Ed Young - Finding The Answer

April 29, 2025 | S25:E102

The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young is the international on-air and online teaching ministry of Dr. Ed Young. The Winning Walk proclaims the proven truth of God’s Word to give men and women the world over a winning way to live life.

#Purpose #Honor #RelationshipwithGod #SeekGod #Praise #Religion #Focus #inActive #PresenceofGod #Calling #GlorifyGod #Worship #EdYoung #FearoftheLord #Reverence #Foolishness #TheWinningWalkwithDr.EdYoung #Fool

Closed captions

Show Timecode

The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young | Ed Young - Finding The Answer | April 29, 2025

...
00:00:00.633 --> 00:00:00.356
♪♪♪
00:00:00.790 --> 00:00:06.830
Dr. ed young: ecclesiastes is a very bright book.
00:00:10.166 --> 00:00:28.518
It is bright because it is written under the dazzling
00:00:28.518 --> 00:00:33.823
Background of darkness, and that darkness is death.
00:00:33.823 --> 00:00:41.598
You read ecclesiastes, and solomon is always couching
00:00:41.598 --> 00:00:46.536
Everything under the background of death.
00:00:46.536 --> 00:00:52.041
And he asks over and over again, in many, many ways,
00:00:52.041 --> 00:00:58.181
"what is life for under the sun?"
00:00:58.181 --> 00:01:05.955
He asks, "what does your life mean?"
00:01:05.955 --> 00:01:10.260
And by the way, it's interesting to observe as you read
00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:12.795
Ecclesiastes, he talks in general terms,
00:01:12.795 --> 00:01:16.966
And then he talks about, "i, i, i."
00:01:16.966 --> 00:01:20.436
Remember when he said how narcissistic solomon is?
00:01:20.436 --> 00:01:23.006
"i, i, i, i, i, i," but we come to the 5th chapter,
00:01:23.006 --> 00:01:27.210
Which we're going to look at, and he says: "you,"
00:01:27.210 --> 00:01:31.948
Second person singular, he says, "you."
00:01:31.948 --> 00:01:34.684
He changed from, "i, i, i," and general kind of teaching to,
00:01:34.684 --> 00:01:38.922
"you."
00:01:38.922 --> 00:01:40.356
He makes it very pointed, and the question he keeps asking is,
00:01:40.356 --> 00:01:45.395
"what does your life mean?
00:01:45.395 --> 00:01:49.866
What difference does your life make under the sun?
00:01:49.866 --> 00:01:54.070
What are you here for?
00:01:54.070 --> 00:01:58.975
What can you and i do in this life that has not only meaning
00:01:58.975 --> 00:02:04.647
Now, but meaning 100 years or 1,000 years that will have
00:02:04.647 --> 00:02:08.918
Any significance in all of eternity?"
00:02:08.918 --> 00:02:12.689
And he keeps asking that question,
00:02:12.689 --> 00:02:14.524
And it's a very uncomfortable question.
00:02:14.524 --> 00:02:17.794
But, folks, that question is the greatest question
00:02:17.794 --> 00:02:23.666
That can be asked, the most important, significant question
00:02:23.666 --> 00:02:27.403
That we have to face.
00:02:27.403 --> 00:02:31.441
"what are you here for?"
00:02:31.441 --> 00:02:37.614
Now we come to the 5th chapter of ecclesiastes,
00:02:37.614 --> 00:02:42.252
And here we see solomon takes on a whole new characteristic.
00:02:42.252 --> 00:02:47.557
And it's stunning, but we see now solomon,
00:02:47.557 --> 00:02:52.462
I think, goes back to the early years of his life.
00:02:52.462 --> 00:02:55.765
He was a young man, discipled by a godly man,
00:02:55.765 --> 00:02:59.002
A godly prophet.
00:02:59.002 --> 00:03:01.237
How he became king.
00:03:01.237 --> 00:03:03.373
How he built the temple.
00:03:03.373 --> 00:03:05.041
How he dedicated the temple.
00:03:05.041 --> 00:03:06.542
How he prayed in the temple.
00:03:06.542 --> 00:03:08.211
How he brought sacrifices to the temple.
00:03:08.211 --> 00:03:10.346
How he studied the word and obeyed the word.
00:03:10.346 --> 00:03:12.448
But now he's an old man, and he didn't finish well.
00:03:12.448 --> 00:03:18.321
All of a sudden, he'd married all these women from all over
00:03:18.321 --> 00:03:21.291
The world for so-called, "political reasons."
00:03:21.291 --> 00:03:24.227
And now they've brought all their pagan altars into israel.
00:03:24.227 --> 00:03:27.597
All these mice had come, and now he'd moved away from god.
00:03:27.597 --> 00:03:33.636
And we see that, incidentally, in a little interesting thing.
00:03:33.636 --> 00:03:37.540
Don't miss this.
00:03:37.540 --> 00:03:39.709
In the book of ecclesiastes, the hebrew word that is used for god
00:03:39.709 --> 00:03:44.113
Is usually "elohim," which is just a pedestrian word.
00:03:44.113 --> 00:03:48.084
It's just a reference to god in a general sense.
00:03:48.084 --> 00:03:51.821
The covenant word for god in the bible,
00:03:51.821 --> 00:03:55.224
Mentioned 500 times, it's an interesting word.
00:03:55.224 --> 00:03:59.562
It's the word "jehovah" or "yahweh."
00:03:59.562 --> 00:04:02.865
In other words, solomon writes, knowing that somehow
00:04:02.865 --> 00:04:07.537
He had drifted away from having a covenant with god.
00:04:07.537 --> 00:04:10.640
What does it mean to have a covenant with god,
00:04:10.640 --> 00:04:12.675
This word that is used?
00:04:12.675 --> 00:04:14.110
It means there is an understanding of grace.
00:04:14.110 --> 00:04:17.914
It means there is a hope that the messiah would come
00:04:17.914 --> 00:04:21.517
And change this world.
00:04:21.517 --> 00:04:23.853
You see, that's the covenant relationship god has
00:04:23.853 --> 00:04:26.622
With israel, and those are the words.
00:04:26.622 --> 00:04:28.958
Solomon does not use that word.
00:04:28.958 --> 00:04:31.060
He knows somehow he has moved out from under the covenant,
00:04:31.060 --> 00:04:35.765
The protection, the umbrella of almighty god,
00:04:35.765 --> 00:04:38.901
So he does not use the word "yahweh" or "jehovah."
00:04:38.901 --> 00:04:43.172
Interesting, isn't it?
00:04:43.172 --> 00:04:45.074
But he comes her and tells us, "let me tell you about worship."
00:04:45.074 --> 00:04:49.579
He built the temple. he knew about worship.
00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:53.649
His dad, david, who had experienced so powerfully
00:04:53.649 --> 00:04:56.753
The grace of god, was a man after god's own heart.
00:04:56.753 --> 00:05:00.356
He knew worship.
00:05:00.356 --> 00:05:01.958
Solomon had worshiped, and now he tells us in these
00:05:01.958 --> 00:05:05.328
Seven verses, follow me carefully, how to worship
00:05:05.328 --> 00:05:08.564
And how not to worship.
00:05:08.564 --> 00:05:12.335
That's big, isn't it?
00:05:12.335 --> 00:05:14.003
Did you know one of the things that distinguishes us
00:05:14.003 --> 00:05:16.572
From animals is that we can worship?
00:05:16.572 --> 00:05:21.144
Animals can't worship.
00:05:21.144 --> 00:05:23.346
We can worship.
00:05:23.346 --> 00:05:25.114
We're made in the image of god.
00:05:25.114 --> 00:05:26.449
We can call upon god.
00:05:26.449 --> 00:05:27.784
We can know god.
00:05:27.784 --> 00:05:29.185
The human beings, we have the capacity to worship,
00:05:29.185 --> 00:05:31.621
Awe to god.
00:05:31.621 --> 00:05:34.557
He tells us, first of all, how to worship.
00:05:34.557 --> 00:05:36.459
Look at it, verse 1, chapter 5: "guard your steps as you go
00:05:36.459 --> 00:05:41.397
To the house of god and draw near to listen."
00:05:41.397 --> 00:05:44.767
In other words, when you came to church this morning to worship,
00:05:44.767 --> 00:05:48.571
Did you guard your steps?
00:05:48.571 --> 00:05:51.174
Before you came, did you pray, "lord, speak to me today.
00:05:51.174 --> 00:05:54.777
Lord, i need a word from you today.
00:05:54.777 --> 00:05:57.480
Come and tabernacle among us today."
00:05:57.480 --> 00:05:59.882
Did you come with expectation?
00:05:59.882 --> 00:06:03.419
Did you come that a hope in god would break through and heal,
00:06:03.419 --> 00:06:07.757
Restore, in form, guide, bring you through this dark place,
00:06:07.757 --> 00:06:12.728
Or lift you up in the place of opportunity you're in so
00:06:12.728 --> 00:06:15.898
You'll maximize your life?
00:06:15.898 --> 00:06:18.267
Did you come praying?
00:06:18.267 --> 00:06:20.403
That's what he's saying.
00:06:20.403 --> 00:06:22.405
"guard your steps when you go in the of god."
00:06:22.405 --> 00:06:25.107
Don't go into church casually or flat-footed.
00:06:25.107 --> 00:06:29.779
Anticipation, you see, for worship to take place,
00:06:29.779 --> 00:06:33.649
Not only must there be testimony in word and song and the
00:06:33.649 --> 00:06:36.886
Teaching of the book, but there has to be those who receive,
00:06:36.886 --> 00:06:42.158
Those who come with open minds, open hearts, wanting to feel
00:06:42.158 --> 00:06:46.496
The touch, the reality of the living god, see?
00:06:46.496 --> 00:06:50.600
It's a twofold way.
00:06:50.600 --> 00:06:53.903
And he says, "we come to listen.
00:06:53.903 --> 00:06:57.974
We come to listen.
00:06:57.974 --> 00:06:59.342
We draw near to listen."
00:06:59.342 --> 00:07:01.143
That's the first, he says, "this is how you worship."
00:07:01.143 --> 00:07:05.047
You could sit in a pew, go through the motions,
00:07:05.047 --> 00:07:07.183
Check all the box, "i went to church.
00:07:07.183 --> 00:07:09.085
It was okay," and say, "boy, you know,
00:07:09.085 --> 00:07:11.487
He didn't perform as good today."
00:07:11.487 --> 00:07:13.523
But you see, we come and say, "lord jesus, i need your word.
00:07:13.523 --> 00:07:17.727
Let your spirit come and bring my life into reality with you.
00:07:17.727 --> 00:07:24.634
I wanna catch fire, have meaning, significance,
00:07:24.634 --> 00:07:28.070
And confidence, hope."
00:07:28.070 --> 00:07:29.405
All of that happens in worship, private worship,
00:07:29.405 --> 00:07:32.642
And corporate worship like we engaged in now.
00:07:32.642 --> 00:07:35.411
Come in tiptoe.
00:07:35.411 --> 00:07:37.513
Come with great expectancy.
00:07:37.513 --> 00:07:42.018
"come near and listen."
00:07:42.018 --> 00:07:44.353
And then he tells us how not to worship.
00:07:44.353 --> 00:07:48.124
And look, these are strong, strong words.
00:07:48.124 --> 00:07:50.893
They're a little frightening to me as i kept looking at them.
00:07:50.893 --> 00:07:54.864
He says, "rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;
00:07:54.864 --> 00:07:59.769
As they do not know they are doing evil."
00:07:59.769 --> 00:08:03.439
In other words, phony worship, foolish worship,
00:08:03.439 --> 00:08:06.943
It is coming like a fool to church,
00:08:06.943 --> 00:08:10.079
Coming like a fool when you do your quiet time,
00:08:10.079 --> 00:08:12.548
Coming like a fool.
00:08:12.548 --> 00:08:14.750
And he says, "when you come as a hypocrite,
00:08:14.750 --> 00:08:18.387
Without sincerity, look what happens."
00:08:18.387 --> 00:08:20.890
He says, "it's not just not a good thing to do."
00:08:20.890 --> 00:08:23.859
He said, "it is an evil thing to do."
00:08:23.859 --> 00:08:28.264
Ladies and gentlemen, it is absolutely dangerous
00:08:28.264 --> 00:08:31.801
To go to church.
00:08:31.801 --> 00:08:34.704
It's a ferocious thing. it's a frightening thing.
00:08:34.704 --> 00:08:36.906
It's an overwhelming thing to go and say,
00:08:36.906 --> 00:08:39.742
"i'm going to worship," and not worship.
00:08:39.742 --> 00:08:43.613
It is the worship or the sacrifice of fools.
00:08:43.613 --> 00:08:49.251
And then he tells us exactly, precisely what the sacrifice,
00:08:49.251 --> 00:08:54.256
What phony, hypocritical worship is all about.
00:08:54.256 --> 00:08:57.760
Look what he says first of all in verse 2.
00:08:57.760 --> 00:09:01.030
He says: "do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought
00:09:01.030 --> 00:09:04.367
To bring up a matter in the presence of god.
00:09:04.367 --> 00:09:06.869
For god is in heaven and you are on earth."
00:09:06.869 --> 00:09:10.539
What is he saying?
00:09:10.539 --> 00:09:12.608
He said, "fools worship foolishly,
00:09:12.608 --> 00:09:16.545
Engage in foolish worship when we forget who god is."
00:09:16.545 --> 00:09:23.319
We forget who god is.
00:09:23.319 --> 00:09:27.089
I had a member of the staff once in a meeting said,
00:09:27.089 --> 00:09:29.959
"oh, we need to have a come-to-jesus movement."
00:09:29.959 --> 00:09:33.396
Let me tell you something. i don't like that terminology.
00:09:33.396 --> 00:09:38.567
No, no, no, we use christ as an expletive, of all things.
00:09:38.567 --> 00:09:45.708
We gotta remember who god is.
00:09:45.708 --> 00:09:48.477
Who is god?
00:09:48.477 --> 00:09:50.946
He is omniscient, he's all-knowing.
00:09:50.946 --> 00:09:55.685
There's no thought we've ever had, no emotion
00:09:55.685 --> 00:09:58.220
We've ever experienced, nothing we've ever done
00:09:58.220 --> 00:10:00.456
Or said or not done that he doesn't know about.
00:10:00.456 --> 00:10:03.192
You don't have any secrets from god.
00:10:03.192 --> 00:10:05.695
I don't have any secrets from god.
00:10:05.695 --> 00:10:08.631
He's omniscient, he's all-knowing.
00:10:08.631 --> 00:10:12.735
He is omnipotent. he is all-powerful.
00:10:12.735 --> 00:10:16.372
He speaks, and it happens, all-powerful.
00:10:16.372 --> 00:10:21.410
Whew, this is who god is.
00:10:21.410 --> 00:10:24.180
He's omnipresent, he's present everywhere.
00:10:24.180 --> 00:10:28.784
That's the reason i'm always sort of uneasy when somebody
00:10:28.784 --> 00:10:33.255
With a pious twang in their voice says,
00:10:33.255 --> 00:10:37.560
"lord jesus christ, we welcome you and your holy spirit
00:10:37.560 --> 00:10:41.397
In this place."
00:10:41.397 --> 00:10:42.832
Let me tell ya, the lord jesus christ,
00:10:42.832 --> 00:10:44.500
The holy spirit is already there, anytime, anywhere,
00:10:44.500 --> 00:10:47.269
Any place, anywhere you go.
00:10:47.269 --> 00:10:48.971
He is omnipotent. he is omniscient.
00:10:48.971 --> 00:10:51.173
He is omnipresent. don't have to invite him.
00:10:51.173 --> 00:10:55.244
He's already there.
00:10:55.244 --> 00:10:57.546
So we have to understand worship, worship.
00:10:57.546 --> 00:11:02.318
And then he would say that worship has to transform
00:11:02.318 --> 00:11:04.987
Areas of your life.
00:11:04.987 --> 00:11:07.289
A number of years ago, it just stands out in my mind,
00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:10.025
I got up and i had my quiet time.
00:11:10.025 --> 00:11:12.027
I was in the word.
00:11:12.027 --> 00:11:13.362
It's one of those times when heaven opens, you know,
00:11:13.362 --> 00:11:16.265
And god speaks.
00:11:16.265 --> 00:11:17.666
And i guess i cried and i confessed and he came close
00:11:17.666 --> 00:11:22.738
And i was inspired, and it was one of those mountaintop
00:11:22.738 --> 00:11:26.976
Moments, you know, you have, not every day.
00:11:26.976 --> 00:11:29.812
It was just a mountaintop moment,
00:11:29.812 --> 00:11:31.514
And i went in and ate breakfast with jo beth and the kids,
00:11:31.514 --> 00:11:35.251
And i went and got dressed in my suit,
00:11:35.251 --> 00:11:37.653
And i just was walking out, and i kissed jo beth,
00:11:37.653 --> 00:11:42.191
And i went out, and she said, "would you mind takin' out
00:11:42.191 --> 00:11:46.095
The trash?"
00:11:46.095 --> 00:11:51.000
And i wanted to say, "yeah, i mind," but i didn't.
00:11:51.000 --> 00:11:56.338
And i went back and i got the trash,
00:11:56.338 --> 00:11:58.808
Knowing that my oldest son had walked by that trash four times
00:11:58.808 --> 00:12:02.444
Already that morning, and he hadn't even made up his bed.
00:12:02.444 --> 00:12:06.115
I'm sure of that.
00:12:06.115 --> 00:12:08.083
But i went back to get the trash,
00:12:08.083 --> 00:12:09.885
And there were some--it wasn't tied up with one of the little
00:12:09.885 --> 00:12:13.355
Tie things then, you know?
00:12:13.355 --> 00:12:14.857
And i saw some old apples there.
00:12:14.857 --> 00:12:16.525
By the way, while i'm here, let me tell ya one of my pet peeves.
00:12:16.525 --> 00:12:24.166
One pet peeve is when people park over the line
00:12:24.166 --> 00:12:26.735
And take two places.
00:12:26.735 --> 00:12:28.070
That just--i think that oughta be capital punishment.
00:12:28.070 --> 00:12:33.943
But i've got a greater pet peeve than that.
00:12:33.943 --> 00:12:36.779
That is those little sticky things they put on fruit.
00:12:36.779 --> 00:12:43.085
Whatever government regulation brought that to bear,
00:12:43.085 --> 00:12:46.422
They oughta go to jail forever.
00:12:46.422 --> 00:12:51.360
And they put 'em on evidently with permanent glue.
00:12:51.360 --> 00:12:55.064
I mean, it's unbelievable.
00:12:55.064 --> 00:12:56.866
What in the world does that do?
00:12:56.866 --> 00:12:58.467
Can anybody tell me?
00:12:58.467 --> 00:12:59.802
No, it's some gimmick, some company that--i'd love to be
00:12:59.802 --> 00:13:04.106
The guy that makes those little sticky things they put on
00:13:04.106 --> 00:13:06.308
All the fruit in america.
00:13:06.308 --> 00:13:09.612
Anyway, back to the trash.
00:13:09.612 --> 00:13:15.684
And i got all the trash together,
00:13:15.684 --> 00:13:17.853
And i put it on, and it was full, and i take it out.
00:13:17.853 --> 00:13:20.990
And i remember i got to slam dunk it outside in
00:13:20.990 --> 00:13:23.826
The trash thing, and some of it came out on my pants,
00:13:23.826 --> 00:13:28.864
And jo beth says, "we've got another one."
00:13:28.864 --> 00:13:33.802
Boy, i went stormin' back in there,
00:13:33.802 --> 00:13:36.205
And i got that other one, and i went out and i--this was the guy
00:13:36.205 --> 00:13:43.345
Who just a little bit before in the holy of holies of prayer,
00:13:43.345 --> 00:13:49.585
This is a guy who is covered in shekinah, takin' out trash.
00:13:49.585 --> 00:13:59.628
You see, my problem then, and many times since,
00:14:00.796 --> 00:14:04.333
And probably yours is we don't transfer our worship to how we
00:14:04.333 --> 00:14:11.907
Live, how we think, what we do, because worship is to transform
00:14:11.907 --> 00:14:20.215
Your life and my life and the mundane things as well as
00:14:20.215 --> 00:14:24.653
The big, big things that we encounter, is it not?
00:14:24.653 --> 00:14:30.025
So he says, "we are fools engaged in foolish worship
00:14:30.025 --> 00:14:33.329
When we forget him with whom we are dealing with,
00:14:33.329 --> 00:14:37.633
Him whom we are worshiping."
00:14:37.633 --> 00:14:41.770
And then he says to us, the second thing involved here
00:14:41.770 --> 00:14:44.740
About foolish worship, the sacrifice of fools.
00:14:44.740 --> 00:14:47.676
Look at it, verse 3, he says: "for the dream comes through
00:14:47.676 --> 00:14:51.847
Much effort and the voice of a fool through many words."
00:14:51.847 --> 00:14:55.617
You are a fool engaged in foolish worship,
00:14:55.617 --> 00:14:59.321
And i am when our worship is filled with words and dreams.
00:14:59.321 --> 00:15:06.028
We go to god and we've got our agenda,
00:15:06.028 --> 00:15:08.464
"god, let me tell you what i believe you need to say to me,
00:15:08.464 --> 00:15:11.500
And i wanna make this deal with you.
00:15:11.500 --> 00:15:13.035
And god, god, god," and we talk, and we talk,
00:15:13.035 --> 00:15:15.104
And we have all our dreams and our aspirations and what we
00:15:15.104 --> 00:15:18.073
Think and what we know and how we cut a special deal with god
00:15:18.073 --> 00:15:21.910
And we just talk--when god wants to say somethin' to you and me,
00:15:21.910 --> 00:15:25.814
When in the world is he going to say it,
00:15:25.814 --> 00:15:28.283
Even when we're trying to worship,
00:15:28.283 --> 00:15:29.985
When our mind and our tongues are just babbling?
00:15:29.985 --> 00:15:36.091
You have an appointment with bill gates, oh.
00:15:36.091 --> 00:15:39.895
And you sit down with mr. gates and said, "mr. gates,
00:15:39.895 --> 00:15:42.564
I wanna tell you what i think about the internet,
00:15:42.564 --> 00:15:44.933
About the computer industry, and about it," and you spend
00:15:44.933 --> 00:15:47.536
All your time telling him what you know about the iphone
00:15:47.536 --> 00:15:51.573
And all the rest of us, and you walk--is that stupid?
00:15:51.573 --> 00:15:57.679
Man, you were the man who started some of this.
00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:00.315
Or down with albert einstein, "dr. einstein,
00:16:00.315 --> 00:16:02.851
I had a course in physics when i was in high school,
00:16:02.851 --> 00:16:06.488
And i wanna tell you what i have figured out
00:16:06.488 --> 00:16:08.791
About this physical--"
00:16:08.791 --> 00:16:10.125
You're with albert einstein.
00:16:10.125 --> 00:16:11.660
Is that insane?
00:16:11.660 --> 00:16:15.798
We are with god.
00:16:15.798 --> 00:16:18.901
He might wanna say somethin' to us, speak a word.
00:16:18.901 --> 00:16:25.007
But we're just [mumbling] talkin' about dreams,
00:16:25.007 --> 00:16:27.576
And we quote scripture to god.
00:16:27.576 --> 00:16:29.244
I never understand that.
00:16:29.244 --> 00:16:34.716
Sometimes we just wait and be still.
00:16:34.716 --> 00:16:37.953
Elijah wanted to meet with god.
00:16:37.953 --> 00:16:39.655
Man, he'd had a tough time, had a victory,
00:16:39.655 --> 00:16:42.257
Now he was depressed.
00:16:42.257 --> 00:16:44.159
He's in a cave.
00:16:44.159 --> 00:16:45.694
He said, "oh, god, i need a word from you."
00:16:45.694 --> 00:16:47.796
He needed to worship, and boy, here comes a tornado,
00:16:47.796 --> 00:16:51.300
Winds blowing.
00:16:51.300 --> 00:16:52.634
And he said, "boy, god is gonna be in this tornado.
00:16:52.634 --> 00:16:54.736
I know he's gonna speak to me in this mighty tornado."
00:16:54.736 --> 00:16:57.539
But the bible says, "the lord didn't say a word to him."
00:16:57.539 --> 00:17:00.843
Huh, huh, tornado, god didn't speak.
00:17:00.843 --> 00:17:05.347
And then there was the earthquake.
00:17:05.347 --> 00:17:06.715
Man, the earth begins to separate, it's rattling.
00:17:06.715 --> 00:17:09.017
That'll get your attention.
00:17:09.017 --> 00:17:10.619
Surely, god is going to speak to his prophet elijah
00:17:10.619 --> 00:17:13.922
In the earthquake, but god didn't say a word.
00:17:13.922 --> 00:17:18.127
Then there was a fire. oh, that's how god speaks.
00:17:18.127 --> 00:17:20.829
Here's a giant fire.
00:17:20.829 --> 00:17:22.431
In the middle of the fire, god is gonna really zap elijah
00:17:22.431 --> 00:17:25.534
And say the word that he needs.
00:17:25.534 --> 00:17:27.769
God wasn't in the fire.
00:17:27.769 --> 00:17:31.240
Then the bible says, "god spoke the way he usually speaks,
00:17:31.240 --> 00:17:38.580
A still small voice."
00:17:38.580 --> 00:17:44.253
We're fools engaged in foolish worship when we just spend
00:17:44.253 --> 00:17:48.190
That time battling around.
00:17:48.190 --> 00:17:51.426
Maybe god wants to say something to you and me.
00:17:51.426 --> 00:17:54.863
Let's learn how to still and quiet ourselves so he can speak,
00:17:54.863 --> 00:18:02.437
Okay?
00:18:02.437 --> 00:18:04.139
And then he talks about another kind of fools who engage
00:18:04.139 --> 00:18:07.075
In foolish worship, this foolish sacrifice.
00:18:07.075 --> 00:18:09.978
And look at it. it starts in verse 4.
00:18:09.978 --> 00:18:12.314
He said: "when you make a vow to the lord,
00:18:12.314 --> 00:18:14.950
Do not be late in paying it; for he takes no delight in fools."
00:18:14.950 --> 00:18:19.388
And he talks about vows.
00:18:19.388 --> 00:18:21.957
Have you ever said to god, "god, if i get a good report
00:18:21.957 --> 00:18:24.560
On this health situation, i'm going to--"?
00:18:24.560 --> 00:18:29.264
Or, "i'm going to start"? or, "i'm going to stop"?
00:18:29.264 --> 00:18:33.035
Made promises to god; he takes that seriously, yeah.
00:18:33.035 --> 00:18:37.306
You see, if i tell you something,
00:18:37.306 --> 00:18:40.609
I want to keep my word.
00:18:40.609 --> 00:18:42.311
If i tell god something, i certainly wanna keep my word.
00:18:42.311 --> 00:18:46.949
It's a vow.
00:18:46.949 --> 00:18:48.483
We made a vow when we got married, a vow.
00:18:48.483 --> 00:18:52.254
We know jonah made a vow at the temple,
00:18:52.254 --> 00:18:55.123
"oh, lord, i'll serve you."
00:18:55.123 --> 00:18:57.659
But god said, "i've got an assignment for you, jonah.
00:18:57.659 --> 00:19:00.495
I want you to go to nineveh."
00:19:00.495 --> 00:19:01.830
Jonah says, "i hate those ninevites."
00:19:01.830 --> 00:19:05.801
So he runs and heads out for tarshish.
00:19:05.801 --> 00:19:08.303
You know the story. he's shipwrecked.
00:19:08.303 --> 00:19:11.340
He's thrown over the sea.
00:19:11.340 --> 00:19:12.674
He's swallowed by a giant fish, remember?
00:19:12.674 --> 00:19:14.576
And he's living in that fish.
00:19:14.576 --> 00:19:16.078
And i love this passage.
00:19:16.078 --> 00:19:17.646
It says, "he was in the fish three days and three nights,
00:19:17.646 --> 00:19:20.849
And then he prayed."
00:19:20.849 --> 00:19:23.185
I don't believe it'd have taken me that long.
00:19:23.185 --> 00:19:28.357
That's how far he got away.
00:19:28.357 --> 00:19:30.459
And his prayer is tremendous, but he ends up by saying,
00:19:30.459 --> 00:19:32.894
"i will keep the vow that i made to serve you,
00:19:32.894 --> 00:19:38.300
To go where you want me to go."
00:19:38.300 --> 00:19:39.901
He ends up in nineveh and has one of the greatest turnings
00:19:39.901 --> 00:19:42.871
To god that you see in all of history,
00:19:42.871 --> 00:19:46.942
And the sorriest sermon he preached there you've
00:19:46.942 --> 00:19:49.444
Ever heard: "repent, or 40 days, you've had it."
00:19:49.444 --> 00:19:52.748
I mean, that doesn't have any glamour to it, does it?
00:19:52.748 --> 00:19:54.950
But they came to christ, amazing.
00:19:54.950 --> 00:19:59.254
Keep your word to god.
00:19:59.254 --> 00:20:01.857
You say, "well, god is a god of grace,
00:20:01.857 --> 00:20:04.026
A god of forgiveness.
00:20:04.026 --> 00:20:05.427
You know, he'll forgive me when i break my word."
00:20:05.427 --> 00:20:07.529
Go back to that vow.
00:20:07.529 --> 00:20:09.931
Let me tell you something.
00:20:09.931 --> 00:20:11.466
God's love and god's grace is not gonna bail us time and time
00:20:11.466 --> 00:20:16.772
Again until, first of all, we meet the next thing that we read
00:20:16.772 --> 00:20:21.977
Here in our scripture, and that is genuine worship.
00:20:21.977 --> 00:20:24.880
It's found in that 7th verse, and it's so clear: "for in many
00:20:24.880 --> 00:20:30.552
Dreams and many words there is emptiness."
00:20:30.552 --> 00:20:35.157
Worship of fools, forgot who god is.
00:20:35.157 --> 00:20:39.728
Worship of fools, many words.
00:20:39.728 --> 00:20:42.497
Worship of fools, "i made these vows to god
00:20:42.497 --> 00:20:45.167
And i didn't keep them."
00:20:45.167 --> 00:20:46.635
But now he said, "let me tell ya how you worship me."
00:20:46.635 --> 00:20:49.771
He says, "fear god," "fear god."
00:20:49.771 --> 00:20:58.146
Listen, god is holy, ladies and gentlemen.
00:20:58.146 --> 00:21:01.983
All this pedestrianism, this, "somebody up there likes me."
00:21:01.983 --> 00:21:07.122
"oh, god is so sweet."
00:21:07.122 --> 00:21:09.524
And listen, the fear of god is where we begin,
00:21:09.524 --> 00:21:13.328
Our awesome god.
00:21:13.328 --> 00:21:14.963
He's abba to be sure, but also he is a god
00:21:14.963 --> 00:21:17.866
Not to be trifled with.
00:21:17.866 --> 00:21:22.404
That's our god.
00:21:22.404 --> 00:21:25.841
You read moses there.
00:21:25.841 --> 00:21:28.543
He was a shepherd.
00:21:28.543 --> 00:21:29.878
He walked by that burning bush.
00:21:29.878 --> 00:21:31.580
He said, "there's a bush that's on fire that's not
00:21:31.580 --> 00:21:34.049
Being consumed.
00:21:34.049 --> 00:21:35.784
I'm going to go over there and see what's happening."
00:21:35.784 --> 00:21:37.786
And he went toward the bush and god speaks and says,
00:21:37.786 --> 00:21:40.589
"moses, take off your shoes.
00:21:40.589 --> 00:21:45.327
You're on holy ground."
00:21:45.327 --> 00:21:48.230
And it says that moses hid his face in fear.
00:21:48.230 --> 00:21:54.569
It's not a fear of bodily harm, that lightning's gonna
00:21:54.569 --> 00:21:57.873
Strike us, but it is a fear of deep conviction
00:21:57.873 --> 00:22:01.877
Of where we are with him.
00:22:01.877 --> 00:22:04.379
You see, if there's active sin in your life and my life,
00:22:04.379 --> 00:22:07.549
You can go to church, give to church, sing, praise,
00:22:07.549 --> 00:22:11.319
Solo, preach sermons.
00:22:11.319 --> 00:22:13.288
You can do everything in the world,
00:22:13.288 --> 00:22:15.323
But god's not gonna deal with you and me
00:22:15.323 --> 00:22:17.626
Until we get clean with him.
00:22:17.626 --> 00:22:19.494
So it begins so many times with confession and repentance,
00:22:19.494 --> 00:22:22.497
Does it not?
00:22:22.497 --> 00:22:23.865
Confession and repentance.
00:22:23.865 --> 00:22:26.168
The fear of god, that's where we begin,
00:22:26.168 --> 00:22:32.407
An awesome god, a loving god, a triumphant god,
00:22:32.407 --> 00:22:35.577
A caring god, a god who came down to this earth to meet us
00:22:35.577 --> 00:22:39.281
Exactly where we are in jesus christ.
00:22:39.281 --> 00:22:42.050
That is the god whom we are to worship.
00:22:42.050 --> 00:22:45.086
This is how you worship. this is how you do not worship.
00:22:45.086 --> 00:22:48.757
You begin with the fear, the reverence to a holy god.
00:22:48.757 --> 00:22:55.697
The word "fan" in the original latin means,
00:22:55.697 --> 00:22:58.967
"passionate devotion to god."
00:22:58.967 --> 00:23:05.240
Isn't that something?
00:23:05.240 --> 00:23:07.309
A fan, passionately devoted to god.
00:23:07.309 --> 00:23:13.448
And that's what we are to become as worshipers.
00:23:13.448 --> 00:23:17.619
We're to be fans of god, celebrate him, love him,
00:23:17.619 --> 00:23:22.190
Listen to him.
00:23:22.190 --> 00:23:24.059
Don't offer the sacrifice, the worship of fools,
00:23:24.059 --> 00:23:27.696
But go to him in openness and let him touch and deal
00:23:27.696 --> 00:23:32.167
And lead and heal and forgive.
00:23:32.167 --> 00:23:34.236
We are to be fans of him.
00:23:34.236 --> 00:23:36.471
And what the bottom line here is,
00:23:36.471 --> 00:23:38.740
How are we to worship him?
00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:40.575
Wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly, we're to love the lord our god
00:23:40.575 --> 00:23:48.650
With all our strength, with all of our power,
00:23:48.650 --> 00:23:51.353
With all of our might, with our mind, with our souls,
00:23:51.353 --> 00:23:55.524
With the whole shootin' match of your life and my life,
00:23:55.524 --> 00:23:59.027
Wholeheartedly.
00:23:59.027 --> 00:24:02.764
How do you land this plane?
00:24:02.764 --> 00:24:06.835
I think we land it in a psalm that pretty well sums
00:24:06.835 --> 00:24:10.639
All of this up, the 100th psalm: "make a joyful noise
00:24:10.639 --> 00:24:16.778
Unto the lord all ye lands.
00:24:16.778 --> 00:24:19.347
Serve the lord with gladness.
00:24:19.347 --> 00:24:21.416
Come before his presence with singing.
00:24:21.416 --> 00:24:23.351
Know ye that the lord, he is god.
00:24:23.351 --> 00:24:25.620
It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves.
00:24:25.620 --> 00:24:28.757
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
00:24:28.757 --> 00:24:31.860
Enter into his gates," come into church,
00:24:31.860 --> 00:24:35.497
"with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise.
00:24:35.497 --> 00:24:37.732
Be thankful unto him and bless his name,
00:24:37.732 --> 00:24:42.003
For the lord is good.
00:24:42.003 --> 00:24:44.406
His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth
00:24:44.406 --> 00:24:50.078
To all generations."
00:24:50.078 --> 00:24:53.682
That is wholehearted worship, and it sums up these verses
00:24:53.682 --> 00:25:00.155
As well as they can be summed up.
00:25:00.155 --> 00:25:03.124
Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen.
00:25:03.124 --> 00:25:05.260
We learn to worship like that, just a little bit of that,
00:25:05.260 --> 00:25:11.333
Wholehearted worship as fans of the lord god almighty,
00:25:11.333 --> 00:25:16.204
It will absolutely change our lives.
00:25:16.204 --> 00:25:22.744
Male announcer: trials are woven into the very fabric of life.
00:25:24.446 --> 00:25:28.249
When we least expect it, storms can come and turn our lives
00:25:28.249 --> 00:25:31.786
Upside down, they can come crashing like waves on our
00:25:31.786 --> 00:25:35.590
Finances, our health, and our relationships.
00:25:35.590 --> 00:25:39.194
So how do we weather these storms and turn the trials
00:25:39.194 --> 00:25:42.263
Of life into triumphs?
00:25:42.263 --> 00:25:44.499
In his booklet, "hope in the storms of life,"
00:25:44.499 --> 00:25:48.169
Dr. ed young looks at how the apostle paul, though beaten,
00:25:48.169 --> 00:25:51.272
Robbed and shipwrecked, found great joy in life, a joy that
00:25:51.272 --> 00:25:56.177
Our heavenly father wants to fill your life.
00:25:56.177 --> 00:26:00.949
Right now, this powerful booklet is our gift to you for your
00:26:00.949 --> 00:26:04.252
Financial support of this ministry.
00:26:04.252 --> 00:26:06.354
Call the number on your screen or go online at winningwalk.org
00:26:06.354 --> 00:26:10.625
To get a copy for yourself or someone you love.
00:26:10.625 --> 00:26:14.396
When trials come your way, you can turn those trials
00:26:14.396 --> 00:26:17.999
Into triumphs.
00:26:17.999 --> 00:26:19.534
♪♪♪
00:26:22.270 --> 00:26:36.685
Ed: what is the number-one priority in your life?
00:26:36.751 --> 00:26:39.921
It's what you worship, that's it.
00:26:39.921 --> 00:26:42.090
It's god's desire for us to worship him.
00:26:42.090 --> 00:26:44.893
He has created us for that very purpose.
00:26:44.893 --> 00:26:48.496
When we come into his presence with a sense of expectancy,
00:26:48.496 --> 00:26:52.867
He transforms our lives and we'll never be the same.
00:26:52.867 --> 00:26:57.305
Question, do you need this kind of transformation in your life?
00:26:57.305 --> 00:27:02.110
Call the number on your screen.
00:27:02.110 --> 00:27:04.012
We would love to speak with you and help you start a personal
00:27:04.012 --> 00:27:07.716
Relationship with god, and let me thank you for watching today
00:27:07.716 --> 00:27:11.252
As we take another step in the winning walk.
00:27:11.252 --> 00:27:16.124
♪♪♪
00:27:16.124 --> 00:27:16.124

Ed Young - Finding The Answer

April 29, 2025 | S25:E102

Closed captions

Share