Waist-deep

Okay, so we've been talking about the river in Ezekiel 47 as it flows from the throne room

and flows first ankle deep, then knee deep, then waist deep, and then it was a river that

you could not walk in but you had to swim in.

And so we finished ankle deep and knee deep and today we are at that place where in Ezekiel

Ezekiel 47:4

47 verse 4 I think it says that, and then the man took me further into the river another

1500 or 1700 feet and he brought me to a place where the water was waist deep.

And so that's what we're going to talk about today.

And we said every time we started on this topic that stepping into this river moves

you from your measure to the fullness of God.

And what we mean by that is on your best day there's only so much you can do at the highest

level of your skill, your ability, your gifting, your natural talent.

Stepping into this river and if you learn how to do it will bring you into a place where

you operate out of the measure of God not out of your best.

Because after a while we as believers have this tendency to default into this is how

well I can operate.

So in my case it might be this is how well I can teach or this is how well I can hear

or this is how well I can do this.

And then God says sure you have a gifting, you have an ability, you have learned things

from me, but if you keep walking into this river which is basically the life of the spirit

and the way I tell you to walk in it you will regardless of how talented or gifted you are

you'll switch from being the best Jacob you can be to the best God empowered Jacob that

you can be.

And it makes a heck of a lot of difference and the world profits.

So we've gone through ankle and knee deep and now we're talking about waist deep.

Waist deep water, here's the thing with waist deep water.

Waist deep water is when you can't see the bottom.

Waist deep water is when you can't see the bottom and you can't fathom if the next step

that you take is going to be level or uneven.

That's the problem with waist deep water right?

Till it's ankle deep things in life can be sorted out.

But it comes to a place where God says hey now that you walked the way you walked can

I take you deeper where you have no way of figuring out what the next step looks like.

Where you have no idea of whether the next step is just a gradient or whether it's a

whether it's some kind of a pit that you might walk into.

Now you can't see what is around and that's where God wants to take us.

And so the question that we asked each time we talked about these different levels is

what does it take to walk in waist deep water?

What does it take to walk in waist deep water?

So that's what we'll be talking about today.

Any questions before we go on?

It's two things happening guys when you think of it.

One God is saying hey my spirit can take you places you have no control over.

That's what waist deep water looks like.

On the other hand God is saying to walk with my spirit you need to know how.

So these are the two things that are happening in the series.

On one hand God is saying hey you want to walk in ankle deep water?

Great my spirit will take you there.

You need to know a few things as to how to do that so that he can take you there.

And today we are saying my spirit can take you places you have no control over.

Where you don't know what's going to happen next.

My spirit can take you there.

And then he is also saying but to walk with my spirit in places where you have no control

you need to know how.

Any questions?

Because even though we are believers we love knowing what's going to happen next.

And then if we kind of have a rough idea as long as there's some kind of a bleak picture

you can now begin to trust God and hear God is saying you won't even know what's going

to happen next.

Want to walk with me?

That's what he's inviting us into.

But then he says if you want to walk with me there are a few things you'll need to know.

So this is basically how do we walk in that kind of water.

No questions?

No, I thought we'd stop here.

Yes, Diana.

I've got to be more careful now with my mum around.

Otherwise I might hear a thing or two once I get home.

So what does it take to walk with a spirit?

Otherwise I might hear a thing or two once I get home.

So what does it take to walk in waste deep water?

What does it take to walk in waste deep water?

The answer is so blooming simple it sounds like not fun.

Like I thought there would be a more profound answer.

What does it take to walk in waste deep water?

Here's the answer guys.

Which is basically the answer to this question.

That's the answer.

This is the answer.

Let's give it a try.

We'll see how it goes.

So we're going to start with the first question.

What does it take to walk in waste deep water?

And the answer, according to Moses and according to Jesus,

in John 15, Verse 10,

John 15:10

is, hey, begin to live in the

begin to live out of the secret place of the Most High.

Moses starts of Psalm 91 saying,

he that dwells in the secret place of the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Jesus put it this way in John chapter 15, verse 10.

John 15:10

And that kind of explains

what the secret place of the Most High is.

He says, Jesus says,

hey guys, you know what I've done?

I've made myself at home

in my father's love.

The secret place that Moses talked about,

the secret place that David knew,

the secret place that Paul talked about when he says,

I'm compelled by, I can't be held back

by this love of God that I know.

And he talks about it in Romans 5, 5.

But I love the way Jesus puts it in John 15, 10,

where he says, guys, come abide with me,

just as I have begun to abide with my father.

And by the way, just so you know,

I've made myself at home in my father's love.

And so at the end of the day, waist deep walking

is when I become so secure in the father's love,

that I don't care if the next step

is a chasm that plunges me into deep sea

or whether it's even.

I don't care that I don't see what's gonna happen next.

I don't care that I have provision or don't have provision.

Why?

Because I am taken care of by the love of a father

that I so deeply have grasped

that nothing, nothing shakes me anymore.

It's so simple that you would think,

surely it has to be a little more profound

when you're in waist deep water.

But you find that the deeper you go into God,

the simpler it gets.

This is not some God who is nebulous and secretive

where the deeper you go into him,

you get to find new mysteries about him.

No, the deeper you go into God,

the more you get to know about him.

No, the deeper you get into him, the simpler he becomes.

Because at the core, God is love.

And so the deeper you go, the simpler it becomes.

And so today we'll examine what we know in our heads,

but find it hard to wrap around in our hearts.

That how do you get secure in the love of the father?

How do you do it?

How do you get secure in the love of the father?

That's basically what we're gonna do today.

And that's what we're gonna talk about.

Because the more secure I am in it,

the more I'm sure that I'll be taken care of.

And not everybody has had good father parent experiences.

Perhaps some of us had parents or fathers who were scary

or unpredictable or untrustworthy.

I mean, I was talking to somebody recently about

a person who was telling me about their dad

and the cruelty that was,

this was a guy and the cruelty that was imposed

and he always grew up being so afraid.

So some of us may have had fathers who were scary,

parents or a parent who was scary,

unpredictable, untrustworthy.

Oftentimes their love was a contradiction or a transaction

or it had to be earned.

And it was just one incident away

from their anger or disapproval.

Why am I bringing this up?

Because guys like it or not,

our understanding of God as father

is so skewed by our human experience.

We'd like to escape it, but unfortunately it is skewed.

Or perhaps I had a father or a parent

who was willfully absent or indifferent

or sometimes sarcastic where everything you did

was met with disdain or with a response

that was not uplifting.

And so what happens then is this is what you begin

to expect of God.

And occasionally when you figure out that's not who he is,

it doesn't last long.

But in the midst of all that stands God as father.

And I love this line, I don't know who said it,

but it basically says,

a twisted copy does not destroy the original.

As in when you put a paper into the photocopier

and it comes out and it looks mangled and damaged,

doesn't matter because the original is not destroyed.

The father is different.

A twisted copy does not and cannot destroy the original.

Keep that in the back of your mind,

that regardless of the experience that you may have had

with your parent or with your father,

this father just ain't like that.

I wanted to say that before we examine who he is.

So basically we're doing a forensic audit on the father.

And I mean, I've gone over this at least eight times

in the last two days.

I still find it so hard to wrap my head around it

because it's not real.

But that's the beauty about the father, right?

He's so not real and so real.

Any questions before we go on?

It's really very simple when you think of it.

Why wouldn't a child walk unafraid into any situation

if he was absolutely confident of someone

who says, I will take care of you?

This is the secret that Jesus lived out of.

I love, I mean, I know I'm saying John 15, 10 again

out of the message.

I have made myself home in my father's love.

Why don't you?

He that dwells in the secret place of the most high.

This is not some entry into the holy of holies.

That the blood of Jesus will get you there.

But it's one thing to get there.

It's another thing to stay there.

Stay there because you so love it.

Okay, let's go.

I was praying this afternoon, this morning.

The father, as I teach this,

could you just make this go so deep into my heart

that something will happen for me?

So I just pray the same for us, man.

Some of these lines I'll write down.

Some of the lines you'll have to scribble away

or listen to later.

So here are things about the father

that if I am able to forever solidify

or never doubt in my heart,

you'll have such a wonderful pastor and friend

and amazing guy you can hang out with.

I'm talking about me right now.

Okay, so the first thing is,

here's all these are statements that God is making.

So it's not me making them.

The father's saying it to you.

I have never turned my back on you.

I have never turned my back on you.

I have never turned my back on you.

Long ago at Acts 29, we had done this thing

where, Josh, just come up.

Where we talked about how God is a face-to-face God.

So Josh sits on this, and every time Josh sits,

God sees him face-to-face.

Josh is upset with God.

He turns his back away, and there he is in your face again.

He picks up the chair, and he goes to one end of the room,

and there God is already waiting

because he knows every move,

and he's in your face again.

So he's in your face again.

He's waiting because he knows every move,

and he's in your face again.

Then he decides, that's it, I'm walking out of here,

and he just walks away, and for once we let him go.

Come back.

So the point is that this God has this amazing ability

to be in your face.

He's a face-to-face God.

He's a God who, I just,

maybe you should go home and let this sink in,

that he has never turned his back on you.

It's not your experience, but it is the truth.

I have never turned my back on you.

I have never turned my back on you.

I'm always conferring, same point,

I'm always conferring

worth on you

through words and actions.

Which means that when I'm in a really lousy place,

or when I'm full of resentment against God,

perhaps if I listened,

I would either hear a loud voice or a whisper

that confers worth on me.

John 8, verse 10 and 11,

John 8:10

they've just got a woman who's been caught in adultery,

and they bring her before him,

and the worth that he confers on her.

Christoza.

I've said this before,

but what gives a coin that has lost its value

is not the coin itself, but the seeker.

When you lose a 10 cent coin under your sofa,

you don't call the neighbors to recover the coin.

But if you should call your neighbors

to move the sofa to recover the coin,

or if you should call your neighbors

to move the piano as Mark and Rhonda did,

to find the coin,

then it's the seeker who gives the coin the value.

At the end of the day, guys,

here's the difference between Jesus offering salvation

and we preaching salvation.

We preach salvation because we think people need rescue.

Jesus gives salvation because he thinks people have value.

Big difference, eh?

Jesus goes looking for people

not because he wants to save them or rescue them.

He goes looking for people

because he thinks they are valuable.

This is where the church completely loses it,

because the church goes looking for people to save

because they need saving and rescuing.

Jesus does not rescue you because,

Jesus does not save you because you need rescuing.

Jesus saves you because you are highly valuable.

It is the value that causes him to rescue you.

And once you attach value to a person,

then it's very hard to be put off

because the person has value

regardless of how they respond.

Jessica problem?

Are you particular about Jess

or both of them?

Youominous person!

because I was made in his image.

It's scary to equate yourself like that,

but when God made me in his image,

he really designed a self-portrait of sorts,

of sorts, but he did.

Highly valued man.

He never turned his back on me.

Second, even when you deserve the consequences

of your sin, dullness, wickedness, disobedience,

even when you deserve the consequences

of your disobedience, your dullness,

your wickedness, your sin,

I refuse... look at the words he uses.

I'll give you a scripture for all of them

so that this isn't coming out of my head.

I refuse to count your sins against you.

I refuse to count your sins against you.

And instead,

I endeavor to keep you

in right standing with me.

Even when you, Jacob, deserve the consequences

of your disobedience, of your wickedness,

of your sin, of your dullness,

I, God, refuse to count your sins against you.

I refuse it.

I'm not even entertaining the thought of,

I do not think like that,

I refuse to count your sins against you.

Instead, I'm busy trying to help you understand

that you have a right standing with me.

Do you know how freeing that could be

if we actually got that?

Do you know how much we struggle with guilt?

I'm not even entertaining the thought of,

ah, you deserve it.

It must be reckoned to you.

Where is it? Romans 4, 8 talks about it.

Romans 4, 8, first in Psalm 32 or somewhere,

it says, Blessed is he whose sin is not imputed to him by God.

And then Romans 4, 8, Paul takes the same principle

and he says two things in Romans 4, 8, 7 and 8.

He says, on one hand, God imputes to me His Holiness.

On the other hand, He does not impute to me my sin.

He refuses it. He does not reckon my sins against me.

Most ministries that deal with healing and all

first reckon your sins against you.

It is not from the nature of God.

It might work, but it ain't the nature of God.

There is a place where sin needs to be dealt with,

but God doesn't think of that first.

This is not cheap grace.

You know I'm not a cheap grace speaker.

But this is the nature of God.

While He does this, while He chooses not,

while He refuses to count my sins against me

and while He endeavors to keep me in right standing with Him,

He's also expecting me to return.

And He's hoping that I can't bear the condition of broken fellowship.

He's hoping that Jacob is so desperate for me

because he's missing me that he'll come running back to me.

See the thing with the prodigal father and the prodigal son was

the prodigal son, both the brothers thought

that they didn't have a relationship with God.

And both the brothers thought that they didn't have a relationship

and they didn't have fellowship with their father.

The father knew the relationship was intact.

All he was looking was for the fellowship to be restored.

The relationship never gets broken. Never gets broken.

I pray God that some of these statements will liberate your heart.

Because otherwise man, God is a song and a dance

before you get anywhere close to Him.

Hey, I've been doing this for 27, 28 years.

It still hasn't sunk in.

Because none of our relationships are like this.

If it ain't your parent or your father,

it's your spouse or your sibling or your pastor or your mentor

or someone who will bring this cycle alive.

And yet one of us needs to, two of us need to,

70 of us need to stand and say, hey, there's a different way.

Sorry. I love this one.

I will not cause you to live in the fear of my anger

or my withdrawal of love.

I will not cause you to live in the fear of my anger.

As in, hey, Jacob, you've got to stop thinking

that you have to be afraid of my anger.

I will not cause that to happen.

I will not cause you to make your life miserable.

You have to be afraid of my anger. I will not cause that to happen. I I

Didn't know how to word it

I will not cause you I will not cause you that if you are ever afraid of my anger because of something you've done

Then it ain't me and you never have to live in the fear of the withdrawal of my love

That's a lie that you may have preached Jacob, but it's still a lie. I

Will not allow my love to be withdrawn. I will not allow you to live in the fear of my anger

First John 4 18 wherever there is fear there is torment and it ain't from God

Any questions any thoughts

Hey, you may have heard this before I know everybody knows first John 4 18, but try to wrap

Your heart around it so that you can live without the fear of his anger

Lashing out and without the fear of his love being withdrawn

Any questions any thoughts

The next one

The next one

I've given myself wholeheartedly to you holding nothing back

I've given myself wholeheartedly to you holding nothing back

I've given myself wholeheartedly to you holding nothing back. There's nothing. I'm not going to give you. There's nothing

I'm mäinzi againЧто nombreux вам七

from from I am and Romans 833 he who gave his son will he not freely give us

all things and oh by the way I live in you and you live in me I actually I God

actually live in you and you live in me I do not hold back anything from you

Jacob I do not hold back anything from you Jacob my house is open my life is

open Jesus at one point said it this way in Matthew 11 27 in the message this

unique father-son intimacy that I have Jesus said I'm willing to go over it

line by line with anyone who is interested because whatever you have

given me I will give them there is no limit to how far you and I can plumb the

depths of God's heart and God's mind

what does it mean when has it ever happened to you perhaps your spouse may

have said it to you when you got married all that I am and all that I have I

pledge to you that is where do you think that came from from your spouse no a

pastor wrote those lines for a where did the pastor get it from from the Bible

where did the Bible get it from from God who is basically saying all that I am

and all that I have I pledge to you

this way to earth-shaking man it's very hard to wrap our minds around it so let

it sink somewhere else like the spirit and then slowly begin to feel perhaps

the emotion of it and process it in terms of your thinking so that you

change but if you're trying to understand this there ain't no human

model for this man you won't be able to understand it my god sometimes it is

irritating when you try to understand these things with your head because it

ain't gonna work

because we don't have apples and oranges to compare it to

I love this line because you're my temple and because I live in you I still

the I still bear the brunt of your collision with sin because I because you

take about my temple and because I live in you I still bear the brunt of the of

your collision with sin because it is my spirit that is violated and it is my

dwelling that is defiled I found that very sad eh that he

thinks like that because you are my temple and because I live in you I still

bear the brunt of your collision with sin because it is my spirit who is

violated and it is my dwelling that is defiled

first Corinthians 6 19 don't you know that you are my dwelling place James

James 4:5

chapter 4 verse 5 don't you know that my spirit yearns jealously over you I mean

is that your phone is that your phone no as long as it's not yours I'm okay

yeah because you're my temple and I live in you I still bear the brunt of your

collision with sin because it violates my spirit and defiles my dwelling place

first Corinthians 6 19 James 4 5

listen to this one I can be grieved

displeased

I can be grieved displeased exploited

defied and hurt by you

I can be grieved displeased exploited defied and be hurt by you but I never

condemn you and I will never lash out in anger at you but I will never condemn

you and I will never lash out in anger at you

imagine if you as a parent could grant this to your children

that you can hurt me you can defy me that you can grieve me you can displease

me that you can take advantage and exploit me but after all that I will

still not condemn you as in judge and sentence I will still not lash out in

anger at you

what kind of safety does this God give man if this is the kind of God he is if

this is the kind of father he is

the other great thing that will happen if you begin to understand this is sin

won't have a long-term hold on us

very often when we sin we stay there for ages because we don't know how to go

back to God the prodigal son could have gone back pretty soon man as soon as

his wealth got over he should have gone back nope he went through wealth getting

over then borrowing from the citizens of the land then you losing that then went

and hung out with the pigs for a while ate the food of pigs and then finally

came to his senses you come to your senses faster when you realize the kind

of father you have

you

I don't know why we've developed such an unhealthy fear of God

yeah but you would think it would change but it hasn't changed either it's super

cheap grace but God is your buddy buddy or it's this other God and there's

nothing in between

our pastors are mainly responsible for this and Sunday school teachers don't

leave them out my god there'll be a special line for Sunday school teachers

in heaven really and as they're walking through that

corridor in heaven there'll be Jonah's whale coming to eat them up Daniel's

lion no I'm just kidding all the things that they've frightened kids with I'm

just kidding this is not a scene from heaven I forgot no I'm not talking about

us I'm talking about Sunday school teachers that I have experienced yeah the

one the Sunday school teachers at acts 29 my god man they're like angels

yeah

yeah okay good sorry that I went down a rabbit

trail I didn't need to go down okay my love is jealous and my spirit wages war

against the devil over you my love is jealous this is something else you need

to know because very often we think has God set me free did God take care of

the situation has God dealt with the devil has he broken that bondage and

here is the response and it's from James chapter 4 he says my I want you to know

James 4 · chapter mention

that my love is jealous as in when someone else has his tentacles in you

when someone else has his foot in your house when someone else has entered into

the recesses of your mind and heart my heart is jealous I'm a possessive God who

is not controlling but my god I can be possessive about you and because I'm

possessive my spirit wages war against Satan over you my spirit wages war

against Satan over you when you call out to God to be set free you must know

that he goes into action just because he is a jealous God

you

one of the saddest and happiest scenes in the Bible is Genesis chapter 3 verse

Genesis 3:9

9 where this man who knew the presence of God like nobody else is hiding behind

a bush with his wife

that is sad but then there's a Saturn scene that is so brilliant where you

hear the voice of God saying Adam where are you

that is how he still is Adam Adam where are you it's not that God doesn't know

where he is but it is a cry that's coming from his heart saying Adam where

are you

we don't think he is like this anymore when we sin and hide it's almost like

I gotta go back and find him and just a thought of waking up next morning and

going to him and doing the whole routine that depending on how long you've been a

Christian could take five minutes or 20 minutes such a painful exercise we

forget that there is someone who's going around saying Adam where are you I was a

cry that came from God and it gave Adam the courage to whisper from behind the

bush because he was so afraid

and so when your actions have consequences I'm there with a toolkit I

remember having to fix that painting that you guys gave me and there was Mark

with his toolkit anytime there's repair work to be done or there's a consequence

God is there with his tool belt and toolkit he's there before you even know

the mess you've created

and his usual question is where are you

when you're feeling dirty and guilty when your sin makes you feel dirty or

guilty I'm there with water

when you resent me I'm there with persistent kindness when you're dull to

my presence I'm there in blazing light as I was in Genesis 3 9 where I went

looking for him and I said Adam where are you

sometimes I wish I had oratorial skills that could take you to this crescendo

Adam where are you and all of you will start weeping and stuff like that

unfortunately that's not how we change right we change because something

happens inside us emotion will only get you so far man

John Francisco sings this song called Adam where are you it's a beautiful song

here's another line guys I'm incapable of hurting you failing you ignoring you

or rejecting you this is God speaking eh I'm incapable of hurting you I'm

incapable of failing you

I'm even incapable of ignoring you

and I'm incapable of rejecting you

do you know that I was the one who drew you to Jesus thought how whenever we

talk about getting saved that we say and then I found Jesus no John 6 44 says

that the father draws people unto Jesus so that you can see Jesus and be saved

and be drawn back to the father all day he draws you to his son so that you can

see his son and receive him so that you can be drawn back to the father I am

incapable of hurting you I'm incapable of ignoring you of rejecting you of

failing you I'm incapable of it I love this next line because I used to

struggle with this for years my love comes first my love comes first and

precedes discipline my love comes first and precedes discipline I don't

discipline to punish you I discipline to instruct you change you prevent you from

destroying or prevent you from being destroyed I'll write it down

my love comes first it precedes discipline my love comes first it

precedes discipline my love comes first

it precedes discipline

I don't punish you

through discipline

I do not punish you take away the fear of punishment take away the fear of

punishment God does not punish me why Jacob because all the punishment is

obviously poured on Jesus forgot to punish me again for the things that

Jesus was already punished for is a repudiation of Jesus sacrifice

I don't discipline to punish you I discipline to

instruct you

change you prevent you from destroying things

and prevent you from being destroyed

why I keep saying I've gone over this eight times and stuff like that is guys

after going over it eight times the last two days I still don't have it fully

embedded inside my spirit I so badly want this because I want to be for I

want to have the freedom to walk in God with him as the kind of father that you

can make your home in and walk in waste deep water water or the valley of the

shadow of death knowing that you're absolutely taken care of that these

demons that have been planted in our heads through teaching through our own

experiences will not rise up in the middle of a storm because it so hollows

you out

any questions

okay next one I've just got another three or four so we might finish on time

I know you've heard this before at least the guys who've been here for a

while have heard this before

you are the object

of my extravagant

delight

the target

of my reckless love and by reckless I mean that which is not calculated that

which is foolish that which is vulnerable and ready to get hurt that

which is not measured and you are the focus of my laughter filled

favor and favor if it can be earned is an oxymoron

just this one sentence alone will change your life if you and I actually believe

it and I'm the object of your laughter filled favor and favor if it can be

if you and I actually believe it and I'm the object of his extravagant delight

but Jacob what about when you do wrong go back to the other points before that

but Jacob and I go back to the other points before that take this whole thing

take some clay and make a God sorry it sounds like I'm espousing idolatry what

I'm saying is take the clay of what has been presented and remake the face of

God because the face of God that we perhaps have is inaccurate and the

object of his

extravagant delight

I'm the daily target of his reckless love and the daily target of his reckless

love and I'm the center focus of his laughter filled favor I must include

laughter there of his laughter filled favor this is a God who refuses to

reckon account my sins against me he refuses to credit the very real sins

that I have defiantly committed he refuses to count those sins or credit

those sins against me he refuses it instead he is attempting to help me

understand that my relationship with you is intact come restore your broken

fellowship may you ache because you miss me

this next one is mind-blowing he does it as soon as you're born again

soon as you're born again I placed in you the about cry so that you could

instinctively

be intimate with me the moment you're born again Galatians 4 6 the spirit that

I have given you and you get the spirit the day you're born again the spirit

that I have given you is not a spirit of fear it is not a spirit that subjects

you to becoming a slave again but it's a spirit of sonship and from within you

begins to rise the other cry it's instinctive and it is meant for intimacy

and when that instinctive other cry is replaced by lordship and other things

Savior Lord and you miss out on the father aspect of God gosh man

it's an instinctive cry it's like that boy there Daniel instinctive cry

I choose not to remember since we have dealt with and I don't use it as a

filter when I deal with you I choose not to remember the sins we have dealt with

I love the fact that it says we have dealt with as in me going and talking to

him and he coming and talking about it back because confession is really not

going telling God that you have sinned he knows that it's talking about it it's

having a conversation about our shucks father this is what happened and I did

this and it says and so he says I choose not to remember the sins we have dealt

with and I never use it as a filter when I deal with you I choose not to

use it as a filter in future communication I never use it as a filter I don't go

plunk he had done this before 84 times no I don't use it as a filter what an

amazing God this is I will use it as a filter he won't I will use it as a

filter to judge you and judge myself but father I did this last time do you

think I'll make it this time or Sue has done this before will she do it again

that's how I will think but the same God man this is why you can see now why

first Corinthians 13 takes on new meaning

where it is love keeps no record of wrongs

I'll give away one of the punchlines right away the problem is this is the

love that I received from God this is the love that I have to show you that

just messes things up I wish it was just between God and me but now I'm supposed

to behave this way with you also but we'll deal with that another day enough

is that enough is that good that we have today yeah listen to this next one the

scripture reference for the last one was Psalm 103 verse 12 all the scriptures

Psalms 103:12

are given on top of your page anyways listen to this this is a problem many

of us have here despite what you think I don't stand by silently as bad things

happen to you despite what you think I don't stand silently as bad things

happen to you it's so natural for me to work on your behalf even if it costs me

the world it is so natural for me to work on your behalf even if it costs me

the world despite what you think

I don't stand by silently when you go through bad things it's natural for me

to work on your behalf even if it costs me the world let me read you out

scripture without giving you the reference listen to these words eh

when you're in over your head this is God speaking when you're in over your

head I'll be there with you when you're in rough waters you will not go down

when you're between a rock and a hard place it won't be a dead end because I'm

God your personal God the holy of Israel your Savior I paid a huge price for you

all of Egypt with rich Kush and Seba thrown in that's how much you mean to me

that's how much I love you I'd sell off the whole world to get you back trade

creation just for you so don't be afraid I'm with you just listen to that eh

that's how much you mean to me that's how much I love you I'd sell off the

whole world to get you back trade creation just for you so don't be afraid

Isaiah 43 verse 2 to 4 Isaiah 43 2 to 4 okay two more points

Isaiah 43:2–4

I know this but listen to it the love with which I love my son is how I love

you hey Jacob yah Lord the love with which I love my son is the love Adai

have for you the love with which I love my son is the way I love you Jacob the

love with which I love my son is the way I love you narrative oh and by the way I

love my son perfectly

The love with which I love my son is the way I love you and by the way I love my

son perfectly

John 15, 9.

The love with which he loves his son is the way he loves me.

Oh, and by the way, he loves his son perfectly.

Here's another line that puts things in perspective.

You see yourself as a failure or a success.

I see you as a precious son or daughter

who is either being faithful or faithless.

You see yourself as a failure or a success.

I see you as a precious son or daughter

who is either being faithful or faithless.

And every time you repent of your faithlessness,

I move you from glory to glory, strength to strength,

faith to faith.

You see yourself as a success or a failure.

Those are the two places you live in.

Either I did well and I was successful,

or I didn't do well, I'm a failure or I'm mediocre,

I'm average.

People look at you that way, you look at yourself that way.

I see you as a precious son or daughter.

It's inviolable, who is either being faithful or faithless.

And every time, Jacob, you turn from your faithlessness

and move you from strength to strength or glory to glory.

Let me end.

If you want to thrive in a decaying world

that is still under the sway of the prince of the power

of the air or of the devil, as it says in Ephesians 2, verse 2,

Ephesians 2:2

if you want to thrive, not survive,

surviving anyone can do.

If you want to thrive in a decaying world

that is still under the sway of the enemy,

then it's impossible without resting securely

in the Father's love.

There's this amazing scripture in Deuteronomy 33, verse 12,

Deuteronomy 33:12

where it's a promise over Benjamin.

And here's what the word says about Benjamin.

Benjamin will rest securely between the shoulders of God

in his love.

I love that, eh?

It has so many different connotations.

Benjamin will rest securely between the shoulders

of God's love.

So it could either mean that he will rule from between

the shoulders of God's love, because the shoulders

represent government.

Or it could mean, like when your kid is on your shoulder

and you have your arms wrapped around him,

that Benjamin will rest securely in God's love

between his shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33, 12.

Once you rest securely in the Father's love

between his shoulders, my God, man,

there's nothing that can shake.

And then it doesn't matter whether you're going

through waist-deep water or Death Valley.

You will walk without sight in happy faith.

You will walk without sight in happy faith.

There's faith, and there's sad faith,

and then there's happy faith.

Faith is just faith.

Sad faith is, oh, I'm just holding on.

When will God come through?

And then there's happy faith,

which just doesn't even talk about faith,

because it's so convinced of God's amazing, secure love.

Questions, thoughts?

Disagreements, challenges?

Is anything I said not biblical?

Nothing, man, no angel, no demon,

no nothing living nor dead,

neither today nor tomorrow,

nor high nor low, no thinkable or unthinkable,

can prevent God's love from getting through to me.

Nothing can stop it.

Psalm 26, verse three, puts it this way in the message.

Psalm 26, verse three, Psalm 26, three.

I never lose sight of your love,

but I keep in step with it,

never missing a beat, reliant on your faithfulness.

I never lose sight of your love.

I never lose sight of your love.

Having said all this, now begins the real work.

And what is the real work?

You know, the strange thing is,

in Matthew 11, 27, Jesus says,

I'll teach you about the Father's love.

In 2 Thessalonians 3, 5,

Paul says, Jesus Christ will teach you

about the Father's love.

So even the teaching is left to him.

He will show you.

All that is left to me is having heard the truth

about the Father's love.

Can I not take my eyes off

this Father that has been presented here today?

Can I not look at all the other relationships

I may have had in life that contradict this?

Can I just not take my eyes off?

Psalm 26, verse 3, I never lose sight of your love.

Psalms 26:3

I keep in step with you.

I never miss a beat,

and I'm reliant on your faithfulness.

Amazing, eh, how David could come up with stuff.

I never lose sight of your love.

I don't miss a beat.

I'm reliant on your faithfulness.

And 2 Thessalonians 3, 5,

I was so relieved to know that Jesus is the one.

Who will instruct me into the Father's love.

I was so pleased to know that Jesus is saying,

hey, this thing that I have with my Father

is a unique Father-Son intimacy.

And I will go over line by line

with anyone who is interested

so that you can also partake

in this unique Father-Son intimacy.

So you got two places where God very clearly says,

hey, I'll teach you this man,

but Jacob, can you keep your eyes on this?

And every time you're straight,

can you bring your eyes back?

This is who the Father really is.

Any questions, guys?

Now once you understand the Father like this,

you can begin telescoping him.

If you don't know the Father like this,

we are telescoping Venus when it's actually Mercury.

Because once you know him like this, John 1.18,

there is only one who has journeyed

into the Father's bosom or Father's heart

and has shown him for who he is,

and his name is Christ.

And now to that one, you add your real name.

There is another one who has journeyed

into the Father's heart

and would like to show you what the Father is like.

So, I'm going to go over the line by line by line.

So, I'm going to go over the line by line

and I'm going to go over the line by line.

So, I'm going to go over the line by line

and I'm going to go over the line by line again.

Okay.

I'm done.

Any questions, guys?

Anyone wants to say anything about this?

One at a time, please.

please go either read it over and over again,

or learn it over and over again,

or listen to it over and over again,

because it ain't human experience,

and it must become human experience through you for others.

Then at some point we'll deal with

how you and I need to be like this to others,

which is another ball of wax which we won't touch right now.

Someone had a question?

Who, Don?

Go ahead.

Hi Jason, you had a question?

Okay.

Oh, I know, I know.

I said hi to Devraj already.

Thanks Don, you're very kind.

Did your brother put you up to that?

No, I saw Devraj and his wife walk in,

and I said hello to them already.

Well, thanks for being so caring.

So let's pray.

I love it when you get embarrassed.

Because it's usually your brother who gets it,

but this time it was you.

Father,

sometimes I wish there were these syringes

that you could just poke us with,

and then you just get a direct download

and everything changes.

That would be so amazing,

but I don't know why you didn't think of that, Father.

But since we don't have that option open,

we'll have to consider these things.

And I just want to leave us with those two last sentences

that Jesus, you are willing to go over this with us.

I'll just read out that scripture

so that we hear it from your mouth.

It's from the message, Jesus.

Just one sec.

Matthew 11,

27.

Jesus resumed talking to people, but now tenderly.

The Father has given me all these things to do and say,

this is a unique father-son operation,

coming out of father and son intimacies and knowledge.

No one knows the son the way the father does,

nor the father the way the son does.

But I'm not keeping it to myself.

I'm ready to go over it line by line

with anyone willing to listen.

And so we respond saying, we are willing to listen.

Oh, God teaches your father.

We want to learn your father

so that we can rest secure between his shoulder blades

in love like you did, where you made yourself home

in your father's love when he walked the earth.

And then despite what may be ravaging my mind, my soul,

my body, I will know that, oh my God, I'm secure.

He is not being silent or inactive.

He is moving heaven and earth on my behalf.

And that sounds like a cliche,

but it's not because you said it in Isaiah 43,

verse two to four.

And then one last scripture.

It's in 2 Thessalonians 3, 5.

2 Thessalonians 3, 5.

It doesn't matter which version we read it from, father,

but here's what it says.

May the master, as in your son, Jesus,

take you by the hand, as in take us by the hand,

and lead you along the path of God's love

and Christ's endurance.

And Ivy, may the Lord direct your hearts

into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

May the Lord direct your heart.

So Jesus, I'm praying on behalf of all of us here.

Anyone else who listens to this,

I just pray that would you direct our hearts

into the Father's love

and into your ability to persist and to persevere.

Grant us this, it is in your will.

It is for your sake.

In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.