WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.319 Welcome to the Awakening Church podcast. 00:00:02.479 --> 00:00:07.040 We pray this message encourages you and provides the hope and light of Jesus Christ. 00:00:07.200 --> 00:00:08.640 Thanks for tuning in. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:21.199 Well, good morning, Awakening Church. 00:00:21.359 --> 00:00:22.960 Great to be with you. 00:00:23.280 --> 00:00:25.679 Merry Christmas almost. 00:00:26.879 --> 00:00:28.320 I got it more almost there. 00:00:28.399 --> 00:00:29.359 In one Merry Christmas. 00:00:29.440 --> 00:00:30.000 Thank you guys. 00:00:30.079 --> 00:00:30.399 Yeah. 00:00:30.640 --> 00:00:35.920 We're in the season, and we're in a series called Behold How to Worship the King. 00:00:36.000 --> 00:00:37.759 It's a worship series. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:49.679 And to begin, I just want to remind us that there are actually moments, moments in our lives that actually change our lives forever, encounters. 00:00:50.320 --> 00:00:56.479 For some, it's the birth of a child, perhaps the loss of a loved one. 00:00:57.439 --> 00:01:03.920 It might have been an encouraging word or even that spark of love. 00:01:04.879 --> 00:01:10.079 Who we become is profoundly shaped by the encounters that we have. 00:01:11.599 --> 00:01:17.760 And internally, every single one of us has a longing to encounter God. 00:01:18.560 --> 00:01:33.680 I think for many, this is the reason you came today, is you long to have an encounter with God hardwired into us as we were designed in the image of God to know and to be known by Him. 00:01:33.760 --> 00:01:47.040 And so there's this longing, there's this craving, this soul yearning, a moment of transcendence to encounter, to behold the King. 00:01:47.920 --> 00:01:56.319 And if we're honest, if we're honest, we would really say, I we don't really know how to do that. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.319 We want that, we long for that. 00:02:00.640 --> 00:02:04.079 But what does that really look like? 00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:09.120 How are we to enter the presence of the King? 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:14.080 And better yet, how do you encounter God his way? 00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:23.439 You know, so often when we talk about wanting to encounter God, this moment of transcendence, it's our perspective of what that looks like. 00:02:23.599 --> 00:02:28.240 But but what if we ask God, how do you want me to encounter you? 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:33.520 How do you want me to step into your presence? 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:42.719 Because when we answer that question well, friends, I gotta tell you, you encounter Jesus. 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:47.680 You encounter God at a new and fresh level. 00:02:48.080 --> 00:02:52.080 Today I want to take you to one of my all-time favorite passages. 00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:55.520 In fact, if you've been around, you'll uh be familiar with it. 00:02:55.680 --> 00:02:58.719 I think I preach it every two, three years or so. 00:02:58.879 --> 00:03:03.120 In fact, just by the way, this is the very first sermon I ever gave. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:09.439 I think I was 17 years old and wrote this little outline out, had some help from my dad. 00:03:09.759 --> 00:03:13.439 My dad's a pastor, and so uh that's the area he could help me out with. 00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:15.840 Not fixing cars, writing sermons. 00:03:18.080 --> 00:03:23.759 Today we're gonna look at a passage, if you got your Bibles, Isaiah chapter 6. 00:03:24.000 --> 00:03:26.240 It's the prophet Isaiah. 00:03:27.439 --> 00:03:30.159 He's in Israel. 00:03:31.039 --> 00:03:41.680 There's been a regime change, the king has died, and he has an encounter with God, and in it we're gonna discover how do we encounter God his way. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:46.960 And here's the beautiful part is it doesn't just have to happen on a Sunday. 00:03:47.039 --> 00:03:50.560 It's amazing when it does, and that's the reason we gather. 00:03:50.800 --> 00:03:54.400 But this can actually happen in our daily lives. 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:58.000 Isaiah chapter 6, verse 1, we pick it up. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:10.400 The text goes this way In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord high and exalted, seated on a throne, and the train of his robe filled the temple. 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:17.680 Above him were Seraphim, each with six wings, with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:22.000 Seraphim are angels that uh literally means burning ones. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:27.920 These are angels that are dedicated in the presence of God to declare and guard his holiness. 00:04:28.079 --> 00:04:32.639 They're calling one to another, holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty. 00:04:32.800 --> 00:04:35.120 The whole earth is full of his glory. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:40.800 At the sound of their voices, the doorpost and the threshold shook, and the temple was filled with smoke. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:42.800 Woe to me, I cried. 00:04:43.040 --> 00:04:44.160 I'm ruined. 00:04:44.399 --> 00:04:51.680 For I'm a man of unclean lips, and I've lived among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty. 00:04:51.839 --> 00:04:56.959 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:01.279 With it he touched my mouth and said, See, this has touched your lips. 00:05:01.519 --> 00:05:04.720 Your guilt is taken away, your sin is atoned for. 00:05:04.959 --> 00:05:07.519 Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, Whom shall I send? 00:05:07.600 --> 00:05:08.639 Who will go for us? 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:11.360 And I replied, Here am I. 00:05:11.759 --> 00:05:12.800 Send me. 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:14.639 Would you pray with me? 00:05:15.920 --> 00:05:20.480 Jesus, we invite you here to speak, to have your way. 00:05:22.240 --> 00:05:25.519 We long to meet with you, to encounter you. 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:31.680 And so, would you get anything that's in the way out of the way? 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:38.399 We give you our attention, our focus, our hearts. 00:05:39.040 --> 00:05:40.720 Would you meet with us? 00:05:41.279 --> 00:05:42.879 In Jesus' name. 00:05:43.360 --> 00:05:44.000 Amen. 00:05:45.439 --> 00:05:47.759 How do we encounter God his ways? 00:05:47.920 --> 00:06:00.720 The first thing, this is just a big idea I want to draw to your attention, and I have three thoughts from the text, but first thing we must understand is in the presence of God, reverence is our only proper response. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:18.000 This idea of reverence, reverence is an overwhelming sense of awe, respect, wonder, honor originating from the interior of a person, expressed through a person's posture in the presence of one who's majestic in holiness. 00:06:18.639 --> 00:06:28.160 Like when we think about the presence of God, we first have to understand reverence is our posture that we enter in with. 00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:43.439 Look up and refocus our heart on who God is. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:46.480 In the year that King Uzziah died, he had a lot going on. 00:06:46.560 --> 00:06:53.759 There's a regime change, this uh stuff's happening, not really sure what's gonna happen with the nation of Israel. 00:06:54.079 --> 00:06:57.759 In that year, I saw the Lord. 00:06:58.560 --> 00:06:59.839 I looked up. 00:07:00.720 --> 00:07:08.079 Instead of worrying and wondering and striving, I stopped and I looked up. 00:07:08.399 --> 00:07:11.920 We live in one of the most distracted times in human history. 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:12.800 No, never mind. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:16.319 We live in the most distracted time of human history. 00:07:18.480 --> 00:07:26.000 Before we get to like refocusing our heart on who God is, let me just talk a little bit about the challenge of looking up. 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:31.839 It's almost impossible to look up while we're constantly looking down. 00:07:33.120 --> 00:07:34.560 Oh, that one hurt. 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:40.160 Isn't that what happens? 00:07:41.680 --> 00:07:45.279 We live scrolled lives. 00:07:49.680 --> 00:07:57.040 That we'd stop and look at Jesus long enough to behold him, to understand, to take it in. 00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:05.759 One of my practices, and I do this pretty consistently, this is not daily, but it's pretty consistent. 00:08:06.000 --> 00:08:14.399 I get up in the morning, my phone is on the charger, and I take off my watch because I want to, you know, figure out how I slept that night. 00:08:14.560 --> 00:08:18.480 I put it on the charger and I leave it there. 00:08:19.120 --> 00:08:23.839 I go into the kitchen, I make a cup of coffee, and I spend time with God. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:26.720 I have a journal and I have my Bible. 00:08:28.160 --> 00:08:32.559 When I bring my phone with me, I cannot look up. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:34.639 It just doesn't work for me. 00:08:35.759 --> 00:08:37.120 Because I look down. 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:44.399 I I don't know about you, but all of a sudden I'm like, oh, well, there's an email, or I wonder what the weather's gonna be like today. 00:08:44.559 --> 00:08:49.679 And then somehow I find myself on Instagram or on TikTok and scrolling, like, oh, that was interesting. 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:50.720 Oh, what about that? 00:08:50.960 --> 00:08:51.679 I have this question. 00:08:51.759 --> 00:08:53.440 Oh, maybe I should look this up. 00:08:53.600 --> 00:09:03.759 It just my mind goes there and my hand gravitates, and automatically my hand works without my, you know, it just does it on its own. 00:09:04.879 --> 00:09:10.639 Friends, before we can move forward, we have this will change your December. 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:15.519 If you would just begin to make a decision, daily I'm gonna look up. 00:09:15.840 --> 00:09:17.440 Daily, I'm gonna refocus. 00:09:17.600 --> 00:09:21.600 Daily, I'm gonna set aside the things and the distractions and the devices. 00:09:21.759 --> 00:09:24.879 And maybe you're like, but I do my time with Jesus on my phone. 00:09:24.960 --> 00:09:25.600 That's fantastic. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:28.399 If it works for you, great, it just doesn't for me. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:33.039 And where you look up and focus on God. 00:09:33.200 --> 00:09:34.639 Well, what do we do when we look up? 00:09:34.799 --> 00:09:38.799 Let me ask you this what comes into your mind when you think about God? 00:09:40.399 --> 00:09:42.159 What comes into your mind? 00:09:43.519 --> 00:09:55.120 Often we make God in our own image, and our picture is uh of what we think about God in our design rather than who God truly is. 00:09:55.440 --> 00:09:58.080 Notice what Isaiah saw when he looked up. 00:09:58.240 --> 00:10:01.759 The first thing it says that he was high and exalted. 00:10:02.000 --> 00:10:04.879 This is his position in the universe. 00:10:05.279 --> 00:10:10.480 That he is the center of the universe, that he is high and exalted. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:12.559 There is no one like him. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:15.279 He is preeminent in every way. 00:10:15.919 --> 00:10:21.440 He says he's high and exalted, and then it says that he's seated on a throne. 00:10:22.399 --> 00:10:27.679 The king may have died in Israel, but the true king is still seated on his throne. 00:10:28.399 --> 00:10:31.360 God is the king of kings, lord of lords. 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:36.080 He's seen the majestic one that he is sovereign and he is in control. 00:10:36.320 --> 00:10:39.840 He is unshaken by the events in the world today. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.720 That picture of a king seated is pretty incredible. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:46.720 A king sits when all is well and when he feels confident. 00:10:48.159 --> 00:10:55.840 God is not shaken, God is not surprised, God is not wringing his hands over the events of our world and the where things are going. 00:10:56.399 --> 00:11:05.919 He is seated on his throne because he is sovereign, he is in control, and he will guide all of history to bring about redemption and restoration. 00:11:06.879 --> 00:11:09.120 This is the one we worship. 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:18.159 You know, the only place we see God standing, by the way, in scriptures is to welcome one of his martyred ones home. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:21.600 Other than that, he is seated and in control. 00:11:21.679 --> 00:11:25.440 He's high and exalted, he's preeminent, he's the center of the universe. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:26.399 He's seated. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:27.440 Then it says, What? 00:11:27.679 --> 00:11:30.879 The train of his robe filled the temple. 00:11:31.360 --> 00:11:42.159 In the ancient day, the length of a train for a king represented the dominion and rule, the extent to which they uh ruled and reigned. 00:11:42.480 --> 00:11:54.240 Isaiah's picture as he's stepping into the temple and seeing his train fill the entire temple is that he has all power, all dominion, all authority over everything. 00:11:54.639 --> 00:12:07.200 This is who Isaiah is seeing as he comes in, and then he's got these burning ones, these seraphim that are declaring one to another holy, holy, holy is the Lord our God Almighty. 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:10.480 The whole earth is filled with his glory. 00:12:11.039 --> 00:12:12.159 Holiness. 00:12:13.039 --> 00:12:16.960 It's the only attribute of God that's repeated three times. 00:12:17.200 --> 00:12:21.200 In the Hebrew language, we don't have good, better, or best. 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.360 You repeat it for emphasis. 00:12:24.320 --> 00:12:28.320 Holy means to be set apart, pure, other. 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:36.559 See, when we think about God, we often tend to think that God is simply a better version of us. 00:12:37.200 --> 00:12:42.000 He is not, he is completely other than us. 00:12:42.799 --> 00:12:46.559 He is holy in every way set apart. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:50.320 Holiness has to do with his moral purity. 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:54.399 All that is holy is healthy and good. 00:12:55.440 --> 00:13:05.840 And the angels 24-7, right now in the throne room, are declaring it: holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty. 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:09.600 What comes into your mind when you think about God? 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:23.039 If you want to enter the presence of the King, look up and refocus your heart on who God is, who He's revealed Himself to be. 00:13:23.679 --> 00:13:25.600 I love this, by the way. 00:13:26.080 --> 00:13:33.679 Um when the gospel writer John, after he just quoted the prophet Isaiah, he makes this note. 00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:39.200 He says this Isaiah saw Jesus' glory and spoke about him. 00:13:40.000 --> 00:13:44.399 Because some of you are listening to me going, Ryan, this is pretty good, but this doesn't feel Christmassy. 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:49.519 That baby born in a manger. 00:13:51.919 --> 00:13:54.639 Isaiah saw the pre-incarnate Christ. 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:58.639 Your Christmas will change, friends. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:13:59.440 Come on, come on. 00:13:59.600 --> 00:14:00.639 Will you come with me? 00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:03.360 Because this is so incredible. 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:11.440 That the high and exalted one stooped low in vulnerability and humility and became one of us. 00:14:12.399 --> 00:14:20.080 I mean, just think about that the king of all kings allowed himself to be crucified by his own people. 00:14:22.080 --> 00:14:24.159 See, we have this problem. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:29.120 I just think today that we've become too casual with Jesus. 00:14:30.879 --> 00:14:33.759 I call it um, you know, what is it? 00:14:34.240 --> 00:14:35.840 Buddy theology. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:38.000 Jesus is my buddy. 00:14:38.799 --> 00:14:40.720 Uh there used to be a t-shirt back in the day. 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:44.480 I don't know if it's still around anymore, but it'd say Jesus is my homeboy. 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:45.679 Right? 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:52.000 And there's something incredibly, amazingly true that Jesus is our sacred friend. 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.440 Jesus said, I call you friend. 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:58.320 And we should be in all of that. 00:15:01.200 --> 00:15:08.240 But we just relegate him to, he's my buddy, he's my homeboy, he's here to assist me, he's here to make my life better. 00:15:08.399 --> 00:15:12.960 And you know, I just kind of do whatever I want, and it's nice that he's around and whatever. 00:15:13.279 --> 00:15:33.519 No, the one high and exalted, seated on the throne, came and died for you and me, and rose again and exist in glory, and he's seated at the right hand of the throne of the Father, and he welcomes you into his presence, and he says, approach the throne of grace with confidence because of what I did for you. 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:39.279 Look up. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:42.159 How do we enter the presence of the King? 00:15:42.320 --> 00:15:43.919 How do we encounter God his way? 00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:50.000 Look up, refocus your heart on him, and the holiness of God does something, friends. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:52.559 Then we look in. 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:56.000 Release anything that's keeping you from God. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:15:57.679 Look in. 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.080 Notice Isaiah's response. 00:16:00.320 --> 00:16:07.679 Woe is me, I cried, for I'm a man of unclean lips, and I come from a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King Almighty. 00:16:07.840 --> 00:16:08.639 Here's the problem. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:11.200 We keep asking God to adjust to us. 00:16:11.360 --> 00:16:14.240 When you enter the presence of God, you adjust to him. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:25.519 God, you are holy and you are mighty, and it actually exposes and reveals our unhealth, our brokenness. 00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:32.320 Um, many years ago, uh my youngest Miles, he was about eight. 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:34.399 It was the first day of summer. 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:36.720 You ever have one of those magical days? 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:38.240 This was magical. 00:16:38.639 --> 00:16:42.960 Me and the kids were riding bikes, we're in the park, there's a hill, we're bombing the hill together. 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:44.080 It's everything. 00:16:44.240 --> 00:16:48.240 The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, there's joy in our hearts. 00:16:48.320 --> 00:16:49.600 It's wonderful. 00:16:49.840 --> 00:16:54.159 And as we're just finishing, Miles asks, Dad, can I go one more time? 00:16:54.399 --> 00:16:56.240 I'm like, absolutely. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:03.200 And as he goes, there's some teenagers that were starting to bomb the hill on the other side, but they're in the tree line, we couldn't see them. 00:17:03.360 --> 00:17:07.599 And they one goes at the same time, and Miles is already flying down. 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.960 And I like watching a train wreck about to happen. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:11.519 I'm not sure. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:12.400 Do I just yell? 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:18.400 Like, Miles, I'm afraid he's gonna, like, whoa, you know, I'm praying he sees some brakes, just miss. 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:24.960 He just barely clips the back tire, he flips twice in the air, and then he lands, boom, and he's just motionless. 00:17:25.200 --> 00:17:31.039 Sprint down to him, then he goes, comes up, and he's just crying, and he's like, we okay, we get him. 00:17:31.119 --> 00:17:34.319 You can tell, like, I think he broke his collarbone. 00:17:35.279 --> 00:17:36.880 Take him to the ER. 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:44.559 We're standing in line, and um, there's this guy in front of us, and um we're talking as we're waiting, he's like, Yeah, I think he broke his collarbone. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:46.240 He's like, Oh, I was a coach, let me talk. 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.279 Well, he does a couple things, he's like, Oh, he's fine. 00:17:52.000 --> 00:17:53.200 Were you there? 00:17:54.319 --> 00:17:56.640 Did you see what happened? 00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:00.160 Where are you a doctor? 00:18:01.279 --> 00:18:02.319 He's fine. 00:18:02.559 --> 00:18:03.920 We go and take an x-ray. 00:18:04.000 --> 00:18:05.839 This is what his clavicle looked like. 00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.160 Yeah, snapped in two. 00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:10.480 Snapped in two. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:12.640 He's fine. 00:18:13.039 --> 00:18:14.240 He's fine. 00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:17.279 See, the problem we have, come on, come on, come on. 00:18:17.440 --> 00:18:41.039 The problem we have is we're listening to people who don't really know what they're talking about, saying we're fine, and we're taking their word for it, taking their understanding of it, instead of going to the great physician, allowing his holiness to x-rate our lives, our souls, not because he wants to put you down, not because he wants to make you feel bad, to bring healing to your life. 00:18:42.319 --> 00:18:43.920 He wants to bring healing. 00:18:44.079 --> 00:18:57.599 He doesn't want you to live broken, he wants to heal that which is broken, and until you bring your brokenness into the holiness of God and allow him to mend it, you will walk in pain and destruction. 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:01.200 And we do it all the time, and we just listen to people. 00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.599 Oh, you're fine, it's no big deal. 00:19:04.319 --> 00:19:08.799 God loves you too much to say you're fine. 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:11.279 Look in. 00:19:12.079 --> 00:19:15.839 Release anything keeping you from Him. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:17.599 Confession. 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:26.160 Confession is the pathway upon which we experience the grace of God in our lives. 00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:27.839 A.W. 00:19:28.079 --> 00:19:29.279 Tozer has this quote. 00:19:29.359 --> 00:19:30.319 He says, This. 00:19:31.279 --> 00:19:44.000 He says, until we see ourselves as God sees us, we are not likely to be much disturbed over the conditions around us, as long as they don't get so far out of hand as to threaten our comfortable way of life. 00:19:44.240 --> 00:19:51.039 We've lived to learn with unholiness and have come to look upon it as a natural and expected thing. 00:19:51.680 --> 00:19:54.880 Confession means to own up to a condition of the soul. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:57.039 Literally simply means to agree with. 00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:58.079 I agree with. 00:19:58.319 --> 00:20:01.759 God, I agree with what the x-ray shows. 00:20:02.400 --> 00:20:03.920 Means to own your junk. 00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:06.640 It means to own I had a bad attitude. 00:20:07.839 --> 00:20:14.240 Own your jealousy, your bitterness, resentment to come clean, that the lust has consumed your thoughts and action. 00:20:15.279 --> 00:20:26.240 1 John 1 9 says, if we confess our sins, he's faithful and just and forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness. 00:20:26.319 --> 00:20:31.200 His faithfulness, his justice that does the work, we simply go, God, this is where I'm at. 00:20:31.759 --> 00:20:41.519 This last week, there were two people that came to mind that I realized I have unforgiveness in my heart. 00:20:42.480 --> 00:20:46.640 And I had forgiven them prior, but I took it back. 00:20:47.839 --> 00:20:50.640 You know, and here's the reason I know I took it back. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:55.359 Because when they came up into my mind, I had ill will towards them. 00:20:55.920 --> 00:20:59.279 Forgiveness means letting go or releasing my right for revenge. 00:20:59.359 --> 00:21:02.079 I know I've fully forgiven when I can wish them well. 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:04.160 Well, I couldn't wish them well. 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:10.319 And for unforgiveness is the first step in bitterness. 00:21:12.160 --> 00:21:17.680 And so I had to go back and me and my morning journal and just confess. 00:21:21.359 --> 00:21:22.400 What about you? 00:21:22.799 --> 00:21:28.880 Look up, see God for who he is, look in, and begin to get a picture for who we really are. 00:21:29.680 --> 00:21:36.240 And friends, I just gotta tell you, so many of us carry stuff that Jesus died for, and he says, just leave it at the cross. 00:21:38.160 --> 00:21:38.880 Confess it. 00:21:39.039 --> 00:21:41.519 It's for your healing and wholeness. 00:21:41.920 --> 00:21:46.960 And here's the beautiful part of the gospel and what we miss in encountering God. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:50.880 Look up, look in, and then look out. 00:21:52.240 --> 00:21:53.039 Look out. 00:21:53.839 --> 00:21:56.079 Respond to God's call on your life. 00:21:56.240 --> 00:22:01.519 Notice what God said Who shall I send and who Will go for us. 00:22:01.920 --> 00:22:06.000 And then Isaiah says, Here am I, send me. 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:11.039 Now, the picture that comes to mind, and you can judge me, it's fine. 00:22:11.359 --> 00:22:15.200 The picture that comes to mind, if you guys ever see Shrek, remember that old movie? 00:22:15.440 --> 00:22:21.039 Remember when Shrek's trying to find his, you know, somebody to go with him to Lord Farquah on this whole journey? 00:22:21.200 --> 00:22:24.880 And then Donkey's like, oh, ooh, ooh, pick me, pick me. 00:22:25.119 --> 00:22:26.240 Like this is my picture. 00:22:26.319 --> 00:22:27.839 I know, I'm silly, I get it. 00:22:28.000 --> 00:22:30.000 But like this is my picture of what happened. 00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:32.559 Isaiah walks in, he encounters God. 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:34.799 He says, Woe is me, I'm as good as death. 00:22:34.960 --> 00:22:37.200 He experienced the cleansing and the healing of God. 00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:39.680 And all of a sudden, God says, Whom shall I send? 00:22:39.839 --> 00:22:41.759 And he's like, Would you use me? 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:44.000 Would you use me? 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:47.839 Like I felt so unworthy, and then you just healed me. 00:22:48.160 --> 00:22:49.359 Could you possibly use me? 00:22:49.519 --> 00:22:50.480 Here I am. 00:22:50.799 --> 00:22:51.839 Here I am. 00:22:52.240 --> 00:22:53.039 Here I am. 00:22:53.279 --> 00:22:54.079 Send me. 00:22:56.559 --> 00:23:01.680 See, our worship can never be disconnected from our calling. 00:23:02.000 --> 00:23:06.319 When you get a glimpse of heaven, God will give you a vision for earth. 00:23:06.640 --> 00:23:09.440 You begin to see the world the way God sees it. 00:23:09.759 --> 00:23:13.359 Our hearts begin to break for what breaks God's heart. 00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:20.160 A true encounter with God means responding to the call of God in your life. 00:23:20.640 --> 00:23:25.759 A few years ago, we were on vacation, it was in Santa Barbara, walking up State Street. 00:23:27.440 --> 00:23:31.119 People went dressed all nice, shopping. 00:23:32.799 --> 00:23:37.599 And there's this dude sprawled out in the middle of the sidewalk. 00:23:38.319 --> 00:23:41.680 His wheelchair is about five feet away. 00:23:42.799 --> 00:23:45.599 You look a little bit closer, you realize he's missing a leg. 00:23:45.839 --> 00:23:50.400 His pants are pulled down, exposing a very used diaper. 00:23:51.279 --> 00:23:52.559 He lays motionless. 00:23:52.799 --> 00:23:55.440 You get a little closer, the stench just hits you. 00:23:57.039 --> 00:24:02.880 People on their vacation, going about their days, shopping in all these very nice shops. 00:24:03.200 --> 00:24:11.279 They're walking around, and some, I kid you not, stepping over him like he's a piece of trash. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:18.720 Me and one of my kids were just sitting there staring, going like, we can't walk by, we can't just ignore this. 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:20.240 Is an image bearer. 00:24:20.480 --> 00:24:28.559 This is one who's made in the very image of God, who has intrinsic value and worth, and lying helpless on the ground. 00:24:28.799 --> 00:24:31.039 How could we ever walk by? 00:24:31.279 --> 00:24:33.599 And sure, it feels uncomfortable. 00:24:34.559 --> 00:24:36.799 And sure it feels messy. 00:24:38.319 --> 00:24:41.839 And yeah, it means getting your hands dirty. 00:24:44.480 --> 00:24:48.400 My fear was like, I'm afraid that so many people weren't uncomfortable. 00:24:48.559 --> 00:24:50.000 Maybe we just don't care. 00:24:52.960 --> 00:25:01.200 See, there's a problem with our worship when we can come and we can worship God, and then we pass by people all the time and don't care about them. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:04.480 That's not worship. 00:25:05.920 --> 00:25:07.599 That's incomplete. 00:25:08.880 --> 00:25:15.359 Jesus says, love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and then love your neighbor as yourself. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:18.799 If we cut off the second half, we cut it all off. 00:25:22.160 --> 00:25:30.079 Look out and respond to the call of God on your life. 00:25:31.519 --> 00:25:37.359 Every encounter with God is an invitation into the gritty work of God here on earth. 00:25:40.319 --> 00:25:41.359 It is simple. 00:25:41.440 --> 00:25:48.000 It could be just loving your neighbor, taking a coworker out for coffee or lunch. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:50.000 I mean, we have these invitations. 00:25:51.599 --> 00:26:00.480 I can't tell you how many stories in this room somebody at work invited me to Christmas Eve or to Easter Sunday. 00:26:00.640 --> 00:26:10.559 I showed up, I didn't have anything to do, I was really skeptical, but I came and then I came back again and I kept going and I gave my life to Christ. 00:26:10.880 --> 00:26:18.319 Eternity hangs in the balance of a simple invitation, and we pass by afraid of what people would think of us. 00:26:21.119 --> 00:26:23.279 Would you respond to the call of God? 00:26:23.440 --> 00:26:27.440 Would you love the people God places along your path? 00:26:28.880 --> 00:26:30.640 How do we encounter God his way? 00:26:30.799 --> 00:26:31.440 Look up. 00:26:31.839 --> 00:26:34.640 Refocus our heart on who God is. 00:26:35.279 --> 00:26:41.279 We look in, releasing anything that's in us, keeping us from him. 00:26:42.880 --> 00:26:49.519 And then we look out, amazed that we're invited in to what God is doing. 00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:53.920 I'm going to invite Robbie and Ashley up to lead us. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:57.759 I just want to give us a moment to do just that. 00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:00.880 Would you just take a breath? 00:27:01.759 --> 00:27:03.440 Settle your souls. 00:27:07.759 --> 00:27:10.400 If you're comfortable, you can even close your eyes. 00:27:10.720 --> 00:27:12.559 No pressure, you don't need to. 00:27:13.200 --> 00:27:17.759 But would you look up and begin to focus on God that He is high and exalted? 00:27:18.000 --> 00:27:19.759 That He is all sovereign. 00:27:20.079 --> 00:27:21.680 He's all powerful. 00:27:22.160 --> 00:27:23.279 He's all wise. 00:27:23.359 --> 00:27:24.079 He's all good. 00:27:24.240 --> 00:27:25.519 He's all loving. 00:27:27.759 --> 00:27:31.759 With a word, He spoke the universe into existence. 00:27:38.480 --> 00:27:43.039 He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, and He loves you. 00:27:43.680 --> 00:27:45.119 He's come for you. 00:27:46.400 --> 00:27:47.599 Would you look up? 00:27:53.519 --> 00:27:55.119 And then would you look in? 00:27:59.680 --> 00:28:01.920 Release anything that's keeping you from Him. 00:28:02.079 --> 00:28:03.759 Last week I gave you a prayer. 00:28:04.240 --> 00:28:09.279 Holy Spirit, would you show me anything in me that's not of you? 00:28:10.400 --> 00:28:11.359 He'll do it. 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:13.039 Maybe it's a thought. 00:28:13.680 --> 00:28:15.920 Maybe it's some words that you said. 00:28:18.079 --> 00:28:20.799 Something you've taken into your mind. 00:28:28.799 --> 00:28:29.759 Search me. 00:28:30.160 --> 00:28:32.319 And he confessed, God, I'm sorry. 00:28:36.880 --> 00:28:38.319 Would you cleanse me? 00:28:40.720 --> 00:28:42.640 Thank you for your forgiveness. 00:28:45.759 --> 00:28:47.039 And then look out. 00:28:48.480 --> 00:28:50.160 God has a call on your life. 00:28:50.319 --> 00:28:51.680 Would you say, Here am I? 00:28:52.640 --> 00:28:54.480 This week, God, I'm here. 00:28:56.079 --> 00:28:57.279 Here am I. 00:28:58.559 --> 00:29:00.960 It's a prayer we've prayed often as a church. 00:29:01.119 --> 00:29:08.319 Heavenly Father, would you give me an opportunity to share with someone in some way about you today? 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:11.680 Would you just give me an opportunity to share with someone in some way? 00:29:11.759 --> 00:29:13.759 I don't know what it'll look like about you today. 00:29:13.920 --> 00:29:18.079 May I have eyes to see the way you see people? 00:29:18.480 --> 00:29:26.000 And would my heart break the way your heart breaks for the people around me. 00:29:27.519 --> 00:29:29.759 We hope you are blessed by this message. 00:29:29.920 --> 00:29:34.400 Please subscribe to our podcast for access to every episode as they're uploaded. 00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:36.640 And hey, we'd love to connect with you. 00:29:36.799 --> 00:29:42.720 Take a next step by filling out our virtual connection card at awakeningchurch.com slash card.