Ed Young - The Will of God

January 21, 2025 | S25:E18

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.

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The Winning Walk with Dr. Ed Young | Ed Young - The Will of God | January 21, 2025
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • ♪♪♪
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  • Pastor ed: our heavenly father, forgive all of us when we have
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  • Put self and selfishness ahead of kingdom purposes.
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  • Right now, i pray that you will speak and let me get out of
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  • The way.
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  • It is our petition in jesus's name, amen.
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  • We could offer after this service 25 or 30 classes in
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  • Which you and i could attend on all sorts of subjects, biblical
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  • Subjects, 25 or 30 classes.
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  • And in one of those classes, we would entitle it "how to know
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  • The will of god."
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  • I guarantee you that class would fill up before any of the other
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  • Classes that we'd offer.
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  • Have you ever watched a road lizard, not much?
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  • A road lizards, they just squirm around seemingly without
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  • Rhyme or reason.
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  • They get in the highway, the roads, and they're capricious,
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  • And you don't know if they're looking for food, or they run
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  • Right into trouble.
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  • They're just, "whoosh, woosh," and i use the phrase "crazy as
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  • A road lizard."
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  • You know what i'm talking about? sure you do.
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  • A lot of us seek the mind and the will of god like a road
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  • Lizard, and i've been guilty of this, and maybe you have.
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  • We have a decision to make, wanna let god get in on it, and
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  • Hopefully we're a part of what he's leading us to do, and we
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  • Flip a coin and say, "well, heads i'll do this, tails i'll
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  • Do this."
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  • Road lizard methodology of seeking god's will and plan.
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  • Or we look for the magic bible verse.
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  • "lord, i don't know what to do. please give me insight."
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  • Bang, that's it. "oh, yes, you spoke to me."
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  • Or we make lists of pro and con on that decision, and the
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  • Longest list, that's how we go, forgetting that the priorities
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  • On the list should be the thing that most gives us insight.
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  • Road lizard methodology of trying to find the will of god.
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  • And sometimes people say, "well, there's a biblical principle
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  • There in judges 6.
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  • I put a fleece out, remember?
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  • It's wet tomorrow and it's dry today."
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  • Listen, that method is not available to us at this moment
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  • In time.
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  • That was one situation there with joshua, period.
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  • And we see it all over the place, and some of us fall back
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  • Into that trap.
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  • Now, if you are in christ and i am in christ, the bible tells
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  • Us, and we know because we're seeking the leadership of the
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  • Holy spirit, some basic principles of discovering the
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  • Will of god.
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  • And because god loves us, and if we're in christ, does it seem
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  • Strange to anybody here that god is putting his plan and purpose
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  • For your life and my life in some mysterious, hidden way?
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  • Does that sound like a god who loves us?
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  • We know that when we're living in action according to his plan
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  • In this world, in this universe, for you and for me, and you
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  • Think he's, "i don't want them to find out.
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  • Oh, i sure hope they don't find out."
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  • And finding the will of god for some is like an easter egg hunt.
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  • We do that every year with our grandkids.
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  • We hide eggs all over the place and, they want to find the
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  • Golden egg, and as they're looking, we'll say, "you're
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  • Getting hotter," or "you getting colder."
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  • Does god operate like that?
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  • Well, you're getting close to knowing what i want you to do,
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  • But i'm telling you--oh no, you're getting cold.
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  • You think almighty god is operating like that and trying
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  • To give instruction, insight, and his wisdom in the
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  • Decision-making process of your life and my life?
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  • We've been studying romans chapter number 8, and we're
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  • Gonna be there for a while yet, and we've already ran into there
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  • The 26th verse last week.
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  • If you missed it, you missed one of the pivotal verses in
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  • The bible.
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  • Remember, it says the holy spirit, when we're praying,
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  • Helps us.
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  • Remember the word "helps"?
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  • Big ol' long greek word, "sunantilambanomai,"
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  • Remember it?
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  • And what does it mean?
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  • It means that so many times we do not know how to pray, and we
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  • Say something, we're seeking god's mind, god's will for
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  • Healing, for guidance, and whatever the situation might be,
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  • And that verse gives us assurance that the holy spirit
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  • Helps, goes over where we are, we don't know exactly how to
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  • Pray, and takes hold of us.
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  • "sun" means with; "anti," on the other side; "lambanomai" takes
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  • Hold of you and me as we're trying to pray, and prays on
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  • Our behalf.
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  • And write down this principle, i said it last week, i could say
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  • It a thousand times, a thousand times.
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  • This is the basic principle.
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  • The holy spirit helps you and i to pray as you and i would pray
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  • If we knew what god knows.
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  • Stay with that.
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  • Don't say, "oh, i got it."
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  • No, stay with it.
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  • So, we pray and our prayers go up to the lord, and sometimes we
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  • Pray in ignorance and stupidity, even though we're sincere, but
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  • The good news is we cannot mis-pray.
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  • And then we come to the verse, just a part of the verse we're
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  • Looking at today, that deals with god's will.
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  • Hope you have your bibles with you.
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  • Open them if you would, romans chapter 8 verse 26.
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  • We looked at it last week. let me restate it.
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  • "in the same way the holy spirit helps.
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  • For we do not know how to pray as we should, but the spirit
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  • Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
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  • You follow me?
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  • Then verse 27, "and he who searches the hearts," who
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  • Searches our hearts?
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  • Jesus, jesus searches our hearts.
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  • "he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the spirit."
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  • Jesus knows the holy spirit, because the holy spirit
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  • Primarily, remember, is honoring jesus, "because he intercedes,"
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  • Jesus, "for the saints according to," there's our phrase,
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  • "will of god."
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  • Don't get lost in that.
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  • It's saying god the father, god the son, god the holy spirit is
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  • Involved in all of our prayers, and god the father and god the
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  • Holy spirit is involved in helping you and i to know what
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  • God wants us to do and decide, and how we are to live in that
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  • Particular, unique situations that's unique to every single
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  • One of us.
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  • So, we see here that when we pray, jesus searches our hearts,
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  • Because jesus knows the mind of the spirit, and the holy spirit
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  • Takes our verbiage we're offering to god and it goes
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  • Again through jesus as our intercessor at the right hand of
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  • The father, and out of this comes the will of god revealed
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  • To you, revealed to me.
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  • Now, let me bring it down a little bit and talk about the
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  • Will of god, the purpose of god, the plan of god.
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  • First of all, the will of god is hidden.
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  • There is a hidden will of god, and if you're a theologian, that
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  • Is under the sovereignty of god.
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  • In other words, you say, "boy, my life--
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  • I heard people say, "my life is all messed up.
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  • I made a wrong decision when i got married, and i should have
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  • Done this, and i should have done that, i should have stayed
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  • And i moved, and the grass looked green on the other side."
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  • There ain't no green grass.
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  • There ain't no green grass, and therefore sometimes we're
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  • Seeking god's will, and we realize it is hidden to us.
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  • And the hidden part of god's will is a super thing, because
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  • You and i, follow me, most of the time know that we're in
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  • God's will only as we look in the rearview mirror.
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  • We look back in the rearview mirror and we say, you know, i
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  • Didn't know god was there, and god led me here, and i moved
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  • Over there.
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  • I had no idea what was going on.
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  • That's true of every single one of us with a little
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  • Introspection, with a little backward glance.
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  • And i like the thing that i learned from leslie weatherhead.
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  • There is god's intentional will, follow me, what god intended for
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  • You and me to do in every decision in our life, but we
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  • Don't always do that.
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  • We mess up. we're not perfect.
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  • Big news, we're not perfect, big news.
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  • Therefore, god's intentional will may be for this, but we
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  • Made some wrong choices, and therefore now we operate in his
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  • Circumstantial will, right?
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  • But in that circumstantial will, guess what?
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  • His ultimate will, will be carried out.
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  • Somebody said, "well, i made a mistake and there's no hope."
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  • No, god in jesus christ specializes in second chances,
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  • Third chances, as we go through.
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  • So, his intentional will, will be carried out in our life as we
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  • Walk and live in jesus christ, but there is the hidden will of
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  • God, and then there is the general will of god.
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  • By the way, somebody looking for god's will, do you climb a tree
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  • And look to heaven and try to conjure up some emotional
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  • Feelings, or some sign or symbol to find out his will?
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  • We look for his will, guess where the first place to look?
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  • God's will is found in his word.
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  • It's right there for us.
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  • Psalm 19 says, "thy word is a lamp unto my feet," tells us how
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  • To walk right now, "and a light unto our path," tells us how to
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  • Walk in the future.
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  • So, let's start with god's word.
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  • Does that seem strange to anybody or peculiar to anybody?
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  • No, it's where we start when we determine every choice, every
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  • Decision we make in life.
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  • I'm not talking about whether you go to safeway or kroger, by
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  • The way, don't get ridiculous and silly.
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  • I see some super-pious, whiny people that drop back into that.
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  • Don't get me there.
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  • But i'm saying about decisions we make in life, let's start
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  • With the five basic things,
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  • Five things we need to operate in our life that the bible tells
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  • Us is the will of god for every single person on the
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  • Planet, okay?
  • 00:11:45.918 --> 00:11:47.753
  • Let's start there.
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  • That is the general will of god for everybody.
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  • Look at me.
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  • It is we be saved, and i use the word so many times, salvaged,
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  • Restored through faith in jesus christ by repentance and
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  • Receiving him, we are saved.
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  • We are saved, we're salvaged.
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  • Number two, be filled with the spirit.
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  • When we come to christ, the spirit comes in our life, but we
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  • Leak, so there's a constant thing of saying, "lord, i want
  • 00:12:12.878 --> 00:12:15.881
  • To be available for your filling," ephesians 5.
  • 00:12:15.881 --> 00:12:20.286
  • And then we go down to the next thing up there,
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  • Be sanctified, 1 thessalonians 4:3.
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  • And basically said, that means we are growing up and becoming
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  • Increasingly pure.
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  • Anybody like the word "pure"?
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  • That's a part of growing up in christ, we get pure, our motives
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  • Get right, our background is-- that's being sanctified,
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  • That's growing up in our faith.
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  • The next thing is the will of god, we'd be serving, we serve.
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  • Ladies and gentlemen, we have a function and an office for
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  • Everybody here, no matter what your state of life, where you
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  • Are, sick, well, doesn't matter, we have something everybody here
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  • Can do.
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  • We all have certain gifts, put them to work.
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  • They can be holding the door, they can be cutting--it's a
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  • Zillion things out there.
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  • Just stand up, look around, find a place where you can serve.
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  • Now, we have people all the time who come and says, "i want to
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  • Sing a solo."
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  • Well, we'll try you out if you can sing, but if you can't,
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  • Guess what?
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  • That's not your gift, and i don't decide that, god decides
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  • That by the affirmation of our gifts.
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  • So, find a place you can serve, whatever it is.
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  • If we are seeking the will of god, we have to be using, we
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  • Have to be serving.
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  • Next thing is, look, be suffering.
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  • Oh my goodness, i've got to suffer?
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  • Yes, let me tell you about that suffering.
  • 00:13:44.770 --> 00:13:47.940
  • There's a painting called "the straight and the narrow."
  • 00:13:47.940 --> 00:13:53.145
  • Remember jesus said there's a narrow way that leads to heaven,
  • 00:13:53.145 --> 00:13:57.883
  • There's a broad way that leads to hell?
  • 00:13:57.883 --> 00:14:00.486
  • There's a painting, famous painting, and it pictures a
  • 00:14:00.486 --> 00:14:04.523
  • Mountain, and there's a few people on that mountain
  • 00:14:04.523 --> 00:14:07.927
  • Struggling, climbing, trying to reach the city of god.
  • 00:14:07.927 --> 00:14:11.330
  • Oh, they're having a tough time.
  • 00:14:11.330 --> 00:14:13.132
  • Then in the same picture, there's a river that's flowing,
  • 00:14:13.132 --> 00:14:16.669
  • And there are people all in that river having a great time, and
  • 00:14:16.669 --> 00:14:20.005
  • The river is flowing, but you can see in the foreground those
  • 00:14:20.005 --> 00:14:23.075
  • Who are in the broad way, they're about to go over a cliff
  • 00:14:23.075 --> 00:14:26.312
  • And to destruction and be killed down in the rocks below, but
  • 00:14:26.312 --> 00:14:30.082
  • They're just having a big time.
  • 00:14:30.082 --> 00:14:31.583
  • This group is climbing that mountain and struggling.
  • 00:14:31.583 --> 00:14:34.486
  • You say, "boy, that's a good picture."
  • 00:14:34.486 --> 00:14:35.821
  • No, it's not.
  • 00:14:35.821 --> 00:14:37.823
  • No, it's not, but as christians, it's not that we're lonely,
  • 00:14:37.823 --> 00:14:42.328
  • Climbing up a mountain, trying to get to the city of god, but
  • 00:14:42.328 --> 00:14:45.965
  • As christians, here is the broad way where everybody's in that
  • 00:14:45.965 --> 00:14:50.102
  • River, but we're in the river, the only difference is we're
  • 00:14:50.102 --> 00:14:53.706
  • Swimming upstream.
  • 00:14:53.706 --> 00:14:55.174
  • And when you swim upstream, you bump into people, and you'll be
  • 00:14:55.174 --> 00:14:59.078
  • Sure if you walk with jesus christ in the 21st century,
  • 00:14:59.078 --> 00:15:03.115
  • There's going to be some suffering.
  • 00:15:03.115 --> 00:15:06.352
  • There's gonna be some suffering.
  • 00:15:06.352 --> 00:15:08.487
  • So, that's the picture.
  • 00:15:08.487 --> 00:15:09.822
  • So, here there are five things, not operating perfectly in our
  • 00:15:09.822 --> 00:15:14.827
  • Life, that we're committed to, we understand, that's the will
  • 00:15:14.827 --> 00:15:18.263
  • Of god.
  • 00:15:18.263 --> 00:15:19.598
  • That's not too complicated, is it?
  • 00:15:19.598 --> 00:15:21.066
  • I mean, there they are.
  • 00:15:21.066 --> 00:15:22.534
  • What's god's will for my life about?
  • 00:15:22.534 --> 00:15:24.336
  • Oh, no, start off with those five.
  • 00:15:24.336 --> 00:15:27.339
  • If these five things are operating, and we're growing,
  • 00:15:27.339 --> 00:15:30.075
  • And the holy spirit is leading in your life and my life,
  • 00:15:30.075 --> 00:15:33.012
  • Guess what?
  • 00:15:33.012 --> 00:15:34.380
  • The will of god is in any situation.
  • 00:15:34.380 --> 00:15:36.949
  • Trust the lord with all your heart, five things.
  • 00:15:36.949 --> 00:15:40.719
  • Lean not upon your own understanding.
  • 00:15:40.719 --> 00:15:44.690
  • In all thy ways acknowledge him.
  • 00:15:44.690 --> 00:15:46.992
  • The operative principle of these five things, and guess what?
  • 00:15:46.992 --> 00:15:50.095
  • He will direct your life, and then it becomes any decision,
  • 00:15:50.095 --> 00:15:54.666
  • Master, lord jesus christ, mission, you're calling, your
  • 00:15:54.666 --> 00:16:00.606
  • Vocation, your mate, your mate.
  • 00:16:00.606 --> 00:16:04.309
  • And i see this so many times people.
  • 00:16:04.309 --> 00:16:06.712
  • It's like that girl that was dating six guys named william.
  • 00:16:06.712 --> 00:16:12.584
  • You know what she was?
  • 00:16:12.584 --> 00:16:13.952
  • A bill collector, a bill collector.
  • 00:16:13.952 --> 00:16:17.456
  • So, a lot of the time, "oh, i don't know whether to marry this
  • 00:16:17.456 --> 00:16:19.658
  • One, or to marry this one, or go there."
  • 00:16:19.658 --> 00:16:21.193
  • Let me tell you something.
  • 00:16:21.193 --> 00:16:22.561
  • When the holy spirit is operating in our life, all of a
  • 00:16:22.561 --> 00:16:24.797
  • Sudden, the wisdom of god comes into our life, and then we began
  • 00:16:24.797 --> 00:16:27.766
  • To, go back, now, we've got the general will, haven't we,
  • 00:16:27.766 --> 00:16:30.869
  • For everybody?
  • 00:16:30.869 --> 00:16:32.204
  • Now, let's get personal.
  • 00:16:32.204 --> 00:16:33.539
  • "well, you didn't tell me whether or not i should move,
  • 00:16:33.539 --> 00:16:35.774
  • Or whether or not i should build a house, or rent,
  • 00:16:35.774 --> 00:16:37.709
  • Or whether or not-- and all the other."
  • 00:16:37.709 --> 00:16:39.044
  • Let me tell you how that works.
  • 00:16:39.044 --> 00:16:41.180
  • Matthew chapter 7, what does jesus say that we do?
  • 00:16:41.180 --> 00:16:46.952
  • He says simply, "ask, you'll receive; seek and you'll find;
  • 00:16:46.952 --> 00:16:54.493
  • Knock and it'll be open to you."
  • 00:16:54.493 --> 00:16:56.895
  • That's in our praying, we ask.
  • 00:16:56.895 --> 00:16:59.731
  • We say, "lord, i know the blank check is there.
  • 00:16:59.731 --> 00:17:02.167
  • I know i can lead, but i wanna ask you for your leadership and
  • 00:17:02.167 --> 00:17:05.137
  • Guidance," and when making a big-time decision, take a time
  • 00:17:05.137 --> 00:17:08.907
  • Out, sit down, listen to god.
  • 00:17:08.907 --> 00:17:13.479
  • Listen to god.
  • 00:17:13.479 --> 00:17:14.847
  • Ask god and wait.
  • 00:17:14.847 --> 00:17:19.885
  • And then you seek, what does that mean?
  • 00:17:19.885 --> 00:17:22.054
  • You seek information.
  • 00:17:22.054 --> 00:17:23.889
  • You go to godly people.
  • 00:17:23.889 --> 00:17:25.290
  • You get counsel, and that's when you might make those lists and
  • 00:17:25.290 --> 00:17:30.062
  • You're seeking information about it.
  • 00:17:30.062 --> 00:17:32.898
  • And then, finally you knock, and the door may open, the door
  • 00:17:32.898 --> 00:17:37.069
  • May close.
  • 00:17:37.069 --> 00:17:38.437
  • By the way, just because there's an open door doesn't mean we
  • 00:17:38.437 --> 00:17:40.539
  • Walk in and that's god's will.
  • 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:42.207
  • Well, this door opened for me.
  • 00:17:42.207 --> 00:17:44.042
  • I was in seminary.
  • 00:17:44.042 --> 00:17:45.444
  • I had a professor, virgil moorefield, my first semester,
  • 00:17:45.444 --> 00:17:48.580
  • He taught me homiletics, that's preaching.
  • 00:17:48.580 --> 00:17:51.316
  • And you could tell he failed in his task, but anyway, he taught
  • 00:17:51.316 --> 00:17:54.887
  • Me homiletics, and he was a young man, and after class one
  • 00:17:54.887 --> 00:17:58.790
  • Day, we had a large class, and he came to me, he said, "you
  • 00:17:58.790 --> 00:18:02.227
  • Know, i've watched you, and i think maybe you ought to go with
  • 00:18:02.227 --> 00:18:05.564
  • My family and i, because this is the last semester i'm going to
  • 00:18:05.564 --> 00:18:08.700
  • Teach in seminary.
  • 00:18:08.700 --> 00:18:10.035
  • We're going to italy as a missionary, and i'd love for you
  • 00:18:10.035 --> 00:18:13.405
  • To learn italian with our family and go with us.
  • 00:18:13.405 --> 00:18:15.908
  • I think you'd really be effective."
  • 00:18:15.908 --> 00:18:20.345
  • Man, that floored me.
  • 00:18:20.345 --> 00:18:23.148
  • And i remember what my dad said when i told him i was called by
  • 00:18:23.148 --> 00:18:26.251
  • God to work in the church, which was weird to all of my family, i
  • 00:18:26.251 --> 00:18:30.589
  • Can assure you of that.
  • 00:18:30.589 --> 00:18:32.991
  • And my dad said, "you're throwing your life away.
  • 00:18:32.991 --> 00:18:35.694
  • Nobody's lazier than preachers."
  • 00:18:35.694 --> 00:18:38.130
  • My dad believed that.
  • 00:18:38.130 --> 00:18:40.032
  • And now after a while in this ministry, i almost agree with
  • 00:18:40.032 --> 00:18:43.335
  • Him, too.
  • 00:18:43.335 --> 00:18:45.003
  • But anyway, he said, "look," and then he said "of all things," my
  • 00:18:45.003 --> 00:18:48.040
  • Mom said, "don't go to one of those foreign mission fields."
  • 00:18:48.040 --> 00:18:52.077
  • Now, here i was thinking the will of god was something that i
  • 00:18:52.077 --> 00:18:56.014
  • Didn't know.
  • 00:18:56.014 --> 00:18:57.349
  • By the way, the will of god isn't always the most difficult
  • 00:18:57.349 --> 00:18:59.785
  • Thing to do.
  • 00:18:59.785 --> 00:19:01.119
  • Oh, it must be the will of god because i've got a
  • 00:19:01.119 --> 00:19:03.155
  • Sacrifice here.
  • 00:19:03.155 --> 00:19:04.489
  • No, no, no, no, an open door doesn't mean an opportunity, a
  • 00:19:04.489 --> 00:19:07.659
  • Closed door doesn't mean an opportunity, because we have
  • 00:19:07.659 --> 00:19:10.896
  • These things operative in our life, and god gives us wisdom to
  • 00:19:10.896 --> 00:19:14.166
  • Make decisions.
  • 00:19:14.166 --> 00:19:15.634
  • And i waited until i finished seminary, i felt no leadership,
  • 00:19:15.634 --> 00:19:19.238
  • But i was willing, i was ready.
  • 00:19:19.238 --> 00:19:22.808
  • I'll go to bangladesh today if i get a clear indication.
  • 00:19:22.808 --> 00:19:25.611
  • It wouldn't be a skinny minute like that.
  • 00:19:25.611 --> 00:19:28.280
  • So, the bottom line is, the will of god, when these things are
  • 00:19:28.280 --> 00:19:31.316
  • Operating in your life, in my life, he gives us his wisdom,
  • 00:19:31.316 --> 00:19:34.786
  • And we're going to make good choices, because now remember
  • 00:19:34.786 --> 00:19:38.123
  • Our verse?
  • 00:19:38.123 --> 00:19:39.458
  • The holy spirit has picked us up, and when we pray and seek
  • 00:19:39.458 --> 00:19:43.595
  • Information, the holy spirit takes the right prayer to jesus
  • 00:19:43.595 --> 00:19:48.533
  • Christ at the right hand of god, and he interprets it to the
  • 00:19:48.533 --> 00:19:51.603
  • Father, and that kind of praying is answered every single time.
  • 00:19:51.603 --> 00:19:56.842
  • Sometimes the answer is no, sometimes it is yes, sometimes
  • 00:19:56.842 --> 00:20:03.248
  • It is maybe, sometimes it is wait, but it's always answered.
  • 00:20:03.248 --> 00:20:08.587
  • This is how we know the will of god, the holy spirit picks
  • 00:20:08.587 --> 00:20:12.658
  • Us up.
  • 00:20:12.658 --> 00:20:14.092
  • Do y'all remember the powerful, powerful story of a family?
  • 00:20:14.092 --> 00:20:21.333
  • The father and the son were so very close.
  • 00:20:21.333 --> 00:20:27.806
  • The father was named dick and the son was named rick, and rick
  • 00:20:27.806 --> 00:20:31.877
  • Was born with a very rare form of cerebral palsy.
  • 00:20:31.877 --> 00:20:35.647
  • The son could not use his arms, he could not speak, but through
  • 00:20:35.647 --> 00:20:41.053
  • A computer, he was able to communicate.
  • 00:20:41.053 --> 00:20:44.256
  • And the son was in high school, and another classmate was in an
  • 00:20:44.256 --> 00:20:49.394
  • Accident and was now paralyzed from the waist down, and so the
  • 00:20:49.394 --> 00:20:54.232
  • Class decided that they would go and they would run a 10k, get
  • 00:20:54.232 --> 00:21:00.706
  • Money to follow them, and give money to this family that now
  • 00:21:00.706 --> 00:21:04.543
  • Had this son that was now paralyzed.
  • 00:21:04.543 --> 00:21:07.679
  • And in that class was rick with cerebral palsy, and he went home
  • 00:21:07.679 --> 00:21:12.984
  • And told his dad, you know, he wished he could run in that
  • 00:21:12.984 --> 00:21:17.889
  • Race, and he'd asked the teacher, and the teacher said
  • 00:21:17.889 --> 00:21:21.460
  • The dad could run on his behalf if he would.
  • 00:21:21.460 --> 00:21:26.264
  • And so, the father, dick, arranged a way to get on a cart
  • 00:21:26.264 --> 00:21:30.802
  • And to run with his son in the cart that 10k to raise funds.
  • 00:21:30.802 --> 00:21:38.677
  • That began a ministry for the father, dick, and the son, rick.
  • 00:21:38.677 --> 00:21:44.883
  • In the next couple of decades, they ran in 62 or 63 marathons,
  • 00:21:44.883 --> 00:21:53.959
  • The father taking care of the son, and they ran in over 155 or
  • 00:21:53.959 --> 00:21:58.397
  • 156 triathlons.
  • 00:21:58.397 --> 00:22:02.367
  • A triathlon, you swim for almost three miles, you bike for almost
  • 00:22:02.367 --> 00:22:07.072
  • Over a hundred miles, and then you run
  • 00:22:07.072 --> 00:22:10.642
  • A 26-mile race, triathlon.
  • 00:22:10.642 --> 00:22:12.210
  • They did about 150 or 160 of those over a couple of decades.
  • 00:22:12.210 --> 00:22:17.182
  • And the son said, "dad," with his computer, he couldn't talk,
  • 00:22:17.182 --> 00:22:24.990
  • "when we're running together, i feel that i don't have
  • 00:22:24.990 --> 00:22:32.097
  • A single disability."
  • 00:22:32.097 --> 00:22:34.433
  • Pastor ed: have you ever tried to read a historical novel
  • 00:22:36.301 --> 00:22:39.638
  • Out of order?
  • 00:22:39.638 --> 00:22:41.206
  • It would be hard if not impossible to understand the
  • 00:22:41.206 --> 00:22:44.009
  • Plot, wouldn't it?
  • 00:22:44.009 --> 00:22:45.644
  • And yet we read and study the bible in much the same way.
  • 00:22:45.644 --> 00:22:49.281
  • Like a novel, the bible tells a story with a beginning,
  • 00:22:49.281 --> 00:22:52.517
  • A middle, and end, and when you read in chronological order, you
  • 00:22:52.517 --> 00:22:56.655
  • Will see history unfold in a new and understandable and
  • 00:22:56.655 --> 00:23:00.859
  • Memorable way.
  • 00:23:00.859 --> 00:23:02.194
  • Listen, in this new year, i want to challenge you to read through
  • 00:23:02.194 --> 00:23:05.597
  • The bible in 52 weeks.
  • 00:23:05.597 --> 00:23:08.567
  • When you give to "the winning walk," this month, we want to
  • 00:23:08.567 --> 00:23:11.503
  • Send you a one-year chronological bible.
  • 00:23:11.503 --> 00:23:15.006
  • It's arranged in daily readings that will take about 15 minutes
  • 00:23:15.006 --> 00:23:18.810
  • To read each day, at the end of 52 weeks, you will know and
  • 00:23:18.810 --> 00:23:22.981
  • Understand like never before the full story of the bible.
  • 00:23:22.981 --> 00:23:28.887
  • Male announcer: to get your copy of the one-year chronological
  • 00:23:28.954 --> 00:23:31.256
  • Bible, call the number on your screen or go online
  • 00:23:31.256 --> 00:23:33.825
  • At winningwalk.org.
  • 00:23:33.825 --> 00:23:37.062
  • Pastor ed: just think, if you and i know jesus christ, we have
  • 00:23:38.296 --> 00:23:42.634
  • An entree to god 24/7, that's amazing.
  • 00:23:42.634 --> 00:23:46.705
  • That's a gift to you and to me.
  • 00:23:46.705 --> 00:23:49.474
  • Somebody said, "well, or we can just pray."
  • 00:23:49.474 --> 00:23:52.377
  • No, that's the first thing we do.
  • 00:23:52.377 --> 00:23:54.779
  • We seek the mind, and will, and purpose of god, and we turn our
  • 00:23:54.779 --> 00:23:59.117
  • Lives over to him, we listen to him, we let him speak to us,
  • 00:23:59.117 --> 00:24:03.989
  • Then we make our petitions to him, first of all, confession,
  • 00:24:03.989 --> 00:24:08.760
  • And then we do a moment of praise, and then we just sit
  • 00:24:08.760 --> 00:24:13.031
  • Back and say, "lord, help me to understand this, this, this, and
  • 00:24:13.031 --> 00:24:18.136
  • This," and he gives us his wisdom, and he gives us
  • 00:24:18.136 --> 00:24:21.239
  • His healing.
  • 00:24:21.239 --> 00:24:22.574
  • Let me tell you how i begin each day and end every day.
  • 00:24:22.574 --> 00:24:26.912
  • I've done it for many, many years.
  • 00:24:26.912 --> 00:24:29.147
  • When i roll out of bed, the first thing i do, i hit my
  • 00:24:29.147 --> 00:24:32.551
  • Knees, i call it knee to knee, or i call it a self-prayer,
  • 00:24:32.551 --> 00:24:37.889
  • Because you know my biggest problem?
  • 00:24:37.889 --> 00:24:39.824
  • It's the same problem you have.
  • 00:24:39.824 --> 00:24:42.027
  • It's spelled s-e-l-f.
  • 00:24:42.027 --> 00:24:46.031
  • Isn't that the person you have the most difficulty with?
  • 00:24:46.031 --> 00:24:49.301
  • It's my number one problem.
  • 00:24:49.301 --> 00:24:50.635
  • Therefore, when i begin my day, i'm on my knees, my wife comes
  • 00:24:50.635 --> 00:24:55.340
  • And kneels with me, and i put my hand on the bed, and i pray a
  • 00:24:55.340 --> 00:25:00.845
  • Little prayer revolving around self, it's an acrostic, and i
  • 00:25:00.845 --> 00:25:05.517
  • Just spell s-e-l-f.
  • 00:25:05.517 --> 00:25:07.619
  • I start off and say, "lord, i surrender this day to you," and
  • 00:25:07.619 --> 00:25:11.957
  • I talk about surrendering everything in my life to him.
  • 00:25:11.957 --> 00:25:16.094
  • And then i talk about e, i surrender, and then that e comes
  • 00:25:16.094 --> 00:25:22.100
  • Up and i empty myself.
  • 00:25:22.100 --> 00:25:23.902
  • Whatever i'm full of, self or selfishness, i start off by
  • 00:25:23.902 --> 00:25:27.572
  • Emptying so i will be fresh.
  • 00:25:27.572 --> 00:25:30.075
  • Then i turn my hands up as i'm on my knees by my bed, and i
  • 00:25:30.075 --> 00:25:34.713
  • Say, "o lord, fill me with your spirit.
  • 00:25:34.713 --> 00:25:38.984
  • I surrender, i empty, and i love you, and now fill me with
  • 00:25:38.984 --> 00:25:44.055
  • Your spirit."
  • 00:25:44.055 --> 00:25:45.824
  • Self, that's where we start, and as we express our love to him
  • 00:25:45.824 --> 00:25:49.094
  • And he fills us with our spirit, then i'll have a personal prayer
  • 00:25:49.094 --> 00:25:53.031
  • That fits me and fits my wife, or she prays, and then we say,
  • 00:25:53.031 --> 00:25:57.702
  • "in jesus's name, amen."
  • 00:25:57.702 --> 00:26:00.105
  • I do that every morning.
  • 00:26:00.105 --> 00:26:01.973
  • I do it every night.
  • 00:26:01.973 --> 00:26:04.342
  • I pray the self prayer, the knee-to-knee prayer.
  • 00:26:04.342 --> 00:26:07.646
  • First thing in the morning, i hit my knees, the last thing at
  • 00:26:07.646 --> 00:26:10.448
  • Night, i am on my knees.
  • 00:26:10.448 --> 00:26:12.317
  • And i don't know how it works for anybody else, but that self
  • 00:26:12.317 --> 00:26:15.954
  • Prayer, that knee-to-knee prayer, is a good way to begin
  • 00:26:15.954 --> 00:26:19.557
  • Every day, because it gets self out of the way, it does.
  • 00:26:19.557 --> 00:26:24.496
  • Surrender, empty, i love you, fill me with your spirit.
  • 00:26:24.496 --> 00:26:28.833
  • Just a little ritual that i think will help your day to
  • 00:26:28.833 --> 00:26:33.138
  • Start off with wings and end your day with praise.
  • 00:26:33.138 --> 00:26:38.977
  • I recommend it, that's why i think we need to listen to him
  • 00:26:38.977 --> 00:26:44.149
  • And pray, because there's nothing more powerfully
  • 00:26:44.149 --> 00:26:48.653
  • Available to you and me in the 21st century than the ability to
  • 00:26:48.653 --> 00:26:53.158
  • Call god's blessing, god's healing, god's touch upon
  • 00:26:53.158 --> 00:26:56.861
  • Your life and my life.
  • 00:26:56.861 --> 00:26:58.463
  • I highly recommend knee to knee, this little self prayer.
  • 00:26:58.463 --> 00:27:02.934
  • It's a good way to let all of your day be filled with prayer
  • 00:27:02.934 --> 00:27:08.506
  • Without ceasing.
  • 00:27:08.506 --> 00:27:10.608
  • ♪♪♪
  • 00:27:12.277 --> 00:27:29.694