Launchpad

2014 I could have come up with something else, but it basically is a few things we can look at which will help us

Launch into 2014 a little better than we'd otherwise be able to do

So that's what we're going to talk about

So to begin with guys

Some of us may have felt that the past year was like a wilderness

Or that the time that awaits us in 2014

May look like a wilderness

But let me define a wilderness for you first so you understand what a wilderness is a wilderness is a phase that you may be

Going through that is unmapped

so it could be something that awaits you or

It may be something that

Has already passed Chris I forgot so I can call you up later pardon

I said I hope it's passed

So wilderness is either a phase that is unmapped or it's terrain that's hostile or

It's terrain that's hostile

Or it is ground that is testing

Or it's a space in which you feel trapped so when I say the past year may have been like a wilderness

I'm talking about wilderness in terms of a phase

That is unmapped you have no idea

Because you don't have a map you don't have a plan. It's terrain. That's hostile

It's space that you feel trapped in or ground that is ground for testing and

The strange thing is guys it won't magically change on December 31st

Wildernesses don't change on December 31st

So what should change you should change so that you can deal with a wilderness

and dismantle

Legends and myths that Christians have created about the wilderness because there are books hundreds of books written on how to

Handle life when you're in the wilderness and I would suggest to you that most of them

Are reflections of people who've been to the wilderness and didn't know how to get out of it, so they wrote a book

Because you'll be surprised

You'll be surprised at what a wilderness can do for us

I'm not going to make the wilderness sound like a charming

Disneyland or Hawaii, but it's fascinating when you actually look at wildernesses how different it is from what we think it is

So first there are different ways you may have gotten into the present wilderness you're in a

There are different ways you may have gotten into the wilderness that you're presently in

For instance you can wander into the wilderness like Moses did in Exodus 3

Exodus 3:1

Verse 1 and the Bible says that Moses had a sheep and he was going around with them and he ended up in the wilderness

Behind Mount Horeb Exodus 3 1 you can wander into the wilderness

It just so happened that in the way life worked out for you

You've wandered into a phase that is unmapped

You've wandered into a phase that is unmapped you've wandered into a ground that is testing you've wandered into a space

That feels like a trap and you've wandered into

Terrain that's hostile. That's what happened to

Moses he just wandered into the wilderness

Let's look at another guy you can wander into wilderness or you can be driven into the wilderness Hagar

Hagar in Genesis chapter 21 verse 14 Hagar was driven into the wilderness sometimes guys

Genesis 21:14

People in your life or circumstances in your life can drive you into a wilderness

Stop looking into my notes

So

Hagar was driven into the wilderness in a sense by Sarah the Bible actually says Genesis 21 14

So she's driven into the wilderness she's lying there in the wilderness

She moves away from her son Ishmael a bow shot away because she doesn't want to see him die

Besides being driven into the wilderness you can flee into the wilderness

That's that's the case with some of us in this church. We've fled into the wilderness as Elijah did

Pressures began to mount up

Things weren't looking the way they should look we fled into the wilderness Elijah first Kings 19 1 and so first Kings

1904 actually Elijah fled into the wilderness and God sees him fleeing into the wilderness

Or you can be sentenced to the wilderness that isn't a happy place to be in a try to avoid that one

You can be sentenced to the wilderness as Cain was

In Genesis chapter 4 verse 6 Cain is sent east of Eden and trust me those days

Genesis 4:6

Eden was the most beautiful pleasant delightful place in the world and everything outside that was not very pleasant

He sent east of Eden to nod

But he was sentenced to the wilderness

If that's the case quickly repent that one try to avoid don't be sentenced to the wilderness

Because remember when wilderness is a place that's unmapped it's a terrain that's hostile

it's a space that feels like a trap and it's ground where you're where testing happens and

Finally, there's Jesus who was led into the wilderness by who?

By the Holy Spirit Luke chapter 4 verse 1

Luke 4:1

So this is the first thing we need to know about this whole wilderness experience if you're in it find out why you are there

Very important day that you find out why you're there

Or not why you're there. Sorry find out how you got there. What what what caused you to end up in the wilderness?

Because it ain't going to change on December 31st you are going to change

Here's the other thing then

Regardless of how you got into the wilderness guys

God always meets people and speaks to them in the wilderness

Listen listen to this. Hey, this is where the myth about wilderness just need need to be broken

God always speaks in the wilderness

always speaks

God will meet you and speak to you in the wilderness the wilderness will always have provision in the wilderness

There's an overwhelming revelation of God

Overwhelming revelation of God in the wilderness. There's a returning with power except in the case of Cain

Let me say that again in every wilderness. God is present

He comes to meet you and he speaks in every wilderness

There is provision in every wilderness. There is an overwhelming revelation of God

No, not a small revelation an overwhelming revelation of God and in every wilderness you return with power

Take any of those instances

Moses

What happens to him in the wilderness behind Mount Horem in the backside of the desert who meets him God how burning bush?

Overwhelming revelation of God first time in the history of the world. I am who I am. Where did that happen in the wilderness?

Was he given provision? He was given provision and he was given Aaron

Let's move one step forward look at Hagar

Hagar was driven into the wilderness. What happens to there the God she does not know meets her there calls himself the God who sees

Provision there was provision for her and her child

Overwhelming revelation your son will be the leader of a new nation

Go on Elijah

After years of successful ministry, he has an amazing revelation in that cave

The storm goes by the fire goes by the quake goes by and then in a small voice

And he eats and the meat that he ate sustained him for 40 days and nights as

He went to the mountain of God Horeb in the wilderness God meets you. There's an overwhelming revelation

There is provision that can sustain you for 40 days and 40 nights

Kane

He went into the wilderness and the words

Proceeding his dismissal talks about how God said I will put a mark on you so that none will strike you

Even a man sentenced into the wilderness had God meeting him and had a revelation of God and was kept safe

Jesus

Was met by angels sustained and he came back with power and his ministry began

dismissed the myth that a wilderness in your life a ground of testing an

Unmapped a phase in your life a terrain that's hostile or a space that looks like a trap is going to a space

But God is not God is and you come back you return with greater power always

Embrace this guys because there are too many lies about wildernesses

By famous people and not famous people go ahead then

Which is a lie

The only place that exists is where the satyrs and the jackals dwell Isaiah

It's a layer of demons

And even their goddess there is no wilderness in which God is not

It is our blindness it's our way to comfort ourselves when we don't hear God every I mean I've read famous guys

Every I mean I've read famous guys

I I love what they teach I listen to them and they'll go through a period when they can't hear God and they'll call that

A wilderness they couldn't hear God because of some other reason

But God is in every wilderness the Bible proves it again and again and again show me a wilderness where God was not

Show me a person or a people in the wilderness where God was not where these three things weren't met

Provision and overwhelming revelation and a returning with power

Except in the case of no came because he was sentenced into the wilderness and yet kept safe even there

So yes, some of you have had wildernesses in 2013, but no no water waits you

If you don't know this about the wilderness

What will happen is you'll pitch tent there and you'll come out of it complaining bitter whining resigned dry hungry weak

If if you

Don't know what I've just said about the wilderness you will either pinch that pitch

Tent there or you'll come out of it complaining bitter whining resigned dry hungry weak

But if you know this about the wilderness you will convert it into pools of freshwater man

You will find streams in your desert you will emerge with a greater revelation of God than your peers

You think Marcus hasn't come away with a greater revelation of God after what he went through

You think Laurie and hasn't come with a greater revelation of God because of what Marcus went through

So Ryan's cool hand Luke so we leave him out of that

Use this to our advantage guys

The knowledge of this truth can really set you free any questions before we go on

The first five reasons I gave you one you can wander into it like

Because you weren't necessarily paying attention you can end up in a place that's hostile

place that's unmapped or God can sometimes lead you there or you can be driven into the wilderness by

Circumstances and people's where they push you into a place where there's testing where you feel trapped

You can be you can flee into the wilderness because that's sometimes what we do just flee into the wilderness like

Resignation I would suggest to you that when the church desires to get raptured that's resignation

God will come when he needs to come in we shouldn't be so eager to leave this earth the earth needs us

The body of Christ needs to be here on earth

And the other reason is you can be led into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit

Guys, it will come to a point where you will not be afraid of the wilderness

You will never think of the wilderness as a lousy place

It'll be this is where God is even more present

This is where I will have an over overwhelming revelation of him

This is where there'll be more provision than ever before was there provision in the desert. Oh my god

There was meat and bread every day sure they got tired after

12,000 days of eating that but perhaps they discovered they had their own little recipe books

Man a banana man a cake man of this man of that all kinds of things

Any other questions

Because he leads you out

It's a phase it's a phase see the thing that God is interested in most is what I

Know that's such a such a general question

I know that's such a such a general question

Here's what it is. The thing you want to see in me most is growth that will conform me to the nature of Christ

Therefore there will be phases that will happen in my life

Where he'll be the more absent people and the more tough the circumstances the more present him his provision and his overwhelming revelation

When does a dad hold his child's hand more tightly

Not at home

Outside when crossing the road

When it's a place where it's scary, that's when the father grabs the I mean, I'm not a dad but with my nephew and niece and remember

I'll hold their hand a little tighter hold Hannah and Caleb's and really tight as a walk

Because I'm in a place where there's a big crowd or I need to cross the road

Same principle guys

It can be that's when he leads you into the wilderness, yeah

Yeah, and you can return with power happen with Jesus I

Mean and and Kamal are in a fine place unmapped territory. They just retired as in real retirement unlike that other guy Derek

so so

Unmapped territory but great great. This is where the provision of God the overwhelming revelation of God

And the release in power of God will now happen

You think all these things that are going to happen in 2014 where I'll be involved at least in my life in terms of all

This is it's something I look forward to or know how to do. No, I don't but I'm so kicked at

The overwhelming revelation of God I will have in 2014 to be able to do it. Otherwise

I'll just

Yeah

The second part then

So next time you use the wilderness clap and laugh smile because it's really not not what it's been made out to be and

Don't buy a book on the wilderness. It won't help you

It'll only reinforce

The experiences of others that were perhaps not happy there

The next thing is guys as you go for leave this year and go forward

Fearlessness and I'll tell you and we talked about this on December 1st, but I couldn't complete it

Deuteronomy 31 6 puts it this way be strong and courageous

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them or because of situations for the Lord your God goes with you

He will never leave you nor forsake you

I've heard this leave you not forsake you so many times doesn't do anything for me. You have no idea how bad my circumstances are

again

Be strong and courageous

Do not be afraid and terrified because of them be people or situations for the Lord your God goes with you

He will never leave you nor forsake you

What is the first requirement guys for to be fearless what is the we talked about it four weeks ago

What is what is the first requirement to walk in something fearlessly?

Yeah, did God direct you

The way to live fearlessly is did I hear God as I move forward?

What is God saying in Deuteronomy 31? Listen, I am telling you that I'm going with you

And now Israel can respond if you're going with us then we need not fear

The way to live fearlessly the primary requirement for living fearlessly in any situation in with anybody in any situation

in with anybody in anything is

What are you directing me to do?

And once you know that now you can be fearless

Practice that guys

because once I hear God I

Overcome fear because it's God who's leading God is going before me

Fear fear takes a second

The back seat it occasionally crops up, but I keep going back to go ahead Matt

I

Will get there in two minutes and 23 seconds. I

Mean you ask questions that I'm going to answer man. What can I do?

Guys once you hear God here's what happens fearlessness

Once you hear God fearlessness

Translates into focus

Into

Focus into

Foolishness

And into function and I'll explain that

Once you hear God on anything

Fearlessness is replaced by focus and I'll explain what I mean by focus

Fearlessness is explained replaced by focus as in even though the fig tree has not blossom blossom

God and not the fig tree remain my obsession

Just think of this God is telling you

Maurice

That okay Maurice. Here's what I want you to do January 7th

I want you to buy a small plot of land in

Mission and

You are saying but but I'm dealing with a mortgage on my house now

And you want me to go buy a small plot of land and God is saying nope

I want you to go places down payment of 3,000 bucks on the small plot of land in mission and

You go to your bank, and you've got 2,000 bucks there

And you're not beginning to question this whole thing, but clearly you've heard from God you verified it with others

But now your focus is no longer on the focus of the small plot of land

The fig tree that is not blossoming on your bank account or on your present mortgage your focus is now an obsession

With God even though the fig tree has not blossomed

The second thing that happens is

Once you hear from God you can be foolish

And what does that mean?

You sell your

Four-wheeler

Because you know that'll be sufficient to pay a big down payment and you sense God saying sell the four-wheeler

I'll take care of you

And so you do something foolish you go up with five stones and I'm not

Daunted by the fact that Goliath is twice your size

and

The last part of it is function where you now begin to walk in faith and you begin to see God do things

Everything in our lives if we can live like this in

2014 can you imagine what that's all good people can see that circle

Can you imagine?

What that look like?

Can you see Jason?

Yeah, so you hear God and these three things begin to happen

Try it guys try it

It'll always happen

So when I hear what do I do first and now to answer Matt's question when I hear first

Like Matt said there are hundreds of things said in the Bible

But what about those things that are not said in the Bible and trust me half of life is full of things that are not

specifically said in the Bible and

That is when now I have to train myself and I will begin

Tonight so that I'm already moving by the time I reach day after tomorrow

Where I'll train myself to ask him for every little thing. What's your opinion on it? What's your opinion on it?

What do you want me to do? How do you think? What do you want me to do?

I continuously ask and then but Jacob I've done this and I've heard wrong so big deal

You've gotten it wrong in so many areas of your life a hundred times. You never stop doing what you're doing

You go back and start again

And

Then the other thing I'd so do is when I think I've heard I'll come and verify and check with someone

I'd so suggest to you that you do that go to someone who you know here as well and check with them and may I

Present myself as someone who hears well come and check with me man

Verified with me when you hear come and say Jacob. What do you think?

I got it. I got a text message this morning from Eric

He sends God asking him to do something in

Vernon this morning in the church and just before we started service. I got a text and he said

Would you what do you suggest I think God is saying this what do you think

He's a pastor with actually greater experience than me

But he still sends it because he knows that I can hear I

Would so suggest acts 29 and this is this seems like such a boast but it's not I would so suggest to you that you take

Advantage of this grace in my life of hearing

You know what it'll require of you humility I

Do that a I go and ask

It'll require humility

But do it

It's the way to live guys so once we hear God our focus and our obsession is God

It's not what what is or is not our foolishness is

Scorned by people they'd say what's wrong with you Jeff. Is this the way you're supposed to function? Yes

Because now you take five stones to go meet Goliath and

You begin a function in faith you have feet that walk in works because Roslyn if you say you have faith

Show me your works

We got to become people like this one of the one of the distinct

characteristics of

Act 29 is that we are a hearing people

Now we got to take it up another notch I

Don't find it odd at all when you guys

speak during

Meetings prayer stuff like that. I expect us to be able to hear this is the nature of the body of Christ

But verify it verify it come and check come and check

Not always with me there are others you can check with but I so suggest that you call me

Any questions before you guys remember this anything you create here on earth

Without hearing is a golden calf and a golden calf will nail you down just as it is nailed down

Anything that we create here on earth without hearing is a golden calf and a golden calf is a golden calf

And a golden calf will nail you down just as it is nailed down a golden calf will require to be fed a golden calf

Will demand that you worship a golden calf will make you dance before it

Why because it does not have breath and life in it because it was molded with our hands and with our

Resources when hearing is something that I always take us to a place where there will have to be a dependence on God

So as you approach the 31st demolish golden calves break them make them into dust

Questions comments

For more

I like that sound you make bunnies after each one

I

Yeah

Okay, good good

Yeah, when something owns me and I'm unable to get rid of it then I only have one choice on one hand

I trust the work of the spirit to help me. But on the other hand, I look for people who can help me. I

Desperately start looking for people who can help me because I know I cannot get rid of it on my own

But I won't let anybody walk into my boat

I will ask for people who can walk on water to step into my boat

What do I mean by people who walk on water people who have a thorough knowledge of the word?

Who understand the nature of God they can come into my boat and help me because I am not able to overcome it

And I'm telling you man. There have been so many instances in my life over the last four five years where I needed help

And I still do

But there have been some major situations in my life where I needed help

Where if it wasn't for the help of others, it's impossible to break

So when something owns me, I always look for help and then if I go to Jason for help, I know I'm not going to be

Picky and choosy about well that one sounds good and that one isn't now if I'm asking him for help

And I think he's someone who can help me now. I listen to him. I

Place myself under him so that I can receive from him and that again is hard and it requires that H word

Humility

That's a hard part

Jeff just come up for a second quickly quickly quickly quickly

I remember the last time first time I met Jeff he came running around the church

That was the day we just started dancing in church, I still remember that father we bless this man and you're saying to him son

I want you to know as you begin this new year. It's his birthday by the way guys

Yeah

As you begin this new year, I have the same favor on you this year as I did on Joseph I

Want you to be aware of that son and the reason I'm declaring it publicly so that everybody hears that

This year that lies ahead and it's not even 2014

It's whatever year of your life is a year when I will show you my favoritism as I showed

favoritism to Joseph

It's not that I'm not going to be able to show you my favoritism

It's not that I won't discipline you differently. It's not that I won't I'll give you extra allowance

No, no, no, but I will treat you as a son, but I'll have a special favor upon you this year

You will see it. You will see it over the next two three days itself a token of my favor

So we thank you about for this fruitful branch

That's what we're going to call him for 2014 here is a man who is a fruitful branch a

fruitful branch he is

Things will be added to you son the name Joseph means to be added to

Things will be added to you

So we bless this man father. We bless him. We thank you for this gift to this body

And we thank you that he'll be a fruitful branch this year

We thank you that you're going to add things to his life and that he will bask in the ridiculous

Favor of the living God the king of the universe and we bless him now in Jesus name men

bless you, Jeff

Guys the next thing that we all need to cultivate it by the way

I just read a thing on Facebook today sent by a cousin of mine

And she wrote that this whole idea of New Year resolutions was started by the ancient Babylonians

Who used to make resolutions when they started the New Year to appease their gods and to gain favor with them?

And to walk right but to appease their gods and gain favor with them. I

Don't know if it's true or not, but that's what I'll throw that out there

But so this is not a new year resolution

So this is not a new year resolution. It's just a practice

spiritual discipline and what I mean by that is guys

Your life is ordered by the things that you value most

Your life is ordered by the things that you value most or by the thing you value most

If you value your spouse most your entire life revolves around him or her if you value your house most

Then your entire life revolves around the house

Nothing wrong with

valuing things but

Your life is ordered by what you value most and I would suggest to you that one of the things that we can develop

Over the year is consistency through spiritual discipline in terms of the word begin to value the word in

2014 and by that I mean the chewing and the meditating on the word

Because like it or not. Acts 29 is not as biblically literate as it should be

We are not as biblically literate as we should be

Let that be an area that we develop

Let that be an area that we develop

I mean there was a time in my life where I used to read the Bible cover to cover every year

I've stopped man

Life gets busy and I've stopped. I want to return to that

How many here want a one-year Bible?

It really helps

A one-year Bible breaks the Bible into 365 these things one two

three

four

Yeah, go ahead

Okay

Okay

Okay, so five or six let's let's try and get some one-year Bibles

It really helps get into a discipline pattern. And so if you don't finish in a year finish in two years

But finish it it'll be a disciplined approach to reading I love what Matthew 26

14 says or 41 says it says there is a part of you Jacob that is eager ready for anything in God

But there's another part that is as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire

That's from the message

It says it very differently in the other versions, but just listen to this again

There is a part of you Jacob that is eager ready for anything in God

But there's another part that's as lazy as an old dog sleeping by the fire. Isn't that so true, man?

December 15th this year

2014 will be a dynamic year if you want it to be

December 22nd 13

To the extent you go after it it will be dynamic to the extent that you run with it for your own sake

I want you to break through and run with it

Let me read it again guys and may you embrace it as your heart responds to it

December 15th 2014 will be a dynamic year dynamic is something which has motion in it which has

Motion in it which has

Life in it

2014 will be a dynamic year if you want it to be December 22nd 13

This is another word to the extent you go after it Jacob

It will be dynamic to the extent that you run with it for your own sake. I love this for your own sake

I want you to

Break through and run with it

Breakthrough and run with it. Thanks, Joe

Guys

the reason I'm suggesting that we

revisit the word and start having a disciplined approach to it is because a lack of the word will produce apathy and dullness a

lack of the word in your life will produce apathy and

Dullness and you will then end up becoming the architect of your own future

There's nothing as dangerous as that when the word is not present

There is an apathy and a dullness that begins to descend on me and when that happens

I become the architect of my own future because I'm no longer led by

The thoughts of God because the only thing that can renew my mind is the word of God man

So, how can I approach 2014 and the

Opportunities and the obstacles that will be there if my mind is not renewed to tackle it the way I'm supposed to

So Jeff received a prophetic word right now that there'll be favor upon him that it's a Joseph like here that I will add to you

That you will bask in my favor

that you will bask in my favor and

Now

Jeff has a choice. He can either sit on that prophetic word or he can go and begin reading the book of

Genesis where it talks about the life of Joseph

He sees different parts of how Joseph's life evolved and as he begins to read it

He begins to understand the extent of the prophetic and it begins to change his mind

It begins to change him as a husband as a man of God as a father as one who works as a gift to this body

He begins to change in every which way because it is the word of God that renews his mind

If not an apathy and a dullness will descend on him because if you don't war with what has been spoken

Then it is replaced by deception guys

Remember this every time I avoid the word that when I when I when I don't allow the truth

To affect me and this is so true guys. Even when I speak here

Even when I speak or even if I'm listening to something else that someone else is speaking when I don't let the truth

Begin to come into my life then delusion replaces it

Because the rejection of the truth or a dullness to the truth will always be met by either a religious spirit that follows after or

Delusion that follows after

Imagine that for a second

Let me say that again every time you resist the truth or I resist the truth and every time my ears

Decide that I do not want to participate in this truth two things are following

In its wake one is a religious spirit

That will try to take that very truth and make it traditional legalistic and religious or a

Delusion will come

You will see it again and again in the history of the people of God

Both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament

What happened when they rejected the truth that the carpenter brought a

Happened when they rejected the truth that the carpenter brought a

Dullness an apathy delusion settled on them

One of their own one of the twelve a delusion settled on him to the point that he was deceived that Satan entered him

That's why it's best not to sleep in church

Because sometimes the spirit of stupor takes over and then you'll have to come back to Psalm 1 verses 2 and 3

Psalms 1:2

For I shall be like a tree planted by the

Rivers of water day and night. I should meditate on your word. I shall bear fruit in season and out of season

The worst thing you and I can do guys is to become architects of our own future

So may there be discipline reading of the word I so wish that for you and I

We will finish by 1145 guys, so we're good

We'll be breaking bread on the 31st day

Psalm 77 verse 6 the next topic Psalms. What happened to us? You don't look very happy

Psalms 77:6

Psalm 77 verse 6 I love the words. It says let me remember my song in the night

Psalms 77:6

Let me meditate in my heart

Then my spirit made a diligent search and then it goes on to say more but just look at it

We talked about this ages ago. Let me remember my song in the night

Let me remember my song in the night

Let me remember my song in the night

Let me remember my song in the night

Let me remember my song in the night

Let me remember my song in the night

Let me meditate in my heart then my spirit made a diligent search guys

Here is another thing that you you know, this is something that is working

well for me one of the things that you can ask my mom about this because initially when my mom came as soon as I

would wake up she'd come and sit where I'm sitting and

So after two days I told her that

When I wake up and I come and sit there

Can you just leave me alone for about an hour or so?

because I feel kind of conscious doing stuff in front of you because one of the things I enjoy doing is I'll I'll walk and

Start singing and talking and occasionally a jig and stuff like that and to do it with my mom sitting there

It's a little weird

So now my mom as soon as I wake up she'll come and say hello

And then she'll go into a room and shut the room so I can do my walking and talking and singing

But the whole idea is guys sing

sing

Sing songs, you know and sing with words

you don't have I mean Joan sends me songs that she writes one day Chris and Joan will sing that here or

We'll play that here if they don't sing it but begin to begin to cover your own songs

Sing what should you do if you're barren?

Sing or barren woman. What should you do if your life is not producing sing? What should you do if your farms are not producing sing?

Amazing it doesn't say oh barren woman go have someone lay hands on your womb

It doesn't say oh barren woman pray it doesn't say oh barren woman walk in faith

It says single barren woman for you shall have more children than the young ones

sing

Secondly meditate now what is meditate?

God directed self-talk God directed self-talk some 77 six says first sing Marcus sing

You've got enough to sing about for another 20 years

You're my favorite poster boy, and I tell people about you everywhere

Sing and then meditate meditate is God directed self-talk

So after you sing you walk around in your room after your mom's gone into the other room

And you start talking to yourself, and you're not telling us of how wonderful you are you're telling us of how God thinks you're wonderful

God directed self-talk so it can be just one verse guys and you take that verse and now it becomes God directed self-talk

What are you doing? You're renewing your mind

You are speaking what God is saying about you you're hearing what God is saying about you your thoughts and your heart is changing

And then you burst out in the song again because you can't keep it down

and

Then search diligently

Search when you're stuck in something when you can't understand something go back and search go back and search

That's one thing I appreciate about

this time

I'll get calls frequently during the week kind of understand this I've been searching I found the scripture search

Find out what God is saying

Speak it rather than voice your own feelings and experience search the heart of God the mind of Christ because these are simple things we can do

Simple things we can do this year

And finally or finally almost

Undo fear and control

Undo fear and control and we won't be able to do it in a day as in 2014 begin to chip away at

control and at fear

Begin to chip away at control and fear in your life

begin to chip away at it because control and fear always cripple progress and

Control and fear ends up preserving old wine skins

Control and fear will always prevent progress and it will preserve old wine skins or old ways of thinking

Control and fear always do that you will not change I will not change my ways because I'm afraid and I want to be in control

chip away at it chip away at it if

You if you don't think you're controlling come and ask one of us we can point out a couple of areas

If you don't think you're afraid ask your wife for your roomie

You know you'll notice that whenever control is challenged of fear happens you will find that there's agitation

Confusion and an inability to respond that takes over your life

Have you noticed that how whenever your control is disturbed you get agitated?

Whenever fear happens there's agitation this confusion and an inability to respond

In that area I admire Wayne

One of the things about Wayne Callahan is

You don't find him getting agitated easily

You don't find him

Getting confused too easily I

Really I was I was writing then I thought of you Wayne

Now if you could only correct the other 84 flaws you have

You would be as perfect as I am

But in this area I find that agitation confusion and an inability to respond

Is a symptom of

underlying of this underlying disease of fear and control and what's the opposite you'll find that people who

Do not have issues of control and fear are people who are transparent and calm not just calm they are transparent

People who do not have an issue with control and fear are transparent

Surprising you would think transparency and then what is that amazing?

What is that amazing how when we are controlling we are

Less

Transparent when we can when we have fear we're less transparent this agitation this confusion

But people who have no control in who are not

Honed in on control you'll find them being more transparent more calm

Unfortunately, that's not where I'm at man I

May not have much fear, but I certainly have control

issues with control

Want to chip away at it so that at the end of 2014 it will be far less than

The amount that there is in my life right now

Want to finish every time I usurp

Responsibility for managing areas of my life. I

Abdicate dependence on God every time I usurp responsibility for managing areas of my life

I abdicate dependence on God. Let me say that again every time I use up a usurp

Responsibility for managing my life meaning when I say okay God great you're God, but I can handle this one

can you please give it back to me because

You just mess up things I can control it every time I usurp responsibility for the management of my affairs from God I

Suddenly abdicate dependence on God and as long as I have this conceited

Self-righteous idea that I can do something and that God can occasionally help. Here's what God will do

He will let me break my neck on the ignorance or he'll break

Let me break my neck of ignorance on some obstacle of the other

So

Maurice in your situation your only way out man is to know what God is saying

anything else

Will bring in unnecessary fear and confusion

In our situations with our children where decisions have to be made when things have to be done the only way

Is to know what God is saying with your mom. You got to know what is God saying?

How do you want me to be?

With Derek's new job father, how do you want me to be you've taught me things for seven years

Seven months now teach me how to function in this present job situation

With an and Kamal father. We are retiring. We're gonna be just like Dagmar now show us

Which is a good thing, Daniel

Now show us what we do with this level you've got to direct

Otherwise we'll be planting potatoes in our backyard

It's the only way guys

So may you and I develop the awe the wonder the helplessness and the dependence of a child as it says in Mark 10 15 and

Then what will happen when I become like that and I have the awe and the wonder and the dependence on God

And I have the awe and the wonder and the dependence of the helplessness of a child God will hover over me

He'll hover over me. He'll hover over me and he'll just chisel steps for me to walk

Last one which we won't talk about today what we will keep for the new year is world meet God

That's a slogan for 2014 every time you meet somebody

Hey Lynn meet God and not for a moment are you assuming that you're God

but the only way that

The world will meet God is through the body of Christ

Not the only way the primary way the primary vehicle of God here on earth is the body of Christ

Which is part of the kingdom of God?

We'll talk about that another day, but you need to understand world meet God

world meet God

This is what's happening world meet God

world meet God

That's a slogan

That you are a sign you're a symbol and you're a taste of the kingdom a symbol as in this is what God looks like

Oh, can you imagine that guy to say with Jesus in 2014 if you have seen me you have seen the father

First with your spouse and your mother

Which is the hardest thing to do by the way?

It's easier to do that with the world

World meet God

Stop laughing L'Oreal

But that's where it starts guys first

To be able to tell the world this is what God looks like. This is what God looks like

You become a symbol and then you become a sign as in a sign saying this way to

This way to healing this way to forgiveness this way to reconciliation and then you become a taste of the kingdom

Where they taste your life and they say my god this tastes different

World meet God, but we'll talk about that next week think of this day

Why is it that if you were called to serve Obama?

in Obama's

White house tomorrow or if you were called to be a spokesman or a rep for the Queen tomorrow

Why is it that it's such a prestigious privilege?

Why is it that the entire way you dress

The way you present yourself. Why is it that everything will change tomorrow if you became Obama's spokesman or the Queen's represented?

Why does it carry so much prestige why is it such a privileged position? Why will you change your wardrobe?

Why will you change the way you walk into an aircraft? Why will it change the way you function?

Why there's something about it that will change you?

But why is it that I don't find?

What I do at present as a big enough privilege or as prestigious

Why can I continue the way I continue ponder on these questions? We'll talk about it

Why is it that the White House fascinates me?

But the king before whom I was weeping today and saying create a king

Why is it that I don't think he's bigger than Obama?

Even though I know he is

Because for us to be able to go out there and say world meet God something has to change in here

And over the next few weeks, we'll be talking about that

Hey, I enjoyed worshipping with you today. I really enjoyed worshipping with you today. I thought we were a people worshipping today

I thought my god, I'd rather be nowhere than here today

So can you sit on the piano and listen happy? Thanks Wayne. You can cut it off now

Oh