And Then It All Changed

We want to be touched by you. That's my prayer for myself. That's my prayer for us. That

this afternoon you would touch us. There is nothing greater than being with you and to

experience your touch. Holy Spirit, we are your people. We belong to you and no one else.

And this afternoon, I pray that you would do everything you want to accomplish in our

lives. You're so real, Holy Spirit. I pray that you touch us. I pray that you change

things in our lives. So we give our time, our mind, our being to you so that you can touch us and

change us. In Jesus' name, amen. Sheldon is not here, but about a month—is that me? Someone needs

to do something. Hello, hello, hello, hello. I think less. I want to move around. Hello, hello,

hello. That's good. When did we have the camp? Maybe two months ago, something like that. When

we were at the camp in Chilliwack, Jacob asked a question. Jacob asked, what is the name of the

next chapter of your lives? And a few people shared, and I distinctly remember what Sheldon

spoke out loud, and he said, and then it all changed. This was the title of Sheldon's next

chapter, and then it all changed. I remember sitting there, I remember knowing that Sheldon's

next chapter, that there is—but there is more to it. Over the last little while, I've been thinking

about it, and then this Wednesday, it came back to me again, and I want to talk on the title,

on the subject, and then it all changed. So if you want the title, that's what it is, write it down,

and we'll go from there. So if you ask me, all right, that's the title, what's the scriptural

precedence to this? I want us to go to Psalm 126 verse 1. Psalm 126 verse 1. And Sheldon said,

Psalms 126:1 Psalms 126:1

every time I use the title, I need to pay him. So that's the only time I'm mentioning title. From

here on, I'm not going to say it. All right, Psalm 126 verse 1, it reads, When the Lord restored

Psalms 126:1

the fortunes of Zion, we were like those who dream. When the Lord restored the fortunes of

Zion, we were like those who dream. This is so true, eh, that in our lives, sometimes there are

stages in our lives, we use the word seasons way too much, but let's use it again, seasons in our

life. There are times in our lives where we feel like we are in a place where as Tuni beautifully

talked about last week, we may be waiting for something and we are really expecting it, that

God comes through. We are expecting that there is a change that's happening or there are things that

are happening in our lives where it doesn't really resemble what we believe in. We believe of God a

certain way. We believe that this is who he is, but you look at your own life, it doesn't really

match that. Your belief doesn't sometimes match what you believe of Jesus, what you believe of

the father. And it's possible that some of us are in that place now. It's possible that many of us

have gone through that, those places, and I want you to know that there is something very specific

that the Lord wants to do with us if you're thinking, I need a new thing in my life. If you're

thinking, I need God to change something in me. I need God to change something around me. I need

God to change something about the places and the situations I'm in. This is for you. I'm excited

because I need his touch. I'm excited because I know you need his touch. So if there are things

that over the last little while when you look at your life, you feel like it's pulling you back,

or you very well know there is a ceiling, there is a cap, and you're trying to push through it,

but for some reason it's not happening. And then it all changed. And then it all changed. Like I read

from Psalm 127 or so, when the Bible says for the people of Zion, it was like a dream. What just

happened? This isn't like what we experienced yesterday. Yesterday was different, but today,

it's a new day. Today, something I have been waiting for has come through. Today, what I've

been waiting on the Lord for has come through. And then it says, they were like those who dream.

And we will be in those areas of our lives for those things that we're waiting on the Lord for.

We will be like those who dream. Because our Father never leaves us midway. Our Father never

leaves us thinking that, you know what, here is what I believe of the Father. I believe God

heals me. But sometimes in my life, if I don't experience healing, now other things creep in.

Doubt creeps in. Confusion creeps in. And there is a time when I have to say, uh-huh, this doesn't

match with what I know of my Savior. And then I begin to take a stand, and I go from there.

I want to really quickly go through two or three stories, maybe two, maybe three. We'll see. And

as we go through it, some things I want to highlight. So the first thing, Psalm 71, 9,

if you can go there. Psalm 71, 9. Do not cast me away when I am old. Do not forsake me when

my strength is gone. Do not cast me away when I am old. Do not forsake me when my strength is

gone. See, even though we believe of God a certain way, it is possible, like I said before,

that we can get used to things that he doesn't speak of himself. You're looking at a verse from

the Bible that David wrote. He's the same guy who wrote Psalm 23. When he wrote Psalm 23, he wrote

things like, your goodness and your mercy will follow me all the days of your life. Yeah? And

he meant it when he wrote it. The same David, years later, is saying, Lord, do not cast me away

when I am old. Do not forsake me when my strength is gone. In the message version, it says, but don't

turn me out to pasture when I am old or put me on the shelf when I can't pull my weight. Come with

me as I go through this. It's interesting to see that, right? It's the same David who wrote all of

these scriptures, these beautiful Psalms that we have come to recite, that we have come to know,

learn by heart. It has changed our lives, but even the best of them have sometimes gone through

places where they began to doubt God or they began to think and believe of God things that weren't

true. It happens, but the good news is, and then it all changed. And then it all changed. I want you

guys to come with me as I take you through a couple of stories. It's going to be stories you're

so familiar with, but there are a couple of things that the Lord will highlight for us,

regardless of which place you're in today. Okay? So here are the passages I want to go through first.

So the first story is about Peter. I want you to go to Matthew chapter 16 and just stay there

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

for a few minutes. Matthew chapter 16. Let's talk about Peter. So Peter is a leader among the

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

disciples. Here is someone as the twelve were gathered, and there are more disciples all around

Jesus. Here is this one man who others recognized and knew there is something special about him.

Peter was always earmarked as that leader. He was supposed to lead these guys wherever they went.

And he's the only disciple, interestingly so, only disciple where Jesus said,

your name is Simon, but you are Peter. There are no other disciples who got a name change. Like

Abraham became Abraham, there was a name change when it came to Peter. Simon became Peter. And

we all know the meaning of Peter. Peter means rock. And so I want you to think like Peter for

a few minutes. A fisherman who Jesus said, follow me. Jesus said, you are no longer to be known by

Simon. I am going to give you a new name. Others haven't gotten a name, but I got, Peter got a

new name, and the name is Peter. And Peter says, all right, what does it mean? What it means is it

means rock. It means stability. It means consistency. It means, Peter, you are that one guy I'm going to

depend on. That's how Peter perceived it, because his name has a meaning. When Jesus comes along and

tells him, your name is Peter, your name is the rock, it has significance to him. So Peter's mind,

these things are happening, and he knows where he is headed, because you then see in Matthew chapter

Matthew 16 · chapter mention

16, Jesus asks the question, who do they say I am? What are people saying? And the disciples say,

well, different people are saying different things. Some of them are saying that you are

John the Baptist. Some of them are saying you're Elijah. Some are saying you're Jeremiah. Some are

saying you're one of the prophets. And Jesus asks, who do you say I am? And out of all of these guys,

who've been following Jesus, there is only one guy, the rock, Peter, who says, you are Christ.

He doesn't stop there, guys. He says, you are Christ, the Son of the living God. Wow. Can you

think about it? Here's a guy out of all of these people, he got it. He understood it. And Jesus

turns to him and Jesus says, this has only been revealed to you by my father. My father revealed

it to you. I want you to think about Peter. See what's happening with him. It's proven where he's

going, because Jesus has been training him, discipling him, and these things have been happening to him.

He's got a new name, and you can see Jesus then in the next couple of verses saying something,

he says that again. And then Jesus says, listen to me, here are the keys of the kingdom, and I'm

going to give it to you. What you, Peter, bind on earth will be bound in heaven. What you lose on

earth will be loosed in heaven. Yeah? Again, follow the story. You're with Peter. And so you can see

this narrative where everything that Jesus has been training him for has been happening. You can

see that gradual change in his life, where day after day he's on one hand there is internal

transformation happening, on the other hand promises are being released to him. There are

things happening in his life. I think the audio is still, someone needs to help me. There are

things happening in his life where, man, he is looking at his future and he is beginning to get

an idea of where he is headed. Yeah? He knows, man, the Lord has been doing these things to me,

and he just gave me this promise. I am headed a certain way. I'm headed in this direction that he

has been charting for me. I'm so excited. I'm purpose-filled. I was a fisherman about three

years ago, but now see what's happening with me. I'm so glad that this is where I'm going. And then

you know what happened. You know the episode where you see Peter denying Jesus, and I want

to highlight just one thing from that passage. See, after Peter denied Jesus three times,

like Jesus said, there is that last verse. Is it 62 or something? Go to that last verse. I'll tell

you which passage it is. Luke chapter 22, verse 62. Luke chapter 22, verse 62. And think about

Luke 22:62 Luke 22:62

Peter. And he went out and wept bitterly. He went out and he started crying, weeping bitterly. Peter,

the rock, who has the keys of the kingdom, who is supposed to lead, who has the name where Jesus

said, I'm going to build with you. Stable guy you are. Man of conviction you are. This is where

you're headed. And now you begin to see what's happening to Peter, and Peter can't realize that

he, out of all of them, did this. John didn't do it. Andrew didn't do it. But it happened to him. It

only happened to Peter. But there were so many promises, so many guarantees, so many, hey,

Peter, this is where I'm taking you. But ultimately he messed up, messed up to a point. He recognized

is he feeling guilty of what he did. He's also very shameful. It'll be like a few of us going to evangelize and then, let's pick on me for today. And someone asks a question and they're threatening and I run away. Well, I have to show up to church next week and guess what? I'm sure Don is going to pick on me. Where were you when they started asking questions? So he's got to be with the disciples now because he,

you know, people, people talk. Three times he denied. Three times. Not once, not twice, three times. So there is hurt, there is guilt because, oh my goodness, I let down my master. And Jesus actually looked at him when he denied the third time. And then there is shame. Hurt, guilt, shame. I want you to know

one thing. The area in your life that often gets attacked is the very area that God wants to transform and make it useful for others. Oftentimes what happens is the area in your life that gets attacked the most is that very area that God wants to transform to impact others. And I want you to think about it. Because as far as the devil is concerned,

devil knows Acts chapter four, that that is what Peter is being set to do. And there is an attack that this guy will be like this. See, when we read scripture, it's so easy for us to, because these stories are so, we've heard these stories so many times that we can, these are also the angles or the ways we need to think about the story.

Because it is also, what's also happening is it's a story where I need to find myself because as I go through my life's journey, I'm going to find out about Jesus, things that I had in previously discovered. And so all of these things happen. And I want us to go to John chapter 21.

John 21 · chapter mention

John chapter 21. Actually, before that, Mark chapter 16. I'll just talk through this. So in Mark chapter 16, as you can imagine, today is different. I'm going to take you through two stories. That's what today is. But please stick with me as I take you through the story.

John 21 · chapter mention Mark 16 · chapter mention Mark 16 · chapter mention

Stick with me because there is something that I believe God will do with me and you that will change our lives. Mark chapter 16. You can think of Peter somewhere huddled with the disciples and he's not feeling good. He knows what he has done.

Mark 16 · chapter mention

And at that same time, the women who went to the tomb early in the morning, they meet an angel and the angel begins to talk to the women. And here is what the angel says to the women in Mark chapter 16, verse 7, but go tell his disciples and Peter.

Mark 16:7

He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him just as he told you. You read that? Verse 7, but go tell his disciples and Peter. We won't stop there. Let's go next.

Let's go next. Now this time I want you to go to John chapter 21. John chapter 21. There are seven disciples. They are hanging out at the Sea of Tiberias. Seven of them. Peter is included in it. While they were doing what they were doing, Peter says, I'm going to go fishing.

John 21 · chapter mention John 21 · chapter mention

Peter did not say we're going to go fishing. Peter said, I'm going to go fishing. I'm going to get out of here. I just want some peace. I just want some calm. Jesus had already been resurrected by now. Jesus had already appeared to the disciples by now.

And after that, they're at the Sea of Tiberias and seven of them are there and Peter says, guys, I'm going to go out to the sea. I'm going to go.

And then you know the passage again. Jesus is waiting for them. John recognizes and thinks that's Jesus. John tells Peter, Peter launches out of the boat and Peter gets to the shore. And Jesus had been waiting for him already.

And there is an interaction and Jesus says, I want you to go back, get the fish. And so Peter, out of all the disciples, run back. He gets the fish and he brings it in and it's 153 fish.

Think of Peter. He knows what he has done. What he has done has not been addressed yet. There is a common addressing that has happened yesterday probably. But today he knows, I just want to be with him. I want to know if he is okay with me. I want to see how he would respond perhaps.

He's a man just like us, Peter. Isn't that how you would feel? I can guarantee you that's how you would feel. If not worse perhaps. And so in that context, Jesus then pulls Peter aside and begins to ask a question.

What is the question he asked? This is Luke chapter 21 verse 15. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, John chapter 21, someone said that, that's right, not Luke, John 21. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, I want you to go back.

Luke 21:15 John 21 · chapter mention

This is verse 15. Simon son of John, do you love me more than these? And you begin to see that Jesus asks the same question to Simon. Not once, not twice, three times. Why did Jesus ask three times? Jesus asked three times.

He is also reminding Peter that those things that you did and you said and it made you feel so hurtful, so bitter, you wept, you cried, there is shame. Jesus is also at the same time without Peter knowing, having him say exactly what he wants to say, he is not going to say it.

He is someone who sets up a table for me in the middle of my hurt, in the middle of my guilt. He is someone who sets up a table for me in the middle of my hurt, in the middle of my guilt.

This is what he believes but couldn't speak out before. Not once, twice, twice. I want you to begin to see who the Lord you're serving is. He is someone who sets up a table for me in the middle of my hurt, in the middle of my guilt, in the middle, in the midst of all the chaos around me.

He singles me out. He singles me out and then he says sit down and everything I need he begins to do for me.

He singles you out. Guys, why am I repeating it? It is so easy as we go through life regardless of how many years you've been in faith to begin to believe of things that he is not.

While you believe him truly well, you know he is the son of God like he did, like Peter did. But it is possible that you and I begin to believe of things that aren't true about him.

And when those things happen and in this case, the first point being when it comes to guilt, when it comes to shame, when it comes to hurt, I want you to know that the Lord that we serve is someone who sets up a table before me.

And then he says I invite you to come down and sit. Do you think there is any significance in him pulling all of that fish in? Oh there is. He was known to be and called to be a fisher of man.

It hasn't stopped. Peter understood these things later but this was the day when there was a table that was set before him and Jesus said those things that you did erased, forgotten because I am going to do a new thing in you.

And I want you to know that the calling that I put on your head, that the calling that I have on your life, it hasn't changed. I want you to repeat, I want you to know this, you will feed my sheep.

I want you to know how your life will end. You read that verse below that, you'll see that. I want you to know that nothing has changed. The plan is still the same.

And some of you need to know this. What happened to you or what you did cannot change what God's plans for you are as long as you stick with him.

As long as you stick with him. The devil may identify this one thing because that one thing is exactly what this man is about to do.

And there is an attempt sometimes to attack that because the devil knows because that very area is what the Lord wants to transform so that he can impact others through you.

You've got to be wise to see what are those things where there has been a fight, there has been a pull, there has been a shaking and I know it's not my Lord's character.

It doesn't come from my father. It is something else. And then you say, I know what it is. I will stand in the confidence that the Lord has given me to say, this is not how my father is.

This is how my father is. And as you begin to believe it inside of you, I know we have words that we speak so well.

More than your words, first in your heart.

Where you know.

Yeah, I know God is my provider, but in this area, it doesn't feel like he's my provider.

And instead of begin to believe of him things that he is not, take a stand.

Expect of him to put a table right in front of you because that's what he does.

One of the things, consistent themes in the couple of stories or maybe three, maybe two that we look at is there is an engagement with Jesus.

There is an engagement. You engage with him. So when this table is set up before you. So you ask me, I don't know if there is a table set up before me.

There is a table right now. Right now, there is a table that is set up before you.

There is a table that is set up before you.

He doesn't wait till tomorrow morning. Right now, if you want, if you choose, you can engage with him. He loves those when we respond to him in spirit.

He loves it.

He loves it.

When you begin to say, that's not who you are. I have believed this of you without even recognizing that this is what I've been thinking. I have now identified it.

I will not give it any more room in my life. And then you begin to engage with him. You'll realize that all of those things will be wiped away from your life because he's the only one who can do it. And that is his nature.

When it comes to Jesus and the Father, the Holy Spirit, there is one thing you can stand by. It is his nature. So when I know that God treats Emily a certain way, I've done this a lot of times.

One of the things that I love to do is when there is prophetic happening, if I have a chance,

I'd like to be the guy who has the phone in my hand to go and record it. Because one of the things I love doing is while I'm doing this thing of recording whatever is being spoken over someone else's life, I'm also beginning in my mind to think of how God is.

And I found it so helpful because I've gone into rooms where prophetic has flown so well. And in a course of 30 minutes, 45 minutes, you begin to see things of God articulated in a way that you may not have heard before.

But as soon as you hear something, you latch on to it because you can be confident that what he says of Emily and how he is to Emily is also the way he is to me.

Yeah? And what the Bible says, what the Word says is true for me as much as it is for you.

The one thing you and I can stand on is his nature. And so when Jesus treats Peter this way, I want you to know there's the same way he treats you and I.

Because what he is about to do is release this guy into the book of Acts and into the destiny that he has.

Yeah? I want to look at the second story now.

So before that, God singles you out in your failure to restore your fellowship with him. God singles you out in your failure to restore your relationship, your fellowship with him.

He then sets a table before you where he lavishes his special care and delight over you.

His special care and delight over you.

A couple of weeks ago, or maybe a month ago, I was going to Edmonton.

On the way back, I think my flight was at 7.50 or something.

And I got to the airport early enough that I could catch the flight right before that, the 5.50.

And so I'm waiting there and I'm waiting for the flight to be ready.

And so I'm waiting there and a part of me wants to get on this earlier flight.

Iris is hearing this. But at the same time, I felt, no, don't get on this earlier flight. Get on the 7.51.

It's okay. You can be a little late to home.

And so I decided to stay back at the airport. Waited till 7.30.

I get on this plane. I land in Vancouver.

And when I land in Vancouver, usually I get Uber or something to take me home.

And that day I felt like I should do priority, which I rarely do.

So I do priority Uber. And this guy comes, picks me up.

And now we're going to South Surrey.

And while I'm talking to him, him and I begin to have a chat.

And he tells me he's a believer. And so we started talking about stuff.

And at some point, the Lord began to tell me or show me three scenes.

Scene one, Jesus and Peter. Peter is given the keys.

Scene two, Sea of Tiberias. Scene three, Acts chapter four.

And so I begin to prophesy to him what the Lord was saying.

And now it's almost home. And so he says, he does, he's not, while I'm talking to him, he's not speaking.

So he's just driving. And so we stop the car. He turns around and he says, God sent you.

You have no idea what you have said, but the details will talk later.

So I said, here's my number. We'll catch up later. A week later, we sit down for a meal and we talk.

And he hears everything I have to say. And we have a casual chat.

And he had to leave early. And then two weeks later, the entire family visits us, him and his wife and kids.

While we sit and talk, the wife begins to speak certain things about the husband,

only for us to know that here's a man who was in ministry, was doing certain things for the Lord.

Some stuff happened in between. And now he's almost left all of that behind.

And I was there telling him, scene one, scene two, scene three, particularly two words.

One, re-embrace that Jesus is someone who re-embraces you.

And then the fact that you've got to rise up and like Epitaph in Acts chapter four, there is stuff for you to do.

We didn't know that. And we heard all of that. And the thing that touched me the most is how God cares for him.

The thing that touches me the most is how on a random day where he's doing Uber

and his life used to look so different three years, four years before.

And for the last little while, he's been doing this, a life that looks so different from what he had been doing.

And then God says, I want you to know this. This is not where you're supposed to be.

The Sea of Tiberias is in your place. I have a plan for you.

And now comes the process of transformation and release.

Guys, we have to see how much the Father cares.

And as I said before, sometimes it's helpful to see what the Lord does in someone else's life

because that is the same way he is to me. Never think that he is a different way to me and a different way to you.

Man, he is the same yesterday, today, tomorrow. If there is only if there is one person who doesn't change, that is Jesus.

I can catch on to him and trust my life with him. And I've got to make it real.

These are good words to speak. But oh, my goodness, there are times in our lives where we don't trust him

the way we think we do. There are times in our lives where we begin to question, isn't he isn't he treating Crystal too nice?

Maybe I'm not getting that level of goodness from him. False. Lie.

And then I begin to stand up and say, no, that's not who he is. Everything he says is who he is.

He loves me. Kindness being poured out on me. Goodness being released over me doesn't end.

And like David, David often starts his psalm a certain way and then goes away and then finishes it up in the right way.

Like he realized later on, his father doesn't his Lord doesn't leave him when he is old.

He writes that in Psalm seventy one nine. In my old age, don't forsake me. But he doesn't.

In my ups, my downs, wherever I am. He sticks with me.

There is one thing or two things. One is this. I want you to know is this. Stick on with it. It's important.

Because these things apply to us. But as it was said many times already, if you're in this church,

if you're visiting, one of the things that we believe is that on one hand, Jesus has these plans for us.

But on the other hand, he uses us to bring about his plans outside in the world outside.

And so when I begin to believe in my heart and I know fully well that he forgives all my mistakes, that he forgives me for all my sins,

when I believe that he he deals with shame in such a way that I'm taken care of so perfectly,

so so nurtured I am when I believe that in my heart for myself, then I begin to believe that for you.

And then when you come to me and then you say things, I know how he is and who he is.

And then I can I can say things or act as he demands because I am convicted of it.

So never look at and I know it sounds easy.

And there is a reason I'm going this low through the story, because all I care about is for you to understand this to click here.

That it is possible for us to think of him, what he is not, what we know better.

Yeah. Second story.

Let's go to the two guys who are walking to Emmaus.

Where is this?

Luke chapter.

That chapter, guys, someone's someone's got it.

Road to Emmaus.

Twenty four, verse fifty four or thirteen, twenty four, verse thirteen.

Again, you know the story, but for those of us who may not be too familiar, I'll go through this.

Jesus had already resurrected.

And on the same day, there are two disciples of Jesus.

We only know the name of one person, Cleopas, the other person, his name or gender.

We don't know he or she. We don't know.

And these two fellows are walking seven miles away from Jerusalem to a place called Emmaus.

Now I want you to look at two things in this story, because what had happened and what they don't know is that Jesus has resurrected.

OK, they know Jesus, they know that he died.

They know that it was a gruesome death.

They know that there has been rumors about Jesus being resurrected, but they are sure he hasn't resurrected.

How do we know this? We look at two verses in this passage.

First, verse number nineteen, because as they are walking, a third person pulls along and this third person is Jesus.

But these two guys, they don't know that Jesus has come aside, that Jesus is now walking with them and listening to the conversation between the two.

And you read in verse chapter nineteen or verse number nineteen, and he said to them.

Oh, actually, let's go verse eighteen. Then one of them named Cleopas answered him.

Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?

Because Jesus had asked them the question, what is the conversation you're holding?

Like, what's happening? What's news? And that's his response. Cleopas's response.

You don't know, dude. Everyone knows about what has happened.

You're the only one who doesn't. You mean you need me to explain it?

And you see and you hear this in verse nineteen. And he said to them, what things?

And they said to him, listen to me, concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet, mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

I want you to highlight the words. A man who was a prophet. Mighty in deed and word before God and all the people.

And how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death and crucified him.

Verse twenty one. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

Underline that. There's only two things that we want to for today understand about Cleopas and Cleopas's body.

Number one, they now believe that Jesus was a man who was a prophet.

Maybe up until yesterday, not maybe, up until yesterday, they thought he was Christ.

How do you know that? Verse 19 or 21. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

You see, two guys, what's happened now is it did not go the way they planned.

They are doubting what happened. They're confused about what happened.

So on one hand, with the first story, guilt, fear, shame, hurt.

In the second story, I want to address two things. Doubt and confusion.

When Jesus says something and it doesn't seem like that's what's happening to your life,

the one thing that creeps in very quickly because you're human is doubt.

And if I could summarize what had happened with these two folks, it was very simple.

They were hopeless. They had hoped for Jesus to be the Messiah, for Jesus to be the Christ.

But now they're convinced there was a man, there was a man who was a prophet is what they're saying.

And then they say, we had thought he would be Christ.

Jesus joins the conversation. We know what happens. He spends the entire walk with them.

Probably about an hour, hour and a half, he goes through the scripture one after the other,

and he reveals to them why Christ had to go through what he went through.

And the entire scripture is broken apart for them, for them to digest, understand.

They then say, Jesus, don't go. We've arrived. Let's sit, have a meal.

They have a meal and then the Bible says in the breaking of the bread, they recognize that it is Jesus.

Familiar passage again, but let's think through this.

What am I reading in this passage? What I'm reading is Jesus's character.

He knows about two guys who were walking a walk, an hour and a half long.

And it is not that he didn't know what they were talking about,

but he wanted them to tell him what they were talking about.

And they proceed to say, we've been talking about this only for Jesus to begin to communicate to them.

Why? What happened? And then reveal to him that he is right here in front of them.

When it comes to doubt and confusion, when you begin to engage with him,

there are two things I want to highlight. Number one, sincerity.

Why is sincerity important? Guys, when I tell Jesus this is how I feel and this is what's happening to him,

that's freeing. I don't need to carry a posture that I am not.

The meaning of sincerity, the word itself is no pretenses, no deceit, no hypocrisy.

I can tell him how I feel about him. I think Jacob says it often.

He's got big broad shoulders.

You know, Brielle, when she's upset with me, she goes, it's okay, I can handle that.

I can handle that. You understand what I'm saying?

It's so easy for us to think, you know what?

I have these doubts, but you just, you carry on with it for more than you should.

What I'm saying is with Jesus, I have the privilege to tell him as things are, sincerity.

Number two, the story teaches me fellowship.

That if I am willing to be in fellowship with him, if I am willing to sit down with him,

if I am willing to walk with him, fellowship and sincerity, it opens the door to revelation for me.

A true revelation of who he is, true revelation of what he thinks of my situation,

true revelation of where he wants to take me from here to the next place.

It is guaranteed for me. Why? Because I am willing to walk with him.

It is guaranteed for me. Why? Because that's who he is.

He can't change. When I go to him and say, this is about how I feel, this is exactly what's going on in my heart,

then he begins to release to me what needs to be released. Yeah?

The last thing I want to say is this.

It was Wednesday when we had the worship night.

I was sitting at the back and I saw this image of us.

Here is the one thing that the Lord told me then, which I want to connect to everything I said and we'll close.

In Psalm 124, there is a verse there that says, the snare is broken and we have been released.

The snare is broken and we have been released.

Everything I said today, number one with respect to hurt, guilt, helplessness,

and waiting but you don't see the result, doubt, confusion, knowing that this is the father but not experiencing it today in your life.

What do I mean by that? You know he is provider.

If someone comes to you and tells you, hey man, you know what? I have such a big need in my life,

you'll be the first one to say, I just want you to know, God provides.

But then you turn around and you look at your life and you go, I don't really believe of him the same way in this area.

Someone comes to you, ask for prayer, you'll be the first one to go put your hands on them and say, God is going to heal you.

And you believe it. I'm not saying you don't. You believe it fully, wholeheartedly and God heals them.

And then you turn around, look at your life and you go, well in this area, I'm not convinced that he is to me what he was to them.

Somehow I've been okay with accepting what he is not.

And so regardless of what place you're in, I want you to know the snare is broken and we've been released.

And what I also want you to know is when we begin to believe, guys, I'll tell you this.

It is as simple as you believing.

It is as simple as you knowing this is not the way it should be.

That's not my father talking to me, the doubt, the confusion, the hurt.

No to that. Yes to what he is saying. In faith, there is a table set right before you.

You can eat of the delicacies that's on this table.

For you to eat, for you to know, hurt removed, bitterness removed, offense removed,

those very things that have been plaguing you, bringing you down, removed.

The snare is broken. We've been released.

And then when you begin this, begin to believe this and you're convinced that this is true for you,

the next step always is for you to turn around to a set of people outside in the world who doesn't know him

and to tell them your snare is broken.

You've been released. You just don't know it.

I've come to tell you a good news.

This is what he did with me.

This is how he broke off the chains, the shackles for me.

And the same thing he wants to do with you.

The snare is broken. We've been released.

I'm going to do something I've never done before and we're closing.

I'm going to sing these two lines.

I'm going to sing it. If you believe what I shared today for you, for the Lord to do it in your lives,

you can sing with me.

The snare is broken. We've been released.

The snare is broken. We've been released.

The snare is broken, we've been released.

The snare is broken, think about it.

We've been released.

The snare is broken, we've been released.

Look at that same thing that has been trying to bring you down.

The snare is broken. I've been released. The snare is broken. I've been released.

The snare is broken. I've been released. The snare is broken. They've been released.

The snare is broken, they've been released.

The snare is broken, they've been released.

Jesus, we come to you so joyful that you always, always, always find a way to me.

You always, somehow you manage to make sure that I'm not off track.

Somehow you always do it.

Somehow you always do this Jesus.

And I thank you for it.

I thank you for it.

I thank you Jesus.

And I believe this for me and for us that the snare of the Fowler, the snare has been broken.

And we've been released.

And Jesus, I pray that you equip us to turn around to the world and say,

the snare has been broken and that they have been released.

Jesus name.