WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:01.360 I hope you guys are buckled in. 00:00:01.540 --> 00:00:02.480 About to go for a ride. 00:00:05.560 --> 00:00:08.740 I was talking to Carlos last week. 00:00:08.980 --> 00:00:10.400 Carlos, you didn't know I was going to include you in this. 00:00:10.400 --> 00:00:17.280 We were talking, we like are pretty into like dietary supplements and diets and things like that. 00:00:17.679 --> 00:00:21.359 So then Carlos sent me this verse out of Hebrews 13. 00:00:22.399 --> 00:00:31.039 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods. 00:00:32.160 --> 00:00:35.500 Which have not benefited those devoted to them. 00:00:36.119 --> 00:00:37.759 So I was like, thank you so much, Carlos. 00:00:37.759 --> 00:00:40.359 I really needed to hear that. 00:00:40.839 --> 00:00:47.920 But you just torpedoed my sermon on the sanctifying power of dietary supplements and diet and lifestyle changes. 00:00:50.500 --> 00:00:52.539 Well, because that was actually a joke. 00:00:52.759 --> 00:00:55.920 I get in trouble with my wife because she says that people don't know I'm joking. 00:00:56.420 --> 00:00:57.019 That was a joke. 00:00:57.659 --> 00:00:58.219 That was a joke. 00:00:59.619 --> 00:01:03.039 But in reality, what we're going to be talking on is meekness. 00:01:03.439 --> 00:01:05.120 A neglected topic at times. 00:01:05.780 --> 00:01:13.100 Specifically, I'm going to talk about meekness as it pertains to Christian women and Christian men. 00:01:14.380 --> 00:01:16.719 So you could also say just all Christians. 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:19.420 Okay, that was the last joke. 00:01:22.019 --> 00:01:25.319 So I just want to start with the beatitude. 00:01:25.939 --> 00:01:29.739 Jesus says, which almost all of the beatitudes are ironic. 00:01:30.120 --> 00:01:31.560 They're ironic juxtapositions. 00:01:31.560 --> 00:01:37.659 But one of them, he says, the meek shall inherit the earth. 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:39.240 Even louder. 00:01:39.719 --> 00:01:40.260 Oh my goodness. 00:01:41.400 --> 00:01:42.359 The meek shall. 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:43.560 Seth's telling me I'm not loud enough. 00:01:43.560 --> 00:01:47.799 The meek shall inherit the earth. 00:01:48.420 --> 00:01:55.960 Which is a very strange characteristic for inheritance to follow. 00:01:56.600 --> 00:02:03.540 I think normally we would think of the passage in so far as inheritance is concerned of, let's say, the parable of the talents. 00:02:03.540 --> 00:02:09.159 Where the person that stewards what's given to them well, more will be given to them. 00:02:09.580 --> 00:02:12.980 And the person that stewards it poorly, even what they have, will be taken away. 00:02:13.520 --> 00:02:16.900 Isn't that more of the equation that creates inheritance? 00:02:17.760 --> 00:02:20.540 Is the stewardship, which obviously that's part of it. 00:02:20.840 --> 00:02:25.340 But Jesus is making the point that the meek shall inherit the earth. 00:02:25.780 --> 00:02:27.080 Which is a very strange. 00:02:27.080 --> 00:02:32.000 You normally think of meekness as some kind of reservation. 00:02:32.219 --> 00:02:33.320 Maybe not weakness. 00:02:33.660 --> 00:02:35.240 But some kind of a personal reservation. 00:02:35.600 --> 00:02:37.700 It requires a reserved disposition. 00:02:38.780 --> 00:02:43.439 How is it that inheritance comes through meekness? 00:02:44.080 --> 00:02:48.120 How is it that the thing that normally the conquerors achieve? 00:02:48.300 --> 00:02:51.140 Or the good stewards achieve? 00:02:51.240 --> 00:02:52.660 Or the wise people achieve? 00:02:52.920 --> 00:02:55.360 How is it that meekness gets you there? 00:02:55.360 --> 00:02:58.680 How is meekness connected to inheritance? 00:03:00.320 --> 00:03:09.960 Well, let's turn to Psalm 37, which is where the verse that Jesus is quoting is in. 00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:13.600 Starting in verse 1. 00:03:16.500 --> 00:03:19.360 Trust in the Lord and do good. 00:03:20.640 --> 00:03:24.280 Dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness. 00:03:25.360 --> 00:03:30.080 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 00:03:30.180 --> 00:03:35.580 As an aside, Chris actually read this verse last Wednesday, which is an awesome verse. 00:03:35.700 --> 00:03:36.960 This is totally a footnote. 00:03:37.100 --> 00:03:38.180 This is not the point of my message. 00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:40.740 But it is really cool that the Lord says, 00:03:41.260 --> 00:03:45.600 Delight yourself in him and he will give what your heart desires. 00:03:46.020 --> 00:03:48.440 Which it seems like there is a parallel here. 00:03:48.600 --> 00:03:50.860 When we want the Lord, he gives us himself. 00:03:51.740 --> 00:03:52.800 Okay, that's an aside. 00:03:52.800 --> 00:03:54.140 That's not the point I'm trying to make. 00:03:55.560 --> 00:03:56.300 To keep going. 00:03:56.620 --> 00:03:57.820 Commit your way to the Lord. 00:03:58.360 --> 00:03:59.140 Trust in him. 00:04:00.140 --> 00:04:01.120 And here's the emphasis. 00:04:02.320 --> 00:04:04.439 And he will act. 00:04:06.200 --> 00:04:14.000 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light and your justice as the noonday. 00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:22.199 Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him. 00:04:23.819 --> 00:04:30.439 Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices. 00:04:31.579 --> 00:04:33.699 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. 00:04:34.540 --> 00:04:35.339 Fret not yourselves. 00:04:35.819 --> 00:04:37.139 It tends only to evil. 00:04:37.639 --> 00:04:39.300 For evildoers, that's interesting. 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:40.740 It says fret not yourself. 00:04:40.740 --> 00:04:42.360 It tends only to evil. 00:04:44.040 --> 00:04:46.480 For the evildoers shall be cut off. 00:04:47.500 --> 00:04:52.139 But those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land. 00:04:53.199 --> 00:04:56.439 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more. 00:04:57.259 --> 00:05:00.720 Though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there. 00:05:01.420 --> 00:05:08.139 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant peace. 00:05:08.139 --> 00:05:10.159 So what's he saying here? 00:05:10.339 --> 00:05:11.839 How is he using the word meekness? 00:05:11.899 --> 00:05:13.819 Obviously, there's a lot of connotations to meekness. 00:05:14.719 --> 00:05:25.000 I believe distinctly that what he's referring to is when we are still and trust the Lord to act and do the work. 00:05:25.000 --> 00:05:32.399 There is a fruitful stillness that depends on the Lord's intervention. 00:05:32.879 --> 00:05:40.139 It is, so to speak, posturing yourself, anticipating the Lord's deliverance. 00:05:40.339 --> 00:05:42.300 It is to say he is the deliverer. 00:05:43.120 --> 00:05:44.480 I am not the deliverer. 00:05:45.180 --> 00:05:46.000 He is the deliverer. 00:05:47.040 --> 00:05:48.000 He is the deliverer. 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:53.920 I am going to hop on down. 00:05:54.259 --> 00:05:55.079 Oh, sorry, not hop on down. 00:05:55.220 --> 00:05:57.240 I am going to move to Exodus 14. 00:05:57.899 --> 00:05:59.959 There are so many passages about this. 00:06:00.000 --> 00:06:01.120 There are so many passages about this. 00:06:01.180 --> 00:06:03.480 We are kind of going to do a tour through a handful. 00:06:03.920 --> 00:06:04.660 Actually, not a handful. 00:06:04.920 --> 00:06:06.540 Quite a few passages on this one topic. 00:06:07.000 --> 00:06:09.839 Exodus 14, verse 13. 00:06:09.939 --> 00:06:11.420 This is right after the children of Israel. 00:06:11.519 --> 00:06:12.959 They were delivered out of Egypt. 00:06:12.959 --> 00:06:20.939 They've come up to the Red Sea and the armies of Egypt are pursuing them and coming to kill them. 00:06:21.120 --> 00:06:22.139 And they're getting cold feet. 00:06:22.659 --> 00:06:26.240 And they're like, are we just going to die out here? 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:29.000 Wouldn't it have been better if we just went back and were slaves in Egypt? 00:06:30.019 --> 00:06:34.279 Moses responds, do not be afraid. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:42.859 Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. 00:06:42.959 --> 00:06:47.599 The Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. 00:06:48.719 --> 00:06:51.039 The Lord will fight for you. 00:06:52.459 --> 00:06:56.459 You need only be still. 00:06:57.180 --> 00:07:02.859 Once again, the Lord is the deliverer. 00:07:03.319 --> 00:07:05.839 The Lord is producing the inheritance. 00:07:06.240 --> 00:07:08.699 The Lord is producing the fruit. 00:07:08.699 --> 00:07:11.939 The Lord is the person who is acting. 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:14.279 We are being still. 00:07:14.779 --> 00:07:15.620 He is acting. 00:07:16.339 --> 00:07:20.579 And truthfully, when we first come to the Lord, isn't this exactly the experience? 00:07:21.139 --> 00:07:21.599 Wow. 00:07:21.979 --> 00:07:23.739 Look at what the Lord is doing. 00:07:24.439 --> 00:07:26.099 Look at what the Lord is doing. 00:07:26.819 --> 00:07:27.819 So powerful. 00:07:28.399 --> 00:07:32.579 So right for just seeing the Lord in his majesty and deliverance. 00:07:32.959 --> 00:07:34.279 I am not the rescuer of my life. 00:07:34.359 --> 00:07:35.799 The Lord is the rescuer of my life. 00:07:35.800 --> 00:07:48.500 This is how it even says in the book of Hebrews that the gospel was preached to the Hebrew Israelites in the wilderness, which is such a mysterious thing to say. 00:07:48.500 --> 00:07:53.519 But they are experiencing some radical deliverance from the Lord. 00:07:53.639 --> 00:07:55.639 The Lord is absolutely saving them. 00:07:55.860 --> 00:07:57.220 They are absolutely experiencing. 00:07:57.399 --> 00:07:59.500 I mean, this is one of those circumstances where they have no hope. 00:07:59.819 --> 00:08:01.819 Talking to the Red Sea here and the army here. 00:08:02.079 --> 00:08:02.680 And they're not armed. 00:08:02.879 --> 00:08:03.959 They're just about to get wiped out. 00:08:04.259 --> 00:08:05.699 They don't have circumstantially. 00:08:05.699 --> 00:08:12.479 They really have no hope in their own abilities, which is always like when we finally surrender and we have no tricks up our sleeve. 00:08:13.159 --> 00:08:14.079 We're in a tight spot. 00:08:14.459 --> 00:08:15.199 Like, okay, Lord. 00:08:17.719 --> 00:08:19.000 Anyway, I'm going to keep going. 00:08:20.279 --> 00:08:21.480 Mark chapter 4. 00:08:22.060 --> 00:08:28.480 This is one of my favorite parables because it's kind of mysterious and kind of obscure. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:30.659 Mark chapter 4. 00:08:30.660 --> 00:08:38.000 This is about a farmer sowing seed, but it's not the parable of the sower. 00:08:38.160 --> 00:08:38.840 It's further down. 00:08:39.920 --> 00:08:42.519 It kind of gets overshadowed by the parable of the sower. 00:08:43.180 --> 00:08:47.440 Mark chapter 4, starting in verse 26. 00:08:52.000 --> 00:08:53.139 He also said, 00:08:55.220 --> 00:08:58.080 This is what the kingdom of heaven is like. 00:08:58.420 --> 00:09:00.120 The kingdom of God is like, is my voice okay? 00:09:00.120 --> 00:09:00.899 Can everybody hear me? 00:09:01.100 --> 00:09:01.379 We good? 00:09:02.179 --> 00:09:03.159 Seth, we good? 00:09:03.320 --> 00:09:03.580 We good? 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:04.360 We good. 00:09:04.560 --> 00:09:04.779 Okay. 00:09:06.639 --> 00:09:08.840 This is what the kingdom of God is like. 00:09:09.879 --> 00:09:12.600 A man scatters seed on the ground. 00:09:14.440 --> 00:09:24.680 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:32.739 So whether he is asleep or awake, irregardless of what he's doing, the seed's growing. 00:09:34.099 --> 00:09:39.539 And it says he doesn't know how it's happening. 00:09:39.539 --> 00:09:49.059 So irregardless of his actions or irregardless of his ideas, the seed is growing all by itself, which is exactly what it says. 00:09:49.059 --> 00:09:54.759 All by itself, the soil produces grain. 00:09:55.419 --> 00:10:01.219 First the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head. 00:10:01.220 --> 00:10:08.139 As soon as the grain is ripe, he puts the sickle to it because the harvest has come. 00:10:09.759 --> 00:10:11.040 Okay, what's this about? 00:10:11.039 --> 00:10:28.819 I believe that what this is about is there is a fruitful growth that happens in the Lord's timeline, that happens irregardless of our actions, irregardless of what we're doing, and irregardless of our understanding. 00:10:28.820 --> 00:10:32.200 There is something that the Lord is doing. 00:10:32.379 --> 00:10:38.300 There is a fruit that the Lord is growing that is happening all by itself. 00:10:39.100 --> 00:10:45.980 And I think that there is a struggle that we have where we, what is it? 00:10:46.940 --> 00:10:48.120 We're more like rowboats. 00:10:48.440 --> 00:10:50.500 We want to keep on heading the direction we want to head. 00:10:50.860 --> 00:10:52.040 We're not so much sailboats. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:55.560 We don't like the whole like, you know, what does the sailboat do when there's no wind? 00:10:56.680 --> 00:10:57.480 It doesn't do anything. 00:10:57.860 --> 00:10:58.560 There's no wind. 00:10:59.560 --> 00:11:01.280 That's not really our timeline a lot of times. 00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:04.100 We're like, I'm more of a rowboat kind of guy. 00:11:05.660 --> 00:11:07.800 Not so much of a sailboat kind of guy. 00:11:07.940 --> 00:11:09.720 Michael's like, I'm more of a motorboat kind of guy. 00:11:13.060 --> 00:11:14.280 We don't like being sailboats. 00:11:15.060 --> 00:11:15.520 You know what I mean? 00:11:16.440 --> 00:11:21.879 We want things to happen and happen now in our own life and in the life of others. 00:11:22.700 --> 00:11:22.880 Right? 00:11:23.820 --> 00:11:24.800 Because think about this. 00:11:25.160 --> 00:11:25.940 I'm going to keep on going. 00:11:26.020 --> 00:11:27.000 There's so many passages about this. 00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:28.640 Think about this. 00:11:28.820 --> 00:11:39.760 How often are we like the children of Israel caught between the Red Sea and the chariots of Egypt? 00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:41.600 That's called a rock and a hard place. 00:11:41.600 --> 00:11:44.700 And we're there. 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:47.580 And then we really radically cry out to the Lord. 00:11:49.100 --> 00:11:49.800 And wow. 00:11:50.139 --> 00:11:51.300 Some huge breakthroughs. 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:52.860 We're confessing things. 00:11:52.920 --> 00:11:53.980 We never confessed to anybody. 00:11:54.200 --> 00:11:56.820 We're reconciling people we've never reconciled with before. 00:11:56.820 --> 00:12:03.720 All of a sudden there's like, instead of the cloud that follows you, there's like a grace that's following you every day. 00:12:04.060 --> 00:12:04.580 You know what I'm saying? 00:12:05.280 --> 00:12:05.680 Powerful. 00:12:05.760 --> 00:12:06.260 Lord's intervention. 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:14.659 And then it's like, also maybe now you look like a basket of chips. 00:12:15.200 --> 00:12:15.399 Right? 00:12:15.799 --> 00:12:17.500 Because you're coming clean about everything. 00:12:17.500 --> 00:12:19.980 And this is not very convenient. 00:12:20.519 --> 00:12:21.659 And we're like, okay. 00:12:21.879 --> 00:12:22.419 Like, crisis. 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:23.220 Thank you, God. 00:12:23.360 --> 00:12:23.840 Deliver me. 00:12:24.539 --> 00:12:26.940 And you're as soon as possible. 00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:29.740 Can we wrap up this crisis period? 00:12:31.019 --> 00:12:34.879 Like, I'm not saying that I'm unwilling. 00:12:35.120 --> 00:12:37.460 But can it be done as soon as possible? 00:12:38.740 --> 00:12:39.259 Right? 00:12:40.080 --> 00:12:42.919 There's actually, there's one of my favorite verses in Proverbs. 00:12:44.299 --> 00:12:46.679 Lord, give me food sufficient for me. 00:12:47.600 --> 00:12:51.299 Not so much that I forget you and not so little that I curse you. 00:12:51.480 --> 00:12:52.139 Which is awesome. 00:12:52.419 --> 00:12:58.200 But it's also like another way of saying like, Lord, can you please let me learn the like not really hard way? 00:12:58.860 --> 00:13:02.019 Like, can I learn the way that's not like really, really hard? 00:13:02.460 --> 00:13:02.919 You know what I mean? 00:13:02.919 --> 00:13:13.240 And I think part of that is our timeline towards fruitfulness is not the Lord's timeline. 00:13:14.319 --> 00:13:16.539 We don't like being a sailboat. 00:13:17.199 --> 00:13:18.819 We don't like being a sailboat. 00:13:19.639 --> 00:13:20.179 Right? 00:13:20.839 --> 00:13:22.059 We don't like being a sailboat. 00:13:24.000 --> 00:13:24.719 All right. 00:13:26.099 --> 00:13:27.279 Speaking of sailboats. 00:13:28.399 --> 00:13:29.299 Luke 10, 38. 00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:30.360 This is Martha and Mary. 00:13:30.419 --> 00:13:31.240 You guys already know the story. 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:41.220 As Jesus and his disciples were on the way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened up her home to him. 00:13:42.120 --> 00:13:46.899 She had a sister called Mary who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 00:13:47.680 --> 00:13:52.500 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. 00:13:53.200 --> 00:13:55.200 She came to him and asked, 00:13:55.200 --> 00:14:01.400 Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? 00:14:02.040 --> 00:14:03.560 Tell her to help me. 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:07.580 Martha, Martha, the Lord answered. 00:14:08.420 --> 00:14:16.000 You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed. 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:20.659 Or indeed, only one. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:24.940 Mary has chosen what is better. 00:14:25.779 --> 00:14:27.639 And it will not be taken away from her. 00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:31.179 Again, 00:14:32.539 --> 00:14:34.940 Christ is Christianity. 00:14:35.620 --> 00:14:36.480 Rock in the hard place. 00:14:36.639 --> 00:14:37.519 Find the crafts of the Lord. 00:14:38.039 --> 00:14:39.080 Lord's grace is upon you. 00:14:39.660 --> 00:14:40.759 You look like a basket case. 00:14:41.340 --> 00:14:45.820 Now, instead of being a put-together Christian, you are a bad Christian, should we say? 00:14:46.139 --> 00:14:47.420 That's what Carlos and I was talking about. 00:14:47.720 --> 00:14:51.980 Never losing, never graduating from being a bad Christian. 00:14:52.580 --> 00:14:54.560 You are very clearly not a put-together Christian. 00:14:54.940 --> 00:14:55.460 You are a mess. 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:56.120 You're a hot mess. 00:14:57.139 --> 00:14:57.320 Okay. 00:14:57.680 --> 00:14:58.500 So much grace there. 00:14:59.280 --> 00:15:01.020 We want to escape that. 00:15:01.680 --> 00:15:01.940 Right? 00:15:02.400 --> 00:15:08.000 We want to escape the crisis of the Lord's intervention, shall we call it? 00:15:09.000 --> 00:15:09.760 What happens? 00:15:11.640 --> 00:15:15.460 When the Lord, when we lose our meekness, let's say, 00:15:16.100 --> 00:15:20.300 when we don't choose the one thing, 00:15:21.000 --> 00:15:21.700 what is life about? 00:15:22.000 --> 00:15:23.560 Is it about many things or is it about one thing? 00:15:24.840 --> 00:15:26.020 Mary believed he's about one thing. 00:15:26.019 --> 00:15:32.120 When we lose our meekness, life becomes about many things. 00:15:33.019 --> 00:15:35.039 Life becomes about many things. 00:15:35.960 --> 00:15:38.419 And how can we not strive? 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:42.379 Because if the Lord is not a rescuer, then we got to do something about it. 00:15:42.579 --> 00:15:43.559 And it's all on us. 00:15:43.960 --> 00:15:44.159 Right? 00:15:44.679 --> 00:15:45.419 It's all on us. 00:15:46.120 --> 00:15:51.460 And that is a heavy yoke that Christians, that we, that me, are putting on all the time. 00:15:51.819 --> 00:15:52.259 Right? 00:15:53.319 --> 00:15:54.059 Because we lose it. 00:15:54.120 --> 00:15:55.079 We don't like meekness. 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:56.139 It's actually one of those things. 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:57.400 I'm not like, let's see. 00:15:57.800 --> 00:15:59.759 Meekness is not like, let's see. 00:16:00.480 --> 00:16:05.920 The only time meekness comes up is when, I don't know, like I'm fighting with my wife. 00:16:06.520 --> 00:16:07.300 You know what I'm saying? 00:16:07.480 --> 00:16:10.220 Which is like the best time to bring things up when you're in a fight with your wife. 00:16:10.280 --> 00:16:11.379 And then you want to bring up meekness. 00:16:11.780 --> 00:16:12.180 You know what I'm saying? 00:16:14.320 --> 00:16:21.560 Meekness is something in this regard that is so pertinent because we're so predisposed 00:16:21.560 --> 00:16:24.600 towards wanting to be the rescuer of our own life. 00:16:24.600 --> 00:16:24.980 Right? 00:16:25.680 --> 00:16:25.900 Right? 00:16:26.740 --> 00:16:29.000 We want to, I don't know. 00:16:30.360 --> 00:16:32.480 Maybe it does feel weak to be meek. 00:16:33.160 --> 00:16:33.360 I don't know. 00:16:33.379 --> 00:16:34.040 I'm speculating here. 00:16:34.980 --> 00:16:35.200 Okay. 00:16:35.280 --> 00:16:35.960 But think about this. 00:16:36.560 --> 00:16:36.960 Martha Mary. 00:16:37.040 --> 00:16:37.720 I'm getting derailed. 00:16:38.220 --> 00:16:38.680 Martha Mary. 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.460 Martha concerned about many things. 00:16:42.379 --> 00:16:44.759 Mary chose the one great thing. 00:16:44.759 --> 00:16:48.500 It's so similar to the seed. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:51.019 Now this is the parable of the sower. 00:16:51.019 --> 00:16:55.360 The seed that fell in the weedy soil. 00:16:56.139 --> 00:16:58.120 It was choked out by thorns and thistles. 00:16:58.779 --> 00:17:06.319 In the interpretation, Jesus says that that seed was choked out by the cares and concerns 00:17:06.319 --> 00:17:09.599 of life and did not produce much fruit. 00:17:10.179 --> 00:17:10.460 Right? 00:17:10.460 --> 00:17:12.120 What is this? 00:17:12.279 --> 00:17:12.600 What is this? 00:17:12.600 --> 00:17:13.460 What is cares and concerns? 00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:19.559 Well, I think on the surface, it's just exactly cares, things you love and care about, and 00:17:19.559 --> 00:17:21.460 concerns, things that cause you stress and anxiety. 00:17:21.460 --> 00:17:33.759 Both of these things are opportunities for us to see the Lord as our provider and the Lord 00:17:33.759 --> 00:17:44.539 as our rescuer, or a temptation for us to satisfy our desires in other ways and be our own rescuer 00:17:44.539 --> 00:17:46.700 of our own anxieties and circumstances. 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:51.720 You know, it's even like what Jesus said, you know, when he talks about not worrying about 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:54.080 tomorrow, for today has enough concerns of its own. 00:17:55.259 --> 00:17:59.299 If it's all on us, we have so much to worry about. 00:17:59.819 --> 00:17:59.980 Right? 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:03.059 But the Lord is our rescuer. 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:04.880 The Lord is our deliverer. 00:18:04.980 --> 00:18:09.799 Like, the Lord is actually as powerful as he was to the Israelites when he split the Red Sea, 00:18:10.380 --> 00:18:16.100 which is what we discover in these crisis moments in life, how powerful the Lord still is. 00:18:16.700 --> 00:18:23.720 He can be the solution to our cares and concerns every day, every day. 00:18:24.259 --> 00:18:25.200 And this is what this is talking about. 00:18:25.340 --> 00:18:26.720 I believe this is what this is talking about. 00:18:30.860 --> 00:18:32.220 Psalm 127, verse 1. 00:18:32.279 --> 00:18:33.100 You guys all know this verse. 00:18:33.840 --> 00:18:41.000 Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labor in vain. 00:18:41.000 --> 00:18:45.339 Unless the Lord watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain. 00:18:45.619 --> 00:18:49.200 So I think that the contrast here, 00:18:49.700 --> 00:18:59.799 the contrast here is stillness that produces the Lord's fruit. 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:00.799 Right? 00:19:01.059 --> 00:19:02.059 That's what I'm calling meekness. 00:19:02.059 --> 00:19:07.379 There is a fruit that comes from stillness that the Lord is the one producing the fruit. 00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:08.940 I'm going to call that meekness. 00:19:09.480 --> 00:19:16.079 And then on the other side, when we are rowboats, that's called laboring in vain. 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:18.279 That's called laboring in vain. 00:19:18.659 --> 00:19:20.460 And it's a really, man, laboring in vain. 00:19:20.940 --> 00:19:23.279 Okay, guys, I'm speaking from experience here. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:25.119 This is like an alcoholic talking about alcohol. 00:19:25.119 --> 00:19:28.039 Laboring in vain. 00:19:28.359 --> 00:19:35.599 The double whammy of laboring in vain is not only was that yoke really heavy and crushing you the whole time. 00:19:36.259 --> 00:19:39.419 In all of your efforts, you built a sandcastle and now it's gone. 00:19:39.779 --> 00:19:39.899 Right? 00:19:40.399 --> 00:19:45.299 Not only was it a really, really hard path, but everything you built was completely in vain. 00:19:45.659 --> 00:19:48.219 That's the double whammy because there's sacrifice involved there too. 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:54.019 When you labor in vain, you are making sacrifices in vain. 00:19:55.119 --> 00:19:55.359 Right? 00:19:55.839 --> 00:19:57.039 And I think this is similar. 00:19:57.139 --> 00:20:03.079 This is similar to works of the flesh. 00:20:03.500 --> 00:20:04.239 It's similar. 00:20:04.979 --> 00:20:06.139 I mean, it is works of the flesh. 00:20:06.819 --> 00:20:17.279 But I think the nuance here is that, you know, there's like Galatians, works of the law, you know, trusting in circumcision and the ceremonial law. 00:20:17.359 --> 00:20:17.699 You know what I mean? 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:19.739 You're trusting in maybe the religious practices. 00:20:20.199 --> 00:20:21.439 I think this is more broad. 00:20:21.519 --> 00:20:23.439 This is like every aspect of life. 00:20:23.440 --> 00:20:25.940 What do you do when things go wrong? 00:20:26.220 --> 00:20:27.940 What do you do when you're anxious about things? 00:20:28.980 --> 00:20:30.059 What do you do? 00:20:30.140 --> 00:20:31.299 Like, what's your deepest desire? 00:20:31.820 --> 00:20:32.220 You know what I mean? 00:20:32.259 --> 00:20:34.320 Like, what are the things you want the most? 00:20:34.539 --> 00:20:34.940 You know what I mean? 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:39.039 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:40.720 Is it the Lord himself that you desire? 00:20:41.380 --> 00:20:42.360 Do you remember that? 00:20:42.359 --> 00:20:46.059 Is it the Lord himself that's the Lord of your life? 00:20:47.259 --> 00:20:51.099 Or are you your own superhero? 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:53.479 Superhero. 00:20:53.859 --> 00:21:02.519 Are you the person insofar as your conduct is concerned that needs to be rescuing things all the time? 00:21:02.779 --> 00:21:06.259 Both yourself and others and those under your, you know what I'm saying? 00:21:06.259 --> 00:21:08.140 All right. 00:21:09.200 --> 00:21:09.920 Keep going. 00:21:12.200 --> 00:21:14.920 Jeremiah 2.13. 00:21:15.140 --> 00:21:18.839 I'm going to talk about, there's a handful of passages that talk about this that I just read. 00:21:18.940 --> 00:21:23.960 And there's a handful of passages that kind of illuminate how we go astray. 00:21:27.220 --> 00:21:28.359 Jeremiah 2.13. 00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:51.539 So notice here, he's not saying all the people of the earth. 00:21:51.779 --> 00:21:52.779 He's saying my people. 00:21:53.740 --> 00:21:54.719 He's saying my children. 00:21:54.720 --> 00:22:03.960 This is in reference to people that you could say are in the family of God, or maybe not even say family of God, people who think they're in the family of God. 00:22:05.480 --> 00:22:05.839 Us. 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:08.860 My people have committed two evils. 00:22:09.519 --> 00:22:12.980 They have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters. 00:22:14.000 --> 00:22:16.100 The Lord himself is life. 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.039 The Lord himself is the bread of life. 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:25.659 The Lord himself is not only eternal life, but he is, you know, he is love. 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:31.359 He is actually, all of these analogies, fountain of living water. 00:22:31.859 --> 00:22:38.940 These are all analogies you guys know that is to say what your soul deepest, most deeply longs for. 00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:45.779 The Lord's people here have forsaken him who was everything to them. 00:22:46.620 --> 00:22:47.460 And what have they done? 00:22:47.820 --> 00:22:53.039 They've hewn out cisterns for themselves, broken cisterns that can't hold water. 00:22:53.860 --> 00:22:54.460 Oh my gosh. 00:22:56.660 --> 00:22:57.640 Aren't we leaky? 00:22:58.059 --> 00:23:00.200 I'm not to say, this is not to condemn everyone. 00:23:00.940 --> 00:23:02.559 Our souls are so leaky. 00:23:02.559 --> 00:23:09.139 Aren't there times where we partake of the fountain of living water and then we like go to other things? 00:23:09.419 --> 00:23:09.839 What do we become? 00:23:09.879 --> 00:23:10.740 Become Martha again? 00:23:10.940 --> 00:23:12.179 Or become a prodigal again? 00:23:12.259 --> 00:23:18.039 We just return to the other gods, whatever you want to call it. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:23.220 We return to a way of life that is a broken cistern that cannot hold water. 00:23:24.019 --> 00:23:27.099 Which is like, it's really an extreme, it's an extreme opposite here. 00:23:27.099 --> 00:23:29.099 Because you have a fountain of living water. 00:23:29.099 --> 00:23:33.839 This is infinite, life-giving water. 00:23:34.980 --> 00:23:41.500 And then you have something that, when it holds water, it doesn't provide water. 00:23:41.779 --> 00:23:44.819 But when it holds water, the water leaks out of it. 00:23:44.859 --> 00:23:45.639 It's literally the opposite. 00:23:45.759 --> 00:23:46.159 Just think of it. 00:23:46.359 --> 00:23:48.119 A fountain, a wellspring of water. 00:23:48.959 --> 00:23:51.039 Something you put water in and it just leaks out. 00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:52.459 These are extremes. 00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:53.480 These are extremes. 00:23:54.019 --> 00:23:54.779 This is our hearts. 00:23:57.779 --> 00:23:59.059 Hosea 13.6. 00:23:59.099 --> 00:24:02.519 When I fed them. 00:24:03.899 --> 00:24:05.299 This is such a condemning verse. 00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:06.299 Oh my goodness. 00:24:07.740 --> 00:24:10.519 To me, I'm not saying, this is just a very convicting verse. 00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.240 Hosea 13.6. 00:24:12.240 --> 00:24:16.459 When I fed them, they were satisfied. 00:24:17.519 --> 00:24:21.459 When they were satisfied, they became proud. 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:24.740 And they forgot me. 00:24:25.839 --> 00:24:26.079 Right? 00:24:26.879 --> 00:24:27.240 Again. 00:24:28.359 --> 00:24:29.339 Crisis Christianity. 00:24:31.559 --> 00:24:33.279 You get stuck in the rock in the hard place. 00:24:34.659 --> 00:24:35.980 Finally, we have some meekness. 00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:38.559 Because, like, we're tied up in a straitjacket. 00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.519 It's like, okay, fine. 00:24:39.579 --> 00:24:40.240 I can't do anything. 00:24:40.859 --> 00:24:41.139 Right? 00:24:42.139 --> 00:24:43.000 The Lord delivers. 00:24:43.000 --> 00:24:45.420 What do we do? 00:24:46.420 --> 00:24:47.140 We're satisfied. 00:24:47.900 --> 00:24:48.180 Right? 00:24:48.720 --> 00:24:49.539 Crisis averted. 00:24:50.740 --> 00:24:51.960 It's like 9-1-1 God. 00:24:52.839 --> 00:24:53.099 Right? 00:24:55.740 --> 00:24:57.220 Only the please when you're in crisis. 00:25:00.319 --> 00:25:01.160 Crisis averted. 00:25:01.160 --> 00:25:03.900 And what do we do? 00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:06.320 We get satisfied. 00:25:07.940 --> 00:25:10.600 Satisfied is kind of an interesting term, though. 00:25:10.660 --> 00:25:12.960 Because the Lord is the only thing that's satisfied. 00:25:13.519 --> 00:25:22.060 But we're satisfied like a person who's thirsty and drinks liquor. 00:25:23.460 --> 00:25:24.019 Right? 00:25:25.120 --> 00:25:26.180 We're satisfied. 00:25:26.180 --> 00:25:29.860 Yes, we're falsely satisfied. 00:25:30.220 --> 00:25:30.400 Right? 00:25:32.560 --> 00:25:33.779 And then we become proud. 00:25:34.140 --> 00:25:38.720 We return to the autonomy of our own domain. 00:25:39.560 --> 00:25:39.820 Right? 00:25:40.680 --> 00:25:41.640 Thank you, crisis. 00:25:42.100 --> 00:25:42.380 God. 00:25:43.140 --> 00:25:44.279 Thank you, 9-1-1 God. 00:25:44.680 --> 00:25:45.680 I've got this from here. 00:25:47.880 --> 00:25:48.860 It's called pride. 00:25:49.380 --> 00:25:50.100 It's called pride. 00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:58.799 Like, us giving in to being the rescuer of our own life and the life of others is pride. 00:25:59.619 --> 00:26:04.679 And it's fundamentally us not being satisfied, independent on the Lord. 00:26:05.359 --> 00:26:08.119 We're abandoning our satisfaction and dependence on the Lord. 00:26:10.059 --> 00:26:12.939 We're trusting the power of our own hands. 00:26:12.940 --> 00:26:25.380 It's such an interesting thing, too, because we live in such a day and age where it's kind of like Babel 2.0, where we really are making some pretty powerful things, but only according to the eyes of man. 00:26:26.080 --> 00:26:29.500 Like, you know, cancer can still get any one of us at any time. 00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:30.980 At any time. 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:31.460 You know what I mean? 00:26:31.620 --> 00:26:33.880 Anytime there could be an earthquake and everything just collapses. 00:26:33.880 --> 00:26:44.020 We're so shielded from the majesty and power of the Lord at times that we feel so much more powerful and in control than we really are. 00:26:44.560 --> 00:26:45.080 You know what I mean? 00:26:45.800 --> 00:26:46.140 You know? 00:26:51.580 --> 00:26:53.820 When I fed them, they were satisfied. 00:26:53.960 --> 00:26:55.780 When they were satisfied, they became proud. 00:26:55.980 --> 00:26:57.200 And then they forgot me. 00:27:03.880 --> 00:27:05.200 All right. 00:27:06.280 --> 00:27:10.340 John 6, starting verse 26. 00:27:16.060 --> 00:27:23.280 You seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves. 00:27:23.279 --> 00:27:35.680 Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. 00:27:39.440 --> 00:27:41.980 May we not be satisfied with the things that are supposed to. 00:27:42.500 --> 00:27:42.940 You know what I mean? 00:27:43.019 --> 00:27:44.639 May we not lose our longing for the Lord. 00:27:45.259 --> 00:27:45.779 You know what I mean? 00:27:46.480 --> 00:27:47.460 May we not be dissuaded. 00:27:48.519 --> 00:27:49.639 May we not be dissuaded. 00:27:49.640 --> 00:27:49.720 May we not be dissuaded. 00:27:50.920 --> 00:27:54.920 There is, I'm trying to think I'll say this. 00:27:55.740 --> 00:28:07.640 I think one of the consequences of us going astray in these ways is it really steals from our heart the treasure of the Lord. 00:28:08.400 --> 00:28:10.980 And what I mean by that is it's a double whammy. 00:28:11.520 --> 00:28:14.440 You're not partaking of the Lord, and so he's not winning your heart. 00:28:14.440 --> 00:28:20.279 But you're also not being rescued by the Lord, and so you're not experiencing his daily redemption. 00:28:21.799 --> 00:28:28.600 There's this quote from Augustine's Confessions that I read a little over a year ago that really impacted me. 00:28:28.880 --> 00:28:30.180 It's kind of a weird quote. 00:28:30.400 --> 00:28:35.279 It's phrased in a way that's not immediately clear what he says, but the meat of it is one of the most impactful quotes I've ever read. 00:28:35.500 --> 00:28:39.100 I'm just going to read it, explain it, and then tie it into what we're talking about here. 00:28:39.099 --> 00:28:57.679 What man is there who, when reflecting on his own infirmity, dares to ascribe chastity and innocence to his own powers, and by doing so, chooses to love thee less? 00:28:58.539 --> 00:28:59.559 What's he saying there? 00:28:59.559 --> 00:29:18.359 He's saying, when you ascribe chastity and innocence to your own efforts and own powers, and you take credit for it, you are covering the brokenness of who you are. 00:29:19.720 --> 00:29:22.679 He who is forgiven much loves much. 00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:26.740 When you're doing that, you're choosing to love the Lord less. 00:29:26.740 --> 00:29:50.420 When you choose to take credit for what the Lord is actually the only one who can do, or when you choose to be or appear more pure, more chaste, more innocent than you really are, you're covering exactly what the Lord is here to extend mercy and forgiveness and deliverance to. 00:29:51.640 --> 00:29:54.579 You're willingly choosing to love the Lord less. 00:29:54.579 --> 00:29:56.799 How do we love? 00:29:58.619 --> 00:30:03.019 Because he, while we are sinners, Christ died for us. 00:30:03.599 --> 00:30:06.039 We love because he first loved us. 00:30:07.779 --> 00:30:10.460 He who is forgiven much loves much. 00:30:10.460 --> 00:30:25.680 Our ongoing need for the Lord and being able to maintain meekness, the Lord is the rescuer, is what is constantly persuading our hearts to love the Lord even more. 00:30:26.500 --> 00:30:27.039 You know what I mean? 00:30:27.340 --> 00:30:28.900 And honestly, here's another thing. 00:30:28.900 --> 00:30:36.160 How much does the Lord have a longer timeline on redeeming us because he wants to win our hearts even more? 00:30:37.019 --> 00:30:37.480 You know what I mean? 00:30:37.480 --> 00:30:49.519 How much are we actually struggling in circumstances that are really hard and real suffering that the Lord is totally right there in that we want to get this right over with? 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:55.359 When the Lord is wanting to get into the depths and the crevices of our soul. 00:30:55.859 --> 00:30:56.259 You know what I mean? 00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:59.619 Like, we're not talking, this isn't like superficial surgery. 00:30:59.740 --> 00:31:01.940 This is some, this is some deep stuff. 00:31:02.559 --> 00:31:03.139 Deep wells. 00:31:04.420 --> 00:31:05.519 Going to deep into hearts. 00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:07.200 It's even an analogy of the parable of the sower. 00:31:07.200 --> 00:31:14.880 However, the soft ground, the seed is able to grow deep roots. 00:31:15.740 --> 00:31:16.240 Deep roots. 00:31:17.680 --> 00:31:20.900 And the Lord is, I think the Lord's timeline is looking for more depth. 00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:24.759 And our timeline is looking for more convenience. 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:26.080 Right? 00:31:29.299 --> 00:31:35.180 Another thing, this is, this is, this is kind of an aside, but with the whole rescuer mentality. 00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:39.740 So, uh, one of the things I did last year is I really nerded out. 00:31:40.420 --> 00:31:42.200 Amber, Amber and I have already talked about this. 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:46.340 I really nerded out on the history of the, um, recovery movement. 00:31:46.820 --> 00:31:47.539 Alcoholics Anonymous. 00:31:48.100 --> 00:31:48.840 Narcotics Anonymous. 00:31:49.539 --> 00:31:50.880 Um, sexaholics Anonymous. 00:31:51.200 --> 00:31:54.080 This whole, you know, you guys have all heard these terms. 00:31:54.580 --> 00:32:00.060 Well, I was listening to a podcast and basically, um, I was listening to this guy, Russell Brand, who is a huge part of that. 00:32:00.140 --> 00:32:01.640 And then he recently came to the Lord. 00:32:01.840 --> 00:32:04.380 He's got a really radical testimony about coming to the Lord and stuff. 00:32:04.380 --> 00:32:14.600 But one of the things I realized by listening to one of these podcasts was it was actually a Christian revival that happened at Oxford University. 00:32:15.300 --> 00:32:16.800 And they called it the Oxford Group. 00:32:17.120 --> 00:32:26.000 And it was like a physician and a handful of professors, just a handful of guys that had incredible issues of bondage. 00:32:26.080 --> 00:32:28.800 I mean, like crazy alcohol, opiate addiction. 00:32:28.799 --> 00:32:32.980 One of the guys' wife has had left him because he had been sleeping around for many, many years. 00:32:33.159 --> 00:32:36.259 And these are guys who are really in crisis, really in crisis. 00:32:36.919 --> 00:32:40.659 And they all really had a radical encounter with the Lord. 00:32:40.660 --> 00:32:46.160 You know, they had their Red Sea chariot, you know, rock and hard place moment. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:47.420 They really cried out to the Lord. 00:32:47.779 --> 00:32:48.980 And the Lord really set them free. 00:32:49.700 --> 00:32:52.200 And the main two things, this is what's really intriguing to me. 00:32:52.420 --> 00:32:53.580 But actually, Amber, you can't answer. 00:32:53.860 --> 00:32:54.920 Who knows what the first step is? 00:32:55.100 --> 00:32:56.120 Does anybody know what the first step is? 00:32:56.820 --> 00:32:57.060 Anybody? 00:32:57.360 --> 00:32:57.759 Come on, somebody. 00:32:58.620 --> 00:32:59.800 Oh, you need to celebrate recovery. 00:32:59.900 --> 00:33:00.320 That's cheating. 00:33:02.380 --> 00:33:03.040 What is it? 00:33:03.040 --> 00:33:03.320 What is it? 00:33:03.360 --> 00:33:03.580 Tell me. 00:33:03.579 --> 00:33:13.339 So the first step is, I am powerless. 00:33:14.399 --> 00:33:17.599 The first step is, I am not the Savior. 00:33:18.839 --> 00:33:20.099 It's really a juxtaposition. 00:33:21.220 --> 00:33:22.019 I'm not the Savior. 00:33:22.279 --> 00:33:22.720 God's the Savior. 00:33:23.019 --> 00:33:25.599 Now, they've secularized it to, they say, a higher power. 00:33:25.939 --> 00:33:27.159 But it's surrendered to a higher power. 00:33:27.339 --> 00:33:28.759 It's to say, so sad. 00:33:28.899 --> 00:33:29.299 It's so sad. 00:33:29.339 --> 00:33:30.659 It was such a beautiful thing that happened. 00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:34.600 The little seedling of what happened in Oxford has been so secularized. 00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:35.519 It's so sad to see. 00:33:35.700 --> 00:33:40.900 But one of the main thing was, we can't save ourselves. 00:33:41.300 --> 00:33:43.640 We're trying really hard, and it keeps getting worse. 00:33:45.340 --> 00:33:46.120 You know what I mean? 00:33:46.540 --> 00:33:50.200 All the, I'm going to go clean for a dozen-so time. 00:33:50.860 --> 00:33:56.779 And it's just like a rubber band that snaps back every bit as hard the other direction. 00:33:56.779 --> 00:34:00.339 And it's just like this really vicious rollercoaster of a cycle. 00:34:01.500 --> 00:34:01.680 You know? 00:34:03.180 --> 00:34:10.420 They realized, when you radically surrender to the Lord, that there's something that happens. 00:34:11.179 --> 00:34:12.860 There's some freedom. 00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:14.480 There's some deep freedom there. 00:34:15.340 --> 00:34:19.800 And the second thing they did is, they confessed their sins exhaustively. 00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:21.699 They wrote history of sin. 00:34:21.699 --> 00:34:27.679 They would write out, kind of like we've done in deliverance sessions, they would write out very extensively. 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:32.339 Not summarized confessions, exhaustive confessions. 00:34:32.519 --> 00:34:33.519 Those are really the two things they did. 00:34:33.980 --> 00:34:35.739 And it started a whole revival. 00:34:35.939 --> 00:34:42.039 A ton of students and professors on Oxford's campus came to the Lord and got incredible deliverance. 00:34:42.419 --> 00:34:50.480 And then the subsequent influence of that ended up becoming the secularized, anonymous, alcohol, all these movements. 00:34:50.480 --> 00:34:51.019 So disappointing. 00:34:51.019 --> 00:34:56.239 But one of the things that's really cool about that, I think, it's essentially what I'm talking about, about meekness. 00:34:56.599 --> 00:34:59.900 It's just maintaining the Lord is my deliverer. 00:35:00.380 --> 00:35:02.960 The Lord is my deliverer. 00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:04.840 I need the Lord to deliver me. 00:35:05.940 --> 00:35:07.840 Which he has over and over and over again. 00:35:08.519 --> 00:35:12.920 We're just, you know, sheep going astray. 00:35:13.159 --> 00:35:14.119 We like our rowboats. 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:15.679 They do what we want. 00:35:16.820 --> 00:35:17.860 Or our motorboats. 00:35:17.860 --> 00:35:21.160 I don't know why I just decided Michael's the motorboat guy. 00:35:22.360 --> 00:35:24.539 If Michael was a boat, he would be a motorboat. 00:35:24.820 --> 00:35:25.420 Let's be real. 00:35:29.519 --> 00:35:29.840 Okay. 00:35:30.079 --> 00:35:33.240 One last, one last, actually not one last thing. 00:35:33.420 --> 00:35:35.099 Dang, I'm going way longer than I thought I was. 00:35:35.519 --> 00:35:36.780 I thought I was going to go short, guys. 00:35:36.820 --> 00:35:37.120 I'm sorry. 00:35:37.119 --> 00:35:38.619 I'm going to rush through this real quick. 00:35:39.099 --> 00:35:41.480 But one thing I want to share. 00:35:41.920 --> 00:35:45.279 I have these, I do 15-minute naps. 00:35:45.519 --> 00:35:49.719 And a lot of times when I do 15-minute naps, I'll have a dream during that short period of time. 00:35:50.179 --> 00:35:51.380 I must be behind on REM sleep. 00:35:51.380 --> 00:35:59.260 But one of the ones that happened like six months ago that really stuck to me. 00:35:59.640 --> 00:36:02.360 And I'm sure it's because I was probably playing about this as I was going to sleep. 00:36:02.780 --> 00:36:05.140 But one of the ones that really stuck with me is there was a boat. 00:36:05.860 --> 00:36:07.579 It was in the water. 00:36:07.640 --> 00:36:08.700 I've already told some of you guys about this. 00:36:09.240 --> 00:36:11.079 And there was a bunch of wreckage around the boat. 00:36:12.180 --> 00:36:20.539 And on one side of the boat, a lot of the sailors were jumping in trying to rescue the people who are drowning in the water. 00:36:20.539 --> 00:36:22.139 Good intention. 00:36:22.840 --> 00:36:25.659 But what was happening was they weren't actually able to. 00:36:26.019 --> 00:36:28.320 They weren't actually able to rescue the people. 00:36:28.500 --> 00:36:29.460 And they were drowning as well. 00:36:30.019 --> 00:36:35.779 And so on one side of the boat, more people were drowning because people were trying to rescue the people in the water. 00:36:36.800 --> 00:36:36.960 Okay? 00:36:37.480 --> 00:36:41.559 On the other side of the boat, in the dream, it was like the captain figure. 00:36:41.639 --> 00:36:42.900 It was like the authority figure or whatever. 00:36:43.639 --> 00:36:46.980 He told everyone, you cannot rescue them. 00:36:47.420 --> 00:36:48.599 You cannot get in the water. 00:36:48.599 --> 00:36:48.659 Yeah. 00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:55.799 And so he just is telling people in the water like, hey, there's an oar. 00:36:56.019 --> 00:36:57.039 Try to swim to that oar. 00:36:57.339 --> 00:36:59.900 For people who are kind of close, like, I know you're tired. 00:36:59.980 --> 00:37:00.440 You can do it. 00:37:00.500 --> 00:37:01.239 You can swim to the boat. 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:08.279 And what ends up happening is gradually, instead of jumping in and intervening, people are finding things to float on. 00:37:08.619 --> 00:37:13.599 People actually who are closer are able to actually fully swim to the boat themselves and are able to get pulled out. 00:37:13.599 --> 00:37:19.380 And then finally, there's way fewer people that are genuinely drowning. 00:37:19.380 --> 00:37:23.700 And as they're losing consciousness, then he tells people to jump in and bring him out. 00:37:25.079 --> 00:37:27.039 And that's not exactly the point here. 00:37:27.180 --> 00:37:28.260 This is part of the point. 00:37:28.860 --> 00:37:41.099 What I'm trying to say, well, I think the reason I like that analogy or that dream is that it points to the fact of where we think that rescuing, I'm juxtaposing rescuing and meekness. 00:37:41.099 --> 00:37:48.119 We think that rescuing is the solution, but really, it can make things much, much worse. 00:37:48.900 --> 00:37:49.380 You know what I mean? 00:37:49.819 --> 00:37:51.759 In fact, it does make things much, much worse. 00:37:51.940 --> 00:38:00.179 In fact, some of the reasons why our struggles increase is because of our own impatience and inability to surrender because of our own pride. 00:38:00.900 --> 00:38:01.059 Right? 00:38:01.059 --> 00:38:01.119 Right? 00:38:01.119 --> 00:38:10.359 All right, last thing. 00:38:10.420 --> 00:38:11.099 I'm going to try to wrap this up. 00:38:11.159 --> 00:38:11.779 I'm going to skip some stuff. 00:38:12.440 --> 00:38:12.759 All right. 00:38:13.480 --> 00:38:14.420 I just want to say three things. 00:38:15.059 --> 00:38:16.420 These are the three todays. 00:38:17.500 --> 00:38:18.619 This is the only encouragement. 00:38:19.639 --> 00:38:23.440 This is the only thing you should do, which is basically I'm going to tell you to do nothing. 00:38:23.920 --> 00:38:25.960 But this is the only takeaway. 00:38:26.579 --> 00:38:28.259 This is the only things I want you guys to take away from this. 00:38:28.260 --> 00:38:30.340 This is the three todays. 00:38:31.280 --> 00:38:34.680 Today, his mercies are new. 00:38:35.420 --> 00:38:36.960 His mercies are new today. 00:38:37.860 --> 00:38:39.780 Every day, the Lord's mercies are new. 00:38:39.960 --> 00:38:40.180 Why? 00:38:41.000 --> 00:38:42.400 Because we need his mercy every day. 00:38:42.780 --> 00:38:45.040 We need his mercy every single day. 00:38:45.380 --> 00:38:47.360 We need to remember it every single day. 00:38:48.200 --> 00:38:49.800 May we remember it every single day. 00:38:49.940 --> 00:38:51.780 I'm tempted to ask you, do you remember it every single day? 00:38:51.820 --> 00:38:53.600 But I know we all don't remember it every single day. 00:38:53.640 --> 00:38:55.180 We need to remember it every single day. 00:38:55.440 --> 00:38:58.120 As the sun rises, the Lord's mercies are new. 00:38:58.119 --> 00:39:08.099 every day. Number two, the Lord is our daily bread. Every day, the Lord's our bread. Every day, 00:39:08.500 --> 00:39:12.940 the Lord's our bread. Not all the things in this world, all the incredible blessings in this world. 00:39:13.079 --> 00:39:16.819 The Lord is our bread every single day. The fountain of living waters. May we not forsake 00:39:16.819 --> 00:39:22.159 the fountain of living waters, as Israelites said. May we not forget it. May we not forget him. May we 00:39:22.159 --> 00:39:28.599 not forsake him. May we not be the ones who are satisfied when the Lord solves a crisis, but we 00:39:28.599 --> 00:39:42.859 return to our ways and forget him once the crisis is averted. And number three, strive to enter his 00:39:42.859 --> 00:39:50.139 rest. It's the only commandment to strive, to enter his rest. And you know when? Today. It says, today, 00:39:50.139 --> 00:39:54.599 if you hear his voice, don't harden your heart as the children of Israel did in the wilderness. 00:39:55.879 --> 00:40:03.259 And the Lord said, they shall not enter my rest. His commandment to enter, his commandment for us to 00:40:03.259 --> 00:40:12.059 enter his rest is a commandment that extends today. Today, strive to enter his rest, right? This is what 00:40:12.059 --> 00:40:19.099 Jesus is talking about, even when he talks about not being anxious about tomorrow, right? The Lord's 00:40:19.099 --> 00:40:25.139 very concerned about the unit of the day. He doesn't guarantee us anything. We just really 00:40:25.139 --> 00:40:34.679 have today. We believe we're more powerful than we are. We believe that more is certain than it is. 00:40:35.279 --> 00:40:43.319 We underestimate how much we desperately need the Lord until the crisis hits. We don't see it until 00:40:43.320 --> 00:40:51.700 the crisis hits, right? We don't see it until the crisis hits. All right. Isaiah 55 2. Why do you 00:40:51.700 --> 00:40:57.500 spend your money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen 00:40:57.500 --> 00:41:07.920 diligently to me. Eat what is good and delight yourselves in rich food. Last thing for all of us 00:41:07.920 --> 00:41:17.019 we're living on fast food spiritually right now. Psalm 63 and then I'm done. God, oh man, I'm gonna cry if I read this. 00:41:17.019 --> 00:41:45.940 God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you. My soul thirsts for you. My flesh faints for you. As in a dry and weary land where there is no water, I have looked upon you in the sanctuary. 00:41:45.940 --> 00:41:48.179 Beholding your power and glory. 00:41:52.940 --> 00:41:56.940 Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. 00:41:58.400 --> 00:42:03.559 So I will bless you as long as I live. In your name, I will lift my hands. 00:42:05.019 --> 00:42:08.139 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food. 00:42:08.860 --> 00:42:11.740 My mouth will praise you with joyful lips. 00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:13.979 When I remember you upon my bed 00:42:13.979 --> 00:42:17.099 and meditate you in the watches of the night. 00:42:17.579 --> 00:42:19.000 For you have been my help. 00:42:19.419 --> 00:42:21.899 And in the shadow of your wings, I will sing your joy. 00:42:22.219 --> 00:42:23.159 I will sing for joy. 00:42:23.959 --> 00:42:25.459 My soul clings to you. 00:42:26.399 --> 00:42:27.819 Your right hand upholds me. 00:42:29.659 --> 00:42:33.000 But those who seek to destroy life shall go down into the depths of the earth. 00:42:33.739 --> 00:42:36.319 They shall be given over to the power of the sword. 00:42:36.320 --> 00:42:38.380 They shall be a portion for jackals. 00:42:39.680 --> 00:42:41.440 But the king shall rejoice in God. 00:42:42.720 --> 00:42:44.500 All who swear by him shall exult. 00:42:46.160 --> 00:42:47.800 For the mouth of liars will be stopped. 00:42:47.800 --> 00:43:17.780 For the mouth of liars will be stopped.