Hunger Never Sleeps

[0:00] Praise the Lord. Houston, California. God is so good. You know, I was, as I was looking around, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, I was, you're all first generation.

[0:22] And that is, it's just awesome. It's, it's awesome. Come and it, and, and, and give yourselves a hand. And it's a, it's, you know, churches, churches grow.

[0:38] And then they, they, you know, they'll, they'll come, they'll go down a little bit, they'll grow. And a lot of times, oftentimes when you really look at the influx of people, unfortunately, sometimes just people that have been around, they just sometimes, you know, they just, not that, not, not that they are bad people.

[0:54] They just, you know, they, they go somewhere else or wherever they move. They move in from somewhere else. And, and, but thing here is you guys are starting something. A lot of you are starting something that you get to pass on to your children.

[1:08] You get to pass on to others around you that it's just, it's awesome. I was just, I was just thinking of that. And, and I just always love to be here. And sorry, my wife, she, yeah, she was getting a headache.

[1:20] And she got up and she was getting ready. And, you know, this weekend, this coming weekend is 23 years of marriage. And I looked at her and said, no, you don't feel good. Yeah, but I want to go.

[1:32] Well, yeah, you do, but you got to go to work tomorrow. So you need to rest. So I, I, she greets you in the name of Jesus. And she loves you guys. She, we pray for you guys often, daily.

[1:42] And we just love, we just love you guys. And, and if you turn to Matthew chapter five, I have a word here and, and, and God gave me this word several weeks ago.

[1:55] And I believe it was for this church. And I just want to say on a side note, how much I, I appreciate your pastor and his family. You know, your pastor and me are very good friends.

[2:06] I consider him one of my best friends. And, uh, we, uh, we have some very, uh, intense talks sometimes. And you know what? He loves every one of you. I just want to tell you that he never complains about any one of you.

[2:19] I just want to tell you, he doesn't complain about you guys. He may complain about other things, but he doesn't complain about his saints that God has given him. I just want you to know that. Okay.

[2:30] He loves you guys. He wants the best for you. He wants you guys to grow in, in Jesus. That's, that's, that's all he wants. So Matthew five and six, blessed are they, which do hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled.

[2:46] Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, God, we come before you today. God, knowing God, you are here. God anoint me. God, your word is already anointed. God anoint me Lord to convey what you've laid on my heart.

[2:57] God touch those God to respond. Lord to your word. God help us Lord today. God touch us in Jesus name. We pray. Amen. You may be seated.

[3:08] Title of my message is hunger. Never sleeps. Well, several weeks ago is I frequent the Modesto area. And, and, and as a lot of you may know, there's five points in Modesto.

[3:22] It's, it's where McHenry meets Needham, Jay, 17th and Downey. And on the corner there of Downey and McHenry, there's that iconic Denny's that I've never eaten a meal and never stepped foot through the door.

[3:36] And I know that it's probably been on there for who knows how long, but I just drive by there and I don't pay attention. Oftentimes we do that right in our, in our drives. I know if I was to ask you something, if I went to one of your works and, and I noticed something, you may see it or you may not have seen it because it's just something that you just pass by every day and it just becomes a norm.

[3:57] And, and on this day I was going, um, south on McHenry. I was getting ready to turn on J street like I frequently do. And I looked at the window and in the window it says, Denny's always open because hunger never sleeps.

[4:17] Hunger never sleeps. And on this 4th of July weekend known as Independence Day, a public holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the declaration of independence in 1776.

[4:32] It was a document declared the 13 American colonies free from British rule. It's a day of patriotism celebration and a day to remember our nation's birthday.

[4:44] But see freedom isn't free. And as I was saying earlier, there's, there's several of you that came out of the world and this is, this is a new journey in your life.

[4:56] And, and that freedom has not been free. That freedom of, of walking as a disciple of Jesus Christ has had some costs in your life. It, it has had some things that you've had to, uh, push forward and maybe look back and say, Hey, I love you.

[5:13] Or something that you had to lay down that something that bound you. And, and it's something that you consistently have to push forward because freedom isn't free.

[5:24] And, and I know, I know sometimes in life, it just seems like all chaos is, is, is, is coming upon you. There's just things that you just don't understand, but that hunger never sleeps.

[5:39] That hunger never sleeps. And see a human can potentially go three days without water. And three weeks without food, three weeks, man.

[5:53] Oh man. I don't, the, the, wow. Anyway, I'll, I'll, I'll skip by that. And, and it's been said that if you give a man a fish, you can feed him for a day.

[6:05] But if you teach a man to fish, he can eat for a lifetime. But see in the spiritual, if you pray with a person, you may help them through a situation.

[6:17] But if you teach that individual to pray, they'll fight a lifetime of situations with God on their side. We see because hunger never sleeps.

[6:28] See, it's either spirit or flesh. And it's what are you hungering for today? Hunger never sleeps. Just like these babies, just like little Miles right there.

[6:41] He, he, he, he can't live life on his own. And as we were praying and as we were, we were speaking, I know it's been said, but that, that, that relationship with God, treat it like a Miles.

[6:55] Treat it like that baby. That baby can't be left alone. Yeah, you say, well, well, God doesn't, doesn't need me. No, he does need you. He desires you. And is, is, is, is the gospel going to come forth if you decide to turn away?

[7:10] Well, yeah, it will. But he doesn't desire and he should perish, but all should come to repentance. And, and, and if you, I was thinking about it. I know, I know Taylor, she, she takes the brunt of it because she's mama.

[7:23] But if we would just, as, as a, as a, um, um, I'm trying to say here as a, as a, um, uh, I'm trying to say the, um, example.

[7:36] Well, my goodness, as an example, that Holy Ghost, that relationship with God, treat it like a Miles. Treat it like a baby. It has to be fed.

[7:47] It has to be nourished. It has to be clean. It has to be bathed. It has to be loved. And just like that baby loves you back, just like that baby smiles at you, just like that baby kisses you and slobbers all over you.

[8:01] The spirit of God does the same. It wants to hold you when you're down. It wants to, it wants to cheer you up when you're down. And when you're up, it still wants to be there with you in those good times.

[8:13] It wants to never leave you. He said he will never leave you. He will never forsake you, but see, what are you hungering for today? What, what are you desiring today in the kingdom?

[8:25] Are you, you desiring things of the kingdom? Are you constantly desiring things of this world? Because see, hunger never sleeps. And, and, and you, you will, once you have tasted and seen the goodness of God, you will never be happy.

[8:42] I'm just going to tell you right now. If you unfortunately make that decision and commit spiritual suicide in your life, you will never be the same. You will never be the same.

[8:53] Trust me. I've been there and came back. You will just be, it's a daily, just, it's an icky feeling. It's terrible. I could go into it, but I'm not going to go into it.

[9:06] I thank God that he brought me back. I thank God that he had mercy upon me. Because we got to understand. That hunger never sleeps.

[9:16] And, and there's a devourer out there. As of a roaring lion. Seeking. Seeking. Seeking. To trip you up. Seeking.

[9:27] To fill your mind with doubt. Seeking. Daily. To have you think, well, there's something better. No, there ain't nothing better than this. There is nothing better than this.

[9:39] I mean, we've had many conversations. And I'm not in his shoes. But you guys are a part of this. It's going to grow. Keep pushing.

[9:50] Keep moving. You're the OGs, man. You're going to be the man. Yeah, I was here in the beginning. And you're going to be able to smile. And you're going to be able to laugh. Because God is going to. He's.

[10:01] It's his will that this church grows. It's just his will. It's just the way it is. Galatians 5 and 17. The sinful. Sinful nature. Wants to do evil.

[10:12] Which is just opposite of which the spirit wants. And the spirit gives us desires. That are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly. Fighting each other.

[10:23] So you're not free to carry. Out your good intentions. It's a constant fight. It's a constant fight. James 1 says. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

[10:38] All his ways. You can't. You can't have two masters. You either love one or hate the other. You got to fully commit. And devote yourself to God. Because see. Hunger.

[10:49] Never sleeps. What. Are you hungry for? What are you hungry for? If we take a minute here. And we just stink.

[11:01] What was our past week? What was our thoughts? What are we desiring for? It's okay. It's okay to desire for a. For a. For a new home. Or. Or.

[11:11] A new job. But if it. If it consumes. And it over. Overtakes the. The mind of. Of. Of Christ. And it takes you out of church. And it takes you away from reading the word.

[11:22] And it takes that joy from you. And then it's not right. It's not right. It's become a sin. Because it's. God has to be the ultimate in our life.

[11:32] He has to be our everything. What are you hungry for? You see growling. It's that hunger hormone. You know. You hear that. In your stomach. It's that. Known as that hunger hormone.

[11:43] That. The stomach that plays a crucial role. In. Appetite. Regulation. Appetite. Regulation. I don't know if I have. Mine's broke.

[11:55] But. You know. This is not in my notes. But. I was talking to my wife the other day. And was talking about. The heart.

[12:07] Jeremiah 17. Now you know. The heart is deceitfully wicked. Who can know it? There's a couple other proverbs. Proverbs. About. Talks about the heart. And when I say the heart. Automatically.

[12:18] Everybody thinks of the heart. Maybe Shane doesn't. Because he's more spiritual. See. He's thinking about the mind. And I was talking to my wife. In the spirit. It's that. It's that core.

[12:30] Thing in your life. That is most important. What's most important to you? What do you. What do you. What. See only God knows that. Is only God's going to say.

[12:42] Well done. Now good and faithful servant. And so. Sometimes we walk around fooling ourselves. Well you know. I know. I know. Know my heart. No. No you don't. Because the Bible says you don't.

[12:55] But. What. What is trying to say is. Right. The blood. The heart is the central. Part of the system. The coronary. It's got the three valves. I believe. And all that.

[13:05] And it pumps blood throughout the system. The oxygen. And all this stuff. I know. You. You're a volunteer fireman. You could probably. Explain most of all this. Better to me. Than me. But. It. Without your heart.

[13:16] We're dead. Okay. I mean. That's a heart attack. You have a heart attack. Stop beating. We're dead. And. It's the same in the spiritual. That thing.

[13:28] The heart of the matter. The most important thing in your. In your body. Has to be. God. Centered. God. Focused. Everything you aspire for.

[13:39] Has to be. God. Focused. And God. Centered. If it's not. You're just going to be a mess. I'm telling you. You are going to be a mess.

[13:49] You know Shane. I'm at the point in my life right now. That. I'm. I'm. I'm never backsliding. Okay. I'm just telling you. I ain't never backsliding. The same way. I ain't never backsliding. But there's times. Jose. That I get.

[14:01] Irritated with certain things. And I. I know. It's not a sin. But I know. God's called me. For greater purpose. And it's uncomfortable.

[14:12] It drives me nuts. Because I'll get in these moods. And my wife. She's not here today. She's like. Oh you're going through that again. Huh? And she already knows. Because.

[14:24] I know. I can't go there. I know. It's not a. It's not a sin. I know. But I've called you for more. I've called you out of that. I've called. It's not that you can't have hobbies.

[14:35] But if you start having a hobby after hobby. And then you're. It's. It's. It could. Consider. Not a sin. But if that hobby keeps you. Out of the word of God.

[14:46] We always talk about church. Churches. Is like. It's like paying your house payment. Paying rent. Well that goes without saying. You don't pay rent. You're going to get evicted.

[14:57] So. Church is kind of like. Baseline. I mean. You're. You're. Expected to be a church. I mean. I'm sorry. You got to come to church. It's the other. It's. It's the daily reading the word.

[15:09] It's the daily separated at work. It's the daily. Doing. That of a disciple of Jesus Christ. That's the difference. Difference. And. And we. We.

[15:19] We get in these. The closer you get. You can't turn back. You can't. You can't have done something. You can't have been. Convicted of something.

[15:29] And then that conviction. Fall away. It doesn't work that way. The Bible doesn't work that way. And you know. The argument could be. Well it's not biblical. Well then.

[15:40] Why did God convict you? It could be a personal conviction. It can be. I'll tell you one of my. One of my personal convictions. Okay.

[15:50] I'll tell you one of my personal convictions. It's not biblical. I wear long sleeves. Everywhere. But I do it for two reasons. I work out in the sun. And I don't want to look like a shriveled prune when I retire.

[16:03] And two. I just. I just. I do. Do. I don't judge nobody else. I don't judge anybody else. For not wearing. A long. That's between them and God. It's not in the Bible.

[16:15] That's just a personal. Conviction that. I have. I'll tell you another conviction I have. I don't set anything on top of the Bible. I don't set nothing on top of the Bible.

[16:25] I don't. Now my wife gave me that conviction. I never really realized it. And she would get so mad at me. But when you think about it. It's God's word. It's his word. You know. We got to treat it.

[16:36] With respect. That's mine. I don't. I'm not going to go up and take something off your Bible. Because you got something on it. It's between you and God. That's a conviction I have. I'm not going to judge you because of that. No. It's a conviction I have.

[16:49] But once you have that conviction. You can't turn back. It's not something you can turn back. And in Exodus 1 and 8.

[16:59] It says now there arose a new king over Egypt. Which not knew. Knew not Joseph. Joseph. The one. Right. The one sold into slavery. Used to save God's people.

[17:11] And in the process. To save Egypt. It wasn't for Joseph. It would have been. It would have been a bad situation. There was a famine coming.

[17:22] Seven years of plenty. You know. Seven years of. Of. Of. Of famine. And. He. He was used by God to. Store one fifth. Twenty percent of the harvest.

[17:33] To prepare. For the famine. Twenty percent. You know. This is not. It's not Bible. I was thinking about it. When we were thinking this stuff.

[17:44] But. You know. Ten percent. That's. That's. That's our tithes. That's minimum. You know. Offerings above. I mean. The Bible says tithes and offering. But. If you were just to take that.

[17:55] Say that. Twenty percent. The Joseph. And. Let's say you gave fifteen percent. To the church. Right. Ten percent. Five. But you got to put money away for yourself. Retirement.

[18:06] You got to be smart. You got a plan. You're going to get old one of these days. I know some of you young. Youngins. Think. Well. I'm never going to get old. No. You're going to get old. If the Lord tarries. You're going to get old. And you're going to have cricks in your knees.

[18:16] Like me. And your hips are going to hurt. You say. Well you're fat. Well yeah. I am. But they still hurt. Okay. But. But. You know. You. It's. You have to be. Base. Bottom line. Being a good steward with your money.

[18:27] Being a good steward with your money. You have to. But. It's. It's unclear how long he was. He was gone. But the new leader. He didn't know Joseph. All the things he did.

[18:39] In Egypt. I understand God used them for the children of Israel. But. He still nevertheless. People in Egypt knew him. The leader didn't know him. Point being.

[18:50] No matter what you do in this world. They're going to forget about you. No matter what. What you. You could have your plaque on walls everywhere. And they're going to forget about you. There's people that are not going to know about you.

[19:02] You. There's. There's. I'm sure there's kids nowadays that. Don't know as much history as some of us old dudes. And. There's people that have done some good things in this world. But. They're not. Remember.

[19:13] Yeah. There's a couple. But. My point is. Is. Who are you toiling for? What are you hungry for? I'm not telling you not to be a good employee. At your job.

[19:25] But I'm telling you. To. To. Push. And. Hunger. And thirst. After righteousness. Because you will be filled. Exodus.

[19:36] 16. 1-3. Says. And. They took. They took their journey from Elam. And all the congregation of the children of Israel. Came unto the wilderness of sin. Which is between Elam and Sinai.

[19:49] On the 15th day. Of the second month. After their departing. Out of the land of Egypt. And the whole congregation of the children of Israel. Murmured. Against Moses. And Aaron.

[19:59] In the wilderness. And the children of Israel. Said unto them. What to God. We had died. By the hand of the Lord. In the land of Egypt. When we sat by the flesh pots.

[20:10] And did eat bread of full. For you have brought us forth. Into the wilderness. To kill the whole assembly. With hunger. They were hungry. They forgot the brick pits.

[20:20] They forgot the slavery. They forgot everything. But their stomach. Started. To overtake them. Right. It was the 15th day of the second month.

[20:31] Wasn't even three. Wasn't even 90 days. Wasn't even 90 days. They were gone. And the wilderness of sin. Is not. Like transgression.

[20:42] It's only mentioned four times. In the Bible. It is. More. Pronounced like. Scene. Or. C-Y-I-N. It's only used four times.

[20:52] In the Bible. Now I'm going to use it as a metaphor. Right. As a. As a parallel. Because. You know. Scholars believe the wilderness was named. After the moon god. Sin. In the local area.

[21:04] I don't know. That's what. A little bit of study does. But. They were in this place. God delivered them. Through. From.

[21:15] From the bitter waters of Maram. Elam is described as having. Twelve springs of water. And 70 palm trees. It was a paradise. It was a paradise.

[21:26] But. In between. Is that valley. And often times. We spend most of our time. In. The valley. We want to spend time on the mountaintop.

[21:38] But things don't grow in the mountains. The valley is where things grow. We live in the valley. And. You know. Tomatoes don't grow up in the mountains. They grow in the valley.

[21:49] Fruit doesn't grow. In the mountains. It grows in the valley. You know. That's why I always try to tell myself. About the summers. At least we get the benefit of food. That's what I tell myself. Food.

[22:00] Because of this heat. But see. Mount Sinai. Mount. Herod. Is to believe the same place. Sinai was a place where. God gave Moses the 10 commandments.

[22:12] It's a place where Moses. Twice. Fasted. 40 days. 40 days. See. We. We can allow hunger to send us in the wrong direction. We can allow.

[22:23] Things. Of this world. To. To dilute our vision. To hamper our vision. And see. Hunger can lead you. To death. Hunger can lead you.

[22:35] To the wrong. Direction. In life. See. There's. There was a. A prophet. A man. In. In 1st Kings 13.

[22:46] See. It was a man of God from Judah. It was a prophet from Judah. Sent by God. To deliver. A message to King Jeroboam. And Beth. God commanded. Specifically commanded. Not to eat.

[22:57] Drink. Anything in Bethel. Nor return. The same way. He came. The false prophet. From Israel. An older prophet. From Bethel. Saw.

[23:09] The man of God. Pretending. To be an angel. Lied to him. And told him to return. The prophet from Judah. Listen. Succumbed to his hunger. Thirst.

[23:19] Returned. Ate. And drank. And God was displeased. With his disobedience. And on his way home. He was killed. By a lion. A prophet.

[23:31] Had a word from God. Specifically told. What to do. Specifically. And he was bamboozled.

[23:43] Because he wasn't founded. And didn't understand. What God had told him. There's things in this world. There's people. That are going to.

[23:53] They have a silver tongue. They're going to speak things. Into your life. They're going to speak things. In your life. That are contrary. To the man of God. In your life. And if they're speaking. Things in your life. That are contrary.

[24:04] To the man of God. In your life. That preaches the word of God. You got to know. You better know. You need to know. I know your pastor. And you say.

[24:15] Well what if he's wrong. Well. You should always. Always. When he preaches the word. Or somebody preaches the word. Go back. Study. If you have a question.

[24:25] Go back and study. On your own. If you have a question. Call your pastor. But study first. Because you have to be sure. And grounded. On the word of God. Because see.

[24:35] In the last days. There's there's those. That. That they're not going to. Endure sound doctrine. They have itchy ears. And believing. Following after lust of the flesh. And. And.

[24:46] They're going to be deceived. There are things. In this world. That. if you allow it it will change your course it will change the way that you do life right now you may say well no brother Sagan no no we're man I'm living for God and I believe you can and I want you God wants you to continue to live for God God wants you to make it God wants to tell you well done our good and faithful servant enter into the joy of the Lord but there's going to be a lot of trials there's going to be some things you're going to have to succumb there's going to be some some people in your life and maybe currently in your life that you're going to have to put a distance between you say well they're family well I have those family I got a family I got a family member I love I love the person I'm not going to say no I'm not going to say and they're a bitter backslider and every time I see them they always got something smart out to say about Pentecost always got something bad to say about Pentecost always have something to say you know you know what I do

[26:01] I just smile and I never engage and this person still never gets it but it's one of those I pray for the person I pray that they can stir up that gift that is in them they can come to an altar of repentance that one of these days I could cry tears with them and I could pray with them but until that day I don't not go somewhere because I know they're going to be there but I just know that they're going to say something and you know how I prepare I just don't say anything I just smile and it turns that conversation down but see hunger never sleeps what are you thirsting for today are you thirsting for righteousness are you thirsting for righteousness being aligned in what God has for you being aligned in in the vision of God in the plan of God Psalms 42 says as the heart of the deer longs for the streams of water what are you longing for what is your what is that spiritual palette in your mouth hungering for today what are you desiring we all go through seasons in life we go through times where yes we have dry spells but you have to have a made up mind you have to have that made up mind that you can lay your pillow down at night knowing if the rapture takes place that you are going knowing that you're going to make it never said it was going to be sunshine and roses all the time but you have to know you have to be confident you have to be sure and I believe it comes with being hungry for what God has for us if you stand today

[28:01] I come here today just to convey this simple message what are you hungering for what are you thirsting for you see hunger never sleeps and and it's unfortunate that the things of this world has just had a fingertip now you don't have to leave the home you don't have to go engage with people but it's unfortunate it's right here I was just talking to my wife the other day and I know I'm old I'm 45 but when I was young I I was never really home I was always out messing around not to say I was up to good but I was always out messing around and and I see nowadays the these younger generation now and they sleep a lot and they and they really don't not that they're not social but they don't like to go out it's kind of like an isolation they enjoy being isolated and it's become a normal for them and I have a hard time wrapping my mind around it isolation is not good lack of communication is not good in the natural and it ain't in the spiritual acceptable at all we have to constantly be engaged we have to constantly be connected to the body we have to constantly be hungry for what

[29:42] God has for us and as I as I close today I just it's just a simple simple question what are you hungry for what are you thirsty for what is your palate desiring only you could answer that now God knows God knows the thoughts and intents of the heart he knows but but if you really would examine it if you really would sit down and you would think what do I put my time to show them you know it's often been said show me a calendar and your bank account that's the most important thing in a person's life is you see what they schedule their time for and what they spend their money on but as these altars are open as as as as we come today I ask you today if it's a time to recommit if it's a time to to surrender to God and say

[30:42] God you know I'm human he knows you're human I've made some mistakes I I know I'm not as close to you as I should be he's there to to meet your need he's there to lift you up he wants to hear your honesty today because really the only thing that matters is your relationship with him your relationship with him is on point your marriage is going to be okay your future spouse is going to be okay whatever everything is going to be okay but today if we could just ask that question what am I hungry for what are my desires in this life you know I ask you just to think about that pray about that and if there needs to be a recommitment recommit today