1 00:00:00,010 --> 00:00:02,560 Marcel: We're excited today because we are going to have a guest 2 00:00:02,560 --> 00:00:04,670 speaker, uh, for our service. 3 00:00:04,700 --> 00:00:08,389 And so some of you might have seen it on the newsletter, but I want to introduce 4 00:00:08,389 --> 00:00:13,590 here our guest speaker Osvaldo Castro will be preaching God's word here today. 5 00:00:13,920 --> 00:00:17,599 And so Osvaldo was converted, uh, into Christ in the campus 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:21,800 ministry in Mexico city in 1996. 7 00:00:22,340 --> 00:00:23,340 That's a long time ago. 8 00:00:24,590 --> 00:00:25,600 Some of y'all weren't born. 9 00:00:25,610 --> 00:00:27,749 Some of y'all, you were veterans in 1996. 10 00:00:27,885 --> 00:00:32,235 And so he's been married to Isabel in 2000 and they have two 11 00:00:32,235 --> 00:00:34,255 twin girls who are 11 years old. 12 00:00:34,545 --> 00:00:37,415 They moved to Los Angeles in 2006. 13 00:00:37,444 --> 00:00:40,564 They've led different ministries here in the Los Angeles 14 00:00:40,564 --> 00:00:42,544 church as well in Mexico City. 15 00:00:42,865 --> 00:00:46,434 They actually started the Spanish ministry in the west region of 16 00:00:46,434 --> 00:00:49,514 the Los Angeles church in 2009. 17 00:00:49,945 --> 00:00:56,635 And recently Osvaldo is an author and he wrote the book The Second Violin in 2021. 18 00:00:56,815 --> 00:01:00,605 It's available not only in English but in Spanish and in French. 19 00:01:01,955 --> 00:01:04,565 Yeah, that's big time right there when you get to French, you know what I'm saying? 20 00:01:05,745 --> 00:01:08,555 And so it also has the audio version available as well. 21 00:01:08,555 --> 00:01:10,195 He'll be able to talk about that. 22 00:01:10,365 --> 00:01:13,735 And they currently lead a portion of the Spanish ministry over in our Lifeway 23 00:01:13,745 --> 00:01:15,805 region of our Los Angeles churches. 24 00:01:15,814 --> 00:01:18,765 So we're in for a real treat today to hear from Oswaldo. 25 00:01:18,774 --> 00:01:22,194 He's become a friend of mine over the last couple of years and really 26 00:01:22,194 --> 00:01:26,005 appreciate his heart, his faith, and not only his heart for God and his faith, 27 00:01:26,255 --> 00:01:28,625 but it's hard for all of God's people. 28 00:01:29,225 --> 00:01:32,554 And so that's one thing that comes across is that he has a love for 29 00:01:32,595 --> 00:01:35,645 all of God's people, whether they're local, whether he knows them or not, 30 00:01:35,794 --> 00:01:38,615 he has a deep love for all of you. 31 00:01:38,615 --> 00:01:42,054 And as I mentioned even to me before, uh, how much he praises 32 00:01:42,095 --> 00:01:44,464 also for us here in Orange County. 33 00:01:44,464 --> 00:01:46,544 And so right now we're going to have a little quick video that's 34 00:01:46,544 --> 00:01:48,184 going to segue into Osvaldo. 35 00:01:48,184 --> 00:01:51,565 Please, as soon as he gets up, please give Osvaldo a huge round of 36 00:01:51,565 --> 00:01:53,764 applause to welcome him here to OC. 37 00:01:53,815 --> 00:01:54,294 Amen. 38 00:01:54,870 --> 00:01:56,210 Hey, man, let's go ahead and play the video. 39 00:04:34,750 --> 00:04:36,180 Good morning, good morning, everyone. 40 00:04:36,239 --> 00:04:37,990 Uh, well, my name is Osvaldo Castro. 41 00:04:37,990 --> 00:04:38,980 Thank you so much, Marcel. 42 00:04:38,980 --> 00:04:39,680 It's a pleasure. 43 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:46,409 And what you saw is, uh, one of the amazing pieces in classical music. 44 00:04:46,489 --> 00:04:48,970 I am not a musician, so this is not about music. 45 00:04:48,970 --> 00:04:52,340 I I cannot distinguish, uh, Do from a Fa. 46 00:04:52,390 --> 00:04:53,800 I have no idea. 47 00:04:54,270 --> 00:04:55,190 I don't know. 48 00:04:55,450 --> 00:04:57,270 But I just know that I love music. 49 00:04:57,870 --> 00:05:02,489 And that portion is, uh, for all of you who know a little bit about classical 50 00:05:02,490 --> 00:05:06,580 music, that's, uh, a portion of the, uh, Four Seasons from Antonio Vivaldi. 51 00:05:07,300 --> 00:05:11,610 And it's the piece called Summer, the third movement, and it's amazing. 52 00:05:11,640 --> 00:05:13,810 And that gentleman is Nigel Kennedy. 53 00:05:14,405 --> 00:05:19,215 It's a great, great, great violinist and musician, and it's with a small orchestra. 54 00:05:19,215 --> 00:05:22,635 But I don't know if you noticed something, uh, but the energy, 55 00:05:23,405 --> 00:05:25,564 the passion, the coordination. 56 00:05:25,575 --> 00:05:30,284 Every time, I've seen that video, and I have preached this lesson dozens of 57 00:05:30,284 --> 00:05:33,755 times, and I've seen that video hundreds of times, and every time when I, when he 58 00:05:33,755 --> 00:05:39,700 goes like, I want to jump, and I want to go like this, and, uh, the guy who's You 59 00:05:39,700 --> 00:05:44,450 know, playing and then goes like this, uh, like everybody masters whatever they are 60 00:05:44,470 --> 00:05:48,159 doing and it's something called harmony. 61 00:05:49,340 --> 00:05:56,039 Harmony refers to the positive inner state of peace, calmness, and balance, as well 62 00:05:56,080 --> 00:06:01,650 as the feeling of being in tune with the world, in this case with the orchestra. 63 00:06:02,890 --> 00:06:04,920 And, uh, my name is Osvaldo. 64 00:06:04,960 --> 00:06:09,850 I wrote this little book based on many, many, many frustrations, many experiences. 65 00:06:09,850 --> 00:06:15,550 And in this world, in this society that we live, uh, there is something that is 66 00:06:15,550 --> 00:06:17,000 very particular, especially in the U. 67 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:17,400 S. 68 00:06:17,470 --> 00:06:19,029 You know, we just had the Olympics. 69 00:06:20,479 --> 00:06:21,430 And the U. 70 00:06:21,430 --> 00:06:22,150 S. 71 00:06:22,209 --> 00:06:25,239 won pretty much everything. 72 00:06:25,349 --> 00:06:25,799 A lot. 73 00:06:26,559 --> 00:06:26,939 A lot. 74 00:06:27,459 --> 00:06:30,255 So, have you heard the phrase, Altius, Fultius, Siltius? 75 00:06:30,255 --> 00:06:30,429 Yeah. 76 00:06:31,050 --> 00:06:35,210 It's what they use in the Olympics to describe the highest, the 77 00:06:35,210 --> 00:06:36,659 strongest, and the fastest. 78 00:06:37,290 --> 00:06:37,690 And in the U. 79 00:06:37,690 --> 00:06:38,820 S., that's what they want to do. 80 00:06:39,819 --> 00:06:42,880 Have you ever heard the phrase, or the end of the phrase, win is everything? 81 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,700 That's something that for most of the mentality of the 82 00:06:48,719 --> 00:06:51,409 people, and it also translates. 83 00:06:51,820 --> 00:06:54,580 When we talk about church, it comes to our minds. 84 00:06:54,640 --> 00:06:55,740 You have to be the first. 85 00:06:55,740 --> 00:06:58,409 You have to be the, the, the one in charge. 86 00:06:58,409 --> 00:07:02,800 You have to be the person that everybody's looking after. 87 00:07:03,430 --> 00:07:07,600 And many years ago, this idea of the second violin came with an interview 88 00:07:07,600 --> 00:07:12,050 that they made to one of the great, uh, conductors, uh, Leonhard Bernstein, 89 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:16,254 who recently, they did a movie, but I thought about this in probably, probably, 90 00:07:16,995 --> 00:07:22,435 2005, that's how long this idea had been incubating in my heart, in my mind. 91 00:07:23,205 --> 00:07:28,275 And then in an interview, they asked to, uh, the maestro, Bernstein, what is 92 00:07:28,275 --> 00:07:32,185 the most difficult instrument to feel in a symphony, or in your symphony? 93 00:07:33,025 --> 00:07:35,955 And the immediate response was the second violin. 94 00:07:36,625 --> 00:07:40,305 I can always find formidable first violins, but finding 95 00:07:40,305 --> 00:07:43,965 someone who is willing to play second is the most difficult. 96 00:07:44,735 --> 00:07:49,085 And if nobody plays second, there is simply no harmony. 97 00:07:50,685 --> 00:07:54,365 And it talks about the importance of understanding our role and 98 00:07:54,365 --> 00:07:55,515 the place where we are at. 99 00:07:57,495 --> 00:08:02,124 Many times, I don't know if that's, uh, the same feeling that you have had, 100 00:08:02,494 --> 00:08:04,674 but many times I have felt left out. 101 00:08:05,434 --> 00:08:09,505 This is my beautiful family, Isabel, my twin daughters, Ariadna and 102 00:08:09,505 --> 00:08:14,010 Liliana, 11 years old, But for five years, before they came to this 103 00:08:14,010 --> 00:08:16,600 world, we were battling infertility. 104 00:08:17,610 --> 00:08:22,059 And, you know, in the Mexican culture, not having kids is not easy. 105 00:08:23,070 --> 00:08:23,780 It's like, what? 106 00:08:24,380 --> 00:08:27,090 You know, you just see a Latina and she gets pregnant. 107 00:08:27,090 --> 00:08:27,850 So what's wrong with you? 108 00:08:28,700 --> 00:08:29,629 And it was hard. 109 00:08:29,719 --> 00:08:30,789 It was so difficult. 110 00:08:31,860 --> 00:08:39,249 And after many, many, many, many, uh, nights praying and crying, um, you 111 00:08:39,249 --> 00:08:44,399 know, God, uh, gave me the wonderful and incredible miracle of, uh, now having my 112 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:50,320 daughters 11 years old, going to 6th grade and, um, having, you know, So many things 113 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:55,490 that I never dreamed about, and that inspired me to, uh, you know, continue 114 00:08:55,500 --> 00:09:00,330 writing and continue expressing my feelings, my emotions in a different way. 115 00:09:00,530 --> 00:09:03,260 I've always, uh, I'm the second one of six. 116 00:09:03,940 --> 00:09:06,639 Three brothers, well, we're three brothers, three sisters. 117 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,199 And, um, you know, it's not always easy when you're the second one. 118 00:09:12,209 --> 00:09:13,359 Who's the middle child here? 119 00:09:13,449 --> 00:09:13,959 Raise your hand. 120 00:09:14,295 --> 00:09:15,464 Okay, who's the oldest child? 121 00:09:16,305 --> 00:09:17,594 You have to be the example. 122 00:09:17,594 --> 00:09:20,165 Isn't that the, the, the thing that they tell you all the time? 123 00:09:20,675 --> 00:09:22,115 You have to be the example! 124 00:09:22,135 --> 00:09:23,235 Because everybody's told me. 125 00:09:23,485 --> 00:09:25,375 You know, the middle one kind of get a pass. 126 00:09:26,094 --> 00:09:27,185 And the little one is who? 127 00:09:28,894 --> 00:09:29,444 The favorite. 128 00:09:29,714 --> 00:09:30,724 Somebody say he's the favorite. 129 00:09:31,134 --> 00:09:31,594 Probably. 130 00:09:32,275 --> 00:09:36,905 Well, what I want to talk about this, uh, this morning, and again, thank you so 131 00:09:36,905 --> 00:09:39,525 much, is about, uh, what is in this book. 132 00:09:39,535 --> 00:09:40,835 This book is not about me. 133 00:09:40,885 --> 00:09:46,515 This book is about a lot of characters, uh, to be specific, uh, nine chapters, 134 00:09:47,194 --> 00:09:54,454 eight specific characters that, um, you know, talk about, uh, situations and 135 00:09:54,685 --> 00:09:57,635 characters that are not exactly the main. 136 00:09:58,110 --> 00:09:59,420 Um, characters in the Bible. 137 00:09:59,430 --> 00:10:01,830 So I'm going to do this experiment that I do every time. 138 00:10:02,150 --> 00:10:04,980 Just think about your favorite character in the Bible. 139 00:10:04,990 --> 00:10:07,109 Who's your favorite character in the Bible? 140 00:10:07,110 --> 00:10:09,170 Who's the one that inspires you the most? 141 00:10:09,530 --> 00:10:11,170 And, and, and just say it loud. 142 00:10:11,170 --> 00:10:11,880 I want to hear you. 143 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,269 David. 144 00:10:13,270 --> 00:10:13,890 David. 145 00:10:13,890 --> 00:10:14,880 Paul. 146 00:10:14,880 --> 00:10:15,869 Paul. 147 00:10:15,869 --> 00:10:16,859 Paul. 148 00:10:16,859 --> 00:10:17,849 Jesus. 149 00:10:17,849 --> 00:10:18,089 Jesus. 150 00:10:18,329 --> 00:10:18,819 Of course. 151 00:10:18,849 --> 00:10:19,229 Who else? 152 00:10:19,230 --> 00:10:20,899 Deborah. 153 00:10:22,479 --> 00:10:22,829 Deborah. 154 00:10:22,839 --> 00:10:23,259 Who else? 155 00:10:23,260 --> 00:10:24,309 Esther. 156 00:10:24,309 --> 00:10:25,069 Esther. 157 00:10:25,819 --> 00:10:27,069 You know, rude. 158 00:10:27,199 --> 00:10:27,739 Amazing. 159 00:10:28,704 --> 00:10:29,135 Fantastic. 160 00:10:29,155 --> 00:10:33,055 You see, all these main characters, uh, and you can talk about David, 161 00:10:33,055 --> 00:10:37,495 Paul, Timothy, and I have done this experiment a lot, and everybody 162 00:10:37,495 --> 00:10:38,925 talks about these main characters. 163 00:10:38,925 --> 00:10:41,685 You know, when you hear a preacher talking about Moses, talking about 164 00:10:41,714 --> 00:10:48,254 Elijah, talking about, um, you know, Paul, Peter, even, even many of my 165 00:10:48,254 --> 00:10:50,795 friends sometimes they feel, oh, you know what, somebody told me that I 166 00:10:50,885 --> 00:10:54,265 probably have the convictions or the character of Peter, you know, so strong. 167 00:10:55,910 --> 00:10:58,740 Emotional sometimes, but you know, I feel like Peter. 168 00:10:58,740 --> 00:11:02,680 Well, have you ever heard, uh, about the things that these guys did? 169 00:11:02,980 --> 00:11:06,160 And I'm gonna talk just really, really, really fast about these 170 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:09,890 guys, but the book is based on the life of these, these characters. 171 00:11:09,900 --> 00:11:15,290 That, normally, you hear them, but they are not the main focus of, 172 00:11:15,420 --> 00:11:17,140 for example, a sermon like today. 173 00:11:18,160 --> 00:11:19,110 You talk about Aaron. 174 00:11:19,210 --> 00:11:19,840 Who was Aaron? 175 00:11:19,870 --> 00:11:21,269 He was the older brother of? 176 00:11:22,020 --> 00:11:22,160 Moses. 177 00:11:22,985 --> 00:11:28,995 But, in the ancient culture, the older brother had the responsibility to 178 00:11:29,005 --> 00:11:31,475 guide, to lead, and he was overseen. 179 00:11:32,895 --> 00:11:37,845 And he was passed by his brother Moses, who, by the way, was living like a prince. 180 00:11:38,755 --> 00:11:39,444 Run away. 181 00:11:39,714 --> 00:11:41,125 He never had to suffer anything. 182 00:11:41,235 --> 00:11:42,995 He never had to go through anything. 183 00:11:44,545 --> 00:11:47,545 And God decided that Moses was the one who was going to 184 00:11:47,555 --> 00:11:51,645 lead the exodus of his people. 185 00:11:52,995 --> 00:11:58,655 And Aaron, according to God, he was well spoken, pretty much he was 186 00:11:58,655 --> 00:12:00,915 strong, but he was not the chosen one. 187 00:12:01,255 --> 00:12:03,635 Talking about Leah, do you know who Leah was? 188 00:12:05,425 --> 00:12:08,154 He was the second wife, but was the first sister of Rachel. 189 00:12:09,264 --> 00:12:10,835 And she was overseen. 190 00:12:11,345 --> 00:12:15,595 And she was given, uh, in a deceitful way by Laban. 191 00:12:16,484 --> 00:12:17,345 Because, you know. 192 00:12:18,005 --> 00:12:20,565 We say it in Mexico, hermana saltada, hermana quedada. 193 00:12:20,575 --> 00:12:25,115 So we say if you, you know, kind of pass the oldest, she's going to stay 194 00:12:25,115 --> 00:12:26,355 there, so we need to give her away. 195 00:12:26,805 --> 00:12:27,825 And that's what Levan did. 196 00:12:27,825 --> 00:12:29,145 So can you imagine in her heart? 197 00:12:29,800 --> 00:12:33,060 Feeling the sadness of not being loved, but being, just giving 198 00:12:33,060 --> 00:12:35,220 away because otherwise she's not going to be the chosen one. 199 00:12:35,470 --> 00:12:35,760 Caleb. 200 00:12:35,760 --> 00:12:41,060 Caleb was the, the second in command with Joshua, but he was the only one 201 00:12:41,069 --> 00:12:46,729 of all the other twelve, along with Joshua, who, you know, were strong, 202 00:12:46,740 --> 00:12:48,560 and God made a promise to Caleb. 203 00:12:48,810 --> 00:12:52,740 We are going to receive all this land in inheritance, and he had to wait 204 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,839 years and years and years, and you don't hear anything else about Caleb. 205 00:12:55,900 --> 00:12:56,390 Rahab. 206 00:12:56,390 --> 00:12:57,874 Do you know who Rahab was? 207 00:12:57,874 --> 00:12:58,710 He was a prostitute. 208 00:12:59,460 --> 00:13:02,129 Have you ever heard a sermon about Rahab being inspiring? 209 00:13:02,490 --> 00:13:05,089 Have you ever, has anyone told you, hey, you have a fate like Rahab? 210 00:13:06,750 --> 00:13:07,750 You don't hear those things. 211 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:09,039 Oh, you know what? 212 00:13:09,039 --> 00:13:12,339 Your life reminds me, or your fate reminds me, uh, the fate of Rahab. 213 00:13:13,260 --> 00:13:13,460 What? 214 00:13:13,649 --> 00:13:14,839 Probably you're feeling insulted. 215 00:13:15,569 --> 00:13:15,990 Maybe. 216 00:13:16,349 --> 00:13:19,770 Hannah, you know, the mother of Samuel, a woman who was destined to 217 00:13:19,770 --> 00:13:24,159 be infertile, not having kids, and that crying, and her crying was so 218 00:13:24,159 --> 00:13:29,355 deep, So, so, so painful that, uh, even Eli thought that she was drunk. 219 00:13:30,375 --> 00:13:30,984 Jonathan. 220 00:13:31,625 --> 00:13:31,964 Jonathan. 221 00:13:31,964 --> 00:13:34,654 We see Jonathan as the friend of David. 222 00:13:34,685 --> 00:13:36,264 But you know, Jonathan was the prince. 223 00:13:37,224 --> 00:13:40,075 Jonathan was the second in command of the whole kingdom. 224 00:13:40,474 --> 00:13:45,944 Lawfully, he was the righteous, uh, successor of the king. 225 00:13:46,805 --> 00:13:49,784 He could have fought for, for, for his, uh, right to be 226 00:13:49,784 --> 00:13:51,264 the, the second, the prince. 227 00:13:51,615 --> 00:13:53,489 But he decided to give that up. 228 00:13:57,839 --> 00:14:01,839 John the Baptist, the one who knew Jesus since they were babies in the 229 00:14:01,839 --> 00:14:06,770 womb, and he died in a way that, you know, pretty much started the ministry. 230 00:14:06,909 --> 00:14:10,770 He was famous, and then he was decapitated. 231 00:14:11,409 --> 00:14:14,710 And many of us just see John like, ah, yeah, the Christ in the desert. 232 00:14:15,319 --> 00:14:16,020 John Mark. 233 00:14:16,690 --> 00:14:16,990 Who? 234 00:14:17,795 --> 00:14:18,534 Who's this guy? 235 00:14:19,605 --> 00:14:21,024 Who's this guy, John Mark? 236 00:14:21,365 --> 00:14:26,164 Well, according to many, many, many guys, he was one of the many 237 00:14:26,164 --> 00:14:30,844 who went on the first missionary trip with Paul and Barnabas. 238 00:14:32,024 --> 00:14:36,315 And he was a relative of Barnabas, but he abandoned the mission. 239 00:14:36,925 --> 00:14:39,165 And you don't hear a lot of things about him, but we're going to 240 00:14:39,175 --> 00:14:40,795 hear a lot about what he did. 241 00:14:40,815 --> 00:14:43,775 So, uh, What is this book about? 242 00:14:43,785 --> 00:14:45,325 Why am I presenting this to you? 243 00:14:45,325 --> 00:14:47,005 And I'm very, very, again, very thankful. 244 00:14:47,224 --> 00:14:52,655 You know, as an orchestra, each member, each one of you, you have a very 245 00:14:52,984 --> 00:14:57,835 unique and a very, uh, important role, and you're indispensable to create, 246 00:14:58,095 --> 00:15:00,284 uh, rhythm, harmony, and melody. 247 00:15:00,534 --> 00:15:02,744 Without you, we don't have an orchestra. 248 00:15:03,724 --> 00:15:05,155 Without you, we don't have a church. 249 00:15:06,204 --> 00:15:08,484 Without you, we don't have this ministry. 250 00:15:09,165 --> 00:15:13,745 So, each one of us plays a unique and essential role, whether you decide to 251 00:15:13,755 --> 00:15:17,745 be, uh, you know, a greeter, or, or, uh, usher, or someone who comes here. 252 00:15:17,894 --> 00:15:21,655 The guys in the sound are pretty much, many times are the forgotten ones, 253 00:15:21,915 --> 00:15:25,334 but when anything goes wrong here, the first ones to be blamed, probably. 254 00:15:25,335 --> 00:15:30,655 Um, but everybody and everything is essential for your role. 255 00:15:30,795 --> 00:15:34,095 Even you as a father, as a mother, you're so essential for your family. 256 00:15:34,359 --> 00:15:36,440 The things you do, the things you provide. 257 00:15:36,629 --> 00:15:40,780 So the second violin in my book, it's a call to renewal of the spirit 258 00:15:40,819 --> 00:15:46,129 of surrender, love and selfless service, only for the glory of God. 259 00:15:47,169 --> 00:15:47,849 Sounds good, huh? 260 00:15:48,510 --> 00:15:55,839 However, however, many times, it's not easy to accept either the 261 00:15:55,839 --> 00:16:03,329 place or the role where we have to serve or play in the orchestra. 262 00:16:04,535 --> 00:16:07,085 Have you ever felt like you're underappreciated? 263 00:16:08,464 --> 00:16:09,395 Raise your hand with me. 264 00:16:09,704 --> 00:16:10,885 I have felt that. 265 00:16:10,944 --> 00:16:12,025 And if I could do this. 266 00:16:12,725 --> 00:16:16,155 Have you felt like, oh man, I'm wasting my talent? 267 00:16:17,214 --> 00:16:19,505 All these years, I became a disciple in 1996. 268 00:16:19,505 --> 00:16:21,845 I was 20 years old. 269 00:16:22,155 --> 00:16:27,235 So you can guess how many, how many years I'm now. 270 00:16:27,255 --> 00:16:30,345 So, 1996, 20 years old. 271 00:16:31,550 --> 00:16:33,510 I've been married for 24 years. 272 00:16:33,510 --> 00:16:35,079 I'm going to 25. 273 00:16:36,079 --> 00:16:39,109 And sometimes, even with all those blessings, I feel like, 274 00:16:39,109 --> 00:16:42,659 uh, Why has God forsaken me? 275 00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:45,359 Why I'm not in a different place? 276 00:16:46,139 --> 00:16:47,309 Why I'm not shining? 277 00:16:47,770 --> 00:16:49,599 Why I'm not doing better financially? 278 00:16:49,599 --> 00:16:51,639 Why I'm not doing better spiritually? 279 00:16:52,069 --> 00:16:54,030 Why I'm not in charge of this or that? 280 00:16:54,879 --> 00:16:56,520 Why I'm not more important? 281 00:16:58,415 --> 00:17:03,035 And that, for many years, caused a lot of pain in my heart. 282 00:17:03,695 --> 00:17:07,605 And I don't know where you are at right now, but I'm pretty sure that at one 283 00:17:07,605 --> 00:17:09,425 point everybody has felt the same. 284 00:17:10,125 --> 00:17:13,144 Like, are you feeling underappreciated, disrespected? 285 00:17:13,345 --> 00:17:16,295 Like, uh, nobody, uh, takes you seriously? 286 00:17:16,304 --> 00:17:17,924 Like, they are wasting your talent? 287 00:17:19,394 --> 00:17:24,884 Everything we do here, our relationships, the interactions, have a profound impact 288 00:17:25,294 --> 00:17:26,694 in the short, medium, and long term. 289 00:17:28,625 --> 00:17:35,245 The way we react when, um, we are not the main actors affects 290 00:17:35,294 --> 00:17:37,245 completely the way we serve others. 291 00:17:37,745 --> 00:17:40,454 Have you ever been in the position where you say something, Hey, hello, how 292 00:17:40,454 --> 00:17:44,404 are you, and the other person probably didn't see you, didn't respond, didn't 293 00:17:44,404 --> 00:17:46,025 greet you the way you were expecting? 294 00:17:46,745 --> 00:17:47,595 What's the feeling? 295 00:17:50,805 --> 00:17:55,668 You know, in the Latino culture, it's like, What do you think? 296 00:17:55,668 --> 00:17:56,729 I'll talk to you later. 297 00:17:57,629 --> 00:17:59,139 And that's, that's pretty common. 298 00:17:59,620 --> 00:18:02,899 So those feelings are there. 299 00:18:03,510 --> 00:18:09,619 How to maintain the desire to give ourselves wholeheartedly and keep the 300 00:18:09,629 --> 00:18:15,719 confidence that God is in control of everything when things don't go on, 301 00:18:15,730 --> 00:18:18,639 don't, do not turn out as we hope. 302 00:18:19,470 --> 00:18:20,180 How do you do that? 303 00:18:20,260 --> 00:18:21,230 How do you do that? 304 00:18:22,355 --> 00:18:24,185 Probably many of you have dreams. 305 00:18:24,254 --> 00:18:28,835 Maybe, uh, you know, uh, what, what, uh, Jean was sharing was fantastic. 306 00:18:28,835 --> 00:18:31,654 I felt like, uh, you know, we need to close this, what she did in the 307 00:18:31,665 --> 00:18:34,264 communion was fantastic surrendering. 308 00:18:34,274 --> 00:18:38,674 She, she, she was surrendered to God's will, uh, hopes, dreams, and coming 309 00:18:38,674 --> 00:18:43,294 from a, probably a destroyed background and now having hope and now sharing 310 00:18:43,294 --> 00:18:44,915 her feelings probably without God. 311 00:18:44,925 --> 00:18:48,054 I'm probably, I'm sure without God, she wouldn't be here. 312 00:18:48,699 --> 00:18:49,780 She wouldn't have what she has. 313 00:18:50,379 --> 00:18:51,669 And you are a miracle. 314 00:18:52,139 --> 00:18:52,919 You are special. 315 00:18:52,919 --> 00:18:54,780 God chose you for a reason. 316 00:18:54,919 --> 00:18:56,889 Whether you're a visitor, whether you've been a long 317 00:18:56,889 --> 00:18:59,399 time member, God has a purpose. 318 00:18:59,429 --> 00:19:03,350 But sometimes, it's not easy to find our purpose. 319 00:19:04,689 --> 00:19:09,829 Now, by my accent, you can tell I am not, I was not born in the USA. 320 00:19:10,889 --> 00:19:12,039 I was nuts. 321 00:19:13,129 --> 00:19:16,120 I learned English when I was 18 years old. 322 00:19:16,980 --> 00:19:19,159 So that's why it's so thick sometimes. 323 00:19:19,629 --> 00:19:21,939 That's why I have problems with words. 324 00:19:22,300 --> 00:19:25,240 And that's why many, many, many years ago I felt so insecure. 325 00:19:26,330 --> 00:19:29,509 Like, they're laughing at me because I couldn't distinguish the 326 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:33,790 Y from the J, because I couldn't pronounce this or that word. 327 00:19:34,599 --> 00:19:35,949 Made me so insecure. 328 00:19:36,550 --> 00:19:42,469 And many times thinking about coming to the English ministry and do something 329 00:19:42,469 --> 00:19:45,290 like this or writing was a crazy dream. 330 00:19:46,034 --> 00:19:46,615 But you know what? 331 00:19:47,075 --> 00:19:51,044 I found that God is a God that never forgets. 332 00:19:51,845 --> 00:19:54,075 He's an amazing God, and in Hebrews chapter 6, verse 10 to 333 00:19:54,075 --> 00:19:56,235 11, it says, God is not unjust. 334 00:19:56,375 --> 00:20:00,274 He will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him, as you have helped 335 00:20:00,304 --> 00:20:02,554 His people and continue to help them. 336 00:20:02,714 --> 00:20:06,794 We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, 337 00:20:07,004 --> 00:20:10,365 in order to make your hope sure. 338 00:20:10,425 --> 00:20:13,905 Do you feel like nobody thinks about you? 339 00:20:13,965 --> 00:20:15,284 That no one cares about you? 340 00:20:15,284 --> 00:20:15,754 Guess what? 341 00:20:15,774 --> 00:20:16,774 God cares about you. 342 00:20:18,004 --> 00:20:22,894 And God never and will never forget what you're doing and 343 00:20:22,894 --> 00:20:25,915 what you have done for others. 344 00:20:26,354 --> 00:20:27,284 Just for His glory. 345 00:20:28,724 --> 00:20:30,044 That's the power of God. 346 00:20:30,544 --> 00:20:34,205 And He's hoping that we can understand that, embrace it, 347 00:20:34,875 --> 00:20:38,195 go and fight for His glory. 348 00:20:38,195 --> 00:20:38,294 Amen. 349 00:20:39,584 --> 00:20:41,185 But what happens when there's no harmony? 350 00:20:41,344 --> 00:20:43,824 You know, our churches all around the world have gone 351 00:20:43,824 --> 00:20:45,235 through a lot of transitions. 352 00:20:45,624 --> 00:20:46,574 A lot of problems. 353 00:20:46,584 --> 00:20:48,594 Sometimes it's not easy to be in a ministry. 354 00:20:48,864 --> 00:20:50,705 Sometimes it's not easy to be a minister. 355 00:20:50,735 --> 00:20:53,185 I am not a full time minister, but I'm a full time disciple. 356 00:20:54,894 --> 00:20:59,435 And what I decided many years ago is, I don't care. 357 00:20:59,544 --> 00:21:02,534 I'm just gonna serve, I'm gonna love, I'm gonna give my best. 358 00:21:03,374 --> 00:21:07,034 And I'm gonna hope that one day I can see Jesus face to face. 359 00:21:08,165 --> 00:21:09,295 And he will say, well done. 360 00:21:09,995 --> 00:21:10,865 That's all I want. 361 00:21:11,905 --> 00:21:13,445 But what happened when there's no harmony? 362 00:21:13,445 --> 00:21:17,035 What happened when the musician, can you imagine for a moment, Dallas? 363 00:21:17,035 --> 00:21:18,974 I saw Dallas and I met Dallas in life way. 364 00:21:19,005 --> 00:21:22,164 He was so small and now he has this deep voice. 365 00:21:22,174 --> 00:21:22,905 So it gets scared. 366 00:21:22,974 --> 00:21:24,165 Like, wow, what happened? 367 00:21:24,165 --> 00:21:24,564 We changed. 368 00:21:24,584 --> 00:21:30,754 I didn't recognize him, but can you imagine if in this beautiful 369 00:21:30,765 --> 00:21:32,705 setting, there was no harmony. 370 00:21:33,230 --> 00:21:36,590 A brother from the, from the drums just decided to go, I don't know, 371 00:21:36,590 --> 00:21:38,290 Ringo Starr and doing his thing. 372 00:21:39,230 --> 00:21:42,379 And then the other one on the bass, he goes all Foo 373 00:21:42,379 --> 00:21:43,810 Fighters and that, that, that. 374 00:21:44,790 --> 00:21:45,519 I don't know. 375 00:21:46,109 --> 00:21:47,400 It will be crazy. 376 00:21:47,700 --> 00:21:48,910 He decides to be Mr. 377 00:21:48,910 --> 00:21:50,599 Paul McCartney just out of nowhere. 378 00:21:52,110 --> 00:21:53,230 It will be crazy. 379 00:21:53,870 --> 00:21:59,879 And, you know, what do you do when the orchestra, this beautiful Orange County 380 00:21:59,960 --> 00:22:06,620 Ministry, and Which you are part of is not what you expected or what you dream of. 381 00:22:07,120 --> 00:22:09,590 Oh man, I remember those years, wow. 382 00:22:10,419 --> 00:22:11,530 Have you ever said that? 383 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:13,360 Oh, I remember when we were. 384 00:22:14,370 --> 00:22:18,709 Oh, man, the old school, the OGs, oh man. 385 00:22:20,069 --> 00:22:21,140 I remember. 386 00:22:22,620 --> 00:22:26,880 What is your attitude when you face differences of opinion? 387 00:22:27,695 --> 00:22:31,325 Something that I love about our churches, even with their imperfections, 388 00:22:31,785 --> 00:22:35,415 is that it doesn't matter if you are black, if you are white, if you are 389 00:22:35,415 --> 00:22:40,055 yellow, if you are red, if you are brown, if you are blue, if you are 390 00:22:40,055 --> 00:22:41,714 red, if you vote this, you vote that. 391 00:22:42,255 --> 00:22:43,595 What matters is Christ. 392 00:22:44,315 --> 00:22:45,924 And that's the center of everything. 393 00:22:46,764 --> 00:22:48,415 But what do you do in your heart? 394 00:22:49,175 --> 00:22:52,095 What decisions do you make when you feel undervalued, 395 00:22:52,475 --> 00:22:54,874 overshadowed, or just ignored? 396 00:22:54,875 --> 00:22:55,024 That's the point. 397 00:22:56,485 --> 00:23:02,825 How do you react when those who are supposed to take care of you, help 398 00:23:02,825 --> 00:23:06,804 you, and guide you to Christ, hurt you? 399 00:23:08,164 --> 00:23:11,585 Oh, that brother, that sister, that thing he or she said. 400 00:23:12,414 --> 00:23:13,515 Even in the family. 401 00:23:14,185 --> 00:23:18,825 You know one of the most difficult places to be at peace many times is the family. 402 00:23:20,935 --> 00:23:21,965 The resentfulness. 403 00:23:22,054 --> 00:23:25,004 Being bitter like he or she did that. 404 00:23:25,535 --> 00:23:28,915 And many of us carry that all over the way, all over these years. 405 00:23:29,645 --> 00:23:31,715 Let me show you something that I'm pretty sure you're going to find funny. 406 00:23:32,575 --> 00:23:33,115 Look at the back. 407 00:23:57,954 --> 00:23:59,405 And the orchestra continues playing. 408 00:24:00,750 --> 00:24:01,620 Do you see what happened? 409 00:24:02,970 --> 00:24:04,560 Poor guy, he doesn't know what to do. 410 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:07,080 Do I, do I say sorry? 411 00:24:07,080 --> 00:24:08,170 Do, do, do, do. 412 00:24:10,840 --> 00:24:11,440 And you know what? 413 00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:16,330 Many times, life and this orchestra is like that. 414 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:20,050 The guys in the front, they didn't even notice. 415 00:24:20,439 --> 00:24:21,539 They were watching who? 416 00:24:21,540 --> 00:24:23,800 They were looking at the, at the, uh, director. 417 00:24:24,200 --> 00:24:27,110 And the director saw that, but they have a piece to complete. 418 00:24:28,310 --> 00:24:30,290 So that made me understand something. 419 00:24:30,290 --> 00:24:32,810 The world is not gonna stop for our pain. 420 00:24:33,970 --> 00:24:35,150 The world moves. 421 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:37,030 But God does. 422 00:24:38,660 --> 00:24:46,950 And many times, we can come to this place and be all smiles, but sad inner. 423 00:24:48,190 --> 00:24:52,060 An inner sad that maybe you have a bad morning, you have 424 00:24:52,140 --> 00:24:56,330 a bad week, you feel resentful towards someone, you feel bitter. 425 00:24:56,780 --> 00:25:01,219 You feel underappreciated, but you come to church, open the door, brother. 426 00:25:01,219 --> 00:25:01,919 How are you? 427 00:25:05,530 --> 00:25:09,550 You are probably, you come late and you leave early because you 428 00:25:09,550 --> 00:25:11,120 don't want to be seen by anyone. 429 00:25:11,440 --> 00:25:16,769 You're just fulfilling your duty of becoming here a presence, a person who's 430 00:25:16,779 --> 00:25:21,270 sitting here, but you can be so bitter and so detached from everyone else. 431 00:25:21,820 --> 00:25:23,380 Many times I've been like that. 432 00:25:24,230 --> 00:25:27,100 My worst scene probably being radioactive. 433 00:25:28,285 --> 00:25:30,095 And it's not the Imagine Dragons song. 434 00:25:30,135 --> 00:25:32,525 It's being radioactive. 435 00:25:32,895 --> 00:25:35,815 You know that radioactivity is good, under control. 436 00:25:35,815 --> 00:25:37,125 That's why we have x rays. 437 00:25:37,775 --> 00:25:41,564 That's why we can see and doctors can detect cancer and some other 438 00:25:41,565 --> 00:25:43,055 diseases because of x rays. 439 00:25:43,204 --> 00:25:46,375 So, under control, radioactivity is revealing. 440 00:25:46,755 --> 00:25:47,695 It's wonderful. 441 00:25:48,035 --> 00:25:49,205 It's very helpful. 442 00:25:50,575 --> 00:25:56,584 But, when it's out of control, it becomes Chernobyl. 443 00:25:58,930 --> 00:25:59,650 A Hiroshima. 444 00:26:01,100 --> 00:26:02,250 A place of devastation. 445 00:26:03,680 --> 00:26:07,779 And many times, I cannot tell you how many I was like that. 446 00:26:08,090 --> 00:26:08,949 And I've been like that. 447 00:26:09,460 --> 00:26:10,490 I want to tell the truth. 448 00:26:10,490 --> 00:26:11,490 I don't care. 449 00:26:12,590 --> 00:26:15,033 I'm going to tell that person exactly what I think. 450 00:26:15,033 --> 00:26:17,449 And he's going to have a piece of my mind. 451 00:26:18,860 --> 00:26:21,700 Because I say what I think. 452 00:26:23,410 --> 00:26:24,840 And sometimes we don't have filters. 453 00:26:25,760 --> 00:26:27,890 And I cannot tell you how many times I have. 454 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:32,450 hurt people just thinking that way. 455 00:26:33,900 --> 00:26:37,519 And I think this is one of my biggest and most terrible sins. 456 00:26:38,320 --> 00:26:39,710 You know, I grew up in Mexico City. 457 00:26:39,759 --> 00:26:41,029 I became a disciple there. 458 00:26:41,270 --> 00:26:44,179 From the first moment I thought when I became a Christian, I'm gonna be a leader. 459 00:26:44,859 --> 00:26:46,230 I'm gonna be the man in charge. 460 00:26:46,310 --> 00:26:49,850 And I think that many of the mistakes of the church at that time is that 461 00:26:49,850 --> 00:26:53,090 they made you believe that you have to be in a top position to be someone. 462 00:26:54,640 --> 00:26:56,339 Oh, he's the leader of so so so. 463 00:26:56,459 --> 00:26:57,050 Oh, wow. 464 00:26:57,280 --> 00:26:57,760 Welcome. 465 00:26:59,200 --> 00:26:59,790 Who are you? 466 00:26:59,950 --> 00:27:00,580 What do you lead? 467 00:27:00,590 --> 00:27:02,610 Was the first thing that they used to ask. 468 00:27:03,440 --> 00:27:05,530 And I thought, well, I need to be a man of conviction. 469 00:27:05,540 --> 00:27:06,970 Tell everyone what I feel. 470 00:27:07,820 --> 00:27:09,190 What wrong they're doing. 471 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:13,790 And if they tell me something, I'm going to tell them, your faith is weak. 472 00:27:14,850 --> 00:27:19,160 And I became like, uh, this, uh, horrible figure of someone 473 00:27:19,210 --> 00:27:20,830 who could not understand them. 474 00:27:22,450 --> 00:27:25,970 And I realized, you know, how I grew up in my house? 475 00:27:25,970 --> 00:27:26,029 You know? 476 00:27:26,800 --> 00:27:27,580 With a figure like that. 477 00:27:28,940 --> 00:27:31,820 My father used to say, you do it because I said so. 478 00:27:31,950 --> 00:27:33,370 And it's not wrong to say that. 479 00:27:34,379 --> 00:27:36,500 But I didn't have the opportunity to appeal. 480 00:27:37,419 --> 00:27:38,520 Because immediately, PAPA! 481 00:27:40,509 --> 00:27:42,949 And spiritually speaking, I was like that. 482 00:27:43,009 --> 00:27:45,989 Someone was trying to tell me something with the Bible, oh yeah? 483 00:27:46,069 --> 00:27:47,239 Let me show you another one. 484 00:27:48,189 --> 00:27:48,600 BOOM! 485 00:27:48,979 --> 00:27:50,289 Take that, huh? 486 00:27:50,429 --> 00:27:51,159 How do you like me now? 487 00:27:52,829 --> 00:27:53,639 And it was horrible. 488 00:27:53,639 --> 00:27:53,699 BOOM! 489 00:27:54,390 --> 00:27:57,890 And many of the dreams that I apparently was not fulfilling in my 490 00:27:57,890 --> 00:27:59,910 view made me someone radioactive. 491 00:28:00,500 --> 00:28:04,230 And it wasn't until I decided I need to surrender and to 492 00:28:04,230 --> 00:28:07,040 find healing and to be open. 493 00:28:07,700 --> 00:28:12,250 Whether accidentally, intentionally I hurt someone, I have had the 494 00:28:12,259 --> 00:28:15,280 opportunity to make peace, to apologize. 495 00:28:15,860 --> 00:28:20,130 I have twin daughters, and they have been an amazing gift from God, 496 00:28:21,040 --> 00:28:22,450 because they put me in my place. 497 00:28:23,700 --> 00:28:26,180 Like, Daddy, don't yell at me. 498 00:28:26,290 --> 00:28:27,180 Don't raise your voice. 499 00:28:27,180 --> 00:28:28,860 Just tell me what you need and I'll do it. 500 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:33,480 Oh my gosh. 501 00:28:34,860 --> 00:28:38,590 And they do a lot of things that I never thought I would 502 00:28:38,599 --> 00:28:40,199 be able to react in a way I do. 503 00:28:40,630 --> 00:28:42,320 Just for love, for care. 504 00:28:43,390 --> 00:28:48,064 Somebody the other day asked me, um, How are you doing with your book? 505 00:28:48,314 --> 00:28:52,054 And I said, well, you know, now it's in English, Spanish, and French. 506 00:28:52,465 --> 00:28:54,984 I had an interview with, uh, with the editor yesterday. 507 00:28:55,935 --> 00:28:59,185 And he said, oh man, you must be selling thousands of books. 508 00:28:59,185 --> 00:29:00,144 And I said, no. 509 00:29:00,874 --> 00:29:04,324 I'm not a well known, I'm not a recognized voice or writer. 510 00:29:04,354 --> 00:29:05,534 Nobody cares about me. 511 00:29:05,535 --> 00:29:07,844 They don't know my name, and that's fine. 512 00:29:08,114 --> 00:29:08,604 You know what? 513 00:29:08,904 --> 00:29:12,455 Because if only one person reads a book and feels like it 514 00:29:12,455 --> 00:29:14,324 makes a difference, that's fine. 515 00:29:15,340 --> 00:29:16,810 And he told me, Are you sure? 516 00:29:17,009 --> 00:29:17,969 I said, Yeah, I'm sure. 517 00:29:18,340 --> 00:29:21,989 Oh, man, I don't know if I will be able to do that because, hey, it's time. 518 00:29:22,029 --> 00:29:22,800 Time is money. 519 00:29:23,469 --> 00:29:26,810 You know, when we have that mentality that we need to get something for 520 00:29:26,839 --> 00:29:31,370 everything we do, I feel that we miss the spiritual perspective. 521 00:29:31,899 --> 00:29:32,779 That's my feeling. 522 00:29:33,340 --> 00:29:33,999 And you know what? 523 00:29:34,519 --> 00:29:38,850 I have learned to be more is more important than to do. 524 00:29:39,230 --> 00:29:41,820 To be is more important than just to do. 525 00:29:41,820 --> 00:29:46,350 Philippians 2, 14, 15 says, Do everything without grumbling or arguing so that 526 00:29:46,390 --> 00:29:50,570 you may become blameless and pure children of God without fault in a 527 00:29:50,570 --> 00:29:53,029 world, in a world and croc generation. 528 00:29:53,289 --> 00:29:57,629 Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky. 529 00:29:59,465 --> 00:30:01,645 I used to think, oh, I need to do a lot of things. 530 00:30:02,425 --> 00:30:05,005 If I do a lot of things, I'm in charge of this or that. 531 00:30:05,005 --> 00:30:07,465 I was in charge of five, six, seven ministries. 532 00:30:07,985 --> 00:30:14,355 Singing, greeting, a communion, preaching, uh, hope, bah, bah, bah. 533 00:30:14,355 --> 00:30:15,935 And it's not that you don't have to be involved. 534 00:30:16,215 --> 00:30:20,105 It's just that I was feeling like the more I do, the better I become. 535 00:30:20,495 --> 00:30:23,655 The more I do, the more important, the more I'm going to shine. 536 00:30:24,495 --> 00:30:26,815 And I was getting bitter. 537 00:30:26,815 --> 00:30:26,875 Yeah. 538 00:30:27,465 --> 00:30:28,945 Because I had no recognition. 539 00:30:29,545 --> 00:30:31,775 Because it was a selfish desire. 540 00:30:31,925 --> 00:30:34,225 And he says, do everything without grumbling and arguing. 541 00:30:34,405 --> 00:30:35,785 That's how we do things. 542 00:30:37,265 --> 00:30:38,105 What about home? 543 00:30:38,875 --> 00:30:39,925 What do you tell your kids? 544 00:30:39,945 --> 00:30:41,315 Go and wash the dishes. 545 00:30:42,015 --> 00:30:42,995 Yes, father. 546 00:30:43,355 --> 00:30:44,475 Yes, mother. 547 00:30:48,615 --> 00:30:49,425 Clean your room. 548 00:30:50,915 --> 00:30:52,995 Oh, father, thank you for reminding me that. 549 00:30:55,055 --> 00:30:57,065 The first thing that you hear is what? 550 00:30:59,645 --> 00:31:00,335 Why? 551 00:31:01,625 --> 00:31:06,225 And now when God is telling you, forgive, forget, be unselfish. 552 00:31:06,535 --> 00:31:09,015 Yes, father, that's what I'm going to do. 553 00:31:09,015 --> 00:31:12,825 Why don't you see the preacher? 554 00:31:13,175 --> 00:31:14,325 Don't you see that guy? 555 00:31:14,505 --> 00:31:15,845 Don't you see this person? 556 00:31:17,055 --> 00:31:22,275 And we try to shine with our own light instead of the light of the Holy Spirit. 557 00:31:23,595 --> 00:31:25,265 Because we have a selfish ambition. 558 00:31:25,265 --> 00:31:25,875 Be careful. 559 00:31:25,895 --> 00:31:29,775 Matthew 6, 1 says, Be careful not to do acts of righteousness in 560 00:31:29,775 --> 00:31:31,525 front of others, to be seen by them. 561 00:31:31,525 --> 00:31:34,905 If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in Heaven. 562 00:31:35,375 --> 00:31:40,495 Our true value is being one with God in private, rather than 563 00:31:40,495 --> 00:31:42,695 in doing in the sight of all. 564 00:31:43,965 --> 00:31:46,275 And I'm not saying that you don't have to do anything. 565 00:31:46,835 --> 00:31:51,660 I'm saying that your expectation of receiving an applause, or your 566 00:31:51,660 --> 00:31:57,330 satisfaction, personally, shouldn't come from the people, but from a God. 567 00:31:58,040 --> 00:32:01,230 Whatever He gives you as an extra, is an extra. 568 00:32:01,670 --> 00:32:03,970 But that's not the meaning of what we do. 569 00:32:04,180 --> 00:32:07,090 But when you do things just because you want to be the man or the woman 570 00:32:07,090 --> 00:32:11,640 in charge, that's really, really, really difficult and really hard. 571 00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:16,700 And talking about hard, I have learned, and through these examples in the 572 00:32:16,700 --> 00:32:19,070 book, that it's better to have a heart. 573 00:32:19,995 --> 00:32:20,965 before a position. 574 00:32:21,805 --> 00:32:24,815 And by that I mean, I mean the heart is very important for God. 575 00:32:25,355 --> 00:32:32,795 Around 830 times, 830 times the word or the phrase heart 576 00:32:32,905 --> 00:32:33,935 is mentioned in the Bible. 577 00:32:34,605 --> 00:32:35,955 That tells you how important. 578 00:32:36,665 --> 00:32:40,815 In the heart is the intellect, the will, the appetites, the senses, the 579 00:32:40,815 --> 00:32:45,615 emotions, passions, and everything harmonized and blended together. 580 00:32:46,155 --> 00:32:50,850 So if you don't have your heart in the right position, Everything around you 581 00:32:50,850 --> 00:32:52,890 is going to be very, very messed up. 582 00:32:54,370 --> 00:32:59,270 And the reminder of this is this beautiful, beautiful interaction 583 00:32:59,270 --> 00:33:01,360 of Jesus with the disciples. 584 00:33:01,860 --> 00:33:06,050 Yeah, because they also had problems understanding what was the heart 585 00:33:06,350 --> 00:33:07,320 or what was the right heart. 586 00:33:07,330 --> 00:33:12,390 It says in Mark 9, 33 35, they came to Capernaum when he was in the house. 587 00:33:12,580 --> 00:33:17,600 He asked them, Jesus asked them, What are you arguing about on the road? 588 00:33:18,700 --> 00:33:20,220 And you know, I can imagine them like kids, 589 00:33:22,660 --> 00:33:26,510 but they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was 590 00:33:26,510 --> 00:33:30,650 the greatest, sitting down, Jesus called the twelve and said, anyone 591 00:33:30,660 --> 00:33:35,560 who wants to be the first must be the very last and servant of all. 592 00:33:37,550 --> 00:33:38,890 What were you arguing about? 593 00:33:39,030 --> 00:33:40,370 What are we arguing about? 594 00:33:41,190 --> 00:33:42,170 Who's first? 595 00:33:42,910 --> 00:33:44,060 Who's more important? 596 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:47,760 And these questions 597 00:33:49,880 --> 00:33:52,910 were so revealing to me, and I hope that you can take the 598 00:33:52,930 --> 00:33:54,630 time to think about those. 599 00:33:55,270 --> 00:33:57,520 But, do you feel more important than others? 600 00:34:00,010 --> 00:34:02,570 This is not just about Christianity, this is about our lives. 601 00:34:03,050 --> 00:34:04,560 Do you see others with disdain? 602 00:34:05,300 --> 00:34:05,890 Oh, these guys. 603 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:10,840 Oh, that guy drives like a lunatic. 604 00:34:12,090 --> 00:34:14,389 And there's no better driver than you, when you're in your car. 605 00:34:15,030 --> 00:34:16,080 Have you felt like that? 606 00:34:16,750 --> 00:34:18,159 I have, and it's horrible. 607 00:34:18,159 --> 00:34:18,304 It's horrible. 608 00:34:19,885 --> 00:34:22,495 Do you only serve when it's convenient for you? 609 00:34:23,205 --> 00:34:25,594 Now, I know Marcel talked about, uh, you know, being ushers. 610 00:34:25,594 --> 00:34:27,745 I know this is a great region that serves. 611 00:34:28,435 --> 00:34:31,175 But, oh, Friday, no, it's not that convenient, you know. 612 00:34:31,175 --> 00:34:33,665 NFL is about to start, so I need to get ready. 613 00:34:33,665 --> 00:34:38,315 Um, I don't know, La Vuelta a España is also, you know, cycling. 614 00:34:38,364 --> 00:34:39,245 Are you a cyclist? 615 00:34:39,245 --> 00:34:40,344 No, but I like to watch. 616 00:34:40,415 --> 00:34:41,574 I don't know, so many things. 617 00:34:42,475 --> 00:34:44,074 But do you serve when it's only convenient? 618 00:34:45,574 --> 00:34:46,525 Do you leave? 619 00:34:46,525 --> 00:34:46,609 I don't know. 620 00:34:46,980 --> 00:34:50,699 With bitterness or resentment for not being acknowledged 621 00:34:50,699 --> 00:34:51,940 by the things you do or did? 622 00:34:53,550 --> 00:34:57,310 All this region, I have done so much and they don't even know my name. 623 00:34:58,350 --> 00:34:59,430 They don't even recognize me. 624 00:35:00,980 --> 00:35:02,310 Where is my recognition? 625 00:35:04,020 --> 00:35:05,140 Have you felt like that? 626 00:35:05,500 --> 00:35:06,420 I felt like that. 627 00:35:07,180 --> 00:35:09,650 You know, Marcel talked a little bit, my wife and I, we helped to 628 00:35:09,660 --> 00:35:13,040 build the El Mensaje, the Spanish ministry that now is El Mensaje. 629 00:35:13,965 --> 00:35:14,625 And we did it. 630 00:35:14,625 --> 00:35:16,875 And when it was, you know, growing and everything, they 631 00:35:16,875 --> 00:35:18,255 decided, oh we, you know what? 632 00:35:18,285 --> 00:35:23,205 This ministry needs a full-time couple, you know, we've been working. 633 00:35:23,985 --> 00:35:25,965 Yeah, we're gonna bring someone from other region. 634 00:35:26,025 --> 00:35:30,585 What I wish I could tell you, I took it so well, I took it so bad, 635 00:35:33,415 --> 00:35:36,445 . But I was like, eh, okay. 636 00:35:36,895 --> 00:35:37,825 And it was horrible. 637 00:35:38,395 --> 00:35:38,725 Horrible. 638 00:35:38,995 --> 00:35:40,675 I was like smoking the ice. 639 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:42,660 Like, really bad. 640 00:35:42,930 --> 00:35:45,670 Like, he said something, oh, that's not the right word in Spanish. 641 00:35:46,700 --> 00:35:49,260 Ah, I don't know why he pronounced that. 642 00:35:49,590 --> 00:35:51,020 I don't know why he's teaching that. 643 00:35:51,330 --> 00:35:51,930 I don't know. 644 00:35:51,950 --> 00:35:54,050 I know that when we were there, we were growing. 645 00:35:54,770 --> 00:35:55,410 So now what? 646 00:35:55,550 --> 00:35:59,900 It was so horrible, horrible, horrible, that I have to apologize. 647 00:36:00,690 --> 00:36:01,680 To ask for forgiveness. 648 00:36:01,690 --> 00:36:04,540 So many times my wife told me, Hey, you need to give up. 649 00:36:04,540 --> 00:36:05,940 You need to, you need to calm down. 650 00:36:05,950 --> 00:36:07,150 You're so bitter. 651 00:36:07,490 --> 00:36:10,190 And I remember a couple from Mexico that they love me so much. 652 00:36:10,340 --> 00:36:12,010 We were there and it was like, you know what? 653 00:36:12,010 --> 00:36:12,660 It's unfair. 654 00:36:12,660 --> 00:36:13,930 We've been working. 655 00:36:14,370 --> 00:36:14,680 Bam, bam, bam. 656 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:16,240 And this brother, bah, bah, bah, bah, bah. 657 00:36:16,630 --> 00:36:17,700 And she told me, you know what? 658 00:36:17,710 --> 00:36:19,539 Do you know the story of job? 659 00:36:19,810 --> 00:36:25,430 When he comes and he's having all these issues and then God says, Oh, look, job. 660 00:36:25,530 --> 00:36:27,050 He's, he's, he's amazing. 661 00:36:27,060 --> 00:36:28,160 He's a fantastic man. 662 00:36:28,380 --> 00:36:32,300 And then Satan pretty much comes and says, Oh yeah, he has everything 663 00:36:32,300 --> 00:36:33,890 because you have given him everything. 664 00:36:34,070 --> 00:36:35,300 Just take away that. 665 00:36:36,140 --> 00:36:37,680 And then he's going to blame you. 666 00:36:37,690 --> 00:36:38,990 He's going to curse you. 667 00:36:39,690 --> 00:36:42,220 And she said, you have nothing good to say about others. 668 00:36:42,920 --> 00:36:44,300 You're being like that serpent. 669 00:36:47,140 --> 00:36:48,000 How dare you? 670 00:36:48,915 --> 00:36:49,625 But that was true. 671 00:36:49,625 --> 00:36:50,355 I was so bitter. 672 00:36:50,405 --> 00:36:51,195 I was so bad. 673 00:36:51,655 --> 00:36:55,335 And I have to understand, do I want to be useful or just being important? 674 00:36:56,115 --> 00:36:57,095 What do I want to do? 675 00:36:59,035 --> 00:37:00,505 What do you want to do in your house? 676 00:37:00,515 --> 00:37:02,125 Do you want to be useful or do you want to be important? 677 00:37:02,125 --> 00:37:04,825 I'm the man of the house, so just respect me! 678 00:37:06,165 --> 00:37:06,805 Are you loving? 679 00:37:06,835 --> 00:37:07,545 Are you caring? 680 00:37:08,135 --> 00:37:10,285 Well, I'm providing for the food and everything else, 681 00:37:10,475 --> 00:37:11,635 so they need to respect me. 682 00:37:12,425 --> 00:37:13,685 I don't wash dishes. 683 00:37:14,545 --> 00:37:15,355 Because I'm the man. 684 00:37:15,605 --> 00:37:16,145 I don't know. 685 00:37:16,145 --> 00:37:16,224 I'm the man. 686 00:37:16,885 --> 00:37:17,785 Maybe it's not like that. 687 00:37:18,355 --> 00:37:18,905 Who knows? 688 00:37:19,775 --> 00:37:24,335 But are you giving your whole heart in kindness, in love, 689 00:37:24,515 --> 00:37:26,305 in tenderness, communication? 690 00:37:27,555 --> 00:37:32,575 When what we do may not seem, and this is very deep for me, because 691 00:37:32,575 --> 00:37:35,935 right now, you might be thinking, what I'm doing, it doesn't matter. 692 00:37:35,935 --> 00:37:37,055 No, what you do, it matters. 693 00:37:37,815 --> 00:37:40,995 Because it might not seem to have an immediate impact, but you need 694 00:37:40,995 --> 00:37:44,075 to remember that you are leaving a legacy for future generations. 695 00:37:44,815 --> 00:37:48,715 For these little kids, for the teens that now are in another room receiving lessons. 696 00:37:48,895 --> 00:37:51,305 You are setting the tone for them. 697 00:37:51,765 --> 00:37:53,345 You are planting for them. 698 00:37:53,365 --> 00:37:54,795 You are seeding for them. 699 00:37:55,225 --> 00:37:58,405 You are doing everything for them because in 20 years probably 700 00:37:58,515 --> 00:37:59,805 we are not going to be here. 701 00:38:00,095 --> 00:38:01,995 I hope we are, but we might not. 702 00:38:03,555 --> 00:38:05,535 I'm not getting any younger. 703 00:38:06,935 --> 00:38:08,355 Probably 30 more years. 704 00:38:08,355 --> 00:38:09,155 I hope 40. 705 00:38:09,175 --> 00:38:10,015 I don't know. 706 00:38:10,855 --> 00:38:12,735 But what type of church do I want to see? 707 00:38:12,735 --> 00:38:14,575 Do I always want to be the man in charge? 708 00:38:14,595 --> 00:38:19,765 No, what I'm doing right now makes a big impact. 709 00:38:19,765 --> 00:38:22,285 One of my daughters told me the other day and made me cry. 710 00:38:22,285 --> 00:38:23,985 She said, Oh, dad, your book. 711 00:38:23,985 --> 00:38:26,505 I'm going to keep one copy in English, French, and Spanish. 712 00:38:26,505 --> 00:38:28,865 They, they, they are fluent in three languages. 713 00:38:29,285 --> 00:38:32,445 And she said, uh, because you know, one day when I have kids, I'm going 714 00:38:32,445 --> 00:38:35,315 to show them what his grandpa did. 715 00:38:35,385 --> 00:38:38,725 And I started crying, crying. 716 00:38:39,490 --> 00:38:40,790 And I just give her a hug. 717 00:38:41,430 --> 00:38:43,920 And I was thinking, what I'm doing right now, they see that. 718 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:47,080 And that's the type of man that they are gonna fall in 719 00:38:47,080 --> 00:38:48,570 love, and that's what I pray. 720 00:38:49,390 --> 00:38:54,040 The type of man that you are gonna build so he can marry someone else's daughter. 721 00:38:55,150 --> 00:38:57,900 Mentoring, serving, loving, giving. 722 00:38:58,350 --> 00:39:00,430 You're doing that for future generations. 723 00:39:00,510 --> 00:39:03,580 It's not about you, it's not about me, it's about others. 724 00:39:04,075 --> 00:39:07,635 And when we do that, we grow it as a church, we grow it as a 725 00:39:07,635 --> 00:39:09,775 society, we do something different. 726 00:39:09,785 --> 00:39:14,085 Every stumble, every setback, every problem is an opportunity 727 00:39:14,085 --> 00:39:16,435 to learn, to grow, to mature. 728 00:39:16,615 --> 00:39:18,495 Don't waste your pain! 729 00:39:18,955 --> 00:39:22,055 This is an amazing phrase that our late Gloria Bird used to say. 730 00:39:22,475 --> 00:39:25,175 You feel sad, you've been mistreated, you have this pain, you 731 00:39:25,175 --> 00:39:26,955 have this issue, don't waste it! 732 00:39:27,775 --> 00:39:28,615 Use it! 733 00:39:29,185 --> 00:39:31,775 Because what you are going through, someone else is going 734 00:39:31,775 --> 00:39:33,675 to go through in the future. 735 00:39:33,825 --> 00:39:35,755 And you are going to be there to help them. 736 00:39:36,105 --> 00:39:39,505 To show them how God helped you. 737 00:39:39,885 --> 00:39:41,125 Don't waste your pain. 738 00:39:41,135 --> 00:39:42,275 Don't waste it. 739 00:39:42,885 --> 00:39:43,695 Embrace it. 740 00:39:43,705 --> 00:39:44,395 Learn. 741 00:39:44,845 --> 00:39:45,505 Forgive. 742 00:39:45,515 --> 00:39:46,065 Forget. 743 00:39:46,085 --> 00:39:48,375 Learn to enjoy being a second violin. 744 00:39:48,375 --> 00:39:51,415 I know not many of you are going to be able to preach here ever. 745 00:39:52,335 --> 00:39:52,775 And you know what? 746 00:39:52,785 --> 00:39:53,525 That's okay. 747 00:39:54,205 --> 00:39:56,865 I know I'm not going to be able to preach in all the regions. 748 00:39:56,915 --> 00:39:57,935 And that's okay. 749 00:39:58,005 --> 00:40:08,745 Because, when we do this, when we think, when we feel, or what we think, 750 00:40:08,755 --> 00:40:16,615 what we feel, what we say, and what we do, is in total harmony with the 751 00:40:16,625 --> 00:40:19,155 Word of God, it's gonna flourish. 752 00:40:21,345 --> 00:40:23,435 You can think one thing and say other. 753 00:40:23,535 --> 00:40:24,545 Have you ever done that? 754 00:40:25,235 --> 00:40:27,415 You can think and say the right thing, but do the wrong. 755 00:40:28,930 --> 00:40:32,940 So it has to be like a, like a, like an equilibrium, a perfect harmony. 756 00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:37,580 So do you want to know what happened with those guys who were nowhere, or 757 00:40:37,580 --> 00:40:39,320 sometimes are nowhere seen in the Bible? 758 00:40:39,910 --> 00:40:42,450 Well Aaron became the first priest. 759 00:40:43,140 --> 00:40:45,700 So the second brother in command became the first priest. 760 00:40:46,280 --> 00:40:52,210 Leah became the mother of Judah, the tribe of the Messiah, the unloved one. 761 00:40:52,960 --> 00:40:58,090 The one that, that, that was given as a, okay, consolation prize, because otherwise 762 00:40:58,090 --> 00:41:00,440 she's not going to get married here. 763 00:41:01,300 --> 00:41:05,100 She raised, uh, she gave birth to six kids, and one of them was 764 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,230 Judah, the tribe of the Messiah. 765 00:41:08,660 --> 00:41:13,800 Caleb, do you feel like you have waited for, uh, rewards or to see things? 766 00:41:14,050 --> 00:41:19,470 Caleb had to wait 40 years to see the promise, and he went and fought for that. 767 00:41:20,610 --> 00:41:22,370 He didn't receive it just, Oh, here it is. 768 00:41:22,370 --> 00:41:23,430 No, he went and he fought. 769 00:41:23,470 --> 00:41:25,470 You're going to see in the book, if you, if you take the time to 770 00:41:25,470 --> 00:41:29,520 read it, Rahab, she was the great, great, great grandmother of King 771 00:41:29,520 --> 00:41:35,180 David, a prostitute, a woman with no future, a woman with no expectations. 772 00:41:36,150 --> 00:41:40,390 Hannah became the mother of the prophet Samuel, the last judge. 773 00:41:40,670 --> 00:41:41,480 Isn't that amazing? 774 00:41:42,030 --> 00:41:46,590 Jonathan, he surrendered his royalty in favor of the chosen king. 775 00:41:46,590 --> 00:41:46,944 Yeah. 776 00:41:48,115 --> 00:41:52,045 He was the first one to give up his rights for someone else. 777 00:41:52,255 --> 00:41:55,195 Are you willing to give up your rights for someone else's glory? 778 00:41:57,785 --> 00:42:00,765 John the Baptist, he prepared the path for the Messiah. 779 00:42:02,055 --> 00:42:03,995 And John Mark, John who? 780 00:42:04,675 --> 00:42:11,215 John Mark, from quitter to writer of the first gospel, the gospel of 781 00:42:11,215 --> 00:42:16,815 Mark, many, many, many of the scholars agreed that was written by Mark. 782 00:42:18,085 --> 00:42:19,955 As inscribed for Peter. 783 00:42:20,525 --> 00:42:22,405 And do you know what Peter and Mark have in common? 784 00:42:24,075 --> 00:42:26,465 They both betrayed someone. 785 00:42:27,865 --> 00:42:29,605 And that shows you how God acts. 786 00:42:30,055 --> 00:42:35,225 In an amazing way, even when you feel empty, even when you feel 787 00:42:35,285 --> 00:42:39,955 unworthy, even when you have failed, even when you have made mistakes, 788 00:42:39,955 --> 00:42:42,895 even when you have sins that you feel like, oh, this is unforgiving. 789 00:42:43,115 --> 00:42:48,785 God has the power to redeem you, to heal you, and to use you in a powerful way. 790 00:42:49,815 --> 00:42:51,115 And that's the God we serve. 791 00:42:51,665 --> 00:42:56,395 And finally, one of the chapters at the end is that the last will be first. 792 00:42:57,170 --> 00:43:02,000 And it's an amazing example of how God sees you and sees me 793 00:43:02,290 --> 00:43:05,470 and gives us opportunities that we never thought we could have. 794 00:43:06,350 --> 00:43:11,410 So for all of you, my brothers and sisters, my friends, 1 says, Therefore, 795 00:43:11,410 --> 00:43:13,980 my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. 796 00:43:14,450 --> 00:43:15,750 Let nothing move you. 797 00:43:15,810 --> 00:43:20,210 Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord because you know that your labor 798 00:43:20,210 --> 00:43:22,560 is the law in the Lord is not in vain. 799 00:43:23,580 --> 00:43:24,710 It's not in vain what you do. 800 00:43:26,160 --> 00:43:27,160 God sees that. 801 00:43:28,030 --> 00:43:32,900 God takes that into consideration and he values you more than you can think about. 802 00:43:34,100 --> 00:43:37,000 As I said, you know, at the beginning, I have the privilege to have 803 00:43:37,020 --> 00:43:39,040 these three versions of my book. 804 00:43:39,040 --> 00:43:41,220 An audio book, it's an e book, a printed. 805 00:43:41,410 --> 00:43:45,945 I'm going to have some copies on the outside if you want to take one. 806 00:43:45,945 --> 00:43:48,094 If not, just take a look later. 807 00:43:48,094 --> 00:43:51,472 If you have Hoopla, like it's a system for public libraries, 808 00:43:51,472 --> 00:43:53,314 just sign in, look for it. 809 00:43:53,314 --> 00:43:54,849 It's free for 21 days. 810 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:55,790 You don't have to wait. 811 00:43:55,880 --> 00:43:59,180 I just want you to read it, and I'm pretty sure it's going to make an impact. 812 00:43:59,180 --> 00:44:02,530 And finally, I want to close with this phrase, this quote 813 00:44:02,550 --> 00:44:06,500 that says, Do not shine, or don't shine so others can see you. 814 00:44:06,830 --> 00:44:10,560 Shine so that through you, others can see Him. 815 00:44:11,480 --> 00:44:12,690 It's for the glory of God. 816 00:44:13,120 --> 00:44:14,510 It's not for ourselves. 817 00:44:14,670 --> 00:44:15,410 It's for Him. 818 00:44:15,830 --> 00:44:17,930 And the more we understand that, the more we do. 819 00:44:18,680 --> 00:44:22,290 The happier and, uh, the more alive that we are going to feel. 820 00:44:22,290 --> 00:44:24,440 I want to just thank you so much for this opportunity. 821 00:44:24,440 --> 00:44:26,400 Thank you, Marcella, and thank you for listening to me. 822 00:44:26,660 --> 00:44:30,830 I hope you feel moving your heart, inspired to understand that God 823 00:44:30,950 --> 00:44:35,040 has a purpose for you, and that you are amazing, and that God sees 824 00:44:35,120 --> 00:44:37,420 everything you do for his glory. 825 00:44:37,750 --> 00:44:38,140 Amen.