WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:08.800 You know, I just love it how God details everything together because that's his business. 00:00:09.099 --> 00:00:11.859 That's one of the many things that he does. 00:00:12.339 --> 00:00:16.140 And I just am in absolute awe of him. 00:00:16.699 --> 00:00:23.000 And I've been listening to him about what he wanted me to bring today. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:34.299 And I feel, I really feel, thank you, I really feel quite pregnant with what he's given me and I can't wait to deliver it. 00:00:34.880 --> 00:00:38.579 And today, ladies, we've come to a feast. 00:00:39.719 --> 00:00:44.719 We've come to a feast and we're here because actually we're all hungry. 00:00:45.260 --> 00:00:51.439 Because on a beautiful day like today, we wouldn't choose to come in and be in a building. 00:00:51.439 --> 00:00:55.379 We'd be out there, but we're hungry for the more of God. 00:00:55.539 --> 00:00:58.019 And he is going to feed us today. 00:00:58.259 --> 00:01:04.200 We're going to feast on God, who is Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:06.799 And we're going to feast on his word. 00:01:07.759 --> 00:01:12.319 And the scripture for the day that the team gave me is, 00:01:12.939 --> 00:01:19.939 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path on this beautiful, beautiful banner. 00:01:19.939 --> 00:01:22.239 In fact, they're all stunning, aren't they? 00:01:22.599 --> 00:01:26.599 But your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 00:01:27.120 --> 00:01:32.299 And we're told in Song of Songs that he brings us to his banqueting table. 00:01:32.819 --> 00:01:34.259 And that's what he's done today. 00:01:34.739 --> 00:01:38.299 And I look at, we're going to feast on his truth and faithfulness. 00:01:38.439 --> 00:01:40.819 And I look at, I see it as like a buffet. 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:45.060 And I love buffets because you can go and look and you think, oh. 00:01:45.060 --> 00:01:49.219 And you take what you like, you take what's for you. 00:01:49.600 --> 00:01:51.219 And that's what's going to happen today. 00:01:51.299 --> 00:01:53.480 We're going to take what is for us. 00:01:53.520 --> 00:01:57.359 And I'm sure we've already received something that's for us. 00:01:57.579 --> 00:02:03.439 But also, I sense that the Lord is going to give us something that he knows that we need, 00:02:03.740 --> 00:02:04.920 but we didn't realize. 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:12.420 And during this feast, we're going to be reset, restarted, and refocused. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:21.039 And Psalm 119, your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 00:02:21.080 --> 00:02:26.900 I'm going to be sharing what the word of God does in us, for us, and through us. 00:02:26.900 --> 00:02:36.300 The word imparts God's love, his light, his life, his power, his freedom, and so much more. 00:02:37.000 --> 00:02:42.480 And I'm going to be quoting from either the Amplified or the Passion Translation. 00:02:43.020 --> 00:02:45.920 And if some of you haven't heard of the Passion Translation, 00:02:46.060 --> 00:02:50.340 it's actually a translation from the Hebrew, Greek, and Aramaic. 00:02:50.980 --> 00:02:51.680 I love it. 00:02:51.680 --> 00:02:56.939 Now, listen, I'm going to read from Psalm 119. 00:02:57.420 --> 00:03:03.620 And I want you to listen as if it's you saying these words and actually receiving them. 00:03:05.219 --> 00:03:10.920 Truth's shining light guides me in my choices and decisions. 00:03:11.860 --> 00:03:17.020 The revelation of your word makes my pathway clear. 00:03:17.020 --> 00:03:24.320 To live my life by your righteous rules has been my holy and lifelong commitment. 00:03:26.320 --> 00:03:28.379 Then a bit further on, it says, 00:03:29.100 --> 00:03:32.420 I'm bruised and broken, overwhelmed by it all. 00:03:32.939 --> 00:03:36.700 Breathe life into me again by your living word. 00:03:37.580 --> 00:03:43.080 Everything you speak to me is like joyous treasure, filling my life with gladness. 00:03:43.080 --> 00:03:54.140 And I'm going to share something now, which my friends that are here have heard it numerous times before. 00:03:54.660 --> 00:03:56.460 And sometimes when I share it, they'll say, 00:03:56.680 --> 00:03:58.160 and you've already told us that. 00:03:58.400 --> 00:04:03.160 But, you know, I make no excuse because I know a lot of you haven't heard it. 00:04:03.580 --> 00:04:06.500 But before lockdown, about a year before lockdown, 00:04:06.860 --> 00:04:09.880 we had a new downstairs loo fitted. 00:04:09.879 --> 00:04:14.500 We live in an ordinary run-of-the-mill, three-bedroomed semi. 00:04:15.060 --> 00:04:16.959 But thankfully, it has a downstairs loo. 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:22.219 And it's a double blessing for me because, as you can tell, I'm a northerner. 00:04:22.519 --> 00:04:27.159 And I was brought up in a two-up, two-down house with no running hot water 00:04:27.159 --> 00:04:29.879 and a toilet at the bottom of the backyard. 00:04:30.079 --> 00:04:31.639 Actually, we used to call it the lavatory. 00:04:31.639 --> 00:04:38.819 And so having a new downstairs loo, as I said, was a double blessing for me. 00:04:39.339 --> 00:04:43.620 And as part of this, we had a piece of, an L-shaped piece of granite, 00:04:43.899 --> 00:04:48.759 which ran alongside the wash basin and the back of the loo. 00:04:49.139 --> 00:04:53.719 And it wasn't the granite that sort of looks like granite, but really it's plastic. 00:04:53.720 --> 00:04:57.140 This was proper rock-hard granite. 00:04:57.300 --> 00:05:02.240 And when the plumber had fitted it, I noticed that there was a flaw in this granite. 00:05:02.840 --> 00:05:04.200 It was not very big. 00:05:04.400 --> 00:05:07.180 It was perhaps nearly as big as my little fingernail. 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:10.140 But it was rough and it was very indented. 00:05:10.340 --> 00:05:11.980 And I was not particularly happy. 00:05:12.600 --> 00:05:14.300 And then a friend came and looked at it. 00:05:14.340 --> 00:05:16.640 And she's got this kind of granite in her kitchen. 00:05:16.639 --> 00:05:20.180 And she said, actually, it's part of the makeup of the granite. 00:05:20.259 --> 00:05:24.479 Like you get a knot in a piece of wood, this is part of the makeup in the granite. 00:05:24.579 --> 00:05:30.759 So I had to decide not to let this flaw rob me of my joy. 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:34.000 And it wasn't in a place where you could have put a soap dish. 00:05:34.079 --> 00:05:34.939 You couldn't hide it. 00:05:35.019 --> 00:05:35.620 It was there. 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:43.279 So about two months later, my husband, I'm smiling when I say this, 00:05:43.279 --> 00:05:48.219 he got round to putting a picture back up on the wall in the downstairs loo. 00:05:48.579 --> 00:05:56.059 And it was one of the Hannah Dunnett ones where she does artwork and she writes scriptures in it. 00:05:56.379 --> 00:05:58.179 And it's called The God of All Comfort. 00:05:58.299 --> 00:06:00.719 Come to me, oh, you are weary and heavy laden. 00:06:00.719 --> 00:06:01.699 And he put that up. 00:06:02.299 --> 00:06:07.419 And a bit, a short while later, I went to the loo and that flaw had gone. 00:06:08.899 --> 00:06:09.539 It had gone. 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:11.599 It had completely disappeared. 00:06:11.600 --> 00:06:19.140 And if I walked into that loo a hundred times that evening, I must have just kept going in and rubbing my finger over it. 00:06:19.700 --> 00:06:23.140 And the morning after, I got up and I was having my time with the Lord. 00:06:23.800 --> 00:06:26.820 And I was, you know, I'm still blown away, to be honest. 00:06:26.900 --> 00:06:28.660 And it's all those years ago. 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:31.560 But, and I said, Lord, I don't, I don't get this. 00:06:31.740 --> 00:06:37.140 You've, I didn't, you, I didn't ask you to heal it, to make it whole, to restore it. 00:06:37.200 --> 00:06:38.700 I wouldn't, but you've, you've done it. 00:06:38.699 --> 00:06:47.519 And, and he very clearly said to me, when my word is lifted up, which it was, his word was physically lifted up in the picture. 00:06:48.139 --> 00:06:51.800 When my word is lifted up, then I will do miracles. 00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:56.399 When my word is lifted up, then I will do miracles. 00:06:56.399 --> 00:06:59.500 And today, we're going to lift up the word of God. 00:06:59.939 --> 00:07:01.939 And miracles are going to happen. 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.819 John 6, 35 and Jeremiah 15, 16. 00:07:08.239 --> 00:07:10.199 Jesus is the bread of life. 00:07:10.620 --> 00:07:12.919 Your words were found and I ate them. 00:07:13.179 --> 00:07:18.039 And your words to me were a joy and the rejoicing of my heart. 00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:22.600 And we need to remember that actually Jesus is the word of God. 00:07:23.160 --> 00:07:24.760 It says, in the beginning was the word. 00:07:25.140 --> 00:07:26.240 And the word was God. 00:07:26.379 --> 00:07:28.020 And the word was with God. 00:07:28.740 --> 00:07:33.480 And the word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us, full of grace and truth. 00:07:34.040 --> 00:07:35.320 That's our Jesus. 00:07:36.500 --> 00:07:40.420 And we feed on God's word because it nourishes us. 00:07:40.420 --> 00:07:42.060 It nurtures us. 00:07:42.460 --> 00:07:43.620 It cleanses us. 00:07:43.720 --> 00:07:44.740 It refreshes us. 00:07:45.020 --> 00:07:46.040 It renews us. 00:07:46.280 --> 00:07:47.520 It comforts us. 00:07:48.000 --> 00:07:49.319 It sustains us. 00:07:49.580 --> 00:07:50.759 It supports us. 00:07:51.160 --> 00:07:52.040 Guides us. 00:07:52.420 --> 00:07:53.460 Gives us wisdom. 00:07:54.280 --> 00:07:56.900 Refreshes and restores our souls. 00:07:57.060 --> 00:08:01.700 And our souls are our minds, our wills and our emotions. 00:08:02.500 --> 00:08:06.100 The word of God is our source of life. 00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:07.980 But he's wrapped up with his word. 00:08:08.200 --> 00:08:09.800 It's our source of life. 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:15.480 And we can become spiritually depleted and weak if we don't feed on his word. 00:08:16.460 --> 00:08:27.600 And we end up living life in our own strength, using our own wisdom, which results in us being exhausted, making wrong choices, and sadly becoming prey for the enemy. 00:08:28.439 --> 00:08:30.639 But how do we feed on God's word? 00:08:31.240 --> 00:08:32.039 We read it. 00:08:32.860 --> 00:08:38.539 Now, I know some of us aren't avid readers, but we can listen to it. 00:08:38.539 --> 00:08:48.339 But, you know, I really sense that if we ask God to give us that desire to read his word where we find him, where he is, he will give us that desire. 00:08:48.679 --> 00:08:53.360 And what might start off as a discipline actually will become a delight. 00:08:53.360 --> 00:08:57.080 But also, we can meditate on the word of God. 00:08:57.159 --> 00:09:03.000 We can memorize, believe, pray, speak, sing the word of God. 00:09:03.539 --> 00:09:08.700 And we can praise and worship with the word of God, which is what we've been doing this morning. 00:09:09.539 --> 00:09:13.080 And we're just going to look at meditating on his word. 00:09:13.080 --> 00:09:19.879 And meditate means to think about, to contemplate, to go over and over in our minds. 00:09:20.000 --> 00:09:23.040 It's like what cows do when they chew the cud. 00:09:24.360 --> 00:09:27.540 And it's called, that is called rumination. 00:09:28.259 --> 00:09:33.820 They swallow, unswallow, re-chew, and re-swallow their food. 00:09:33.820 --> 00:09:42.540 And apparently, they spend about eight hours a day chewing the cud, which is about 30,000 chews a day. 00:09:43.200 --> 00:09:44.260 I googled that. 00:09:44.560 --> 00:09:46.400 And, of course, we didn't really need to know it. 00:09:46.440 --> 00:09:47.960 But I thought it was really interesting. 00:09:48.340 --> 00:09:54.420 So when we meditate on God's word, thinking about it, turning it over and over in our minds, 00:09:54.760 --> 00:09:59.260 we get into his word, and his word gets into us. 00:09:59.460 --> 00:10:03.320 We get into his word, and his word gets into us. 00:10:03.820 --> 00:10:06.680 Now, I just mentioned that we've got an enemy. 00:10:07.540 --> 00:10:14.680 But he is an enemy that was defeated through the cross and resurrection of Jesus Christ. 00:10:15.660 --> 00:10:22.620 So now the only power that he has is what we allow him, if we leave an open door, as it were. 00:10:23.879 --> 00:10:26.540 And Scrooge says that we ought to be alert, 00:10:26.539 --> 00:10:34.519 because we have an enemy that prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for who he can devour. 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:43.179 But, another but, when we submit to him, we have the power and authority of God Almighty to resist him. 00:10:43.259 --> 00:10:44.459 And, you know, he's got to do then. 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:47.000 He's got to flee, because he's terrified. 00:10:47.000 --> 00:10:51.600 One of the names of the enemy is the father of lies. 00:10:51.720 --> 00:10:54.659 He's a liar, and he is a deceiver. 00:10:55.200 --> 00:11:02.519 And he tries to implant, he tries to implant his lies into our minds and hearts. 00:11:02.860 --> 00:11:04.080 And he never gives up. 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:09.799 But, you know, he cannot remain where there's no agreement with his lies. 00:11:09.799 --> 00:11:17.179 We were created to live in awe of God, not in fear of the enemy. 00:11:17.740 --> 00:11:23.139 And let's remember that God has given us the power and the authority to overcome. 00:11:24.359 --> 00:11:31.019 And two of my favourite scriptures, Colossians 3.3 and Acts 17.28, 00:11:31.559 --> 00:11:35.979 our lives are hidden with Christ in God. 00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:42.779 Our lives are hidden with Christ in God. 00:11:42.980 --> 00:11:51.279 And it's in him, in him, that we live and move, have our being, our existence, our identity. 00:11:53.500 --> 00:11:59.500 And when we know what the word of God says, we can take every thought captive. 00:12:00.060 --> 00:12:02.180 It's like putting a lasso around it. 00:12:02.179 --> 00:12:08.279 We can take every thought captive and make it obedient to Christ, his word, the truth. 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:12.519 Because the word of God is living and active. 00:12:12.739 --> 00:12:13.859 Hebrews 4.12. 00:12:14.099 --> 00:12:15.379 It's very powerful. 00:12:15.919 --> 00:12:17.259 It does stuff. 00:12:17.759 --> 00:12:18.559 Good stuff. 00:12:19.039 --> 00:12:20.079 Powerful stuff. 00:12:21.079 --> 00:12:23.959 God's word has authority and power. 00:12:24.979 --> 00:12:26.379 Isaiah 55.10. 00:12:26.459 --> 00:12:29.620 The word that I speak doesn't return to me unfulfilled. 00:12:29.620 --> 00:12:36.120 My word performs my purpose and fulfills a mission I sent it out to accomplish. 00:12:36.539 --> 00:12:43.240 So if we let the word of God have its home in our heart and in our minds, Colossians 3.16, 00:12:43.519 --> 00:12:44.980 it will give us insight. 00:12:45.120 --> 00:12:52.799 It will give us wisdom, peace, enable us and enable us to see people, situations, certain circumstances 00:12:52.799 --> 00:12:54.840 from his perspective. 00:12:54.840 --> 00:12:58.840 And that's so important and actually very helpful. 00:12:59.860 --> 00:13:02.680 And his word is a weapon of victory. 00:13:03.700 --> 00:13:12.060 As we read and meditate on his word, it means we're meditating on truth and not meditating on our problems. 00:13:12.180 --> 00:13:14.100 And it's so easy to do that. 00:13:14.560 --> 00:13:18.580 So easy to meditate on our problems and in a sense, nurse them. 00:13:18.580 --> 00:13:28.520 But because no matter how we feel, how out of control things around us may feel and things in the world are, 00:13:28.879 --> 00:13:36.720 the promises of God are true and powerful and actually are very comforting and very strengthening. 00:13:38.220 --> 00:13:40.620 Psalm 138.3. 00:13:40.620 --> 00:13:45.679 At the very moment I called out to you, Lord, you answered me. 00:13:47.379 --> 00:13:51.179 You strengthened me deep within my soul. 00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:53.899 Our minds, our wills, our emotions. 00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:55.720 He strengthened us in our minds. 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:57.500 He strengthens our wills. 00:13:57.539 --> 00:13:59.080 He strengthens our emotions. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:02.120 You strengthened me deep within my soul. 00:14:02.799 --> 00:14:06.980 And you breathed fresh courage into me. 00:14:06.980 --> 00:14:13.159 God's word breathes his life into us and brings us healing and freedom. 00:14:13.860 --> 00:14:21.320 And as we read the word, walk it out and live in the principles that lead to the promises. 00:14:22.860 --> 00:14:25.580 Now, oh, I thought I brought my other water. 00:14:25.899 --> 00:14:26.639 I'll open this. 00:14:27.360 --> 00:14:28.300 Oh, thank you, Mandy. 00:14:28.399 --> 00:14:29.899 She's so lovely, isn't she? 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:35.220 Let's face it. 00:14:35.220 --> 00:14:37.680 On this journey of life, we get hurt. 00:14:38.379 --> 00:14:39.259 We get wounded. 00:14:39.879 --> 00:14:41.180 We get betrayed. 00:14:42.019 --> 00:14:43.240 We get disappointed. 00:14:44.360 --> 00:14:45.480 Life happens. 00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:51.019 And there's a lot of times when life, well, it just doesn't seem fair. 00:14:52.139 --> 00:14:53.320 We have debris. 00:14:53.620 --> 00:14:54.440 We have clutter. 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:57.779 We have rubbish and baggage in our lives. 00:14:57.899 --> 00:15:01.700 Whatever that looks like, it's different for each one of us. 00:15:01.700 --> 00:15:06.660 And because we're ladies together, I can share what I'm going to share now. 00:15:06.860 --> 00:15:09.520 But when I share it, listen carefully. 00:15:09.700 --> 00:15:12.200 I do not want you to focus on me. 00:15:12.460 --> 00:15:17.120 I want you to focus on the redemption of God. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:23.460 When I was a very, very little girl, I was sexually abused. 00:15:23.980 --> 00:15:25.600 Now, this was not my parents. 00:15:25.700 --> 00:15:31.919 I need to say that because, you know, the word of God says, honor your parents and it will go well with you. 00:15:31.980 --> 00:15:33.480 So I do honor my mom and dad. 00:15:33.580 --> 00:15:35.019 They did the best they could. 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:36.340 They did the best they could. 00:15:36.340 --> 00:15:40.740 My dad was alcoholic and he died when he was 50. 00:15:41.259 --> 00:15:43.440 I was raped when I was 15. 00:15:43.920 --> 00:15:56.720 I got married when I was 18 and very quickly became pregnant when they found out that I had tuberculosis, pulmonary tuberculosis in the lungs. 00:15:56.720 --> 00:16:00.019 And they said, we've never come across this before. 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.879 We've never come across tuberculosis in a pregnant woman. 00:16:03.440 --> 00:16:06.840 I was 18 turning 19 at the time. 00:16:07.120 --> 00:16:12.080 We suggest that you have an abortion because we don't know if you or the baby will survive. 00:16:12.200 --> 00:16:13.160 And I refused. 00:16:13.940 --> 00:16:16.420 And I lived. 00:16:16.879 --> 00:16:19.100 And the baby is now 52 this month. 00:16:19.100 --> 00:16:33.560 And the man I was married to at the time, she's called Lisa, when Lisa was nine months old, he went off with another girl who had a baby by somebody else. 00:16:34.360 --> 00:16:36.860 At 24, I remarried. 00:16:37.379 --> 00:16:41.120 And I very soon became a Christian, but my husband didn't. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:52.860 And after 10 years, I found out that he was having an affair with the girl who was head of PE at the school where I worked in the office. 00:16:53.639 --> 00:16:55.480 And he actually did marry her. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.560 In fairness, he did marry her. 00:16:58.100 --> 00:17:02.519 But he'd said that in the 10 years we'd been married, he'd never loved me. 00:17:02.700 --> 00:17:05.000 And that was why he didn't want children with me. 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:11.079 So at 34, I was getting married for the third time. 00:17:11.920 --> 00:17:13.819 And I married John. 00:17:14.200 --> 00:17:16.319 We'd been married for 37 years. 00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:21.980 And John was a widower with three children under six. 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:25.720 They were six, four, and 15 months at the time. 00:17:25.880 --> 00:17:30.759 And his wife had committed suicide by jumping out of a window at a hospital. 00:17:30.759 --> 00:17:35.740 So there you can see, ladies, that God is in the business of redeeming. 00:17:35.859 --> 00:17:37.819 He's in the business of restoring. 00:17:38.359 --> 00:17:39.759 And he heals. 00:17:40.460 --> 00:17:53.640 And if you were to ask me about one attribute of God, I would say I have known and experienced and still do his faithfulness to me and our family. 00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:55.420 And he changed my life. 00:17:55.700 --> 00:17:56.539 He picked me up. 00:17:56.720 --> 00:17:58.619 And he put me on the right path. 00:17:58.619 --> 00:18:04.599 Because Jesus paid the price for freedom in every area of our lives. 00:18:04.799 --> 00:18:08.899 Our past, our present, our now, and our future. 00:18:09.500 --> 00:18:15.959 That's freedom from regret of the past and faith for now and faith for the future. 00:18:15.959 --> 00:18:18.299 Because we don't know what the future holds, but he does. 00:18:19.479 --> 00:18:25.679 And those things that trigger us, strongholds and hindrances to our closeness, our intimacy with Father. 00:18:25.680 --> 00:18:28.720 Jesus took the lot when he died on the cross. 00:18:28.980 --> 00:18:31.380 He exchanged darkness for his light. 00:18:31.759 --> 00:18:38.620 And he has removed every single obstacle that would seek to come between us and God. 00:18:39.400 --> 00:18:43.360 The Lord loves each one of us unconditionally. 00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.759 He sees us. 00:18:44.960 --> 00:18:46.019 He understands us. 00:18:46.100 --> 00:18:48.460 He absolutely gets us. 00:18:48.460 --> 00:18:59.420 He holds our lives so tenderly, so powerfully, so wisely, so graciously, and so, so mercifully. 00:18:59.420 --> 00:19:09.960 As I've just mentioned, our souls may feel battered and bruised at times, but God's word heals and transforms us by the renewing of our minds. 00:19:10.820 --> 00:19:13.220 And how our minds need renewing. 00:19:14.340 --> 00:19:20.200 The word of God teaches us the right way to think and the right way to understand. 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:26.360 And it's also good for us to learn how to rest in his presence. 00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:29.319 To rest in his arms of grace. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:36.259 And to lean into the confidence of his faithfulness and to trust his character. 00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:42.180 And a while ago now, I was going through whatever it was I was going through. 00:19:42.380 --> 00:19:47.440 And I said to the Lord, Lord, I'm just going to lean on you. 00:19:47.440 --> 00:19:50.340 And he said, I need you to do more than that. 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:52.960 I'm going, I want you to lean into me. 00:19:53.120 --> 00:19:54.920 And he gave me a picture. 00:19:55.320 --> 00:20:00.680 And it was a brilliant, pure, white, light substance. 00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:04.259 And it was a bit like soft, like marshmallow. 00:20:04.480 --> 00:20:08.900 And I couldn't see the top, the bottom, or the sides of it. 00:20:09.080 --> 00:20:10.559 And I went up to it. 00:20:10.640 --> 00:20:16.440 And I just very gently gave my all, all my weight into this substance. 00:20:16.440 --> 00:20:18.019 It was the presence of God. 00:20:18.580 --> 00:20:23.700 And he just came round me and took me in and cocooned me. 00:20:24.400 --> 00:20:28.299 And it was so very, very precious and so very soothing. 00:20:28.539 --> 00:20:31.580 And at the same time, so very, very powerful. 00:20:31.779 --> 00:20:34.779 I always call it my marshmallow experience. 00:20:35.460 --> 00:20:37.019 See, we can know his peace. 00:20:37.380 --> 00:20:38.980 We can know his rest. 00:20:39.420 --> 00:20:43.539 We can know his very presence in the middle of any storm. 00:20:43.539 --> 00:20:48.299 His peace is powerful, restorative, and restful. 00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:53.559 His peace that guards our hearts and guards our minds in Christ Jesus. 00:20:53.720 --> 00:20:55.579 And he says, come to me. 00:20:55.960 --> 00:21:00.299 Come to him, all you who are weary and heavy laden. 00:21:00.480 --> 00:21:03.680 And I will give you rest. 00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:11.140 And, you know, I had to put this into practice about, well, it's a year ago this month. 00:21:11.539 --> 00:21:14.340 And, excuse me, my lips are sticking to my false teeth. 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:24.240 I had to put his resting in him. 00:21:24.339 --> 00:21:28.459 I mean, we've always got to put resting in him every day, every minute. 00:21:28.579 --> 00:21:30.639 But in particular, it's a year ago this month. 00:21:30.939 --> 00:21:36.220 And Lisa, the baby who I had when I was 19, she was diagnosed with cancer. 00:21:36.220 --> 00:21:39.799 She lives two and a half hours away in Shrewsbury. 00:21:40.059 --> 00:21:42.420 And it's a type of cancer that can come back. 00:21:42.900 --> 00:21:49.380 So she had 12 weeks of chemo, radiotherapy, these infusions. 00:21:49.880 --> 00:21:55.660 And she's still in the middle of having these 50 Herceptin injections. 00:21:56.279 --> 00:21:59.759 But, you know, she's done really well, exceptionally well. 00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:03.140 And she actually went back to school last month. 00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:04.500 She's a head teacher. 00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:07.980 And, but for me, I couldn't see her. 00:22:08.259 --> 00:22:13.799 It wasn't as though I could walk further down the other part of the village and wave through the window to her. 00:22:14.119 --> 00:22:25.619 But I just had that peace, that peace, that powerful peace, that comforting peace that just guarded my heart and guarded my mind in Christ Jesus. 00:22:26.720 --> 00:22:31.839 And one, again, one of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 26.3. 00:22:31.839 --> 00:22:37.899 He will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusts in thee. 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:39.240 And in the amplified. 00:22:40.279 --> 00:22:41.759 And I'm going to use her. 00:22:42.500 --> 00:22:50.179 He will keep her in perfect peace whose mind is steadfast, fixed, committed and focused on him. 00:22:50.180 --> 00:22:57.160 Because she trusts and takes refuge in him with hope and confident expectation. 00:22:57.880 --> 00:22:59.039 I love that. 00:22:59.799 --> 00:23:01.620 Confident expectation. 00:23:02.759 --> 00:23:12.620 You know, ladies, for each and every single one of us, there is a permanent yes in the heart of God towards us. 00:23:12.619 --> 00:23:18.679 The God who meets us in our places of pain and our places of pleasure. 00:23:19.059 --> 00:23:30.559 The Lord is our saviour, our rescuer, our shield, our shelter, our comforter, our provider and our defender, our advocate, our friend, our father. 00:23:30.559 --> 00:23:36.379 And there's also a part of him that I need in particular to recognise. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:40.740 And I do see it as having the mother heart of God. 00:23:41.879 --> 00:23:46.319 Jesus longs to love us back to life. 00:23:47.259 --> 00:23:56.419 His love is unconditional, relentless, ferocious, incessant, persistent and powerful. 00:23:56.420 --> 00:24:03.800 And yet at the same time, his love is gentle, cherishing, soothing and gracious. 00:24:04.740 --> 00:24:07.220 He's never, ever going to let us down. 00:24:07.620 --> 00:24:09.019 He's never going to leave us. 00:24:09.240 --> 00:24:10.840 He's never going to forget us. 00:24:11.060 --> 00:24:12.960 He's never going to abandon us. 00:24:13.380 --> 00:24:15.700 His eye is always upon us. 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:19.220 And his heart is always towards us. 00:24:19.700 --> 00:24:22.000 He longs to love us back to life. 00:24:22.259 --> 00:24:24.200 But we have to let him. 00:24:24.200 --> 00:24:26.559 We have to allow him. 00:24:27.080 --> 00:24:30.519 We need to let him into those hidden areas. 00:24:31.299 --> 00:24:39.580 We have to choose to let the power of his truth touch our hearts and awaken our faith that may be sleeping. 00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:43.420 And we're to let his truth transform our lives. 00:24:44.100 --> 00:24:45.519 We need to be willing. 00:24:46.319 --> 00:24:48.080 Our will being part of our soul. 00:24:48.500 --> 00:24:51.680 We have to choose to allow him to let him in. 00:24:51.680 --> 00:24:57.080 And then he gives us that higher perspective, a different perspective. 00:24:57.840 --> 00:25:03.860 His perspective that opens up our understanding and brings clarity to confusion. 00:25:03.860 --> 00:25:06.120 Because God is not the author of confusion. 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:12.659 In 1 Samuel 10, 22, it says, 00:25:13.179 --> 00:25:18.339 Samuel went to present Israel's first king to the people. 00:25:19.339 --> 00:25:24.439 And Saul was discovered hiding among the baggage. 00:25:24.440 --> 00:25:30.080 Now, in the King James, now this is probably my sense of humor. 00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:31.740 None of you probably laugh. 00:25:31.900 --> 00:25:33.559 But this made me laugh. 00:25:33.600 --> 00:25:35.400 Because in the King James, it says, 00:25:36.000 --> 00:25:36.500 Behold. 00:25:36.799 --> 00:25:38.559 I mean, that's so King James, isn't it? 00:25:38.920 --> 00:25:39.360 Behold. 00:25:40.360 --> 00:25:42.940 He had hid himself amongst the stuff. 00:25:42.940 --> 00:25:49.860 So, we're now going to be shown a clip. 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:54.299 It's from The Greatest Showman. 00:25:55.420 --> 00:25:59.680 And actually, the clip itself, you could just give a whole message on the clip. 00:26:00.160 --> 00:26:01.380 But thank you, guys. 00:26:01.380 --> 00:26:09.080 I don't need to do this. 00:26:10.940 --> 00:26:11.880 She says, 00:26:11.980 --> 00:26:12.920 Keola, settle. 00:26:14.220 --> 00:26:14.980 She says, 00:26:14.980 --> 00:26:17.180 I'm not a stranger to the dark. 00:26:18.100 --> 00:26:19.520 Hide away, they say. 00:26:19.600 --> 00:26:21.760 We don't want your broken parts. 00:26:22.380 --> 00:26:25.220 I've learned to be ashamed of all my scars. 00:26:26.340 --> 00:26:27.600 Run away, they say. 00:26:28.220 --> 00:26:30.720 No one will love you as you are. 00:26:31.380 --> 00:26:32.840 But I am brave. 00:26:33.140 --> 00:26:34.120 I am bruised. 00:26:34.440 --> 00:26:36.220 I am whom I'm meant to be. 00:26:36.660 --> 00:26:37.380 This is me. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:39.720 And I love watching that clip. 00:26:40.180 --> 00:26:42.640 I've watched it so many times. 00:26:42.640 --> 00:26:47.900 And there's a point where I see that she, this is why we've got this here, 00:26:48.060 --> 00:26:51.560 she comes out from behind. 00:26:52.060 --> 00:26:55.660 And she steps into what God has got for her. 00:26:55.720 --> 00:27:00.460 And it's as if she gets that revelation of who she is in God 00:27:00.460 --> 00:27:02.740 and what she has in God. 00:27:03.259 --> 00:27:05.740 And, you know, she says it felt otherworldly. 00:27:05.840 --> 00:27:06.279 It was. 00:27:06.380 --> 00:27:07.100 It was God. 00:27:07.860 --> 00:27:12.680 And you see, some of us, like Saul, was hiding in the baggage. 00:27:12.900 --> 00:27:18.579 There are many of us who knowingly or unknowingly are hiding amongst, 00:27:18.579 --> 00:27:26.279 hiding behind stuff, behind baggage that will prevent us from moving into what the Lord has 00:27:26.279 --> 00:27:28.759 already anointed and appointed us to do. 00:27:29.159 --> 00:27:32.699 And we're actually hiding from his calling on our lives. 00:27:32.819 --> 00:27:35.439 We're hiding from living in his fullness. 00:27:35.440 --> 00:27:37.059 But, you know, he's got the answer. 00:27:38.000 --> 00:27:44.880 And this is because we can be in a type of prison and either the door is open and we're not seeing it 00:27:44.880 --> 00:27:49.400 or we've actually locked ourselves in and we're hiding for whatever reason. 00:27:49.820 --> 00:27:56.440 But he's calling us to walk through the open door of that prison and let him be real within us. 00:27:56.920 --> 00:27:59.000 Let him deal with the baggage. 00:27:59.000 --> 00:28:04.400 And it can be the baggage of, and this is not a comprehensive list at all, 00:28:04.759 --> 00:28:07.059 but it can be the baggage of unforgiveness. 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:10.940 And I'll just say one thing on unforgiveness because that's a whole message. 00:28:11.400 --> 00:28:13.880 But unforgiveness is not a feeling. 00:28:14.640 --> 00:28:15.859 It's not a feeling. 00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:17.140 It's a choice. 00:28:17.299 --> 00:28:18.500 It's an act of the will. 00:28:18.740 --> 00:28:22.819 And the only person who suffers if we don't forgive is us. 00:28:23.579 --> 00:28:26.180 So there's unforgiveness we might be hiding behind. 00:28:26.180 --> 00:28:31.820 Bitterness, resentment, offence, shame, guilt, lack of confidence, 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:36.620 negative words spoken to us or over us or against us, 00:28:37.000 --> 00:28:43.480 lack of self-worth, self-pity, self-preservation, self-sufficiency, 00:28:44.200 --> 00:28:47.720 comparison with others, which is a trap. 00:28:48.740 --> 00:28:49.920 Comparison with others. 00:28:49.920 --> 00:28:57.860 Regret, fear, anxiety, unbelief, hurt, deception, unmet expectations. 00:28:58.680 --> 00:29:00.080 And actually, do you know what? 00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:04.759 Some of us need to stop saying the word sorry. 00:29:06.560 --> 00:29:09.400 We're to come from behind. 00:29:09.920 --> 00:29:14.700 Come from behind the music stand, whatever that music stand is. 00:29:14.700 --> 00:29:19.600 Let God be God in you, for you, and through you. 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:27.080 Be who he created you to be and do what he created you to do with what he's given you. 00:29:27.400 --> 00:29:33.519 In your own uniqueness and your own specialness, we're all different. 00:29:34.380 --> 00:29:36.319 Let God love you. 00:29:36.880 --> 00:29:41.080 Allow him to impart his life to you. 00:29:41.079 --> 00:29:50.619 Let's learn to live in our own anointing and uniqueness and enjoy it and come out from behind and say, 00:29:51.099 --> 00:29:53.159 this is me, this is me. 00:29:55.619 --> 00:29:58.279 Song of Songs, 213. 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:01.139 Arise, my love, my beautiful companion. 00:30:01.259 --> 00:30:02.460 That's each one of us. 00:30:02.899 --> 00:30:08.919 And run with me to the higher place, for now is the time to arise and come away with me. 00:30:08.920 --> 00:30:11.360 The Lord longs to be our number one. 00:30:11.960 --> 00:30:16.620 He longs to be number one above everything else in our lives and everyone. 00:30:17.580 --> 00:30:23.900 It's about surrendering to him, yielding to him, giving him our all, our everything. 00:30:24.600 --> 00:30:32.340 And it's spending time with him, just hanging out with him, leaning into that marshmallow substance and resting with him, 00:30:32.460 --> 00:30:34.380 getting to know him, reading his word. 00:30:34.380 --> 00:30:43.060 The Lord longs for us to live in a place of peace and joy and to live with his sense of purpose for each one of us. 00:30:43.720 --> 00:30:48.080 The word of God is an access point into the presence of God. 00:30:48.400 --> 00:30:58.320 And when we read his word, because like we said, he is the word, we can come into the sanctuary of his presence and let the breath of his word fill us. 00:30:58.319 --> 00:31:04.000 Every scripture has the breath of God in it and it's balm for our souls. 00:31:04.419 --> 00:31:06.200 We apply it like ointment. 00:31:07.099 --> 00:31:09.980 And let's remember as well, ladies, to be grateful. 00:31:10.419 --> 00:31:14.700 Let's be thankful for the little things and the overlooked things. 00:31:15.439 --> 00:31:20.659 Let's live in truth-filled grace and grace-wrapped truth. 00:31:20.660 --> 00:31:26.420 Let's live in truth-filled grace and grace-wrapped truth. 00:31:26.620 --> 00:31:33.980 Because his divine power has given us every single thing that we need for life and for godliness. 00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.940 That's 2 Peter 1, 3, 4. 00:31:36.240 --> 00:31:44.460 We need to remind ourselves that nothing, absolutely nothing, comes as a shock or a surprise to God. 00:31:44.820 --> 00:31:48.180 So consequently, he's already made provision for it. 00:31:48.180 --> 00:31:52.279 Let's fall in love with Jesus, the word of God. 00:31:52.279 --> 00:32:06.519 The one whose love fills in the cracks of disappointment and lifts the hanging head of heartbreak and fills our dry and we replaces with the living waters of refreshing. 00:32:07.340 --> 00:32:15.820 He longs to take us deeper and higher and show us more and more of his love, his grace and his mercy. 00:32:15.819 --> 00:32:18.960 God always has more. 00:32:19.659 --> 00:32:20.299 Always. 00:32:20.740 --> 00:32:25.419 He's the one who knows us best and loves us most. 00:32:26.439 --> 00:32:33.220 And I'm just going to finish by reading some of the things that we find, some of the truths that we find in God's word. 00:32:33.220 --> 00:32:36.339 Comfort and strength. 00:32:37.059 --> 00:32:38.680 Love and faith. 00:32:39.620 --> 00:32:40.559 Peace and joy. 00:32:41.620 --> 00:32:42.819 Hope and trust. 00:32:43.980 --> 00:32:45.240 Grace and mercy. 00:32:46.120 --> 00:32:47.539 Clarity and direction. 00:32:48.620 --> 00:32:50.519 Security and stability. 00:32:51.720 --> 00:32:53.240 Fruitfulness and purpose. 00:32:54.360 --> 00:32:55.700 Confidence and courage. 00:32:56.779 --> 00:32:58.259 Healing and wholeness. 00:32:59.480 --> 00:33:00.779 Wisdom and knowledge. 00:33:00.779 --> 00:33:03.359 Encouragement and provision. 00:33:04.740 --> 00:33:06.220 Forgiveness and redemption. 00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:09.500 Loving kindness and justice. 00:33:10.500 --> 00:33:11.759 Deliverance and freedom. 00:33:13.059 --> 00:33:14.639 Contentment and rest. 00:33:15.480 --> 00:33:16.960 Renewal and restoration. 00:33:18.460 --> 00:33:20.359 Life and fulfillment. 00:33:20.359 --> 00:33:21.960 Amen. 00:33:21.960 --> 00:33:22.099 Amen. 00:33:22.099 --> 00:33:23.099 Amen.