WEBVTT 00:00:02.560 --> 00:00:05.280 Thank you for joining us on the CCW podcast. 00:00:05.360 --> 00:00:11.039 Make sure you connect with us on social media to stay up to date on ministries and events happening at CCW. 00:00:11.279 --> 00:00:14.960 We hope you're encouraged, inspired, and motivated by today's message. 00:00:15.199 --> 00:00:19.120 To find out how to connect with us, keep listening after the message ends. 00:00:21.600 --> 00:00:23.280 Good morning, CCW. 00:00:25.440 --> 00:00:29.359 I did not expect this crowd today. 00:00:29.760 --> 00:00:31.519 Thank you guys so much for being here. 00:00:31.600 --> 00:00:32.320 Just look around. 00:00:32.399 --> 00:00:35.359 This place is a lot fuller than I thought it was going to be on New Year's Eve. 00:00:35.520 --> 00:00:38.479 It's an honor to get to preach for you all today. 00:00:38.719 --> 00:00:41.920 New Year's Eve is one of my favorite days of the year. 00:00:42.399 --> 00:00:46.799 Maybe not for the reasons that it was when I was 20 or 21 years old. 00:00:47.119 --> 00:00:50.640 But New Year's Eve is still one of my favorite days of the year. 00:00:50.719 --> 00:00:56.320 And but what I found is that New Year is going to come whether I'm awake for it or not. 00:00:56.560 --> 00:00:59.039 Now, I do the ball in New York. 00:00:59.119 --> 00:01:02.079 I can usually stay up for that, but I'm getting older. 00:01:02.240 --> 00:01:12.480 I go to bed a little earlier, and I've been working with the family to see if maybe in a couple of years we can celebrate New Year's Eve London style at 6 o'clock. 00:01:12.719 --> 00:01:14.799 And then have a nice dinner and go to bed. 00:01:14.959 --> 00:01:18.640 Now we're not sold on that yet, and the Packers do play tonight at 7.20. 00:01:18.719 --> 00:01:20.480 So I will be up late this evening. 00:01:20.640 --> 00:01:22.400 And I do love New Year's. 00:01:22.560 --> 00:01:23.760 I'm a school guy. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:25.359 I always like school. 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:29.200 I love the beginning of a new term and the end of an old term. 00:01:29.359 --> 00:01:36.000 I like a fresh new notebook, a clean slate, sharp pencils, and new things to chase and explore. 00:01:36.239 --> 00:01:42.799 And New Year's Eve is kind of my fresh start as an adult where I get to go and chase something new. 00:01:43.120 --> 00:01:46.319 Next week, Pastor Rick is going to bring the vision. 00:01:46.480 --> 00:01:48.000 It's Vision Sunday. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:01:51.200 Does anybody remember the vision from 2023? 00:01:52.000 --> 00:01:54.400 I heard somebody say burn the boats. 00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:58.079 Last January, the first Sunday, Pastor Rick said, burn the boats. 00:01:58.159 --> 00:02:01.840 He told a story about Cortez, I think is the name of the fellow. 00:02:02.000 --> 00:02:04.000 They went exploring, they burned all the boats. 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:05.359 There was no turning back. 00:02:05.599 --> 00:02:07.760 I took that vision very seriously. 00:02:07.920 --> 00:02:10.719 What I did, I found a book called Burn the Boats. 00:02:10.800 --> 00:02:15.039 And I said, well, if my preacher's gonna preach burn the boats, I'm gonna read a book called Burn the Boats. 00:02:15.199 --> 00:02:20.800 And in that book, I found this quote that I want you just to hold on to that'll come back in a little bit. 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.520 The quote is inaction costs you far more than failure. 00:02:25.680 --> 00:02:26.560 I'll say that again. 00:02:26.800 --> 00:02:30.159 Inaction costs you far more than failure. 00:02:30.639 --> 00:02:36.639 Before Vision Sunday, I kind of want to take a few minutes today and have focus Sunday. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:44.479 Because what I believe about a vision is no matter what the vision is, you won't see it if you're all out of focus. 00:02:44.719 --> 00:02:50.639 For example, I think Pastor Rick is going to give a vision and it's going to be very clear. 00:02:50.800 --> 00:02:52.560 Something maybe like this. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:03:03.120 And you're going to see the vision clearly, and you're going to understand it, and you're going to leave church inspired, uplifted, and ready to go. 00:03:03.360 --> 00:03:11.599 But in about three days after next Sunday, boom, your world's going to explode, and you don't know where the vision is anymore. 00:03:11.759 --> 00:03:14.639 And the challenge just becomes in finding the vision. 00:03:14.800 --> 00:03:16.479 Can I remember what it looks like? 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:17.759 Can I see it anymore? 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:31.840 And if you're so focused in the thousands of things that are going to happen in your life that you can't even find the vision, you're not going to have a chance to fully explore and appreciate that vision and let the vision resonate with you and be meaningful in your life. 00:03:32.080 --> 00:03:38.800 So before we have vision Sunday, I want to take a minute today and have focus Sunday. 00:03:39.360 --> 00:03:42.560 And before we do, I want to pray. 00:03:42.719 --> 00:03:43.759 It's a little different. 00:03:43.919 --> 00:03:45.919 We don't have a turn in your Bible just yet. 00:03:46.000 --> 00:03:46.719 We'll get there. 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:50.159 But I want to talk about some things, but I do want to make sure that I pray before we do that. 00:03:50.319 --> 00:03:56.639 Heavenly Father, thank you for the opportunity to stand here in your house and preach your word to your people. 00:03:56.719 --> 00:04:01.120 And God, I pray that no one hears my voice, but they hear a word from you today. 00:04:01.439 --> 00:04:05.039 My voice changes nothing, but your word can change everything, God. 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.280 So I just ask that you will prepare us all for the word that you will send us. 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:14.400 And let us just anticipate your voice today in Jesus' name. 00:04:14.800 --> 00:04:25.199 Focus means this: concentrating your interest on something, or concentrating activity on something, or giving a clear visual definition. 00:04:25.519 --> 00:04:28.800 You have to be in focus if you're going to see the vision. 00:04:28.879 --> 00:04:36.639 And for 2024, what I want to challenge everyone to focus on is the word of the Lord. 00:04:37.199 --> 00:04:41.040 Everything begins with the word of the Lord. 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:46.959 Next week, Pastor Rick's going to preach about guys up on a mountain, got a word from the Lord. 00:04:47.120 --> 00:04:50.879 The next week, he's going to talk about a man who got a word from the Lord. 00:04:51.120 --> 00:04:57.439 In the word of the Lord, the Bible, Genesis 1:3 starts with the word of the Lord. 00:04:57.759 --> 00:05:00.399 So the word of the Lord starts with the word of the Lord. 00:05:00.480 --> 00:05:02.240 God said, Let there be light, and there was light. 00:05:02.319 --> 00:05:11.600 If you go all the way to Revelation chapter 22, the very end of the word of the Lord, he who testifies to these things says, Surely I am coming quickly. 00:05:11.839 --> 00:05:17.199 The word of the Lord starts and ends with a word from the Lord. 00:05:17.519 --> 00:05:29.519 The interesting thing about the Bible is that in the Bible, it promises us that if we will focus on the word of the Lord, the word of the Lord will help us focus. 00:05:29.839 --> 00:05:39.680 Psalm 119-105, that old vacation Bible school verse, says, Lord, your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:44.560 So when we focus on the word, the word provides light so that we can focus. 00:05:45.040 --> 00:05:52.160 Another verse not too far away, Psalm 119-130, says, The entrance of your word gives light, Lord. 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:54.959 It gives understanding to the simple. 00:05:55.199 --> 00:06:04.639 So as we stand here and sit here on the last day of 2023, before the vision comes, I want to challenge everyone to focus on the word of God. 00:06:04.879 --> 00:06:06.639 Keep it in the forefront. 00:06:06.879 --> 00:06:11.519 Now how you choose to focus on the word of God is up to you. 00:06:12.079 --> 00:06:16.720 But before we talk too much about that, I'd like to read you this. 00:06:17.439 --> 00:06:21.279 It says, David WBS. 00:06:22.160 --> 00:06:24.000 If you know, you know. 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:28.800 And as I open this up, I see David. 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:31.519 Hey, watch you up to. 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:35.199 Not much here, but thinking of one certain person. 00:06:35.519 --> 00:06:37.199 Parentheses hint hint. 00:06:37.519 --> 00:06:39.600 Parentheses exclamation point. 00:06:40.000 --> 00:06:41.839 I'm really glad you wrote me back. 00:06:42.160 --> 00:06:43.360 Exclamation point. 00:06:43.600 --> 00:06:45.519 But there was only one thing. 00:06:45.759 --> 00:06:48.480 It still didn't tell me whether or not. 00:06:50.240 --> 00:06:54.399 Now I'm sure some of you may want to hear what the rest of that says. 00:06:55.839 --> 00:06:57.680 And believe me, I know. 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:20.000 Because that document, along with several other papers exchanged in the winter of 1992, formed the basis of a passionate romance that involved several hugs and culminated with a hand-holding session, fingers interlocked, one cold January night at Catherwood Baptist Church. 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:26.560 And you better believe that I read every word of that letter and all the other letters. 00:07:26.879 --> 00:07:28.959 And you better believe that I explored. 00:07:29.120 --> 00:07:31.360 Did she put a heart over the eye in my name? 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:34.000 How many exclamation points are there? 00:07:34.240 --> 00:07:37.120 Did she write love or did she write like? 00:07:37.839 --> 00:07:44.800 I took that letter and I read it and I read it and I read it and I digested the whole thing. 00:07:45.120 --> 00:07:50.240 If Amanda writes me a love letter and I don't read it, it's gonna be bad. 00:07:50.480 --> 00:07:56.240 And if I write Amanda a love letter and she doesn't read it, it's probably gonna be worse. 00:07:56.959 --> 00:08:02.000 We read the letters that people write us, especially when they're about love. 00:08:02.319 --> 00:08:05.680 It's just kind of rude and inconsiderate not to read a love letter. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:09.439 And you don't know the full story of the love if you don't read the whole letter. 00:08:09.680 --> 00:08:12.240 I was out with the family a couple of years ago. 00:08:12.399 --> 00:08:14.160 I know the day was June 24th. 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:16.480 It's the night before Ella's birthday. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:22.000 We were having dinner, and I said, Ella, what are you most looking forward to about your birthday tomorrow? 00:08:22.240 --> 00:08:27.040 And she tells me this, she says, the letter that you write me every year. 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:31.759 Now, at this point, there was no letter. 00:08:34.559 --> 00:08:41.919 I think I had written her a letter the year before and maybe the year before that, but she was anticipating this letter. 00:08:42.080 --> 00:08:53.360 So the next morning I got my pen out and I wrote Ella a birthday letter, and I slid it under her door, and she took just a little bit longer coming out of her room that day. 00:08:53.440 --> 00:09:00.480 And when she came out, she was glowing just a little bit more than normal because Ella loves a letter from her father. 00:09:01.039 --> 00:09:10.159 Every once in a while I'll write Luke a letter, a note, love letter, I guess, and he posts them up on his wall for all the world to see. 00:09:10.720 --> 00:09:14.720 My children love a letter from their father. 00:09:14.960 --> 00:09:16.879 And I love that they do. 00:09:17.840 --> 00:09:27.679 And we have this book, and we stand up here and rightfully claim that this is God's love letter to us. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:30.720 Have you read the whole thing? 00:09:32.320 --> 00:09:40.720 Have you taken the time to digest each word and figure out why the comma's where it is and what this word means and what that word means? 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:45.360 Have you gone through it like it's a love letter from your father? 00:09:46.480 --> 00:09:55.519 So in 2024, my challenge to you on Focus Sunday is to focus on the whole word of God. 00:09:56.080 --> 00:10:01.120 I'm standing up here and telling you, I want you to read the whole Bible this year. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:13.679 And there's someone right now saying, even Leviticus and that old long psalm, and I don't even know like numbers, what does that even mean? 00:10:14.080 --> 00:10:18.000 Listen to me, inaction will cost you more than failure. 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:27.200 It's well said that you overestimate what you can do in a week, but you underestimate what you can do in a year. 00:10:27.679 --> 00:10:29.600 So let's break it down. 00:10:30.000 --> 00:10:34.559 To read the whole Bible in a year, your number is 3.25. 00:10:35.279 --> 00:10:49.039 There are 1,189 chapters in this love letter that God has sent to us, and there are 365 days in a year, and when you divide that out, you get 3.25 chapters a day. 00:10:49.360 --> 00:10:51.759 But I've got really good news for you. 00:10:52.320 --> 00:10:54.480 Tomorrow starts leap year. 00:10:54.799 --> 00:10:58.320 You get a whole extra day to work on this challenge. 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:03.120 It brings your number down just a little bit, but it does bring it down. 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:07.840 Somebody might be here saying, Well, I'm only gonna be doing it because of the challenge. 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:12.399 And to that, I say, okay, do it anyway. 00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:18.559 We can claim Isaiah 55, 10 and 11, right over that, if you believe you're only gonna do it for the challenge. 00:11:18.720 --> 00:11:39.759 And that says, For as the rain comes down and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth and bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word that goes forth from my mouth, it shall not return to me, boy, but shall accomplish what I please, and shall prosper in the thing that I sent it. 00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:42.480 Those are some of the blanks if you're filling in blanks. 00:11:42.559 --> 00:11:42.879 I don't know. 00:11:42.960 --> 00:11:44.320 I'm not really keeping up with that. 00:11:44.559 --> 00:11:48.080 But God's word will prosper in the thing that He sent it. 00:11:48.320 --> 00:12:03.919 Hebrews 4 12, the Bible tells us that the word of God is living and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of the soul and the spirit, the joints and the marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 00:12:04.240 --> 00:12:13.360 God knows your intentions when you're reading the Bible, whatever they may be, and he still promises that his word is going to accomplish what he intends for it to accomplish. 00:12:14.080 --> 00:12:21.759 You guys know the name Lee Strobel, an atheist journalist, I think from Chicago, who set out to disprove Christianity. 00:12:22.000 --> 00:12:26.240 Started by reading the Bible, now he's a pastor in Texas. 00:12:27.120 --> 00:12:29.840 Case for Christ, if you want to explore that a little bit more. 00:12:29.919 --> 00:12:31.840 It was got real popular a few years ago. 00:12:32.080 --> 00:12:37.919 Another guy, Frank Morrison, he was an English lawyer and journalist in the early 1900s. 00:12:38.080 --> 00:12:43.200 The way I understand it, he set out to write an article to disprove the resurrection. 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:46.399 And during his research, he became a believer. 00:12:46.559 --> 00:12:51.039 And so he wrote an article instead called Who Moved the Stone? 00:12:51.600 --> 00:12:56.080 It's amazing what happens if you read the word of the Lord. 00:12:56.320 --> 00:13:01.440 For whatever reason it may be, read the love letter that God has sent to you. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:07.840 I gotta stand here and tell you that I'm not the first one in my family to read the Bible. 00:13:08.399 --> 00:13:11.440 Amanda started doing it in 2012. 00:13:12.080 --> 00:13:15.840 Started at the beginning, sat there, thought she was crazy. 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.120 I was like, what are you doing? 00:13:17.279 --> 00:13:18.799 She said, I'm reading the whole Bible. 00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:20.480 I said, even Leviticus. 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:22.320 She said, Absolutely. 00:13:22.559 --> 00:13:26.799 She picked up a copy of Radical by David Platt somewhere along the way. 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:32.559 And yada yada yada, 11 years later, you've got a trial lawyer giving your New Year's Eve summon. 00:13:33.759 --> 00:13:35.600 Now I've since read the book. 00:13:35.759 --> 00:13:46.480 I started in 2022 with the goal to read the first five chapters of the Old Testament, the law, and the first four chapters of the New Testament, the Gospels. 00:13:46.639 --> 00:13:50.639 I said, if I can just get through these nine chapters, I will really have accomplished something. 00:13:50.799 --> 00:13:56.879 And along about March, when I finished up with that, I said, man, maybe I could read the whole Bible. 00:13:57.200 --> 00:13:58.159 And I did. 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:07.919 I got about halfway through it by the end of 22, and I got most of the way through it by the summer of this year, and I read Revelation finishing just a couple of weeks ago. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:12.480 So I can tell you that I'm not preaching something I haven't done. 00:14:12.799 --> 00:14:17.360 It took me longer than a year, but I did. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:19.120 And thank you, Lord, that I did. 00:14:19.279 --> 00:14:21.600 I've read the whole letter that God sent me. 00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:23.840 What's going to happen if you take this challenge? 00:14:23.919 --> 00:14:33.360 You're going to start really strong, and you're probably going to blaze through Genesis, get through most of Exodus, and then you're going to get to the instructions for the temple. 00:14:34.159 --> 00:14:36.240 And you're going to miss a couple of days. 00:14:36.399 --> 00:14:47.279 And you're going to wake up one Saturday morning and you're going to say, man, 3.25 times 4, I need to read 13 chapters on animal sacrifice before my kids' baseball game this morning. 00:14:48.399 --> 00:14:53.200 And my advice to you if you find yourself in that situation is simply don't. 00:14:53.519 --> 00:14:55.360 Don't try to overdo it. 00:14:55.679 --> 00:14:57.279 Just keep the course. 00:14:57.440 --> 00:14:58.720 Stick to the number. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:00.080 Move forward. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:01.360 Don't quit. 00:15:01.519 --> 00:15:05.679 Because if you have to read 10 chapters of Chronicles, no. 00:15:06.720 --> 00:15:07.919 Slow and steady. 00:15:08.000 --> 00:15:12.480 It took me two years with lots of breaks, and I work at a church. 00:15:13.919 --> 00:15:18.879 But I do want you to focus on the word of the Lord, the whole word of the Lord. 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:23.200 I want you to read the love letter that God has written to you. 00:15:23.519 --> 00:15:28.159 Start today or tomorrow with a fresh slate and a brand new notebook. 00:15:28.399 --> 00:15:31.919 Things that helped me, you might keep a list. 00:15:32.080 --> 00:15:36.799 And every time you write, every time you finish a book, put the word in the list. 00:15:36.960 --> 00:15:41.840 And it became a joy to me to get to write that word in the list, to know that I was making progress. 00:15:42.000 --> 00:15:46.879 Another thing you might do, you might write out one thing every day that God tells you. 00:15:46.960 --> 00:15:49.840 Not a big long thing, two or three lines. 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:50.960 Keep a book. 00:15:51.200 --> 00:15:54.799 366 messages from God in 2024. 00:15:55.039 --> 00:15:57.440 That sounds like the title of a real book. 00:15:57.759 --> 00:16:00.639 366 messages from God in 2024. 00:16:00.720 --> 00:16:02.399 You know who's going to want to read that? 00:16:02.720 --> 00:16:03.840 Your kids. 00:16:04.399 --> 00:16:13.519 Maybe not right now, but if you pass away and they're digging through your stuff, they're going to say, wow, this is where mama read the Bible every day in 2024. 00:16:13.679 --> 00:16:18.159 This is all the things that God told dad when he read the Bible in 2024. 00:16:18.480 --> 00:16:20.399 Man, challenge you to do it. 00:16:20.559 --> 00:16:24.879 You might need to take a calendar and write a big cross every day that you read the Bible. 00:16:25.120 --> 00:16:28.639 Some of the kids from youth groups send out these little pictures of a Bible. 00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.559 It's called one of an emoji. 00:16:30.879 --> 00:16:33.519 And so they'll send that and then with a question mark. 00:16:33.600 --> 00:16:36.000 And then they have to respond with a check mark or something. 00:16:36.080 --> 00:16:36.960 I don't know how they do. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:38.639 It's accountability partners. 00:16:38.879 --> 00:16:41.440 It may sound a little bit juvenile, but you know what? 00:16:41.679 --> 00:16:44.240 It took me 45 years to do this. 00:16:44.720 --> 00:16:47.279 So maybe juvenile is just what I need. 00:16:49.120 --> 00:16:55.679 Point one that we are finished with is focus in 2024 on the word of the Lord. 00:16:55.919 --> 00:16:58.559 The love letter God has sent to us. 00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:04.640 And while you're focused on that, I want to challenge you to ask God to show you a verse. 00:17:04.960 --> 00:17:06.319 This isn't in your notes. 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:08.240 I should have put it there, but I forgot. 00:17:08.480 --> 00:17:09.039 Sorry. 00:17:09.359 --> 00:17:10.960 Ask God to show you a verse. 00:17:11.279 --> 00:17:16.559 Couple years ago, I stumbled across 1 Thessalonians chapter 4, verse 11. 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:19.519 It says, Aspire to lead a quiet life. 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:21.039 Mind your own business. 00:17:21.200 --> 00:17:22.559 Work with your hands. 00:17:22.799 --> 00:17:24.799 I said, that's going to be my verse for the year. 00:17:24.880 --> 00:17:26.319 I'm going to lead a quiet life. 00:17:26.559 --> 00:17:30.559 First thing I did was tap out of social media for the month of January. 00:17:30.799 --> 00:17:34.319 And then I found some work to do with my hands, renovating a house. 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:40.559 But then I was sitting in the office one day and I had my phone and the group chat started going off. 00:17:40.720 --> 00:17:43.039 Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding. 00:17:43.519 --> 00:17:46.160 And I said, this ain't a quiet life. 00:17:46.400 --> 00:17:49.440 So I silenced it and I didn't hear the dinging anymore. 00:17:49.599 --> 00:17:52.079 I heard bzzz, bzzz, zzzz. 00:17:52.480 --> 00:17:55.599 So I moved the phone across the room. 00:17:56.079 --> 00:17:58.240 And it still buzzed over there. 00:17:58.640 --> 00:18:00.319 And I said, I gotta fix this. 00:18:00.400 --> 00:18:08.720 So I went and got it, and it took just about an hour, but I figured out how to turn notifications off on my phone. 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:13.039 And I don't get any notification of a text, call, or email anymore. 00:18:13.200 --> 00:18:15.119 I don't get little bubbles on the messages. 00:18:15.200 --> 00:18:17.039 I have to actually go in there and see about it. 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:21.920 Now I keep and check up with that stuff, but it's made my life a whole lot quieter. 00:18:22.160 --> 00:18:24.640 It's slowed me down just a little bit. 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:29.839 And it's, you know, been interesting for Amanda. 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:35.279 She knows that if she wants to get a hold of me, she has to figure out who I'm with and call them. 00:18:37.839 --> 00:18:47.839 Last year, one year ago today, in my journal for 2023, I think I was thinking about burn the boats, and I was thinking about the light that that may cause. 00:18:47.920 --> 00:18:54.079 And I said in my journal, let your light so shine before men they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 00:18:54.240 --> 00:18:59.200 Interestingly, I got to say that on this stage last week, my verse for the year as we lit the candles. 00:18:59.279 --> 00:19:00.799 It was the last thing I said. 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:09.519 I didn't really have any particular acts that I was going to undertake in that, but I just wanted to work hard and let people see the Lord. 00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:12.960 We're not going to take a vote on how I did. 00:19:14.640 --> 00:19:17.119 But that was my thought for the year. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:21.279 In 2024, and this message is mostly for Dave Roper. 00:19:21.519 --> 00:19:25.200 I challenge you to find your own verse, and I challenge you to focus in on the word. 00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:34.480 And while you're focused in on the word, point two, I want you to ask God to show you his will in his word. 00:19:36.160 --> 00:19:37.599 The will of the Lord. 00:19:37.759 --> 00:19:43.200 If you focus on reading the word of the Lord, be on the lookout for God's will. 00:19:43.599 --> 00:19:48.160 I'm going to tell you, you can know the will of the Lord. 00:19:48.400 --> 00:19:52.559 I think there are a lot of people in the world who are looking for God's will. 00:19:52.799 --> 00:20:01.920 There are a lot of people who say, God, if you'll just give me a word, if you'll just show me what your will is, Lord, I promise I'll do it. 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:14.880 If you're looking for the will of the Lord or the word of the Lord, I got to tell you, you're going to hear it today because we have the word of the Lord, and in that word, God tells us his will. 00:20:14.960 --> 00:20:17.759 It's just like the love letter, you've got to read it. 00:20:18.160 --> 00:20:29.440 If I take the time to write you an instruction manual to give you directions on how to do things, and you come to me and say, Dave, could I get a word on what you want me to do here? 00:20:29.599 --> 00:20:31.039 Just tell me your will. 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:35.119 I'm going to be really interested in whether or not you read the book. 00:20:36.240 --> 00:20:41.839 God's will is in his word, and you can know the will of the Lord. 00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:48.079 Ephesians chapter 5, verse 17, and you can turn to Ephesians. 00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:53.599 We're going to be there for a minute, and then we're going to go over to 1 Thessalonians chapter 5. 00:20:53.920 --> 00:20:58.240 Ephesians chapter 5, verse 17, the Bible tells us this. 00:20:58.640 --> 00:21:06.720 Therefore, do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:21:07.440 --> 00:21:15.440 It makes zero sense for God to tell us to understand what his will is if we can't figure it out. 00:21:16.960 --> 00:21:21.279 And he tells us clearly, understand what the will of the Lord is. 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:29.279 And then you get into the really good stuff in Ephesians chapter 5, verses 18, the very next verse. 00:21:29.759 --> 00:21:50.640 Do not be drunk with wine which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, hymns, spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in fear of the Lord. 00:21:50.880 --> 00:21:52.480 Let me get this right. 00:21:52.960 --> 00:21:56.240 Don't be drunk with wine, be filled with the Spirit. 00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:59.759 Speak to people in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. 00:22:00.960 --> 00:22:06.799 Make melody in my heart, give thanks in everything, and submit to other people. 00:22:08.160 --> 00:22:10.319 Lord, could maybe I get another will. 00:22:11.279 --> 00:22:15.599 Because submitting to some of these folks, that's just not gonna happen. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:17.599 And I don't really even sing. 00:22:18.240 --> 00:22:21.519 And I don't know that many psalms to tell anybody. 00:22:22.480 --> 00:22:26.000 And God says, okay, Dave, you need something a little more clear. 00:22:26.640 --> 00:22:42.079 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 16 through 18, and the end of these verses unarguably says, This is the will of the Lord in Christ Jesus for you. 00:22:43.440 --> 00:22:47.119 If you want to know what the will of the Lord is, you're gonna leave here knowing it. 00:22:48.000 --> 00:22:52.480 The first thing is rejoice always. 00:22:53.839 --> 00:22:57.039 Then you can fill in your notes, pray without ceasing. 00:22:57.759 --> 00:23:01.200 And finally, in everything, give thanks. 00:23:01.680 --> 00:23:07.039 For this is the will of the Lord in Christ Jesus for you. 00:23:07.759 --> 00:23:12.960 I've started my journal for 24, and this is the first verse on the first line of everything. 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:15.279 So when I open it, I'm gonna see that. 00:23:15.440 --> 00:23:20.880 I'm committed to trying to do the will of the Lord that I know in this coming year. 00:23:20.960 --> 00:23:25.519 And let me tell you, I'm not all that excited about it. 00:23:26.319 --> 00:23:27.519 Just being honest. 00:23:27.680 --> 00:23:29.759 It's not going to be easy. 00:23:30.079 --> 00:23:31.119 Rejoice. 00:23:31.759 --> 00:23:38.160 That word means to be extraordinarily happy, to feel and show great joy. 00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.240 Like Buddy the Elf. 00:23:40.960 --> 00:23:44.319 He always rejoices, and it's kind of absurd. 00:23:44.640 --> 00:23:46.160 Some people want to hit him. 00:23:46.319 --> 00:23:48.559 Can you imagine me as Buddy the Elf? 00:23:49.519 --> 00:23:53.119 Can you imagine if we had a bunch of Buddy the Elves running around? 00:23:53.440 --> 00:23:56.000 Seriously, I'm just kind of even keel. 00:23:56.160 --> 00:23:58.400 I was telling some guys about this a few weeks ago. 00:23:58.559 --> 00:24:02.960 I just don't get real high, I don't get real low, I'm just kind of level. 00:24:03.039 --> 00:24:04.720 If a bad thing happens, it's gonna get better. 00:24:04.880 --> 00:24:06.559 If a good thing happens, it's gonna get worse. 00:24:06.640 --> 00:24:08.640 I just kind of go with it. 00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:12.480 And always rejoice. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:19.599 Like it happens with me to be extraordinarily happy, so rare that I can remember. 00:24:19.759 --> 00:24:24.799 Like last Sunday here, man alive, I rejoiced. 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:26.559 That was something to see, man. 00:24:26.640 --> 00:24:28.720 Thank you to everybody who had a part of that. 00:24:28.960 --> 00:24:35.839 Before that, December the 3rd, about 10:30, when the Packers beat the Chiefs. 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:38.960 And before that, extraordinarily happy. 00:24:39.039 --> 00:24:40.880 I've told Rick this, I've confessed it. 00:24:41.039 --> 00:24:41.680 I don't know. 00:24:41.759 --> 00:24:43.920 Like I feel it, but I don't show it. 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.359 It's just not who I am. 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:47.680 I keep my head down and go along. 00:24:47.920 --> 00:24:49.839 And that's when things are good. 00:24:50.880 --> 00:24:56.480 But to rejoice in the bad times, my car broke down, praise the Lord. 00:24:57.279 --> 00:24:58.799 Gotta go to the ER. 00:24:59.039 --> 00:25:00.079 Thank you, Jesus. 00:25:00.240 --> 00:25:03.119 I mean, it's hard. 00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:06.000 I know this. 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:10.559 If I'm gonna rejoice, I'm gonna have to smile more. 00:25:11.200 --> 00:25:13.200 Because I don't smile a whole lot. 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:16.799 But inaction will cost you far more than failure. 00:25:17.359 --> 00:25:20.160 And I practice smiling with my family. 00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:23.200 Sometimes in the morning. 00:25:24.799 --> 00:25:27.200 And they they beg me to quit. 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:30.559 They tell me that I'm real creepy. 00:25:31.759 --> 00:25:34.640 So I just don't know about all this rejoicing. 00:25:35.279 --> 00:25:39.279 But God says in his word that this is his will. 00:25:39.759 --> 00:25:45.759 So in a room full of accountability partners, in 2024, I'm gonna try. 00:25:46.240 --> 00:25:48.400 To rejoice always. 00:25:48.799 --> 00:25:50.160 Two little words. 00:25:50.319 --> 00:25:52.079 That's the will of the Lord. 00:25:52.400 --> 00:25:54.079 But oh, there's more. 00:25:55.200 --> 00:25:59.200 The next clause in this is pray without ceasing. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:03.359 Keep in mind, first we're told to rejoice always. 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:05.440 And now pray without ceasing. 00:26:05.519 --> 00:26:11.440 So if I put those together, it tells me I need to rejoice while I'm praying without ceasing. 00:26:11.839 --> 00:26:13.200 Sound daunting? 00:26:13.920 --> 00:26:14.880 I get it. 00:26:15.519 --> 00:26:23.119 The first step that we'll break this down into if you are going to pray without ceasing, you're going to have to pray sometimes. 00:26:24.160 --> 00:26:28.400 Step one to pray without ceasing is pray. 00:26:28.960 --> 00:26:35.759 Because what I understand about not ceasing something is that if you never start, you can't not cease. 00:26:36.240 --> 00:26:39.119 You just live in a state of ceasedness. 00:26:40.160 --> 00:26:45.119 So the first step of praying without ceasing is to pray sometimes. 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:54.720 And if we are to rejoice while we're praying, if you're like me, I'm going to have to tell God how great of a God He is and how much He loves us. 00:26:54.799 --> 00:27:00.799 And I'm going to have to thank God for sending Jesus to be on this earth for us and to pay the sacrifice for my sin that I couldn't pay. 00:27:00.880 --> 00:27:08.319 And I'm going to have to tell God how almighty and all-powerful and all-knowing and how pure and holy and how great he is. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:14.640 And I might have to tell him all that before I ask him to cure the cancer. 00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:21.519 And I might have to tell him how great he is before I ask him to be with the family who lost a loved one. 00:27:22.000 --> 00:27:29.839 Because if I just jump in asking God to fix all the problems that I see in this world, I won't be able to rejoice while I'm praying. 00:27:30.640 --> 00:27:36.319 There's a place in prayer to ask God to supply our needs and heal our sick, mend our wounds. 00:27:36.480 --> 00:27:42.079 The problem I think that I run into is that I don't hardly ever make a place for anything else. 00:27:44.319 --> 00:27:48.960 And that makes it really hard to rejoice while I'm praying. 00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:53.279 So pray sometimes, pray joyful prayers. 00:27:54.480 --> 00:28:01.839 And finally, to pray without ceasing, I think we're going to have to develop a new mentality about praying. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:05.200 Because you can only talk so much. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:10.240 Granted, there are some of us who talk a lot longer than others. 00:28:10.559 --> 00:28:14.240 But at some point, you just can't talk anymore. 00:28:14.480 --> 00:28:22.319 And I think if we're really going to pray without ceasing, we have to develop a mindset that I'm about to shut up and pray. 00:28:23.759 --> 00:28:26.240 That's a little bit of a different thought. 00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:29.599 But prayer is a conversation between me and God. 00:28:29.920 --> 00:28:42.000 Me and God, the Creator, who made everything, including me, who knows everything, and through whom everything consists and everything is held together, the all-powerful, almighty God who does as he pleases. 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:52.720 For centuries, men had to travel hundreds of miles sometimes with an unblemished sacrifice to a temple to go to see a priest, to gain access to the throne of God. 00:28:52.799 --> 00:29:02.720 But now through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through prayer, we have access to the infinite wisdom and knowledge and power and love and goodness of God. 00:29:03.759 --> 00:29:11.759 And when we pray, in those brief few moments, we never shut up. 00:29:13.759 --> 00:29:22.720 I don't do look at your neighbors, but if I did, we may have one, and I would tell you to look at your neighbor and tell them to shut up and pray. 00:29:23.599 --> 00:29:26.640 This year I'm going to try to shut up and pray. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:30.160 I'm going to try to listen a bunch to what God's telling me. 00:29:30.319 --> 00:29:33.039 And when I do pray, I'm going to try to pray rejoiceful. 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.480 That's not a word. 00:29:34.720 --> 00:29:36.559 Rejoicing prayers. 00:29:36.960 --> 00:29:48.079 I'm going to try to say things about God's love and grace and give gratitude and thank God for everything that He is and all that He's done. 00:29:48.400 --> 00:29:51.599 I'll ask for supplication and needs too. 00:29:52.400 --> 00:29:57.519 But I'm going to try hard to thank God and listen to what He has to tell me. 00:29:57.839 --> 00:30:02.000 And speaking of thanking God, that's next on the list. 00:30:04.319 --> 00:30:07.119 In everything, give thanks. 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:11.519 Thank you, Lord, for my bunion and bone spur. 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:15.200 Because I have a foot. 00:30:15.440 --> 00:30:20.480 There's people who are missing a foot who would love to have a foot to have a bunion and a bone spur on it. 00:30:20.720 --> 00:30:25.440 And to give thanks in everything, we got to start thinking like this. 00:30:26.160 --> 00:30:28.240 A spirit of thankfulness. 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.920 It may not be your foot. 00:30:30.079 --> 00:30:32.000 You might have a problem with your leg. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:35.839 Pastor Rick earlier this month walking around here on a cane. 00:30:36.400 --> 00:30:39.759 Some leg injury from his Thanksgiving tackle football game. 00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:43.519 He said it might have been from the yard pulling flowers or something, but I don't know. 00:30:43.599 --> 00:30:45.200 I think it was the tackle football. 00:30:45.359 --> 00:30:46.880 I think he's better, but you know what? 00:30:46.960 --> 00:30:49.359 I bet he was glad he had a leg that could hurt. 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:57.039 We had a girl this summer in the hospital, and I didn't understand all the words that she was telling us, but she's here today. 00:30:57.359 --> 00:30:59.759 And she had a scare about her leg. 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:01.759 And I went and prayed with her in August. 00:31:01.839 --> 00:31:03.119 And you know what we prayed for? 00:31:03.279 --> 00:31:05.279