1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,960 If you have your Bibles, turn with me to Ephes 2 00:00:03,960 --> 00:00:06,040 ians chapter 5. 3 00:00:06,040 --> 00:00:11,020 The text for today is going to be verses 20 4 00:00:11,020 --> 00:00:15,200 and 21, but since it's been a while since 5 00:00:15,200 --> 00:00:18,040 we've been here in Ephesians, I want to back 6 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:20,640 up a little bit and start reading in verse 7 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,030 18 just to get our thinking back in the flow 8 00:00:24,030 --> 00:00:26,560 of the context of where we are. 9 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:32,880 So look, starting in verse 18, and do not get 10 00:00:32,880 --> 00:00:36,920 drunk with wine for that is dissipation, 11 00:00:36,920 --> 00:00:39,930 but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one 12 00:00:39,930 --> 00:00:42,720 another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual 13 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:45,790 songs, singing and making melody with your 14 00:00:45,790 --> 00:00:48,960 heart to the Lord, always giving thanks for 15 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:52,090 all things in the name of our Lord Jesus 16 00:00:52,090 --> 00:00:56,160 Christ to God, even the Father, and be subject 17 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:56,160 to 18 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,840 one another in the fear of Christ. 19 00:00:59,840 --> 00:01:03,340 Now, if you remember, the thrust of this 20 00:01:03,340 --> 00:01:07,040 passage is that command that we find there in 21 00:01:07,040 --> 00:01:07,240 verse 22 00:01:07,240 --> 00:01:13,390 18, look at it again with me, be filled with 23 00:01:13,390 --> 00:01:15,240 the Spirit. 24 00:01:15,240 --> 00:01:17,640 And as I said, this is not something that we 25 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:19,880 pray for, "Lord, fill me with your Spirit." 26 00:01:19,880 --> 00:01:21,800 I learned that in this study. 27 00:01:21,800 --> 00:01:25,920 This is something that we are commanded to be. 28 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:31,170 Now remember the Greek literally is, be being 29 00:01:31,170 --> 00:01:36,400 continuously kept filled with the Spirit. 30 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:39,390 So for a Christian, it's a moment by moment 31 00:01:39,390 --> 00:01:39,660 deal. 32 00:01:39,660 --> 00:01:41,730 Every second of every day, every minute of 33 00:01:41,730 --> 00:01:43,880 every day, you can either be about walking 34 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,200 in the flesh or walking in the Spirit. 35 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:49,490 Filled with the Spirit is the same thing, 36 00:01:49,490 --> 00:01:51,360 being filled with the Spirit. 37 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:54,600 We said last time we were here is synonymous 38 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,680 with being controlled by the Spirit. 39 00:01:57,680 --> 00:01:59,990 Remember I gave that illustration of a wind 40 00:01:59,990 --> 00:02:02,360 and a sail moving a boat along, being moved 41 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:05,840 along with the Spirit, being yielded to the 42 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,000 Spirit, being directed by the Spirit. 43 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:14,040 And as we grow in spiritual maturity in the 44 00:02:14,040 --> 00:02:17,400 Christian life, we will ever only grow in 45 00:02:17,400 --> 00:02:21,600 so far as we are filled with the Spirit. 46 00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,380 Because when we're not filled with the Spirit 47 00:02:23,380 --> 00:02:25,200 in those moments that we're not, we're just 48 00:02:25,200 --> 00:02:27,120 kind of flattened out. 49 00:02:27,120 --> 00:02:29,720 We're just kind of walking in the flesh and at 50 00:02:29,720 --> 00:02:31,960 that point there's no progress at all for 51 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,990 us in spiritual growth or growing towards 52 00:02:34,990 --> 00:02:36,800 spiritual maturity. 53 00:02:36,800 --> 00:02:40,320 And so again, the times of spiritual growth 54 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:43,840 for the Christian are only those times when 55 00:02:43,840 --> 00:02:49,700 we are filled with the Spirit and really in 56 00:02:49,700 --> 00:02:55,640 the moment is really the only important time 57 00:02:55,640 --> 00:02:56,640 to God. 58 00:02:56,640 --> 00:02:58,200 You want to know why? 59 00:02:58,200 --> 00:03:00,400 Think about it. 60 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,680 You cannot live in the future. 61 00:03:04,680 --> 00:03:08,230 I mean, have you ever noticed that you've 62 00:03:08,230 --> 00:03:10,840 never gotten to the future? 63 00:03:10,840 --> 00:03:13,080 You're not in the future right now, are you? 64 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:17,440 No, you can only live your life in the moment. 65 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:20,800 Now, we like to think about the past, right? 66 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,200 We like to tell old stories. 67 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:25,200 Some people get stuck in the past, right? 68 00:03:25,200 --> 00:03:27,150 That's all they ever want to talk about, the 69 00:03:27,150 --> 00:03:28,000 good old days. 70 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:30,380 And we like to think about the future. 71 00:03:30,380 --> 00:03:33,100 Many people love the science fiction movies 72 00:03:33,100 --> 00:03:35,760 and books and stuff that Rodgedale told us 73 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,490 he likes and those are usually set in the 74 00:03:39,490 --> 00:03:41,360 future, right? 75 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,320 John MacArthur said this. 76 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:48,750 We love the future because the future we haven 77 00:03:48,750 --> 00:03:53,000 't blown yet and we love the past. 78 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:54,000 Because why? 79 00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:57,270 Well, we tend to only remember the good times, 80 00:03:57,270 --> 00:04:00,520 the good old days, right, about the past. 81 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:02,960 It's the present that we're trying to get out 82 00:04:02,960 --> 00:04:05,760 of, but we never succeed because you can't. 83 00:04:05,760 --> 00:04:08,640 You can only live here in the present. 84 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,810 You got to make it right, right here, in the 85 00:04:11,810 --> 00:04:13,520 present, right now. 86 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:15,120 This is where we're always going to live. 87 00:04:15,120 --> 00:04:18,500 So if you're filled with the spirit, then that 88 00:04:18,500 --> 00:04:21,040 's not something that you promise God 89 00:04:21,040 --> 00:04:24,160 that you're going to do at some point, you get 90 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:24,640 me? 91 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:28,580 It's not, it's something that you are or you 92 00:04:28,580 --> 00:04:32,480 aren't every moment of the day being filled 93 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:33,480 with the spirit. 94 00:04:33,480 --> 00:04:37,280 I mean, there's a sense, there's a sense in 95 00:04:37,280 --> 00:04:40,880 which God is not interested in your future 96 00:04:40,880 --> 00:04:41,880 commitments. 97 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:42,880 What do I mean like that? 98 00:04:42,880 --> 00:04:45,080 Well, he's not interested in your future love. 99 00:04:45,080 --> 00:04:47,660 What you're telling me you're going to do, he 100 00:04:47,660 --> 00:04:50,040 's only interested in your being filled 101 00:04:50,040 --> 00:04:53,180 with the spirit right now. 102 00:04:53,180 --> 00:04:55,670 Because again, that's the only time you'll 103 00:04:55,670 --> 00:04:58,080 ever live in this earthly existence is in 104 00:04:58,080 --> 00:04:59,080 the now. 105 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,060 So far in this text, after the command itself 106 00:05:02,060 --> 00:05:03,840 be filled with the spirit. 107 00:05:03,840 --> 00:05:06,180 And if you remember that's contrasted there in 108 00:05:06,180 --> 00:05:08,400 verse 18 with being drunk with wine, we 109 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,760 went over all of that. 110 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,450 Paul then starts to list out some of the 111 00:05:13,450 --> 00:05:16,880 consequences of being filled with the spirit. 112 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,540 And the first one came out of verse 19, look 113 00:05:19,540 --> 00:05:21,840 at it out of a thankful and joyful heart. 114 00:05:21,840 --> 00:05:24,340 What we just got finished doing, speaking to 115 00:05:24,340 --> 00:05:26,840 one another in Psalms, hymns and spiritual 116 00:05:26,840 --> 00:05:29,660 songs, singing and making melody with your 117 00:05:29,660 --> 00:05:30,960 heart to the Lord. 118 00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:32,730 Now I can't go back over all that that we go 119 00:05:32,730 --> 00:05:34,520 back and watch the sermon if you didn't 120 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:36,320 get to, if you weren't here for it. 121 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:38,430 But as Christians, basically, we have a new 122 00:05:38,430 --> 00:05:38,880 song. 123 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:41,260 Remember how many times I showed you that? 124 00:05:41,260 --> 00:05:44,060 We sing a new song because we're new creations 125 00:05:44,060 --> 00:05:46,440 , we're new creatures in Christ Jesus. 126 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,170 That's an absolute byproduct of being filled 127 00:05:49,170 --> 00:05:50,400 with the spirit. 128 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,530 But let's move to the next consequence of 129 00:05:52,530 --> 00:05:55,000 being filled with the spirit verse 20. 130 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:57,940 Look at it with me. 131 00:05:57,940 --> 00:06:02,020 Always giving thanks for all things in the 132 00:06:02,020 --> 00:06:06,200 name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even 133 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:07,200 the Father. 134 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,920 Now, Psalm 100 verse 4, you know it. 135 00:06:11,920 --> 00:06:15,480 We've been singing, enter his gates with 136 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:19,730 thanksgiving and his courts with praise, give 137 00:06:19,730 --> 00:06:20,200 thanks to 138 00:06:20,200 --> 00:06:24,320 him, bless his name. 139 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:28,640 So one thing a spirit filled person is always 140 00:06:28,640 --> 00:06:31,560 going to be, is thankful. 141 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:36,490 I mean of all people, it is the Christian who 142 00:06:36,490 --> 00:06:40,360 by far should be the most thankful of 143 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:42,160 any other kind of people. 144 00:06:42,160 --> 00:06:46,210 Maybe the greatest act of personal worship 145 00:06:46,210 --> 00:06:50,120 that we can render to God is to be thankful 146 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,240 when we worship. 147 00:06:53,240 --> 00:06:54,760 You should come to church every Sunday. 148 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:56,760 I don't care what went on during the week. 149 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,160 You should come to church every Sunday during, 150 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:01,360 in that door, thankful as a Christian. 151 00:07:01,360 --> 00:07:04,160 We're going to get to that in a minute. 152 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,890 That's the heart of worship when you come here 153 00:07:06,890 --> 00:07:07,160 . 154 00:07:07,160 --> 00:07:11,190 Corporate worship, personal worship, first and 155 00:07:11,190 --> 00:07:13,720 foremost as a thankful part. 156 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:15,990 And that's really because thanks ultimately, 157 00:07:15,990 --> 00:07:18,280 you know what thanks does when you're thankful 158 00:07:18,280 --> 00:07:24,640 to the Lord in this way, it crucifies self. 159 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:28,890 Thanksgiving ultimately, it recognizes God as 160 00:07:28,890 --> 00:07:32,100 the source of everything in our lives. 161 00:07:32,100 --> 00:07:36,420 A spirit filled person is thankful in the 162 00:07:36,420 --> 00:07:41,400 midst of anything, the good things and even, 163 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:42,240 even 164 00:07:42,240 --> 00:07:44,960 the difficult thing. 165 00:07:44,960 --> 00:07:48,510 Being thankful as a Christian, what that means 166 00:07:48,510 --> 00:07:51,060 is you see beyond the circumstance of 167 00:07:51,060 --> 00:07:55,960 the moment to the plan of God that's at hand 168 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:57,800 in your life. 169 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,760 These beyond the trials and the tribulations 170 00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:03,800 to the big picture of the sovereignty of God 171 00:08:03,800 --> 00:08:07,200 and how he's working in your life. 172 00:08:07,200 --> 00:08:10,600 All Christians live under what you, you have 173 00:08:10,600 --> 00:08:13,560 heard me call this many times the umbrella 174 00:08:13,560 --> 00:08:15,920 of Romans 828. 175 00:08:15,920 --> 00:08:18,360 We can't quote it enough as Christians. 176 00:08:18,360 --> 00:08:22,520 Look at it with me, Romans 828 and we know 177 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:26,660 that God, look at that word, causes, what's 178 00:08:26,660 --> 00:08:32,480 the next phrase, all things to work together 179 00:08:32,480 --> 00:08:37,800 for good to those who love God, to those who 180 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:43,540 are called according to his purpose. 181 00:08:43,540 --> 00:08:48,400 A truly thankful Christian sees the hand of 182 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:53,760 God in everything, the good and the difficult 183 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:59,370 and our trust in that and our understanding in 184 00:08:59,370 --> 00:09:04,480 that deepens as we mature in our faith. 185 00:09:04,480 --> 00:09:08,180 You don't start out there, you grow there in 186 00:09:08,180 --> 00:09:10,680 deeper and deeper levels. 187 00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:15,040 Spiritual maturity has the ability to say, " 188 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:18,920 God, I thank you even for the hard times, 189 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:22,820 for the difficulties in life, on your job, in 190 00:09:22,820 --> 00:09:25,960 your family, in all circumstances." 191 00:09:25,960 --> 00:09:30,640 Now look, we don't like difficulties, do we? 192 00:09:30,640 --> 00:09:33,400 Does anybody here like difficulties? 193 00:09:33,400 --> 00:09:34,900 Raise your hand. 194 00:09:34,900 --> 00:09:37,240 That's 100% right there. 195 00:09:37,240 --> 00:09:41,820 And we certainly don't enjoy difficulties, do 196 00:09:41,820 --> 00:09:42,440 we? 197 00:09:42,440 --> 00:09:43,440 No. 198 00:09:43,440 --> 00:09:46,880 There are times when we're dealing with 199 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,510 something in front of us and we just can't 200 00:09:50,510 --> 00:09:51,440 understand 201 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:57,210 God, how in the world could anything be 202 00:09:57,210 --> 00:10:01,320 working for good in this? 203 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:05,000 I just don't understand. 204 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:08,650 But as Christians, working towards spiritual 205 00:10:08,650 --> 00:10:12,280 maturity, what we do is that we trust, though 206 00:10:12,280 --> 00:10:15,770 we can't understand, that God does have 207 00:10:15,770 --> 00:10:18,320 purposes in those things. 208 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,020 And we know that, not only do we know that 209 00:10:22,020 --> 00:10:26,640 from Romans 8.28, we know that from the next 210 00:10:26,640 --> 00:10:32,640 verse, Romans 8.29, look at it, "For those 211 00:10:32,640 --> 00:10:37,200 whom he foreknew, he also predestined to 212 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:37,560 become 213 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:42,080 conformed to the image of his Son." 214 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,150 We can thank God for all things, as we're 215 00:10:45,150 --> 00:10:48,260 going to see in a moment, because God is 216 00:10:48,260 --> 00:10:49,000 working 217 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:52,700 in and through all the things that happen in 218 00:10:52,700 --> 00:10:56,080 our life, and he has an ultimate goal in 219 00:10:56,080 --> 00:11:00,770 mind with the all things, and that is for us 220 00:11:00,770 --> 00:11:05,880 to be, one day, just like Christ in glory. 221 00:11:05,880 --> 00:11:09,080 That's why he's working. 222 00:11:09,080 --> 00:11:11,080 Job understood. 223 00:11:11,080 --> 00:11:14,720 And read the book of Job after great trials. 224 00:11:14,720 --> 00:11:15,720 I mean, think about it. 225 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:18,670 Think about having all 10 of your children 226 00:11:18,670 --> 00:11:21,480 killed in one day in a tornado, the boils, 227 00:11:21,480 --> 00:11:24,390 and all of the things you know that Job went 228 00:11:24,390 --> 00:11:27,320 through, you know what he said, "Naked I came 229 00:11:27,320 --> 00:11:30,480 from my mother's womb, naked I shall return 230 00:11:30,480 --> 00:11:33,720 there; the Lord gave, and the Lord has taken 231 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:34,720 away. 232 00:11:34,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Blessed be the name of the Lord." 233 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:39,440 You know what that means? 234 00:11:39,440 --> 00:11:42,480 I thank you, God, when you give. 235 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:47,540 I thank you, God, when you take, because I 236 00:11:47,540 --> 00:11:52,480 know that you have purpose in both of those 237 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,560 things, in the giving and in the taking. 238 00:11:55,560 --> 00:11:59,450 Let me tell you, you get there, that's 239 00:11:59,450 --> 00:12:02,320 maturity in the Christian life. 240 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:07,050 That's not easy, but that is the maturity of a 241 00:12:07,050 --> 00:12:09,840 spirit-filled person. 242 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:14,850 In St. Corinthians 415, look at this, what 243 00:12:14,850 --> 00:12:19,080 Paul says, same phrase, he's saying this to 244 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:26,120 believers, "For all things are for your sake." 245 00:12:26,120 --> 00:12:27,120 Think about that. 246 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:28,120 Believer. 247 00:12:28,120 --> 00:12:30,840 What are you saying? 248 00:12:30,840 --> 00:12:34,510 Something that God does is for you, believer, 249 00:12:34,510 --> 00:12:38,000 both the blessings and the trials, for you. 250 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:39,000 Why? 251 00:12:39,000 --> 00:12:42,120 Look next, so that the grace which is 252 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,330 spreading to more and more people may cause 253 00:12:45,330 --> 00:12:46,240 the giving 254 00:12:46,240 --> 00:12:48,080 of what? 255 00:12:48,080 --> 00:12:52,520 Thanks to a bound to the glory of God. 256 00:12:52,520 --> 00:12:55,210 Now just in that verse, the ultimate glow is 257 00:12:55,210 --> 00:12:55,800 what? 258 00:12:55,800 --> 00:12:59,090 The glory of God, the means to the glory of 259 00:12:59,090 --> 00:13:01,040 God is thanksgiving. 260 00:13:01,040 --> 00:13:04,970 The means to thanksgiving are all things that 261 00:13:04,970 --> 00:13:07,120 God does in your life. 262 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:10,420 In other words, for all things are for your s 263 00:13:10,420 --> 00:13:13,360 akes, so that you might be thankful to God, 264 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,640 so that he might be glorified. 265 00:13:15,640 --> 00:13:17,320 That's what that verse means. 266 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:21,480 You glorify God by being thankful for all 267 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,840 things, all circumstances. 268 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:30,020 Now, that's easy for me to sit up here and say 269 00:13:30,020 --> 00:13:34,680 , but it takes spiritual maturity to get 270 00:13:34,680 --> 00:13:35,680 there. 271 00:13:35,680 --> 00:13:37,920 Now, that might have been way too much 272 00:13:37,920 --> 00:13:40,890 introduction, maybe, I don't know, but it does 273 00:13:40,890 --> 00:13:42,000 lay a foundation. 274 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:43,880 I know that for what our text is going to be. 275 00:13:43,880 --> 00:13:44,880 Let's look at it. 276 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:51,150 Verse 20 of chapter 5 starts out, always 277 00:13:51,150 --> 00:13:57,490 giving thanks, so when are we to be thankful, 278 00:13:57,490 --> 00:14:00,520 always? 279 00:14:00,520 --> 00:14:04,860 You may say, oh, bro, fill it by here, bro, 280 00:14:04,860 --> 00:14:10,840 see that, but you don't know my problem, man. 281 00:14:10,840 --> 00:14:17,180 Still says always, you don't know my husband, 282 00:14:17,180 --> 00:14:22,760 still says always, you don't know my wife, 283 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:26,470 still says always, you don't know my kids, 284 00:14:26,470 --> 00:14:30,200 still says always, you don't know how I get 285 00:14:30,200 --> 00:14:39,240 treated at work, still says always. 286 00:14:39,240 --> 00:14:42,680 I can keep going if you want me to. 287 00:14:42,680 --> 00:14:44,660 And it still says always, and it's always 288 00:14:44,660 --> 00:14:46,760 still going to say always, and it's never 289 00:14:46,760 --> 00:14:48,640 going to change. 290 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:50,920 Why? 291 00:14:50,920 --> 00:14:54,450 Because folks, this recognizes that God is in 292 00:14:54,450 --> 00:14:57,080 control of your life, not you. 293 00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:01,350 And that God is in this miraculous process of 294 00:15:01,350 --> 00:15:05,120 conforming you to the image of Christ, 295 00:15:05,120 --> 00:15:08,260 and He's using all the things that He 296 00:15:08,260 --> 00:15:12,440 purposely brings about in your life to do it. 297 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:17,330 And when you are to live in thanksgiving for 298 00:15:17,330 --> 00:15:21,380 all things, when you do that, you are bringing 299 00:15:21,380 --> 00:15:23,760 glory to God when you do. 300 00:15:23,760 --> 00:15:27,280 Watch this tremendous statement in 1 Thessalon 301 00:15:27,280 --> 00:15:31,160 ians 5/18, right in line with our text, starts 302 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,520 out in the good things. 303 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:35,280 Does it say that? 304 00:15:35,280 --> 00:15:36,280 No. 305 00:15:36,280 --> 00:15:37,280 What does it say? 306 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:42,510 In everything, give thanks for this is God's 307 00:15:42,510 --> 00:15:46,360 what will for you in Christ Jesus. 308 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:50,140 If you're having trouble discerning God's will 309 00:15:50,140 --> 00:15:53,680 , well, just try starting right there. 310 00:15:53,680 --> 00:15:54,680 That's pretty clear. 311 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,050 In everything, give thanks for this, the 312 00:15:57,050 --> 00:15:59,560 giving of thanks in everything is God's will 313 00:15:59,560 --> 00:15:59,880 for 314 00:15:59,880 --> 00:16:00,880 you. 315 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:04,560 And go back to, let's back up to Ephesians 5/ 316 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:06,320 17 real quick. 317 00:16:06,320 --> 00:16:10,490 So do not be foolish, but understand what the 318 00:16:10,490 --> 00:16:12,440 will of the Lord is. 319 00:16:12,440 --> 00:16:14,110 And then He starts out this list of what the 320 00:16:14,110 --> 00:16:15,520 will of the Lord is, and guess what it 321 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:15,960 includes 322 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:21,460 this 20th verse, always giving thanks, God's 323 00:16:21,460 --> 00:16:26,800 will is for Christians to be thankful, always. 324 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:32,360 Shakespeare said this, "How sharper than a 325 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:37,600 serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless 326 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:45,440 child, in gratitude thou marble-hearted beamed 327 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:45,680 ." 328 00:16:45,680 --> 00:16:48,140 Even he recognized what it is to have in 329 00:16:48,140 --> 00:16:49,160 gratitude. 330 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,550 Now, what is, let's just all be honest right 331 00:16:52,550 --> 00:16:55,840 here for a second, we'll start with me. 332 00:16:55,840 --> 00:16:59,370 What is our go-to fleshly reaction to trials 333 00:16:59,370 --> 00:17:03,760 and tribulations, right in complaint, okay? 334 00:17:03,760 --> 00:17:05,980 That's the immediate reaction, and that's 335 00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:08,520 always the opposite of giving thanks, right? 336 00:17:08,520 --> 00:17:10,090 It's the opposite of what we learn when we 337 00:17:10,090 --> 00:17:11,040 went through James. 338 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:13,840 Do you remember what we learned in James? 339 00:17:13,840 --> 00:17:15,080 Something incredible. 340 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:19,300 He said, "Consider it all joy when you 341 00:17:19,300 --> 00:17:23,400 encounter various trials," what? 342 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:24,520 And then what does he do after that? 343 00:17:24,520 --> 00:17:27,930 He goes on to explain how God uses the trials 344 00:17:27,930 --> 00:17:30,200 to mature us, remember? 345 00:17:30,200 --> 00:17:33,860 The testing of faith produces endurance, and 346 00:17:33,860 --> 00:17:36,360 that brings about maturity. 347 00:17:36,360 --> 00:17:40,760 Usually, our first response to some hard stuff 348 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:44,560 that comes our way is to whine, right? 349 00:17:44,560 --> 00:17:47,160 To complain. 350 00:17:47,160 --> 00:17:49,690 But this Bible right here, as I've already 351 00:17:49,690 --> 00:17:52,320 showed you, is saying all over the place, 352 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:55,030 to be thankful, because even in that hard 353 00:17:55,030 --> 00:17:58,160 thing, God is doing his perfect work. 354 00:17:58,160 --> 00:18:01,240 This is the will of God. 355 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:06,990 Again, I'm not saying this is easy, but I am 356 00:18:06,990 --> 00:18:12,080 saying that it's possible, and I am saying 357 00:18:12,080 --> 00:18:15,620 that it's only possible when we are filled 358 00:18:15,620 --> 00:18:19,560 with the Spirit and the power of the Spirit. 359 00:18:19,560 --> 00:18:22,890 Now, let me walk you through three kinds of 360 00:18:22,890 --> 00:18:25,640 thankful people, and as we go through them, 361 00:18:25,640 --> 00:18:27,640 think about which one of these you fit in, 362 00:18:27,640 --> 00:18:28,080 okay? 363 00:18:28,080 --> 00:18:29,340 We'll take that little test. 364 00:18:29,340 --> 00:18:32,000 Number one is the easiest. 365 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:35,290 There are those who are thankful after the 366 00:18:35,290 --> 00:18:36,400 blessing. 367 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,010 I mean, for sure, we can all raise our hands 368 00:18:39,010 --> 00:18:40,440 on that one, right? 369 00:18:40,440 --> 00:18:42,190 I lost my job, but the next day out of the 370 00:18:42,190 --> 00:18:43,520 blue, I got a better job. 371 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:45,480 Thank you, Lord, right? 372 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,760 I mean, that's easy. 373 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:50,460 And you better be your first reaction, because 374 00:18:50,460 --> 00:18:53,080 you're not doing well spiritually if that's 375 00:18:53,080 --> 00:18:55,000 not your immediate reaction. 376 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:57,380 And, boy, we got a lot of blessings to be 377 00:18:57,380 --> 00:18:59,040 thankful for, don't we? 378 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:00,520 Goodness gracious gracious. 379 00:19:00,520 --> 00:19:02,640 Yeah, y'all time, line up your blessings and 380 00:19:02,640 --> 00:19:03,840 line up your problems. 381 00:19:03,840 --> 00:19:06,480 If you're a Christian, your blessings, I will. 382 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,230 If you can't get a bigger list of blessings, 383 00:19:09,230 --> 00:19:11,160 then you need to come see me. 384 00:19:11,160 --> 00:19:13,190 I'll give you some more you're not thinking 385 00:19:13,190 --> 00:19:13,800 about. 386 00:19:13,800 --> 00:19:17,480 Well, let's get to number two. 387 00:19:17,480 --> 00:19:20,140 The ability to give thanks before the battle 388 00:19:20,140 --> 00:19:22,240 starts for the victory to come. 389 00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:26,420 No matter how the thing shakes out, now we're 390 00:19:26,420 --> 00:19:29,880 getting to a deeper level of faith. 391 00:19:29,880 --> 00:19:33,510 These are the folks who believe God before 392 00:19:33,510 --> 00:19:36,600 anything happens, no matter what it is going 393 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:37,600 to be. 394 00:19:37,600 --> 00:19:40,680 This is celebrating before the war. 395 00:19:40,680 --> 00:19:44,080 This is Jesus at the tomb of Lazarus, John 11. 396 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:47,680 After that scene, everybody's crying, weeping. 397 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,760 And after Jesus said, "Hey, remove that stone 398 00:19:50,760 --> 00:19:55,280 ," he says at the end of verse 41, "Father, I 399 00:19:55,280 --> 00:19:58,640 thank you that you have heard me." 400 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:02,700 But before anything happens, thank you, Lord, 401 00:20:02,700 --> 00:20:05,200 for what you're going to do. 402 00:20:05,200 --> 00:20:07,640 That's faith. 403 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:09,360 And you know what happened? 404 00:20:09,360 --> 00:20:14,200 And that way you say, "Lazarus, come forth." 405 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:16,400 He came on out. 406 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:21,280 Now, of course, this is harder, right? 407 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:24,130 But God wants your thanksgiving before the 408 00:20:24,130 --> 00:20:26,960 battle begins, because you know what? 409 00:20:26,960 --> 00:20:30,430 You know, as a Spirit-filled Christian, that 410 00:20:30,430 --> 00:20:33,400 no matter what is going to happen in this 411 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:33,680 thing 412 00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,660 coming up, that God is going to work in it and 413 00:20:36,660 --> 00:20:39,320 through it for your good and his glory. 414 00:20:39,320 --> 00:20:42,730 And that's why you thank Him, for no matter 415 00:20:42,730 --> 00:20:44,960 what, how it shakes out. 416 00:20:44,960 --> 00:20:48,370 Now, that kind of trust takes a higher level 417 00:20:48,370 --> 00:20:52,080 of spiritual maturity than thanking God after 418 00:20:52,080 --> 00:20:53,720 He blesses you, right? 419 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,680 Oh, but then there's a third level. 420 00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:01,720 Third level is hardest of all. 421 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:06,450 Seeing the Lord in the middle of the battle, 422 00:21:06,450 --> 00:21:11,200 when everything is going aww, I want you to 423 00:21:11,200 --> 00:21:15,000 think about old Jonah, imagine being in this 424 00:21:15,000 --> 00:21:18,840 situation, floating around in the stomach 425 00:21:18,840 --> 00:21:21,480 acid of a huge fish, and you got a problem 426 00:21:21,480 --> 00:21:23,960 with that, and you say, "I can't really have 427 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:24,960 happened." 428 00:21:24,960 --> 00:21:25,960 What? 429 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,600 God made DNA in every human being different 430 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:33,720 than in all of human history, for God's sake. 431 00:21:33,720 --> 00:21:35,760 I mean, He makes planets orbit. 432 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:38,550 You don't think He could put Jonah in a big 433 00:21:38,550 --> 00:21:39,200 fish? 434 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:40,200 Huh? 435 00:21:40,200 --> 00:21:43,440 And when Jonah gets his act together, he 436 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:45,320 starts to pray in chapter 2. 437 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,200 I don't know if we, do we have this one up? 438 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:48,200 Did I have that one? 439 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:49,200 Okay. 440 00:21:49,200 --> 00:21:52,070 I didn't go over the verses with Rachel before 441 00:21:52,070 --> 00:21:52,280 . 442 00:21:52,280 --> 00:21:54,250 Chapter 2 in verse 9, Jonah starts to pray 443 00:21:54,250 --> 00:21:56,320 after he gets his act together, he says, "But 444 00:21:56,320 --> 00:22:00,080 I will sacrifice to you with the voice of what 445 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:00,440 ? 446 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:04,860 Thanksgiving to that which I have vowed I will 447 00:22:04,860 --> 00:22:07,840 pay salvation is from the Lord." 448 00:22:07,840 --> 00:22:10,400 You know what happened? 449 00:22:10,400 --> 00:22:13,310 In the next verse, God commands that big fish 450 00:22:13,310 --> 00:22:15,520 to spit Jonah up onto the beach. 451 00:22:15,520 --> 00:22:19,640 Now think about that for just a second. 452 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,160 Put yourself in that situation. 453 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:24,840 There's no Jonah in the stomach of a huge fish 454 00:22:24,840 --> 00:22:27,880 and at that moment he doesn't know what's 455 00:22:27,880 --> 00:22:28,880 going to happen. 456 00:22:28,880 --> 00:22:29,880 It's pitch dark. 457 00:22:29,880 --> 00:22:32,080 They don't have no lights up in there. 458 00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:33,080 Right? 459 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:34,080 Okay. 460 00:22:34,080 --> 00:22:35,480 He don't know what's going to happen. 461 00:22:35,480 --> 00:22:38,400 And there he is saying, "Thank you, Lord. 462 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:39,400 Thank you, Lord. 463 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,160 Salvation is from the Lord." 464 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:43,890 Now we ain't never been in a trial like that, 465 00:22:43,890 --> 00:22:44,360 right? 466 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:46,000 I don't care what you're going through. 467 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:48,780 You ain't never been through nothing like that 468 00:22:48,780 --> 00:22:48,880 . 469 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,890 But Jonah gives us the example to follow in 470 00:22:52,890 --> 00:22:55,600 that extreme situation. 471 00:22:55,600 --> 00:22:58,760 Now, listen to me. 472 00:22:58,760 --> 00:23:04,030 I do not think it's wrong to say to God, "Man, 473 00:23:04,030 --> 00:23:07,240 I don't understand this." 474 00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:11,620 I just, again, I just cannot possibly see any 475 00:23:11,620 --> 00:23:16,000 good in this for anybody in this situation. 476 00:23:16,000 --> 00:23:22,480 I just, I can't see it, but I trust your word, 477 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:28,160 Lord, that it is for my ultimate good, that 478 00:23:28,160 --> 00:23:30,360 it is for your glory, even if I never 479 00:23:30,360 --> 00:23:33,000 understand it in this life and I have to wait 480 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:33,480 to get 481 00:23:33,480 --> 00:23:36,720 to heaven to understand it. 482 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:41,020 And on that basis of trust, I'm going to thank 483 00:23:41,020 --> 00:23:45,480 you for it because you are working out your 484 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:49,840 purposes here in this. 485 00:23:49,840 --> 00:23:52,830 You're conforming me to the image of your Son, 486 00:23:52,830 --> 00:23:55,320 and I will be like Him when I see Him. 487 00:23:55,320 --> 00:23:57,770 I will see Him as He is, and I'm going to be a 488 00:23:57,770 --> 00:23:59,120 joint heir with Him. 489 00:23:59,120 --> 00:24:05,430 Let me tell you, that takes spiritual maturity 490 00:24:05,430 --> 00:24:05,560 . 491 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:08,530 And yes, if you don't understand the trauma 492 00:24:08,530 --> 00:24:11,480 that you're going through, be honest with 493 00:24:11,480 --> 00:24:16,000 God, because He's omniscient. 494 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,270 He knows you don't understand it, but He's 495 00:24:20,270 --> 00:24:22,560 looking for that trust. 496 00:24:22,560 --> 00:24:24,600 He's looking for that faith. 497 00:24:24,600 --> 00:24:27,560 He's looking for that level of spiritual 498 00:24:27,560 --> 00:24:28,560 maturity. 499 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:32,180 Folks, that's all a part of conforming you to 500 00:24:32,180 --> 00:24:34,080 the image of Christ. 501 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:37,980 Remember, and Acts Paul and Silas, they are 502 00:24:37,980 --> 00:24:40,760 locked in stocks in that jail. 503 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:42,720 If you read about that in history, I mean, 504 00:24:42,720 --> 00:24:44,800 they were just as stretched out as they could 505 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:45,800 possibly be. 506 00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:47,890 There ain't too many more things more 507 00:24:47,890 --> 00:24:49,640 uncomfortable than that. 508 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,010 All your muscles start to tighten up, you're 509 00:24:52,010 --> 00:24:54,160 in a lot of pain, but what are they doing 510 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:55,160 in them stocks? 511 00:24:55,160 --> 00:24:58,010 The Bible says they're singing and giving 512 00:24:58,010 --> 00:25:00,120 thanks and praise to God. 513 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:02,480 Oh, Peter and John got beat down really hard, 514 00:25:02,480 --> 00:25:04,920 and after that, beaten, what did they do? 515 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:06,120 They come out of there. 516 00:25:06,120 --> 00:25:10,690 They were thanking God for the honor of having 517 00:25:10,690 --> 00:25:14,380 been beaten for the sake of Jesus. 518 00:25:14,380 --> 00:25:18,190 That's not easy, certainly possible through 519 00:25:18,190 --> 00:25:21,720 the power of the Spirit when you are filled 520 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:22,720 with the Spirit. 521 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,930 And if you can thank God in the middle of the 522 00:25:25,930 --> 00:25:29,400 pain, you have reached a level of maturity 523 00:25:29,400 --> 00:25:32,540 that I think few Christians ever really know, 524 00:25:32,540 --> 00:25:35,960 especially in today's American evangelicalism 525 00:25:35,960 --> 00:25:38,560 with all of the constant talk that we have in 526 00:25:38,560 --> 00:25:40,960 the church at large of the blessings of 527 00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:44,380 God, the blessings of God, the blessings of 528 00:25:44,380 --> 00:25:44,960 God. 529 00:25:44,960 --> 00:25:47,360 Too many ministries, that's all they ever talk 530 00:25:47,360 --> 00:25:47,920 about. 531 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:49,570 And then there's a poor person in the pew 532 00:25:49,570 --> 00:25:51,400 knowing, "That ain't happening in my life 533 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:52,400 like this. 534 00:25:52,400 --> 00:25:54,240 My life's a different story. 535 00:25:54,240 --> 00:25:55,770 I sure hope this is for everybody else, but it 536 00:25:55,770 --> 00:25:56,720 ain't happening for me. 537 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:58,720 It ain't happening for nobody." 538 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:01,800 Jesus said, "In this world, you will have trib 539 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:02,720 ulation." 540 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:03,720 It's purpose. 541 00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:05,530 But I can deal with it better when it's 542 00:26:05,530 --> 00:26:06,260 purpose. 543 00:26:06,260 --> 00:26:09,960 If it wasn't purpose, then that's when I would 544 00:26:09,960 --> 00:26:11,460 have a problem. 545 00:26:11,460 --> 00:26:13,830 This reality, though, should never stop us 546 00:26:13,830 --> 00:26:16,040 from striving to get to the point of being 547 00:26:16,040 --> 00:26:19,160 thankful for all things. 548 00:26:19,160 --> 00:26:23,270 If you've never read or heard of the story of 549 00:26:23,270 --> 00:26:27,240 Joni Erickson Tata, she was paralyzed 550 00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:27,680 completely 551 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:29,840 in a swim pool accident. 552 00:26:29,840 --> 00:26:32,040 If you've never looked this woman up, you 553 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:32,680 should. 554 00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:34,200 Go on YouTube and look her up. 555 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:38,080 I'll give you the spelling of her name later. 556 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:42,960 This is what she said after the accident. 557 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:43,960 Totally paralyzed. 558 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:47,660 And I want you to get this if you don't get 559 00:26:47,660 --> 00:26:49,420 anything else. 560 00:26:49,420 --> 00:26:55,130 Giving thanks is not a matter of feeling 561 00:26:55,130 --> 00:26:57,080 thankful. 562 00:26:57,080 --> 00:27:00,280 It's a matter of obedience. 563 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,560 Can you get that? 564 00:27:03,560 --> 00:27:08,840 I mean, that is profound. 565 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:12,640 It's possible to not feel thankful, but it's 566 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:16,200 still a matter of obedience, as we're seeing 567 00:27:16,200 --> 00:27:19,060 here today, to be thankful. 568 00:27:19,060 --> 00:27:21,450 That's in line with what I mean by, just as I 569 00:27:21,450 --> 00:27:24,160 said a minute ago, "Lord, I don't understand 570 00:27:24,160 --> 00:27:25,160 what you're doing. 571 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:27,600 I don't get this, but I'm thanking you anyway 572 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:27,920 ." 573 00:27:27,920 --> 00:27:30,120 That's obedience, right there. 574 00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:33,000 It's obedience. 575 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:37,320 You don't always have to feel thankful. 576 00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:39,910 We all got something we're going through right 577 00:27:39,910 --> 00:27:40,360 now. 578 00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:42,180 Some of us got multiple things, hard things we 579 00:27:42,180 --> 00:27:44,040 're going through, right this very minute. 580 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:46,700 You don't have to feel thankful all the time, 581 00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:49,120 but in those moments when you do give that 582 00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:53,360 thanks to God for whatever it is, that's a 583 00:27:53,360 --> 00:27:56,480 matter of obedience to Him. 584 00:27:56,480 --> 00:28:00,430 It's a recognition church that my life, and my 585 00:28:00,430 --> 00:28:03,720 circumstances, and my whole destiny for 586 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,620 the rest of this life, and the life to come is 587 00:28:06,620 --> 00:28:09,160 in the hands and exists in the sovereignty 588 00:28:09,160 --> 00:28:10,160 of God. 589 00:28:10,160 --> 00:28:12,800 That's what it does, and everything that 590 00:28:12,800 --> 00:28:15,940 happens is, again, working toward the goal of 591 00:28:15,940 --> 00:28:16,920 conforming 592 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:17,920 me all. 593 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:21,050 It's so amazing to the image of Christ, and 594 00:28:21,050 --> 00:28:24,240 thereby God gets all the glory for that. 595 00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:28,840 Let me tell you, if you can get there, what I 596 00:28:28,840 --> 00:28:33,600 'm telling you here, it will have a profound 597 00:28:33,600 --> 00:28:36,460 effect on your attitude when the tough sled 598 00:28:36,460 --> 00:28:39,480 ding comes, when the storms of life come. 599 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,880 Now, go back to Ephesians 5.20. 600 00:28:43,880 --> 00:28:45,960 So far, we've looked at just the first three 601 00:28:45,960 --> 00:28:48,160 words, always giving thanks, but we kind of 602 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:52,700 already covered what it says next, always 603 00:28:52,700 --> 00:28:55,900 giving thanks for all things. 604 00:28:55,900 --> 00:28:59,400 That's what I call a little Clint Eastwood 605 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:03,500 theology, the good, the bad, and the ugly. 606 00:29:03,500 --> 00:29:06,020 Okay? 607 00:29:06,020 --> 00:29:09,780 The list of things is really long, and there's 608 00:29:09,780 --> 00:29:13,460 only one kind of a person that can be thankful 609 00:29:13,460 --> 00:29:16,300 for everything, and let me tell you, that's a 610 00:29:16,300 --> 00:29:17,500 humble person. 611 00:29:17,500 --> 00:29:20,760 And that's because a humble person knows they 612 00:29:20,760 --> 00:29:22,800 don't deserve anything. 613 00:29:22,800 --> 00:29:28,010 Let me tell you something, the only thing any 614 00:29:28,010 --> 00:29:32,260 of us deserve is for God to have left us 615 00:29:32,260 --> 00:29:37,170 alone and left us to ourselves to go through 616 00:29:37,170 --> 00:29:42,360 life, pulling our own levers, pushing our 617 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:43,360 own buttons. 618 00:29:43,360 --> 00:29:45,940 You know what that would have resulted in? 619 00:29:45,940 --> 00:29:48,360 Utter rebellion. 620 00:29:48,360 --> 00:29:50,360 Even if you went to false religion, or you 621 00:29:50,360 --> 00:29:52,600 didn't go to no religion, utter rebellion 622 00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:55,620 against the God of the Bible, and every moment 623 00:29:55,620 --> 00:29:58,420 that you live, every day that you live in 624 00:29:58,420 --> 00:30:01,560 that condition, you're storing up wrath for 625 00:30:01,560 --> 00:30:04,120 the day of wrath, the Bible says. 626 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:05,120 That's all you deserve. 627 00:30:05,120 --> 00:30:06,120 That's all I deserve. 628 00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,500 Just God, just leave us alone. 629 00:30:09,500 --> 00:30:12,740 And what a pathetic life we live. 630 00:30:12,740 --> 00:30:14,790 No matter whether it's religious or not, if it 631 00:30:14,790 --> 00:30:16,720 's not in line with saving faith and Bible 632 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:20,600 repentance, it's rebellion against God. 633 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:28,160 Man-centered psycho-babel says, "You deserve 634 00:30:28,160 --> 00:30:30,640 to be happy." 635 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:34,160 Can you find that verse? 636 00:30:34,160 --> 00:30:37,240 Or anything like that, anywhere close to that 637 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:38,320 in the Bible? 638 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:42,300 You deserve to be happy. 639 00:30:42,300 --> 00:30:46,860 I've heard counselors tell, "Yeah, go on in 640 00:30:46,860 --> 00:30:48,340 divorcing. 641 00:30:48,340 --> 00:30:50,520 You deserve to be happy." 642 00:30:50,520 --> 00:30:52,020 What? 643 00:30:52,020 --> 00:30:55,510 Do what God hates, because you deserve to be 644 00:30:55,510 --> 00:30:56,320 happy? 645 00:30:56,320 --> 00:30:58,600 Let me tell you something. 646 00:30:58,600 --> 00:31:02,330 If you have a problem being thankful, you know 647 00:31:02,330 --> 00:31:04,320 what your problem is? 648 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:07,660 It's pride, because you know what you're 649 00:31:07,660 --> 00:31:09,160 really saying? 650 00:31:09,160 --> 00:31:12,280 God, I just can't be thankful. 651 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:18,660 I'm not getting what I think I deserve. 652 00:31:18,660 --> 00:31:21,530 But if you know that you don't deserve 653 00:31:21,530 --> 00:31:25,200 anything from God, but Him just leaving you to 654 00:31:25,200 --> 00:31:25,780 yourself 655 00:31:25,780 --> 00:31:28,410 which results in hell, and you see yourself as 656 00:31:28,410 --> 00:31:30,900 nothing but a wretched sinner who deserves 657 00:31:30,900 --> 00:31:33,480 absolutely nothing but the wrath of God, then 658 00:31:33,480 --> 00:31:36,020 for anything that God gives you, there could 659 00:31:36,020 --> 00:31:41,680 be nothing but thanksgiving, right? 660 00:31:41,680 --> 00:31:47,090 Nobody thinks like this, nobody thinks like 661 00:31:47,090 --> 00:31:51,200 this, but a humble Christian. 662 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:55,520 This is just not natural. 663 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,920 And by the way, humility is part of being 664 00:31:58,920 --> 00:32:02,760 filled with the Spirit, because you're only 665 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:09,000 filled with the Spirit when you deny yourself, 666 00:32:09,000 --> 00:32:12,040 when you die to self. 667 00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:16,890 The sin of all sins is pride, really, break it 668 00:32:16,890 --> 00:32:17,820 down. 669 00:32:17,820 --> 00:32:19,750 That's what God's Satan, the eye disease, 670 00:32:19,750 --> 00:32:20,220 remember? 671 00:32:20,220 --> 00:32:22,860 Eye will be like the most high. 672 00:32:22,860 --> 00:32:26,700 Listen, whenever we complain about any of our 673 00:32:26,700 --> 00:32:30,740 circumstances, marriage, family, job, I mean, 674 00:32:30,740 --> 00:32:32,300 we all got complaints, right? 675 00:32:32,300 --> 00:32:34,720 Who in here don't have complaints? 676 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:38,160 We all do this. 677 00:32:38,160 --> 00:32:43,120 At the root of our complaints, it's really 678 00:32:43,120 --> 00:32:47,220 because we think we deserve better. 679 00:32:47,220 --> 00:32:50,310 I mean, I really should have a perfect spouse, 680 00:32:50,310 --> 00:32:51,080 really. 681 00:32:51,080 --> 00:32:54,600 I mean, I really should have a perfect job 682 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:56,920 because I'm me after all. 683 00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:02,100 You know what that is? 684 00:33:02,100 --> 00:33:03,420 Pride. 685 00:33:03,420 --> 00:33:06,480 You cannot be prideful and thankful at the 686 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,100 same time, can't be. 687 00:33:08,100 --> 00:33:12,340 Verse 20, when are we to be thankful? 688 00:33:12,340 --> 00:33:13,500 Always. 689 00:33:13,500 --> 00:33:16,180 For what are we to be thankful for? 690 00:33:16,180 --> 00:33:17,700 All things. 691 00:33:17,700 --> 00:33:23,830 Again, don't, don't get me wrong, not easy, 692 00:33:23,830 --> 00:33:24,940 not easy. 693 00:33:24,940 --> 00:33:27,640 You don't always hit the mark, but possible 694 00:33:27,640 --> 00:33:28,960 with a Christian. 695 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:31,550 And then next in, in verse 20, how are we to 696 00:33:31,550 --> 00:33:33,800 be thankful in the name of our Lord Jesus 697 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,040 Christ to God, even the Father? 698 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:38,420 Now, very simply in the name of our Lord Jesus 699 00:33:38,420 --> 00:33:40,760 Christ just simply means consistent with who 700 00:33:40,760 --> 00:33:43,660 he is, consistent with what he has done. 701 00:33:43,660 --> 00:33:45,690 And because of our connection to who he is and 702 00:33:45,690 --> 00:33:47,720 what he has done through Bible repentance 703 00:33:47,720 --> 00:33:52,570 and faith, by far we should be folks, the most 704 00:33:52,570 --> 00:33:55,980 thankful people on the earth. 705 00:33:55,980 --> 00:34:01,160 I'm so thankful, God, you didn't lead me to 706 00:34:01,160 --> 00:34:02,460 myself. 707 00:34:02,460 --> 00:34:07,780 What a, what a mess I was making before God 708 00:34:07,780 --> 00:34:10,260 invaded my life of my life. 709 00:34:10,260 --> 00:34:13,940 It was a disaster every day. 710 00:34:13,940 --> 00:34:19,260 You've been saved from the wrath to come. 711 00:34:19,260 --> 00:34:21,350 As we've been learning in Ephesians, we've 712 00:34:21,350 --> 00:34:23,660 been blessed with every spiritual blessings 713 00:34:23,660 --> 00:34:28,120 in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. 714 00:34:28,120 --> 00:34:30,160 How can you not every moment be thankful? 715 00:34:30,160 --> 00:34:33,470 I mean, do I really need to take you through 716 00:34:33,470 --> 00:34:35,760 all that long list again? 717 00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,060 When you take yourself through all the 718 00:34:38,060 --> 00:34:40,580 glorious realities, folks of salvation, no 719 00:34:40,580 --> 00:34:41,400 matter what 720 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:45,210 we have to go through in this life that God 721 00:34:45,210 --> 00:34:49,260 has ordained for us and being conformed to 722 00:34:49,260 --> 00:34:53,600 the image of Christ, we have certainty, bed 723 00:34:53,600 --> 00:34:57,110 rock certainty that it's all for our ultimate 724 00:34:57,110 --> 00:34:57,500 good 725 00:34:57,500 --> 00:34:58,860 and his glory. 726 00:34:58,860 --> 00:34:59,860 We hold on to that. 727 00:34:59,860 --> 00:35:02,750 Sometimes we've got to hold on to that by our 728 00:35:02,750 --> 00:35:04,540 fingernails, right? 729 00:35:04,540 --> 00:35:08,200 If you are a Christian, the absolute, no 730 00:35:08,200 --> 00:35:12,100 comparison, greatest thing that could ever 731 00:35:12,100 --> 00:35:13,180 happen to a 732 00:35:13,180 --> 00:35:20,810 human being has happened to you, nothing, 733 00:35:20,810 --> 00:35:23,660 nothing comes close. 734 00:35:23,660 --> 00:35:26,520 If some kind of way you just give me a deal, 735 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,680 here's a deal, buddy, I'm going to let you 736 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:32,280 live out this life in the flesh on the earth 737 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,480 with $200 trillion for eternity. 738 00:35:34,480 --> 00:35:37,220 And you can live every day on vacation and do 739 00:35:37,220 --> 00:35:39,820 whatever you want to do, or you can come 740 00:35:39,820 --> 00:35:43,060 to faith in Christ and be in heaven totally 741 00:35:43,060 --> 00:35:46,300 and join here with Christ and holy without 742 00:35:46,300 --> 00:35:47,940 any sin. 743 00:35:47,940 --> 00:35:49,660 Which of them two things you go to? 744 00:35:49,660 --> 00:35:52,740 I only have to think about. 745 00:35:52,740 --> 00:35:53,740 I only have to think about. 746 00:35:53,740 --> 00:35:55,740 I want to be without sin. 747 00:35:55,740 --> 00:35:58,210 That's the highest plane of existence for any 748 00:35:58,210 --> 00:35:59,120 human being. 749 00:35:59,120 --> 00:36:00,120 Guess what, Christian? 750 00:36:00,120 --> 00:36:01,120 That's what's yours. 751 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:06,910 Come up soon, coming up sooner than you think, 752 00:36:06,910 --> 00:36:09,740 sooner than I think. 753 00:36:09,740 --> 00:36:13,950 So what I'm trying to say, it really doesn't 754 00:36:13,950 --> 00:36:17,340 matter what God has ordained in your little 755 00:36:17,340 --> 00:36:20,150 normally less than 100 year life, which is a 756 00:36:20,150 --> 00:36:22,580 dot on the timeline of eternity, whatever 757 00:36:22,580 --> 00:36:24,560 hard things you have to go through, which is 758 00:36:24,560 --> 00:36:26,020 all for your good and the glory of God as 759 00:36:26,020 --> 00:36:28,610 He's conforming you to the image of Christ, 760 00:36:28,610 --> 00:36:31,160 they don't compare with the reality of who 761 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:34,530 God has changed you to be now in this life and 762 00:36:34,530 --> 00:36:37,760 what God has in store for you in eternity. 763 00:36:37,760 --> 00:36:40,790 That's why Paul says in Romans 8, 18, "For I 764 00:36:40,790 --> 00:36:43,240 consider the sufferings of this present 765 00:36:43,240 --> 00:36:46,440 time are not worthy to be compared with the 766 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:49,360 glory that is to be revealed to us." 767 00:36:49,360 --> 00:36:59,220 And if I had a dollar, for every time I've 768 00:36:59,220 --> 00:37:07,140 quoted that verse in my prayers, you get that 769 00:37:07,140 --> 00:37:10,540 in your bloodstream. 770 00:37:10,540 --> 00:37:14,020 You will be amazed how going through 771 00:37:14,020 --> 00:37:17,660 difficulties will change for you. 772 00:37:17,660 --> 00:37:22,040 And you have to work at that, folks. 773 00:37:22,040 --> 00:37:25,410 Every day you have to work at that to keep 774 00:37:25,410 --> 00:37:26,900 your mindset. 775 00:37:26,900 --> 00:37:30,380 It doesn't just stay with you like in osmosis. 776 00:37:30,380 --> 00:37:34,810 You have to be, you have to be in filled with 777 00:37:34,810 --> 00:37:38,740 the spirit mode to maintain that mindset. 778 00:37:38,740 --> 00:37:43,410 Because you know what, as we battle our flesh 779 00:37:43,410 --> 00:37:47,560 by nature, we are so self-seeking. 780 00:37:47,560 --> 00:37:52,740 We are, we think so highly of ourselves. 781 00:37:52,740 --> 00:37:54,280 We think, man, I don't get what I want. 782 00:37:54,280 --> 00:37:58,500 We get all upset because it didn't go our way. 783 00:37:58,500 --> 00:38:01,420 And we get unthankful. 784 00:38:01,420 --> 00:38:06,710 And again, that's just pride, thinking we 785 00:38:06,710 --> 00:38:09,080 deserve better. 786 00:38:09,080 --> 00:38:12,260 But spirit-filled humility says, "Man, I know 787 00:38:12,260 --> 00:38:14,900 I deserve nothing but hell and wonders 788 00:38:14,900 --> 00:38:18,080 of all people I have been saved from God's 789 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:18,880 wrath. 790 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,910 I'm in union with Christ and I'm going to be a 791 00:38:21,910 --> 00:38:25,040 joint heir of King Jesus for all eternity. 792 00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:27,290 How in the world can I be anything but utterly 793 00:38:27,290 --> 00:38:29,600 thankful every day, no matter what I have to 794 00:38:29,600 --> 00:38:34,720 go through as I'm on my way to the celestial 795 00:38:34,720 --> 00:38:36,000 city?" 796 00:38:36,000 --> 00:38:38,530 Notice again, verse 20, "Thanks for all things 797 00:38:38,530 --> 00:38:40,640 , even in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to 798 00:38:40,640 --> 00:38:42,220 God, even the Father." 799 00:38:42,220 --> 00:38:45,650 This is emphasizing the love of the Father to 800 00:38:45,650 --> 00:38:48,540 his children through who Christ is and 801 00:38:48,540 --> 00:38:49,540 what he has done. 802 00:38:49,540 --> 00:38:53,270 And he's always giving us gifts, James 1, 17, 803 00:38:53,270 --> 00:38:56,140 every good thing given and every perfect 804 00:38:56,140 --> 00:38:59,290 gift is from above, coming down from the 805 00:38:59,290 --> 00:39:02,160 Father of lights with whom there is no 806 00:39:02,160 --> 00:39:03,140 variation 807 00:39:03,140 --> 00:39:05,060 or shifting shadow. 808 00:39:05,060 --> 00:39:06,500 What a verse. 809 00:39:06,500 --> 00:39:10,220 So verse 20, "Always giving thanks for all 810 00:39:10,220 --> 00:39:13,800 things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ 811 00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:15,440 to God, even the Father." 812 00:39:15,440 --> 00:39:18,560 Next I want to close out with a quick look. 813 00:39:18,560 --> 00:39:19,560 One more. 814 00:39:19,560 --> 00:39:20,800 And this will be quick. 815 00:39:20,800 --> 00:39:23,220 The next consequence of being filled with the 816 00:39:23,220 --> 00:39:24,640 Spirit, verse 21. 817 00:39:24,640 --> 00:39:26,520 Now I want you to know verse 21 is going to 818 00:39:26,520 --> 00:39:28,360 connect us to a whole lot of what's coming 819 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:30,960 up in chapter 5. 820 00:39:30,960 --> 00:39:33,600 And if you read ahead, everybody's going to 821 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:35,760 get a turn, so don't get uneasy. 822 00:39:35,760 --> 00:39:39,480 Verse 21, "And be subject to one another in 823 00:39:39,480 --> 00:39:41,380 the fear of Christ." 824 00:39:41,380 --> 00:39:44,310 Now in this verse we transition from our own 825 00:39:44,310 --> 00:39:47,500 personal walk to our relationship with others. 826 00:39:47,500 --> 00:39:50,800 Be subject to one another in the fear of 827 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:51,500 Christ. 828 00:39:51,500 --> 00:39:54,340 That is the foundational expectation in a 829 00:39:54,340 --> 00:39:57,820 believer's life toward other people, if indeed 830 00:39:57,820 --> 00:40:00,560 there has been a genuine conversion in your 831 00:40:00,560 --> 00:40:01,140 life. 832 00:40:01,140 --> 00:40:04,390 And of course the word "fear" here is not like 833 00:40:04,390 --> 00:40:07,120 when you're watching Freddie Kruger. 834 00:40:07,120 --> 00:40:09,590 In the biblical sense what it means is "rever 835 00:40:09,590 --> 00:40:10,520 ential awe." 836 00:40:10,520 --> 00:40:14,390 That's the fear of Christ, honor, worship, ad 837 00:40:14,390 --> 00:40:16,160 oration, praise. 838 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:18,920 That's what it means to fear crying, to fear 839 00:40:18,920 --> 00:40:22,220 God, which is the beginning of wisdom the 840 00:40:22,220 --> 00:40:24,440 Bible says. 841 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,140 And what does it mean, "be subject to one 842 00:40:26,140 --> 00:40:26,720 another"? 843 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:28,940 Well let's look real quickly over at Philipp 844 00:40:28,940 --> 00:40:31,540 ians 2-3 and here we find a description of what 845 00:40:31,540 --> 00:40:34,580 it means to subject yourselves to others. 846 00:40:34,580 --> 00:40:38,340 Look what it says, "Do nothing from selfish 847 00:40:38,340 --> 00:40:41,770 ness or empty conceit, but with humility of 848 00:40:41,770 --> 00:40:42,100 mind 849 00:40:42,100 --> 00:40:44,130 regard one another as more important than 850 00:40:44,130 --> 00:40:45,020 yourselves." 851 00:40:45,020 --> 00:40:47,910 So first, if you're going to subject yourself 852 00:40:47,910 --> 00:40:50,580 to others, you're going to have to humble 853 00:40:50,580 --> 00:40:52,980 yourself and you're going to have to distance 854 00:40:52,980 --> 00:40:55,540 yourself from selfishness and empty conceit. 855 00:40:55,540 --> 00:40:57,100 What in the world does that phrase mean? 856 00:40:57,100 --> 00:41:01,080 It means the pursuit of personal glory. 857 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:03,160 That's what it means. 858 00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,610 And the pursuit of personal glory is really 859 00:41:05,610 --> 00:41:07,920 the motivation for selfish ambition. 860 00:41:07,920 --> 00:41:10,690 That's not how a Christian behaves and you're 861 00:41:10,690 --> 00:41:12,840 going to have to regard others as more 862 00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:13,360 important 863 00:41:13,360 --> 00:41:14,360 than yourself. 864 00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,080 Boy, you think that's easy? 865 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:17,080 Think about it. 866 00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:20,010 Then verse 4, "Do not merely look out for your 867 00:41:20,010 --> 00:41:22,480 own personal interest, but also for the 868 00:41:22,480 --> 00:41:24,640 interest of others," and then it just goes on 869 00:41:24,640 --> 00:41:26,780 to give this tremendous illustration about 870 00:41:26,780 --> 00:41:27,780 Jesus. 871 00:41:27,780 --> 00:41:29,740 I mean you can find it later. 872 00:41:29,740 --> 00:41:33,810 Back to verse 21, chapter 5 of Ephesians, "Be 873 00:41:33,810 --> 00:41:36,620 subject to one another in the fear of 874 00:41:36,620 --> 00:41:37,620 Christ." 875 00:41:37,620 --> 00:41:40,580 The spirit that produces this kind of subject 876 00:41:40,580 --> 00:41:43,420 ion to one another is the same one as what we 877 00:41:43,420 --> 00:41:45,900 just read described in Philippians 2 right 878 00:41:45,900 --> 00:41:46,460 there. 879 00:41:46,460 --> 00:41:47,820 It's a humble spirit. 880 00:41:47,820 --> 00:41:49,500 It's a selfless spirit. 881 00:41:49,500 --> 00:41:53,210 There's no vanglory or self-ambition and it 882 00:41:53,210 --> 00:41:56,740 considers others better than itself. 883 00:41:56,740 --> 00:41:59,480 It serves others before it even serves itself. 884 00:41:59,480 --> 00:42:03,290 Let me tell you, that's the gold standard 885 00:42:03,290 --> 00:42:06,280 definition of all Christian relationships. 886 00:42:06,280 --> 00:42:08,350 So when we think about how we relate to all 887 00:42:08,350 --> 00:42:10,440 other believers, it's all summed up. 888 00:42:10,440 --> 00:42:15,320 Look at the end of that verse, in the fear, 889 00:42:15,320 --> 00:42:19,700 that's how you get motivated to do that for 890 00:42:19,700 --> 00:42:23,210 the sake of Christ, for the honor of Christ, 891 00:42:23,210 --> 00:42:25,340 for the glory of Christ. 892 00:42:25,340 --> 00:42:28,700 That's why we are subject to one another. 893 00:42:28,700 --> 00:42:29,700 Not easy. 894 00:42:29,700 --> 00:42:32,620 Again, you know why? 895 00:42:32,620 --> 00:42:36,700 Because we are all naturally in our flesh self 896 00:42:36,700 --> 00:42:39,100 -centered, aren't we? 897 00:42:39,100 --> 00:42:41,260 I mean we don't even realize how self-centered 898 00:42:41,260 --> 00:42:41,880 we can be. 899 00:42:41,880 --> 00:42:44,440 We really don't. 900 00:42:44,440 --> 00:42:48,480 But at the same time, this is a command. 901 00:42:48,480 --> 00:42:49,960 We're not talking about roles and functions 902 00:42:49,960 --> 00:42:50,280 here. 903 00:42:50,280 --> 00:42:53,730 We're talking about essential nature of 904 00:42:53,730 --> 00:42:55,730 believers is to be this way with our new 905 00:42:55,730 --> 00:42:56,560 nature. 906 00:42:56,560 --> 00:42:57,560 That's what it means. 907 00:42:57,560 --> 00:43:03,560 Like hear me, not easy but possible when we 908 00:43:03,560 --> 00:43:09,720 are filled with the Spirit in the power of 909 00:43:09,720 --> 00:43:10,720 the Spirit. 910 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:13,680 We submit to each other, we subject ourselves 911 00:43:13,680 --> 00:43:16,420 to each other and then Paul is going to move 912 00:43:16,420 --> 00:43:20,840 on from here to show us how that works, wives, 913 00:43:20,840 --> 00:43:25,380 husbands, children, parents, slaves, masters, 914 00:43:25,380 --> 00:43:28,760 and our day employees, employers. 915 00:43:28,760 --> 00:43:30,760 But that will have to wait. 916 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:35,470 As I said, it's next week, Lord willing, we're 917 00:43:35,470 --> 00:43:37,600 going to look at that. 918 00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:39,740 But for now, I hope this has helped you and 919 00:43:39,740 --> 00:43:41,800 moved you along the way in your growth in 920 00:43:41,800 --> 00:43:42,800 spiritual maturity. 921 00:43:42,800 --> 00:43:43,800 Let's pray. 922 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:47,590 Father, we thank you for this very convicting 923 00:43:47,590 --> 00:43:48,880 two verses. 924 00:43:48,880 --> 00:43:54,000 It's hard, life is hard, hard things come, but 925 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:58,180 how thankful I am that you have shown 926 00:43:58,180 --> 00:44:00,620 us that they are purposed. 927 00:44:00,620 --> 00:44:03,940 What a purpose to spiritually grow and to be 928 00:44:03,940 --> 00:44:06,940 conformed to the image of Christ for your 929 00:44:06,940 --> 00:44:07,940 glory. 930 00:44:07,940 --> 00:44:11,640 That's the highest purpose of all purposes. 931 00:44:11,640 --> 00:44:14,880 And it makes sense to me that we would have to 932 00:44:14,880 --> 00:44:17,860 go through hard things to get there. 933 00:44:17,860 --> 00:44:21,100 So Lord, I want to pray right now that you 934 00:44:21,100 --> 00:44:24,520 would just sink this down into all of our 935 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:25,920 hearts and minds. 936 00:44:25,920 --> 00:44:28,510 I pray that we would walk out of here today, 937 00:44:28,510 --> 00:44:30,960 all of us, with a deeper understanding of 938 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:34,460 what this means and that we would strive to 939 00:44:34,460 --> 00:44:37,160 lift this way for your glory. 940 00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:38,160 Jesus' name we pray in. 941 00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:38,160 Amen. 942 00:44:38,160 --> 00:44:38,960 Amen.