Rejoice in Suffering

0:51 Mike, it's okay. I want to read a passage of scripture to you. I just feel like I'm supposed to just read this first. It's a little bit long, but I think it's, I mean, I love this book, and I hope it doesn't bore you. But, yeah, you know, we live in a time where Christians will flock to hear certain speakers. You know, and sometimes we can be so in love with, like, the, you know, the delivery and not actually love the word itself. You know, where someone just reads it and you just soak it in and go, no way. because there's something about just reading the scriptures where it's not my opinion, it's not my interpretation, it's just the very words of God.

1:53 And we live in a time where everyone wants to throw their thoughts out and everyone thinks their thoughts are so profound and everyone's writing this, writing that, and wants to be heard. And what if we were just different and we just said, you know what, don't worry about my opinion. Let me just read you some things. there's a passage in revelation that has ministered to me for years and it hit me again just uh about two weeks ago the lord showed me a couple things about it but i just want to read it it's revelation four and five so i want to read a couple of chapters to you and if you have your Bibles, you can read along, or you may want to just close your eyes and just listen to this and soak it in because there's so much imagery and it's describing heaven. Okay, so I don't know what you have in your mind of what heaven is like. Like if you could be taken up into heaven right now, I don't know what you would imagine it to be like, but just erase those thoughts and let's listen to what the word of God says because Revelation 4 talks about John who's actually taken up into heaven and actually sees it. So let's just worship God by listening to the words of Revelation 4 and 5.

3:21 after this I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven and the first voice which I'd heard speaking to me like a trumpet said come up here and I will show you what must take place after this at once I was in the spirit and behold a throne stood in heaven with one seated on the throne. And he who sat there had the appearance of Jasper and Carnelian. And around the throne was a rainbow that had the appearance of an emerald. Around the throne were 24 thrones and seated on the thrones were 24 elders clothed in white garments with golden crowns on their heads.

4:15 from the throne came flashes of lightning and rumblings and peals of thunder and before the throne were burning seven torches of fire which are the seven spirits of God and before the throne there was as it were a sea of glass like crystal around the throne on each side of the throne are four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind the first living creature was like a lion the second living creature was like an ox the third living creature with the face of a man the fourth living creature like an eagle in flight and the four living creatures each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and within and day and night they never cease to say, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come.

5:26 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne who lives forever and ever, the 24 elders fall down before him who's seated on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They cast down their crowns before the throne saying, worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power for you created all things and by your will they existed and were created.

6:01 Then I saw in the right hand of him who was seated on the throne a scroll written within and on the back sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or look into it. And I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or look into it. And one of the elders said to me, weep no more. behold the lion of the tribe of Judah the root of David has conquered so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals and between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a lamb standing as though it had been slain with seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth and he went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who was seated on the throne.

7:09 And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures, the 24 elders, fell down before the lamb, each holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying, Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God. from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth. Then I looked, and I heard around the throne and the living creatures and the elders the voice of many angels, numbering myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power, and wealth, and wisdom, and might, and honor, and glory, and blessing.

8:11 And I heard every creature in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and all that's in them saying, to him who sits on the throne, and to the lamb, be blessing, and honor, and glory, and might forever and ever. Can you imagine seeing that? Man, can you imagine? Like, you know what hit me about this passage the other day? was where we come into the picture.

8:58 Okay, so you've got the throne of God. You've got the lightning, the thunder, the fire, the throne. You've got those four living creatures with eyes all over their wings and six wings each and all over their bodies. And they're screaming, holy, holy, holy. You have these 24 elders and they're just staring at the throne and they're just bowing down. casting all their, no one's taking it. Everyone's just looking at the throne. That's what holy, holy, holy is all about. It's like, it's all about the one on the throne. Everyone's worshiping the lamb. You've got all of this scene, myriads of angels. but then in chapter 5 verse 8 it says when they had taken the scroll the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the lamb each holding a harp and golden bowls of incense which are the prayers of the saints See, this is our part in this picture that's going on in heaven.

10:05 This is where I'm looking like, is that the first we're mentioned? So you've got this, okay, so what's going on up there is everyone's crowded around this throne. These amazing beings go holy, holy, holy. You got these elders that are just, you know, flat on their faces, dropping their crowns like, oh, it's all about you. You've got all of these angels worshiping him, and you've got these 24 elders, you know, or the four living creatures, and they're holding these bowls of incense, and this smoke is rising up. This incense is rising up.

10:47 And that incense, those are the prayers of the saints. so wait you're telling me there's a scene in heaven and my part in it i mean the way i understand it right now is is i'm my prayers are just a part of that incense which is the collective of all the prayers of all the saints man this is amazing i hope you look at that and you think wow god am I adding to the scene in heaven right now? Like, God, are you sitting on the throne, and can I just be just one little tiny flicker of smoke? Can we all create one tiny flicker of smoke so we can join that scene in heaven where everyone's looking at the throne and go, man, I want to be a part of it. Let us all just make one little wisp of smoke of incense to be that fragrance to him.

11:50 I look at that and I think, man. we pray God thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven and my fear is that things on earth in the church are so different than it is in heaven when we have people every week go to our worship services and they walk out and they start evaluating like hey how was church today? They go eh it wasn't that good I didn't really like the worship did you like the worship? Hey did you guys like that last guy? These are like normal things that we say and I'm just going how did we get here?

12:51 Have you ever stopped and realized what a stupid thing that is to say? I didn't like the worship? Just sit down someday and think about that. How did we get here to the point where it's normal and every single church service or someone to walk out going, I didn't really like the worship? I mean, did it ever occur to us that we weren't worshiping you? and this has nothing to do with you.

13:30 Seriously. Man, I get excited about this because I go, you know what? We could be the generation that kills this mentality. You know? Can we bring people back to like, man, I get to be maybe a wisp of smoke. You know? Maybe if we all work hard enough that maybe, you know, we can just add to that scene in heaven. That's why we gather. It's because of the throne. The four living creatures, can you imagine any of them at the end of the day going, I didn't really like it. And one guy, he was playing the harp. What was that? None of that.

14:18 How did we get to a point as a church to where we're critiquing what goes on and evaluating? When did it become about us? You know, I don't know where this started. I've fallen into it. and as a pastor, sometimes I'm thinking of what the people want rather than what he wants, and rather than going, gosh, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, and so if I'm going to have a gathering of people, I want to make it here on earth like it is in heaven, and in heaven, it's not about, hey, angel number six billion, what do you want? What would you like to see in worship service. Hey, lion head with eyes, what would you like? What do you want to do today? What kind of music do you like? It's just none of that. But can we get back to this point where it's like, oh, I just, I can't believe I get to be a part of that worship service.

15:24 I get to add something to this. I get to come into the presence of God because Jesus died for me. what an amazing thing man I dream of a day and I believe it can happen and it can happen soon in our country right here where people actually gather just to pray and it doesn't matter who's leading they just get so excited because we're coming in the presence of God I really believe there's going to come a time and it's starting to happen I'm starting to see pockets of it I'm experiencing it in our church where people can't wait to take communion together.

16:06 There's no solo. There's no video. It's just a few people in a room breaking a piece of bread and going, are you kidding me? This is amazing. This is the body of Christ. This is a profound mystery. Ephesians 5 says this is a profound mystery. I'm talking about the Christ and the church in how we are members of his body.

16:32 When's the last time you freaked out over the fact that you're a member of his body and he nourishes and cherishes you just like you would nourish and care for your own arm that you're connected to God? my son-in-law was sharing with a guy,

16:57 my daughter, my oldest daughter got married last year, and it was the craziest thing, some of you may have heard the story, but I had this guy in my ministry last year where I go, man, this is like the godliest young man I've ever met. When he would talk about his time with the Lord, I'd be like I love this guy I love this guy and I just came into the presence of God the more I got to know this guy I'd come home and tell my wife and she'd be like wow you've got like a a crush on him or something I go I kind of do like when he talks about being in the presence of God I get him we're like I don't know anyone like him and yet he's so young and then one day I just took a chance I go you know what Lord I don't know if it's okay to pray when I'm about to pray seriously I don't know, but could you have him meet my daughter and have them fall in love?

17:52 Because I want him in my family. Seriously, this is an honest prayer. This was, yeah. And this was almost two years ago, a year and nine months ago, and I was like, Lord, you know best. You know what's best for your kingdom. I'm just saying, this is what I would like. and nothing happens. You know, a few months later, and I tried to make things happen too, you know, a little bit in the flesh. Like he had to borrow a saw from my house, so I called my daughter, I'm like, honey, someone's coming over. Pretend you just woke up, but look good, okay? You know, so I did some, you know, little plotting here and there too, but nothing's happening, And then last June, June, July, I was like, Lord, this is just, you never wake up in the morning and sometimes feel almost distant from God or just feel like, God, I don't feel close to you today for some reason. I don't know what it is.

18:59 I'm trying to, and I know it's me or whatever else, but, and I'd never pray this. I go, God, could you just show me some love? and that's a weird thing to ask but I'm like God could you show me some love I don't even know why I said that I just feel like a little insecure right now and two hours later that kid Justin comes up to me and is like hey can I ask your daughter out and I'm like whoa can I pay for it you know can I just and I didn't hold anything back I'm like I love you I want you. And I mean, it was just like, okay, okay. So they went out in July and got married in December. I know. And then on Christmas Eve this year, I became a grandpa. You know, so it's like, man.

19:58 But anyways, that's a tangent. But glory to God, like I, people say, man, that's amazing. And I go, gosh, I don't know what I'm more excited about. The fact that my daughter's being led by this amazing man of God, or that God hears my prayers. You know, where you just get the chills going, God, are you kidding me right now? Did you really just do that again and again and again? This is the way here, and you just have this love of prayer because you go, gosh, things happen when we pray. Anyways, what I was saying was, Justin, this awesome guy that I love, he's in my family, And he's sharing the gospel with this guy in San Francisco. And the guy kind of casually goes, I saw God.

20:55 And Justin, I don't know what you would say in that situation, but Justin just looks at him and said, no, you didn't. And the guy goes, how can you say, how do you know if I saw God or not? And Justin goes, you talking about the God of the Bible? And the guy's like, yes, the God of the Bible. I saw him. And Justin's like, no, you didn't. And the guy's like, why would you say that? You don't even know me. How do you know I didn't see God? He goes, because if you saw God, your skin would have melted off your skull.

21:34 He says, the Bible says that God dwells in unapproachable light. That's like saying you stood on the sun this morning. I'd say, no, you didn't. It's a much more terrifying thing to come into the presence of God, to see him. See, that's what the Bible talks about, about this God, that it's like you can't just enter into his presence. When Moses says, can I see you? God says, you can't see my face and live through it. That's why when John is taken up, it says that he was in the spirit taken up into heaven. And I don't believe his flesh literally went there. so you've got this God who created the sun and and and who dwells in unapproachable light and then Ephesians 5 says but there's a profound mystery that we are members of his body so how in the world right now could there be this almighty God who all the angels are just screaming holy, holy, holy.

22:40 All that's going on. And he says, and I'm a member of his body. And he nourishes and cherishes me. and then when we break bread, we're reminding ourselves, this is the body of Christ that was broken for a year ago. And wait a second, so that God on that throne and all his holiness became flesh and had his body torn apart, and then now, I'm his body?

23:16 We are his body, and somehow we're attached to all of that glory because of the body and blood of Jesus and now I'm gonna take his body and his blood and he wanted me to take such an intimate act of eating and eating of this flesh and this blood and being one with him and us just staring and going, are you kidding me right now? I'm a part of the body of Christ. you guys, there is no greater honor on earth than for you to go, I'm a member of the literal body of him, Yahweh God. It's that dream of a day when people will break bread and just stare at that mystery and go, you've got to be kidding me. And that's why that early church would get together house to house.

24:13 Not because someone was preaching that was a great communicator or not because there was a great band at that house, it's because they wanted to break bread together and remember the body and blood of Jesus, that was enough. They loved praying, yeah. man could we be the generation that gets back to that where we just love the mystery of communion we're just overwhelmed that there's just a few of us in a house coming into the presence of god and he's allowing us into the presence of all of that smoke and glory and angels and everything else and and he actually listens to us and responds to us and gives us son-in-laws. I mean, it's just like, what in the world? How does this all happen?

25:06 It's such a mystery. But I hope it's still an honor to you. In fact, can we just... I really want to be led by him with what I want to say, with whatever I'm supposed to say with the rest of my time. Can we just come into his presence right now?

25:30 Can you just picture that scene in heaven best you can right now? Imagine the throne, this being, the lightning, the thunder, the fire, the four living creatures screaming out his holiness, the 24 elders dropping their crowns at the throne, the Lamb of God, the hundred million angels all worshiping the throne. and picture those bowls of incense to the prayers of the saints. God we just want to join with everyone in heaven and go you're so worthy of all the honor all the glory tonight every single bit of it we don't want to think about anyone else who else would we look at you're worthy you're worthy holy holy holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to come holy are you holy are you worthy are you you're so good so good God please guide the words of my mouth that everything would bring you glory everything as you've called me to teach Lord help me to teach as though I were in heaven right now and you were watching me in your presence in this room right now Lord not wanting any glory Lord for you to have it all all to you Jesus everything, everything we lay down to you you are so good in Jesus name we pray Amen I was in Brazil about a month ago.

27:33 and we just started saying, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come in Portuguese, and we were just saying it over and over. I go, can we just say this for the rest of the service? I mean, the angels have been doing it nonstop since we woke up, and day and night, They never stopped saying it. So we just started saying it. And we ended up going like 25 minutes. Like that's just all we did was just stare at the throne. We just did it over and over and over. And we got louder and louder. And you just picture 10,000 Brazilians just jumping and screaming, you know, just with all of their might. Yeah, we've got Brazilians out here. Santo, Santo, Santo. Al Senhor Dios Todo Poderoso. So, you know, and just louder and louder.

28:28 Man, we just left and it was just a rush. And I just encouraged them. I go, man, every morning if you woke up, maybe if we all did this where you wake up and the first thing that comes out of your mouth right when you wake up is to join the angels and just say, holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was and is and is to come. You know, I said, what if we did that every morning just so we wake up? because usually we wake up and we think about us.

28:57 What if you woke up and you just said, I just want to join the chorus. I just want to offer up some incense right now. I just want to join the angels and agree that this is not about me. This day is not about me. It's about you because everyone up there gets it. No one's saying, no, no, no, look at me, look at me. Hey, here, I'm going to tweet something.

29:19 You know? it's just everyone's looking at that and what if we woke up and joined them and we said you know what God we understand our place on this earth we understand who we are and it is an honor it's an honor to be lost in this crowd and to be able to be in that crowd and just add a little bit to the worship just a little bit in fact I just want to do that I just want that praise to come out we want to be like that woman in Luke chapter 7 where she's crying at the feet of Jesus. Remember that scene? She's crying at the feet of Jesus and then using her hair to scrub his feet and going, just crying at his feet, scrubbing his hair, pouring perfume on his feet. And meanwhile, everyone's looking and going, do you know who that is?

30:11 And this woman, she just didn't even care. She's like, I'm not here to please everyone else. I don't care if you're looking at me. I have a chance to come to the presence of Jesus and wash his feet with my tears. I'm going to take it. You know, she just understood her place. What an honor to wash his feet with your tears. What an honor to scrub his feet with your hair. What an honor. So how dare we come into worship services and act like it's about us and want people to cater to our needs. You guys, we have a chance to change it in our generation. and I'm excited to die trying. Seriously, this is something where I go, God, I just want to live a little bit longer. I'm not afraid to go up there, whatever else, but can I live a little bit longer? Man, because I want to see the church here in our country in love with being with you again, just you, like you're enough, you know?

31:11 I was sharing, I brought my 13-year-old daughter, or she was in our house gathering, and I was saying, honey, if I had a party for you, for your birthday, and I said, invite your friends, and there'll be a cake, and well, that's it. I'm just gonna bake a cake, and they can just bring presents. Pretty boring party. How many people would show up? She said, probably two, to be honest. I'm like, okay. I go, what if I rented out like an arcade, like Dave and Buster's, and it was just, you can just, all the food, all the games, everything was free, everything, just as long as they want. How many people would show up? And she said, probably the whole school, Dad.

31:58 And I go, and how stupid would it be if I put my arm around you and said, honey, look at all these people. They're here to celebrate your birthday. Would you fall for that? No, because they wouldn't come if it was just a room. And then maybe next year, that wouldn't even be enough. Dave & Buster's wouldn't be enough, and so you know what, I'll rent Maui.

32:24 And I'll get a bunch of dolphin, you know, and again go look at all your friends, honey. Hey guys, we gotta be careful in our creativity that suddenly it's like, okay, if the right speaker and the right band, if I told you that, I don't know who you guys love, like who do you love? Who's the speaker, big, oh thank you, thank you, okay. Okay, all right, all right, Francis Chan, you know, and Hillsong or Bethel or whatever, all of us look great, we're all coming to your church building on Sunday mornings for the next six months. Can you imagine the crowds that would come? But if you say, hey, for the next six months, we're just gonna pray, who would show up?

33:16 Seriously. Who would go, are you kidding me? Like, we're seriously just gonna come and try to just come into the presence of God? I'm there. See, we've gotta change this. At what point is it insulting to God? That just coming into your presence isn't enough. And so I was telling my daughter, I go, honey, I would come wherever you are for your birthday party, and I would bring my gift because I love you. I don't need all that other stuff. I just look at you. You're so awesome. I love everything about you. If you're in the middle of a desert, I'll find you, and I'll bring that gift to you. And one of our worship services became like that. Where God was enough of a draw. Isn't that what he desires? And I just get excited because we're a generation that can change this.

34:08 I was reading in, gosh, a passage that's really been so encouraging to me. And this is just something I want to share with you. He says in Ephesians chapter 1, Paul says, verse 16, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened that you may know what is the hope to which he's called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. Thank you. I think sometimes we don't get excited to come worship because maybe we just don't really get it like maybe we just don't really get what we've received from him or maybe we've forgotten and that's why Paul says man I keep thanking God for you but here's my prayer I'm praying that God would just give you this spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him so that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened.

35:31 Okay, what are the eyes of your heart? Have you ever thought of that? Did you know your heart had eyes? What's he talking about there? He says there's a certain way that suddenly the inside of you, it's like the lights go on. It's a miracle. It's not something I can communicate to you today. I can't explain it. And I go, hey, do this, do this. Hey, there's this new app, you know, Heart and Lightener. And just, there's nothing like that. There's something mysterious that has to happen. That's why Paul's praying. He goes, I just want you to have this spirit of wisdom and revelation. And that's what I'm praying for you right now. God, just give it to them. Just open their eyes. Remember when Elijah's servant, you know, he's like, man, open his eyes. and suddenly he saw all those chariots of fire and soldiers. It was like something miraculous happened.

36:27 And my prayer is, God, would you enlighten? Give him that, give him that. Have suddenly the lights go on and they would understand, they would know, like know from the core of their being, not know like, okay, I can get it right on a test. I know that I'm going to heaven. That's not what he's talking about. He's saying, enlighten their hearts so that they may know what is the hope to which he has called you?

36:57 Like, do you know the hope to which he's called us? Can you see the glories of heaven and somehow just know, like, to where you're going, man, I don't even care about this earth. I so believe in the future. I know where he's saving me to, and I can't wait for that. see that's something that has to happen inside of here and it's interesting i think he's talking about the same thing in first corinthians 3 when he says no eye has seen no ear has heard no mind has conceived what god has prepared for those who love him but then it says but god has revealed this to us by his spirit. So somehow there's this reality of the future that no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him, but it says, but God has revealed it to us through his spirit. So somehow God, and I pray this for myself because Paul's talking about believers here. So I've been praying this for myself saying, God, help me because I want to know. I want to be so excited about heaven because I'm not good at hoping. I've been let down so many times that I'm better at just keeping my guard up and going, it's probably going to be boring. It's probably going to be lame. You know, wherever I go, I just kind of expect the worst. This way I'm never let down. And then I start doing that with God's word. I'm not a good hoper. And so I have to pray this for myself saying, God, okay, open the eyes of my heart, okay, so that I could just know the hope to which you've called me.

38:44 Because if I really knew that hope, then it's weird, like that old hymn says, the things of earth grow strangely dim. And then some of the sin that you're involved in, you just start going, gosh, that's stupid, compared to this hope to which I've been called to. Because I get it in my, so I just have to, I just resist. Let me just get this junk out of my life, because I can't wait for this. I want you to know it. And then he says, this is difficult for some of us, and that you may know what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints.

39:24 Man, we sang a song about that earlier. That's the first time I've heard a song about his inheritance. Not our inheritance. His inheritance. The riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints. That's us. It's not our inheritance in Him. It's His inheritance in us.

39:49 Gosh, do you understand this? I mean, for some of you, it's going to take a miracle for you to really believe this in your heart. It takes a miracle for all of us. but I'm saying for some of you you've got so much garbage to think that God looks at me as his inheritance wait the God I just described in Revelation 4 and 5 he's got the angels the smoke, everything's going on are you telling me that God is looking at me on this stage and going I can't wait I can't wait for Francis I love him. He's such a glorious, rich inheritance of mine. Are you kidding me? Did Jesus do something that beautiful in us that that being looks and he desires us?

40:46 And he says, I want you to know from your heart. I want God to enlighten your heart so that you would know the riches of his glorious inheritance and the saints. See, for some of us who our whole lives have been about rejection, I went through, I've gone through my whole life just really believing my dad never wanted me to be born. My mom died giving birth to me, so I feel like my dad always resented that, always resented me, ever being born. He treated me different than the other kids, you know and I remember when he died when I was 12 when we never had a conversation not the tiniest bit of affection nothing I remember being that weird kid at school they're just trying to get acceptance from somewhere mom and dad are dead stepmom's dead you spend your life just going man I wasn't my own dad didn't even want me and now you're telling me there's this God in heaven who sits on a throne, who's got a hundred million angels, all focused on him, and he's looking at me as his inheritance?

41:59 Man, are you kidding me right now? See, when you get these things from your heart, then it's a rush to just come into his presence and go, God, I can't believe you love this right now. Shut up. You're in heaven and you love this right now that I am in your presence. You just wanted to be with me. You wanted to commune with me. You wanted me to eat of the flesh and blood and you wanted me to be reminded that mysteriously I'm a part of your body. This is insane. This is insane. I'm praying that for you. And then here's the hardest part.

42:46 It's awesome. He said, I want you to know what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe. What is the immeasurable greatness of power toward us who believe? Are you telling me right now that you can't even measure the amount of power right here? Are you kidding me? do you look at the mirror and go gosh there is immeasurable greatness of power right here that god has given me access to and he gives to me through his holy spirit immeasurable think about that adjective all our lives we've had limitations right like i have physical limitations i'm not going to make it into the nba no matter how much i work out okay I'm not going to be in the Olympics except maybe curling or bobsled or something I don't know you know but you know what I mean there's like I'm only going to jump so high I'm only going to run so fast I've got limitations my mind man I remember when we were tested as kids and they had those gate programs back then they called it MGM mentally gifted minors and you know and they would do these IQ tests and stuff and so you could be one of those kids that goes in that special class and I just remember seeing all of my buddies go there. I mean, just assuming, of course I'll make it. And I didn't make it. I remember just being in school and people trying to explain things and I'm just nodding my head pretending I get it and I don't. Limitations.

44:44 And I'm not as good of a leader as that guy. I'm not as intelligent as that guy. I don't look as good as that guy. It's just all these comparisons. And then you read this and it's saying, look, There's this immeasurable greatness of power, though. Wait, so there's no limits to what I could do right now? Because Francis in the flesh would walk in the stage and go, what am I going to say to thousands of people?

45:07 Oh, what do I have to say to you? Some of your minds are so far beyond mine. Some of your faith is beyond mine. What kind of power do I, and then I have to go, no, no, no. Those are my thoughts. and God says Francis my thoughts are not like your thoughts okay my ways are not like your see the heavens how there's so much higher than the earth that's the way I think compared to how you think see and that's why I need to shut myself up sometimes because Francis will not believe Francis naturally won't believe that he's God's inheritance Francis won't believe that he's got this immeasurable power. Francis doesn't want to, wouldn't naturally believe in this hope to which he's been called. And that's where we've got to learn to not value our thoughts so much. Because God would say, Francis, you have such low thoughts of you, but your thoughts of you are not my thoughts of you. And my thoughts are so much higher. And I learned something about myself is that I'm, I'm very good at taking his command seriously, and sometimes I'm not good at taking his promises seriously.

46:18 And yet God says, this is the one to whom I will look, the one who's humble and contrite in spirit and who trembles at my word. And I realize, God, you know what? Sometimes I tremble at your commands, but I don't tremble at your promises. God, you say this is true about me, that there's an immeasurable greatness of power towards me. You said it. I need to just surrender to it. You're going to tell that God on the throne, I don't believe that part.

46:52 Am I going to dare stare at the throne and go, I don't think I'm really your inheritance. No, you tremble and go, you promised that. so God somehow we are your inheritance your glorious inheritance somehow you have given us this immeasurable greatness of power and that's why he says in Ephesians 3.20 you guys know that verse now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all that you could ask or imagine according to his power that's at work within us we know he can do it but do you know he does it through the power in us? There's this immeasurable greatness. And if you don't believe that, he continues and he says, the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the heavenly places far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

48:02 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. He says, you know the power that's available to you? He goes, let me illustrate the type of power, the immeasurable power that's in you. Let me just give you a little glimpse of it. He goes, remember when Jesus was crucified? Picture that body laying right here. mutilated you don't even recognize him as a man it's just lifeless it's just a piece of flesh and blood everywhere he says it's like the power he used when he took Christ and he raised him imagine that power but he didn't just raise him to where he stood up he says then he exalted him and took him to the highest place far above all rule and authority. That means it's not like, okay, here's Satan and here's Jesus.

49:07 No, it's like just far above everything. So you took a dead body. God, this is his power toward us. He took a dead body and raised him far above everything and said, now he's got the name above every name and it's not just for this age, it's forever and ever and ever. Okay? He says that type of power is what extends to us. And don't you love that imagery again where he says, and he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church which is his body.

49:52 So, somehow I am seated with Christ in the highest place positionally. He's the head, and I'm a member of his body, and we are far above all rule and authority and everything else forever and ever. See, Paul's saying, I'm praying that you would get this. Because if you got this, you wouldn't need Hillsong. I love Hillsong you wouldn't need Piper you wouldn't need Keller you wouldn't you would just come with such an excitement to come into my presence and so when people came to worship and you saw that scene in heaven and said I could join that I want to be there and if I can break bread with some people who really believe in it and stare at that mystery that I'm a member of that body I want that.

50:54 I want that. I'll stare at that all day. I'll stare at that all day. I loved hearing the testimony of the gal that was at the internship here and just saying, gosh, just hours a day, just communing with God, learning to hear from him and speak to him. And that was plenty. You guys, we could do this. Like, we could be the generation that kills this whole consumer mindset of worship and church. I mean, you guys, when you think about it and you read this book, does it even make sense to say, I go to church? and church I mean do you think Paul ever asked Timothy hey did you go to church today church wasn't somewhere you went for an hour a week and evaluated it it was their identity you know one of the elders in my church i love this elder to death oh i love him he loves jesus so much i just love him every time i see him i just light up but he was a part of a pretty notorious gang and spent years in prison. And in fact, he thought he was going to be killed. So he has tattooed on his eyelids, F you. And not a lot of elders have that. And because he just knew that he was going to be killed and he wanted his last message to the world is F you all. Okay. Jesus Christ gets a hold of his life.

52:34 And man, you have not seen someone that just loves, loves, loves the person of Jesus like my buddy Rob, like my elder Rob. But I was talking to him about the gang life just last week. I go, tell me about it. And he was just telling me about just the camaraderie they had and how like, you know, friends that took the rap for someone else and now we're doing life in prison for crimes they didn't even do. but you just never rat someone else out. And he talked about it. And that picture of the gang is a much better picture of the unity that God wants in the church. You know? And he would never think to look at another gang member and go, hey, did you go to gang this week? Yeah, I didn't really like it.

53:27 It's like, where did we come up with this stuff? You don't go to gang. You don't go to church. It's your identity. It's this group of people where you go, man, this is the greatest honor. I'm a part of this body. And we look out for each other 24-7, you know? And we get together, and we talk about the Scriptures every day. It was a lifestyle, man. When I heard about all the stories of what he and his gang went through, I'm like, man, that's what he wanted of the church. It's not the killing part, but the, you know, like, like it was not, we've got to get rid of this mindset.

54:06 Because you know that's not how they spoke in scripture. Peter never left and said, I didn't like the singing today. it was about man this is my identity Peter says used to be this individual you used to not be a people but now you're a people he says now we become a body he says we're like living stones like we're all stones that's all we are like a stone in this wall and together we connect ourselves together to form one temple which is a dwelling place for God and that's the way that early church was they didn't go to church they were the church they lived it out 24 7 and we've got to kill it we've got to kill this mindset and you guys I used to have my doubts but I'm looking at scripture and going man there's a measurable greatness of power in us and we can be the generation that kills the consumerism in the church and we can be the people where God so enlightens the eyes of our hearts that we're just thrilled to come and worship him. And we'll go in and we don't need all the frills. We just want to be with other people to celebrate the body and blood of Jesus because we realize the hope to which he's called us. We recognize that he looks at us as his glorious inheritance and there's a measurable greatness of power. And I want to tap into that. Pray to him.

55:37 I know that's an overwhelming thought, but can you picture it with me? Can you picture just groups of people that are just committed to one another and they're known for their love for each other and they're known for this irresistible, like 1 Peter says, this joy that's inexpressible. and as Paul says in Philippians a peace that surpasses comprehension think about these words peace that surpasses comprehension a joy that's inexpressible power that's immeasurable groups of people like that celebrating that will you pray with me right now first things first I believe there's some of you in this room that you're having such a hard time believing that God wants you and I don't want you to do a bunch of stuff in the flesh and try to prove yourself to him or something and you can't do that.

56:52 God I pray that you give those people in this room right now Lord they have a hard time believing that you would want them help them to look to the cross help them to see that you did that while we were sinners the cross should be proof that you want us God I pray supernaturally that you enlighten their hearts and somehow just miraculously they just believe that you love them and that we are your glorious inheritance and God I pray for those who just don't have hope for heaven that you enlighten the eyes of their hearts God get rid of the insecurity all the lies from the enemy the lies we tell ourselves God may we just shut him up right now may we shut ourselves up and our own thoughts of inadequacy out because your thoughts are higher than that and God for all of us who think we're going to amount to nothing on this earth because people have told us that or we've told ourselves that and Satan has told us that, the world has told us that.

58:15 Lord, you say something different. There's an immeasurable greatness of power. Lord, enlighten the eyes of our heart so we can know that, believe that, and that we can change the church in our country, in our generation, to where people just swarm just to pray to you, just to add incense to the worship in heaven. Open our eyes. Help us to see your worth. Please, Lord, protect my brothers and sisters in this room right now. Holy Spirit please fall on us please explain these truths to us please enlighten us