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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young

Ed Young - Finding The Answer

August 24, 2025 | S25 E203 | 29:0

Ed Young - Finding The Answer
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.
#inActive #Calling #Purpose #Worship #Focus #SeekGod #RelationshipwithGod #Fool #Foolishness #PresenceofGod #Praise #Honor #GlorifyGod #Reverence #FearoftheLord

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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young | Ed Young - Finding The Answer | August 24, 2025
  • ...
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  • Male announcer: spend time with god each day.
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  • Get dr. young's 90 day devotional, "putting god first."
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  • Ed young: it is my prayer that this devotional will help you to
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  • Become all that god has designed you to become.
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  • Announcer: call or go online to get a copy
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  • For yourself or someone you love.
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Dr. ed young: ecclesiastes is a very bright book.
  • 00:00:30.019 --> 00:00:48.138
  • It is bright because it is written under the dazzling
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  • Background of darkness, and that darkness is death.
  • 00:00:53.443 --> 00:01:01.217
  • You read ecclesiastes, and solomon is always couching
  • 00:01:01.217 --> 00:01:06.156
  • Everything under the background of death.
  • 00:01:06.156 --> 00:01:11.661
  • And he asks over and over again, in many, many ways,
  • 00:01:11.661 --> 00:01:17.767
  • "what is life for under the sun?"
  • 00:01:17.767 --> 00:01:25.542
  • He asks, "what does your life mean?"
  • 00:01:25.542 --> 00:01:29.846
  • And by the way, it's interesting to observe as you read
  • 00:01:29.846 --> 00:01:32.415
  • Ecclesiastes, he talks in general terms,
  • 00:01:32.415 --> 00:01:36.553
  • And then he talks about, "i, i, i."
  • 00:01:36.553 --> 00:01:40.023
  • Remember when he said how narcissistic solomon is?
  • 00:01:40.023 --> 00:01:42.592
  • "i, i, i, i, i, i," but we come to the 5th chapter,
  • 00:01:42.592 --> 00:01:46.796
  • Which we're going to look at, and he says: "you,"
  • 00:01:46.796 --> 00:01:51.534
  • Second person singular, he says, "you."
  • 00:01:51.534 --> 00:01:54.270
  • He changed from, "i, i, i," and general kind of teaching to,
  • 00:01:54.270 --> 00:01:58.508
  • "you."
  • 00:01:58.508 --> 00:01:59.943
  • He makes it very pointed, and the question he keeps asking is,
  • 00:01:59.943 --> 00:02:04.981
  • "what does your life mean?
  • 00:02:04.981 --> 00:02:09.452
  • What difference does your life make under the sun?
  • 00:02:09.452 --> 00:02:13.656
  • What are you here for?
  • 00:02:13.656 --> 00:02:18.528
  • What can you and i do in this life that has not only meaning
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  • Now, but meaning 100 years or 1,000 years that will have
  • 00:02:24.200 --> 00:02:28.504
  • Any significance in all of eternity?"
  • 00:02:28.504 --> 00:02:32.275
  • And he keeps asking that question,
  • 00:02:32.275 --> 00:02:34.077
  • And it's a very uncomfortable question.
  • 00:02:34.077 --> 00:02:37.347
  • But, folks, that question is the greatest question
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  • That can be asked, the most important, significant question
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  • That we have to face.
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  • "what are you here for?"
  • 00:02:50.994 --> 00:02:57.166
  • Now we come to the 5th chapter of ecclesiastes,
  • 00:02:57.166 --> 00:03:01.804
  • And here we see solomon takes on a whole new characteristic.
  • 00:03:01.804 --> 00:03:07.110
  • And it's stunning, but we see now solomon,
  • 00:03:07.110 --> 00:03:12.015
  • I think, goes back to the early years of his life.
  • 00:03:12.015 --> 00:03:15.318
  • He was a young man, discipled by a godly man,
  • 00:03:15.318 --> 00:03:18.554
  • A godly prophet.
  • 00:03:18.554 --> 00:03:20.790
  • How he became king.
  • 00:03:20.790 --> 00:03:22.925
  • How he built the temple.
  • 00:03:22.925 --> 00:03:24.594
  • How he dedicated the temple.
  • 00:03:24.594 --> 00:03:26.095
  • How he prayed in the temple.
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  • How he brought sacrifices to the temple.
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  • How he studied the word and obeyed the word.
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  • But now he's an old man, and he didn't finish well.
  • 00:03:31.968 --> 00:03:37.874
  • All of a sudden, he'd married all these women from all over
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  • The world for so-called, "political reasons."
  • 00:03:40.843 --> 00:03:43.780
  • And now they've brought all their pagan altars into israel.
  • 00:03:43.780 --> 00:03:47.116
  • All these mice had come, and now he'd moved away from god.
  • 00:03:47.116 --> 00:03:53.189
  • And we see that, incidentally, in a little interesting thing.
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  • Don't miss this.
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  • In the book of ecclesiastes, the hebrew word that is used for god
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  • Is usually "elohim," which is just a pedestrian word.
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  • It's just a reference to god in a general sense.
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  • The covenant word for god in the bible,
  • 00:04:11.341 --> 00:04:14.744
  • Mentioned 500 times, it's an interesting word.
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  • It's the word "jehovah" or "yahweh."
  • 00:04:19.082 --> 00:04:22.385
  • In other words, solomon writes, knowing that somehow
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  • He had drifted away from having a covenant with god.
  • 00:04:27.056 --> 00:04:30.159
  • What does it mean to have a covenant with god,
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  • This word that is used?
  • 00:04:32.195 --> 00:04:33.629
  • It means there is an understanding of grace.
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  • It means there is a hope that the messiah would come
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  • And change this world.
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  • You see, that's the covenant relationship god has
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  • With israel, and those are the words.
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  • Solomon does not use that word.
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  • He knows somehow he has moved out from under the covenant,
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  • The protection, the umbrella of almighty god,
  • 00:04:55.284 --> 00:04:58.388
  • So he does not use the word "yahweh" or "jehovah."
  • 00:04:58.388 --> 00:05:01.958
  • Interesting, isn't it?
  • 00:05:01.958 --> 00:05:03.860
  • But he comes here and tells us, "let me tell you about worship."
  • 00:05:03.860 --> 00:05:08.364
  • He built the temple. he knew about worship.
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  • His dad, david, who had experienced so powerfully
  • 00:05:12.435 --> 00:05:15.505
  • The grace of god, was a man after god's own heart.
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  • He knew worship.
  • 00:05:19.108 --> 00:05:20.743
  • Solomon had worshiped, and now he tells us in these
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  • Seven verses, follow me carefully, how to worship
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  • And how not to worship.
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  • That's big, isn't it?
  • 00:05:31.087 --> 00:05:32.755
  • Did you know one of the things that distinguishes us
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  • From animals is that we can worship?
  • 00:05:35.324 --> 00:05:39.896
  • Animals can't worship.
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  • We can worship.
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  • We're made in the image of god.
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  • We can call upon god.
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  • We can know god.
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  • The human beings, we have the capacity to worship,
  • 00:05:47.937 --> 00:05:50.373
  • Awe to god.
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  • He tells us, first of all, how to worship.
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  • Look at it, verse 1, chapter 5: "guard your steps as you go
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  • To the house of god and draw near to listen."
  • 00:06:00.149 --> 00:06:03.519
  • In other words, when you came to church this morning to worship,
  • 00:06:03.519 --> 00:06:07.323
  • Did you guard your steps?
  • 00:06:07.323 --> 00:06:09.892
  • Before you came, did you pray, "lord, speak to me today.
  • 00:06:09.892 --> 00:06:13.529
  • Lord, i need a word from you today.
  • 00:06:13.529 --> 00:06:16.232
  • Come and tabernacle among us today."
  • 00:06:16.232 --> 00:06:18.601
  • Did you come with expectation?
  • 00:06:18.601 --> 00:06:22.138
  • Did you come that a hope in god would break through and heal,
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  • Restore, in form, guide, bring you through this dark place,
  • 00:06:26.509 --> 00:06:31.447
  • Or lift you up in the place of opportunity you're in so
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  • You'll maximize your life?
  • 00:06:34.617 --> 00:06:36.986
  • Did you come praying?
  • 00:06:36.986 --> 00:06:39.121
  • That's what he's saying.
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  • "guard your steps when you go in the of god."
  • 00:06:41.123 --> 00:06:43.826
  • Don't go into church casually or flat-footed.
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  • Anticipation, you see, for worship to take place,
  • 00:06:48.498 --> 00:06:52.368
  • Not only must there be testimony in word and song and the
  • 00:06:52.368 --> 00:06:55.605
  • Teaching of the book, but there has to be those who receive,
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  • Those who come with open minds, open hearts, wanting to feel
  • 00:07:00.877 --> 00:07:05.181
  • The touch, the reality of the living god, see?
  • 00:07:05.181 --> 00:07:09.318
  • It's a twofold way.
  • 00:07:09.318 --> 00:07:12.622
  • And he says, "we come to listen.
  • 00:07:12.622 --> 00:07:16.692
  • We come to listen.
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  • We draw near to listen."
  • 00:07:18.060 --> 00:07:19.862
  • That's the first, he says, "this is how you worship."
  • 00:07:19.862 --> 00:07:23.766
  • You could sit in a pew, go through the motions,
  • 00:07:23.766 --> 00:07:25.868
  • Check all the box, "i went to church.
  • 00:07:25.868 --> 00:07:27.770
  • It was okay," and say, "boy, you know,
  • 00:07:27.770 --> 00:07:30.206
  • He didn't perform as good today."
  • 00:07:30.206 --> 00:07:32.241
  • But you see, we come and say, "lord jesus, i need your word.
  • 00:07:32.241 --> 00:07:36.412
  • Let your spirit come and bring my life into reality with you.
  • 00:07:36.412 --> 00:07:43.352
  • I wanna catch fire, have meaning, significance,
  • 00:07:43.352 --> 00:07:46.789
  • And confidence, hope."
  • 00:07:46.789 --> 00:07:48.124
  • All of that happens in worship, private worship,
  • 00:07:48.124 --> 00:07:51.327
  • And corporate worship like we engaged in now.
  • 00:07:51.327 --> 00:07:54.096
  • Come in tiptoe.
  • 00:07:54.096 --> 00:07:56.198
  • Come with great expectancy.
  • 00:07:56.198 --> 00:08:00.703
  • "come near and listen."
  • 00:08:00.703 --> 00:08:03.039
  • And then he tells us how not to worship.
  • 00:08:03.039 --> 00:08:06.809
  • And look, these are strong, strong words.
  • 00:08:06.809 --> 00:08:09.579
  • They're a little frightening to me as i kept looking at them.
  • 00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:13.549
  • He says, "rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools;
  • 00:08:13.549 --> 00:08:18.454
  • As they do not know they are doing evil."
  • 00:08:18.454 --> 00:08:22.124
  • In other words, phony worship, foolish worship,
  • 00:08:22.124 --> 00:08:25.628
  • It is coming like a fool to church,
  • 00:08:25.628 --> 00:08:28.764
  • Coming like a fool when you do your quiet time,
  • 00:08:28.764 --> 00:08:31.233
  • Coming like a fool.
  • 00:08:31.233 --> 00:08:33.436
  • And he says, "when you come as a hypocrite,
  • 00:08:33.436 --> 00:08:37.073
  • Without sincerity, look what happens."
  • 00:08:37.073 --> 00:08:39.575
  • He says, "it's not just not a good thing to do."
  • 00:08:39.575 --> 00:08:42.545
  • He said, "it is an evil thing to do."
  • 00:08:42.545 --> 00:08:46.949
  • Ladies and gentlemen, it is absolutely dangerous
  • 00:08:46.949 --> 00:08:50.453
  • To go to church.
  • 00:08:50.453 --> 00:08:53.356
  • It's a ferocious thing. it's a frightening thing.
  • 00:08:53.356 --> 00:08:55.591
  • It's an overwhelming thing to go and say,
  • 00:08:55.591 --> 00:08:58.427
  • "i'm going to worship," and not worship.
  • 00:08:58.427 --> 00:09:02.298
  • It is the worship or the sacrifice of fools.
  • 00:09:02.298 --> 00:09:07.937
  • And then he tells us exactly, precisely what the sacrifice,
  • 00:09:07.937 --> 00:09:12.942
  • What phony, hypocritical worship is all about.
  • 00:09:12.942 --> 00:09:16.445
  • Look what he says first of all in verse 2.
  • 00:09:16.445 --> 00:09:19.682
  • He says: "do not be hasty in word or impulsive in thought
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  • To bring up a matter in the presence of god.
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  • For god is in heaven and you are on earth."
  • 00:09:25.521 --> 00:09:29.191
  • What is he saying?
  • 00:09:29.191 --> 00:09:31.260
  • He said, "fools worship foolishly,
  • 00:09:31.260 --> 00:09:35.197
  • Engage in foolish worship when we forget who god is."
  • 00:09:35.197 --> 00:09:41.971
  • We forget who god is.
  • 00:09:41.971 --> 00:09:45.741
  • I had a member of the staff once in a meeting said,
  • 00:09:45.741 --> 00:09:48.611
  • "oh, we need to have a come-to-jesus movement."
  • 00:09:48.611 --> 00:09:52.048
  • Let me tell you something. i don't like that terminology.
  • 00:09:52.048 --> 00:09:57.186
  • No, no, no, we use christ as an expletive, of all things.
  • 00:09:57.186 --> 00:10:04.360
  • We gotta remember who god is.
  • 00:10:04.360 --> 00:10:07.129
  • Who is god?
  • 00:10:07.129 --> 00:10:09.598
  • He is omniscient, he's all-knowing.
  • 00:10:09.598 --> 00:10:14.303
  • There's no thought we've ever had, no emotion
  • 00:10:14.303 --> 00:10:16.839
  • We've ever experienced, nothing we've ever done
  • 00:10:16.839 --> 00:10:19.108
  • Or said or not done that he doesn't know about.
  • 00:10:19.108 --> 00:10:21.811
  • You don't have any secrets from god.
  • 00:10:21.811 --> 00:10:24.313
  • I don't have any secrets from god.
  • 00:10:24.313 --> 00:10:27.249
  • He's omniscient, he's all-knowing.
  • 00:10:27.249 --> 00:10:31.353
  • He is omnipotent. he is all-powerful.
  • 00:10:31.353 --> 00:10:34.990
  • He speaks, and it happens, all-powerful.
  • 00:10:34.990 --> 00:10:40.062
  • Whew, this is who god is.
  • 00:10:40.062 --> 00:10:42.798
  • He's omnipresent, he's present everywhere.
  • 00:10:42.798 --> 00:10:47.403
  • That's the reason i'm always sort of uneasy when somebody
  • 00:10:47.403 --> 00:10:51.874
  • With a pious twang in their voice says,
  • 00:10:51.874 --> 00:10:56.212
  • "lord jesus christ, we welcome you and your holy spirit
  • 00:10:56.212 --> 00:11:00.015
  • In this place."
  • 00:11:00.015 --> 00:11:01.450
  • Let me tell ya, the lord jesus christ,
  • 00:11:01.450 --> 00:11:03.119
  • The holy spirit is already there, anytime, anywhere,
  • 00:11:03.119 --> 00:11:05.888
  • Any place, anywhere you go.
  • 00:11:05.888 --> 00:11:07.590
  • He is omnipotent. he is omniscient.
  • 00:11:07.590 --> 00:11:09.792
  • He is omnipresent. don't have to invite him.
  • 00:11:09.792 --> 00:11:13.863
  • He's already there.
  • 00:11:13.863 --> 00:11:16.165
  • So we have to understand worship, worship.
  • 00:11:16.165 --> 00:11:20.936
  • And then he would say that worship has to transform
  • 00:11:20.936 --> 00:11:23.572
  • Areas of your life.
  • 00:11:23.572 --> 00:11:25.908
  • A number of years ago, it just stands out in my mind,
  • 00:11:25.908 --> 00:11:28.644
  • I got up and i had my quiet time.
  • 00:11:28.644 --> 00:11:30.613
  • I was in the word.
  • 00:11:30.613 --> 00:11:31.947
  • It's one of those times when heaven opens, you know,
  • 00:11:31.947 --> 00:11:34.850
  • And god speaks.
  • 00:11:34.850 --> 00:11:36.285
  • And i guess i cried and i confessed and he came close
  • 00:11:36.285 --> 00:11:41.357
  • And i was inspired, and it was one of those mountaintop
  • 00:11:41.357 --> 00:11:45.561
  • Moments, you know, you have, not every day.
  • 00:11:45.561 --> 00:11:48.397
  • It was just a mountaintop moment,
  • 00:11:48.397 --> 00:11:50.099
  • And i went in and ate breakfast with jo beth and the kids,
  • 00:11:50.099 --> 00:11:53.836
  • And i went and got dressed in my suit,
  • 00:11:53.836 --> 00:11:56.272
  • And i just was walking out, and i kissed jo beth,
  • 00:11:56.272 --> 00:12:00.810
  • And i went out, and she said, "would you mind takin' out
  • 00:12:00.810 --> 00:12:04.713
  • The trash?"
  • 00:12:04.713 --> 00:12:09.585
  • And i wanted to say, "yeah, i mind," but i didn't.
  • 00:12:09.585 --> 00:12:14.924
  • And i went back and i got the trash,
  • 00:12:14.924 --> 00:12:17.393
  • Knowing that my oldest son had walked by that trash four times
  • 00:12:17.393 --> 00:12:21.030
  • Already that morning, and he hadn't even made up his bed.
  • 00:12:21.030 --> 00:12:24.700
  • I'm sure of that.
  • 00:12:24.700 --> 00:12:26.669
  • But i went back to get the trash,
  • 00:12:26.669 --> 00:12:28.470
  • And there were some--it wasn't tied up with one of the little
  • 00:12:28.470 --> 00:12:31.941
  • Tie things then, you know?
  • 00:12:31.941 --> 00:12:33.442
  • And i saw some old apples there.
  • 00:12:33.442 --> 00:12:35.110
  • By the way, while i'm here, let me tell ya one of my pet peeves.
  • 00:12:35.110 --> 00:12:42.751
  • One pet peeve is when people park over the line
  • 00:12:42.751 --> 00:12:45.321
  • And take two places.
  • 00:12:45.321 --> 00:12:46.655
  • That just--i think that oughtta be capital punishment.
  • 00:12:46.655 --> 00:12:52.528
  • But i've got a greater pet peeve than that.
  • 00:12:52.528 --> 00:12:55.364
  • That is those little sticky things they put on fruit.
  • 00:12:55.364 --> 00:13:01.670
  • Whatever government regulation brought that to bear,
  • 00:13:01.670 --> 00:13:04.974
  • They oughtta go to jail forever.
  • 00:13:04.974 --> 00:13:09.912
  • And they put 'em on evidently with permanent glue.
  • 00:13:09.912 --> 00:13:13.616
  • I mean, it's unbelievable.
  • 00:13:13.616 --> 00:13:15.417
  • What in the world does that do?
  • 00:13:15.417 --> 00:13:16.886
  • Can anybody tell me?
  • 00:13:16.886 --> 00:13:18.220
  • No, it's some gimmick, some company that--i'd love to be
  • 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:22.358
  • The guy that makes those little sticky things they put on
  • 00:13:22.358 --> 00:13:24.526
  • All the fruit in america.
  • 00:13:24.526 --> 00:13:27.830
  • Anyway, back to the trash.
  • 00:13:27.830 --> 00:13:33.903
  • And i got all the trash together,
  • 00:13:33.903 --> 00:13:36.071
  • And i put it on, and it was full, and i take it out.
  • 00:13:36.071 --> 00:13:39.208
  • And i remember i got to slam dunk it outside in
  • 00:13:39.208 --> 00:13:42.044
  • The trash thing, and some of it came out on my pants,
  • 00:13:42.044 --> 00:13:47.082
  • And jo beth says, "we've got another one."
  • 00:13:47.082 --> 00:13:52.021
  • Boy, i went stormin' back in there,
  • 00:13:52.021 --> 00:13:54.423
  • And i got that other one, and i went out and i--this was the guy
  • 00:13:54.423 --> 00:14:01.563
  • Who just a little bit before in the holy of holies of prayer,
  • 00:14:01.563 --> 00:14:07.770
  • This is a guy who is covered in shekinah, takin' out trash.
  • 00:14:07.770 --> 00:14:17.813
  • You see, my problem then, and many times since,
  • 00:14:18.981 --> 00:14:22.551
  • And probably yours is we don't transfer our worship to how we
  • 00:14:22.551 --> 00:14:30.092
  • Live, how we think, what we do, because worship is to transform
  • 00:14:30.092 --> 00:14:38.434
  • Your life and my life and the mundane things as well as
  • 00:14:38.434 --> 00:14:42.838
  • The big, big things that we encounter, is it not?
  • 00:14:42.838 --> 00:14:48.210
  • So he says, "we are fools engaged in foolish worship
  • 00:14:48.210 --> 00:14:51.547
  • When we forget him with whom we are dealing with,
  • 00:14:51.547 --> 00:14:55.818
  • Him whom we are worshiping."
  • 00:14:55.818 --> 00:14:59.955
  • And then he says to us, the second thing involved here
  • 00:14:59.955 --> 00:15:02.958
  • About foolish worship, the sacrifice of fools.
  • 00:15:02.958 --> 00:15:05.861
  • Look at it, verse 3, he says: "for the dream comes through
  • 00:15:05.861 --> 00:15:10.032
  • Much effort and the voice of a fool through many words."
  • 00:15:10.032 --> 00:15:13.802
  • You are a fool engaged in foolish worship,
  • 00:15:13.802 --> 00:15:17.506
  • And i am when our worship is filled with words and dreams.
  • 00:15:17.506 --> 00:15:24.213
  • We go to god and we've got our agenda,
  • 00:15:24.213 --> 00:15:26.615
  • "god, let me tell you what i believe you need to say to me,
  • 00:15:26.615 --> 00:15:29.685
  • And i wanna make this deal with you.
  • 00:15:29.685 --> 00:15:31.186
  • And god, god, god," and we talk, and we talk,
  • 00:15:31.186 --> 00:15:33.255
  • And we have all our dreams and our aspirations and what we
  • 00:15:33.255 --> 00:15:36.258
  • Think and what we know and how we cut a special deal with god
  • 00:15:36.258 --> 00:15:40.095
  • And we just talk--when god wants to say somethin' to you and me,
  • 00:15:40.095 --> 00:15:43.999
  • When in the world is he going to say it,
  • 00:15:43.999 --> 00:15:46.435
  • Even when we're trying to worship,
  • 00:15:46.435 --> 00:15:48.137
  • When our mind and our tongues are just babbling?
  • 00:15:48.137 --> 00:15:54.243
  • You have an appointment with bill gates, oh.
  • 00:15:54.243 --> 00:15:58.080
  • And you sit down with mr. gates and said, "mr. gates,
  • 00:15:58.080 --> 00:16:00.716
  • I wanna tell you what i think about the internet,
  • 00:16:00.716 --> 00:16:03.085
  • About the computer industry, and about it," and you spend
  • 00:16:03.085 --> 00:16:05.721
  • All your time telling him what you know about the iphone
  • 00:16:05.721 --> 00:16:09.725
  • And all the rest of us, and you walk--is that stupid?
  • 00:16:09.725 --> 00:16:15.831
  • Man, you were the man who started some of this.
  • 00:16:15.831 --> 00:16:18.467
  • Or down with albert einstein, "dr. einstein,
  • 00:16:18.467 --> 00:16:21.003
  • I had a course in physics when i was in high school,
  • 00:16:21.003 --> 00:16:24.640
  • And i wanna tell you what i have figured out
  • 00:16:24.640 --> 00:16:26.942
  • About this physical--"
  • 00:16:26.942 --> 00:16:28.277
  • You're with albert einstein.
  • 00:16:28.277 --> 00:16:29.812
  • Is that insane?
  • 00:16:29.812 --> 00:16:33.949
  • We are with god.
  • 00:16:33.949 --> 00:16:37.019
  • He might wanna say somethin' to us, speak a word.
  • 00:16:37.019 --> 00:16:43.158
  • But we're just [mumbling] talkin' about dreams,
  • 00:16:43.158 --> 00:16:45.727
  • And we quote scripture to god.
  • 00:16:45.727 --> 00:16:47.362
  • I never understand that.
  • 00:16:47.362 --> 00:16:52.868
  • Sometimes we just wait and be still.
  • 00:16:52.868 --> 00:16:56.105
  • Elijah wanted to meet with god.
  • 00:16:56.105 --> 00:16:57.773
  • Man, he'd had a tough time, had a victory,
  • 00:16:57.773 --> 00:17:00.409
  • Now he was depressed.
  • 00:17:00.409 --> 00:17:02.277
  • He's in a cave.
  • 00:17:02.277 --> 00:17:03.846
  • He said, "oh, god, i need a word from you."
  • 00:17:03.846 --> 00:17:05.948
  • He needed to worship, and boy, here comes a tornado,
  • 00:17:05.948 --> 00:17:09.418
  • Winds blowing.
  • 00:17:09.418 --> 00:17:10.752
  • And he said, "boy, god is gonna be in this tornado.
  • 00:17:10.752 --> 00:17:12.855
  • I know he's gonna speak to me in this mighty tornado."
  • 00:17:12.855 --> 00:17:15.657
  • But the bible says, "the lord didn't say a word to him."
  • 00:17:15.657 --> 00:17:18.994
  • Huh, huh, tornado, god didn't speak.
  • 00:17:18.994 --> 00:17:23.465
  • And then there was the earthquake.
  • 00:17:23.465 --> 00:17:24.833
  • Man, the earth begins to separate, it's rattling.
  • 00:17:24.833 --> 00:17:27.136
  • That'll get your attention.
  • 00:17:27.136 --> 00:17:28.737
  • Surely, god is going to speak to his prophet elijah
  • 00:17:28.737 --> 00:17:32.040
  • In the earthquake, but god didn't say a word.
  • 00:17:32.040 --> 00:17:36.245
  • Then there was a fire. oh, that's how god speaks.
  • 00:17:36.245 --> 00:17:38.947
  • Here's a giant fire.
  • 00:17:38.947 --> 00:17:40.549
  • In the middle of the fire, god is gonna really zap elijah
  • 00:17:40.549 --> 00:17:43.652
  • And say the word that he needs.
  • 00:17:43.652 --> 00:17:45.888
  • God wasn't in the fire.
  • 00:17:45.888 --> 00:17:49.358
  • Then the bible says, "god spoke the way he usually speaks,
  • 00:17:49.358 --> 00:17:56.698
  • A still small voice."
  • 00:17:56.698 --> 00:18:02.371
  • We're fools engaged in foolish worship when we just spend
  • 00:18:02.371 --> 00:18:06.275
  • That time battling around.
  • 00:18:06.275 --> 00:18:09.545
  • Maybe god wants to say something to you and me.
  • 00:18:09.545 --> 00:18:12.948
  • Let's learn how to still and quiet ourselves so he can speak,
  • 00:18:12.948 --> 00:18:20.522
  • Okay?
  • 00:18:20.522 --> 00:18:22.224
  • And then he talks about another kind of fools who engage
  • 00:18:22.224 --> 00:18:25.160
  • In foolish worship, this foolish sacrifice.
  • 00:18:25.160 --> 00:18:28.063
  • And look at it. it starts in verse 4.
  • 00:18:28.063 --> 00:18:30.432
  • He said: "when you make a vow to the lord,
  • 00:18:30.432 --> 00:18:33.068
  • Do not be late in paying it; for he takes no delight in fools."
  • 00:18:33.068 --> 00:18:37.472
  • And he talks about vows.
  • 00:18:37.472 --> 00:18:40.042
  • Have you ever said to god, "god, if i get a good report
  • 00:18:40.042 --> 00:18:42.678
  • On this health situation, i'm going to--"?
  • 00:18:42.678 --> 00:18:47.382
  • Or, "i'm going to start"? or, "i'm going to stop"?
  • 00:18:47.382 --> 00:18:51.153
  • Made promises to god; he takes that seriously, yeah.
  • 00:18:51.153 --> 00:18:55.390
  • You see, if i tell you something,
  • 00:18:55.390 --> 00:18:58.727
  • I want to keep my word.
  • 00:18:58.727 --> 00:19:00.395
  • If i tell god something, i certainly wanna keep my word.
  • 00:19:00.395 --> 00:19:05.033
  • It's a vow.
  • 00:19:05.033 --> 00:19:06.568
  • We made a vow when we got married, a vow.
  • 00:19:06.568 --> 00:19:10.339
  • We know jonah made a vow at the temple,
  • 00:19:10.339 --> 00:19:13.208
  • "oh, lord, i'll serve you."
  • 00:19:13.208 --> 00:19:15.744
  • But god said, "i've got an assignment for you, jonah.
  • 00:19:15.744 --> 00:19:18.547
  • I want you to go to nineveh."
  • 00:19:18.547 --> 00:19:19.915
  • Jonah says, "i hate those ninevites."
  • 00:19:19.915 --> 00:19:23.885
  • So he runs and heads out for tarshish.
  • 00:19:23.885 --> 00:19:26.388
  • You know the story. he's shipwrecked.
  • 00:19:26.388 --> 00:19:29.391
  • He's thrown over the sea.
  • 00:19:29.391 --> 00:19:30.726
  • He's swallowed by a giant fish, remember?
  • 00:19:30.726 --> 00:19:32.628
  • And he's living in that fish.
  • 00:19:32.628 --> 00:19:34.162
  • And i love this passage.
  • 00:19:34.162 --> 00:19:35.697
  • It says, "he was in the fish three days and three nights,
  • 00:19:35.697 --> 00:19:38.934
  • And then he prayed."
  • 00:19:38.934 --> 00:19:41.236
  • I don't believe it'd have taken me that long.
  • 00:19:41.236 --> 00:19:46.441
  • That's how far he got away.
  • 00:19:46.441 --> 00:19:48.543
  • And his prayer is tremendous, but he ends up by saying,
  • 00:19:48.543 --> 00:19:50.979
  • "i will keep the vow that i made to serve you,
  • 00:19:50.979 --> 00:19:56.351
  • To go where you want me to go."
  • 00:19:56.351 --> 00:19:57.953
  • He ends up in nineveh and has one of the greatest turnings
  • 00:19:57.953 --> 00:20:00.922
  • To god that you see in all of history,
  • 00:20:00.922 --> 00:20:04.993
  • And the sorriest sermon he preached there you've
  • 00:20:04.993 --> 00:20:07.496
  • Ever heard: "repent, or 40 days, you've had it."
  • 00:20:07.496 --> 00:20:10.799
  • I mean, that doesn't have any glamour to it, does it?
  • 00:20:10.799 --> 00:20:13.001
  • But they came to christ, amazing.
  • 00:20:13.001 --> 00:20:17.306
  • Keep your word to god.
  • 00:20:17.306 --> 00:20:19.908
  • You say, "well, god is a god of grace,
  • 00:20:19.908 --> 00:20:22.077
  • A god of forgiveness.
  • 00:20:22.077 --> 00:20:23.478
  • You know, he'll forgive me when i break my word."
  • 00:20:23.478 --> 00:20:25.580
  • Go back to that vow.
  • 00:20:25.580 --> 00:20:27.983
  • Let me tell you something.
  • 00:20:27.983 --> 00:20:29.518
  • God's love and god's grace is not gonna bail us time and time
  • 00:20:29.518 --> 00:20:34.823
  • Again until, first of all, we meet the next thing that we read
  • 00:20:34.823 --> 00:20:40.028
  • Here in our scripture, and that is genuine worship.
  • 00:20:40.028 --> 00:20:42.931
  • It's found in that 7th verse, and it's so clear: "for in many
  • 00:20:42.931 --> 00:20:48.603
  • Dreams and many words there is emptiness."
  • 00:20:48.603 --> 00:20:53.208
  • Worship of fools, forgot who god is.
  • 00:20:53.208 --> 00:20:57.779
  • Worship of fools, many words.
  • 00:20:57.779 --> 00:21:00.549
  • Worship of fools, "i made these vows to god
  • 00:21:00.549 --> 00:21:03.218
  • And i didn't keep them."
  • 00:21:03.218 --> 00:21:04.653
  • But now he said, "let me tell ya how you worship me."
  • 00:21:04.653 --> 00:21:07.789
  • He says, "fear god," "fear god."
  • 00:21:07.789 --> 00:21:16.164
  • Listen, god is holy, ladies and gentlemen.
  • 00:21:16.164 --> 00:21:20.001
  • All this pedestrianism, this, "somebody up there likes me."
  • 00:21:20.001 --> 00:21:25.173
  • "oh, god is so sweet."
  • 00:21:25.173 --> 00:21:27.542
  • And listen, the fear of god is where we begin,
  • 00:21:27.542 --> 00:21:31.346
  • Our awesome god.
  • 00:21:31.346 --> 00:21:32.981
  • He's abba to be sure, but also he is a god
  • 00:21:32.981 --> 00:21:35.884
  • Not to be trifled with.
  • 00:21:35.884 --> 00:21:40.422
  • That's our god.
  • 00:21:40.422 --> 00:21:43.859
  • You read moses there.
  • 00:21:43.859 --> 00:21:46.561
  • He was a shepherd.
  • 00:21:46.561 --> 00:21:47.896
  • He walked by that burning bush.
  • 00:21:47.896 --> 00:21:49.598
  • He said, "there's a bush that's on fire that's not
  • 00:21:49.598 --> 00:21:52.067
  • Being consumed.
  • 00:21:52.067 --> 00:21:53.802
  • I'm going to go over there and see what's happening."
  • 00:21:53.802 --> 00:21:55.804
  • And he went toward the bush and god speaks and says,
  • 00:21:55.804 --> 00:21:58.607
  • "moses, take off your shoes.
  • 00:21:58.607 --> 00:22:03.345
  • You're on holy ground."
  • 00:22:03.345 --> 00:22:06.248
  • And it says that moses hid his face in fear.
  • 00:22:06.248 --> 00:22:12.587
  • It's not a fear of bodily harm, that lightning's gonna
  • 00:22:12.587 --> 00:22:15.891
  • Strike us, but it is a fear of deep conviction
  • 00:22:15.891 --> 00:22:19.861
  • Of where we are with him.
  • 00:22:19.861 --> 00:22:22.397
  • You see, if there's active sin in your life and my life,
  • 00:22:22.397 --> 00:22:25.534
  • You can go to church, give to church, sing, praise,
  • 00:22:25.534 --> 00:22:29.304
  • Solo, preach sermons.
  • 00:22:29.304 --> 00:22:31.273
  • You can do everything in the world,
  • 00:22:31.273 --> 00:22:33.308
  • But god's not gonna deal with you and me
  • 00:22:33.308 --> 00:22:35.644
  • Until we get clean with him.
  • 00:22:35.644 --> 00:22:37.512
  • So it begins so many times with confession and repentance,
  • 00:22:37.512 --> 00:22:40.515
  • Does it not?
  • 00:22:40.515 --> 00:22:41.850
  • Confession and repentance.
  • 00:22:41.850 --> 00:22:44.186
  • The fear of god, that's where we begin,
  • 00:22:44.186 --> 00:22:50.392
  • An awesome god, a loving god, a triumphant god,
  • 00:22:50.392 --> 00:22:53.595
  • A caring god, a god who came down to this earth to meet us
  • 00:22:53.595 --> 00:22:57.299
  • Exactly where we are in jesus christ.
  • 00:22:57.299 --> 00:23:00.035
  • That is the god whom we are to worship.
  • 00:23:00.035 --> 00:23:02.737
  • This is how you worship. this is how you do not worship.
  • 00:23:02.737 --> 00:23:06.408
  • You begin with the fear, the reverence to a holy god.
  • 00:23:06.408 --> 00:23:13.348
  • The word "fan" in the original latin means,
  • 00:23:13.348 --> 00:23:16.618
  • "passionate devotion to god."
  • 00:23:16.618 --> 00:23:22.891
  • Isn't that something?
  • 00:23:22.891 --> 00:23:24.960
  • A fan, passionately devoted to god.
  • 00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:31.066
  • And that's what we are to become as worshipers.
  • 00:23:31.066 --> 00:23:35.270
  • We're to be fans of god, celebrate him, love him,
  • 00:23:35.270 --> 00:23:39.841
  • Listen to him.
  • 00:23:39.841 --> 00:23:41.710
  • Don't offer the sacrifice, the worship of fools,
  • 00:23:41.710 --> 00:23:45.313
  • But go to him in openness and let him touch and deal
  • 00:23:45.313 --> 00:23:49.784
  • And lead and heal and forgive.
  • 00:23:49.784 --> 00:23:51.853
  • We are to be fans of him.
  • 00:23:51.853 --> 00:23:54.122
  • And what the bottom line here is,
  • 00:23:54.122 --> 00:23:56.358
  • How are we to worship him?
  • 00:23:56.358 --> 00:23:58.193
  • Wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly, we're to love the lord our god
  • 00:23:58.193 --> 00:24:06.301
  • With all our strength, with all of our power,
  • 00:24:06.301 --> 00:24:08.970
  • With all of our might, with our mind, with our souls,
  • 00:24:08.970 --> 00:24:13.141
  • With the whole shootin' match of your life and my life,
  • 00:24:13.141 --> 00:24:16.645
  • Wholeheartedly.
  • 00:24:16.645 --> 00:24:20.382
  • How do you land this plane?
  • 00:24:20.382 --> 00:24:24.452
  • I think we land it in a psalm that pretty well sums
  • 00:24:24.452 --> 00:24:28.256
  • All of this up, the 100th psalm: "make a joyful noise
  • 00:24:28.256 --> 00:24:34.396
  • Unto the lord all ye lands.
  • 00:24:34.396 --> 00:24:36.965
  • Serve the lord with gladness.
  • 00:24:36.965 --> 00:24:39.034
  • Come before his presence with singing.
  • 00:24:39.034 --> 00:24:40.969
  • Know ye that the lord, he is god.
  • 00:24:40.969 --> 00:24:43.204
  • It is he that hath made us and not we ourselves.
  • 00:24:43.204 --> 00:24:46.374
  • We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
  • 00:24:46.374 --> 00:24:49.477
  • Enter into his gates," come into church,
  • 00:24:49.477 --> 00:24:53.114
  • "with thanksgiving, into his courts with praise.
  • 00:24:53.114 --> 00:24:55.350
  • Be thankful unto him and bless his name,
  • 00:24:55.350 --> 00:24:59.621
  • For the lord is good.
  • 00:24:59.621 --> 00:25:01.990
  • His mercy is everlasting, and his truth endureth
  • 00:25:01.990 --> 00:25:07.662
  • To all generations."
  • 00:25:07.662 --> 00:25:11.299
  • That is wholehearted worship, and it sums up these verses
  • 00:25:11.299 --> 00:25:17.772
  • As well as they can be summed up.
  • 00:25:17.772 --> 00:25:20.742
  • Let me tell you something, ladies and gentlemen.
  • 00:25:20.742 --> 00:25:22.844
  • We learn to worship like that, just a little bit of that,
  • 00:25:22.844 --> 00:25:28.950
  • Wholehearted worship as fans of the lord god almighty,
  • 00:25:28.950 --> 00:25:33.822
  • It will absolutely change our lives.
  • 00:25:33.822 --> 00:25:40.362
  • Ed: there's never been a better time than right
  • 00:25:43.198 --> 00:25:45.834
  • Now to make god a priority in your life.
  • 00:25:45.834 --> 00:25:49.204
  • That's why we've created this 90 day devotional,
  • 00:25:49.204 --> 00:25:52.941
  • "putting god first," number one.
  • 00:25:52.941 --> 00:25:55.343
  • And when you and i do that, he is faithful to give the
  • 00:25:55.343 --> 00:25:58.780
  • Direction of guidance you and i need every day
  • 00:25:58.780 --> 00:26:01.883
  • To walk through life.
  • 00:26:01.883 --> 00:26:03.885
  • It is my prayer that this devotional will help you to
  • 00:26:03.885 --> 00:26:06.588
  • Become all that god has designed you to become.
  • 00:26:06.588 --> 00:26:10.959
  • Male announcer: call today or go online at winningwalk.org to get
  • 00:26:11.026 --> 00:26:14.829
  • Your copy of dr. young's 90 day devotional "putting god first."
  • 00:26:14.829 --> 00:26:19.701
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:23.004 --> 00:26:32.947
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:26:32.947 --> 00:26:36.217
  • Ed: what is the number-one priority in your life?
  • 00:26:36.217 --> 00:26:39.387
  • It's what you worship, that's it.
  • 00:26:39.387 --> 00:26:41.556
  • It's god's desire for us to worship him.
  • 00:26:41.556 --> 00:26:44.359
  • He has created us for that very purpose.
  • 00:26:44.359 --> 00:26:47.962
  • When we come into his presence with a sense of expectancy,
  • 00:26:47.962 --> 00:26:52.333
  • He transforms our lives and we'll never be the same.
  • 00:26:52.333 --> 00:26:56.771
  • Question, do you need this kind of transformation in your life?
  • 00:26:56.771 --> 00:27:01.576
  • Call the number on your screen.
  • 00:27:01.576 --> 00:27:03.478
  • We would love to speak with you and help you start a personal
  • 00:27:03.478 --> 00:27:07.015
  • Relationship with god, and let me thank you for watching today
  • 00:27:07.015 --> 00:27:10.652
  • As we take another step in the winning walk.
  • 00:27:10.652 --> 00:27:15.023
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:17.025 --> 00:27:28.937