.800 --> 00:04:56.959 And it's it's it's it's a life-changing thing. 00:04:57.040 --> 00:05:02.560 I'm not sure if you've ever have participated in a fast before, and let me just give you a brief summary of what it is. 00:05:02.720 --> 00:05:08.319 A fast is not trying to convince God to do something, that's what we call a spiritual hunger strike. 00:05:08.800 --> 00:05:10.399 That's not what a fast is. 00:05:10.639 --> 00:05:14.319 A fast is not I'm gonna I'm gonna go hungry so that God can do something in my life. 00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:25.279 Honestly, what fasting really is for us, it's allowing us to disengage from some things that could potentially be a distraction, just getting out of our normal rhythm and creating space for us to hear more clearly from God. 00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:39.680 Every single year, when I enter into a season of prayer and fasting, which is typically around this time of the year, I do it several times through the course of the year, but collectively at this time, it's it's not that I necessarily saw anything new, it's that I had more clarity on what God was already doing. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:41.519 And it's been life-changing for me. 00:05:41.680 --> 00:05:44.720 So, we as a church, we're gonna be doing that along with all of our other locations. 00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:48.079 I believe that we can build some spiritual momentum if we all can do it together. 00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:51.439 So, my my prayer for you is that you'll consider doing it with us. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.519 Maybe you're wondering like exactly how do you fast? 00:05:53.600 --> 00:05:54.399 What does that include? 00:05:54.560 --> 00:05:55.439 It's it's really simple. 00:05:55.519 --> 00:06:00.079 I think, you know, we'll we'll have tips on our on our social media every day on just some things that you can do. 00:06:00.240 --> 00:06:01.439 It's it's family-friendly. 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.560 You can you can find ways to engage your children, allow them to be a part of it. 00:06:04.720 --> 00:06:13.439 I'm gonna be doing what we call a Daniel fast, which is just kind of like getting away from sugars and and and some carbs and things like that, because God knows I can get away from some sugars and some carbs. 00:06:13.519 --> 00:06:15.120 So I'm gonna make some adjustments in that way. 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:16.959 Um, just just kind of disconnecting. 00:06:17.120 --> 00:06:20.800 But more than what am I not doing, it's what am I doing instead of. 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:23.759 And for me, that's a time for me to focus more so on God. 00:06:23.920 --> 00:06:32.079 I may disconnect from listening to secular music or certain TV shows that that, hey, in and of itself, we realize that there's not a lot of power, but it does have some influences. 00:06:32.160 --> 00:06:36.399 So when I disconnect from some things like that, it just allows me to recognize God a little bit more. 00:06:36.639 --> 00:06:42.639 I believe that this can absolutely be your best year ever, if it's your best year spiritually. 00:06:42.879 --> 00:06:43.839 I truly believe that. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:52.959 And I believe that times like this puts us in a position where we can prioritize God, make him make him the main thing for this season, and I believe that everything else will fall into place. 00:06:53.120 --> 00:06:59.199 Our church was founded on Matthew 6.33, which simply says this seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. 00:06:59.360 --> 00:07:01.600 That means his ways and all of these things. 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:04.319 That means everything else will begin to fall into place. 00:07:04.480 --> 00:07:07.279 When order is restored, blessing is released. 00:07:07.519 --> 00:07:08.800 That is my prayer for us as a church. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:15.519 That's my prayer for you as an individual and for your family, that you can really dial in with us in this season and be expectant of what we believe that God can do. 00:07:15.600 --> 00:07:16.160 Amen? 00:07:16.319 --> 00:07:16.720 Amen. 00:07:16.800 --> 00:07:18.240 Let's give it up for God for that. 00:07:18.959 --> 00:07:19.600 All right. 00:07:21.439 --> 00:07:22.560 Well, I'm I'm excited. 00:07:22.639 --> 00:07:24.959 I'm excited to jump into today's message. 00:07:25.040 --> 00:07:27.360 I know I just shared some some um updates and some announcements. 00:07:27.519 --> 00:07:32.160 So stay stay plugged in with our social media and and I think that you'll you'll be tracking with us pretty good. 00:07:32.240 --> 00:07:36.480 But I want to read to us from the Gospel of John, chapter five. 00:07:36.720 --> 00:07:42.800 I feel like that's a good passage to to start off a new season, a new decade in. 00:07:43.040 --> 00:07:46.560 I I want you to to look to your left and to your right real quick. 00:07:46.639 --> 00:07:52.000 I just want you to kind of like look at people and and and then congratulate them and tell them like you've made it. 00:07:52.079 --> 00:07:55.120 You've attended church every single Sunday in 2020. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:57.040 The way to start off the new decade. 00:07:57.759 --> 00:07:58.639 Just keep it up. 00:07:58.800 --> 00:07:59.839 Just just keep it up. 00:08:00.000 --> 00:08:01.199 Just keep it up. 00:08:01.600 --> 00:08:02.399 I I really do. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:10.240 Like I realize that that for some of us, we're we're we know we we're prioritizing, we're putting some things into place, and I'm glad that that this is um where you're gonna be. 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:14.560 As you're as you're turning there, I do have one more thing I want to share with you guys, and then I promise you I'll stop with the uh announcement. 00:08:14.639 --> 00:08:16.959 I kind of feel like I'm a used car salesman, but wait, there's more. 00:08:17.040 --> 00:08:17.839 Okay, wait a minute. 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:26.399 But but while we're entering into our season of prayer and fasting, some of you um have even talked to me about like what are ways and methods in which in which I study the Bible. 00:08:26.639 --> 00:08:28.879 Well, I want to invite you guys out to our equip night. 00:08:29.120 --> 00:08:30.639 We'll be having that in in mid-January. 00:08:30.800 --> 00:08:32.159 It'll be held at our church offices. 00:08:32.240 --> 00:08:36.879 So my hope is that you can that you can register so that we can make enough space and accommodate everyone. 00:08:36.960 --> 00:08:41.120 But that's where we're gonna spend some time, and I'm gonna be unpacking um my approach to the Bible. 00:08:41.200 --> 00:08:46.000 Uh, we'll have some conversations with many other people because what I realize is that is that I don't have it all figured out. 00:08:46.080 --> 00:08:49.840 I've I've been walking with God for two decades, but maybe there's some things that you can contribute. 00:08:49.919 --> 00:08:57.120 So our hope is in this setting, I'll share some things with you, but and also collectively in our community, we can share some things that are working for all of us. 00:08:57.200 --> 00:08:59.279 So it's gonna be a great space for us to kind of get together. 00:08:59.360 --> 00:09:01.840 So our equipped night that'll be taking place in mid-January. 00:09:01.919 --> 00:09:02.639 I want to invite you out. 00:09:02.720 --> 00:09:06.559 I'll be personally sharing it, and I hope that as many of you as possible um will be with us. 00:09:06.720 --> 00:09:07.360 Amen. 00:09:07.759 --> 00:09:08.320 Amen. 00:09:08.480 --> 00:09:13.679 Okay, so now let's jump into what the word of God says here at John chapter 5, starting at at verse number one. 00:09:13.840 --> 00:09:18.799 Here's what it says After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 00:09:18.960 --> 00:09:25.679 Now there was in Jerusalem by the sheepgate a pool, an Aramaic Bethesda, which has five-roofed colonnades. 00:09:25.840 --> 00:09:30.320 In these laid a multitude of invalids, blind, lame, and paralyzed. 00:09:30.480 --> 00:09:33.919 And a man was there who had been invalid for thirty-eight years. 00:09:34.159 --> 00:09:41.519 When Jesus saw him lying there, he had knew already that he had been there a long time, and he said to him, Do you want to be healed? 00:09:41.759 --> 00:09:47.840 The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no one to put me in a pool when the water is stirred. 00:09:47.919 --> 00:09:55.120 And and while I'm going down another steps before me, Jesus said to him, Get up, take up your bed and walk. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:00.559 And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:04.240 Now that day was the Sabbath. 00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:11.039 There's there's a lot that I believe that God is showing us in this passage. 00:10:11.279 --> 00:10:27.279 I think there's a lot of encouragement, and and and as I was praying and and thinking over the past month about what would God say to his people at Celebration Orlando as we go into this new season, as we go into this decade, I believe that that this is the word that he's really laid on my heart. 00:10:27.440 --> 00:10:36.879 What I recognize is that in this room we have people that have that maybe feel stagnated, that there's areas where you just don't have any motion. 00:10:37.360 --> 00:10:44.320 My belief is that that God is going to give us some encouragement that allows us to push and get motion in areas where maybe we feel stagnant. 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:50.879 But I also am aware that some of us in this room right now, we may have some momentum, but we don't have any direction. 00:10:51.519 --> 00:10:54.879 See, when we don't have motion, that's frustration. 00:10:55.120 --> 00:10:58.399 But when we have momentum without direction, that can be reckless. 00:10:58.639 --> 00:11:10.399 But I believe that God will speak to all of us in this community to give us some encouragement where we can give some motion in areas where we're standing still and some direction in areas where maybe we have some momentum so that we can arrive at the destination that God has for us. 00:11:10.639 --> 00:11:18.399 If you're taking notes and I and I encourage that you write this down, my my message title today is simply this The Time Is Now. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:19.919 Let's pray. 00:11:20.240 --> 00:11:22.320 God, I thank you so much for your word. 00:11:22.879 --> 00:11:32.000 I thank you for this amazing church, God, and the privilege that you've that you've given me, my family, our team to serve here, God, in this incredible city amongst your people. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:36.720 Lord, I just pray for the next few moments, God, that I decrease and that you increase, Lord. 00:11:36.799 --> 00:11:40.399 So I I pray for for open eyes that we can see you, God. 00:11:40.799 --> 00:11:43.840 Lord, I pray for open ears that we can hear your truth, God. 00:11:43.919 --> 00:11:48.879 And I pray for open hearts that we can receive everything that you have for us today. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:51.679 We pray and declare it in Jesus' name. 00:11:51.919 --> 00:11:52.559 Amen. 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:54.480 Amen. 00:11:56.000 --> 00:12:04.080 No, as I as I as I think about where we are right now, it it's not missed upon me that that a lot of us have, a lot of us may have some goals. 00:12:04.320 --> 00:12:07.120 Just just for a quick show of hands so I can kind of get a sense of where we are. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:08.720 How many people have like New Year's resolution? 00:12:08.799 --> 00:12:12.000 You got some goals, some things that you want to accomplish going into 2020. 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:12.720 Okay. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:14.879 We got some people that want to be successful, some people that don't. 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:15.759 It's cool, no big deal. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:17.759 Um, just kidding, just kidding, just kidding. 00:12:17.919 --> 00:12:20.080 Honestly here, here's something here's something that I've that I've learned. 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:23.679 Because a lot of times it can be, you can, you can get, it can feel like it's a little bit of pressure. 00:12:24.000 --> 00:12:27.360 Like, because you get some folks who are very, very goal-driven and like, hey, what's your goals for the year? 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:29.360 And it's like, man, I'm I'm I'm trying to figure it out. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:30.720 Here, here's what I've done for myself. 00:12:30.879 --> 00:12:39.360 I have some big picture goals, and I typically will break it down into like one of five categories faith, family, finance, freedom, and fitness. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:40.879 I call it the five F's. 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:45.919 And my five F's are the areas that I typically am like, okay, God, what do you want to do in my life with my faith? 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:48.080 What do you want to do in my life with my family? 00:12:48.240 --> 00:12:50.320 What are some things that I need to get freed up from? 00:12:50.480 --> 00:12:57.279 What are some areas that I that I need to get my finances in order and then fitness, because God knows we all have those goals on our on our trajectory. 00:12:57.360 --> 00:13:01.840 So I typically look at it that way, but here's what I typically do in my season of prayer and fasting. 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:08.639 I have the big idea of what I want to do, but it's honestly not until I pray and fast do I get a lot of clarity about what I need to do. 00:13:08.799 --> 00:13:13.919 So if you don't have any goals laid out just yet, don't feel like you're behind the eight ball, don't feel like you're missing it. 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:21.200 Use this time of prayer and fasting to actually get some clarity about what those goals can be, and that way you can enter into the year with God's plan and not with your own. 00:13:21.360 --> 00:13:21.840 Amen? 00:13:22.320 --> 00:13:22.720 Amen. 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:30.480 So what we know is that we do enter into this season and we do have anticipation, we do have some excitement, we do have some ideas about what we want to do. 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:40.720 And so if if if we look at these things and we'll gauge a lot of times what did 2019 look like, we'll we'll gauge the season that we're in, and then we'll often use that to kind of set the tone for what we want to do. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:46.080 So we have these goals, but then those goals at some point have to turn into some level of a strategy. 00:13:46.240 --> 00:13:49.840 Because we know like a goal without a strategy is just is just a dream. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:56.240 But when you begin to put some strategy into it, now it becomes something that you can build systems and rhythms around. 00:13:56.639 --> 00:14:03.279 A friend of mine had shared with me just yesterday that you don't rise to the level of your goals, you fall to the level of your systems. 00:14:03.679 --> 00:14:06.320 Like your systems are the things that create accountability for you. 00:14:06.399 --> 00:14:08.240 Those are the those are the systems that you have. 00:14:08.480 --> 00:14:14.559 A goal will give you a desired outcome, but but the system is a collection of habits that will help you to get there. 00:14:15.039 --> 00:14:18.799 See, daily discipline will get you results that last longer than a day. 00:14:18.960 --> 00:14:20.799 But it requires it requires some rhythm. 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:22.159 You gotta have some consistency. 00:14:22.399 --> 00:14:31.200 So for many of us, we'll we'll have these ideas, these dreams, these things that we want to do, but according to the data, 80% of them won't be successful. 00:14:32.720 --> 00:14:36.960 Happy New Year! That's that's a lot. 00:14:37.679 --> 00:14:53.519 Even with all the resources, with all the things that we have at our disposal that should make it easier for us to accomplish our goals, we have apps, we have reminders, we have accountability partners, we have all these things, but the needle on actually accomplishing our goals hasn't changed. 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:56.399 80% will not be successful. 00:14:56.879 --> 00:14:59.039 So for me, I I had to ask myself why. 00:14:59.200 --> 00:15:01.279 Because I I like to reverse engineer things. 00:15:01.360 --> 00:15:07.600 I like to look at the end result and kind of reverse engineer how do we get there and what are some potential pitfalls that we can avoid. 00:15:07.679 --> 00:15:14.399 And when I was doing some research, here's a couple of the things that I've seen are the main reason why we fall short on accomplishing some of our goals. 00:15:14.480 --> 00:15:15.919 I want you to I want you to write these down. 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:17.759 Number one, complacency. 00:15:19.120 --> 00:15:19.840 Complacency. 00:15:20.000 --> 00:15:21.840 We just become very complacent. 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:26.080 Now that's whether we're successful or there's areas where we want to see increased success. 00:15:26.240 --> 00:15:33.200 So let me let me put it to you this way complacency is this not allowing your big to become small again. 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:35.600 Become complacent. 00:15:36.080 --> 00:15:41.600 Because I mean, some of us know like when we have something that's small that we're trying to develop, we put so much energy and work into it. 00:15:41.759 --> 00:15:45.360 But then there's times when it gets to a certain level where it becomes big. 00:15:45.679 --> 00:15:47.600 But when it becomes big, we become complacent. 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.000 We don't need to, we don't need to really work harder. 00:15:50.080 --> 00:15:51.919 Yeah, we got some goals, but I don't have to do it. 00:15:52.159 --> 00:15:55.600 So complacency is not allowing your current success to become small again. 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:57.440 That's something I want to be teaching our staff. 00:15:57.519 --> 00:16:00.480 So if our staff is in the room, take notes, get ready for tomorrow's teaching. 00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:02.399 Allow your big to become small again. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:08.080 How do we allow what we have to become small again so we can motivate us to have that same hunger that we had when it was small? 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:09.039 Complacency. 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:11.360 Here's a second thing unwillingness. 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:14.559 Just a general unwillingness. 00:16:15.840 --> 00:16:20.720 We want to see end results, but we're not willing to change ourselves in order to get there. 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:25.120 Unwillingness, uh unwillingness to change, unwillingness to learn. 00:16:25.360 --> 00:16:29.120 It's kind of like I want the end results, but I don't want to do anything to actually get there. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:33.919 You know, that's kind of what they define as insanity, doing the same thing but expecting different results. 00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.919 Just I'm unwilling to change, but I do still expect different results. 00:16:38.080 --> 00:16:38.559 Unwillingness. 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:40.559 Here's a third thing pride. 00:16:41.200 --> 00:16:53.519 Sometimes our pride or our ego won't allow us to step into a new opportunity because we are so devout and so faithful to what we used to do that we've attached our identity to it. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:57.200 So to move from that is to actually move away from our perceived success. 00:16:57.440 --> 00:17:00.399 So our pride and our ego sometimes doesn't allow us to move forward. 00:17:00.480 --> 00:17:05.200 We we've attached ourselves so much to what was in the past that we can't adequately move into the future. 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:10.240 But but here's the fourth one that I think that we're gonna spend the rest of our time on, and that is time. 00:17:10.960 --> 00:17:18.400 Time, no matter what article I read, no matter what journal I looked into, time was the one that showed up every single time I read it. 00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:20.480 And and this is what here's what I mean by that. 00:17:20.720 --> 00:17:26.079 Sometimes we underestimate how much time it will take in order for us to accomplish that goal. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:30.000 So we we have a goal, we have a vision, but then we we know how it is. 00:17:30.079 --> 00:17:37.119 You start working on it and you start working on it, but when we don't get the progress that we want, we underestimated the amount of time we get frustrated and we disconnect. 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:39.039 Some of us can can identify with that. 00:17:39.119 --> 00:17:44.400 So sometimes we just underestimate the amount of time that it's gonna take, or we keep putting it off. 00:17:44.960 --> 00:17:46.480 I'm gonna start next week. 00:17:46.880 --> 00:17:50.000 I I can't tell you how many diets I'm going to start next week. 00:17:50.880 --> 00:17:52.000 I'm gonna start next week. 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:53.839 Like not this Monday, but the next Monday. 00:17:54.000 --> 00:17:55.279 Then it was like, well, no, wait a minute. 00:17:55.359 --> 00:17:57.599 The fast is coming up, so I'll start, I'll start after the fact. 00:17:57.680 --> 00:17:59.359 Like you just find ways to keep extending it. 00:17:59.440 --> 00:18:01.039 We just keep delaying the time. 00:18:01.200 --> 00:18:01.920 It's one of those things. 00:18:02.000 --> 00:18:04.079 So that's that's what we call procrastination. 00:18:04.559 --> 00:18:12.640 And the truth is, I think that all of us at some point can probably pick moments where we delay things that we know that we need to do. 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:13.599 I know I'm not alone. 00:18:13.680 --> 00:18:19.680 They say confession is good for the soul, so I'm here to confess to you guys there are areas of my life where I occasionally will procrastinate. 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:22.960 I don't believe I'm alone, but I'm gonna go ahead and confess that. 00:18:23.440 --> 00:18:24.000 Watch this. 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:27.839 I I decided a couple years ago to go back to school, so check this out. 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:31.440 So I am literally entering my last semester of school. 00:18:31.599 --> 00:18:33.039 I graduate in April. 00:18:33.200 --> 00:18:34.559 Thank you, Jesus. 00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:42.160 My final semester starts tomorrow, and I still haven't bought my books yet. 00:18:43.119 --> 00:18:44.400 You just you just delay it. 00:18:44.480 --> 00:18:45.359 Just put it off to the end. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:48.799 I'll get it, I'll download the book electronically, I'll pay$20 more, no big deal. 00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:49.759 That's kind of what happens. 00:18:49.839 --> 00:18:51.039 We we just kind of put it off. 00:18:51.200 --> 00:18:54.799 Now, some of y'all are laughing and judging me, but you still got your Christmas lights up right now. 00:18:54.960 --> 00:18:55.680 Procrastinating. 00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:57.039 You know you should have taken them down. 00:18:57.200 --> 00:18:58.000 We know the rules. 00:18:58.160 --> 00:19:00.160 We put it up typically around Thanksgiving. 00:19:00.240 --> 00:19:01.839 You take it down on January 2nd. 00:19:02.000 --> 00:19:03.519 My Christmas lights are still up as well. 00:19:03.599 --> 00:19:08.960 But what I'm saying is we we have those areas of our lives where we just we just kind of we put it off to the side. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:12.400 We just don't feel like we just don't feel like doing this right now. 00:19:12.559 --> 00:19:14.400 I don't I don't know why I do it to myself. 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:20.400 Like, I don't know why in my household, like I there's certain things I just don't get ahead of. 00:19:21.039 --> 00:19:22.480 God, I don't I don't know why. 00:19:22.640 --> 00:19:28.640 Like one of those things, true story, is when it comes to toilet tissue and soap. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:35.920 I don't know why we don't have an abundance of it stocked up, and you don't know any crisis until you're not sure if you have enough toilet tissue. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:39.519 I'll just leave it at that. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:47.680 But there's these things that we know that we have to do, but sometimes we can we can procrastinate and and we put it off and and we just don't we don't think that it's time. 00:19:47.759 --> 00:19:51.359 Some of you are still in school and and you're procrastinating on getting your your homework done. 00:19:51.519 --> 00:19:54.559 We we all know those moments where we just kind of we put things off. 00:19:54.799 --> 00:20:01.119 For my family, it's the first time ever that we're all on the same page in regards to like getting in shape, all four of us. 00:20:01.279 --> 00:20:08.960 Because you know, sometimes in your household it can be difficult where if one group of people are trying to change their diet, another group of people aren't, sometimes trying to get on the same page. 00:20:09.119 --> 00:20:15.759 I don't have the grace or the margin or the patience in my life to make different meals for everybody, so we all just end up kind of being in the same spot. 00:20:15.839 --> 00:20:21.039 But for the first time ever, all four of us are all on the same page with getting into shape. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:25.119 Now, my daughter, she's she's more of the one who likes to operate with a schedule. 00:20:25.759 --> 00:20:29.920 So even during our Christmas break, she's like, okay, we're we're going to the gym. 00:20:30.240 --> 00:20:31.279 We all agree to that. 00:20:31.440 --> 00:20:35.920 But it's it's Christmas break, and and I I would love to just sleep in and not have to hit the alarm. 00:20:36.000 --> 00:20:37.440 Like, I just that's that's what I want. 00:20:37.599 --> 00:20:39.039 But my daughter, she's very methodical. 00:20:39.119 --> 00:20:40.640 Like, no, we're going to the gym at 6 a.m. 00:20:40.799 --> 00:20:42.640 I'm like, no, but we don't have to. 00:20:42.799 --> 00:20:44.559 Like, we'll go to the gym eventually. 00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:53.599 Like, we don't got to go at six, but I kid you not, every morning during the break at 6 a.m., I could hear her feet walking from her room to my bedroom. 00:20:53.680 --> 00:21:00.160 I could I could hear it, and I would literally pray like God, I I pray that please don't. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:02.000 I hope she's not, I could just hear it getting closer. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:02.960 Lord, let her trip. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:07.519 Like, God, God, any anything, please don't let her come in and hear my door open. 00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:11.119 I'm like, Lord Jesus, I can not confirm nor deny. 00:21:11.200 --> 00:21:15.279 There have been times that she's walked over to me and said it's time to go to the gym, and I act like I was asleep. 00:21:15.519 --> 00:21:18.640 Like I can't confirm nor deny it. 00:21:18.960 --> 00:21:22.720 Because you know, all I'm thinking to myself is, I just I just want more time. 00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:24.960 We're gonna go, but do we have to go at this time? 00:21:25.039 --> 00:21:28.880 And we all understand that those moments where we just want a little bit more time. 00:21:29.119 --> 00:21:36.000 But what I find so fascinating about scripture is that when Jesus was going around doing miracles, he actually wasn't looking to do them. 00:21:36.400 --> 00:21:44.559 He was minding his own business, going into different towns, and then the miracle making God would intersect with someone who had a need and he would heal them in a moment. 00:21:45.599 --> 00:21:52.160 Imagine if the thing that you were planning to do in a distant future, God wants to do it right now, would you recognize it? 00:21:52.799 --> 00:22:01.680 If God were to show up in your life right now, would you recognize that he wants to do something now instead of saying that I have to have a distant strategy that completely Removes God from the equation. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:07.759 See, what I love about this passage of scripture is that it really does deal a great deal with time. 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.079 There's a lot of variables that I think we can look at. 00:22:10.160 --> 00:22:12.000 So let me give us some background and some context. 00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:16.000 The first thing is that I want us to understand where this miracle takes place. 00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:18.000 It takes place in Jerusalem. 00:22:18.160 --> 00:22:22.000 Now, so many of us we we recognize that Jerusalem is a big deal in scripture. 00:22:22.079 --> 00:22:25.200 We can see all throughout the course of the Bible just the significance of it. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:27.920 Jerusalem is the place that Jesus did ministry. 00:22:28.079 --> 00:22:29.920 Jerusalem is the place that he died at. 00:22:30.079 --> 00:22:31.920 Jerusalem is the place that he was resurrected at. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:34.240 Jerusalem is the place that he is going to return to. 00:22:34.400 --> 00:22:38.799 So Jerusalem is often referred to as the spiritual capital of the entire world. 00:22:39.039 --> 00:22:43.279 This is the environment that Jesus chose to select to do his ministry. 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:47.200 Now, this backdrop is significant because there's a lot of variables that are there. 00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:48.720 There's a lot of traditions that are there. 00:22:48.880 --> 00:22:53.200 So in this particular region, while Jesus is walking through, there's these two pools. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:23:02.240 And there was like this tradition that said that if you get into the pool first when the waters kind of get stirred up, then the first person in would get their healing. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:06.240 Now, not only did the Jews believe this, but even some pagan beliefs had this. 00:23:06.319 --> 00:23:07.519 So it was almost like a shrine. 00:23:07.680 --> 00:23:14.880 So you have this collection of people that are all laid out just waiting for that lucky moment when they can get their miracle. 00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.359 That lucky moment where they can get their breakthrough. 00:23:17.759 --> 00:23:18.480 That lucky thing. 00:23:18.559 --> 00:23:20.640 And so for them, that was their strategy. 00:23:20.799 --> 00:23:25.519 I'm going to position myself right by this pool, and I'm going to wait to see when I see a little bit of ripples in the water. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:28.640 And if I can get into it first, then I'm the first one to get healed. 00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:31.519 What an odd tradition. 00:23:33.039 --> 00:23:44.240 What an odd superstition that is to believe that if I can strategically place myself in an environment and if I just so happen to be the first one in, that is going to be the thing that allows me to accomplish my goals. 00:23:44.559 --> 00:23:55.680 But if I'm honest with myself, there are many things that may not resonate with me being in a pool, but it certainly does have some weird strategies that I've convinced myself if I can just do these things, then I can get my breakthrough. 00:23:55.759 --> 00:23:58.240 If I can just do these things, then I can get my miracle. 00:23:58.400 --> 00:24:03.759 But I'm here to encourage us, church, that your traditions and your strategy isn't the thing that heals you, Jesus is. 00:24:04.160 --> 00:24:07.599 And we have to recognize those moments when Jesus steps into the picture. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:14.880 So we're in this environment in Jerusalem where there's all these people that are laid out, they're sick, and they're just waiting for their prime opportunity. 00:24:15.039 --> 00:24:19.359 But then in addition to that, this miracle takes place on the Sabbath. 00:24:19.680 --> 00:24:24.160 Now, the Sabbath is a really, really big deal in the Jewish context, but even for us personally. 00:24:24.319 --> 00:24:31.680 Sabbath was simply this: God installed the Sabbath so that people, his people, would know how to rest and allow him to do the work. 00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:32.880 That's a big deal. 00:24:33.039 --> 00:24:40.079 When the children of Israel were first set free from being in Egypt, the very first thing that God taught them is how to rest in him. 00:24:40.240 --> 00:24:42.000 In other words, how to enjoy Sabbath. 00:24:42.319 --> 00:24:44.319 Because they had the mentality of slaves. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:45.839 They didn't have any days off. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:50.880 So the first thing that he needed to teach them is how to rest and allow him to do the work. 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:52.880 That's powerful when you think about it. 00:24:53.039 --> 00:25:04.720 And in a world where we have so many things at our disposal at our fingertips, so many different ways that we can stay connected and engaged, disconnecting and enjoying Sabbath is something that is critically difficult for us nowadays. 00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:06.319 Just learning how to let go. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:08.160 Yes, I know I got a lot of responsibilities. 00:25:08.240 --> 00:25:12.000 Yes, I know I got a lot of things to do, but I gotta learn to let go. 00:25:12.160 --> 00:25:16.400 Even when God was doing creation, the Bible says that it's good. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:21.920 That doesn't mean that he couldn't have made it better, but even God said, that's good enough right now. 00:25:23.200 --> 00:25:27.440 Why do we feel like we have to have everything perfect if even God didn't do that with creation? 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:30.000 We're inheriting unnecessary pressure. 00:25:30.160 --> 00:25:37.279 So for the guardians of the law, they would look at these things and say, okay, so on the Sabbath, we're not supposed to do anything. 00:25:37.440 --> 00:25:38.559 This is a really big deal. 00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:45.039 In other words, the Sabbath was you can move, but only in the ways that we've determined you can move, God. 00:25:45.359 --> 00:25:53.920 So when Jesus shows up and starts doing miracles on the Sabbath, he is literally offending all the people who have determined the way in which God moves. 00:25:54.240 --> 00:26:01.519 That sounds ridiculous, but if I can, if I can be transparent, there have been times in my life where I've kind of defined the terms in which God can move. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:06.240 God, this is when you can move, this is how you can move, this is the ideal moment you can move. 00:26:06.400 --> 00:26:10.480 I put God in the box and I'm inviting him to move in the way that I want him to move. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:17.599 Every time Jesus fought, the most tension in his life is when he did a miracle outside of the boundaries of somebody else's expectations. 00:26:17.839 --> 00:26:19.920 He showed up when they didn't expect him to show up. 00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:24.559 He did something when they said that he shouldn't have done something, and that was literally the reason he was crucified. 00:26:24.960 --> 00:26:29.759 We're fine with the miracles, but you gotta do them the way that we define and say that you have to do them. 00:26:29.920 --> 00:26:31.519 That's what the Sabbath is really all about. 00:26:31.680 --> 00:26:33.359 We'll get more on that in just a moment. 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:41.359 The next thing we find in this narrative is that we see that there's this man, and he is 38, he's been an invalid for 38 years. 00:26:42.559 --> 00:26:43.839 38 years. 00:26:44.160 --> 00:26:46.880 Paralyzed, an invalid for 38 years. 00:26:47.119 --> 00:26:49.759 Now, they're all under the Roman Empire at this point. 00:26:49.920 --> 00:26:54.720 So the lifespan for the person who was under the Roman rule was typically about 35. 00:26:55.119 --> 00:26:56.640 So think about this for a moment. 00:26:56.880 --> 00:27:00.000 This man has been paralyzed for an entire lifetime. 00:27:00.160 --> 00:27:06.559 Now, for the Jews, they lived a little bit longer because they had ceremonial cleansing laws and things like that, but it still wasn't the same as what we have now. 00:27:06.720 --> 00:27:14.240 So even if the perception is that the average lifespan for a Jewish person was about 50 years, he's been paralyzed for 38 of them. 00:27:14.480 --> 00:27:17.839 That means that he has been paralyzed longer than he has been free. 00:27:18.079 --> 00:27:23.279 And what I can imagine in moments like that is that at some point it just becomes your normal. 00:27:25.839 --> 00:27:33.599 Have you ever been in a condition or in a season for so long that it just becomes your normal? 00:27:34.000 --> 00:27:36.079