1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,840 We're on this lesson of becoming more in twenty-four. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:05,160 This is definitely a Marcel thing. 3 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:07,020 Don't gimme credit for that at all. 4 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:08,189 That is all Marcel. 5 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:12,180 But I appreciate the sentiment of what's behind it. 6 00:00:12,900 --> 00:00:16,560 It's, we should always be striving to be more than what we are. 7 00:00:17,820 --> 00:00:24,690 It's this look at, I think this clicker works or not. 8 00:00:27,870 --> 00:00:30,060 Technology's amazing, especially when it doesn't work. 9 00:00:34,140 --> 00:00:34,860 It's working. 10 00:00:37,260 --> 00:00:38,310 This is a green button. 11 00:00:38,760 --> 00:00:40,710 This should go, oh, look at that. 12 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:42,630 Okay. 13 00:00:42,900 --> 00:00:43,260 There we go. 14 00:00:43,590 --> 00:00:45,120 So we're going through two Peter one. 15 00:00:46,019 --> 00:00:49,140 In case you haven't been following along, uh, we've been staying in 16 00:00:49,144 --> 00:00:52,080 this scripture and, and I like doing a deeper dive in the scripture. 17 00:00:52,410 --> 00:00:57,510 To go word by word to get a, a greater perspective of what in this 18 00:00:57,510 --> 00:00:59,430 case, Peter was trying to tell us. 19 00:00:59,699 --> 00:01:05,670 And we've been under the, the guise of God's empowerment and our human effort 20 00:01:06,270 --> 00:01:13,530 and how it joins together to transform us to become more in twenty-four. 21 00:01:14,009 --> 00:01:15,539 Today we're gonna be talking about perseverance. 22 00:01:16,140 --> 00:01:20,009 Boy, there's a good word, uh, and a word that we typically don't like. 23 00:01:20,595 --> 00:01:24,854 Because perseverance means challenges, perseverance means difficulties. 24 00:01:24,975 --> 00:01:26,835 And I was thinking about the last time I was up here. 25 00:01:26,835 --> 00:01:31,485 I did persecution right before, uh, Christmas, and now I got perseverance 26 00:01:31,994 --> 00:01:33,824 and I thought, man, I'm the fun preacher. 27 00:01:34,214 --> 00:01:36,315 Uh, perseverance, persecution. 28 00:01:36,524 --> 00:01:40,664 But believe me, this word is all over the Bible. 29 00:01:41,565 --> 00:01:43,994 Uh, and we're gonna see that a bit today. 30 00:01:44,324 --> 00:01:48,824 So this is our main text in two Peter one, three through five. 31 00:01:49,200 --> 00:01:53,700 It reads, his divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life 32 00:01:54,120 --> 00:01:57,750 through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 33 00:01:58,470 --> 00:02:01,680 Through these, he's given us his very great and precious promises, 34 00:02:02,070 --> 00:02:05,820 so that through them you may participate in the divine nature. 35 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:11,310 Having escaped the corruption of the world caused by evil desires for this 36 00:02:11,400 --> 00:02:15,630 very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness, and to goodness 37 00:02:15,630 --> 00:02:18,030 knowledge and to knowledge self-control. 38 00:02:18,300 --> 00:02:23,070 And to self-control, perseverance, and the perseverance, godliness and the godliness. 39 00:02:23,070 --> 00:02:25,260 Mutual affection, and a mutual affection. 40 00:02:25,260 --> 00:02:25,560 Love. 41 00:02:26,850 --> 00:02:30,000 So this has been our main text and I, and I wanna, before we get into 42 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:34,500 perseverance, I want to break down a little bit of his divine nature. 43 00:02:35,220 --> 00:02:38,910 God's divine power, and this idea of making every effort. 44 00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:42,180 So when you look at those words, you had goodness, knowledge, 45 00:02:42,360 --> 00:02:46,710 self-control, perseverance, godliness, mutual affection, and love. 46 00:02:47,700 --> 00:02:50,730 That it's God's divine nature. 47 00:02:51,540 --> 00:02:52,590 That's who God is. 48 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:54,270 God is faithful. 49 00:02:54,570 --> 00:02:57,030 When we're not faithful, God is good. 50 00:02:57,030 --> 00:03:00,900 When we're not good, God is knowledgeable and we can trust in his wisdom. 51 00:03:01,380 --> 00:03:04,980 God has self-control because there's been multiple times where God says, I 52 00:03:04,985 --> 00:03:07,740 would wipe you out, but I'm not going to. 53 00:03:08,220 --> 00:03:10,200 God is perseverant with us. 54 00:03:10,650 --> 00:03:15,810 He's obviously godly and he's loving, and this is in stark contrast. 55 00:03:16,394 --> 00:03:21,105 To our nature, which Paul defines as this. 56 00:03:21,855 --> 00:03:26,385 As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins in 57 00:03:26,390 --> 00:03:28,755 which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world. 58 00:03:29,505 --> 00:03:33,704 All of us who lived among them at one time gratifying the cravings 59 00:03:33,709 --> 00:03:38,475 of our flesh and following his desires and thoughts like the rest. 60 00:03:38,804 --> 00:03:42,285 We were by nature deserving of wrath. 61 00:03:44,204 --> 00:03:45,674 What a stark contract. 62 00:03:46,829 --> 00:03:53,730 Black and white in the sense of just God's divine nature and our nature. 63 00:03:54,840 --> 00:04:01,290 We are so different from this by who we are, and I know we live in a time where 64 00:04:01,290 --> 00:04:06,060 it's like you're a good person and I'm a good person, and maybe from the outside 65 00:04:06,060 --> 00:04:07,800 eyes, sometimes we can appear that way. 66 00:04:09,150 --> 00:04:15,510 But if someone was to dissect my heart and my mind and see what goes on inside there. 67 00:04:16,575 --> 00:04:20,204 They would go, oh yeah, Eric's, definitely deserving of wrath 68 00:04:21,225 --> 00:04:22,605 because that's my nature. 69 00:04:23,325 --> 00:04:28,005 The craving of my flesh and the desires that I want to carry out with that. 70 00:04:28,485 --> 00:04:29,085 It's who I am. 71 00:04:30,045 --> 00:04:32,895 But the hope that we have is this divine nature. 72 00:04:32,900 --> 00:04:39,435 Because God's divine power works with our making every effort to help 73 00:04:39,435 --> 00:04:42,675 transform us to his divine nature. 74 00:04:43,844 --> 00:04:47,625 That's what second Peter's talking about is that we can have this 75 00:04:47,625 --> 00:04:52,034 nature, but we have to make every effort we have to do our part. 76 00:04:52,034 --> 00:04:53,895 And this is probably one of the hardest things about being a 77 00:04:53,895 --> 00:04:55,604 Christian, is recognizing our lane. 78 00:04:56,505 --> 00:04:59,414 'cause sometimes we wanna jump into God's lane and we wanna 79 00:04:59,419 --> 00:05:01,065 do what God is supposed to do. 80 00:05:01,664 --> 00:05:03,735 We're gonna take over, we're gonna make this happen. 81 00:05:04,094 --> 00:05:07,844 And God's like, no, you get in your lane, you make every effort, 82 00:05:09,104 --> 00:05:09,974 but I'll make this happen. 83 00:05:11,340 --> 00:05:13,950 And we can be transformed into his divine nature. 84 00:05:16,395 --> 00:05:18,810 I also wanna look at this word, perseverance. 85 00:05:19,110 --> 00:05:21,420 Huponone is what you say in Greek. 86 00:05:22,260 --> 00:05:26,250 It stands for steadfastness, constancy, and endurance. 87 00:05:27,870 --> 00:05:29,370 These are all nice big words. 88 00:05:30,090 --> 00:05:33,480 So I thought I would go with an English translation of this, and it means 89 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:38,730 continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties. 90 00:05:39,585 --> 00:05:44,865 Failure or opposition, the action or condition or instance of persevering. 91 00:05:47,835 --> 00:05:50,445 And I was laughing at myself right now 'cause I realized the 92 00:05:50,445 --> 00:05:53,685 first thing I focused on, and even what I highlighted was despite 93 00:05:53,685 --> 00:05:56,715 difficulties, failure, opposition, I didn't highlight, achieve something. 94 00:05:57,675 --> 00:05:59,385 'cause that's not how I think about perseverance. 95 00:05:59,475 --> 00:06:01,485 When I think perseverance, I don't think about what I'm gonna achieve. 96 00:06:01,485 --> 00:06:07,005 I think about difficulties, opposition, hardship, struggle. 97 00:06:08,580 --> 00:06:09,539 That's perseverance. 98 00:06:10,650 --> 00:06:12,120 It's like, man, this, that's exciting. 99 00:06:12,120 --> 00:06:16,200 On a Sunday morning, I'm here with my family, all excited to worship God 100 00:06:16,205 --> 00:06:18,450 and I gotta go through difficulties. 101 00:06:18,510 --> 00:06:19,590 Failure, opposition. 102 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:22,620 Why would I want to be a Christian? 103 00:06:24,510 --> 00:06:29,909 Why would I want to go through this in the same way we love 104 00:06:29,909 --> 00:06:31,680 God because he first loved us. 105 00:06:32,370 --> 00:06:35,609 We persevere 'cause God perseveres with us. 106 00:06:37,185 --> 00:06:37,815 Romans eight. 107 00:06:37,845 --> 00:06:43,815 It says, for I'm convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, 108 00:06:44,115 --> 00:06:48,135 neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor death, 109 00:06:48,135 --> 00:06:53,115 nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of 110 00:06:53,115 --> 00:06:55,335 God that is in Christ Jesus the Lord. 111 00:06:56,985 --> 00:07:01,065 Notice it doesn't say, it won't separate in the sense that our love 112 00:07:01,065 --> 00:07:02,835 from God, it's God's love to us. 113 00:07:03,780 --> 00:07:06,360 None of these things is gonna stop God's love for us. 114 00:07:07,260 --> 00:07:10,830 God's gonna persevere in his love for us. 115 00:07:12,300 --> 00:07:15,659 And when I read this, sometimes I can feel like, yeah, but what 116 00:07:15,659 --> 00:07:17,219 are really God's obstacles? 117 00:07:18,180 --> 00:07:19,350 God's all-powerful. 118 00:07:20,400 --> 00:07:22,170 Is it really that difficult for him? 119 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:24,420 You know, what's his greatest obstacle? 120 00:07:25,200 --> 00:07:28,740 And I realized his greatest obstacle is us. 121 00:07:30,030 --> 00:07:31,830 We are the greatest obstacle. 122 00:07:32,175 --> 00:07:35,865 For God's love 'cause God has to really persevere with us. 123 00:07:38,355 --> 00:07:42,284 I was reading a Nehemiah, and Nehemiah was describing the 124 00:07:42,284 --> 00:07:45,645 Israelites, and Nehemiah said this. 125 00:07:45,645 --> 00:07:49,875 It says they refused to listen and failed to remember the 126 00:07:49,880 --> 00:07:51,435 miracles you performed among them. 127 00:07:52,335 --> 00:07:56,385 They became stiff-necked, and in their rebellion appointed a leader 128 00:07:56,385 --> 00:07:57,945 in order to return to their slavery. 129 00:07:59,055 --> 00:08:00,675 But you are forgiving God. 130 00:08:01,440 --> 00:08:04,860 Gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding of love. 131 00:08:05,670 --> 00:08:11,910 Therefore, you did not desert them as a young Christian and reading the old 132 00:08:11,910 --> 00:08:14,625 Testament, there's a lot there that I was like, I, I don't understand a, 133 00:08:14,730 --> 00:08:18,240 a lot of stuff as a young Christian, and one of the things I didn't 134 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:24,540 understand with the Israelites here, God walked with them, showed his 135 00:08:24,540 --> 00:08:30,030 presence to them, performed miracles for them, brought them outta slavery. 136 00:08:30,630 --> 00:08:35,820 Into and leading them to a promised land and while on the jury to the 137 00:08:35,820 --> 00:08:40,590 promised land outta slavery, they're like, eh, um, it's not that great here. 138 00:08:41,700 --> 00:08:44,280 Yeah, I know we're on this journey, this promised land, but you know what? 139 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:46,470 It was nice back in Egypt. 140 00:08:46,650 --> 00:08:50,010 I know we were enslaved, but how bad is slavery really? 141 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:55,710 Let's go back, let's get a new leader and let's head back that way. 142 00:08:56,130 --> 00:08:58,110 Let's not keep going towards God's promises. 143 00:08:58,110 --> 00:08:58,200 This. 144 00:08:59,130 --> 00:09:01,710 And as a young Christian, I'm like, these Israelites are stupid. 145 00:09:03,330 --> 00:09:06,210 And then I became a Christian for a little bit longer and I 146 00:09:06,215 --> 00:09:09,450 realized, oh, I'm stupid too. 147 00:09:10,830 --> 00:09:15,840 I'm the same way I think of the miracles God's performed in my 148 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:20,040 life, the transformation, the bringing me out of slavery from my 149 00:09:20,040 --> 00:09:22,560 evil desires, from what held me. 150 00:09:24,750 --> 00:09:27,240 And sometimes I get in a place where I'm like. 151 00:09:28,079 --> 00:09:29,939 Was it really that bad back there? 152 00:09:31,020 --> 00:09:31,975 Was it really that tough? 153 00:09:33,090 --> 00:09:34,560 Maybe I could go back. 154 00:09:35,189 --> 00:09:37,020 You know, at least be on the way back a little bit. 155 00:09:37,020 --> 00:09:39,270 I mean this, this journey to the promised part is hard. 156 00:09:39,270 --> 00:09:42,150 So slavery isn't all bad, right? 157 00:09:42,750 --> 00:09:48,329 And I forget, and I become exactly what Nehemiah is saying here, A 158 00:09:48,329 --> 00:09:56,010 stiff-necked people, and we can become this if we don't persevere. 159 00:09:57,719 --> 00:10:01,920 Now you think, well man, perseverance is hard. 160 00:10:01,920 --> 00:10:02,459 You're right. 161 00:10:03,810 --> 00:10:04,560 But read the Bible. 162 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,079 You'll be inspired by so many people that persevere. 163 00:10:11,969 --> 00:10:13,110 What do I mean by so many people? 164 00:10:13,199 --> 00:10:13,740 A bunch. 165 00:10:15,329 --> 00:10:20,699 Job persevered through extreme suffering a loss, but remained faithful to God. 166 00:10:21,569 --> 00:10:25,860 Joseph sold into slavery by his own family and imprisoned falsely. 167 00:10:26,790 --> 00:10:31,140 Remained steadfast to God and eventually saved his family. 168 00:10:32,220 --> 00:10:37,560 Moses endured decades of hardship as he led the Israelites outta slavery through 169 00:10:37,560 --> 00:10:39,810 the wilderness, but remained faithful. 170 00:10:40,439 --> 00:10:45,210 David faced trials even of his own king who tried to persecute him and his 171 00:10:45,210 --> 00:10:48,480 own failures yet remained steadfast. 172 00:10:49,199 --> 00:10:53,970 Esther risked her life to save the people displaying enormous courage 173 00:10:54,030 --> 00:10:55,470 and perseverance in the face of. 174 00:10:56,025 --> 00:10:57,855 Certain death you think? 175 00:10:57,855 --> 00:10:58,845 Well, that's just a few. 176 00:10:59,235 --> 00:11:00,645 Okay, let's do some more. 177 00:11:00,944 --> 00:11:04,905 Ruth demonstrated perseverance in her loyalty to Naomi, going to a place 178 00:11:04,910 --> 00:11:08,655 that she didn't even know where she was going, but stayed true to God. 179 00:11:09,345 --> 00:11:10,635 Your people will be my people. 180 00:11:12,015 --> 00:11:13,095 Your God will be my God. 181 00:11:13,905 --> 00:11:22,365 Daniel endured persecution most of his life and lived as a, as a bond servant to 182 00:11:22,365 --> 00:11:24,915 a kingdom that overthrew the Israelites. 183 00:11:25,635 --> 00:11:27,915 And yet he never compromised his beliefs. 184 00:11:28,094 --> 00:11:31,964 Paul suffered persecution, imprisonment, various hardships all the way up 185 00:11:31,964 --> 00:11:33,255 to death, yet remained committed. 186 00:11:33,944 --> 00:11:37,064 Abraham displayed perseverance in his journeys and faith not 187 00:11:37,064 --> 00:11:38,535 knowing what God's gonna lead him. 188 00:11:39,105 --> 00:11:42,795 And Hannah endured years of barrenness and social stigma, but remained 189 00:11:42,795 --> 00:11:44,324 persistent with God in prayer. 190 00:11:44,895 --> 00:11:47,295 I could do this for the rest of the time. 191 00:11:47,985 --> 00:11:54,704 You pick a person in the Bible and follow their journey, you will see persevering. 192 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,060 It's one of the traits. 193 00:11:58,710 --> 00:12:01,110 We like to pick up the Bible and think, oh, if I read it, I'm just 194 00:12:01,110 --> 00:12:05,220 gonna read about some guy who all was good and God just brought him through. 195 00:12:05,340 --> 00:12:06,840 And that is not the story of the Bible at all. 196 00:12:07,410 --> 00:12:09,240 The story of the Bible is perseverance. 197 00:12:10,050 --> 00:12:12,360 And if you're feeling like, man, it's hard to persevere. 198 00:12:12,540 --> 00:12:16,950 Spend time with some of these people and walk with them and learn from them. 199 00:12:17,970 --> 00:12:20,940 Because sometimes we think, oh man, I'm persevering this week, but if 200 00:12:20,940 --> 00:12:22,980 it doesn't change next week, whoo. 201 00:12:23,460 --> 00:12:24,480 I don't know if I can keep going. 202 00:12:26,475 --> 00:12:30,930 In some of these cases, you're talking 40 years of perseverance 203 00:12:31,470 --> 00:12:38,880 of hardship, but they remain close to God, so we must persevere. 204 00:12:41,670 --> 00:12:45,630 I wanna read from the book of James now before I do, I, I'm teaching 205 00:12:45,630 --> 00:12:48,930 a, a helping out facilitate a young Christian class for our college ministry. 206 00:12:49,350 --> 00:12:51,480 And uh, last week we, or a couple weeks ago we went 207 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:52,705 through how to study the Bible. 208 00:12:53,115 --> 00:12:55,965 And one of the things, when you said the Bible, you ought talk about who's talking. 209 00:12:56,325 --> 00:12:57,585 You know what's, what's the source. 210 00:12:57,585 --> 00:13:00,825 And so this is coming from James because I know when looking at you, some of you're 211 00:13:00,825 --> 00:13:04,515 like, if he tells me I have to persevere, he doesn't know what I'm going through. 212 00:13:04,995 --> 00:13:06,675 He doesn't know the challenges I'm facing. 213 00:13:06,855 --> 00:13:09,285 He doesn't know the hardship that I'm in right now. 214 00:13:09,525 --> 00:13:11,445 And you're right, I don't. 215 00:13:13,395 --> 00:13:16,815 So please hear that this is coming from James now. 216 00:13:16,815 --> 00:13:17,715 Who's James? 217 00:13:17,805 --> 00:13:19,875 Let me just introduce James to you for a moment. 218 00:13:19,995 --> 00:13:21,255 He was the brother of Jesus. 219 00:13:22,875 --> 00:13:27,555 What would it take for you to grow up growing up with your siblings? 220 00:13:27,735 --> 00:13:32,594 To be convinced that your sibling, your younger brother or sister, or older 221 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:35,535 brother or sister was the Lord and Christ? 222 00:13:37,665 --> 00:13:41,745 It would've taken a lot to try to convince me that my brother 223 00:13:41,745 --> 00:13:43,245 Victor was the Lord in Christ. 224 00:13:43,245 --> 00:13:43,905 I'm like, Mm-Hmm. 225 00:13:44,865 --> 00:13:46,185 You don't know him like I do. 226 00:13:49,590 --> 00:13:51,660 What did he see that convinced him? 227 00:13:52,380 --> 00:13:53,520 Part of it was the resurrection. 228 00:13:53,939 --> 00:13:57,330 Part of it was seeing his brother come back from the dead who appeared to him. 229 00:13:57,900 --> 00:14:03,750 'cause he wasn't faithful as a follower early on, but he becomes so to the point 230 00:14:03,750 --> 00:14:08,640 of his own death, he will leave the church in Jerusalem for over 30 years. 231 00:14:09,300 --> 00:14:15,330 The church in Jerusalem was basically mainly Jews and they were ostracized. 232 00:14:16,365 --> 00:14:20,325 By the Jewish community because they were following this way, 233 00:14:21,315 --> 00:14:26,625 this Christ, this Messiah that they thought that wasn't is Jesus. 234 00:14:28,155 --> 00:14:33,135 And so during hardships and famine, Paul would actually go and travel around 235 00:14:33,135 --> 00:14:40,035 to the Gentile churches raising money to give to the Jerusalem Jews because 236 00:14:40,035 --> 00:14:41,445 some of them were starving to death. 237 00:14:42,825 --> 00:14:44,445 And this is the church he's leading. 238 00:14:46,530 --> 00:14:50,069 And he will die in Jerusalem for his beliefs. 239 00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:53,220 So just know what he says to you. 240 00:14:53,220 --> 00:14:54,449 This is where he's coming from. 241 00:14:55,410 --> 00:14:56,370 Let's hear what he has to say. 242 00:14:57,000 --> 00:15:00,510 James, A servant of God and a Lord Jesus Christ. 243 00:15:00,689 --> 00:15:07,110 To the 12 tribes scattered among the nations greetings, consider it pure joy. 244 00:15:07,110 --> 00:15:10,680 My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kind. 245 00:15:10,800 --> 00:15:14,939 Us because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. 246 00:15:15,300 --> 00:15:18,089 Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and 247 00:15:18,089 --> 00:15:19,829 complete, not lacking anything. 248 00:15:20,640 --> 00:15:24,839 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God who gives generously to all without 249 00:15:24,839 --> 00:15:27,000 finding fault and it'll be given to you. 250 00:15:28,709 --> 00:15:29,969 I wanna highlight this first point. 251 00:15:29,969 --> 00:15:34,800 Whenever you face trial, not if ever not, you might. 252 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:36,240 No. 253 00:15:36,660 --> 00:15:38,939 Whenever you will. 254 00:15:39,015 --> 00:15:39,074 It. 255 00:15:40,125 --> 00:15:42,074 It's a part of the Christian walk. 256 00:15:42,975 --> 00:15:48,735 You will face trials and what are we supposed to do with this? 257 00:15:49,485 --> 00:15:50,595 Consider it pure joy. 258 00:15:53,505 --> 00:15:54,165 I just told you. 259 00:15:54,165 --> 00:15:55,185 You don't know what I'm going through. 260 00:15:55,605 --> 00:15:58,755 I don't, but it doesn't make this any less true. 261 00:15:59,715 --> 00:16:02,595 Consider it pure joy. 262 00:16:03,705 --> 00:16:04,755 How do I do that? 263 00:16:06,150 --> 00:16:07,469 How do I consider it? 264 00:16:07,469 --> 00:16:08,189 Pure joy. 265 00:16:08,370 --> 00:16:09,870 What I'm going through. 266 00:16:12,479 --> 00:16:14,099 A loss of a family member. 267 00:16:15,689 --> 00:16:21,449 A friend that has hurt you, A brother and sister in Christ that 268 00:16:21,449 --> 00:16:22,560 has turned their back on you. 269 00:16:24,030 --> 00:16:25,770 Financial hardships. 270 00:16:26,550 --> 00:16:27,959 Hardships in school. 271 00:16:29,160 --> 00:16:30,120 How do I consider it? 272 00:16:30,120 --> 00:16:30,660 Pure joy. 273 00:16:32,939 --> 00:16:34,170 'cause it's a testing of your faith. 274 00:16:37,454 --> 00:16:42,104 Faith isn't living this life to go, if I'm faithful, God's gonna do this for me. 275 00:16:42,555 --> 00:16:45,915 It's not a secret switch that you get to turn on and just make 276 00:16:45,915 --> 00:16:47,234 God do what you want him do. 277 00:16:47,655 --> 00:16:53,265 Faith is being certain that God is working even when you don't know what's 278 00:16:53,270 --> 00:16:59,084 happening and you get to test this faith, you get to see the authenticity 279 00:16:59,744 --> 00:17:02,415 of this faith and live this out. 280 00:17:04,319 --> 00:17:11,069 And it'll help you to be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 281 00:17:12,839 --> 00:17:14,460 Well, what does mature and complete look like? 282 00:17:15,358 --> 00:17:16,440 God's divine nature. 283 00:17:17,819 --> 00:17:24,240 Being faithful, having goodness, having knowledge, having self-control, 284 00:17:25,200 --> 00:17:28,470 being godly, living a life of love. 285 00:17:29,850 --> 00:17:31,410 We all want these traits. 286 00:17:33,105 --> 00:17:36,254 But we have to be able to go through it to get there. 287 00:17:38,115 --> 00:17:43,274 And this can be the hard part, and it is hard and it's hard, 288 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:44,685 especially if it's a long journey. 289 00:17:46,365 --> 00:17:50,385 Something, uh, some of, you know, in this room, not many, but some of, you 290 00:17:50,385 --> 00:17:52,185 know, uh, it's been a hard journey. 291 00:18:05,880 --> 00:18:11,850 From the time I was baptized, 1920, I heard a lesson and the lesson was 292 00:18:11,850 --> 00:18:13,920 this, pray for your future children. 293 00:18:19,770 --> 00:18:21,300 So by the time I was 20 years old. 294 00:18:22,830 --> 00:18:24,540 I've been praying about what my child might be like, 295 00:18:29,550 --> 00:18:34,590 and I got married in my twenties and, uh, God said no. 296 00:18:37,860 --> 00:18:43,169 And, uh, with my wife's passing, I found recently, uh, an unanswered prayer 297 00:18:43,590 --> 00:18:49,919 from her saying, you know, pregnancy by 2007, and her answer was not yet. 298 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:57,960 And, uh, you know, I think I got surrendered to that. 299 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,070 And then recently getting remarried, it was a, a hope again. 300 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:09,030 Um, and so we started praying again, you know, and just going, okay, 301 00:19:09,030 --> 00:19:10,830 God, maybe this might be an option. 302 00:19:12,090 --> 00:19:15,000 And we found out in early December that we had basically a one in 303 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:17,640 a thousand chance to have child. 304 00:19:19,635 --> 00:19:22,965 Crushing years of prayer. 305 00:19:24,225 --> 00:19:30,795 And I was like, okay, God, you know, I, I, I can't stop praying and I'm gonna 306 00:19:30,795 --> 00:19:35,295 continue to pray, and I'm grateful for your prayers because it has been 307 00:19:35,535 --> 00:19:41,925 enormously challenging because we found that out on a Friday and on Sunday in 308 00:19:41,925 --> 00:19:43,665 December, we found out we were pregnant. 309 00:19:47,860 --> 00:19:53,355 And so we are 14 weeks and we're expecting a little baby boy. 310 00:19:59,835 --> 00:20:03,915 Now here's what I'm looking at. 311 00:20:03,915 --> 00:20:07,575 Just so you know, a bunch of you friends of mine who have older children going. 312 00:20:07,995 --> 00:20:09,585 You've not stopped persevering. 313 00:20:10,995 --> 00:20:13,155 Your perseverance has only just begun. 314 00:20:14,445 --> 00:20:17,475 And they are right and you are right. 315 00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:25,575 I'm grateful that God has heard my prayers, but I also know that 316 00:20:25,575 --> 00:20:30,225 those prayers need to continue, that I'll still be praying for my little 317 00:20:30,225 --> 00:20:34,365 boy as he grows up as he develops. 318 00:20:36,555 --> 00:20:37,605 'cause I'll have to persevere. 319 00:20:39,075 --> 00:20:43,155 That's what it means to persevere, and many of you are still in 320 00:20:43,155 --> 00:20:44,775 it with your kids persevering. 321 00:20:46,635 --> 00:20:47,655 Yeah, I know. 322 00:20:47,655 --> 00:20:48,105 That's right. 323 00:20:49,125 --> 00:20:52,575 Because I know some of you and I hang out with some of your kids, 324 00:20:55,754 --> 00:20:59,325 we persevere not just for a season, but for a lifetime. 325 00:21:01,815 --> 00:21:04,395 So how do we add perseverance to our life? 326 00:21:05,415 --> 00:21:07,004 We recognize instead of run. 327 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:10,050 We recognize that we're in a season of perseverance. 328 00:21:10,169 --> 00:21:13,830 We reframe our mindset that, yes, this is a tough time and we're going through 329 00:21:13,830 --> 00:21:16,500 it and it's okay, but I'm not gonna run. 330 00:21:18,120 --> 00:21:21,270 I'm not gonna be someone who skips out on this moment. 331 00:21:21,659 --> 00:21:24,090 This is a testing of my faith. 332 00:21:27,034 --> 00:21:28,919 We're gonna pray instead of pout. 333 00:21:31,050 --> 00:21:33,060 We can get to a place in our life sometimes when we're 334 00:21:33,065 --> 00:21:34,290 praying and be like, ah. 335 00:21:34,679 --> 00:21:35,760 I don't wanna pray anymore. 336 00:21:35,760 --> 00:21:37,590 I just wanna pow Oh, I don't like this. 337 00:21:37,590 --> 00:21:37,980 No. 338 00:21:38,669 --> 00:21:43,439 If you are in a moment, pray instead of pout, and we are gonna be those 339 00:21:43,439 --> 00:21:45,689 who step out instead of shrink back. 340 00:21:46,230 --> 00:21:49,500 Hebrews 10 39 says, but we do not belong to those who shrink back and 341 00:21:49,500 --> 00:21:55,290 are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved, this is how we 342 00:21:55,290 --> 00:22:00,389 add perseverance and the benefits of this, it'll strengthen your faith. 343 00:22:02,340 --> 00:22:03,419 When my baby is born. 344 00:22:04,455 --> 00:22:07,034 I will get to remember those years of perseverance. 345 00:22:07,725 --> 00:22:11,774 Every time I see his face, you'll develop grit. 346 00:22:12,975 --> 00:22:14,895 We don't like this in our day and age. 347 00:22:15,284 --> 00:22:18,105 There's a phrase that says Hard times produce hard men. 348 00:22:18,225 --> 00:22:20,324 Hard men produce soft times. 349 00:22:20,385 --> 00:22:22,245 Soft times produce soft men. 350 00:22:22,395 --> 00:22:28,784 And soft men produce hard times, and we got some soft times that produce some 351 00:22:28,784 --> 00:22:31,665 soft men, and we need to get some grit. 352 00:22:31,725 --> 00:22:32,570 Yes, yes. 353 00:22:32,685 --> 00:22:36,344 We need to stand up for what's right through the hardships, 354 00:22:36,435 --> 00:22:40,365 through the difficulties, 'cause it'll cultivate our character. 355 00:22:42,225 --> 00:22:43,365 We'll develop integrity 356 00:22:47,115 --> 00:22:49,725 and we'll become a testimony of God's faithfulness. 357 00:22:50,774 --> 00:22:58,665 And ultimately, as James told us, we'll be mature and complete, not lacking anything. 358 00:22:59,594 --> 00:23:00,855 So as we head into communion. 359 00:23:01,905 --> 00:23:08,745 Remember, we make every effort, we strive, and God will do his part in 360 00:23:08,745 --> 00:23:10,395 transforming us into his divine nature. 361 00:23:10,875 --> 00:23:13,005 So action steps for this week. 362 00:23:13,185 --> 00:23:15,255 Pray for God's wisdom as you face these trials. 363 00:23:15,260 --> 00:23:17,865 Remember James says, ask for wisdom and he'll be given to 364 00:23:17,865 --> 00:23:19,600 you without fighting fault. 365 00:23:22,605 --> 00:23:25,875 And if you're going through it, ask someone to walk with 366 00:23:25,875 --> 00:23:26,955 you through your challenges. 367 00:23:27,525 --> 00:23:29,025 I thank you for those who prayed with me. 368 00:23:30,075 --> 00:23:34,185 Who've been on this journey with me, and not just this past year, not just 369 00:23:34,185 --> 00:23:38,895 this past two years, but who've walked with me through my Christianity. 370 00:23:39,855 --> 00:23:42,015 'cause you've kept, helped me keep faithful. 371 00:23:44,955 --> 00:23:47,715 Thank you for spending that time with me, and if you're going through 372 00:23:47,715 --> 00:23:49,545 it, ask someone to walk with you. 373 00:23:49,845 --> 00:23:51,285 Christianity is not meant to be done alone. 374 00:23:52,455 --> 00:23:53,025 We're a family. 375 00:23:56,025 --> 00:23:58,065 So as we head into communion, Jesus perseveres. 376 00:23:59,220 --> 00:24:00,750 This Hebrews 12, one through three. 377 00:24:00,750 --> 00:24:04,649 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us 378 00:24:04,649 --> 00:24:09,000 throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and let 379 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:14,460 us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, 380 00:24:14,460 --> 00:24:16,139 the pioneer and perfecter of faith. 381 00:24:17,040 --> 00:24:24,720 For the joy set before him, he endured the cross scorning a shame, and sat down 382 00:24:24,720 --> 00:24:26,010 at the right hand of the throne of God. 383 00:24:26,925 --> 00:24:30,915 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners so that 384 00:24:30,915 --> 00:24:37,515 you will not grow weary and lose heart as we head in this time. 385 00:24:39,165 --> 00:24:43,875 Jesus lived out what he's calling us to do for the joy set before him. 386 00:24:44,805 --> 00:24:45,435 He endured. 387 00:24:45,465 --> 00:24:49,605 He persevered through the cross, and where did he end the right hand of 388 00:24:49,605 --> 00:24:54,645 God, which is where we, we will be someday, but we cannot grow weary. 389 00:24:55,665 --> 00:24:58,485 And we cannot lose heart 'cause we have to persevere. 390 00:24:59,385 --> 00:24:59,835 Let's pray. 391 00:25:02,235 --> 00:25:07,155 Fathers, we come before you in this time and we recognize who you are and 392 00:25:07,155 --> 00:25:09,465 how much God you persevere with us. 393 00:25:10,665 --> 00:25:14,985 Let us make every effort to give back and persevere with you 394 00:25:15,915 --> 00:25:21,975 because we know God that you will go to any extreme to love us. 395 00:25:22,035 --> 00:25:23,565 Neither height nor depth. 396 00:25:24,075 --> 00:25:28,815 Nor anything else and all of creation will separate us from your love. 397 00:25:30,015 --> 00:25:37,185 Let us run the race marked out for us and achieve the crown of glory at the end 398 00:25:37,845 --> 00:25:43,215 because we know God, that we will sit at the throne of God if we remain faithful. 399 00:25:44,445 --> 00:25:47,745 Father, we are grateful to you for the love that you show us. 400 00:25:48,285 --> 00:25:51,315 And as we take this communion, the, the bread that represents 401 00:25:51,315 --> 00:25:52,965 your body, that was crushed. 402 00:25:53,415 --> 00:25:58,215 In pierced and the blood that was spilled, the grape juice that we drink, we take. 403 00:25:58,215 --> 00:26:03,584 So remembering that it was this death that ultimately led to the 404 00:26:03,584 --> 00:26:07,439 resurrection that saves us today, and we pray this UN son's name. 405 00:26:07,790 --> 00:26:08,079 Amen.