WEBVTT 00:00:02.160 --> 00:00:05.200 Welcome to the Celebration Church Orlando podcast. 00:00:05.519 --> 00:00:09.679 We are so glad you joined us, and we hope you are encouraged by today's message. 00:00:11.519 --> 00:00:15.119 Alright, well, hey, today I'm excited because we are in a series. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:24.480 We're in week two of a series called From Here to There, and we're looking at the life of Abram, also known as Abraham, or if you grew up in church like me, his name was Father Abraham. 00:00:24.640 --> 00:00:32.880 He had his own theme song, they had his own motions, you could dance, and I loved it because it was the only time you could dance in church unless the spirit was moving. 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:34.399 Um, it was great. 00:00:34.479 --> 00:00:37.920 Uh, but Father Abraham had many sons, many sons had Father Abraham. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:40.240 I am one of them, or so are you, so let's just what? 00:00:40.399 --> 00:00:41.119 Praise the Lord. 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:44.799 Some of you knew it, but uh, we're talking about Abraham and Abraham. 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:52.880 He was a guy who went on a journey from here to there, and there's some things that he had in his life that as we journey from here to there, that we need also. 00:00:53.039 --> 00:00:57.439 So we're looking at three big things we're looking at faith, trust, and sacrifice. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:01.920 Um, last week, Pastor Keith Man, he kicked it off with faith, and boy did he kick it off. 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:04.239 I hate that I have to follow after him this week, but he did a great job. 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:05.760 You guys put your hands together for him. 00:01:06.000 --> 00:01:07.280 It was awesome. 00:01:07.760 --> 00:01:09.840 And here's some things that we learned last week. 00:01:09.920 --> 00:01:13.599 Um, if you did not, if you weren't here and you didn't listen to the podcast yet, listen to it. 00:01:13.680 --> 00:01:14.640 I'll listen to it again. 00:01:14.719 --> 00:01:19.439 But we learned that with faith, God, he gives promises, not guarantees. 00:01:19.599 --> 00:01:23.519 Because guarantees weaken faith, promises strengthen faith. 00:01:23.680 --> 00:01:27.840 We learn that with faith we have everything we need to take our next step for God. 00:01:28.000 --> 00:01:31.760 We learn that when it comes to faith, sometimes faith is going to take sacrifice. 00:01:31.920 --> 00:01:37.840 And we learned that when the enemy tries to attack our faith, that worship is the vehicle that drives the enemy away. 00:01:38.000 --> 00:01:42.799 It was an amazing service, and ultimately we learned that faith is one of the things that takes us from here to there. 00:01:42.879 --> 00:01:46.640 And today we're gonna learn how trust is the thing that takes us from here to there. 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:51.200 So if you're taking notes, I want you to open your Bibles to Genesis chapter 16. 00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.640 This is uh right after chapter 15, in case you wondered. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:02:01.200 Um last week we looked at Genesis chapter 12, and that is where God actually gives Abram the promise, and this is what he says to Abram. 00:02:01.439 --> 00:02:05.200 He goes, I'm gonna give you a land, and I'm gonna make you a father of many people. 00:02:05.280 --> 00:02:08.879 But at this time, Abram didn't have a land and he did not have kids. 00:02:09.039 --> 00:02:09.919 Chapter 16. 00:02:10.080 --> 00:02:10.560 Guess what? 00:02:10.639 --> 00:02:11.680 It's 10 years later. 00:02:11.919 --> 00:02:14.639 Abram is in the land, but he still ain't got kids. 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:19.280 The only thing he's got is older, and so he's like, Okay, what is gonna happen? 00:02:19.360 --> 00:02:20.719 This is what it says in verse 1. 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:25.039 Now Sarai, Abram's wife, had not been able to bear children for him. 00:02:25.120 --> 00:02:27.360 But she had an Egyptian servant named Hagar. 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:31.199 So Sarai said to Abram, The Lord has prevented me from having children. 00:02:31.360 --> 00:02:32.639 Go and sleep with my servant. 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:34.240 Perhaps I can have children through her. 00:02:34.400 --> 00:02:36.000 And Abraham agreed with Sarah's proposal. 00:02:36.080 --> 00:02:38.319 Some of you were wondering, oh my god, am I watching HBO right now? 00:02:38.479 --> 00:02:38.960 Are we at church? 00:02:39.039 --> 00:02:40.240 I mean, is this Game of Thrones? 00:02:40.479 --> 00:02:41.439 Read the Old Testament. 00:02:41.520 --> 00:02:42.719 It's crazier than Game of Thrones. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:43.919 I'm just saying. 00:02:44.319 --> 00:02:49.680 So Sarai, Abram's wife, took Hagar the Egyptian servant, and gave her to Abram as a wife. 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:52.800 This happened ten years after Abram had settled in the land of Canaan. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:56.000 So Abram had sexual relations with Hagar and she became pregnant. 00:02:56.159 --> 00:03:00.240 But when Hagar knew she was pregnant, she began to treat her mistress Sarai with contempt. 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:03.120 Then Sarai said to Abram, This is all your fault. 00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:06.960 I put my servant into your arms, and now that she's pregnant, she treats me with contempt. 00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:08.639 And Abram was like, No, this is your fault. 00:03:08.719 --> 00:03:09.759 I got a recording to prove it. 00:03:09.840 --> 00:03:11.439 I know what you said like ten years ago. 00:03:11.599 --> 00:03:12.879 Anyway, back to my story. 00:03:13.039 --> 00:03:14.639 That was my version, not the Bible. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:19.360 Abram replied, Look, she is your servant, so deal with her as you see fit. 00:03:19.520 --> 00:03:22.879 Then Sarai treated Hagar so harshly that she finally ran away. 00:03:23.039 --> 00:03:25.919 Make sure to tune in tomorrow for the rest of days of our lives. 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:29.840 If you're taking notes, the title of the sermon is Even When. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:30.719 Even When. 00:03:30.879 --> 00:03:31.840 God, let's pray right now. 00:03:31.919 --> 00:03:34.560 God, I thank you so much for every person in this room. 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.280 God, I thank you that every person is here, God. 00:03:37.360 --> 00:03:40.879 You ordained for them to be here, God, and we thank you most of all for your son Jesus. 00:03:41.039 --> 00:03:44.560 God, we know that it's because of him that we can do everything that we do, God. 00:03:44.879 --> 00:03:46.639 Everything is impossible without him. 00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:51.199 And so, God, we ask that today that ultimately we would honor him in everything that we do. 00:03:51.360 --> 00:03:53.840 And God, I ask right now that you would be here with us. 00:03:54.000 --> 00:03:55.520 You would be here with us in these moments. 00:03:55.680 --> 00:04:04.879 And God, I ask that as your church right now, we just come before you, God, and we ask that you would be with the families that were affected by the mass shootings yesterday in El Paso and in Dayton, Ohio. 00:04:04.960 --> 00:04:06.639 God, we ask that you would be with them, God. 00:04:06.800 --> 00:04:08.080 We ask that they would have peace. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:13.599 And God, I ask that they could actually feel the prayers of the church of Jesus Christ surrounding them in these moments. 00:04:13.680 --> 00:04:16.319 God, we ask that you would be with them right now, God. 00:04:16.399 --> 00:04:22.079 And I ask that today that you would let every word that I speak, God, that you would tailor make it for every person in this room. 00:04:22.240 --> 00:04:24.240 Speak, God, where you're listening in Jesus' name. 00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:26.319 And everybody said, Amen. 00:04:26.639 --> 00:04:28.240 You can just put your hands together for Larry. 00:04:28.399 --> 00:04:30.000 He did a great job. 00:04:30.160 --> 00:04:32.560 I was I was like, man, we're about to keep going. 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:39.839 But um, okay, how many people would be brave and bold this morning and raise your hand and say that you can be a little bit impatient? 00:04:40.000 --> 00:04:40.800 Any anybody? 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:41.279 Okay? 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:42.319 All right, thank you. 00:04:42.480 --> 00:04:46.800 All right, let's try that again because some of you are lying in church, and if you lie in church, a trap door opens up, you're straight to hell. 00:04:46.879 --> 00:04:48.000 So I need to do off the car right now. 00:04:48.079 --> 00:04:48.399 I'm just kidding. 00:04:48.480 --> 00:04:50.480 That's what my dad said to scare me when I was a kid. 00:04:50.639 --> 00:04:52.399 How many people say you can be impatient? 00:04:52.480 --> 00:04:53.279 Come on, whip at me. 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:53.839 All right, thank you. 00:04:53.920 --> 00:04:55.279 That should be almost everyone. 00:04:55.439 --> 00:04:59.920 Um, if you were to ask me, I would tell you that I can be a little bit impatient. 00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:04.879 If you were to ask my wife, she would tell you that I can be a lot of bit impatient. 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:10.639 Um, a lot of times in life, I uh I like things a certain way and a certain time. 00:05:10.720 --> 00:05:17.600 And if I don't get those things in a certain way and in a certain time, I'm uh I throw what I call an adult tantrum, okay? 00:05:17.680 --> 00:05:19.759 I'm gonna explain what that is uh for you guys. 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:21.600 It's where I'm kind of like this on the outside. 00:05:21.680 --> 00:05:24.399 I'm like, ugh, but on the inside, I'm like my five-year-old kid. 00:05:24.480 --> 00:05:27.040 I'm like, I just want one when I want it. 00:05:27.279 --> 00:05:28.720 I'm thank you, Jace. 00:05:28.879 --> 00:05:31.759 Some of y'all are lying if you don't admit that you throw adult tantrums. 00:05:31.839 --> 00:05:33.759 I'm just saying, I almost threw one this morning. 00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:40.160 I had a sign follow me during setup, and on the outside, I was like, oh my gosh, you sign, but on the inside, I wanted to drop kick that thing. 00:05:40.480 --> 00:05:45.439 Um, anyway, after throwing my adult tantrums, sometimes I can be uh dramatic. 00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:47.360 Usually what I do is I go into fix it mode. 00:05:47.439 --> 00:05:48.959 I'm like, man, how can I fix this thing? 00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:52.079 I mean, if I'm not getting what I want, what I want, how can I get what I want? 00:05:52.399 --> 00:05:55.120 And here's what happens most of the time I get myself in trouble. 00:05:55.360 --> 00:05:57.920 I can remember one of those times um specifically. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:01.519 Um I was watching the Worldwide Developers Conference by Apple. 00:06:01.680 --> 00:06:03.279 Any Apple users in the house today? 00:06:03.360 --> 00:06:04.079 Come on, thank you. 00:06:04.240 --> 00:06:05.279 iPhone, the best phone. 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:07.360 Don't at me if you have an Android. 00:06:07.680 --> 00:06:10.560 But uh I was watching this Worldwide Developers Conference. 00:06:10.639 --> 00:06:17.920 If you don't know what that is, it's where Apple actually reveals all the new products and all the new software and upgrades and things they have coming out for the next year. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:22.319 They reveal all of these things, and they're like, hey, we've got this new iPhone. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:26.079 Your phone only has four megapixel camera, this one has four thousand. 00:06:26.480 --> 00:06:30.000 Your phone has an LED screen, this one has an O LED screen. 00:06:30.160 --> 00:06:34.639 Your phone is actually really small because this new phone is one thirty-second of an inch bigger. 00:06:34.720 --> 00:06:35.439 You've got to get it. 00:06:35.600 --> 00:06:38.720 So they reveal all these new things, but see there's a problem. 00:06:38.879 --> 00:06:44.319 Um, the release date is not until like six months or up to a year away, so you're you're kind of waiting. 00:06:44.480 --> 00:06:48.879 And I remember one year when they were revealing all this new stuff, they revealed a new operating system. 00:06:49.040 --> 00:06:55.360 And this is back when you actually had to pay for the operating system upgrades with Apple, and it was like gonna be$99. 00:06:56.000 --> 00:07:00.399 And so I remember I was like, okay, it's gonna be six months until they release this. 00:07:00.560 --> 00:07:02.639 I wonder if I can find it. 00:07:02.720 --> 00:07:10.399 So I got a little bit impatient, and I found a pre-pre, like pre-pre pre-released, hacked, cracked version, and I was like, haha, Apple, I'm getting it for free. 00:07:10.560 --> 00:07:15.839 I downloaded it on my computer, I installed it, and as soon as I hit like the run button, this is what my computer did. 00:07:15.920 --> 00:07:16.639 It went boop. 00:07:17.839 --> 00:07:19.600 Like, literally, that was the noise it made. 00:07:20.560 --> 00:07:21.680 And it like stopped. 00:07:21.839 --> 00:07:23.920 Black screen, nothing was working. 00:07:24.000 --> 00:07:29.120 I unplugged it, plugged it back in because it was an iMac, nothing would work at all. 00:07:29.199 --> 00:07:30.079 It would not come on. 00:07:30.160 --> 00:07:32.560 I took it to the Apple store and I had to get it fixed. 00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:33.680 I was like, hey, can you fix this? 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:34.720 You know how much it cost me? 00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:35.839 $250. 00:07:36.240 --> 00:07:43.360 All because I got impatient and I couldn't wait from the reveal to the release, it cost me more than the$99 I would have spent in the first place. 00:07:43.600 --> 00:07:50.000 Here's the thing: so many times in our walk with Christ, we find ourselves between reveal and release. 00:07:50.240 --> 00:07:52.800 We find ourselves between here and there. 00:07:52.879 --> 00:08:00.959 And here's the thing: if we get impatient and we are not careful, we will try to settle for the replica instead of settling for what God and going after what God really wants to give us. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:07.519 I mean, so many times we'll believe for a new job and we have a good resume, but we don't have the interview yet. 00:08:07.600 --> 00:08:08.240 We don't have a new job. 00:08:08.319 --> 00:08:10.319 So we're like, okay, what if I what if I do this? 00:08:10.480 --> 00:08:17.040 I mean, maybe we're believing to get a scholarship and it's like school starts back like next week and we still don't have any offers. 00:08:17.199 --> 00:08:18.959 Sometimes we're stuck between reveal and release. 00:08:19.040 --> 00:08:23.680 We're like, man, God, I'm believing to actually have peace, but we're still dealing with anxiety. 00:08:23.839 --> 00:08:26.800 This is where Sarai and Abram find themselves in Genesis 16. 00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:28.959 They are in between reveal and release. 00:08:29.199 --> 00:08:34.480 So when God reveals this dream to them, um, Abraham is 75, Sarai is 65. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:36.320 It has been 10 years since then. 00:08:36.480 --> 00:08:39.600 And God goes, hey, I'm gonna give you a land and I'm gonna give you children. 00:08:39.679 --> 00:08:40.159 And guess what? 00:08:40.240 --> 00:08:43.840 Now they are in the land, uh, but they don't have the children yet. 00:08:43.919 --> 00:08:46.240 They're like, God, I mean, you did half. 00:08:46.320 --> 00:08:49.759 Maybe we should do the rest because they're stuck between reveal and release. 00:08:49.840 --> 00:08:57.519 And I don't know about you, but for me, sometimes when I get half of what I want, like they had, I actually get more annoyed than when I get the whole entire thing. 00:08:57.759 --> 00:09:06.799 For example, when I go to Chick-fil-A and I get in the drive-thru and I order a number two spicy chicken deluxe with pepperjack cheese and extra pickles, waffle fries and an auto palmer. 00:09:06.960 --> 00:09:09.279 By the way, that is my order if anybody wants to surprise me. 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:17.519 When I order that and then I get home and then I bite into that number two spicy chicken deluxe with extra pickles, and not only does it not have extra pickles, it does not have pickles at all. 00:09:17.679 --> 00:09:19.840 Now I'm mad because I got half of what I wanted. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:24.879 I drive three miles there and back to Chick-fil-A in traffic in Orlando at five o'clock. 00:09:25.039 --> 00:09:26.240 That is crazy. 00:09:26.480 --> 00:09:28.720 But but so many times, like, we'll do this. 00:09:28.879 --> 00:09:31.919 This is where Soraya and Abram, they have half of what they want. 00:09:32.000 --> 00:09:33.840 So they go, God, okay, you gave us half. 00:09:34.240 --> 00:09:35.360 Maybe we should get the rest. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:37.840 And so here's what they do: they get they get ambitious. 00:09:38.080 --> 00:09:46.159 And here's the thing a lot of times when it comes to trusting God and having faith in God, we have these moments where we're like, God, what is your part and what is ours? 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:50.080 And so they get ambitious and they go, okay, maybe we need to do the rest. 00:09:50.159 --> 00:09:51.840 And listen, ambition is a good thing. 00:09:52.320 --> 00:09:58.799 I believe that when God gives you something to steward, when he gives you something to manage, and you have ambition for it, I believe that God smiles upon that. 00:09:58.879 --> 00:10:01.919 But here's the thing the ambition can never precede God's permission. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:06.720 Because ambition without permission will cause unnecessary friction in your life. 00:10:06.879 --> 00:10:08.960 I'm gonna say that again because some of you didn't get it. 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:14.080 Ambition without God's permission will cause unnecessary friction in your life. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:17.039 And this is where Abram and Sarai find themselves. 00:10:18.000 --> 00:10:22.720 They got ambitious, but they didn't have God's permission, and then it caused unnecessary friction for them. 00:10:22.799 --> 00:10:23.519 And here's why. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:27.679 They had faith in the promise, but they had lost trust. 00:10:28.159 --> 00:10:34.080 I know sometimes we can use these words interchangeably, faith and trust, but I want to create a little bit of delineation in these words today. 00:10:34.159 --> 00:10:37.200 If you're taking notes, listen, this is the biblical definition of trust. 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:40.879 It says to be confident, secure, and dependent. 00:10:41.279 --> 00:10:43.840 To be confident, secure, and dependent. 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:48.000 Uh to put it short, faith is belief, trust is dependency. 00:10:48.480 --> 00:10:49.039 Write that down. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:52.480 Faith is belief, trust is dependency. 00:10:52.639 --> 00:10:56.960 See, we can have faith in God, but then not trust his plans. 00:10:57.200 --> 00:11:02.480 We can have faith that God will save us, but then not have trust that he will sustain us. 00:11:02.879 --> 00:11:05.919 I think a lot of times our problem isn't necessarily our faith. 00:11:06.159 --> 00:11:10.480 I think sometimes the problem that we run to run into is trusting God in the process. 00:11:10.720 --> 00:11:14.399 And so if we're gonna journey from here to there, listen, we're gonna need to trust God. 00:11:14.480 --> 00:11:17.759 So I want to give you three areas that we can trust God in this morning. 00:11:17.919 --> 00:11:21.919 The first one is this is trust God's timing. 00:11:22.240 --> 00:11:23.519 Trust God's timing. 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:29.679 Um I think sometimes when we read Bible stories, um, we can be a little bit pretentious. 00:11:29.840 --> 00:11:39.600 At least I can be a little bit pretentious because I'm reading the story about Abraham, and I see where God literally shows up to Abraham, and he's like, Abraham, I'm going to give you all of this. 00:11:39.759 --> 00:11:42.480 I just need you to have faith, and I need you to trust me. 00:11:42.720 --> 00:11:45.840 And I read this and I go, Abraham, you couldn't have waited more than 10 years. 00:11:46.000 --> 00:11:46.559 Let's be honest. 00:11:46.639 --> 00:11:49.360 Some of us we ask God for something and we can't wait more than 10 minutes. 00:11:49.440 --> 00:11:53.360 So let's set our pretension aside, and let's actually read this for what it is. 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:55.759 So, Sarai and Abram, they're in this moment. 00:11:55.840 --> 00:11:58.480 I want us to actually put ourselves in Sarai's shoes just for a second. 00:11:58.799 --> 00:12:00.879 So it's been 10 years since the promise. 00:12:01.120 --> 00:12:03.919 Okay, she was 65 when it happened, now she's 75. 00:12:04.159 --> 00:12:08.080 Back in her day, women could no longer bear children after the age of 70. 00:12:08.159 --> 00:12:10.799 That was like the highest it would go, the age of 70. 00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:16.080 And so also, too, if she did not bear a child for Abram, then she was considered cursed. 00:12:16.399 --> 00:12:19.279 And so she goes, Okay, maybe, maybe, maybe I'm the problem. 00:12:19.759 --> 00:12:21.200 Maybe I'm the one that has the issue. 00:12:21.360 --> 00:12:24.559 Maybe God has, maybe God has kept me from having kids. 00:12:24.879 --> 00:12:27.919 Maybe I'm the one that has the issue because the issue isn't Abraham. 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:31.120 Abraham's 85, and back then his summers would have worked till he was 90. 00:12:31.200 --> 00:12:32.879 I'm just saying, I'm being honest. 00:12:33.200 --> 00:12:34.720 So I'm not the problem. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:37.679 Abraham's not the problem, maybe I'm the problem. 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:40.960 So then what she did is she removed herself from the equation. 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.279 She removed herself from the promise. 00:12:44.000 --> 00:12:45.440 Maybe God's too late for me. 00:12:45.519 --> 00:12:49.440 And here's what she did she put an expiration date on the promise of God for her life. 00:12:50.240 --> 00:12:52.320 How many times do we do that in our own life? 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:55.440 How many times do we believe, man, God is gonna do something good? 00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:58.080 How many times do we believe that God has something good for me? 00:12:58.240 --> 00:13:04.559 How many times do we believe that man, God is gonna do something great in my life, and then it takes a little bit too long, and then all of a sudden we're like, God, where you at? 00:13:05.519 --> 00:13:07.200 God, did you forget about me? 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:10.399 Am I the only one here, God? 00:13:10.799 --> 00:13:12.559 Like, where are you? 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:15.919 God, I just think it's too late for me. 00:13:16.159 --> 00:13:23.440 And I remember growing up in church, I've said before, I grew up real charismatic, Pentecostal, and we would go to church, and I would hear these pastors all the time. 00:13:23.600 --> 00:13:26.480 They would say, and I'm about to get my country on, if y'all don't mind, because I'm from the south. 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:30.000 They would be like, My God's in the motor, my God may never late. 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:33.840 And they would be doing like this, they'd have the organ playing behind them, and everybody would be shouting them down. 00:13:34.000 --> 00:13:34.960 We even had songs about it. 00:13:35.120 --> 00:13:38.240 We'd be like, He's in a mother, yes he is. 00:13:38.639 --> 00:13:40.559 We had songs like that, and everybody's singing it. 00:13:40.639 --> 00:13:41.679 Oh, y'all want to help me out? 00:13:41.759 --> 00:13:42.080 Come on. 00:13:42.159 --> 00:13:43.919 He's in the mother. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:47.840 Oh, I'm gonna remember the he's in a mother. 00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:50.080 Oh, good job, good job. 00:13:50.240 --> 00:13:53.360 But here's the thing, we'd have songs about it, and here's what I remember we're doing. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:14:00.000 I remember sitting in my seat sometimes because my parents got divorced when I was nine, and it it made a lot of turmoil in my life after that. 00:14:00.080 --> 00:14:06.240 And I remember sitting in my seat going, man, God, man, you might be on time for Jimmy, because Jimmy's parents are still together and his life looks good. 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:09.039 Man, you might be on time for this person, their life looks amazing. 00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:16.559 You might be on time for the preacher that's saying it, you might be on time for the worship leader that is singing, but God, it just seems like you were too late for me. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:29.039 I would feel like this so many times, but here's one of the things that I've kind of learned about timing when it comes to God's timing as I've grown is there's always this tension in God's timing because God is an on-time God. 00:14:29.200 --> 00:14:32.720 But here's the thing God is never too late, but he's also never too early. 00:14:33.759 --> 00:14:41.919 God is never too late, but he's also never too early because God sees things and he knows things that we don't see, and he knows things that we don't know. 00:14:42.080 --> 00:14:43.360 He can see all of that. 00:14:43.759 --> 00:14:49.440 And so here's what God does in those moments is God is forming things on the inside of us in the waiting. 00:14:49.840 --> 00:14:52.080 God, he is speaking to us in the waiting. 00:14:52.240 --> 00:15:00.799 God is doing something on the inside of us in the waiting, and one of the things that I have learned about God is he will always be more focused on what he is doing in you than what he can get to you. 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:04.240 And so in those moments, we have to remember that God knows best. 00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:09.600 We have to know that God knows that the right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing. 00:15:09.840 --> 00:15:10.799 I'm gonna say that again. 00:15:10.960 --> 00:15:15.600 The right thing at the wrong time is still the wrong thing. 00:15:15.919 --> 00:15:20.000 See, God knows what may be good for then, may not be good for now. 00:15:20.240 --> 00:15:25.120 See, God knows I got something good for you, and it's gonna be good for then, but but it's not good for now. 00:15:25.360 --> 00:15:30.480 And listen, like I said, I experienced that, but now I'm really starting to understand that being a father. 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:36.480 Um, my daughters, there are things that are gonna be really good for them one day, like the fact they're gonna be able to drive themselves, and I'm not gonna have to. 00:15:36.559 --> 00:15:44.159 I mean, they're only five and seven, and I'm already tired of driving them around, but there's gonna be things that are good for them one day, but listen, it's not good um for now. 00:15:44.320 --> 00:15:50.639 And one of those things that is still a thorn in my flesh, I talked about the last time that I preached, but I'm gonna talk about it again, is my oldest daughter, Olivia. 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:53.759 She wants a phone and she will not let it go. 00:15:53.919 --> 00:15:56.159 Um, at least it's no longer a daily conversation. 00:15:56.240 --> 00:15:58.159 Now it's a weekly uh conversation. 00:15:58.320 --> 00:16:04.000 I actually came into the living room the other day and she had my phone and she's going, Siri, how old do you have to be to get your parents to buy you a phone? 00:16:04.080 --> 00:16:05.519 I'm like, I'm standing right here. 00:16:05.759 --> 00:16:06.879 You're seven. 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:11.440 But see, one day it's gonna be good for her to have a phone. 00:16:11.679 --> 00:16:18.720 It's gonna be good for her, it's gonna be great for me because I'm gonna be able to do like what Pastor Keith said last week and be like, hey girl, on your way home, can you stop and get me some pickles? 00:16:18.799 --> 00:16:20.320 Mount Olive Brand, because that's my hometown. 00:16:20.480 --> 00:16:20.879 Thank you. 00:16:21.039 --> 00:16:22.559 And she'll be able to stop and give me pickles. 00:16:22.720 --> 00:16:23.360 I'm just saying. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:26.320 But one day it's gonna be good for her to have that phone. 00:16:26.639 --> 00:16:28.399 But here's what I know as her father. 00:16:28.639 --> 00:16:33.039 Right now, there are things that she could be exposed to on that phone that her soul cannot withstand. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:39.679 Because she's not had time to develop, she's not had time to grow, but but even yet, she still wants that thing now. 00:16:39.759 --> 00:16:43.440 So the other day, we're driving to summer camp from our house to summer camp. 00:16:43.519 --> 00:16:45.679 It is literally a one-minute drive. 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.639 We get in the car. 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.799 I turn the car on, I shut the door. 00:16:48.960 --> 00:16:50.480 She doesn't even have her seat belt on yet. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:51.919 She goes, Daddy, can I get a phone? 00:16:52.159 --> 00:16:54.159 I go, Olivia, what was the answer yesterday? 00:16:54.320 --> 00:16:56.080 No, then that's the same answer today. 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:57.279 No, you cannot get a phone. 00:16:57.519 --> 00:16:59.519 And then she starts doing this thing that she's been doing lately. 00:16:59.600 --> 00:17:01.919 She gets the puppy dog eyes, and she gets the puppy dog friends. 00:17:02.000 --> 00:17:04.559 She's like, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please. 00:17:04.720 --> 00:17:05.680 She says it like a thousand times. 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:08.640 I go, Olivia, if you say please one more time, I ain't never getting you a phone. 00:17:08.720 --> 00:17:11.039 I got a little bit dramatic, and so then she got dramatic back. 00:17:11.119 --> 00:17:13.599 She's like, if you don't get me a phone, I'm not gonna be your friend. 00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:16.480 By this time, we are at school. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.680 I'm not making this up. 00:17:17.759 --> 00:17:18.720 This is real, y'all. 00:17:18.880 --> 00:17:24.720 Like, we are at school going to summer camp, and I turn around and I say, Olivia, I'm like, you don't have to be your my friend. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:31.519 I'm like, I'm always gonna be your friend, but more importantly, I'm gonna be your father, and one day it is gonna be good for you to have that phone, but that day is not today. 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:33.200 And she goes, Okay, daddy, what about tomorrow? 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:35.279 I'm like, get out the car and go to camp. 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.720 Gosh. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:42.720 But but so many times, what may be good for then is not good for now. 00:17:42.880 --> 00:17:45.920 And here's the thing about God: God is a friend. 00:17:46.079 --> 00:17:49.920 The Bible says that he is a friend that sticks closer than a brother. 00:17:50.160 --> 00:17:52.079 But more than that, God is a father. 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:55.359 He is our father, and he is the God of Revelation 22. 00:17:55.519 --> 00:17:59.039 He's the Alpha, the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. 00:17:59.119 --> 00:18:02.960 So he sees things that we don't see, he knows things that we do not know. 00:18:03.119 --> 00:18:03.759 That's who he is. 00:18:03.839 --> 00:18:08.000 He's the God, but also he is the creator God, he is the God that created time and space. 00:18:08.160 --> 00:18:19.920 So when the time is right and when the space is right, if he has promised it to you, he will get it to you because he is also the God of Isaiah 55, 11 that says, My word does not return to me void, and it will bear fruit in your life. 00:18:20.079 --> 00:18:28.319 Listen, God, he's got the timing in his hands, the trusting is in ours. 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:31.359 God, he is not bound by time. 00:18:31.519 --> 00:18:32.640 Time is bound by God. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:35.519 He can do whatever he wants when he wants to do it. 00:18:35.680 --> 00:18:36.720 So here's the thing. 00:18:36.880 --> 00:18:41.200 If you were in here this morning and you've ever felt like it is too late for me, I'm gonna tell you something. 00:18:41.279 --> 00:19:03.359 Even when you feel like it is too late for you, even when you feel like that dream is past, even when you feel like that promise is past, even when you feel like the clock has stopped ticking, even when you feel like, man, it is too late for that relationship, even when you feel like it's too late for that job, even when you feel like it is too late, here's what I can tell you there is no expiration date on the promises of God, because God is God and He will do what He will do when He will do it. 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:12.720 Man, even when it seems too late, man, the timing is in God's hands, the trusting is in ours. 00:19:12.880 --> 00:19:17.440 The second area we have to trust God in is this we have to trust God's ways. 00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:23.119 Um, Sarah, I mean, she begins to have this trust issue with God's timing. 00:19:23.200 --> 00:19:25.440 And here's the thing about it, she gets impatient. 00:19:25.839 --> 00:19:31.519 And here's the thing about impatience impatience is the thief of progress, so then she begins to question the process. 00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:36.799 She's like, Man, man, God, I'm getting impatient, and so now I'm starting to question your ways. 00:19:36.880 --> 00:19:39.119 Uh so maybe I should do it my way. 00:19:39.200 --> 00:19:42.240 And so she goes, Abram, man, you can take Hagar as your wife. 00:19:42.480 --> 00:19:48.880 And so Abram and Hagar, they knock sandals, Hagar gets pregnant, and then all of a sudden, y'all got that? 00:19:49.039 --> 00:19:52.240 Knock sandals, because back then they didn't have boots, y'all know what I'm talking about. 00:19:53.039 --> 00:20:00.160 She gets pregnant, and then all of a sudden the friction begins, and it's a friction that actually lives on even today. 00:20:00.319 --> 00:20:03.839 And so here's the thing a little historical genealogical reference here. 00:20:03.920 --> 00:20:06.400 So Hagar, she eventually gives birth to a son. 00:20:06.640 --> 00:20:08.079 The son's name is Ishmael. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:11.519 Ishmael becomes the father of what is now known as the Arab Nations. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:16.720 Fast forward 15 years, when the promise is finally released, Sarah she gives birth to a son. 00:20:16.799 --> 00:20:17.759 His name is Isaac. 00:20:17.920 --> 00:20:21.200 Isaac becomes the father of the Israeli nation, which is today. 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:27.680 So here's the thing: all you have to do is turn on the TV and watch the news for more than five minutes, and you can see that there's a friction that still exists today. 00:20:27.759 --> 00:20:30.160 And here's how that friction started because here's what happened. 00:20:30.480 --> 00:20:33.759 Sarai and Abram, they took it out of God's hands and they took it into their own hands. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:37.680 They didn't trust God's ways, they trusted it at their own ways. 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:41.279 And so so many times we do the exact same thing. 00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:44.880 We take things out of God's hands and we put them into our own hands. 00:20:45.119 --> 00:20:46.240 God, your way is not working. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:47.680 I'm just gonna try it my way. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:53.599 And here's the thing I was thinking about is it's really easy to do that because it's easy to trust what you can see. 00:20:53.839 --> 00:20:56.240 I mean, you can't see God's hands, but you can see yours. 00:20:56.480 --> 00:21:02.880 You can't see God's hands working, but you can see yours, so we start to question the process. 00:21:03.119 --> 00:21:11.839 But here's the thing about it, and I was thinking about it last night, is that so many times in this process, it's easy for us to just be like, God, I need a miracle. 00:21:12.079 --> 00:21:14.160 God, I need for it to happen right now. 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:20.559 And it's easy for us sometimes to even look at Jesus in the Bible and think that Jesus was just like this magician because he did miracles. 00:21:20.960 --> 00:21:38.240 But see, Jesus was also a man, and Jesus was a carpenter, and so Jesus He built things with His hands, so He put things together in a specific way, in a specific order, and a specific time, and when the time was right and when the way was right, all of a sudden it was this amazing piece of furniture, this amazing thing, and you're like, wow, how did that even happen? 00:21:38.319 --> 00:21:41.839 Because the timing was trusted, because the ways were trusted. 00:21:42.319 --> 00:21:45.920 But God is working in our life even when we cannot see it. 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:53.200 And so what we have to realize is in all of this is that getting the right thing the wrong way is still the wrong thing. 00:21:53.680 --> 00:21:55.200 So we can try to get it all we want. 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.519 We can go our own way and try to get everything we want, but if we get the right thing the wrong way, it is still. 00:22:00.400 --> 00:22:01.039 The wrong thing. 00:22:01.119 --> 00:22:05.839 And so many times though, we still become solution oriented instead of submission oriented. 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:10.880 We're like, God, I'm gonna focus on the solution instead of focusing on my submission in this moment. 00:22:10.960 --> 00:22:14.640 And when that happens, we create short-term solutions that cause long-term pain. 00:22:15.359 --> 00:22:17.759 Because our solutions are short-sighted. 00:22:18.559 --> 00:22:21.680 Our solutions are temporal, but God's solutions, they are eternal. 00:22:22.400 --> 00:22:25.279 And if we're not careful, we will do things that cause long-term pain. 00:22:25.359 --> 00:22:27.279 And listen, I saw this a lot growing up in my life. 00:22:27.359 --> 00:22:32.319 I mean, my parents, like I said a few minutes ago, like they got divorced and it wreaked havoc on my family. 00:22:32.400 --> 00:22:36.240 But so many people in my family, I would see them come to church every Sunday. 00:22:36.400 --> 00:22:37.920 They would learn about the timing of God. 00:22:38.000 --> 00:22:39.680 They would learn about the ways of God. 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:43.519 And then they would need healing or restoration in some area of their life. 00:22:43.680 --> 00:22:50.720 And instead of actually waiting for God to release that in their life and following God and following His ways, they decided to follow their ways. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:57.119 And they made short-term solutions to numb the pain that led to long-term pain, not only in their life, but in the lives of others around them. 00:22:57.200 --> 00:23:02.799 And here's the thing that we have to remember about this: no matter how self-centered our solution may be, it always affects other people. 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.559 And so we're in these moments and we're like, God, like, what do we need to do? 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:10.079 We have to remember that what we do affects other people around us. 00:23:10.240 --> 00:23:15.119 And so for some of us, here's what we need to do: we need to start stop following our ways and start following God's ways. 00:23:15.279 --> 00:23:16.799 We need to actually go, God, you know what? 00:23:16.880 --> 00:23:20.799 I took that thing out of your hands and I put it in my hands, and thus far, guess what? 00:23:20.880 --> 00:23:21.920 It has not worked. 00:23:22.079 --> 00:23:23.279 Here's what I can tell you this morning. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:26.000 Things that fell in our hands, they succeed in the hands of God. 00:23:26.400 --> 00:23:29.599 Things that will fail in our hands, they succeed in the hands of God. 00:23:29.759 --> 00:23:32.160 And there's a story that I think about in the Bible. 00:23:32.319 --> 00:23:34.720 Every time I think about this, and it's in Mark chapter 5. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.880 And if you grew up in church, you've probably heard this story. 00:23:37.200 --> 00:23:40.319 There's a story about this woman, and she's called the woman with the issue of blood. 00:23:40.400 --> 00:23:45.359 And she has been sick and had a condition and an issue for over 14 years. 00:23:45.440 --> 00:23:51.920 And if you actually read it, it says that she has gone from doctor to doctor, from person to person, and they had literally tried to figure everything out. 00:23:52.000 --> 00:23:58.160 And it actually says that it made her struggle, it caused her pain, and it actually got worse. 00:23:58.880 --> 00:24:01.759 14 years trying to do things their own way, it got worse. 00:24:01.839 --> 00:24:08.319 But then all of a sudden, she had one moment with Jesus, one touch of Jesus, and then every single thing changed. 00:24:08.559 --> 00:24:10.160