1 00:00:06,080 --> 00:00:09,840 Good morning, Spring House. It's 2 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:12,880 a cool day inside the house of the Lord. 3 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:20,880 And if you're joining us on Livestream, hopefully you're in air 4 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:24,680 conditioning as well. Well, bless the Lord. God's been 5 00:00:24,680 --> 00:00:28,510 moving this morning and I love that we can always count 6 00:00:28,510 --> 00:00:31,750 on him to move and to speak. 7 00:00:32,630 --> 00:00:35,830 Man, he's always seeming to be up to something really 8 00:00:35,830 --> 00:00:39,430 incredible. And if we will just lean in and pay attention, we get to take 9 00:00:39,430 --> 00:00:43,270 part in it. We don't have to be separate from him, especially because of Jesus. 10 00:00:43,830 --> 00:00:47,550 And so hallelujah, it's good to see you this morning, good to 11 00:00:47,550 --> 00:00:51,270 see your smiling faces before we get rolling this 12 00:00:51,270 --> 00:00:54,950 morning. School time is getting close. It's drawing 13 00:00:54,950 --> 00:00:58,290 close. Which it means, oh yeah, I heard the youth go, oh 14 00:00:58,850 --> 00:01:02,690 yeah, it is happening. And parents say 15 00:01:03,250 --> 00:01:06,970 amen. Yeah, but that means August 16 00:01:06,970 --> 00:01:10,690 is happening. And we're going to resume our midweek gatherings in 17 00:01:10,690 --> 00:01:14,250 August. And so we want you to be a part of our 18 00:01:14,250 --> 00:01:18,090 midweek gathering. And Pastor Barbie is going to be doing a 12 week 19 00:01:18,090 --> 00:01:21,770 series called the Eye of the Needle. And I just want 20 00:01:21,770 --> 00:01:25,490 to encourage you, I want to encourage you if you have the 21 00:01:25,490 --> 00:01:29,330 capacity as you're getting back in rhythm, who loves a good rhythm, you're 22 00:01:29,330 --> 00:01:31,950 getting back, you're getting your family in rhythm 23 00:01:32,990 --> 00:01:36,750 that you would carve out that hour from 6 to 7 on Thursday 24 00:01:36,830 --> 00:01:40,430 night beginning August 7th and come spend time with us, we worship, 25 00:01:40,510 --> 00:01:44,230 there'll be word, it will be rich and you will be blessed. So please make 26 00:01:44,230 --> 00:01:47,870 a part a point rather to come and be a part of this very 27 00:01:47,870 --> 00:01:51,670 special series as we get things back up and running. And of 28 00:01:51,670 --> 00:01:55,350 course we'll be bringing you the information about kids ministry, youth ministry, young adult 29 00:01:55,350 --> 00:01:58,830 ministry as well. But I wanted to go ahead and let people begin to 30 00:01:59,130 --> 00:02:02,930 plot on their calendars to mark this time aside for our, for our 31 00:02:02,930 --> 00:02:06,330 midweek gathering. Okay, well, before we get started 32 00:02:06,730 --> 00:02:10,090 into where we're going to go, I just want to tell you that you're probably 33 00:02:10,090 --> 00:02:13,610 not going to like what I have to say today. And 34 00:02:14,090 --> 00:02:17,850 so, you know, if you came here looking to like me, you're probably not going 35 00:02:17,850 --> 00:02:21,650 to. But Barbie's calendar is open this week and taking appointments between eight and 36 00:02:21,650 --> 00:02:25,490 five. If you have a problem with something I've said or you know, you'd like 37 00:02:25,490 --> 00:02:28,640 to, to discuss it with her, she'd be happy to meet with you. 38 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:33,320 But aren't you glad at Springhouse Church that we don't just cherry pick portions 39 00:02:33,320 --> 00:02:37,160 of the Word, that we actually believe in, the whole word of God, the 40 00:02:37,160 --> 00:02:41,000 entirety of Scripture. And that means, sometimes it means that 41 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:44,720 we have to render and examine hard truths in our lives and we actually 42 00:02:44,720 --> 00:02:46,960 have to contend with what hard truth says 43 00:02:48,720 --> 00:02:51,840 as applies to our lives, in our journey. And man, when we turn a blind 44 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,800 eye to those hard truths, we don't look a whole lot like Jesus in those 45 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,910 areas. And I believe that the aim and the goal because of the power 46 00:02:58,700 --> 00:03:02,500 resurrected Jesus Christ is that we look like him. And in order to look 47 00:03:02,500 --> 00:03:05,140 at him, we got like Him. We've got to lean into even some of the 48 00:03:05,140 --> 00:03:08,700 harder parts of scripture and the harder truths of 49 00:03:09,580 --> 00:03:13,180 Scripture. So I'm going to ask you today to not lean out, 50 00:03:14,540 --> 00:03:18,340 to not clock out, but to lean in and ask the 51 00:03:18,340 --> 00:03:21,620 Lord where he might minister to your heart about some of these truths. Would you 52 00:03:21,620 --> 00:03:25,030 look at your neighbor and say, this message is. 53 00:03:25,260 --> 00:03:26,460 Is for me. 54 00:03:30,300 --> 00:03:33,740 Now, if you chose not to look at your spouse, I would like you to 55 00:03:33,740 --> 00:03:37,420 look at your spouse and say, this message is for 56 00:03:37,420 --> 00:03:37,820 me. 57 00:03:43,180 --> 00:03:45,820 There seems to be such power up here because you have no idea what I'm 58 00:03:45,820 --> 00:03:49,580 about to say. We're going to be talking about 59 00:03:49,580 --> 00:03:53,140 a man named naaman today in 2 Kings, chapter 60 00:03:53,140 --> 00:03:56,980 5. And I'm gonna give you guys the highlights of the story 61 00:03:57,140 --> 00:04:00,980 here in just a little bit. I will tell you, we put the sermon 62 00:04:00,980 --> 00:04:04,660 schedule together ahead of time. And you know, of all of the great. There's great 63 00:04:04,660 --> 00:04:08,500 stories all throughout Scripture. Do you agree? And this is also 64 00:04:08,500 --> 00:04:12,220 a great story, but whenever I looked, I was looking about five, six 65 00:04:12,220 --> 00:04:15,780 weeks ago, I was looking ahead and I'm thinking, lord, why in the world 66 00:04:15,940 --> 00:04:19,780 am I teaching on Naaman? I'm gonna change that. And then 67 00:04:19,780 --> 00:04:23,560 I started to walk through the last five or six weeks, some 68 00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:27,120 of you as well. And the Lord said, no, this is, this is, 69 00:04:27,120 --> 00:04:30,200 this was. Aren't you glad that he knows the end from the beginning? Aren't you 70 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:33,760 glad he just orders our steps and he has ordained today 71 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:37,520 to be today. So if you'll stand with me, we're gonna read two 72 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:42,040 scriptures that's gonna lay a foundation for today. And I'd like you to read it 73 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,800 like you believe God can actually do something in your life. Okay? So let's read 74 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:49,280 together. Here we go. Do nothing out of selfish 75 00:04:49,280 --> 00:04:52,790 ambition or vain, conceived rather in 76 00:04:52,790 --> 00:04:56,070 humility. Value others above yourselves. 77 00:04:56,790 --> 00:05:00,550 Not looking to your own interests, but each of you to the 78 00:05:00,550 --> 00:05:04,390 interest of others and your relationships with 79 00:05:04,390 --> 00:05:07,910 one another have the same mindset as Christ 80 00:05:07,910 --> 00:05:11,390 Jesus. We're going to say that one more time. Here we go. In your 81 00:05:11,390 --> 00:05:14,710 relationships with one another, have the Same 82 00:05:14,710 --> 00:05:18,410 mindset as Christ Jesus. Pride 83 00:05:18,410 --> 00:05:21,930 goes before destruction and a haughty spirit 84 00:05:21,930 --> 00:05:25,650 before a fall. Father, I thank you for your truth, all of 85 00:05:25,650 --> 00:05:29,370 it. I pray, Lord, that you would transform our hearts and our minds 86 00:05:29,370 --> 00:05:32,690 today. Let my words fall to the ground and mean nothing but your stick for 87 00:05:32,690 --> 00:05:36,450 all eternity. We love you today. In Jesus name, amen. You may 88 00:05:36,450 --> 00:05:40,250 be seated. You are a part of the greatest stories ever told. 89 00:05:41,210 --> 00:05:44,650 And part of what makes your story so uniquely wonderful 90 00:05:44,730 --> 00:05:48,530 isn't because you are unique and wonderful though you are, it 91 00:05:48,530 --> 00:05:52,250 is that Jesus Christ chooses to do a work in your life. And 92 00:05:52,250 --> 00:05:56,090 those points in your life where he comes in and he causes change 93 00:05:56,090 --> 00:05:59,810 to happen in your heart and in your life and in your actions, those 94 00:05:59,810 --> 00:06:03,050 are the true testimonies and stories of God's goodness. 95 00:06:03,370 --> 00:06:07,010 Those are the stories we want to share. Those are the stories that 96 00:06:07,010 --> 00:06:10,810 are powerful and will cause kingdom advancement and kingdom change. 97 00:06:10,810 --> 00:06:14,590 You are a part of the greatest story ever, ever told. And 98 00:06:14,590 --> 00:06:18,190 today we're talking about a man named Naaman. Now last week, Pastor 99 00:06:18,190 --> 00:06:21,590 Barbee took us up through Elisha, the transfer of power between 100 00:06:21,670 --> 00:06:25,510 Elijah and Elisha. And Elisha is in full force now. He's full 101 00:06:25,510 --> 00:06:28,950 fledged into his ministry. And this story pops up about this 102 00:06:28,950 --> 00:06:32,230 decorated, this really well decorated 103 00:06:32,470 --> 00:06:35,510 military commander named Naaman. 104 00:06:35,910 --> 00:06:39,550 Naaman was a commander of the king's army 105 00:06:39,550 --> 00:06:42,620 and he was powerful, he was successful, and he was 106 00:06:42,620 --> 00:06:46,380 respected even by the king. But just 107 00:06:46,380 --> 00:06:50,100 like so many leaders, he had an issue. How many know that 108 00:06:50,100 --> 00:06:53,500 your leaders have issues? You're looking at one of the biggest issues 109 00:06:53,660 --> 00:06:57,460 probably in the church right now. I have a lot of issues, but leaders have 110 00:06:57,460 --> 00:07:01,180 issues. And he had an issue. His issue was that he had leprosy. 111 00:07:01,340 --> 00:07:03,980 But we're going to find that he had some other issues as well. 112 00:07:05,100 --> 00:07:08,460 Leprosy is a physical disease that isolates and humiliates. 113 00:07:09,180 --> 00:07:12,980 And the Lord uses this young, a young Israelite servant 114 00:07:12,980 --> 00:07:16,780 girl. And she suggests that there is a man 115 00:07:17,340 --> 00:07:20,820 in Samaria that would be able to heal this 116 00:07:20,820 --> 00:07:24,540 leprosy disease that Naaman is carrying. 117 00:07:25,180 --> 00:07:28,620 This little servant girl, ironically. 118 00:07:28,940 --> 00:07:32,660 Do you see how hope comes not from a king or 119 00:07:32,660 --> 00:07:35,660 a warrior, but from a foreign captive girl. 120 00:07:36,360 --> 00:07:39,080 A reminder that the Lord will use the humble. 121 00:07:40,920 --> 00:07:44,600 Naaman brings wealth and a letter from his 122 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,320 king to impress Israel's king. And so his king sends 123 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:52,160 him to Israel's king. And Naaman brings this wealth in this letter. And the letter 124 00:07:52,160 --> 00:07:55,960 says to the king, we want your God to heal, to 125 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:59,560 heal Naaman's leprosy. And the king of Israel 126 00:07:59,560 --> 00:08:03,400 says, as he tears his Robes. Who am I that I would be able 127 00:08:03,400 --> 00:08:06,800 to. To heal this man? There's no way I would be able to do this. 128 00:08:06,800 --> 00:08:10,400 There's nothing in me that could do this. And Elisha catches 129 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:14,040 word that the king has torn his robe, rend his garments, and 130 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,520 has said he couldn't do this. And Elisha says, I know the very God who 131 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:21,240 can do this. Send Naaman my way. Send Naaman my 132 00:08:21,240 --> 00:08:24,360 way and he'll be healed of this 133 00:08:24,360 --> 00:08:28,040 leprosy. Well, Naaman 134 00:08:28,120 --> 00:08:31,400 mounts his chariots and brings his entire entourage to 135 00:08:31,400 --> 00:08:34,920 Elijah and Elisha. And it was kind of like, here I am. 136 00:08:35,080 --> 00:08:38,659 Let the trumpets blow. Naaman has arrived, 137 00:08:38,659 --> 00:08:42,419 and I'm here to see the man of God. And Elisha does something 138 00:08:42,419 --> 00:08:45,779 so incredible, he sends his messenger out to meet 139 00:08:45,779 --> 00:08:49,299 Naaman to give him the news. Well, this 140 00:08:49,299 --> 00:08:52,899 infuriates Naaman because Naaman is a proud 141 00:08:53,139 --> 00:08:56,979 dude. He is like a valiant warrior. And 142 00:08:56,979 --> 00:09:00,579 you are not going to pawn off your little weak servant 143 00:09:00,579 --> 00:09:04,380 messenger on me to deliver this news. And 144 00:09:04,380 --> 00:09:08,100 so the servant comes and says, the servant from Elisha says, if you'll dip 145 00:09:08,260 --> 00:09:11,860 seven times in the Jordan, then you'll be healed if you'll go in there seven 146 00:09:11,860 --> 00:09:15,300 times. And Naaman is like, that is the dumbest thing I've ever 147 00:09:15,300 --> 00:09:18,420 heard. And so he says, 148 00:09:19,300 --> 00:09:22,260 you know, he says, basically, I'm not gonna do that. 149 00:09:22,900 --> 00:09:26,700 Why can't the man of God come out and touch me? Why 150 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:30,140 can't he come and introduce. Doesn't he know that there are other 151 00:09:30,140 --> 00:09:33,980 rivers that are cleaner that I could go in? Doesn't he? 152 00:09:33,980 --> 00:09:37,520 And he basically throws a T. He becomes enraged 153 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:41,280 and marches along. So Naaman 154 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:45,560 nearly walks away from his miracle. Oh, how 155 00:09:45,560 --> 00:09:49,400 many times are we close to a miracle? But because of our 156 00:09:49,400 --> 00:09:52,960 pride, because of the things that we contend with in our flesh, and 157 00:09:52,960 --> 00:09:56,400 because the pathway. Listen to this. The pathway God has 158 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,040 chosen for us to receive our healing. 159 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,480 Looks dumb, looks stupid, not something we're willing to 160 00:10:03,480 --> 00:10:06,850 do. And there we thwart the miracle blessing 161 00:10:07,250 --> 00:10:09,930 and yet will still go to the Lord and say, heal me, heal me, Heal 162 00:10:09,930 --> 00:10:11,650 me, heal me, heal me, heal me, heal me. 163 00:10:14,610 --> 00:10:18,290 And so God uses Naaman's servants who 164 00:10:18,290 --> 00:10:20,210 run to him and say, now, Naaman, 165 00:10:21,890 --> 00:10:25,490 if the messenger would have come and said for you to do something, valiant 166 00:10:25,970 --> 00:10:29,570 warrior like you would have proudly stood up and done that, 167 00:10:30,130 --> 00:10:33,840 because it would have brought you notoriety. How much more 168 00:10:33,840 --> 00:10:37,640 then if the man of God says, come and dip in the 169 00:10:37,640 --> 00:10:41,120 river seven times, would you not do that? And this 170 00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:45,080 was a defining moment for Naaman, a defining 171 00:10:45,080 --> 00:10:48,760 moment because he's already thrown a tantrum. Everybody knows how he feels 172 00:10:48,760 --> 00:10:51,760 about what's going on. He's already made a spectacle of himself. 173 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:56,120 But thankfully we have an example of somebody who chooses the path of 174 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,800 humility. And he chooses the path of humility. And he 175 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:03,280 goes to the river and he dips in seven times. I can imagine what it 176 00:11:03,280 --> 00:11:06,420 must have been like going out that first time after all that spectacle and the 177 00:11:06,420 --> 00:11:10,140 thing he did. He gets in and he walks out and he's looking at his 178 00:11:10,140 --> 00:11:13,740 entourage and he's got to turn around and do it again 179 00:11:15,260 --> 00:11:19,020 and then do it again. I kind of think God may have been shedding 180 00:11:19,020 --> 00:11:22,780 some stuff off of Naaman in those seven times. Going back again and again 181 00:11:22,780 --> 00:11:26,580 and again. Sometimes God will have you go back again and again and again 182 00:11:26,580 --> 00:11:30,340 and again because he's teaching you in that journey. He's teaching you in that 183 00:11:30,340 --> 00:11:33,960 thing to go back. The sixth time and the seventh 184 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:37,560 time, healing sometimes looks humble, simple, 185 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:41,360 uncomfortable. Pride almost cost him everything. And he 186 00:11:41,360 --> 00:11:44,680 finally humbles himself and does that, goes into 187 00:11:45,320 --> 00:11:48,600 the river, and his flesh was restored. God 188 00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,040 healed his body. But more than that, 189 00:11:52,440 --> 00:11:55,840 and listen, more than that, his heart was 190 00:11:55,840 --> 00:11:56,520 changed. 191 00:11:59,970 --> 00:12:02,610 Guys, there's nothing better than a changed heart. 192 00:12:04,530 --> 00:12:08,250 In the situations that you're in with relationships, 193 00:12:08,250 --> 00:12:11,530 with work, with ministry, with 194 00:12:11,530 --> 00:12:14,930 spouses, family, there is nothing better than a 195 00:12:14,930 --> 00:12:18,770 changed heart. The problem is that we expect God to change theirs and not 196 00:12:18,770 --> 00:12:22,410 ours. But I believe that 197 00:12:22,410 --> 00:12:26,150 God is in the business of changing our heart. And the ripples 198 00:12:26,150 --> 00:12:29,870 of our change affect others and changes 199 00:12:29,870 --> 00:12:33,350 others. Today we're going to deal with this issue of pride. Aren't you 200 00:12:33,350 --> 00:12:37,150 excited? We're going to deal with the issue of pride. Don't look at your neighbor. 201 00:12:37,310 --> 00:12:41,150 We live in a world where pride is often mistaken 202 00:12:41,150 --> 00:12:44,750 for strength. We applaud self, confidence, 203 00:12:45,150 --> 00:12:48,670 assertiveness, and independence. But in God's kingdom, 204 00:12:48,910 --> 00:12:52,640 pride is not power, it's poison. In 205 00:12:52,640 --> 00:12:56,280 God's kingdom, pride is poison. Pride is what 206 00:12:56,280 --> 00:12:59,680 keeps us from God. Pride is what keeps us from one another. 207 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,400 Pride is an attitude that says, I don't need help. 208 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:08,640 I know better. I deserve better. 209 00:13:10,000 --> 00:13:13,800 Many of you know my youngest daughter, Nora. We were in an airport together as 210 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:17,560 a whole family a couple years ago in Minneapolis. 211 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:20,560 It's a big airport. If you've ever flown through Minneapolis, it's a real big airport. 212 00:13:21,450 --> 00:13:25,290 And we're on the airplane and my daughters had just, you know, they were. My 213 00:13:25,290 --> 00:13:27,050 kids are such great travelers. 214 00:13:29,370 --> 00:13:32,010 Yeah, I was waiting. Thanks, Rhonda. So 215 00:13:33,370 --> 00:13:37,050 my kids have their feet hanging out in the aisle. They're laying down they're flailing 216 00:13:37,050 --> 00:13:40,850 the arms. We've been traveling for a minute and people are trying to 217 00:13:40,850 --> 00:13:43,970 walk by, and I am trying to get them off the plane because we've got 218 00:13:43,970 --> 00:13:47,690 to catch our layover. And I'm going through, and they are just 219 00:13:47,690 --> 00:13:51,490 being very extra. I've got great kids, but they're being 220 00:13:51,490 --> 00:13:55,230 extra on this day. Parents, you can. You know what I'm talking about, okay? And 221 00:13:55,230 --> 00:13:58,630 so I am literally saying, get it together right now. Get up, right? 222 00:13:59,030 --> 00:14:02,470 Do this. Stop doing that. Get out of the way. And the flight 223 00:14:02,470 --> 00:14:06,070 attendants are all coming over to our area and 224 00:14:06,070 --> 00:14:09,510 they're saying, we don't mind. We'll carry her off the plane for you. 225 00:14:10,390 --> 00:14:14,150 We will get their bags. We'll call reinforcements in. And I'm saying, 226 00:14:14,230 --> 00:14:18,070 absolutely not. My kids know how to walk. They're gonna 227 00:14:18,070 --> 00:14:20,390 get up and do what I tell them to do right now. And I'm just 228 00:14:20,390 --> 00:14:24,110 having a moment, right? And I'm not gonna let. Everybody's looking at 229 00:14:24,110 --> 00:14:27,730 me. I'm. I'm telling them what I expect. We're gonna do this my 230 00:14:27,730 --> 00:14:31,290 way. And I get so angry that I grab my bag and I walk right 231 00:14:31,290 --> 00:14:34,330 off the plane without my wife and my four kids. I'm a great husband, let 232 00:14:34,330 --> 00:14:38,050 me tell you. And so I get into that lobby area 233 00:14:38,050 --> 00:14:41,850 and I'm waiting there. Just. I'm saying, get off this plane. Let's go. 234 00:14:41,850 --> 00:14:45,610 We've gotta make our layover. And people get off and 235 00:14:45,610 --> 00:14:48,770 there's a big gap and nobody's coming off. And so I step over to the 236 00:14:48,770 --> 00:14:52,570 gate and sure enough, there's a flight attendant carrying Nora, There's a flight 237 00:14:52,570 --> 00:14:56,330 attendant carrying Lucy. They've got bags and they have radio. 238 00:14:56,330 --> 00:14:59,950 Get. They have radioed one of those Jeeps to come and pick us up 239 00:15:00,350 --> 00:15:03,790 at the gate and drive us to our gate. I was so embarrassed. 240 00:15:03,950 --> 00:15:07,710 I was so embarrassed. The spectacle that these girls would put me through. Oh, my 241 00:15:07,710 --> 00:15:11,470 word. So we get on this thing and everybody's watching 242 00:15:11,470 --> 00:15:14,550 us, and our kids are just going, woo. This is the best thing in life. 243 00:15:14,550 --> 00:15:17,830 And I just wanted to spank every one of them. I'm just telling you. I'm 244 00:15:17,830 --> 00:15:21,310 just so upset. The gate was 245 00:15:21,310 --> 00:15:25,160 literally drive time was about seven minutes away. Drive time. 246 00:15:26,520 --> 00:15:30,120 And we pull up and they are about to close the gate. 247 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:34,520 Had we not gotten on the Jeep, we would have not made our flight. 248 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:39,920 What would have, it looked like if I refused to allow them to help us 249 00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,440 with that Jeep? And God said, pride, 250 00:15:43,440 --> 00:15:45,400 Kevin, pride. 251 00:15:47,080 --> 00:15:50,560 God has put people in your path and in your life to help you on 252 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:54,350 your journey. God has put 253 00:15:54,510 --> 00:15:58,350 people in your path because here. And, guys, I know this is a hard 254 00:15:58,350 --> 00:16:01,630 truth to hear. You don't know it all. 255 00:16:03,870 --> 00:16:07,550 And you need people in your path who 256 00:16:07,550 --> 00:16:11,230 can tell you you don't know it all. And 257 00:16:11,230 --> 00:16:14,910 they probably have some information that will help you 258 00:16:15,070 --> 00:16:18,430 on your journey, that will help you in your walk. 259 00:16:19,270 --> 00:16:23,110 But here's the thing. We tend to think, yeah, they don't know it all, 260 00:16:23,990 --> 00:16:27,750 but you don't know it all either. We need each other. 261 00:16:29,270 --> 00:16:32,910 And I would argue that to the degree you think you need to 262 00:16:32,910 --> 00:16:35,910 be in that other person's life, they probably need to be in your life that 263 00:16:35,910 --> 00:16:39,430 much more because God puts us together 264 00:16:39,590 --> 00:16:43,110 in that way. This is what Pride says. Pride says, I'll do this my way. 265 00:16:44,150 --> 00:16:47,510 I'll just do this my way. Pride resists correction, 266 00:16:47,510 --> 00:16:51,090 refuses vulnerability, and often pushes people and 267 00:16:51,090 --> 00:16:54,450 even God away. And it's not always loud and 268 00:16:54,450 --> 00:16:58,010 arrogant. Sometimes it's just the quiet voice that 269 00:16:58,010 --> 00:17:01,730 says, I'm going to do this my way. I'm going to do this 270 00:17:01,730 --> 00:17:05,450 my way. Do we have that video? Praise the Lord. 271 00:17:05,450 --> 00:17:08,050 All right, I want you to watch this. It's not going to seem connected, but 272 00:17:08,050 --> 00:17:09,970 it really is. Can you get me in? 273 00:17:17,820 --> 00:17:21,340 At the gate back there, God said, depart from me, and I couldn't. 274 00:17:21,500 --> 00:17:24,380 Couldn't believe it. But. But I know there's been some mistake. That's why I called 275 00:17:24,380 --> 00:17:28,180 you. I was baptized at 5. My. I think my dad's 276 00:17:28,180 --> 00:17:30,140 a pastor. There's been no mistake. 277 00:17:34,700 --> 00:17:38,140 Your file, it doesn't look too good. 278 00:17:38,860 --> 00:17:42,580 What's in there? My sins. No, no, no, no. Those shouldn't be in there. You 279 00:17:42,580 --> 00:17:46,260 forgave those, remember? I mean, that. That makes sense. That's where the mistake is coming 280 00:17:46,260 --> 00:17:49,280 from. If you're basing it off of, I won't make it in there. There's a 281 00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,760 lifetime of evidence against me. No, this. This isn't evidence against 282 00:17:52,760 --> 00:17:56,440 you. It's evidence that you were even saved to 283 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:57,080 begin with. 284 00:18:01,480 --> 00:18:02,760 And there's nothing in here. 285 00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:15,680 Baptized at 5 and lived an 286 00:18:15,680 --> 00:18:18,400 entire life doing whatever you want. 287 00:18:19,120 --> 00:18:22,320 Partying, sex, gossip. 288 00:18:25,920 --> 00:18:29,720 This is the most we've talked your whole 289 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:33,520 life. I'm supposed to bail you out now, right? 290 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,240 Jesus says that he is the way, the truth and the 291 00:18:40,240 --> 00:18:43,960 life. But so many of us thwart the fact that he's the 292 00:18:43,960 --> 00:18:47,680 way because we do it our whole lives, our own way. And 293 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:51,440 that's Pride. Pride will separate you from the King 294 00:18:51,440 --> 00:18:54,800 of the Universe, and it will separate you from the people that you're sitting next 295 00:18:54,800 --> 00:18:57,480 to. The People who love you most. 296 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:04,640 Proverbs 16:18 says this. Pride goes before destruction 297 00:19:04,640 --> 00:19:08,000 and a haughty spirit before the fall. Pride leads to collapse, 298 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:11,740 personally and relationally. And, guys, I can't tell you, the 299 00:19:11,740 --> 00:19:15,180 countless ministry people, job people that have had 300 00:19:15,180 --> 00:19:18,900 positions, that have had positions, and they were not supposed to 301 00:19:18,900 --> 00:19:22,580 be out of those positions, but God had to set them down early 302 00:19:23,060 --> 00:19:26,860 because of pride. God had to pull them out of that position. They were not 303 00:19:26,860 --> 00:19:30,060 done running the race. They were not done doing what God had asked them to 304 00:19:30,060 --> 00:19:32,860 do, but God had to set them down because it was either set them down 305 00:19:32,860 --> 00:19:35,380 or let them continue to lead others toward destruction. 306 00:19:36,340 --> 00:19:39,820 Pride. Pride is a booger. 307 00:19:40,700 --> 00:19:44,500 It's a big booger, and if you keep picking at it, eventually it 308 00:19:44,500 --> 00:19:47,900 will come out. Just don't eat it. 309 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:54,380 Where there is strife, there is pride. But wisdom is found 310 00:19:54,380 --> 00:19:57,820 in those who take advice. Guys, let me tell you the 311 00:19:57,820 --> 00:20:01,460 strife. If you're ever in a situation with strife, the 312 00:20:01,460 --> 00:20:04,610 Word tells us, where there's strife, every evil work abounds. 313 00:20:06,600 --> 00:20:10,200 And where there's strife, there's bound to be pride in the ingredients there. 314 00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:16,280 Because pride leads to destruction. The word also says, God 315 00:20:16,280 --> 00:20:20,040 opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. I 316 00:20:20,040 --> 00:20:23,720 pray every single morning when I wake up. Have you? I have a habitual prayer. 317 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:26,440 Sometimes that I don't even think about, it shoots out of my mouth. And the 318 00:20:26,440 --> 00:20:29,880 very first thing that I say is, oh, Lord, thank you for your grace and 319 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:32,680 mercy this morning. It just shoots out of my mouth. I don't even think about 320 00:20:32,680 --> 00:20:35,770 it. It's just an automatic thank you for your grace and mercy this morning. 321 00:20:36,250 --> 00:20:39,930 How do I get grace? He gives grace to the 322 00:20:39,930 --> 00:20:43,650 humble. Now, is he just best friends with the 323 00:20:43,650 --> 00:20:47,370 proud? Is he just kind of tolerating the proud? No, it says, 324 00:20:47,450 --> 00:20:49,769 he opposes the proud. 325 00:20:51,130 --> 00:20:54,810 We're talking about the star breather. And why are 326 00:20:54,810 --> 00:20:58,530 we talking about a hard word? Because, guys, sometimes we make the God 327 00:20:58,530 --> 00:21:02,070 of the universe so soft. He is not a plush 328 00:21:02,070 --> 00:21:05,630 teddy bear. He's not a wish machine. He's not 329 00:21:05,630 --> 00:21:08,830 Santa Claus. He is the God of the universe. 330 00:21:09,630 --> 00:21:13,150 He has given everything on the line for your life 331 00:21:13,150 --> 00:21:16,910 because he loves you. Every single thing on the line, including 332 00:21:16,990 --> 00:21:20,430 his life. Came down, lived the life, perfect life, died on the cross, 333 00:21:20,590 --> 00:21:24,190 rose again. And he says, listen, I oppose the proud, 334 00:21:25,070 --> 00:21:28,890 but I give grace. I give grace to 335 00:21:28,890 --> 00:21:32,010 the humble. Anybody need grace? I need grace in my life. 336 00:21:33,050 --> 00:21:34,490 I need grace in my life. 337 00:21:37,130 --> 00:21:40,930 Many of you know we run Lancaster Christian Academy, my wife and I, 338 00:21:40,930 --> 00:21:44,730 and we had a situation several years ago 339 00:21:44,810 --> 00:21:48,530 where we had a tornado coming in the vicinity of the school. It was the 340 00:21:48,530 --> 00:21:52,330 morning time and one of my lead administrators there, I was not there 341 00:21:52,330 --> 00:21:56,050 yet. And she calls me and she's saying, this is a situation. I said, 342 00:21:56,050 --> 00:21:58,370 yes, you need to lock it down and get everybody room in the into place. 343 00:21:58,770 --> 00:22:02,170 So we do drills and all those things. So she's executing everything the way that 344 00:22:02,170 --> 00:22:06,010 she's supposed to. And she knows where the best places in the building 345 00:22:06,010 --> 00:22:09,770 are for safety. So she's giving direction. We have parents in the building because 346 00:22:09,770 --> 00:22:13,370 it's drop off time. And we have one of our staff members, one 347 00:22:13,370 --> 00:22:16,810 of our staff members who looks right at her and says, I'm not going where 348 00:22:16,810 --> 00:22:20,490 you told me to go. And he breaks out of his classroom from his kids 349 00:22:20,490 --> 00:22:24,330 and goes and grabs his own children, his own biological children, and takes 350 00:22:24,330 --> 00:22:28,060 them into another place of the building to keep them safe. Well, things 351 00:22:28,060 --> 00:22:31,700 carry on. Parents are wondering why he's going in the opposite direction. She's trying to 352 00:22:31,700 --> 00:22:34,340 get him to stop, but he won't listen. So he goes and she continues to 353 00:22:34,340 --> 00:22:38,100 take care of the rest of the thing. So later on that 354 00:22:38,100 --> 00:22:41,740 day, I call him into my office and I said, why 355 00:22:41,740 --> 00:22:45,540 did you not stay with your classroom and listen to what 356 00:22:45,540 --> 00:22:48,620 your authority asked you to do? And he said, because I did not trust where 357 00:22:48,620 --> 00:22:52,380 my authority was telling me to take my kids. And I said, 358 00:22:52,380 --> 00:22:54,700 well, where did you take him? And he told me where he took him. And 359 00:22:54,700 --> 00:22:57,740 I said, here's the thing that you don't know. I know every square inch of 360 00:22:57,740 --> 00:23:01,540 this building and the exact place that you were taking them is the weakest place 361 00:23:01,540 --> 00:23:05,380 in the building. And had a tornado come, that 362 00:23:05,380 --> 00:23:08,940 would be the first demolished point. And the way that our elite administrator was taking 363 00:23:08,940 --> 00:23:12,380 the kids was the safest place in the building. And I looked at him and 364 00:23:12,380 --> 00:23:16,220 I said, I need to know if this were to happen again the same way, 365 00:23:16,220 --> 00:23:18,940 I need to know that your decision making would be different. He looked at me 366 00:23:18,940 --> 00:23:21,340 and said, I do the same thing. And I said, well, today will be your 367 00:23:21,340 --> 00:23:24,490 last day day. Unfortunately, 368 00:23:24,970 --> 00:23:28,170 looking on social media and kind of keeping up with this, this man, 369 00:23:29,370 --> 00:23:33,170 divorced two years later, lost his kids years 370 00:23:33,170 --> 00:23:36,810 later having a rough go at it. Pride 371 00:23:36,810 --> 00:23:40,650 is a booger. Pride is destructive. 372 00:23:41,770 --> 00:23:45,210 Pride will lead to destruction. 373 00:23:47,380 --> 00:23:51,100 But here is where the enemy gets in and twists his little fingers is because 374 00:23:51,100 --> 00:23:54,420 when it comes to the issue of pride, we, most of us have this posture 375 00:23:54,420 --> 00:23:57,060 right here. Who me? 376 00:23:58,740 --> 00:24:02,340 Me prideful me? Who me 377 00:24:02,740 --> 00:24:06,340 would I be? Would I be prideful? And I'll tell you Guys, I. 378 00:24:07,460 --> 00:24:11,300 It took me a long time to understand really what pride was, because I 379 00:24:11,300 --> 00:24:14,180 would go, am I prideful? You know, I mean, is it prideful to say you're 380 00:24:14,180 --> 00:24:17,800 not prideful? You know, I mean, so, I mean, I'm like, 381 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,560 lord help me. And so I want to do a litmus test with you right 382 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,320 now. I want, you know, if you're questioning am I prideful. Okay. 383 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,160 Or if I struggle with it in the context of your relationships, I'm 384 00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:31,840 going to give you a litmus test. And if you have said these things or 385 00:24:31,840 --> 00:24:35,400 you thought these things, or you've said this to the people around you, 386 00:24:36,920 --> 00:24:40,280 then congratulations, you have joined the pride club. 387 00:24:42,330 --> 00:24:43,370 You're too sensitive. 388 00:24:46,250 --> 00:24:49,890 Have you ever said you're too sensitive? You always take 389 00:24:49,890 --> 00:24:51,130 things the wrong way. 390 00:24:54,570 --> 00:24:56,250 I don't have time for this right now. 391 00:24:59,610 --> 00:25:00,890 This is just who I am. 392 00:25:04,970 --> 00:25:07,690 You're the one who needs the change, not me. 393 00:25:10,650 --> 00:25:13,290 I already said sorry. What more do you want? 394 00:25:16,970 --> 00:25:19,050 You're making a big deal out of nothing. 395 00:25:23,609 --> 00:25:26,650 I just. I don't see any of the spouses looking at each other right now. 396 00:25:28,170 --> 00:25:30,810 I shouldn't have to explain myself to you. 397 00:25:33,860 --> 00:25:37,580 I refuse to. We refuse 398 00:25:37,580 --> 00:25:40,580 to. I will not. 399 00:25:45,220 --> 00:25:45,940 I'm done. 400 00:25:48,820 --> 00:25:52,580 If you're honest with yourself, we've all struggled with these to some degree, 401 00:25:53,940 --> 00:25:57,580 but pride often comes in a way that will convince us that 402 00:25:57,580 --> 00:26:00,980 we are incapable of dealing with it in the right way. 403 00:26:02,250 --> 00:26:05,930 Naaman needed healing. He needed 404 00:26:05,930 --> 00:26:09,730 healing and he rides in the town pompous 405 00:26:09,730 --> 00:26:13,290 and ready to receive it. But his status, title, and ultimately his pride 406 00:26:13,450 --> 00:26:17,169 governs his initial response. And I want 407 00:26:17,169 --> 00:26:20,930 us to look at his response. Here it says, naaman went away angry and said, 408 00:26:20,930 --> 00:26:23,730 I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on 409 00:26:23,730 --> 00:26:26,890 the name of the Lord, his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure 410 00:26:26,890 --> 00:26:30,090 me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and 411 00:26:30,090 --> 00:26:33,930 Paphor, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the 412 00:26:33,930 --> 00:26:37,770 waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed? So he 413 00:26:37,770 --> 00:26:41,490 turned and went off in rage. And let me tell you something, 414 00:26:41,570 --> 00:26:45,250 this is the moment when he turns and goes off in rage. This is the 415 00:26:45,250 --> 00:26:48,850 moment in that argument, in that conversation, in that moment, 416 00:26:48,850 --> 00:26:52,690 the moment that sucks everything out of the room is when you have the choice 417 00:26:52,690 --> 00:26:56,480 to choose between pride and humility. It's that gut wrenching moment 418 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:00,240 that you know inside you need to respond a certain way, but something in 419 00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:03,680 your flesh gets ahold of you and you go a different direction. You decide, I'm 420 00:27:03,680 --> 00:27:07,440 gonna step over here and you begin this process of putting 421 00:27:07,440 --> 00:27:10,840 gaps and spaces between you and the other person, you in the 422 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,640 relationship with people who love you the most. The gaps are created because 423 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:18,200 you are not willing to budge or bend because of something you think they did 424 00:27:18,200 --> 00:27:21,730 or said. But we are 425 00:27:21,730 --> 00:27:25,130 commissioned to have the mind of Christ when it comes to our 426 00:27:25,130 --> 00:27:28,810 relationships. What would it be like if Jesus looked at you and said, no, 427 00:27:28,810 --> 00:27:31,210 you've gone too far. I'm not bending for you. 428 00:27:32,810 --> 00:27:36,490 My death on a cross is not good enough for you because of what you 429 00:27:36,490 --> 00:27:40,130 did. The way we respond 430 00:27:40,130 --> 00:27:43,530 to one another, the way we treat one another. And this is not just spouses. 431 00:27:43,530 --> 00:27:47,370 Spouses is any relationship. Work, relationships, ministry relationships, church 432 00:27:47,370 --> 00:27:51,090 relationships, friendships, spouses, all across the board. We are 433 00:27:51,090 --> 00:27:54,410 to be as like Christ to one another in our responses, which 434 00:27:54,410 --> 00:27:58,050 calls us to a high degree of humility, even 435 00:27:58,050 --> 00:28:01,490 when they're not doing anything proactive about the situation. 436 00:28:10,290 --> 00:28:14,090 Just because you have a position doesn't exempt you from 437 00:28:14,090 --> 00:28:16,730 walking through and having to deal with tough things, including sin. 438 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:21,600 In fact, if you're used by God many times, those things are eliminated much more 439 00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,000 quickly when he gives you a position. 440 00:28:24,880 --> 00:28:28,720 Naaman is insulted that Elisha doesn't come out in person. He says, I thought 441 00:28:28,720 --> 00:28:32,480 surely he'd come out to me. I'm big, bad, ugly. 442 00:28:33,200 --> 00:28:36,160 Why is he sending me his little pawn? He should be coming out 443 00:28:36,800 --> 00:28:40,520 on his own. Oh, that we would not have a haughty spirit 444 00:28:40,520 --> 00:28:43,520 like that, that we would walk in humility. 445 00:28:45,390 --> 00:28:49,190 Naaman had a script in his mind, and he wanted God to 446 00:28:49,190 --> 00:28:52,110 heal him on his own terms. 447 00:28:52,750 --> 00:28:56,190 And might I suggest that some of us have not received relational 448 00:28:56,190 --> 00:28:59,550 healing in this place because we want to do it on our own 449 00:28:59,709 --> 00:29:03,470 terms. Pride says, this should go how 450 00:29:03,470 --> 00:29:07,150 I imagined. I shouldn't have to do that. 451 00:29:07,630 --> 00:29:10,990 I shouldn't have to say I'm sorry. I shouldn't have to say I'm sorry again. 452 00:29:11,070 --> 00:29:14,710 I shouldn't have to listen to them. I shouldn't have to communicate the way they 453 00:29:14,710 --> 00:29:18,530 want to communicate. I shouldn't have to do this. It's beneath me. 454 00:29:22,130 --> 00:29:25,170 But might I suggest to you today that healing 455 00:29:25,490 --> 00:29:29,170 follows humility? When 456 00:29:29,170 --> 00:29:32,970 we lean into humility and we decide to put 457 00:29:32,970 --> 00:29:36,650 Christ in the middle, he begins to do a transformative work in 458 00:29:36,650 --> 00:29:40,450 you and in them that is unparalleled and 459 00:29:40,450 --> 00:29:43,520 extraordinary, that is supernatural. 460 00:29:44,640 --> 00:29:48,160 You want to see that person changed? Approach them with humility 461 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:52,200 and look and see what the Lord does. Look 462 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:55,880 and see what the Lord does. You have to admit that there's a 463 00:29:55,880 --> 00:29:59,720 problem before you can address the problem. We were 464 00:29:59,720 --> 00:30:03,400 driving down in Seattle in a van. And the tire 465 00:30:03,400 --> 00:30:06,760 light comes on, and Sherry says to me, we better pull over and get off 466 00:30:06,760 --> 00:30:10,540 the exit. The tire's blown. And I look and I say, no, we're 467 00:30:10,540 --> 00:30:13,820 fine. It's just a little. It's just a little air going out. And we keep 468 00:30:13,820 --> 00:30:17,500 going. And all of a sudden, as we're rumbling around, she's like, 469 00:30:17,500 --> 00:30:19,540 what do you think now? You think the tire's blowing? 470 00:30:21,220 --> 00:30:22,500 No, I'm going to keep going. 471 00:30:25,220 --> 00:30:28,580 Pride he puts people in your life 472 00:30:29,140 --> 00:30:32,820 to speak into things you don't see. He puts people 473 00:30:32,820 --> 00:30:35,220 in your life to be your blind spot. 474 00:30:36,670 --> 00:30:40,350 And so there was the servant. And would you notice if you read this story, 475 00:30:40,350 --> 00:30:44,110 you notice the real heroes in the story, not Naaman, not 476 00:30:44,110 --> 00:30:47,550 Elisha. The real heroes are two unnamed servants. 477 00:30:48,110 --> 00:30:51,910 Servant girl at the beginning of the story, and Naaman servant who remind 478 00:30:51,910 --> 00:30:55,550 them about this God who can heal. I 479 00:30:55,550 --> 00:30:58,270 love that the Lord uses the humble and mighty ways. 480 00:30:59,870 --> 00:31:03,570 I wonder whose voice choosing to use in your 481 00:31:03,570 --> 00:31:07,130 life today. It's probably a voice 482 00:31:07,210 --> 00:31:10,890 that's unexpected. It's probably a voice that's small. It might even be a voice 483 00:31:10,890 --> 00:31:14,490 that you don't want to hear from. But it's the voice 484 00:31:14,490 --> 00:31:18,090 God saying, this is the voice I'm using to change your life. 485 00:31:19,530 --> 00:31:23,330 Because here's the thing, you don't get to choose the way God wants to 486 00:31:23,330 --> 00:31:27,170 heal. He's got the better way. You 487 00:31:27,170 --> 00:31:30,300 might not understand it, might not agree with it, it, but there's a reason. 488 00:31:31,180 --> 00:31:33,900 There's something for you to learn, and there's something for them as well. 489 00:31:35,500 --> 00:31:39,300 The servant says a lot. If Elisha had asked you, Naaman, to do 490 00:31:39,300 --> 00:31:42,060 something heroic, you would have said without a doubt. 491 00:31:44,140 --> 00:31:47,500 Why would you not then go into the river 492 00:31:47,740 --> 00:31:51,380 seven times and be healed? And this is where the 493 00:31:51,380 --> 00:31:54,780 rubber hits the road. He's made a spectacle of himself. 494 00:31:55,840 --> 00:31:59,680 He's, I'm the big bad wolf, and all of this. And he 495 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:03,360 humbles himself in front of his entourage and goes seven times 496 00:32:04,000 --> 00:32:07,800 into the river. And the word tells us that he 497 00:32:07,800 --> 00:32:11,560 was healed. He was healed. And 498 00:32:11,560 --> 00:32:15,400 this is Naaman's response to Elisha. Afterward, he went 499 00:32:15,400 --> 00:32:19,080 back to the holy man, which was Elisha. He and his 500 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,760 entourage stood before him and said, I now know beyond a 501 00:32:22,760 --> 00:32:26,440 shadow of a doubt that there is no God anywhere on the earth other than 502 00:32:26,440 --> 00:32:29,700 the Israel. Can I tell you that when miraculous 503 00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:33,500 supernatural activity happens in your life, it is for none other than 504 00:32:33,500 --> 00:32:37,220 to make God famous. It is for no better reason than appoint 505 00:32:37,220 --> 00:32:40,980 people to Jesus when he moves in your life, when he chooses to 506 00:32:40,980 --> 00:32:44,660 miraculously heal you. It is so that he can receive the 507 00:32:44,660 --> 00:32:48,500 glory. It's so that he can be acknowledged. And this is what happens 508 00:32:48,500 --> 00:32:51,940 in Elijah's life. What do you think? I'm sorry, Naaman's life. What do you think 509 00:32:51,940 --> 00:32:55,290 the greater healing was? That he was healed from leprosy or that his heart was 510 00:32:55,290 --> 00:32:59,050 healed and he knows the real true God. God wants to 511 00:32:59,050 --> 00:33:02,770 heal hearts. He wants to heal relationships. 512 00:33:02,850 --> 00:33:06,210 And he will use physical things to get there. You notice Jesus 513 00:33:06,210 --> 00:33:09,890 ministry, he always started by healing and meeting the physical needs of the people before 514 00:33:09,890 --> 00:33:11,570 he ever did anything spiritual. 515 00:33:13,490 --> 00:33:17,210 And so that was all the setup. Here's what I want us to 516 00:33:17,210 --> 00:33:20,900 take away today. The greatest healing you will ever 517 00:33:20,900 --> 00:33:24,740 receive is not physical. It's relational. The 518 00:33:24,740 --> 00:33:27,740 greatest healing you will ever receive is not physical, 519 00:33:28,380 --> 00:33:31,940 it's relational. Naaman had it all. Status, 520 00:33:31,940 --> 00:33:34,460 respect, victory. But he was broken. 521 00:33:35,900 --> 00:33:39,580 Leprosy wasn't just a disease of the body. It was a condition that made 522 00:33:39,580 --> 00:33:42,460 people socially unclean, relationally distant, 523 00:33:43,020 --> 00:33:46,800 relationally distant. And this just isn't 524 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:50,640 Naaman's story. This is ours, too. Pride creeps into 525 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,320 our marriages. It creeps into our friendships, our families, our 526 00:33:54,320 --> 00:33:58,120 church relationships. And you can be winning on the outside and dying on the 527 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,440 inside. You can have success, yet be broken 528 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:05,200 relationally. And some of you today know what that 529 00:34:05,200 --> 00:34:08,880 type of pain and hurt is. The deepest wounds are not always 530 00:34:08,880 --> 00:34:12,700 visible ones. They come from distance. We used to talk 531 00:34:12,700 --> 00:34:14,300 all the time and we don't talk anymore. 532 00:34:16,460 --> 00:34:20,180 They come from silence, betrayal and broken 533 00:34:20,180 --> 00:34:23,500 trust. Pride fuels conflict. 534 00:34:24,540 --> 00:34:28,260 It keeps us distant. It demands that 535 00:34:28,260 --> 00:34:32,100 others change while refusing to self 536 00:34:32,100 --> 00:34:35,820 reflect. I need nine volunteers to meet me on the 537 00:34:35,820 --> 00:34:36,460 stage quickly. 538 00:34:50,069 --> 00:34:53,589 I know we can count. Spring House, let's go. Which y' all will have a 539 00:34:53,589 --> 00:34:55,189 seat in the chairs, but not the orange one. 540 00:34:59,269 --> 00:35:01,109 Cole, I'm going to have you stand at the end. 541 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:04,960 Griff, have you stand on that side. 542 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,040 Great. Have a seat. Perfect. One more, Come on. All right. 543 00:35:11,040 --> 00:35:14,160 Thank you. Let's give a round of applause for these good looking helpers. 544 00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:22,120 Griff, Cole, come over here and stand in the center. How long have y' all 545 00:35:22,120 --> 00:35:25,960 been friends? Couple 546 00:35:25,960 --> 00:35:28,530 days. How long have y' all been friends? Really? 547 00:35:29,880 --> 00:35:33,720 Five years. Okay. All of us 548 00:35:33,720 --> 00:35:37,360 have relationships. We've got marriages, we've got best 549 00:35:37,360 --> 00:35:41,040 friends, we've got work, relationships, ministry, relationships, all of these 550 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,599 things. But in every relationship are two human 551 00:35:44,599 --> 00:35:48,320 beings. And the human beings that are in that relationship, guess 552 00:35:48,320 --> 00:35:52,000 what? They're broken. Which means it stands to reason that 553 00:35:52,000 --> 00:35:55,600 in every single relationship, no matter how deep and wonderful it is, there's 554 00:35:55,600 --> 00:35:59,170 bound, at some point, conflict. There's bound to be 555 00:35:59,170 --> 00:36:02,530 conflict. How we handle conflict is 556 00:36:02,690 --> 00:36:06,450 everything when it comes to relational healing, to 557 00:36:06,450 --> 00:36:10,210 where we are with the Lord in terms of our relationships. How we handle conflict 558 00:36:10,370 --> 00:36:14,210 is absolutely everything. And so we're going to pretend for a moment 559 00:36:14,210 --> 00:36:18,050 that these two guys have had some type of conflict and it has caused 560 00:36:18,050 --> 00:36:20,250 them to walk away from one another. So I'm going to let you all walk 561 00:36:20,250 --> 00:36:23,470 away from one another and join the other side of this line. 562 00:36:24,190 --> 00:36:27,950 So these two have had a relational conflict. And what conflict does. 563 00:36:27,950 --> 00:36:30,430 Conflict puts distance between us. 564 00:36:31,710 --> 00:36:35,310 Issues come between us. There's a gap, there's a fracture. 565 00:36:35,630 --> 00:36:39,470 And it would be the desire of Jesus Christ for us to heal 566 00:36:39,470 --> 00:36:43,270 the fractures between us. The enemy rejoices when 567 00:36:43,270 --> 00:36:46,910 it looks like this. The enemy rejoices when there is space, 568 00:36:47,070 --> 00:36:50,370 when there is distance. When there's betrayal, he rejoices. 569 00:36:50,920 --> 00:36:54,720 But God is wooing us to be unified. He's wooing us to be together. 570 00:36:54,720 --> 00:36:58,200 He's wooing us to love one another the way he has loved us. 571 00:36:58,840 --> 00:37:02,520 But here's what happens. We get 572 00:37:02,600 --> 00:37:05,800 into this mindset where Griff's like, well, Cole did such and such, 573 00:37:06,520 --> 00:37:09,960 and he needs to apologize for it. And Cole's saying, 574 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:13,680 griff said and did such and such, and he needs to apologize for 575 00:37:13,680 --> 00:37:17,160 it. And so we're going to say that 576 00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:20,610 Cole is more prideful up here than Griff 577 00:37:22,450 --> 00:37:24,050 in this particular situation. 578 00:37:27,250 --> 00:37:30,970 And Griff wants to see this relationship restored. Cole wants to 579 00:37:30,970 --> 00:37:34,650 see this relationship restored. The difference is, is one of them wants to do it 580 00:37:34,650 --> 00:37:38,210 their way. The other one's willing to give in and abandon their way, to do 581 00:37:38,210 --> 00:37:41,730 it the way the Lord would want them to. And so 582 00:37:42,450 --> 00:37:46,020 Griff is willing strides toward 583 00:37:46,020 --> 00:37:49,780 coal relationally. Now, if it 584 00:37:49,780 --> 00:37:52,860 was Griff's way, he would be like, okay, I'm going to go over here. I'm 585 00:37:52,860 --> 00:37:55,500 going to walk over here. I'm going to do it this way. But that's not 586 00:37:55,500 --> 00:37:58,980 what Cole has laid out. I want you all to take these signs and just 587 00:37:58,980 --> 00:38:00,300 put them around your neck for me. 588 00:38:02,620 --> 00:38:04,940 In their interaction and in their discourse, 589 00:38:06,460 --> 00:38:10,140 Cole, because of the infraction, has laid out 590 00:38:10,700 --> 00:38:14,380 a bunch of things that Griff must do in 591 00:38:14,380 --> 00:38:18,140 order to restore this relationship. In other words, 592 00:38:18,620 --> 00:38:22,300 Cole has provided hoops for Griff to jump 593 00:38:22,300 --> 00:38:25,260 through in order for the relationship to be restored. 594 00:38:26,220 --> 00:38:29,900 Would you guys pick up those hoops and hold them at, like, shin 595 00:38:29,900 --> 00:38:32,780 level? Like, real low there? Okay, Now, 596 00:38:34,140 --> 00:38:37,380 Griff looks at this, and Cole's saying, oh, will you want to be 597 00:38:37,380 --> 00:38:41,140 reconciled Here are the hoops I need you to jump through. And Griff 598 00:38:41,140 --> 00:38:43,780 goes, that's the most ridiculous thing I've ever seen in my life. 599 00:38:45,380 --> 00:38:49,140 I'm not jumping through your hoops. I'm 600 00:38:49,140 --> 00:38:52,380 not about to. You know how silly this looks? Do you know how 601 00:38:52,380 --> 00:38:56,060 absolutely ridiculous this is that you would make me jump through this 602 00:38:56,060 --> 00:38:59,860 to get to you? In other words, Cole, you're not 603 00:38:59,860 --> 00:39:03,660 worth it. In 604 00:39:03,660 --> 00:39:07,470 other words, Cole, I don't love you enough to jump 605 00:39:07,470 --> 00:39:11,150 through the hoops you've placed up. But here's what 606 00:39:11,150 --> 00:39:14,630 Grif doesn't understand. The hoops that are here 607 00:39:14,790 --> 00:39:18,470 aren't necessarily just by happenstance. Cole has 608 00:39:18,470 --> 00:39:22,230 lived a life of insecurity, with 609 00:39:22,230 --> 00:39:25,910 pain, with fear, with identity issues 610 00:39:26,150 --> 00:39:29,950 from past things, past mistakes, doubt and confusion that 611 00:39:29,950 --> 00:39:33,630 has caused him to not easily trust when there's 612 00:39:33,630 --> 00:39:37,390 been a conflict in the relationship. So because 613 00:39:37,390 --> 00:39:41,030 of these things, hoops have been created for anybody to get 614 00:39:41,030 --> 00:39:44,270 close to him. Now, Cole suffers from having being 615 00:39:44,270 --> 00:39:47,910 isolated most of his life, but, man, can I tell you, if there's 616 00:39:47,910 --> 00:39:51,590 just one person who would love Cole enough to decide, it 617 00:39:51,590 --> 00:39:54,590 doesn't matter what kind of hoops you put, I'm going to jump through them because 618 00:39:54,590 --> 00:39:58,270 I see the value. I see the Christ in you. I love you 619 00:39:58,270 --> 00:40:01,470 enough to jump through the hoops. You'll jump through the hoops. Going to jump through 620 00:40:01,470 --> 00:40:05,200 these hoops. And he will get to you, Cole, no matter how ridiculous 621 00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,640 it looks, no matter how ugly it is, no matter what it is, he'll jump 622 00:40:08,640 --> 00:40:11,520 through the hoops and the relationship will be restored. 623 00:40:14,240 --> 00:40:18,080 Now, some of you, some of you, not most of us, but some of 624 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:21,640 you say, you know what? I would jump through hoops. But then you do this. 625 00:40:21,640 --> 00:40:25,480 You jump through the hoops and you grab the person. You're like, look what you 626 00:40:25,480 --> 00:40:28,840 just took me through. Look what you made me do. I can't believe you made 627 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:32,530 me do this. And guess what? You cause a more of a severing relationship. But 628 00:40:32,530 --> 00:40:35,650 here's the thing. When he jumps through the hoops, what he does at the end 629 00:40:35,650 --> 00:40:39,370 of it. What'd you see? There's a big bear hug. There's a one 630 00:40:39,370 --> 00:40:43,170 directional focus, and it says, listen, I did all of that crap because I see 631 00:40:43,170 --> 00:40:47,010 you and I love you and I want to be in relationship with you. 632 00:40:47,650 --> 00:40:50,250 I don't have the strength to do that, Kev. I don't have the strength to 633 00:40:50,250 --> 00:40:53,650 jump through this hoop. It's ridiculous. Guess what? That's why you need the Holy Spirit. 634 00:40:55,010 --> 00:40:58,770 I don't have to understand why you need me. To jump through these hoops. 635 00:40:58,770 --> 00:41:02,570 What I'm saying is, I love you so much, it doesn't matter. At the 636 00:41:02,570 --> 00:41:05,930 end of the day, I want to be reconciled. What do I need to do 637 00:41:05,930 --> 00:41:09,690 to be reconciled? I want my relationship with you to grow 638 00:41:09,690 --> 00:41:12,370 deeper in the Lord. What do you need me to do? How many more hoops 639 00:41:12,370 --> 00:41:16,090 do you need me to jump through? And here's the crux. Jesus Christ 640 00:41:16,090 --> 00:41:19,690 jumped through every single hoop we put out there, but he added one. 641 00:41:20,490 --> 00:41:23,330 And he said, after all the hoops you did, I'm gonna add one. And the 642 00:41:23,330 --> 00:41:27,170 one I'm adding is death. I love you so much that I'm gonna die 643 00:41:27,170 --> 00:41:30,550 for you, and I'm willing to do so 644 00:41:30,630 --> 00:41:34,430 every single time. And here's the thing. Come back over 645 00:41:34,430 --> 00:41:36,870 here, Cole. When you're in this position over here, 646 00:41:38,150 --> 00:41:41,510 when trust has been established here and 647 00:41:41,670 --> 00:41:45,230 Cole finally sees somebody who's operating like 648 00:41:45,230 --> 00:41:48,070 Jesus Christ, who says, I love you so much that I just went through all 649 00:41:48,070 --> 00:41:50,230 of that, and I don't care about that. We don't even talk about that. I 650 00:41:50,230 --> 00:41:53,950 am sorry. Look, I jumped through all the hoops, and I'm 651 00:41:53,950 --> 00:41:57,580 still saying I am sorry. Forgive me. Because the 652 00:41:57,580 --> 00:42:00,660 issue should not outweigh our relationship. 653 00:42:01,300 --> 00:42:05,060 It's not important enough to take what God has put together 654 00:42:05,060 --> 00:42:08,180 here, and so the 655 00:42:08,180 --> 00:42:11,860 relationship's established. But guess what else happens now? 656 00:42:11,860 --> 00:42:15,580 There's an opportunity because he's. Grif has jumped through 657 00:42:15,580 --> 00:42:18,980 all of this. Guess what? There's an opportunity for 658 00:42:18,980 --> 00:42:22,590 Grif to say, hey, hey, let's talk about the doubt 659 00:42:22,590 --> 00:42:26,350 that's in your life. And Cole listens 660 00:42:27,230 --> 00:42:30,870 because somebody was willing to sacrifice their ego and their pride to 661 00:42:30,870 --> 00:42:34,270 love him enough to now speak truth about all of these 662 00:42:34,270 --> 00:42:37,990 situations. And it works both ways. It 663 00:42:37,990 --> 00:42:41,550 works both ways. Jesus 664 00:42:41,790 --> 00:42:45,590 jumped through our hoops. And I'm asking you, are there things in 665 00:42:45,590 --> 00:42:49,310 your relationships that you have said, I refuse to do it? And you 666 00:42:49,310 --> 00:42:53,130 just are content with your relationship being. I would tell you, if 667 00:42:53,130 --> 00:42:56,410 Jesus Christ was standing right here, he'd look at you and say, that is not 668 00:42:56,570 --> 00:42:59,610 my will. That is not my will. 669 00:43:00,890 --> 00:43:03,930 He has called us to deep relationships. 670 00:43:04,410 --> 00:43:08,010 He's called us to further. And I'm going to ask you this morning, I commission 671 00:43:08,010 --> 00:43:11,850 to you, are there things separating you and your spouse, 672 00:43:12,730 --> 00:43:16,410 your friends, work relationships? Are there things in the 673 00:43:16,410 --> 00:43:20,050 middle issues that you have allowed yourself to stand by and say, well, until 674 00:43:20,050 --> 00:43:23,560 they do such and such, I'm not budging. Maybe the Lord is inviting you 675 00:43:24,030 --> 00:43:27,630 today to begin jumping through the hoops they put out to 676 00:43:27,630 --> 00:43:31,430 show the essence in the love of Jesus Christ. You guys may 677 00:43:31,430 --> 00:43:34,110 be seated. Thank you so much. Would the worship team come out? 678 00:43:36,830 --> 00:43:40,430 The greatest healing you will ever receive 679 00:43:40,510 --> 00:43:44,030 is not physical. The greatest healing 680 00:43:44,190 --> 00:43:47,830 you will receive in life is relational because it is 681 00:43:47,830 --> 00:43:51,390 eternal. It is eternal. Here's what's going on. 682 00:43:51,390 --> 00:43:55,060 Pride says, beneath me. Love says, I'll 683 00:43:55,060 --> 00:43:58,140 do whatever it takes to reach you. 684 00:44:00,780 --> 00:44:04,420 How many would be bold enough to admit this morning that you 685 00:44:04,420 --> 00:44:08,139 haven't given your all in terms of reaching somebody in your life that you 686 00:44:08,139 --> 00:44:10,380 need to reach? I have my hand up first. 687 00:44:15,340 --> 00:44:17,980 If God says he opposes the proud, 688 00:44:19,310 --> 00:44:23,110 if he says he opposes the proud and your hand was 689 00:44:23,110 --> 00:44:26,590 in the air, why would you want the God of the universe to oppose you? 690 00:44:28,750 --> 00:44:31,550 You need grace. I need grace. 691 00:44:32,750 --> 00:44:36,430 So I need to humble myself in the 692 00:44:36,430 --> 00:44:40,070 sight of the Lord. This is how Jesus loved 693 00:44:40,070 --> 00:44:43,630 us. He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death, 694 00:44:43,710 --> 00:44:44,990 even death on a cross. 695 00:44:47,560 --> 00:44:50,680 Three weeks ago, I was speaking on Elijah, 696 00:44:51,320 --> 00:44:55,040 and I was talking about the fire that came down from heaven. And I talked 697 00:44:55,040 --> 00:44:58,600 about the water that he put in the trench because of the faith, the bolstered 698 00:44:58,600 --> 00:45:02,280 faith he had in the Lord. And he took that water and he poured it 699 00:45:02,280 --> 00:45:04,560 on there and poured it on there and poured it on there. In the context 700 00:45:04,560 --> 00:45:08,040 of that message, I shared with you guys some very private 701 00:45:08,040 --> 00:45:11,730 information about my medical journey 702 00:45:12,130 --> 00:45:14,450 and told you that I had a mass on my liver. 703 00:45:15,810 --> 00:45:19,330 And since that time, I've had some tests done. And 704 00:45:21,170 --> 00:45:24,570 there was a point in time where we had read that I had 705 00:45:24,570 --> 00:45:28,290 cancer. But this week, I got 706 00:45:29,410 --> 00:45:33,010 a note from my doctor on Tuesday and said, it is not 707 00:45:33,010 --> 00:45:36,770 cancer. It is benign. There is nothing wrong. That is 708 00:45:37,010 --> 00:45:40,820 good, good news. God 709 00:45:40,820 --> 00:45:44,580 has healed my body, and I praise the sovereign God for 710 00:45:44,580 --> 00:45:48,340 it. On Thursday this 711 00:45:48,340 --> 00:45:52,180 week, on Thursday this week, Sherry and I 712 00:45:52,180 --> 00:45:55,340 had an appointment in my office here at the church with a woman 713 00:45:55,740 --> 00:45:59,420 who two years ago slandered my 714 00:45:59,420 --> 00:46:03,040 name, drug our ministry 715 00:46:03,270 --> 00:46:06,870 through the mud, said all sorts of crazy things about us. 716 00:46:08,070 --> 00:46:10,470 And it was a very hurtful, hurtful season. 717 00:46:12,550 --> 00:46:15,510 And this lady came to meet with us 718 00:46:17,030 --> 00:46:20,710 to say, I want to be reconciled. I am so sorry. 719 00:46:21,190 --> 00:46:24,790 And we apologized, and God created a situation 720 00:46:24,950 --> 00:46:28,750 where our relationship was healed. I want to tell you this 721 00:46:28,900 --> 00:46:32,740 this morning that this week I am more excited 722 00:46:32,740 --> 00:46:36,300 about the relational healing than I am the fact that I don't have 723 00:46:36,300 --> 00:46:40,060 cancer. I am more excited about the relationship in my 724 00:46:40,060 --> 00:46:43,700 life being healed than the fact that he's touched my body. Because here's the truth, 725 00:46:43,700 --> 00:46:47,340 guys. In three years, five years, 10 years, I may have cancer again. I may 726 00:46:47,340 --> 00:46:50,460 have something that happens to my body, my body's going away. But 727 00:46:50,460 --> 00:46:54,260 relationships are eternal. And guys, sometimes 728 00:46:54,260 --> 00:46:57,900 we wait until there's somebody laying in a couch to decide, 729 00:46:57,900 --> 00:47:01,700 I should have let the pride walls fall. And I wish I would 730 00:47:01,700 --> 00:47:05,220 have said. I wish I would have. If I would have done anything to jump 731 00:47:05,220 --> 00:47:08,340 through that hoop that they put there, what was I thinking? 732 00:47:09,060 --> 00:47:12,899 And God's saying, drop the pride now while they're still breathing so I can do 733 00:47:12,899 --> 00:47:16,740 relational work through you, in you, and with you. There 734 00:47:16,740 --> 00:47:20,300 are apologies that need to be made. There are. There's 735 00:47:20,300 --> 00:47:24,090 yardage in relationships that need to be had. Today is a day where, where I 736 00:47:24,090 --> 00:47:27,850 believe that God wants to restore relationships. And we're going to ask, just like 737 00:47:27,850 --> 00:47:31,610 the psalmist says, lord, search my heart. Don't let it be what I 738 00:47:31,610 --> 00:47:35,250 think. But Lord, you identify and put in front of my face. You need to 739 00:47:35,250 --> 00:47:38,890 go, you need to do some business with that person because you're not 740 00:47:38,890 --> 00:47:42,490 resolved. There's stuff down there. There's 741 00:47:42,490 --> 00:47:46,250 nitty gritty stuff. And your pride is stopping you from going any further. And 742 00:47:46,250 --> 00:47:49,090 I've got something huge in your life 743 00:47:49,740 --> 00:47:53,500 relationally with that person. So the choice 744 00:47:53,500 --> 00:47:57,340 is your hard, hard message today because it causes you to actually 745 00:47:57,420 --> 00:48:01,140 have to lay down yourself and surrender your pride and go 746 00:48:01,140 --> 00:48:04,780 to people and do some business, some Holy Spirit business. 747 00:48:04,940 --> 00:48:08,540 But let me tell you, there is nothing greater. There is nothing 748 00:48:08,540 --> 00:48:12,220 greater than being healed relationally. Would you 749 00:48:12,220 --> 00:48:13,340 guys stand with me this morning? 750 00:48:19,510 --> 00:48:23,350 Love says, I'll do whatever it takes. Guys, we. 751 00:48:23,350 --> 00:48:25,870 We know how to shout. We know how to say I love you, I love 752 00:48:25,870 --> 00:48:27,950 you, I love you. I love. We. I love you, I love you, I love 753 00:48:27,950 --> 00:48:31,630 you, I love you. That is such a, such a shallow term 754 00:48:31,630 --> 00:48:35,030 now or phrase. Now, the proof is in the pity. 755 00:48:35,830 --> 00:48:39,590 The proof is I love you. Here's my step towards 756 00:48:39,590 --> 00:48:43,280 you. I love you. I'm jumping through this hoop for you. I 757 00:48:43,280 --> 00:48:47,120 don't have to say it because I'm showing you. Jesus didn't 758 00:48:47,120 --> 00:48:50,440 just go to the cross and stand by side and say, I love you, I 759 00:48:50,440 --> 00:48:54,000 love you. Just wanted to let you. He didn't text you I love you. He 760 00:48:54,000 --> 00:48:56,960 got on the cross and he did what he said he was going to do. 761 00:48:57,920 --> 00:49:01,520 And so this morning, the altar space is over. Love says, I'll do 762 00:49:01,520 --> 00:49:05,120 whatever it takes. I'll jump through every hoop. I'll meet you where you are 763 00:49:05,680 --> 00:49:09,400 because. Because that's exactly what Jesus did for you. So as we sing this song, 764 00:49:10,200 --> 00:49:13,800 if you need to ask the Lord to shed off layers of pride in your 765 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:16,200 life. And I'm going to tell you, your pastor, I'm the first one up here. 766 00:49:16,200 --> 00:49:20,040 I don't have to go far. I'm right here. But if you need to 767 00:49:20,040 --> 00:49:23,640 have layers of pride shed, you come forward. But let me tell you 768 00:49:23,640 --> 00:49:27,440 something. You can pray all day long in the altar space, which is good because 769 00:49:27,440 --> 00:49:29,760 you need to be equipped with the Holy Spirit. But he's going to give you 770 00:49:29,760 --> 00:49:31,900 some direction, and it's going to mean you're going to have to have some. Some 771 00:49:31,900 --> 00:49:35,620 conversations with some people. Be ready for that. And I can't 772 00:49:35,620 --> 00:49:39,380 wait to hear the testimonies of God's faithfulness as he heals relationships all 773 00:49:39,380 --> 00:49:40,700 over this place. Let's worship.