1 00:00:01,020 --> 00:00:09,160 Speaker 1: Well, happy 2026 to you. Can you believe it? I thought I'd have been dead a long time ago. 2 00:00:11,900 --> 00:00:21,760 Speaker 1: But I think it promises us some excitement this coming year. Just looking at the headlines the last few days, 3 00:00:21,930 --> 00:00:26,540 Speaker 1: you know, Putin vows to take all of Ukraine. I thought they were in peace talks. 4 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:34,240 Speaker 1: The U.S. arrests Maduro and his wife and says it will run Venezuela. 5 00:00:34,660 --> 00:00:37,080 Speaker 1: That's going to be very, very interesting. 6 00:00:39,500 --> 00:00:40,180 Speaker 1: Don't you think? 7 00:00:43,360 --> 00:00:51,580 Speaker 1: And because of that, some think that China will think, well, hey, if they can do that, and we can do that in Taiwan. 8 00:00:54,180 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: Or what about Israel? 9 00:00:55,580 --> 00:00:58,620 Speaker 1: And the seven-front battle, they are. 10 00:00:58,660 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: in continues to be very, very interesting. And Gaza, you know, is an absolute disaster, I believe. 11 00:01:09,900 --> 00:01:18,720 Speaker 1: Lord knows what's going to happen there. So it's causing all kinds of anti-Semitic thought and 12 00:01:19,020 --> 00:01:28,620 Speaker 1: turmoil. 2026 is shaping up to be a humdinger of a year already. But what do we do? We 13 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:36,940 Speaker 1: watch and we pay attention. Now, I must say that you must be very, very careful to who you listen 14 00:01:38,420 --> 00:01:44,680 Speaker 1: to, right? You better have your Bible in one hand if you're listening to somebody talk and 15 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:51,180 Speaker 1: be careful if the people you're listening to is always trying to sell you something, right? Be careful 16 00:01:51,200 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: of that. Lately I've been engaging Don Stewart. Some of you remember Don. 17 00:01:58,960 --> 00:02:05,000 Speaker 1: you know, is very instrumental in the Blue Letter Bible, just an incredible theologian. 18 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:10,140 Speaker 1: He had a heart attack some years ago and has really slowed him down, but he does an update 19 00:02:10,380 --> 00:02:15,220 Speaker 1: every year, or excuse me, every day, every single day, sometimes twice a day, and then he's 20 00:02:15,260 --> 00:02:25,760 Speaker 1: doing some little vignettes on, I can't even remember what it's called now, something, but it's truth. 21 00:02:27,160 --> 00:02:34,920 Speaker 1: untimely truth. And so that's one thing about truth is it doesn't change. Anyway, and Don 22 00:02:35,100 --> 00:02:44,620 Speaker 1: doesn't try to sell you anything. Everything he presents is free and he can be trusted. He had gotten a 23 00:02:45,020 --> 00:02:51,220 Speaker 1: text from Dennis Swick. Some of you maybe know who Dennis is. He's the owner of his channel, 24 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:56,500 Speaker 1: probably one of the largest Christian outlets in the world. 25 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:02,340 Speaker 1: And so Swick said these prophecy teachers today have lost their minds. 26 00:03:05,420 --> 00:03:10,460 Speaker 1: They don't know their Bible, and the only Bible they know is a roadmap to hell. 27 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:11,680 Speaker 1: Right. 28 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: So be very careful of what you're listening to. 29 00:03:15,940 --> 00:03:20,280 Speaker 1: We live in a time when we know where there's an expectation, right? 30 00:03:20,460 --> 00:03:50,020 Speaker 1: We're expecting the Lord to come. We really are. And when you look through that through the lens of prophecy, we expect some other things. We feel like Ezekiel 38 and 39 could happen. And we know that's a last day's event. But we need to be just very careful how we go about listening to things or even saying things. Some people say the stupidest things. Right? And it just tips people over. 31 00:03:50,480 --> 00:03:54,180 Speaker 1: it's best to not say nothing at all, right? 32 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: It's best to not say nothing at all. 33 00:03:57,200 --> 00:04:03,900 Speaker 1: Now, we know that if we're looking at Ezekiel 38 and 39, we realize who's the players, Russia 34 00:04:04,400 --> 00:04:04,780 Speaker 1: in Iran. 35 00:04:05,400 --> 00:04:07,300 Speaker 1: Do you realize what's going on in those countries right now? 36 00:04:07,900 --> 00:04:08,040 Speaker 1: Right? 37 00:04:08,420 --> 00:04:12,820 Speaker 1: Russia is totally preoccupied with Ukraine, and Iran is about to implode. 38 00:04:13,700 --> 00:04:15,300 Speaker 1: I mean, it's just absolutely insane. 39 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,820 Speaker 1: And we know that both those countries are involved in Ezekiel 38 and 39. 40 00:04:19,120 --> 00:04:22,260 Speaker 1: So we know that's not going to happen right really, really soon. 41 00:04:23,180 --> 00:04:23,720 Speaker 1: We know that. 42 00:04:24,480 --> 00:04:27,560 Speaker 1: And so that's what you need to be looking at and remember. 43 00:04:27,700 --> 00:04:31,900 Speaker 1: Now, some say, well, that has to happen before the rapture. 44 00:04:32,020 --> 00:04:32,600 Speaker 1: Who says? 45 00:04:34,140 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: The Bible doesn't say that, that the rapture happens before or after Ezekiel 38 and 39. 46 00:04:40,760 --> 00:04:41,920 Speaker 1: It might happen before. 47 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:48,460 Speaker 1: In fact, all of our church fathers over the years, they have all thought that they were the 48 00:04:48,440 --> 00:04:53,720 Speaker 1: generation that was going to see the coming of the Lord. And there's good reason for that. 49 00:04:54,540 --> 00:04:59,220 Speaker 1: Because when you believe that, right, when you honestly believe that in your heart, 50 00:04:59,940 --> 00:05:06,460 Speaker 1: it affects the way you live your life. When you honestly believe that. And I do honestly believe 51 00:05:06,560 --> 00:05:15,539 Speaker 1: that, that he can come at any time. And so we just watch and we wait. And we be very careful 52 00:05:15,960 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: to read his word and put it in our hearts. 53 00:05:19,330 --> 00:05:21,960 Speaker 1: The issue is to be ready, folks. 54 00:05:22,760 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: Just to be ready. 55 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:26,600 Speaker 1: Just to be ready for your Lord to come. 56 00:05:27,040 --> 00:05:31,400 Speaker 1: Be ready for your last breath. 57 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:32,780 Speaker 1: Be ready to die. 58 00:05:34,100 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: And so it is very interesting times. 59 00:05:40,280 --> 00:05:45,460 Speaker 1: I am very encouraged by the declaration of our president. 60 00:05:46,140 --> 00:05:50,300 Speaker 1: back in September, he calls it America Praise. 61 00:05:50,700 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: That's what it's called, is America Praise. 62 00:05:53,420 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 1: And so I'll just read this little blurb that they put together from the president. 63 00:05:59,500 --> 00:06:01,260 Speaker 1: President Trump, he says, 64 00:06:01,380 --> 00:06:05,500 Speaker 1: as we prepare to celebrate two and a half centuries of freedom, 65 00:06:05,780 --> 00:06:11,420 Speaker 1: I am inviting America's great religious communities to pray for our nation and for our people. 66 00:06:12,100 --> 00:06:15,460 Speaker 1: From the beginning, this has always been a country sustained and 67 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 1: strengthened by prayer. So important if we bring religion back stronger. Now, one thing you need to know 68 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:28,420 Speaker 1: when you look at history and when our founders talked about religion, they were talking about 69 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:37,540 Speaker 1: Christianity, right? Very specifically. Religion back stronger, you're going to see everything get 70 00:06:37,710 --> 00:06:44,540 Speaker 1: better and better and better. You are going to see it get better and better. So as we chart our course for the next 71 00:06:44,620 --> 00:06:53,060 Speaker 1: 250 years, let us rededicate ourselves to one nation under God. And then they ask is if one million 72 00:06:54,520 --> 00:07:02,200 Speaker 1: Americans dedicated one hour a week to praying for our country and our people, will you join 73 00:07:02,540 --> 00:07:08,680 Speaker 1: with at least 10 people to meet each week for one hour to pray for America? I mean, who can't do 74 00:07:08,780 --> 00:07:13,140 Speaker 1: that? Come on, an hour a week? Really? That's just a few minutes a day, isn't it? 75 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,060 Speaker 1: Trump goes on and he says, 76 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:22,060 Speaker 1: as we celebrate 250 years of freedom, 77 00:07:22,180 --> 00:07:28,560 Speaker 1: this is an opportunity to rededicate ourselves to the principles that gave birth to this land of liberty. 78 00:07:29,040 --> 00:07:32,260 Speaker 1: As George Washington famously said in his farewell address, 79 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:37,260 Speaker 1: of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, 80 00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,280 Speaker 1: religion and morality are the indispensable supports. 81 00:07:41,810 --> 00:07:43,020 Speaker 1: In vain would that, 82 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:49,860 Speaker 1: man claimed the tribute of patriotism who should labor to subvert these great pillars in human 83 00:07:50,120 --> 00:08:00,340 Speaker 1: happiness these firmest props of the duties of men and his citizens and so we can pray right 84 00:08:02,260 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: and uh trump had um when he did this uh a democratic senator came against him and um um um 85 00:08:17,240 --> 00:08:22,820 Speaker 1: it says he says the need for this commission has never been more clear than it 86 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:30,280 Speaker 1: it was last week when the ineffectual senator from virginia a man named tim cane 87 00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:36,539 Speaker 1: stated that the notion our rights come from our creator is extremely troubling to him 88 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:42,400 Speaker 1: is that trouble you it's the declaration of independence 89 00:08:44,339 --> 00:08:50,360 Speaker 1: that proclaims we're endowed by our creator with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. 90 00:08:50,920 --> 00:08:54,400 Speaker 1: The senator from Virginia should be ashamed of himself. 91 00:08:55,320 --> 00:08:56,260 Speaker 1: That's what Trump says. 92 00:08:59,660 --> 00:09:04,420 Speaker 1: So we're to be people of prayer, and that's really what we're talking about here. 93 00:09:04,580 --> 00:09:08,060 Speaker 1: It's the disciples' prayer that I didn't get very far in last time. 94 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,820 Speaker 1: But Luke, in Luke's gospel, he's focused on prayer. 95 00:09:12,460 --> 00:09:19,060 Speaker 1: He has a heart for the people as a doctor, right? Luke was a doctor. He had a heart for people and no doubt 96 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:28,480 Speaker 1: realizing that the greatest medicine for the human spirit is to seek his God in prayer. 97 00:09:29,940 --> 00:09:36,580 Speaker 1: Jesus was a man of prayer. John the Baptist, we see here in the first verse of this chapter, was a man of prayer. 98 00:09:39,040 --> 00:09:45,680 Speaker 1: And intense prayer at that, just in chapters 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, and 11, we see Jesus praying. 99 00:09:46,840 --> 00:09:51,420 Speaker 1: And so that is definitely an example that we need to follow. 100 00:09:52,180 --> 00:09:55,040 Speaker 1: He started off with our Father who art in Heaven. 101 00:09:55,040 --> 00:09:56,060 Speaker 1: In fact, let's just read. 102 00:09:56,200 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: We'll just read the prayer real quick, or the model real quick. 103 00:10:00,580 --> 00:10:05,040 Speaker 1: Our Father in Heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, 104 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:11,220 Speaker 1: on earth as it is in heaven, give us day by day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, 105 00:10:12,310 --> 00:10:18,860 Speaker 1: for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us, and to do not lead us into temptation, 106 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:20,900 Speaker 1: but deliver us from the evil one. 107 00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:29,000 Speaker 1: Simple, many of us have recited it over the years, and it starts off with Father. 108 00:10:29,280 --> 00:10:33,700 Speaker 1: We talked about that, that not everyone can call a God Father. 109 00:10:33,980 --> 00:10:39,540 Speaker 1: Jesus does it here in the New Testament 167 times except one time. 110 00:10:40,600 --> 00:10:41,980 Speaker 1: One time he doesn't call him Father. 111 00:10:43,320 --> 00:10:44,340 Speaker 1: It's when he's on the cross. 112 00:10:45,780 --> 00:10:50,340 Speaker 1: And he says, Elo, Elo, Eloy, Lama Sabakhani, or my God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 113 00:10:51,880 --> 00:10:56,560 Speaker 1: And that's the first time that we don't see Jesus calling on God as his father. 114 00:10:58,000 --> 00:10:59,720 Speaker 1: Because really he was in our place. 115 00:11:01,380 --> 00:11:03,120 Speaker 1: And God is not naturally our father. 116 00:11:03,520 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 1: Adam is the fallen one, right? 117 00:11:07,280 --> 00:11:16,440 Speaker 1: Adam fell and got tangled up with the serpent and knew that he was naked and everything changed 118 00:11:16,440 --> 00:11:22,440 Speaker 1: and this deadly disease spread through all of humanity through Adam. 119 00:11:23,900 --> 00:11:30,880 Speaker 1: And Jesus came as the propitiation, the payment for that fall. 120 00:11:31,660 --> 00:11:37,080 Speaker 1: and that's when Jesus, many believed that there was a separation between the father and the son 121 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,120 Speaker 1: on your behalf and mine. 122 00:11:39,660 --> 00:11:45,760 Speaker 1: And so to call him father is to be born spiritually of him. 123 00:11:46,700 --> 00:11:54,720 Speaker 1: Because in the Old Testament, when you see the term a son or sons of God, they were a direct creation of God. 124 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,560 Speaker 1: Adam is called a son of God, right? 125 00:11:57,750 --> 00:12:00,700 Speaker 1: He was a direct creation of God. 126 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:04,160 Speaker 1: and then he fell, right? 127 00:12:04,860 --> 00:12:06,480 Speaker 1: The angels are called sons of God. 128 00:12:06,580 --> 00:12:10,420 Speaker 1: They are direct creations of God. 129 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:18,840 Speaker 1: But to be able to call God father is now requires that adoption. 130 00:12:19,300 --> 00:12:22,400 Speaker 1: And he comes along and we're born again. 131 00:12:22,880 --> 00:12:26,500 Speaker 1: And through his son, we can call him father. 132 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:30,260 Speaker 1: So he says, address him as father, 133 00:12:30,300 --> 00:12:34,400 Speaker 1: and then he says, hallowed or holy set apart, be thou name. 134 00:12:35,460 --> 00:12:39,920 Speaker 1: The Jews wouldn't speak the name of God. 135 00:12:41,100 --> 00:12:45,080 Speaker 1: And when they wrote it, they would kind of be incognito about it. 136 00:12:46,060 --> 00:12:51,120 Speaker 1: The name in antiquity stood for far more than it does with us. 137 00:12:51,200 --> 00:12:55,840 Speaker 1: It summed up a person's whole character, all that was known or revealed about them. 138 00:12:55,900 --> 00:13:00,220 Speaker 1: And you think about all the people that we see in the Bible in their names, and sometimes names were changed. 139 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:02,620 Speaker 1: but their names always meant something. 140 00:13:02,940 --> 00:13:04,780 Speaker 1: Thinking of Abraham, right? 141 00:13:05,819 --> 00:13:11,060 Speaker 1: Abram was exalted father. 142 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:13,320 Speaker 1: Abraham is the father of many nations. 143 00:13:14,630 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: And so then you have Jacob, and his names changed to Israel, 144 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,680 Speaker 1: and it would really just profile their character. 145 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,440 Speaker 1: So don't name your son, Bonehead. 146 00:13:32,180 --> 00:13:34,000 Speaker 1: He'll work on that enough on his own. 147 00:13:34,220 --> 00:13:36,440 Speaker 1: You don't need to hang that title on him. 148 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:48,500 Speaker 1: But that we esteem the name of the Lord holy and set apart. 149 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:52,020 Speaker 1: I think when I read this, I thought of the Third Commandment, 150 00:13:52,020 --> 00:13:54,100 Speaker 1: and I think I might have mentioned this last week, 151 00:13:54,220 --> 00:13:57,180 Speaker 1: but there in Exodus chapter 20 when it says, 152 00:13:58,760 --> 00:14:02,760 Speaker 1: that we shall not take the name of the Lord our God in vain. 153 00:14:03,440 --> 00:14:04,200 Speaker 1: Don't take. 154 00:14:04,960 --> 00:14:08,440 Speaker 1: And that word take in the Hebrew is it's pronounced Nassah. 155 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,260 Speaker 1: You know, it had a phonetic thing so I could actually pronounce it right. 156 00:14:13,880 --> 00:14:19,740 Speaker 1: And it's Nassah, and it means to lift up, to magnify, to receive, regard, respect. 157 00:14:20,020 --> 00:14:20,580 Speaker 1: Listen to this. 158 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:24,380 Speaker 1: To wear the name of God in an empty manner. 159 00:14:25,860 --> 00:14:30,940 Speaker 1: In other words, if you say you're a Christian or living like hell, keep your mouth shut, would you? 160 00:14:32,340 --> 00:14:33,200 Speaker 1: Don't mention Jesus. 161 00:14:34,620 --> 00:14:42,340 Speaker 1: If you're not going to esteem him for who he is, don't be trying to tell people about him, right? 162 00:14:43,060 --> 00:14:47,400 Speaker 1: Because if there's anything that turns the stomach of most people, it's hypocrisy. 163 00:14:47,860 --> 00:14:48,640 Speaker 1: They hate it. 164 00:14:49,500 --> 00:14:50,260 Speaker 1: I hate it. 165 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 1: I look in the mirror and I hate it because there I am. 166 00:14:55,540 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: And so, but don't do it in an empty way. 167 00:14:59,680 --> 00:15:01,460 Speaker 1: There's a seriousness about it. 168 00:15:02,440 --> 00:15:04,020 Speaker 1: And I love that when I saw that. 169 00:15:04,020 --> 00:15:07,960 Speaker 1: That means to wear, to wear the name of Jesus. 170 00:15:09,140 --> 00:15:11,480 Speaker 1: When's the last time you're accused of being a Jesus freak? 171 00:15:12,380 --> 00:15:13,580 Speaker 1: I love that accusation. 172 00:15:14,300 --> 00:15:15,340 Speaker 1: Kiching, I'll take it. 173 00:15:16,020 --> 00:15:16,240 Speaker 1: Right? 174 00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:22,640 Speaker 1: But be serious about it. 175 00:15:23,060 --> 00:15:25,080 Speaker 1: So it's not really about vocabulary. 176 00:15:25,120 --> 00:15:28,740 Speaker 1: Larry, taking the Lord's name in vain, though I believe that is sinful. 177 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:32,400 Speaker 1: But it's more about an ambassadorship, right? 178 00:15:32,500 --> 00:15:36,720 Speaker 1: You're an ambassador to the king of kings and the Lord of Lord. 179 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: So don't live in that empty way naming the name of Christ. 180 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:48,000 Speaker 1: Then he says, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 181 00:15:48,800 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: This is the commission the kingdom. 182 00:15:51,420 --> 00:15:52,260 Speaker 1: What is the kingdom? 183 00:15:52,980 --> 00:15:53,920 Speaker 1: Your kingdom come. 184 00:15:54,860 --> 00:16:02,560 Speaker 1: That's what Jesus, when he commissioned the 72 and the 12 when they went out, it was to proclaim the kingdom of God. 185 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:14,900 Speaker 1: It's really asking for God's reign to be fully established on the earth. 186 00:16:16,320 --> 00:16:18,020 Speaker 1: Just it is perfectly in heaven. 187 00:16:19,140 --> 00:16:20,220 Speaker 1: Well, that's going to take some doing. 188 00:16:21,720 --> 00:16:26,140 Speaker 1: signifying a desire for his rule in individual lives and the world, 189 00:16:26,780 --> 00:16:31,580 Speaker 1: bringing his justice, peace, and glory both now and at Christ's return. 190 00:16:32,200 --> 00:16:37,080 Speaker 1: It's a prayer for God to take his rightful place as king, 191 00:16:37,520 --> 00:16:41,100 Speaker 1: not just in the earth, but in your life and my life personally, 192 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:46,980 Speaker 1: that his kingdom would come to our hearts, 193 00:16:47,700 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: challenging earthly powers, which you and I have a lot, 194 00:16:50,860 --> 00:16:52,300 Speaker 1: that kind of pull at us, right? 195 00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:55,540 Speaker 1: The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, 196 00:16:55,880 --> 00:16:57,460 Speaker 1: the world, the flesh, and the devil. 197 00:17:00,300 --> 00:17:05,240 Speaker 1: But when it comes and takes roosts and sets up in our heart, 198 00:17:05,740 --> 00:17:08,280 Speaker 1: this spirit of the kingdom of God, 199 00:17:09,179 --> 00:17:13,780 Speaker 1: or it could easily be described as the Holy Spirit, 200 00:17:16,439 --> 00:17:18,240 Speaker 1: it changes, it changes us. 201 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:24,560 Speaker 1: And it needs to start with us, this desiring the kingdom. 202 00:17:29,060 --> 00:17:36,400 Speaker 1: And ultimately, I think it fulfills the whole idea of Zion, where the Lord's going to rule 203 00:17:36,400 --> 00:17:36,860 Speaker 1: and reign. 204 00:17:38,580 --> 00:17:39,980 Speaker 1: And this is getting crazy now, right? 205 00:17:42,880 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: Christian Zionist. 206 00:17:45,040 --> 00:17:45,640 Speaker 1: Have you heard that one? 207 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:49,680 Speaker 1: There's Christian nationalists, Christian Zionists. 208 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:52,060 Speaker 1: I'm a Christian Zionist. 209 00:17:52,660 --> 00:17:54,600 Speaker 1: I think I'm a Christian nationalist, too. 210 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:59,220 Speaker 1: That would probably disqualify me from running from any office. 211 00:17:59,530 --> 00:18:03,020 Speaker 1: I don't know, because I think some people are like cool, 212 00:18:03,420 --> 00:18:05,820 Speaker 1: and other people are like, you know. 213 00:18:10,940 --> 00:18:17,780 Speaker 1: But one commentator out there is saying that Christian Zionism is a disease of the brain. 214 00:18:22,020 --> 00:18:25,020 Speaker 1: Really? What is it even mean? 215 00:18:25,280 --> 00:18:26,340 Speaker 1: Christian Zionism. 216 00:18:26,500 --> 00:18:30,600 Speaker 1: Isn't Zionism just having God's reign? 217 00:18:31,220 --> 00:18:32,200 Speaker 1: God's rule and reign? 218 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 1: And specifically, it's connected to Israel, obviously, that God's going to set up where he placed the people of Israel. 219 00:18:43,060 --> 00:18:44,420 Speaker 1: He's going to set up a throne there. 220 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:45,940 Speaker 1: He's going to rule and reign. 221 00:18:47,960 --> 00:18:48,680 Speaker 1: that's Zionism 222 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:52,880 Speaker 1: I think he has his hand on Israel right now 223 00:18:53,330 --> 00:18:55,620 Speaker 1: I think only a fool could say that he doesn't 224 00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:56,960 Speaker 1: right 225 00:19:01,559 --> 00:19:03,720 Speaker 1: but Jesus says something interesting 226 00:19:03,810 --> 00:19:07,100 Speaker 1: in Luke 17 and I'm going to talk about it now 227 00:19:07,660 --> 00:19:09,580 Speaker 1: because by the time we get to Luke 17 228 00:19:09,900 --> 00:19:12,400 Speaker 1: everyone will have forgotten what I've been talking about 229 00:19:13,960 --> 00:19:15,940 Speaker 1: and and in 230 00:19:15,960 --> 00:19:25,060 Speaker 1: verses 20 and 21 in Luke 17, it says, now when he was asked by the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God would come, 231 00:19:25,740 --> 00:19:31,040 Speaker 1: he answered them and said, the kingdom of God does not come with observation. 232 00:19:32,920 --> 00:19:40,580 Speaker 1: Nor will they say, see here or see there. For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. 233 00:19:42,280 --> 00:19:43,620 Speaker 1: Think about that one for a minute. 234 00:19:44,700 --> 00:19:44,820 Speaker 1: Right? 235 00:19:44,900 --> 00:19:46,980 Speaker 1: That's some heavy stuff. 236 00:19:47,140 --> 00:19:49,220 Speaker 1: The kingdom of God is within us. 237 00:19:50,540 --> 00:19:57,980 Speaker 1: Now, I got to tell you, I had to go to a commentator to get a little insight. 238 00:19:59,980 --> 00:20:02,900 Speaker 1: Though I feel like I know what it is in my own heart. 239 00:20:04,180 --> 00:20:10,720 Speaker 1: But Warren Wearsby says the word translated observation is used only here in the New Testament 240 00:20:10,900 --> 00:20:16,340 Speaker 1: and means a classical Greek, in classical Greek, to observe the future by signs. 241 00:20:17,020 --> 00:20:17,920 Speaker 1: Are we doing that now? 242 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:20,060 Speaker 1: Big time. 243 00:20:20,760 --> 00:20:24,540 Speaker 1: In fact, I think people are saying there's signs out there that aren't even there yet. 244 00:20:28,240 --> 00:20:35,660 Speaker 1: It carries the idea of spying or lying in weight and even scientific investigation. 245 00:20:37,380 --> 00:20:38,460 Speaker 1: I think that's happening. 246 00:20:41,220 --> 00:20:51,820 Speaker 1: I watched a little few-minute video the other day of the top 10 archaeological discoveries in Israel. 247 00:20:53,480 --> 00:20:54,120 Speaker 1: Fascinating. 248 00:20:55,540 --> 00:21:06,540 Speaker 1: And just like it's always been said, and just like all the atheists of the past who were going to prove the Bible wrong and they end up getting saved, 249 00:21:06,940 --> 00:21:10,500 Speaker 1: You know, I know it's kind of the who's who, really, of atheists. 250 00:21:10,800 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, Lee Strobel. 251 00:21:15,800 --> 00:21:17,440 Speaker 1: The list goes on and on and on. 252 00:21:19,700 --> 00:21:22,080 Speaker 1: Who are now believers in the Lord Jesus 253 00:21:22,580 --> 00:21:28,180 Speaker 1: simply because a lot of the artifacts that they studied 254 00:21:28,860 --> 00:21:33,460 Speaker 1: in their ploy to disprove Christianity backfired on them. 255 00:21:37,600 --> 00:21:39,620 Speaker 1: And so that's what it means by observation. 256 00:21:39,630 --> 00:21:40,880 Speaker 1: You're not going to just watch it come. 257 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 1: Something, it has to, it's not out here. 258 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:44,240 Speaker 1: It's in here. 259 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:50,820 Speaker 1: The Pharisees' question was legitimate, but it was also tragic. 260 00:21:51,460 --> 00:21:55,260 Speaker 1: For Jesus had been ministering among them for some three years, 261 00:21:55,820 --> 00:21:58,700 Speaker 1: and these men were still in spiritual darkness. 262 00:21:59,400 --> 00:22:01,420 Speaker 1: They did not understand who Jesus was, 263 00:22:01,580 --> 00:22:04,020 Speaker 1: or what he was seeking to accomplish. 264 00:22:04,940 --> 00:22:07,760 Speaker 1: Their views of the kingdom were political, not spiritual, 265 00:22:09,220 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 1: Jewish, not universal. 266 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:14,380 Speaker 1: Jesus did not deny that there would be a future earthly kingdom, 267 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,020 Speaker 1: but he did emphasize the importance of the spiritual kingdom 268 00:22:18,220 --> 00:22:21,860 Speaker 1: that could be entered only by a new birth, right? 269 00:22:21,960 --> 00:22:29,220 Speaker 1: And he outlines John 3-1-8 when Jesus had the encounter with Nicodemus. 270 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:33,620 Speaker 1: He said, hey, Nicotemus, you must be born again. 271 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:35,300 Speaker 1: Right? 272 00:22:35,360 --> 00:22:37,120 Speaker 1: It's an imperative. 273 00:22:37,280 --> 00:22:38,040 Speaker 1: It's not an option. 274 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:41,100 Speaker 1: You must be born again. 275 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:49,540 Speaker 1: The statement, the kingdom of God is within you, has challenged Bible translators and interpreters for centuries. 276 00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,700 Speaker 1: And many explanations have been given. 277 00:22:52,220 --> 00:22:59,760 Speaker 1: One thing can be sure of this, that he was not telling the unbelieving Pharisees that they had. 278 00:22:59,860 --> 00:23:01,480 Speaker 1: the kingdom of God in their hearts. 279 00:23:02,020 --> 00:23:03,740 Speaker 1: They didn't because they didn't believe. 280 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:07,760 Speaker 1: That's how the kingdom of God is in your heart. 281 00:23:08,540 --> 00:23:09,400 Speaker 1: It's when you believe. 282 00:23:10,460 --> 00:23:12,740 Speaker 1: And his spirit bears witness with your spirit 283 00:23:13,120 --> 00:23:14,840 Speaker 1: that you are a son or a daughter of God. 284 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:26,400 Speaker 1: The Greek preposition can mean within among or in the midst of, 285 00:23:26,940 --> 00:23:29,780 Speaker 1: Jesus was saying, don't look for the kingdom 286 00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:32,740 Speaker 1: out there unless it is first in your heart. 287 00:23:35,400 --> 00:23:36,380 Speaker 1: And I think that's so true. 288 00:23:40,899 --> 00:23:46,760 Speaker 1: Paul's writing in Romans says that a person who is a Jew is one inwardly, right? 289 00:23:46,860 --> 00:23:50,020 Speaker 1: That something has taken place in the heart. 290 00:23:55,180 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: Romans 14, 17, for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but right, 291 00:23:59,780 --> 00:24:04,100 Speaker 1: righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. That's the kingdom of God. 292 00:24:06,100 --> 00:24:12,360 Speaker 1: When you hear that gospel and it hits you, not here, but here. 293 00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:20,020 Speaker 1: Right. It changes something going on in here. That's weird to me. 294 00:24:23,480 --> 00:24:28,820 Speaker 1: But that's how, that's how he connects with us. He knows which button to push. 295 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,700 Speaker 1: Jesus is saying the fact that I am here in your midst is what is important. 296 00:24:37,300 --> 00:24:41,140 Speaker 1: For I am the king, how can you enter the kingdom if you reject the king? 297 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:58,580 Speaker 1: Amen. A couple chapters later, Jesus rides into Jerusalem, right? 298 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 1: and there's some people that have the kingdom of God in their hearts when he rides in there 299 00:25:08,050 --> 00:25:11,960 Speaker 1: in verses 38 through 40 in Luke 19. 300 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:20,580 Speaker 1: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven and glory in the highest. 301 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:25,500 Speaker 1: And some of the Pharisees called for him to him from the crowd. 302 00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:27,600 Speaker 1: Teacher, rebuke your disciples. 303 00:25:28,100 --> 00:25:34,940 Speaker 1: But he answered and said to them, I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out. 304 00:25:41,460 --> 00:25:42,200 Speaker 1: The kingdom. 305 00:25:44,700 --> 00:25:54,960 Speaker 1: The Pharisees were preoccupied with the great events of the future, but were ignoring the opportunities of the present, which was the presence of their own Messiah. 306 00:25:58,220 --> 00:26:06,500 Speaker 1: And I see so many people like that, they get so twisted up about what other people are doing or not doing. 307 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,940 Speaker 1: Instead of just listen, God is called you and me personally. 308 00:26:12,460 --> 00:26:15,380 Speaker 1: The kingdom of heaven is in our hearts personally. 309 00:26:16,860 --> 00:26:18,340 Speaker 1: Let's do what God's called us to do. 310 00:26:20,680 --> 00:26:21,580 Speaker 1: It's so simple. 311 00:26:22,340 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 1: And it leads us to the next part of that. 312 00:26:25,060 --> 00:26:26,360 Speaker 1: your will be done. 313 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,840 Speaker 1: Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 314 00:26:31,540 --> 00:26:33,740 Speaker 1: Jesus prayed for this at Gethsemedy. 315 00:26:33,740 --> 00:26:39,040 Speaker 1: You remember he said, Father, not my will, but thine be done. 316 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,600 Speaker 1: If there's any way this cup can pass, right? 317 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:43,300 Speaker 1: He wasn't afraid to ask. 318 00:26:44,100 --> 00:26:49,840 Speaker 1: If there's any way this cup can pass, let it pass, but not my will, but thine be done. 319 00:26:50,940 --> 00:26:54,700 Speaker 1: Not about you, but as I grow closer to the Lord, I do want the, 320 00:26:55,060 --> 00:26:58,700 Speaker 1: God's will to be to be done in my life. 321 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:04,800 Speaker 1: But sometimes we're not sure, right? 322 00:27:05,300 --> 00:27:06,000 Speaker 1: We're not sure. 323 00:27:06,500 --> 00:27:07,960 Speaker 1: What is God's will for me? 324 00:27:09,700 --> 00:27:13,120 Speaker 1: Well, I think there's some hints in the scriptures, right? 325 00:27:13,560 --> 00:27:16,440 Speaker 1: First Thessalonians 5, 16 through 18, rejoice always, 326 00:27:17,120 --> 00:27:21,540 Speaker 1: and pray without ceasing and everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 327 00:27:22,080 --> 00:27:22,220 Speaker 1: Right? 328 00:27:22,620 --> 00:27:23,480 Speaker 1: So that's a good one, right? 329 00:27:23,840 --> 00:27:27,260 Speaker 1: rejoice, pray, without ceasing, and give thanks. 330 00:27:27,960 --> 00:27:29,020 Speaker 1: That's the will of God right there. 331 00:27:29,440 --> 00:27:30,340 Speaker 1: Do you practice that? 332 00:27:31,860 --> 00:27:33,960 Speaker 1: Some people are so hung up on doing the will of God, 333 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,280 Speaker 1: they forget to do these things. 334 00:27:35,880 --> 00:27:37,480 Speaker 1: These are like the elementary things. 335 00:27:37,600 --> 00:27:39,220 Speaker 1: These are the simple things that we can do. 336 00:27:40,460 --> 00:27:41,860 Speaker 1: Hebrews 1010 says, 337 00:27:42,120 --> 00:27:43,960 Speaker 1: by that will, the will of God, 338 00:27:44,240 --> 00:27:49,000 Speaker 1: we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 339 00:27:49,080 --> 00:27:49,960 Speaker 1: God set us apart. 340 00:27:50,700 --> 00:27:51,740 Speaker 1: He wants to use your life. 341 00:27:52,600 --> 00:27:57,500 Speaker 1: So if you can rejoice and give thanks, 342 00:28:01,200 --> 00:28:02,520 Speaker 1: you're well on your way. 343 00:28:04,180 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 1: I remember being that one who, 344 00:28:07,300 --> 00:28:09,220 Speaker 1: I didn't know what God's will for my life was. 345 00:28:09,340 --> 00:28:11,840 Speaker 1: I didn't know what he wanted me to do specifically. 346 00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:13,640 Speaker 1: But I was rejoicing. 347 00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:14,840 Speaker 1: I was seeking the Lord. 348 00:28:14,920 --> 00:28:15,740 Speaker 1: I was going to church. 349 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:16,720 Speaker 1: I was reading my Bible. 350 00:28:17,060 --> 00:28:18,940 Speaker 1: And all of a sudden, boom, boom, boom. 351 00:28:19,040 --> 00:28:21,480 Speaker 1: Doors start opening opportunities to go minister. 352 00:28:22,220 --> 00:28:22,980 Speaker 1: scared me to death. 353 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:24,460 Speaker 1: What? 354 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: I don't know if I can do that. 355 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:27,640 Speaker 1: I don't think I can do that. 356 00:28:29,920 --> 00:28:34,200 Speaker 1: First one was teaching a third grade Bible study through the book of Ephesians. 357 00:28:35,260 --> 00:28:35,700 Speaker 1: Third graders. 358 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:38,320 Speaker 1: They were a bit intimidating. 359 00:28:44,020 --> 00:28:44,940 Speaker 1: First Peter 2.15, 360 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:50,400 Speaker 1: for this is the will of God that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men. 361 00:28:52,400 --> 00:28:56,760 Speaker 1: just do good do what's right before god you gotta go to you gotta go to god to find out what's right 362 00:28:57,500 --> 00:29:04,440 Speaker 1: just do what's right before god faithful with a little he'll give you more faithful with a little 363 00:29:04,940 --> 00:29:13,660 Speaker 1: he'll give you a little more faithful with a little that's just god's economy same chapter in first 364 00:29:13,880 --> 00:29:20,420 Speaker 1: peter verse 21 for to this you were called because christ also suffered for us leaving us an example 365 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,000 Speaker 1: that you should follow in his steps. 366 00:29:22,200 --> 00:29:25,320 Speaker 1: Oh, I was all hunky dory up till that one. 367 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,340 Speaker 1: Now I'm got to be willing to suffer. 368 00:29:29,880 --> 00:29:30,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 369 00:29:31,240 --> 00:29:32,000 Speaker 1: Jesus suffered. 370 00:29:33,340 --> 00:29:38,680 Speaker 1: Why would you be hesitant to do something that your Lord was willing to do? 371 00:29:39,980 --> 00:29:40,540 Speaker 1: Why would we? 372 00:29:41,060 --> 00:29:41,780 Speaker 1: And yet we do. 373 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:43,160 Speaker 1: Oh, no. 374 00:29:43,810 --> 00:29:47,840 Speaker 1: I want peace, love, and brotherhood in a soft place to land. 375 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,720 Speaker 1: we'll get that in heaven right we'll get that in heaven right we'll get that in heaven 376 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:02,900 Speaker 1: we should be hungry for the will of god first peter three nine not returning evil for 377 00:30:03,010 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: evil this is the will of god or reviling for reviling but on the contrary blessing knowing 378 00:30:09,010 --> 00:30:17,820 Speaker 1: that you were called to this that you may inherit a blessing and some say well that's just being too 379 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:19,280 Speaker 1: I don't want to be that nice. 380 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:31,520 Speaker 1: Years ago, I read a book about a KGB officer in Russia that defected. 381 00:30:32,140 --> 00:30:37,760 Speaker 1: And he was, I don't know who he was under, if he was under Gorvachava, or who he was. 382 00:30:37,860 --> 00:30:41,840 Speaker 1: But they were adamant about persecuting the underground church. 383 00:30:44,080 --> 00:30:47,760 Speaker 1: And he had killed several people, arrested them. 384 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,960 Speaker 1: kind of an apostle Paul type story. 385 00:30:51,960 --> 00:30:55,280 Speaker 1: But the thing that rocked his world is when he had the butt of his gun 386 00:30:55,760 --> 00:30:59,600 Speaker 1: above the head of a little old woman that he had taken captive in a Bible study 387 00:31:00,020 --> 00:31:01,700 Speaker 1: and he was going to hit her in the head and kill her. 388 00:31:03,980 --> 00:31:05,540 Speaker 1: And she looked up at him and she says, 389 00:31:06,260 --> 00:31:07,800 Speaker 1: Oh, Lord Jesus, please forgive him. 390 00:31:07,880 --> 00:31:08,820 Speaker 1: He don't know what he's doing. 391 00:31:10,840 --> 00:31:12,220 Speaker 1: And it just rocked the guy's world. 392 00:31:14,100 --> 00:31:14,280 Speaker 1: Right? 393 00:31:14,900 --> 00:31:17,780 Speaker 1: Just that little ounce of faith. 394 00:31:17,980 --> 00:31:19,500 Speaker 1: that she mustered at that moment. 395 00:31:21,640 --> 00:31:24,000 Speaker 1: And he defected from Russia, 396 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:25,520 Speaker 1: came, went to Canada, 397 00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,240 Speaker 1: and then eventually came to the States 398 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,060 Speaker 1: and was a dynamic believer in the Lord Jesus. 399 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:33,980 Speaker 1: Is it worth it? 400 00:31:34,320 --> 00:31:37,920 Speaker 1: Because we, 401 00:31:39,980 --> 00:31:42,100 Speaker 1: I think right now the church, 402 00:31:42,560 --> 00:31:43,360 Speaker 1: in America, 403 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:45,700 Speaker 1: is kind of 404 00:31:47,440 --> 00:31:51,440 Speaker 1: playing with this idea, do we return evil for evil? 405 00:31:53,280 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 1: If they attack us, what do we do? 406 00:31:59,940 --> 00:32:03,060 Speaker 1: And my answer is, I don't know. 407 00:32:04,270 --> 00:32:05,660 Speaker 1: I don't know what we're to do. 408 00:32:08,980 --> 00:32:13,760 Speaker 1: Folks, don't be surprised if there is a wave of Islam that comes across this country. 409 00:32:16,160 --> 00:32:24,120 Speaker 1: right it started the trickle effect right we got a socialist in seattle and a socialist and socialist 410 00:32:24,660 --> 00:32:33,220 Speaker 1: Muslim in New York and we're sandwiched in between which way do we turn just look up look up walk by 411 00:32:33,400 --> 00:32:41,600 Speaker 1: faith show the character of Christ Jesus in our dealings on earth as it is in heaven the on earth part 412 00:32:41,900 --> 00:32:49,520 Speaker 1: that's our part right on earth as it is in heaven because here we are right now we're just to live out 413 00:32:49,620 --> 00:32:55,100 Speaker 1: god's will for us these things these good things that we've just read about not returning evil for 414 00:32:55,380 --> 00:33:03,080 Speaker 1: evil rejoicing always praying without ceasing how good are we on that one i'm i need work i need work on 415 00:33:03,160 --> 00:33:09,460 Speaker 1: that one i was so overwhelmed by looking at this message and this prayer model that jesus gave us here 416 00:33:09,720 --> 00:33:18,900 Speaker 1: yesterday I just had to go for a walk in the mud it's not even it's not even froze up I had to find 417 00:33:18,980 --> 00:33:23,540 Speaker 1: some shadowy spots to walk where I wasn't slipping all over the place but I just Lord I just got to 418 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:28,820 Speaker 1: come pray I don't even I don't even know what to pray about I mean obviously I lifted up my family 419 00:33:29,010 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 1: and and the ones coming after me because I realize my time here on earth is is getting shorter 420 00:33:34,600 --> 00:33:39,420 Speaker 1: by the day and I just had to go and walk and pray 421 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:40,480 Speaker 1: and seek the Lord. 422 00:33:43,320 --> 00:33:47,880 Speaker 1: I never regretted doing that one time in my life, ever. 423 00:33:49,460 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 1: What about you? 424 00:33:50,310 --> 00:33:51,520 Speaker 1: You ever regretted praying? 425 00:33:58,400 --> 00:34:01,320 Speaker 1: But I've regretted not a whole bunch. 426 00:34:03,100 --> 00:34:05,460 Speaker 1: I don't think I've ever regretted coming to church. 427 00:34:07,680 --> 00:34:08,940 Speaker 1: But I've regretted not. 428 00:34:10,840 --> 00:34:11,440 Speaker 1: not going 429 00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:15,419 Speaker 1: on earth as it is in heaven 430 00:34:17,640 --> 00:34:19,060 Speaker 1: that's why it's so important 431 00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:20,720 Speaker 1: for us to stay close to Jesus 432 00:34:20,840 --> 00:34:22,240 Speaker 1: in these days in which we live 433 00:34:22,879 --> 00:34:24,700 Speaker 1: get involved in some kind of a prayer group 434 00:34:25,419 --> 00:34:26,360 Speaker 1: man come to the office 435 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:28,879 Speaker 1: we pray three times a week there 436 00:34:29,580 --> 00:34:30,060 Speaker 1: Tuesdays 437 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:31,460 Speaker 1: Thursdays and Fridays 438 00:34:33,340 --> 00:34:34,460 Speaker 1: and it's sweet 439 00:34:35,280 --> 00:34:35,960 Speaker 1: and you learn 440 00:34:36,340 --> 00:34:37,360 Speaker 1: you learn some of these 441 00:34:37,860 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: these ways 442 00:34:39,379 --> 00:34:39,800 Speaker 1: to pray. 443 00:34:43,260 --> 00:34:48,360 Speaker 1: And then give us day by day our daily bread. 444 00:34:50,200 --> 00:34:52,740 Speaker 1: Notice that would suggest no storing up. 445 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,840 Speaker 1: Not to store up a big storehouse, 446 00:34:55,940 --> 00:34:59,400 Speaker 1: but a daily provision, a dependence on the Lord. 447 00:35:01,100 --> 00:35:03,480 Speaker 1: The psalmist mentions this in Psalm 37. 448 00:35:03,490 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 1: He says, 449 00:35:04,320 --> 00:35:06,540 Speaker 1: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, 450 00:35:06,540 --> 00:35:07,980 Speaker 1: and he delights in his way. 451 00:35:09,020 --> 00:35:16,460 Speaker 1: though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the lord upholds him with his hand i have been young 452 00:35:16,900 --> 00:35:23,540 Speaker 1: and now i'm old yet i have not seen the righteous forsaken nor his descendants begging bread 453 00:35:24,100 --> 00:35:33,240 Speaker 1: he is ever merciful and lends he and his descendants are blessed god takes care of those who just depend on him 454 00:35:33,360 --> 00:35:38,020 Speaker 1: on a daily basis day by day it's a model that we're 455 00:35:38,040 --> 00:35:42,560 Speaker 1: was modeled for us in the Old Testament when the children of Israel would go out day by day. 456 00:35:43,160 --> 00:35:48,720 Speaker 1: Go get your manna. No storing any up, unless the worms come and eat it up. 457 00:35:50,260 --> 00:35:55,120 Speaker 1: They could store up a little extra on the Sabbath day and that was it. No, it's a daily dependence. 458 00:35:56,700 --> 00:36:07,860 Speaker 1: We're going to see that as we get further into chapter 11. Then all of this is man humbling himself before God. 459 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: right our father hallowed be thy name your will be done your kingdom come on earth give us this day our daily bread 460 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,540 Speaker 1: this is man humbling yourself before god it's always easy to humble ourselves before god isn't it 461 00:36:21,200 --> 00:36:25,520 Speaker 1: because he's a little he's a little easier to love than the person sitting next to you 462 00:36:28,700 --> 00:36:37,840 Speaker 1: but then god calls us in this prayer he says forgive us as oh no as we forgive others 463 00:36:39,920 --> 00:36:45,100 Speaker 1: brothers. This is a tough one. So this requires us to humble ourselves before God and then go humble 464 00:36:45,220 --> 00:36:51,180 Speaker 1: ourselves before our brother or vice versa, right? Because it suggests that to experience God's 465 00:36:51,380 --> 00:36:58,480 Speaker 1: forgiveness, you must first forgive your brother. Do I really? You know how many people I've 466 00:36:58,540 --> 00:37:03,660 Speaker 1: talked to over the years and counseled with over the years? And they have told me I will never 467 00:37:05,460 --> 00:37:06,300 Speaker 1: forgive that person. 468 00:37:10,220 --> 00:37:11,840 Speaker 1: That doesn't fly, folks. 469 00:37:13,240 --> 00:37:16,920 Speaker 1: That doesn't fly when it comes to the Lord. 470 00:37:18,920 --> 00:37:23,720 Speaker 1: Because in more than one place, in my Bible here, it says, 471 00:37:25,150 --> 00:37:31,920 Speaker 1: and forgive our sins, for we also forgive anyone who is indebted to us. 472 00:37:32,560 --> 00:37:33,720 Speaker 1: We let it go. 473 00:37:36,580 --> 00:37:36,860 Speaker 1: Don't we? 474 00:37:38,380 --> 00:37:38,740 Speaker 1: No. 475 00:37:39,640 --> 00:37:40,820 Speaker 1: We put on the brass knuckles 476 00:37:41,820 --> 00:37:43,200 Speaker 1: and we're looking for our shot 477 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:44,740 Speaker 1: when they're not looking. 478 00:37:45,400 --> 00:37:45,600 Speaker 1: Right. 479 00:37:45,680 --> 00:37:46,380 Speaker 1: We're going to get them. 480 00:37:47,220 --> 00:37:48,380 Speaker 1: Don't get mad or get even. 481 00:37:54,020 --> 00:37:54,900 Speaker 1: Listen, it's... 482 00:37:55,700 --> 00:37:57,080 Speaker 1: Forgiveness is not optional. 483 00:37:57,640 --> 00:37:58,180 Speaker 1: It's mandatory. 484 00:38:00,880 --> 00:38:01,900 Speaker 1: It's not optional. 485 00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:03,040 Speaker 1: it's mandatory. 486 00:38:03,980 --> 00:38:05,580 Speaker 1: You say, but how can you do that 487 00:38:05,900 --> 00:38:07,540 Speaker 1: when nothing in you, 488 00:38:07,820 --> 00:38:09,440 Speaker 1: nothing in you desires that? 489 00:38:09,900 --> 00:38:11,600 Speaker 1: You do it as an act of your will. 490 00:38:12,620 --> 00:38:13,760 Speaker 1: Apart from what you feel, 491 00:38:14,980 --> 00:38:15,100 Speaker 1: right? 492 00:38:15,240 --> 00:38:16,880 Speaker 1: You do it as an act of your will. 493 00:38:18,580 --> 00:38:19,280 Speaker 1: You just do it. 494 00:38:23,800 --> 00:38:25,120 Speaker 1: Kind of like eating Brussels sprouts. 495 00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:27,600 Speaker 1: You don't enjoy it. 496 00:38:27,680 --> 00:38:29,820 Speaker 1: You just do it because it's good for you. 497 00:38:33,140 --> 00:38:35,260 Speaker 1: it is good for you 498 00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:45,420 Speaker 1: so in Matthew 6 when Jesus uses a lot of the same language it says for if you forgive men 499 00:38:45,420 --> 00:38:51,900 Speaker 1: their trespasses your heavenly father will also forgive you but if you do not forgive men 500 00:38:52,090 --> 00:38:56,680 Speaker 1: their trespasses neither will your father forgive your trespass 501 00:38:58,060 --> 00:38:59,840 Speaker 1: can somebody interpret this for me as 502 00:38:59,860 --> 00:39:07,940 Speaker 1: there another interpretation that you can get away with not forgiving? No, there is not. You cannot 503 00:39:08,900 --> 00:39:17,720 Speaker 1: get away with not forgiving. You have to. You say, I can't. You're right. You can't, but God in you 504 00:39:18,520 --> 00:39:25,580 Speaker 1: can. And that's who does it. I know I've had it in my own life. People that I've hated actually 505 00:39:25,900 --> 00:39:33,960 Speaker 1: had visions. I had this one vision of killing this guy. It was actually a dream and I was I was above him. 506 00:39:34,070 --> 00:39:44,220 Speaker 1: I was I had him what are the the MMA guys called it? It was full mount. I was fully mounted on this dude with a knife and I was plunging it into his chest in my dream. 507 00:39:45,000 --> 00:39:55,560 Speaker 1: It so freaked me out. This guy, him and I were roommates. It so freaked me out. I quit my job because I thought, oh no, I can't 508 00:39:55,580 --> 00:40:04,060 Speaker 1: could do that. I hate that guy this bad. So I quit. I left. I went back to work at the same 509 00:40:04,200 --> 00:40:09,540 Speaker 1: place, but I said, don't you ever, don't you ever put me with that guy again? I hate his 510 00:40:09,620 --> 00:40:21,500 Speaker 1: stinking guts. And I did. But we had to start working with each other. And my, and I had come to 511 00:40:21,500 --> 00:40:27,920 Speaker 1: Christ and the Lord started convicting me going, what are you doing? You realize your mind now, 512 00:40:28,020 --> 00:40:33,620 Speaker 1: you can't hate anybody. You got to forgive him. In fact, go share the gospel with him. 513 00:40:38,140 --> 00:40:46,340 Speaker 1: Great. Just great. But I began to pray for him by name before I shared the gospel with him. 514 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:51,460 Speaker 1: And then I just tried to live it out because we worked together quite a bit. And I, I just tried to live it out. 515 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:55,700 Speaker 1: I honestly learn to love this guy, right? 516 00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:58,020 Speaker 1: I look back at his past and I thought, 517 00:40:58,300 --> 00:40:59,260 Speaker 1: the reason the way he is, 518 00:40:59,490 --> 00:41:01,700 Speaker 1: is the way he is the way he was brought up 519 00:41:03,050 --> 00:41:04,380 Speaker 1: and he don't know no better. 520 00:41:04,880 --> 00:41:05,840 Speaker 1: He don't know what he's doing. 521 00:41:06,300 --> 00:41:07,460 Speaker 1: He's lost as a goose. 522 00:41:10,940 --> 00:41:11,940 Speaker 1: And God changed my heart. 523 00:41:13,540 --> 00:41:14,640 Speaker 1: But I had to meet him halfway. 524 00:41:14,820 --> 00:41:18,740 Speaker 1: I had to decide, God, I know I got to forgive this guy 525 00:41:18,740 --> 00:41:19,640 Speaker 1: and I got to love this guy, 526 00:41:19,720 --> 00:41:20,820 Speaker 1: but I'm really struggling. 527 00:41:21,900 --> 00:41:28,620 Speaker 1: that may be you start praying for them by name not only praying for them but pray god's blessing on them 528 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:36,060 Speaker 1: by name and all of a sudden it starts morphing your heart it may not do anything in their life 529 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:44,660 Speaker 1: but you're the one who needs to be set free but so often it's the thing that we struggle with the most 530 00:41:45,260 --> 00:41:50,840 Speaker 1: jesus doubles down in matthew 18 verses 21 through 35 where he tells that he tells that 531 00:41:50,860 --> 00:41:56,360 Speaker 1: that hair-raising parable about the unforgiving servant, right? 532 00:41:56,560 --> 00:41:57,520 Speaker 1: And I'm running out of time. 533 00:41:57,860 --> 00:41:58,800 Speaker 1: So I'm not going to go there. 534 00:41:59,060 --> 00:42:07,860 Speaker 1: I'm just going to read a couple of the verses that are in that passage here in chapter 18. 535 00:42:08,160 --> 00:42:12,220 Speaker 1: It says, then his master after he had called him, said to him, you wicked servant, 536 00:42:12,780 --> 00:42:14,460 Speaker 1: I forgave you all that debt. 537 00:42:14,560 --> 00:42:16,860 Speaker 1: This is a dude was in debt about 10 or 20 million. 538 00:42:17,860 --> 00:42:20,680 Speaker 1: And God forgave it, or the master forgave it. 539 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:24,100 Speaker 1: You wicked servant, I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 540 00:42:24,740 --> 00:42:29,540 Speaker 1: Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant who owed you $40? 541 00:42:31,120 --> 00:42:38,920 Speaker 1: And his master was angry and delivered him to the torturers until he should pay all that was due to him. 542 00:42:39,480 --> 00:42:47,740 Speaker 1: So my Heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you from his heart does not forgive his brother his trespasses. 543 00:42:52,920 --> 00:42:54,680 Speaker 1: But it is truly freedom. 544 00:42:55,460 --> 00:43:01,920 Speaker 1: When you consciously make that decision to forgive, seriously, forgive, 545 00:43:04,410 --> 00:43:05,700 Speaker 1: it sets you free. 546 00:43:06,980 --> 00:43:11,280 Speaker 1: It truly sets you and I free. 547 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:17,120 Speaker 1: Then the last two, help us to not be tempted. 548 00:43:18,440 --> 00:43:22,540 Speaker 1: or do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. 549 00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:32,680 Speaker 1: I don't know about you, but I need God's help because I know that I'm truly in this spiritual battle that is constant. 550 00:43:33,040 --> 00:43:35,300 Speaker 1: It never goes away, right? 551 00:43:37,660 --> 00:43:40,780 Speaker 1: It's a fight to resist temptation. 552 00:43:42,040 --> 00:43:46,240 Speaker 1: Proverbs 4 14 and 15 tells us to avoid the path of evil. 553 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:53,200 Speaker 1: 2 Timothy 2 tells us to flee youthful lust, pursue righteousness, right? Because you can't sit idle. 554 00:43:53,660 --> 00:43:59,160 Speaker 1: You're pursuing something. You're either backsliding or you're pursuing the Lord. You're pursuing 555 00:43:59,380 --> 00:44:06,040 Speaker 1: righteousness. And so keep moving, right? It's like pedaling the bike. If you quit pedaling, 556 00:44:06,090 --> 00:44:16,720 Speaker 1: you fall over. That's the analogy there. But deliver us from the evil one. We know we have a 557 00:44:16,760 --> 00:44:25,280 Speaker 1: an enemy. He's real. He's alive. He's benevolent. He's, he's horrible. He accuses us. 558 00:44:27,199 --> 00:44:35,560 Speaker 1: And people look at him differently. Some are not even aware of his influence in their life. 559 00:44:35,940 --> 00:44:42,300 Speaker 1: Others, they're so freaked out by him. They're paralyzed with fear. Well, I think both of those 560 00:44:42,220 --> 00:44:42,960 Speaker 1: things were wrong. 561 00:44:46,860 --> 00:44:48,800 Speaker 1: I just keep Jesus between me and Satan. 562 00:44:50,040 --> 00:44:51,000 Speaker 1: That's just a good way to live. 563 00:44:51,240 --> 00:44:52,840 Speaker 1: I just keep Jesus between me and Satan. 564 00:44:54,400 --> 00:44:54,540 Speaker 1: Right? 565 00:44:56,600 --> 00:45:00,160 Speaker 1: And when I keep Jesus against me and Satan, there's no contest. 566 00:45:05,780 --> 00:45:06,380 Speaker 1: Or excuse me. 567 00:45:08,480 --> 00:45:09,580 Speaker 1: I wrote that's down wrong. 568 00:45:13,240 --> 00:45:16,660 Speaker 1: if I keep Jesus between me and Satan there's no problem 569 00:45:17,660 --> 00:45:21,040 Speaker 1: but if I try to take on Satan on my own there's no contest 570 00:45:22,040 --> 00:45:24,480 Speaker 1: right he's going to destroy me every time 571 00:45:25,560 --> 00:45:28,540 Speaker 1: but I greater is he the scripture says right 572 00:45:28,620 --> 00:45:30,500 Speaker 1: that is in us than he that is in the world 573 00:45:32,760 --> 00:45:35,860 Speaker 1: and so we just need to fight that good fight folks 574 00:45:37,740 --> 00:45:39,580 Speaker 1: right dedicate some time 575 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:47,100 Speaker 1: to be alone with God. Read his word. Let him speak to your heart. Make your request known to him. 576 00:45:47,860 --> 00:45:55,140 Speaker 1: Worship him. Be thankful. And really, it's not rocket science. It's just a matter of doing it and 577 00:45:55,400 --> 00:46:01,680 Speaker 1: committing to it. That's the problem. We commit to too many other things, right, that just push 578 00:46:01,820 --> 00:46:08,400 Speaker 1: God's out, push God out, a God's influence in our life out. And that's idolatry when we allow that to 579 00:46:09,020 --> 00:46:09,140 Speaker 1: happen. 580 00:46:10,620 --> 00:46:17,400 Speaker 1: So may 2026 be a year where you just focus in, just focus in on the Lord, right? 581 00:46:17,880 --> 00:46:18,740 Speaker 1: Matthew 633. 582 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:22,580 Speaker 1: Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. 583 00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:25,160 Speaker 1: All these things will be added unto you. 584 00:46:26,260 --> 00:46:27,960 Speaker 1: It's a heat we have outside and I'm sweating. 585 00:46:28,120 --> 00:46:28,880 Speaker 1: So I'm going to pray now. 586 00:46:28,940 --> 00:46:29,740 Speaker 1: Would you all stand with me? 587 00:46:38,500 --> 00:46:39,080 Speaker 1: If you need prayer, 588 00:46:39,480 --> 00:46:44,320 Speaker 1: this morning, the prayer team's going to be up here. The worship team's going to come up and do a song. 589 00:46:45,280 --> 00:46:53,580 Speaker 1: But let's pray, shall we? And let's just dedicate this year to the Lord. And we can follow our 590 00:46:53,820 --> 00:46:58,080 Speaker 1: president's lead on this one. Maybe not a lot. We can follow him on, but this one we can. 591 00:46:58,800 --> 00:47:05,380 Speaker 1: And so to just commit to praying for our country, for our communities, our states, and our churches, 592 00:47:06,020 --> 00:47:12,840 Speaker 1: our families. Father, we just come before you right now, Lord, and we know that you're able to do so much more 593 00:47:13,380 --> 00:47:18,600 Speaker 1: than we could ever ask or think and in prayer because we're so limited. Lord, so would you just give us 594 00:47:18,840 --> 00:47:27,360 Speaker 1: the gift of hungering for you, Lord, that you would put that in our spirits, that we would 595 00:47:28,420 --> 00:47:35,920 Speaker 1: not turn away from you, not be led away by temptation or the enemy, but that we would, we would 596 00:47:35,940 --> 00:47:41,880 Speaker 1: would fight this good fight and seek you in prayer, Lord, and ask you to direct our steps. 597 00:47:42,460 --> 00:47:46,340 Speaker 1: Give us wisdom and vision for the future, Lord. 598 00:47:46,840 --> 00:47:52,360 Speaker 1: And we know that time is short, especially according to your time clock, Lord. 599 00:47:52,940 --> 00:47:57,200 Speaker 1: And so help us to keep lifting up our head, knowing our redemption is drawing near, Lord, 600 00:47:57,920 --> 00:48:04,480 Speaker 1: and that we ought to be about your business, Lord, just as you were that example to us, 601 00:48:04,540 --> 00:48:09,440 Speaker 1: even as a 12-year-old boy in the temple talking about the things of the Lord. 602 00:48:09,920 --> 00:48:14,620 Speaker 1: Help us to have that on our lips, your word and your spirit. 603 00:48:15,020 --> 00:48:19,720 Speaker 1: Lord, just emanating from our hearts as we walk with you and talk with you 604 00:48:20,180 --> 00:48:23,620 Speaker 2: and are led by you to that place of abundant life. 605 00:48:23,960 --> 00:48:25,860 Speaker 2: And we pray in the mighty and powerful name of Jesus. 606 00:48:26,760 --> 00:48:26,920 Speaker 2: Amen. 607 00:48:27,620 --> 00:48:27,720 Speaker 2: Amen. 608 00:48:27,980 --> 00:48:28,440 Speaker 2: Let's worship. 609 00:48:58,020 --> 00:48:58,060 Speaker 2: Thank you.