0:01 [Music] when we uh think about our theme and if you turn with me to Jeremiah chapter 17 being grounded and rooted. I once thought about this verse and I 0:25 felt that if this verse is true in any of your lives or in my life that would be sufficient. I would have no concern for you spiritually if this verse is true. Let us read verse 5. Thus says the Lord, 0:43 "Cursed is the man who trusts in mankind and makes his makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns away from the Lord." Verse six, for he will be like a bush in the desert, and he will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in 1:00 stony waste in the wilderness, a land of salt without inhabitant. Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. And this is the if a person trusts the Lord and his trust is the Lord, this is 1:19 what's going to be his life or her life is going to be like for he or she will be planted like a tree planted by the water that extends its roost by the stream and will not fear when heat comes but its leaves will be green and it will 1:37 not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit. So no matter what the conditions or circumstances around, this person will have a fruitful life, I want this life. I want this life where no matter whether there's a storm or a 1:52 drought or heat, that I'm constantly be able to bear fruit for the Lord. My leaves don't wither. But to whom does God give this life to? It says that in verse 7, blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust 2:11 is the Lord. The one who trusts the Lord, the one who has faith in the Lord, that's the one for whom this life is possible. And so, as I think about this, um, there's a beautiful promise in Habac 2:29 15. It's a verse that I read sometime and then I took it and said, "Lord, you know, some people they look at the Bible, they read a verse and they say, "Oh, that was for the Israelites. Oh, that was for the Hebrews." I said, "No, 2:45 Lord, that verse is for me." And I believed it was for me. And it says here, Habacook 15, look among the nations. Observe and be astonished because I am doing something in your days. You would not believe it if you 3:02 were told in advance. And I I I think back, we believe that about 1500 years before Christ, the children of Israel came out of the land of Egypt. I thought if I went back 3:20 in time, I went there and I met one of those Egypt uh one of the Israelites who is uh you know making those bricks and I said you know what I came from the future. I'm here to speak to you. I want to tell you what's going to happen in 3:35 the next couple of years. You're going to see mighty miracles. The river Nile is going to be turned to blood. You're going to see the firstborn of Egypt die. pestilence, frogs, lice, all of these things you're going to see. And the 3:51 pharaoh is going to give in and you're going to go into the wilderness. You'll be trapped and then you'll see. What are they going to see? The Red Sea open up in front of you and you're going to walk on dry ground and you're going to get to the other side 4:10 and Pharaoh's armies is all going to be destroyed. I'm talking to this man. this this Israelite Hebrew slave who's making bricks. What would he tell me? Tell me what what what would he say to me? He wouldn't believe it. He wouldn't 4:30 believe it. I don't I don't think he'll believe it. And I think out of courtesy for me, he would say, "I'm very happy about what you said to me, but I have to make a couple of more bricks before I go home to my wife and kids. So, I'll talk to 4:45 you some other time." And he would have went back home. Whatever I said was true, but he would have not believed it. Would that have happened in his life? Yes or no? Yes. He would have seen exactly everything I told him that would 5:03 happen in his life. He would see it happen in his life and everything, every detail would have come true. But he never believed it. And I believe that God's going to do something. And I took this verse and it's for each one of us. All of us have 5:19 Habacook 15 in our Bible. I am going to do something in your days. in my days he's gonna do something that even if it was told in advance you would not believe it so good it's going to be and so I ask you a question I thought I was 5:36 the only one who knew that verse and I quoted it and I took it for myself but I found out that somebody else also knew that verse as well and quoted it and so I have a question I'm going to list out the three options here who quotes 5:50 Habacook 15 A. Paul, B, John, C, James, or D, Peter. And if you think it's one of these options, you can raise your hand. So, A, Paul. How many of you think it's A, Paul? Okay. How many of you think it's B, John? Okay. How many of you think it's C, 6:12 James? How many of you think it's D, Peter? Okay, if you said it was a Paul, you are correct. Paul, if you turn with me to Acts 13, I 6:30 don't want you to take my word for it. Uh, turn with me to Acts 13. So, I thought about I thought, you know what? I found this verse, and this is for me, but then I found out that Paul about 2,000 years earlier claimed it 6:45 before I did. So it says here in Acts 13:41, "Behold you scoffers and marvel and perish, for I am accomplishing a work in your days, a work which you will not never believe, though someone should describe 7:04 it to you." And so Paul believed that. And if you were to go to Paul and talk to him when he was persecuting the church and you say, "One day, Paul, God's going 7:23 to touch your life and God's going to change you completely. You're going to write scripture that's going to bless people for hundreds of years. You're going to be planting churches. You're going to be touching the lives of millions of 7:36 people." What would he have said to you? I don't think he would have ever believed it. But did that happen in his lifetime? It did. And I believe that everyone who believes God, it says of 7:54 Mary, blessed is the one who believes there will be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her. Blessed is the one who believes that God keeps his promises. Paul believed it and he said, "God's going to do something in my days and he 8:09 did something in his days because he believed it." It's not because somebody does something great for God or does something. It's what people believe. Do they believe God or they do not believe God? And the one who believes God will 8:23 experience all these wonderful things in their life. The one who has done wonderful things but doesn't believe God, it will not come to true in their lives. And I think as I think about you and I think about my time when I was about 8:39 your age, I thought about the different things that I faced and that God took me through those years. And one of the things that I realized is all of us, you might have heard of this expression, some people they burn their bridges. Do 8:56 you know what that means? Basically, if you burn a bridge, that means you don't ever plan to go back that way again. You basically break that bridge and then you say, "I'm moving on. I'm never going to go back." And I felt like that was how it was for 9:13 different people. And it could be for each of you as well. You may have felt that you've done something so bad that you basically broke that bridge. There's no traveling back on that bridge ever again. And some people do that. they are 9:25 upset or angry with somebody and they'll do something. I'll never ever forgive you or I'm going to never I'll always hold this against you and they break that bridge. I remember a couple of years ago when I was at work um and a 9:40 person was there and uh he had a couple of more hours before the end of the day and he was leaving. he was going to end his job there and it was only a few more hours but he lost it and he gave everybody a piece of their his mind and then left and I 9:59 thought to myself you know that's something that he definitely broke his bridge. They're never going to invite him again to come back to that company. He basically made his decision. I'm never coming back to work here. And I feel like when we look through 10:14 scriptures, Jesus talks about people like that to show that even people who broke bridges with God have a way back. Jesus shared this parable. If you turn with me to Luke 15. You all know when a person gets when 10:31 does a person get their inheritance from their parents? A little louder. After. After they die. And so this is what Jesus said. Luke 15:1. And he said, "A man had two 10:49 sons." Verse 12, "A younger of them said to his father, "Father, give me the share of the estate that falls to me." So he divided his wealth between them. Verse 13, "And many not many not many days later, the younger son gathered 11:03 everything together and went on his journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. And so, as you know, he was supposed to wait till his father died before he could take that inheritance. And what 11:18 was he doing? He says, "You know what? I'm not going to wait till you die. In a sense, I'm cutting off this relationship with you. I'm going to take my inheritance now before you die." And that's and when he's leaving, I don't believe 11:35 he had ever an intention to come back because he burnt that bridge with his father. He said, "You know what? I don't care, Dad. I'm going and I don't think I'll ever need a reason to come back. And you see that another person as well, 11:50 we heard about Paul. Turn with me to Acts chapter 8. Acts chapter 8. You know that he was standing there as Steven was being stoned. I don't think you can forget things like that. When you see somebody being stoned to death, something that 12:06 would be imprinted very deeply. But instead of repenting or feeling sorry for Stephen, this is what his reaction was. Acts 8:1. Saul was in heart a hearty agreement with putting him to death. And on that day, a great persecution began 12:24 against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea, Samaria, except the apostles. Verse two, some of the devout men buried Steven and made loud lamentation over him. Verse three. But 12:41 Saul began ravaging the church, entering house after house and dragging off men and women. He would put them in prison. This was a man who was break burning his bridge. 12:59 You know what? They stoned Steven. I'm not leaving it there. I have no more opportunity to come and be among you because I'm going to do something. so bad that you'll not let me come back. And if you turn with me to Acts 26, he 13:14 goes on to tell a little bit more detail of what he did. Acts 26:9. Acts 26:9. So then I thought to myself, I had to do many hostile things to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Verse 10. And this is just what I did in Jerusalem. 13:34 Not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priest, but also when they were being put to death, I cast my vote against them. That means if there was a council and they had 13:47 three votes, don't put him to death. And three votes, put him to death. You know what his vote would have been? Put him to death. No compassion, no mercy. if they were going to they were parents were going to leave behind orphans. He 14:05 didn't care. He said put them to death. No mercy, no kindness. And it says that I I cast my vote against them. And verse 11, and as I punished them often in the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme. And being furiously enraged 14:23 at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. And so you see this man, he's done so much hostile and yet burning the bridges. But the wonderful thing is this same man who said that, who did that, received something 14:42 and that was being justified by God. And it's a wonderful thing that when you turn with me to Romans chapter 5 for people who burnt bridges like that younger son we read the end of that story where the father takes and clothes him 15:00 welcomes him the same one who burnt the bridge who's telling the story Jesus is telling the story saying those who burnt bridges with me those even those I will welcome back. And so if you turn with me to Romans 15:17 chapter 5, four, sorry, Romans 4:E 5, but to the one who does not work but believes, and this is where faith is so important. It's not about what you've done. And the one who believes that God will forgive me, God will justify me, 15:35 will receive the justification no matter what. You remember that thief on the cross? No matter how much he lived in sin all his life, at the very last moment, what did he do different from the other thief? He believed that God 15:49 would forgive him even at the last moment. Somehow that faith sprouted up in his heart that God would even love me and give me another chance. And so you see that but to the one who does not work but believes in him who 16:06 justifies the ungodly. The one who's ungodly, God justifies, his faith is credited to him as righteousness. And if you ask Paul, Paul, after persecuting the church and doing all of that evil, how can you be 16:25 justified? What do you do? What do you deserve to do? You deserve to be justified. You would say, "No, I don't deserve to be justified like everybody else doesn't deserve to be justified. I just believe that God justified me." 16:39 And what was the fruit of his life, of his justification? He could be so bold to write scripture to correct others. How could you correct somebody if you are not confident that God has forgiven you of all your past? you've he's 16:57 correcting Peter. He corrects all these people, writes to the churches, corrects the churches. How could you have such confidence after persecuting the church that much unless you know what true justification is? And I believe that 17:12 many here may be beating yourself up and not living in condemnation even when someone like Paul was not living in condemnation because of faith. a lack of faith. You do not believe what Paul believed. Paul believed that God 17:30 will justify me and forgive me, cleanse me, clothe me with his righteousness. But you do not believe that. You do not believe that God will do that. Oh, there's something in my life that's too bad that God cannot forgive me. So, I'm 17:41 going to stay here in depression, condemnation, and locked up. And then there's another person who's done even worse than you. But he says, "You know what? I'm going to believe God's going to justify me no matter what." 17:53 There are many things in your life and probably in and in my life and probably in your life where I would do anything if I could go back in time and change those things from happening the way they did. Circumstances that are beyond me 18:08 going and setting it right. What do I do? I say, Lord, I can't do anything about that. I remember what I did just like he did like Paul did. I can't do anything. If I could, I would. But I can't Lord I just fall on your your hands and say 18:26 Lord justify me. I believe that you will justify me because I can't do anything. There's a beautiful verse in Matthew Luke 7. Luke 7, you might remember that woman who was known as the sinner came to Jesus' feet and started 18:44 crying. And the Pharisee who was there in the house looked down on her and probably felt no hope for this one. She's a sinner. And Jesus, why are you letting her touch your feet? 19:01 And then Jesus says this to answers that answers uh Simon verse 40 Luke 7:40 and Jesus answered him and said Simon I have something to say to you and he replied say it teacher verse 41 a money lender had two debtors one who 19:21 owed 100 dinary that's about three months salary and the other 50 and that's about two months salary. I'm sorry, 500 dinari. That's about two years salary. And the other one's about two months salary approximately. Verse 19:40 42. When they were unable to repay, again, for those of you who are working, think about how much you earn in a year, multiply it by two, that's how much that person owes. And the other person, think about how much you earn a month, 19:55 multiply it by two, and that's how much the other person owed. And you can see that one is a lot larger than the other. But verse 42, when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. When they both said, I can't do 20:11 anything. I whether it's two year salary or two months salary. I can't pay you back for that sin that I did. I can't do anything to I can't do anything. I can't go and undo it. I can't repay you back, Lord. And when you come to that place, 20:26 when you recognize you can't repay back, then what will God do? It says that when they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. And then the question comes, so which one will love him more? 20:43 The one who has been forgiven much will love much. And so I say, you know, each one of you, I don't know, but I hope that you will have faith to receive what Peter received. The forgiveness that Peter received where even though he had denied 21:02 the Lord, he did not keep beating himself up. You don't read that. You don't read that in scriptures. Oh yes, I'm the one who betrayed the Lord. Oh, I'm the one who betrayed the Lord, but I'm going to tell you this. No, 21:14 he knew that God had justified him. He was a new person that God looked at him clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And that can be for every single one of you. And why do I emphasize this? Because I also knew that God Jesus died 21:29 for my sins, that he would forgive me. But when it came to believing it, that he justified me, that he completely took it off my account, he does not remember my sins anymore. Then it was harder because I kept getting the thoughts and 21:43 said, "Okay, you know what? Perhaps since I remember that thought of what I did, maybe God hasn't forgiven me. But that's not the true justification that I see that Paul experienced, that Peter experienced. There was something 21:56 different. And then I said, Lord, I want what they had. And that's what we all can have even today if we believe and trust the Lord. And that goes for our past. But today also some of you may be struggling in 22:14 sin. You may be struggling with lust, bound by sin, anxiety, all these different things. And I often think about that Pilgrim's Progress. I don't know how many of you have read that or watched that Pilgrim's Progress, but Pilgrim's Progress talks about two 22:33 men going on a journey to the celestial city. That's a picture of [Music] the he a picture of heaven. It's a picture thing and this man Christian is leaving behind the city of destruction and he's on his way. Now, as he's going, 22:49 he sees a path and then there's another friend of his, hopeful. And his hopeful says, "You know what? The path, there's two paths. Which one should we go on?" And he's Christian is like adamant. He's saying, "You know, this one, you have a 23:02 little bit of the green grass here and this thing." And they're both looking like they're going in the same direction. So, let's go on this more the one which has the greener grass. And hopeful is like, "No, no, we shouldn't." 23:12 And then finally Christian wins and they go on this and it leads them to a place where they go into this dungeon of despair. They're caught by this big giant. The giant every day is kind of discouraging them and they're in this 23:26 cage and they're he's saying, "You know what? You're never going to get out. Give up. Give up. Give up." And they're all discouraged inside that that that jail cell. And I remember, you know, there Christian is saying, "Oh, it 23:42 was my fault. I shouldn't have said that." And the hopeful is saying it, "No, no, no. It's my fault. I was the one who said, and they're beating themselves up and the giant's happy because they're getting discouraged and 23:52 disheartened." And you might be there today. You might be in one of these things. Fear, anxiety, lust, anger, bitterness, unforgiveness. I know people, and I was there, too. Yeah, I'll never forget this person or I'll never I'll have this 24:07 bitterness forever because of what they did to me. There has to come a day where you get out of that cage. And I remember they said, you know what? What have we been doing? Why are we stuck in this cage all this time? There 24:23 was a key of promise that was a necklace that they had or they had a a key of promise. And he says, "We had the promise of God's word all along, just like the promise we heard that he justifies the ungodly." I had it all along, but I kept beating myself. I 24:39 stayed in this cage when I always had the promise to escape. And they escaped from the cage. They open up and they run. The giants chasing them. They get to the place and they escape. And I remember this that they go back to that 24:55 path where there was a fork in the road and they put a stone there with a inscription beware do not go on this path and they put a warning there for all you pilgrims who are coming after us be careful don't go this way 25:13 and for me too also what do I do I proclaim yes I was in this chain I was chained up with this in this dungeon of despair discouraged and disheartened. But today, what am I doing? I'm going to put a sign board there. Don't go there. 25:27 There's a key of promise. Never be there. Never be discouraged. Never give up. And why why do we get discouraged? And I believe it's because we constantly like that giant saying, you'll never get out. You'll always be bound by the sin 25:44 forever. Next day, what do you hear from the giant? The giant, you'll always be here. You're always held captive with me and you're looking at it and you're like, "That's impossible. I could never get out of this. I've been addicted with 25:57 this for years, anxiety for years. I've been depressed for years. I've been angry for years. I had bitterness for years. How could I ever get out of this?" And there was an incident that happened many years ago. Um, I went on a skiing 26:14 trip with a couple of co-workers. As we were skiing, there was a book there. They call it the bunny slope. The one which is the easy slope. It's called the bunny slope. All the kids, that's where they learn. And I went on it went on it 26:25 a couple of times and I was like, "Okay, this is good. I I'm able to go through the bunny slope really well." And so I so happy and then I said, "You know what? I'm going to go in the bigger slope with all the, you know, adults." 26:35 And, you know, so I went there and I was going down this bigger slope. Now, as I was going down, um, one of my skis fell off and it went up on the top of the, you know, the hill and the other one was on my foot and I skdded down and I was on down there and 26:53 there was still a lot more to go and there was nobody there. It was, it was unusual. I was in a part of the slope where nobody else was there. And so I was here and I would get up and then since I had one ski on, I'd slip back 27:07 down and then I'd get back up and then that ski would and it kept on happening and I I was so discouraged on this on this slope of the on this hill slope with one ski. Kept on falling down, discouraged, nobody else there to help 27:21 me. And I I remember totally being broken and and discouraged. And I said this, "What's the point of getting up if all I'm going to do is fall back down? What's the point of getting up if all I'm going to do is fall back down?" 27:40 And while that was a picture of my skiing skills, finally I did somehow get back back. But that was also a picture of my spiritual condition as well. Lord, what's the point of getting up from this sin if all I'm going to do is fall back 27:57 right down? And if you turn with me, turn with me to John chapter 5. John chapter 5. And the reason I say this is some of you may be there where you've been trying for so many years to overcome some sins that you've been 28:15 plagued by. You're embarrassed. You can't have any. You're like me on that slope all by yourself with nobody there to help you. And you're crying out. This is the cry inside your heart. John 5:3. In these lay a multitude of 28:31 those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, waiting for the moving of the waters. Verse 5, for an angel or a messenger of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the waters. And whoever then 28:45 went first after the stirring of the water stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted. And you might be here at this conference in this meeting saying, "Okay, I've been to others stirrings and I've seen some 29:01 other people's lives changed. I'm going to go to this conference as well. There's going to be a stirring and I'm this is the time. I'm going to be the one who gets there in first and God's going to change my life." And even as 29:13 I've been talking around, yes, maybe this is the conference where God's going to stir me up and change. I came here with great expectations that there's going to be a stirring and my life is going to be changed. You might be like 29:26 that. These people, all of them coming in, this is the time where it's all going to change. And this is what happened. Verse five, a man was there who had been ill for 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there, he knew 29:46 he had already been there a long time in that condition. And he said to him, "Do you wish to get well?" "Do you wish to get well?" What's the what are the two possible answers for that question out loud? 30:03 Yes or no? That's the two question that do you want to get? Well, yes or no. Listen to the answer. The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. But while I am 30:20 coming, another steps down before me." And that might be your life as well. This man 38 years every time trying trying this time is the time that I'm going to go in and I'm going to get healed. This is the time I'm going to 30:36 break free from this addiction, this thing that has plagued me for years. this is the day. That's how he would have felt. And the reason I believe he didn't answer the yes or no question was he was like, "What's the point of 30:47 answering this? It's a rhetorical question. Do you want to be healed? Of course, I want to be healed." But why? Because he had been so defeated all these years that he had to what's the hope of even answering that question? I'm going to tell you Jesus 31:03 what my condition has been. And it says Jesus already knew. I've been trying for 38 years to overcome and be the one who's first there, but it's never worked out for me. And that day, God did something that he could not do. 31:22 What he could not do for 38 years, what you cannot do in your own ability, God can do. How will he do it? By believing, by having faith. Yes, God. You said you will do this just like you did it for this man for 38 years who 31:40 tried. You did it. It wasn't because of his strength. And so when I see this, why does God do it that way? Why does God let their person be there for 38 years and after 38 years of failing then heal him? 31:57 Why? Why do you think that? I believe one of the reasons is if God does a miracle in his life, he will know for sure it was not because of his effort trying better to overcome that addiction or that sin, but it was 32:16 purely because God did a miracle in his life or her life and set them free. They'll never be able to boast. They'll never be able to look down on somebody else who's struggling because they knew that I would be still in this cage if 32:30 not for God helping me. And so I want you to turn with me to Judges chapter 16. This is about a strong man, a man who could tear a lamb, a tear, tear a lion like he could a young lamb. 32:50 Do you know who it is? Yes, it's Samson. But I want you to see what he says. You can turn with me to Judges 16:16. It came about when she, that's Delila, pressed him daily with her words. Urged 33:09 him that his soul was annoyed to death. Constantly pressure, pressure, pressure. This is what it says. Verse 17. So he told her all that was in his heart and said to her, "A razor has never come on my head, for I have been a Nazerite of 33:29 God to God from my mother's womb. If I am shaved, then my strength will leave me and I will become weak and I will become like any other man. With God, I can tear a line. I can beat 33:47 thousand Philistines, but the moment God leaves me, I'll become like any other man. And I believe that's the testimony of those when God fills us with his Holy Spirit and does a work in our lives, that will be a testimony of our lives. 34:07 Lord, without you, I'm like any other man or woman, but with you, I can tear a spiritual lion to pieces. Not in my own strength, but with with the power of your Holy Spirit. That's what it says in Romans 8. Turn with me 34:22 to Romans 8. Romans 8, verse 13. Romans 8:13. For if you are living according to the flesh, you must die. But if by the spirit you're putting to death the deeds of the 34:39 body, you will live. If by the spirit you're putting to death the deeds of your flesh, you'll you'll live the deeds of the body. And so for each one of us, the only way we can overcome is by the power of God's Holy Spirit. 34:54 And his holy spirit is available to every single one. If you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children. I don't know how to cook, but if my children ask me for something, I'll get something from the fridge or from 35:08 somewhere and give it to them. I know that. And I being evil will do that for my children. I believe God will. He keeps his promises. Wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Wait for the promise of my father. That's what he says. Wait 35:23 for the promise of my father. And I believe God keeps his promises. I may not keep my promises but God will keep his promises and that's what I believe. Another person like that Daniel's also said you know when how can you interpret 35:37 these dreams he says I don't have any more knowledge than anybody else I'm like any other ordinary man but if God fills me with his holy spirit I can reveal any dream whether it's wisdom or strength or overcoming sin it's only by the power of 35:54 God's Holy Spirit and at the end of all of it if you get healed then you'll give God the glory saying God you were the one who did it. That's why we come by faith. It's not by works because of that one reason. Lord, you can do it for 36:08 anybody who believes. And that's why this message is for every one of us. If we believe today, we will go home receiving all these promises. They will be true in our lives. That's my encouragement. So that's about our past condemnation 36:29 about our present fight with sin and addiction. What about our plans? Each of us came here also thinking Lord I have different things in your will will for maybe it's a spouse it's a work situation. Where should I live? Which 36:44 church should I attend? Many questions in your mind and your heart and you want to know Lord can I I want to do your perfect will. The worst thing for us to do is to do something outside of God's perfect will. I said that to the Lord. 36:58 Lord, I do not want to get married outside of your will. I rather stay single than get out married outside your will. I don't want to get a job that's outside of your will. I don't want to be in a place or I want your perfect will 37:13 in every area of my life. And so I said, Lord, how are you going to bring about your perfect will in my life? And I see that God can use any circumstance in our life. And I think about Joseph. Joseph was there, you know, he was sold by his brothers, went 37:28 down to Egypt, falsely accused by Piper's wife for something he didn't do, and thrown in jail. And as he there was there in jail, he could have been so upset because he was there like, "Lord, why should I be here in jail? It's nothing I did wrong. 37:46 This is unfair." And then he has a glimmer of hope. The the wine bearer and the baker come there and finally he gets to interpret their dream and he tells the wine bearer. What does he tell him? Just one thing for what I did. Just one 38:03 thing. Just remember me when you go up there to tell the pharaoh that I'm here. I'm stuck here. And he forgets. You see those people in the island and they see this last plane coming there and they're like waving waving. And that plane goes by and 38:17 they're like stranded there and this is my last hope. And that that also went and I can think about it. He's sitting there in prison. He doesn't know how long he's going to be there. If he's going to be there for the rest of 38:29 his life and I can picture, we know what happens in the story. But I could picture him saying, "You know what, Lord? This is just not fair. Falsely accused in jail. My life being wasted here. What's the point of all of this? And I can believe 38:47 the day before he's released, sitting there in prison, taking the plate that they gave him and throwing it against the thing, taking the cup and throwing it against the wall and saying, "Lord, this is just not fair. Why am I here? 39:00 How long am I going to be here?" And if you turn with me to Genesis 40. Genesis 40. The last verse of Genesis 40. 39:21 Verse 22. But he h hanged the baker just as Joseph had interpreted. Verse 23. Yet the chief cup bearer did not remember Joseph but forgot him. God allowed him to forget. And then it says two years later that he remembered. 39:39 And see this what it says here. He he brings him out the next day. And in verse 44 or actually before that verse 14, then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph and they hurried and brought him out of the dungeon. And when he shaved himself and 39:55 changed his clothes, he came to Pharaoh. And it goes down verse 44. Moreover, Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Though I am Pharaoh, yet without your permission, no one shall raise hand or foot in all the land of Egypt." And I can picture it if 40:12 after all of these days in jail coming up there and he's saying, "Joseph, you're going to be second in command and nobody can raise their hand or foot in all of Egypt without your permission." and he's just sitting there thinking 40:26 about the previous night when he got upset, throwing the plate and everything and the complaining. I'm just picturing what could have happened. How would he have felt that next day when he was exalted to be next in line 40:41 in king of all of Egypt? I believe he would have been extremely embarrassed saying, "Lord, you are planning all of this in secret for me and here I was complaining because I just didn't understand. I didn't see it. And if I could go back in time and tell 40:56 Joseph the night before, I'd say, "Joseph, I know this doesn't make sense why you're here, but just hang in there just a little longer. Next day, you're going to be ruler of all of Egypt. Nobody can do a single thing without 41:09 your permission. Today, he knows why. We know why. But Joseph did not have the luxury we have. We could read the story of Joseph, the story of Mori. He didn't have a Bible, but we do. And so when I go through circumstances in life, when I don't know 41:28 the future, I say, "Lord, I don't know the future, but I see for every child of God, every servant of yours, the way you dealt with them. And even though I can't see it, Lord, I believe that you are planning for me in love." Because that's 41:42 what I see for what you did in the scriptures for all those who followed you. And so I have faith. And what I share with you is not something that when I've gone through circumstances in the recent times, these were the verses that came. Lord, I don't 41:57 know how this is and this person I counted on forgot about me this and I go back to the scripture and I say, you know what, Lord, I don't know why, but there's some reason for it when this gets delayed. And if you know if he had got out two years earlier, 42:16 you know what would have happened? He would have been released and set free. He would have been an ordinary person set free. He would have never got to be king of Pharaoh in Egypt. But it was because he waited those two years that 42:32 that's what happened. And so today also as you're going through life, you may not understand, but if you trust the Lord that you're a child of God, he's planning every single day of your life. You will know it's not this ba boss or this person who can do 42:48 something in your life. No, God controls circumstances. He controls timing of things and things beyond our control. When can you not do anything? When is the point when you're helpless? 43:07 You can tell shout out your answers. When do you think is you're completely helpless? You're dead. Good job. Yes, that's what I believe, too. When you're dead, you can't do anything, right? If you want to fulfill God's will for 43:22 your life and you're dead, you can say, "Oh, you know what? I can't do anything now. It's too late." But if you turn with me to John chapter 19, verse 31. John chapter 19:31. Then the Jews, because it was the day of 43:41 the preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath, for the Sabbath was a high day, asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they may be taken away. And so the Jews wanted to break the legs 43:57 of all the prisoners, including Jesus. That's what they intended to do. And when they came to Jesus, so the soldiers came, they broke the legs of the first man and of the other who was crucified with him. Verse 33, but coming 44:12 to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not they did not they did not break his legs. Did they intend to break his legs? Yes. Could Jesus do anything about it physically? No. It was beyond his control. He was 44:31 dead. But re read this verse 34. One of the soldiers pierced his side and immediately blood and water came out and he had and he who has seen this testified and his testimony is true and he knows that he's telling the truth so 44:49 that you may believe. Verse 36. So these things came to pass to fulfill the scripture. Not a bone of him shall be broken. Even if all of earth decides to do something against you, if God has not permitted it, no matter how hard they 45:08 try, it cannot happen. If God closes a door, nobody can open it. If God opens a door, nobody can close it. And I see this even in Jesus's life that they couldn't do anything. They couldn't touch his bones without God's permission. That should 45:24 give us great confidence that God cannot do anything. that nobody could do anything without God's permission for your life. Now, I wanted to mention just as we go through, you know, we heard about the two disciples who went on their way to 45:41 Emmas, had a three-hour sermon with Jesus. Yet, after that three-hour sermon sermon with Jesus, they could have gone back back to their life. But it says that turn with me to Luke chapter 24. 46:00 Luke chapter 24. And as we leave, as we leave from this conference, I want you to take back in these days you hear, you've heard a lot of things, three hours of messages and you heard Jesus speaking to your heart, the Holy Spirit speaking to your heart. 46:20 And you too, like the the disciples could have heard these words. But there's one more thing that needs to happen. Luke chapter 24 verse 28. As they were approaching the 46:44 vis village where they were going, he acted as though they were going further. Verse 29. But they urged him saying, "Stay with us for it's getting dark towards the evening and the day is now nearly over." So he went in to stay with 46:58 them. Verse 30. When he had reclined on the table with them, he took the bread and blessed it and breaking it, he began gave it giving it to them. Verse 31, I want you to always remember this one after listening to that entire sermon of 47:15 three hours and their hearts burning within them. Verse 31, and then their eyes were opened and they recognized him. And for each one of us, the same thing must happen after hearing the words that burn our hearts. You must not leave here 47:33 without seeing Jesus. And that's not something that we can do. It says Jesus allowed them to recognize him. Again, if you turn a few pages uh to John chapter 20 verse 14, this is Mary. When she had had said this, she turned around and saw 47:51 Jesus standing there and she did not know it was Jesus. Verse 15, Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?" Supposing him to be the gardener. And so that's also the other thing. We could have come here to the meeting and 48:11 leave out saying, "Okay, yeah, I met there. I met with the gardener and go back." But she did not. Sir, if you carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. Verse 16, Jesus said to her, "Mary." 48:29 She turned around and said to him in Hebrew, "Raboni," which means teacher. Again, she couldn't recognize him even though he she but Jesus spoke to her and she was rec she recognized Jesus. And I don't I believe that we all have to just 48:45 like Mary heard her name. Each one of us has to hear our name. AJ I want you to see me. I want you to recognize me. What you heard in the conference is not just to be in the conference where you stirred up and heard all these things. I want you to 49:01 walk with me. I want you to know me personally. I want you to recognize me for yourself. I want your eyes to be opened. And for those of us who see the Lord, I want you to remember this as well. I remember sometimes this may have 49:17 happened to you as well. You're at home, you're saying something, you're shouting or something like that and then the doorbell rings and then the person comes in and you're like wondering what do you wonder? Come on, you can say it. 49:33 Did you hear what I said? What did they hear what I said? Or sometimes this happens as well. you're talking about something or saying something and then you accidentally dial somebody and that they're hearing the conversation going on and then after 49:48 that you look at it and then you're like okay u you call them back and then you're like so I see that I got a missed call for I I called you accidentally um and you're trying to gauge what are you trying to gauge what what did they hear 50:07 but I seen that you know But if we really recognize that God is seeing us all the time, we recognize God that some at least a human being is watching us when we get that knock on the door or that phone call. But how much more important 50:25 here? The reason you're not sitting at least physically sitting here throwing things at me or anything like that is because you know, okay, everybody's watching. I can't do it. and you have a sense that God is watching you as well. 50:38 But what happens when you go home? If you recognize that Jesus is seeing you, watching you, then it doesn't make a difference whether you're here. It takes away any fear that you will have of people, circumstances, and situations. Why? Because you're always 50:55 living in God's presence. You're never talking about somebody else. You're never doing anything because you're always living in God's presence. That's what I see. as you go from this place, if there's anything, cling on to Jesus 51:09 like Mary did and say, "Lord, I want to always recognize." And that's how Jesus lived. In Acts 2:25, Peter says, "And Jesus set the father always before him." And I also want to do that as well. Every single day of my life living, 51:27 there was a time where I didn't believe that God was watching me all the time. And so but these days my longing is Lord every day whether I'm sitting here or at home or at work God you're always watching me and I want to live in that understanding 51:43 Lord then I don't have any fear because I'm never doing anything that displeases him and so any person who comes to me I can be confident and bold not afraid of any person because if I'm living in front of God why would I be afraid of 51:56 any person so with that I wanted to close but I wanted you guys to remember actually I wanted to show you one thing hopefully you can remember this usually uh in in buildings they have something like this in case of 52:16 emergency break glass and so when you go back home and you're there thinking you know what maybe you burnt a bridge maybe you're in a deep dungeon place remember there's a golden key inside there which 52:34 is the golden key of do you guys remember the golden key of promise and when you're at the end of your resources and you're like remember in case of emergency break glass there's still hope there's still a ray of hope no matter what that 52:51 circumstances I hope you'll remember break that glass and hold on to that key of promise Let's close in prayer. Heavenly Father, I pray Lord, I pray that there would be a seed of faith that is birthed in each each one of us. Lord, 53:10 Lord, you are you made heaven and earth. Nothing is too difficult for you as children of yours. Lord, you arrange every single circumstance in our life. No person, circumstance or thing can ever change that Lord. people forgetting 53:24 it things and maybe doing things wrong. Everything will work together for good for a child of God, Lord. And I pray that we can live in your presence all the time. I pray that you would open each of our eyes to recognize you. 53:37 Recognize you here and all through our life, Lord. We want to walk in your presence just like you did before the father. Not a fearing any man or circumstance because we're always living in your place in front before your face. 53:50 I pray that you would do that miracle in each of our lives. And once you do that miracle and heal us spiritually, we would not take any credit and know that your Holy Spirit was the one who empowered us, Lord, and give you all the 54:03 glory. We ask in Jesus name. Amen. [Music]
