0:05 We must hear and know Jesus for ourselves. It's very important especially all of us. We come to the meetings every week. But between the weeks do we have a relationship with Jesus himself. 0:25 >> [clears throat] >> This verse is found in John chapter 4 verse 42. Turn with me uh to John chapter 4:42. And they were saying to the women, 0:51 "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this one is indeed the savior of the world." We heard him for ourselves. And so on a Sunday or a Wednesday, you 1:13 may hear a message, but then you should have this testimony that they had. We heard him for ourselves. Sometimes we learn lessons 1:31 that we remember always something that happens in our life. There was one incident that happened shortly after I got my uh got a car. I had come to the US from India and I I took the car in the evening and I 1:50 was driving back and suddenly I saw on my rear view mirror the police lights on my rearview mirror. Already I was nervous. It was one of the first times I'm driving. So, I go and park to the side and uh they ask me for 2:10 my driver's license and registration, give all of that. And then he starts asking me some questions. He says, "Are you tired?" I said, "No, officer, I'm not tired." "Are you drunk?" I said, "No, officer, I'm not drunk." And so, he 2:27 kept on asking, I was wondering why he's asking all these questions. Then he said, "Did you know that you're driving without your lights on?" And I said, "Officer, I didn't know that. I had just got the car. I just didn't I didn't even 2:42 know how to turn on the lights and I didn't realize it." But after that one incident that happened, guess what I never forgot to do? Every time I got on the car, it didn't matter if it was daylight or night, I'd 3:00 go [snorts] and turn on the lights. For years, that habit was there because I remembered one time being pulled over for driving without my lights on. Similarly, when I first came to the US from India, 3:20 I was born into I I was born into a non-Christian home. I came to know Christ around 15 or 16, about the age of many of you teenagers. And I was fortunate to be able to go to a church for eight years that would teach me every Sunday 3:44 prophetically hearing God's word. I had fellowship. I had midweek studies like many of you. But after 8 years within eight for eight months after that when I came to the US I backslid I was 4:02 discouraged disheartened full of guilt and I didn't know what to do and I was thinking back after going to church for eight years consistently why is it that I backslid so quickly and just like I remembered always to 4:22 keep my lights on when driving. I said, "Lord, I want to know why." After 8 months of being backsliden and discouraged, I went to a youth meeting where for the first time after about 8 months, I'm 4:39 hearing God speak to my heart again, encouraging me. I didn't leave you on a shelf. there's still a plan and a hope for you is what God was encouraging me with. And I was very thankful. But I what I learned there 4:58 was throughout those eight years I was listening secondhand. The one who was preaching would hear from the Lord and then come and share with me on a Sunday and then I would hear the message. But I was not hearing from the Lord 5:17 myself. It was secondhand. And for many of you, it may be that way where the only time you hear from the Lord is on a Sunday or a Wednesday meeting. And just like I learned a lesson, one 5:35 for myself that I would not go down that path again where all I hear is from a Wednesday or a Sunday. But Lord, I must hear for myself what you're saying to me. If I have a year, hear what the Holy Spirit is speaking to me. Each of us has 5:53 a year to hear what is the Lord speaking to you. And I I see even with little birds, they they teach their little ones after they lay the eggs there in the nest 6:13 within 24 to 33 days is what it is for house finches. They're out of They're out. They poke the chicks. And if you've seen them poke the chicks, you'll be like, "Why is that mother so mean to these little chicks?" But that mother chick knows something. 6:32 It knows that it can't always go and get the worm and put it in the mouth of that chick. It knows that one day those little chicks needed to learn how to how to what? Find food for itself, how to eat for itself. 6:52 And especially young ones, especially sometimes you might go like I did for work or for school or for something. You get transferred. You go to a different place. You must be able to hear the Lord for yourself. And if you see that woman that Jesus met 7:19 with, you can turn with me to John chapter 4. Jesus, we are ye from traveling. In John 4:7, he says, "There came a woman of Samaria to draw water." And he said to her, "Give me a drink of water." 7:38 And she said to, "You're a Jew. How can you ask a Samaritan like me for a drink of water?" And she said, he said to her these wonderful words. Verse 10. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew, if you knew who I was, if you knew me, 7:58 you would ask and the gift of God and who it is who says to you, give me a drink." You would have asked him, and he would have given you living water. Then she goes on and then she says, "How 8:15 can you get this? This well is so deep." In verse 13, Jesus answered to and said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will thirst again. But whoever drinks of the water that I give him shall never thirst. But the 8:33 water that I will give him will become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life. And this woman wants that water. And she says, "Sir, give me this water so that I will not be thirsty and come to this 8:51 this way here to draw." Verse 16, she said, he said to her, "Go call your husband and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have correctly said that you have no husband, for you have five husbands, and the one 9:09 whom you are with is not your husband. This you have said truly." Even in this modern day today, I I don't know of people I've known of people who've divorced, but not five times. I think there might be people who have, 9:25 but it's very rare uh to know of people who've been divorced five times. But this person here was divorced five times. And I wonder why did John take the time to write this down? And I believe it is to give hope for the 9:45 most hopeless situations. People who have been divorced five times living in sin. Jesus goes, "Does Jesus have hope for people like that?" The answer is yes. No matter where you 10:02 are today, no matter how hopeless it is, God has a way. And I believe for her, despite her situations, I don't know what would have gone through. How do I solve the problems that I got myself into, the sin that I'm in, but there was 10:19 something that when she met with Jesus, I believe that she had hope. I don't know how all of this is going to work out, but I believe that this man who's talking to me has the answers. Later on, he she he goes and tells her, "It's not 10:36 about worshiping in this mountain or that mountain. This is how people who are going to worship. The father is seeking for those who are going to worship him in spirit and in truth." And the wonderful thing is this is what 10:49 she replies. Verse 25, the woman said to him, "I know the Messiah is coming who is called the Christ. When that one comes, he will declare all things to us." Meaning, he'll explain all of what you're saying. I don't understand what 11:04 you're saying about worship. But when the Messiah comes, he's going to tell us what it means, and I'll understand it then. very simple woman, sinful woman. But God met with her and she knew what Jesus had spoken to her, the hope 11:23 that she brought to her. And now she went and told others, "If God has hope for me, perhaps he has it for all of us in Samaria." And so she goes and tells all of them. And at her testimony, they come and they said, "This is what's her 11:40 testimony. He told me verse 39, he told me or verse 39, from the that city many of the Samaritans believed in him because of the word of the woman who testified. He told me all the things that I've ever done. So when the Samaritans came to 11:57 Jesus, they were asking him to stay with him and he stayed there two days. And that's what should happen in our hearts when God speaks to us. Not that we just hear him speaking to 12:13 us, but Lord, stay with me after the meeting is over. I want you to be with me. Continue to speak to me. Stay with me two days. And you see this for all the people who are not just interested in hearing what Jesus has to say to them 12:29 on a Sunday morning. They have this longing. Please stay with us. I want you throughout my life to be with me. Speak to me. Like we said, just a closer walk with me. Be with me. Be 12:45 close to me all through my life. And many more believe because of his word. And they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, but we believe because we heard him for ourselves." 13:03 and to know that this one indeed is the savior of the world. Not the forgiver of the world, but they understood something more. That Jesus is not just going to forgive me my sins and leave me bound by sin, but he's going to save me from my 13:23 sins. And that's what when they heard Jesus speak to them, they had faith for. If you turn with me to Acts chapter 13 and when we see God's word and the promises that he has in the scripture, we must take it to heart. And this is a 13:43 beautiful promise here in Acts chapter 13, Paul is sharing with them. Verse 38, therefore let it be known to you. Acts 13:30 38. Therefore, let it be known to you, brethren, that through Jesus, 14:00 forgivenesses of sins is proclaimed to you. Verse 39. And through Jesus, everyone who believes is freed from the things that which you could not be freed through the law of Moses. There are one one part of the message is 14:23 you can be forgiven no matter how bad your condition is. Maybe you're like that woman at the well. [snorts] No matter where you are today, there is a forgiveness that's found in Jesus. And for us, we must believe. I I I know 14:42 that many of us may struggle with this. I asked God to forgive me, but did he really forgive me? Do I have to ask him multiple times before he forgives me? But we must take God at his word. If God says if we confess our sins, he is 15:01 faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. First John 1:9. We must believe it or else we will constantly go in guilt and condemnation because we did not believe 15:18 God is true to his word. Some of us imagine God said through Elisha, "Go and dip yourself how many times? Seven times and you'll be healed." That's what God's message to non was. 15:38 All he had to do was go dip himself seven times, believe the word that was spoken to him, and he would have been healed. But in his mind, he was hoping that the way he would be healed was if Elisha came in person, waved his hand over the 15:54 thing, and then prayed, then he would be healed. And for us too, when God says something, we have two choices. One, do exactly what God says. Or else, imagine what we should do to receive the 16:12 forgiveness of sin. Imagine what we must do to be freed from that which we could not be freed from. Jesus said, "There is a freedom that you could not be freed from, the law of Moses." And today, brothers and sisters, if you're bound 16:31 by sin, maybe you're anxious about things that are going to happen in the future. There were a couple of women like that who were very anxious of something that was going to happen. They didn't know. They didn't have a answer to. If you 16:45 turn with me to Mark 16, Mark 16 verse one. When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Jesus and Salomi brought spice spices so that they might come and anoint him. 17:04 Very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. Verse three, think about what they were concerned about. They were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance 17:19 of the tomb?" And I'm sure they probably were thinking about it and it would have been troubling them all these three days. What are we going to do? There's a big stone there. Are we going to ask the guards to help us? What are we going to 17:34 do? And they were concerned and worried. Was it something that they had to worry about? Why? Verse three. Uh verse four. Looking up, they saw that 17:51 the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. And I sometimes go to this verse. Lord, these are the things that I'm concerned about. These are the large, heavy, extremely big stones that I'm thinking about. I'm worried about it. It's on 18:08 it's coming maybe on Monday or Tuesday. It's coming this large stone and I don't know what to do. And then I'm reminded just like these women didn't have to worry. They were worrying about something that they didn't have to worry about. This promise 18:24 is not for everyone, but for every child of God who the father takes care of their life, plans their life. We don't have to worry. God will take care of those heavy stones. We don't have to worry about something that he's taken 18:43 care of. These women didn't have to worry about it. Maybe you're bound by sin, the lust of the ice, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness. The promise in Acts 13 19:01 is that we will be freed from the things that we could not be freed from. Verse 40. Therefore, take heed so that the things spoken, Acts 13:40, in the prophets may not come upon you. Behold, 19:20 you scoffers and marvel and and perish. For I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you would never believe, though someone should describe it to you. And this was something that Paul was telling them. God is going to 19:37 do something for all of you that even if it was told to you in advice, if they described it to you, you would not believe it. If somebody were to tell Paul when he was persecuting the church, Paul, one 19:54 day, God's going to turn your life completely around. You're going to be writing scriptures. You're going to be encouraging people. You're going to be planting churches. What would he say? Would he have believed it? Especially 20:10 when he was persecuting the church, causing believers to blaspheme God. What What do you think? I think he would be, "That's impossible. I can't believe that would ever happen." But did it happen? It did. 20:28 All of that happened. And that's the message that he was sharing with the the people in verse 42. As Paul and Barnabas were going out and the people kept what? Begging that these things might be spoken to them. Again, these people also they were not happy 20:48 with hearing about what Jesus would do. They wanted him. They said, "Please," they were begging. We want to hear more of this of what God's going to do in our lives. This is a beautiful promise that I found 21:07 in John chapter 18. You can read with me. John 18:1. Then Jesus spoke these words. He had spoken these words. He went forth with his disciples over the ravine of the Kiddran where he was 21:25 there was a garden in which he entered with his disciples. Verse two. Now Judas also who was betraying him knew the place for Jesus had often met with met there with his disciples. And there was a day when I read this 21:42 verse and I said Lord I'm your disciple and just like you met with your disciples at that garden often. Please do that for me as well. I want you to meet with me often just like you did with your disciples. If I'm your disciple, 22:02 brother, sister, are you a disciple of Jesus today? If you are, I believe Jesus wants to meet with you also often. It's wonderful. Jesus would say sometimes, let us go to a secluded place to be by ourselves. If you turn 22:20 with me to Mark chapter 6, Mark 6 verse 31. Mark 6:31. Verse 31. And he said to them, "Come away by yourselves to a secluded place 22:38 and rest a while in the midst of our work, our school, all our other responsibilities." I want to hear the Lord say, "AJ, take some time to come. Let's go to a secluded place to be by ourselves." 22:56 And I believe that the Lord wants that for each one of us as well. If you turn with me to Luke chapter 10, each one of us have a choice to make every morning 23:14 verse 38. Luke 10:38. Now as they were traveling along, he entered a village and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister called Mary who is seated at the Lord's feet listening to his word. Verse 40. But 23:30 Martha was distracted with all her preparations. And she came up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone?" Then tell her to help me. You see that a person 23:52 who's distracted with many things, preparations, all of these things. Her sister also in the same home with all the other same concerns that Martha had decided, okay, I know that all of these things are there, but I'm going to find 24:09 the feet of Jesus today, and I want to hear what he has to say. And you see that Martha had a complaint against her sister. Lord, do you not care? Had a complaint against the Lord. Was distracted with many things. And if 24:25 I see in my life, I'm distracted with many things throughout the day. I have a complaint against the Lord. I have a complaint against a brother or sister. There might be something that I'm missing. In verse 41, but the Lord answered and 24:44 said to Martha, Martha, Martha, you are worried. She had anxiety, anxious about so many things, bothered about so many things. And if this is what I see in my day, it might be that I miss something out 25:02 that the Lord had for me. But only one thing is necessary. God who made heaven and earth tells us there's only one thing that's necessary for Mary has chosen the good part. She made a choice. Martha made her choice and Mary made made her 25:20 choice for each one of us. Every morning we have a choice to make. And I love this promise. Mary has chosen the good part which shall not be taken away from her. She found the place where my feet is, 25:40 where my words are going to be spoken and she's going to hear them because she chose that part. Martha chose her part and she got what comes with that part. There's a beautiful promise in Proverbs, 25:57 a wonderful thing that we can all claim. Proverbs 8:34, [clears throat] "Blessed is the man," Proverbs 8:34, "Blessed is the man or woman or child who listens to me, watching dearly at my 26:15 gates, waiting at my doorpost." Meaning every morning gets up and waiting there at the gates, saying, "Lord, speak to me. I want to hear your voice." You might remember a young person like that. Speak Lord, 26:35 your servant is hearing. Was that a old man or a young man? There's a young person that God spoke to. And all he had to do is saying, "Lord, speak. Lord, your servant is listening." And he got a word, a young person. And that means our 26:50 message this morning is for everyone, young to old. Verse 35. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. 27:07 If you turn with me to Psalm chapter Psalm chapter 45, it's a wonderful thing to wait and hear what the Lord has to say to us. Verse 27:25 15, the eyes of all. Psalm 144:15. The eyes of all look to you and you give them their f food in due time. You open your hands and satisfy the desire of 27:42 every living thing. And I know that if I go to the Lord, I will not come back without being filled. If you turn with me to John chapter 6, the Lord's ways are always one of 28:00 abundance. Man's ways is barely getting by. If you turn with me to John chapter 6 verse 5. Therefore Jesus lifting up his eyes and seeing that there is a large crowd was coming to him said to Philillip 28:20 where are we to buy bread so that these may eat. And verse six Philip comes up with a plan. He was saying to test Jesus said this to test them him for he knew what he was going to what what he was intending to do. Verse seven, Philip 28:37 comes up with this plan. Philip answered 200 dinar that means 200 200 days of wages is not sufficient for them for everyone to receive even a little. And so his 28:54 plan was if Lord if we take 200 dinar that means 200 days of wages and we go and buy the food everybody will get a little bit it won't be sufficient for all of them but when Jesus took and fed them 29:12 everyone was he distributed verse 11 Jesus then took the seven loaves and having given thanks he distributed to those who were seated did. Likewise also the fish, as much as they 29:28 wanted until they were fully satisfied, God gave. It wasn't a little. [snorts] And after he gave, he gave even more so that there was leftovers. And I see that's the way with the Lord. When we come to him and say, "Lord, you 29:44 feed me. Break the bread of life and feed me, Lord. Not only will I be satisfied, but there will be leftovers to take home. But why is it sometimes that we may not find his words? It says in Hebrews, 30:03 Hebrews chapter Hebrews chapter 5 verse 11. Concerning him we have much to 30:17 say and it it's hard to explain since AJ you have become dull of hearing you have become dull of hearing that means you this person could hear once upon a time he heard Jesus speak to him 30:34 but over time he became dull of hearing I don't know why but maybe he didn't decide to have a clear conscience when God pointed out something wrong in his life or her life, did not want to set the matter right 30:51 and now becoming dull of hearing. Or like the woman in the Song of Solomon, if you turn with me to Song of Solomon, when the bridegroom was calling out to her, Verse 31:17 two, Song of Solomon chapter 5:2. I was so asleep, but my heart was awake, a voice, my beloved was knocking. Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my perfect one. For my head is drenched with you, my locks with the 31:34 damp of the night. And so the Lord is calling and saying, I want to meet with you. knocking at the door and she says, "You know what? How can I?" I I got ready to go to bed and then my beloved extended his hand through the 31:49 opening and my feelings were arosed for him. She was waiting for the feelings to come instead of when the Lord called for her to say, "Lord, here I am." I arose to open to my beloved. My hands 32:06 dripped with myrr and my fingers with with and on the handles of the bolt. Verse six, I opened to my beloved. And these are probably one of the saddest words. But my beloved had turned away and had gone. My heart went out to him and as he spoke 32:26 I searched for him but I did not find him. I called to him but I but he did not answer and I say Lord I don't want to come to that place where you're seeking to speak to me but I'm despising you when you come to call me or when you want to 32:45 speak to me my heart ears have become dull because I don't have a clear conscience Lord please Lord speak to me Lord and there's a wonderful promise in for the same woman in Song of Solomon chapter 3. Song of Solomon chapter 3 verse 2. I 33:07 must arise and go about the city in the streets and in the squares. I must seek him whom my soul loves. I sought him but I did not find him. Verse three, the watchmen who make rounds in the city found me and and I said to them, "Have 33:21 you found Have you seen him whom my soul loves? Scarcely?" Verse four, I had left him when I found him whom my soul loves. I held on to him and I would not let him go. And for each one of us may this promise come to true for all who seek after him, 33:41 who wait on him in front of his gates, find him, be satisfied. And so when I heard that verse that Jesus had a special place, a garden where he met with his disciples often, I said, "Lord, I want one place like that." And so when I came to 33:57 Colorado, one of the first things I sought out was, "Lord, there's many lakes and rivers here in Colorado. I want to find a place where I could go find a secret place." It says that in Psalm 91:1, having a secret place where the Lord is. 34:14 Psalm 91:1. I said, 'Lord, I want a secret place just for you and me where you meet with me often and for each one of us. I would encourage you, find that place where you can meet with the Lord, a quiet place. Listen to me in silence. 34:32 Find a place where you can meet. And that's what we see in Jesus also. Even though he was the son of God, it says he often would slip away into the wilderness. Luke 6 verse 16. He would often slip away. And just like he often 34:49 used to slip away to be with the father, he would often be with his disciples to meet with them. And I say, Lord, I want to find that thing. I want to find you. I want a closer walk with you. I want to hear your voice speaking to me. I don't want 35:03 to be only secondhand that I hear you speak to me. I want to hear it. Jesus speaks to us tenderly, softly. And I think does the Lord also equally 35:22 want to hear from me or is it just I have a desire to hear from the Lord. And then when I heard I read from Matthew 12. This is Jesus almost pouring out his heart of what he desires. Matthew 12:42. 35:41 The queen of the south will rise up with this generation at the judgment seat and condemn it because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon. And behold, someone is greater than Solomon is here. 36:01 The Queen of Sheba had such a longing that she would pay any price to go and meet with Solomon. But I'm here. And are people coming to come and see me? Are they just passing me by? In Jeremiah chapter 2:2, it said, "I still remember 36:20 the days when you used to seek after me in the wilderness." What happened, AJ? What happened to those days when you were first born again? When you come, you'd wait at my doors waiting to hear from me. What happened to those days? 36:35 And I believe that's the longing. Remember the days when you were first you came like the queen of Sheba to come and meet with me. What has happened? Sometimes I get excited when I see a person who came newly to Christ. All the 36:49 excitement they're so zealous for the Lord. They always are hearing from the Lord. And it should get louder and louder. It says that in Revelation chapter 1, [clears throat] John was in the spirit on the Lord's day 37:08 and he heard the Lord speak to him like a trumpet. Either I'm in the spirit on the Lord's day or I'm giving into the flesh and living according to earthly minded things. If I'm listening to earthly minded 37:26 things, I'm not going to hear the Lord speak to me. I must set my eyes highs and my heart, my affections to the things above. But if you turn with me to First Kings chapter 10. First Kings 37:44 chapter 10. [clears throat] [cough] First Kings chapter 10 verse one. Now when the Queen of Sheba heard about the famous olin concerning the name of the Lord, she came to test him with difficult questions. 38:03 and brothers, sisters and young people. Each of you also I believe may have questions. Lord, this situation at work, what should I do? This family situation, this situation with my relatives, this situation with my coworker or my children, my 38:22 spouse. Lord, I don't know. It's a difficult situation. And sometimes you might like I want to answer ask a question to a godly brother to get this answer. And it's good if we have godly people in 38:42 our life who can speak into our lives. Very good. But Jesus is saying there's one wiser than Solomon here. Will you come to me? Let me answer your questions. Your tough questions, your difficult questions. I 39:00 have an answer for you. That's what I get from this. That Jesus has an answer for all my difficult questions. He's waiting for me to go and meet with him. And it's a beautiful thing that the Queen of Sheba said. It says here 39:19 she spoke with him about all that was in her heart. That means she just poured out everything that what she was going through. She said, "Lord, I'm going through this. This is bothering me. This situation, I don't know what to do. All 39:34 of it. She's just pouring out to Solomon." And the beautiful thing is in verse three, it says, "Solomon answered all her questions. Nothing was hidden from her that the king which he did not explain to her." And I believe the Lord 39:51 wants to do that with each one of us. Lord, these are the complicated situations that I'm going through. Lord, speak to me as I pour out my heart. Answer those things that are troubling me. And it goes on in verse seven, 40:14 nevertheless, I did not believe the reports until I came and my eyes had seen it. And behold, the half was not told me. The half was not told to me. When we hear secondhand, like the Queen 40:33 of Sheba heard secondhand, we'll only get half of what we're supposed to receive this Sunday. Whatever you receive will only be half of what the Lord wants to speak to you. You must see him. You must hear him for yourself. Then you'll see the whole 40:52 thing that the Lord wants to speak to you. Verse eight, how blessed are your men and how blessed are these servants who stand before you continually and hear your wisdom. She said, "All you servants 41:10 of Solomon, you're so fortunate. Week after week, day after day, you get to hear his voice. For me, it comes with a cost. I have to travel land and sea to come and see the ends of the earth to come and hear 41:24 Solomon. You get to hear him every day. And that's something that we have a danger of. That's the danger I had. Eight years hearing God's word spoken to me every day faithfully 41:43 or every week faithfully hearing secondhand. secondhand faithfully that I was like these men. I got to so used to hearing God's word spoken to me weekly that I kind of took it for granted. 42:00 Oh yes, I'll get a week. I'll get my message on Wednesday. I'll get my message on Sunday. But I see it's for those who seek the Lord like the Queen of Sheba is that they will find the Lord in a way and will appreciate the Lord. And that could 42:18 be even with the church as well. The days we came here, the first day we came here and set foot in the church and heard God speak to our hearts, we were so encouraged. Oh, brother so and so, sister so and so, child so and so. Lord, 42:33 thank you, Lord, that I have a place here that I get encouraged, that I hear you speak to my heart. Lord, couple of weeks go by, couple of months go by. Yeah. The Wednesday meetings, not so important to me. I still remember 42:53 being at home in California, Southern California, defeated, discouraged, beaten up, full of guilt, condemnation, sitting there and thinking on a Wednesday, how nice it would be if I could go to a Wednesday meeting and get 43:07 encouraged right now. But today, yes, I have Wednesday meeting, Saturday morning meetings, all of these meetings. Do I still have that appreciation for the Lord and the church 43:27 that I did back then? I say, Lord, I wanted to be more grateful and thankful for you and for what you've given me. I don't want to come to a place where I'm taking everything for granted 43:44 that you've given me so richly. And you see this that Jesus noticed it. If you turn with me to John chapter 4, John chapter 4 verse 43. 44:06 John chapter 4 verse 43. [clears throat] After the two days, he went forth from there into Galilee. Verse 44, this is after he spent time with the Samaritans. Even though they had failed like that 44:24 woman, five times divorce, all of that, they had such a longing for him to stay with them. This is what he says. Verse 44, for Jesus himself testified that a prophet has no honor in his own country. So when he came to Galilee, the 44:43 Galileans received him having seen all the things that he had did in Jerusalem. In Galilee in Kaepernum where he was staying, they received him. They didn't reject him. But he said, "You know what? I found an appreciation from the Samaritans, which 45:01 I don't see here. You're so used to seeing me every week in the synagogue, and I'm so close to you. You're so familiar to me." But these Samaritans, you might despise them for their failure and all of that, but I see a longing in 45:17 them. They wanted me to stay with them for two days. And they would want any amount of time with me. I believe that's what the Lord's asking me and you today as well. AJ, how much do you long for me? 45:35 And as we close, I I wanted to Jesus said, "Many would come to me on that last day and knock on the door and say, Lord, didn't we 45:54 hear you teach in our streets? Didn't we eat with you and drink with you?" And it's amazing that they could hear Jesus speak to them. Jesus himself speak to them, eat with Jesus, 46:12 but not know Jesus for themselves. Jesus said that in Luke chapter 13. And so I take that to heart. I say, "Lord, I come to the meetings. I hear you speak to me. I stay afterwards to have fellowship and be encouraged eating and 46:28 drinking with my brothers and sisters. But I don't want it to be that I don't know your voice. My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they 46:46 and they follow me. John chapter 10. And it's very important, brother, sister, young child. [clears throat] If you turn with me to John chapter 10 verse 14, 47:04 I am the good shepherd. John 10:14. I am the good shepherd shepherd. And I know my own sheep and my own sheep know me. Verse 27. 47:21 My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give eternal life to them and they never will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand. And this is the relationship that the 47:38 Lord wants with each one of us to be his sheep that can hear his voice. It says that he calls his sheep by name. He doesn't say all your sheep come on. Every single one of us, he knows our 47:55 name. He calls us by name. AJ, I want to speak to you. I have something to say to you. And you see this in Luke chapter 24. the disciples who 48:17 walked with him for seven miles on the road to Emmas. Jesus says in verse 25, he said to them, "Oh foolish men and slow of heart to 48:35 believe. In all that the prophets have spoken, was it not necessary that the Christ suffer these things and enter into his glory?" Verse 27, he began with Moses and with all the prophets. He explained to them the things concerning himself in 48:52 the scriptures. And so he spoke to them about himself from the scriptures. He spoke to them. It's interesting. He starts off by saying, "Oh foolish men and slow of heart to believe." That's how he starts off with them. Gives them a word of 49:07 correction. And then he shares with them. And then verse 28. And he approached the village that they were going and he acted as though he was going further. But they urged him and said, "Stay with us." You see this over and over again. 49:26 The people like the Samaritans and others say, "Lord, stay with us. Don't go." And he went to stay with them. Verse 30. When he had reclined at the table with them, he took the bread and blessed it 49:43 and breaking it, he began giving it to them. Verse 31, then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And so today also after listening to Jesus 50:03 and even if it says like this verse 32 they said to one another where not our hearts burning within us while he was speaking to us on the road while he was explaining the scriptures to us. But even though they heard God's word 50:18 spoking spoken to them and their hearts burned within them there was one thing that was missing. They still could not recognize him. Their eyes were closed. Their eyes were still blind. And so today also for each one of us, we 50:35 may hear many things, but unless the Lord opens our eyes, we will not be able to see him or hear him or recognize him. So that's my prayer. Like we heard at the beginning, let our hearts be enlightened. 50:54 Let there be light in our hearts so that we can see him. And if you cannot see him or his your ears are not hearing him, seek him out. If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. And that promise is true for every single one of us. And my hope 51:13 and my desire and my prayer for all of us is not one of us will go back home without hearing for ourselves knowing for ourselves Jesus. And our testimony will be this. I was 51:33 once blind but now I see. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I pray Lord only you can open the eyes of our heart. Lord, you said let there be light and all of 51:54 the universe could see. And that same one, I pray that you would speak and there will be light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus in each heart. Lord, I pray that people will be able to see you. Lord, each one 52:10 of us open our eyes so that we can see you clearly, hear us clearly. And if our heart if our ears have been dull, Lord, I pray that you would heal us, Lord. I pray that you would touch our hearts and heal it today, Lord. That we would see 52:25 you clearly. We'll hear you clearly. Only you can do that miracle of opening the eyes of the blind. I pray that you would do that for each one of us even today in Jesus name. Amen.
