1 00:00:00,050 --> 00:00:04,750 My name is Marcel Hall and, , I'm a minister and, , my wife Karina, , we've 2 00:00:04,750 --> 00:00:07,570 been married now almost 18 years. 3 00:00:08,610 --> 00:00:09,060 Wow. 4 00:00:09,060 --> 00:00:09,270 I don't know. 5 00:00:09,270 --> 00:00:10,950 That was a good wow or a bad Wow. 6 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:12,630 Hopefully that was a good wow. 7 00:00:12,630 --> 00:00:16,980 Like Marcel, y'all look so young that you must have gotten married when you were 13. 8 00:00:18,900 --> 00:00:19,920 No, that's not the. 9 00:00:21,150 --> 00:00:24,690 But yes, we've been married now almost 18 years, and uh, we have three 10 00:00:24,690 --> 00:00:28,260 kids, uh, two daughters, 12 and 11. 11 00:00:28,260 --> 00:00:30,960 Baby girl, baby doll, and my son, baby boy. 12 00:00:30,965 --> 00:00:31,620 What did I say? 13 00:00:33,120 --> 00:00:33,930 12 and 10. 14 00:00:33,930 --> 00:00:34,620 There you go. 15 00:00:34,650 --> 00:00:35,340 12 and 10. 16 00:00:35,345 --> 00:00:36,270 You have to forgive me. 17 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:38,790 I've been sick, it feels like for two months now. 18 00:00:38,790 --> 00:00:39,750 You know what I'm saying? 19 00:00:40,170 --> 00:00:43,020 And, uh, I haven't slept in about three months either as well. 20 00:00:43,020 --> 00:00:43,680 I need some prayer. 21 00:00:43,680 --> 00:00:44,850 David, please pray for me. 22 00:00:45,030 --> 00:00:45,330 Okay? 23 00:00:45,330 --> 00:00:46,680 We'll see if you're a righteous man. 24 00:00:46,710 --> 00:00:47,070 Okay. 25 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:48,690 And see how my prayer works. 26 00:00:48,990 --> 00:00:50,790 Uh, or your prayer works if I sleep tonight. 27 00:00:50,790 --> 00:00:54,690 So 12, 10 and four. 28 00:00:55,350 --> 00:00:55,680 Yes. 29 00:00:55,680 --> 00:00:56,040 Amen. 30 00:00:56,045 --> 00:00:56,760 I got that right. 31 00:00:57,360 --> 00:00:58,440 He'll be five next Sunday. 32 00:00:58,440 --> 00:00:58,710 Okay. 33 00:00:58,710 --> 00:00:59,040 All right. 34 00:00:59,190 --> 00:01:00,900 So baby boy, that's Dominique. 35 00:01:00,930 --> 00:01:04,739 We'll go reverse order Desiree and Sinnia and, uh, again, I, we 36 00:01:04,739 --> 00:01:06,150 need all the prayers we could get. 37 00:01:06,180 --> 00:01:06,570 Okay? 38 00:01:07,200 --> 00:01:10,440 Because those who know my kids, look you, you nod your head a little too much. 39 00:01:10,860 --> 00:01:12,120 Uhhuh, we know your kids. 40 00:01:12,390 --> 00:01:13,500 Just pray for us please. 41 00:01:13,500 --> 00:01:14,370 The house is active. 42 00:01:14,375 --> 00:01:16,050 I was talking with another family yesterday. 43 00:01:16,230 --> 00:01:18,990 Sorry, I'm going on this tangent here, but this is just how it is with me. 44 00:01:20,895 --> 00:01:22,545 And I was like, man, our house is active. 45 00:01:22,545 --> 00:01:24,855 And then I asked the guy, we're at the swim meet for my daughter. 46 00:01:25,125 --> 00:01:26,595 And I said, how many kids do you have? 47 00:01:26,595 --> 00:01:27,585 He says, five. 48 00:01:28,725 --> 00:01:34,065 I said, well, I'll be quiet then, because if you got five, okay, 49 00:01:34,065 --> 00:01:35,475 then I, I can't say anything. 50 00:01:35,505 --> 00:01:37,005 He's like, yeah, it's pretty active. 51 00:01:37,009 --> 00:01:40,545 But anyhow, uh, you know, we've been, uh, at, we've been at 52 00:01:40,545 --> 00:01:41,655 the, we've had the privilege. 53 00:01:41,685 --> 00:01:45,255 It's coming and it's approaching about two decades almost, of 54 00:01:45,255 --> 00:01:47,085 being able to preach the gospel. 55 00:01:47,384 --> 00:01:52,095 And so I'm excited to be able to continue to preach the gospel this morning. 56 00:01:52,365 --> 00:01:58,845 And so I wanna ask you maybe the biggest question that has been asked for ages, 57 00:01:59,354 --> 00:02:03,855 no matter what country, what the culture, this question has been asked and has been 58 00:02:03,855 --> 00:02:09,705 asked by every one of us at some point, and maybe we believe we've had the answer, 59 00:02:09,705 --> 00:02:13,395 we're still searching for the answer, or we've been convinced of the answer. 60 00:02:13,395 --> 00:02:14,835 But here is the question. 61 00:02:15,165 --> 00:02:17,845 And the question is, what is the purpose of life? 62 00:02:20,010 --> 00:02:23,970 What is the purpose of life? 63 00:02:24,570 --> 00:02:27,990 And really what we're asking is why did God create us? 64 00:02:29,370 --> 00:02:33,750 Why did God create you and me? 65 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:36,480 You know, there's all kind of answers. 66 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:39,600 If you go on Google or, or, or whatever it is, or you, you're going, 67 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:43,290 Bing, tell me like, what's Bing? 68 00:02:45,150 --> 00:02:46,470 That's Microsoft version. 69 00:02:46,470 --> 00:02:47,220 That's the one I use. 70 00:02:47,220 --> 00:02:47,610 I'm sorry. 71 00:02:47,610 --> 00:02:49,380 I'm like one of the three people that use that. 72 00:02:49,410 --> 00:02:49,650 Okay. 73 00:02:49,650 --> 00:02:50,040 All right. 74 00:02:50,760 --> 00:02:53,280 And so if you go on any search agent, you type it, you'll 75 00:02:53,285 --> 00:02:54,990 find all kind of crazy answers. 76 00:02:55,650 --> 00:02:59,610 You'll kind of find all, all you'll find kind of answers that that are ridiculous. 77 00:02:59,610 --> 00:03:03,350 Some that are thought provoking, but many of us have asked these questions. 78 00:03:03,355 --> 00:03:07,980 Maybe we had a philosophy class or in school or just talking with somebody and 79 00:03:07,980 --> 00:03:12,480 we've heard some things that are obviously wrong, or we've heard people humbly say, 80 00:03:12,480 --> 00:03:15,030 you know, I don't know the answer to that. 81 00:03:15,075 --> 00:03:15,165 Yes. 82 00:03:16,454 --> 00:03:22,365 And so many are searching for meaning and purpose through college, through 83 00:03:22,425 --> 00:03:27,045 jobs, through money achievement, through dating relationships, 84 00:03:27,735 --> 00:03:29,385 through good old classic TikTok. 85 00:03:30,704 --> 00:03:32,895 Let me just say something real quick, quickly about TikTok. 86 00:03:34,185 --> 00:03:36,845 There's a lot of good information you can get on TikTok. 87 00:03:37,235 --> 00:03:38,295 I, I like TikTok. 88 00:03:38,835 --> 00:03:39,135 Did you? 89 00:03:39,135 --> 00:03:42,555 I learned how like to properly put in a trashcan bag through TikTok. 90 00:03:43,575 --> 00:03:45,555 Did you see that one man? 91 00:03:45,615 --> 00:03:46,425 Check that one out. 92 00:03:46,430 --> 00:03:46,965 That one's cool. 93 00:03:46,965 --> 00:03:49,245 You're like, oh, I've been doing it wrong my whole life. 94 00:03:50,204 --> 00:03:53,325 But you don't wanna depend on TikTok for the meaning of life. 95 00:03:53,325 --> 00:03:55,665 And no, there might be some people that say something good, but just 96 00:03:55,665 --> 00:03:57,015 don't depend on TikTok for your life. 97 00:03:57,015 --> 00:03:58,425 Save meaning the purpose. 98 00:03:58,425 --> 00:03:58,875 Okay? 99 00:04:00,195 --> 00:04:03,945 Now some here and some online, you will probably say, you know, I don't know the 100 00:04:03,945 --> 00:04:09,975 answer to that question, and I'm confident that there are many in here who will say, 101 00:04:10,125 --> 00:04:13,005 I do know the answer to that question. 102 00:04:13,020 --> 00:04:13,080 You. 103 00:04:14,730 --> 00:04:19,740 So then the question would be, for those of us who would say we do, the 104 00:04:20,269 --> 00:04:23,250 question is, do we still believe it? 105 00:04:25,350 --> 00:04:32,400 Or maybe the question is, are we living like we know what the 106 00:04:32,730 --> 00:04:34,140 meaning and purpose of life is? 107 00:04:36,630 --> 00:04:41,670 So we are beginning today a series that we are calling Made for More, 108 00:04:42,659 --> 00:04:48,600 in which we're going to explore and discover God's plan for our lives. 109 00:04:48,960 --> 00:04:54,900 And we're gonna look at several aspects of life and see how God has made us for more. 110 00:04:55,650 --> 00:05:01,710 Even when we think about relationships, how God has made us for more than what 111 00:05:01,710 --> 00:05:07,230 we think when it comes to relationships, our significance, we all want. 112 00:05:08,175 --> 00:05:09,284 And our life to matter. 113 00:05:09,284 --> 00:05:13,875 We see how God has made us for even more than we can thank or consider. 114 00:05:14,475 --> 00:05:17,175 And maybe the one I'm looking forward to the most is talking about 115 00:05:17,175 --> 00:05:21,165 how God made us for more than just money, sex, possessions and titles. 116 00:05:22,425 --> 00:05:23,324 Come back for that one. 117 00:05:23,324 --> 00:05:23,895 Amen. 118 00:05:24,405 --> 00:05:26,295 Lord willing, I'll be able to preach on that one. 119 00:05:26,804 --> 00:05:32,594 And so we're gonna start off today by looking at how God has made us four more. 120 00:05:32,864 --> 00:05:34,995 And so this will be a little bit of an introduction. 121 00:05:34,995 --> 00:05:39,375 So a little bit of a general look at the things that, so we might repeat a couple 122 00:05:39,375 --> 00:05:42,975 things here over the next couple weeks, but we wanna really discover, and not so 123 00:05:42,975 --> 00:05:47,324 much our personal, what does he want me to do, but what has he made all of us for? 124 00:05:47,324 --> 00:05:55,605 What has the general idea and desire that God had when he made us? 125 00:05:56,565 --> 00:05:59,775 And so we're gonna study this for the next several weeks churches. 126 00:05:59,775 --> 00:06:01,605 So let's go ahead and let's go to God at prayer. 127 00:06:01,605 --> 00:06:04,875 Father, thank you so much for this chance to get into your word. 128 00:06:05,220 --> 00:06:05,670 God, I know. 129 00:06:05,670 --> 00:06:10,020 I'm excited about what you have, uh, uh, been reminding me of, 130 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:11,940 uh, over the last couple days. 131 00:06:11,940 --> 00:06:17,460 And God, I pray that you will not only inspire, but you will ignite in us 132 00:06:18,390 --> 00:06:25,740 a desire and a conviction about why you created us and God, how we don't 133 00:06:25,740 --> 00:06:31,470 wanna settle for for less, but God, we want to really be aligned with your 134 00:06:31,470 --> 00:06:34,770 will and live out our true purpose. 135 00:06:34,775 --> 00:06:36,210 We pray in the name of Jesus. 136 00:06:36,330 --> 00:06:36,840 Amen. 137 00:06:37,770 --> 00:06:38,400 All right. 138 00:06:38,580 --> 00:06:41,909 First thing off, we have to understand here, before we can talk about being made 139 00:06:41,915 --> 00:06:47,280 for more and different aspects of life, we have to establish the very foundation. 140 00:06:47,640 --> 00:06:56,580 And that is this, that God created us for His purpose, you and I, all 141 00:06:56,580 --> 00:07:02,700 of mankind, from the beginning until the end, we were all created for his. 142 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:04,710 Purpose. 143 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:07,260 Let's look at a couple scriptures here. 144 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:10,680 Colossians chapter one, and in in this passage here, we won't have 145 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:14,191 enough time to read all of it, but it's talking about the supremacy of 146 00:07:14,196 --> 00:07:19,230 Christ, and it says, for in Him all things were created, things in heaven 147 00:07:19,260 --> 00:07:21,600 and on earth, visible and invisible. 148 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:27,090 Whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities, all things have be, have 149 00:07:27,095 --> 00:07:30,510 been created through him and for him. 150 00:07:30,510 --> 00:07:33,930 Did you catch that for him? 151 00:07:34,470 --> 00:07:38,730 Let's go on over to Ephesians chapter one, and this is talking about the 152 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:43,560 riches in treasures that we have of being in Christ, meaning we're in a right 153 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:46,500 relationship with God through Jesus. 154 00:07:46,500 --> 00:07:51,600 It says He predestined us for adoption, the sonship through Jesus Christ, in 155 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:56,490 accordance with his pleasure and will. 156 00:07:57,090 --> 00:08:01,560 We jump over to Revelation four, we get a glimpse of of, of the heavenly seen. 157 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,760 And it says, you are worthy, our Lord and our God to receive glory 158 00:08:05,850 --> 00:08:12,510 and honor and power for you, created all things and by your will they 159 00:08:12,510 --> 00:08:15,990 were created and have their being. 160 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,520 We are created for his pleasure and will. 161 00:08:20,790 --> 00:08:23,220 We are created by his will. 162 00:08:23,220 --> 00:08:26,160 We are created for him. 163 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:33,659 And so this is so pivotal in understanding our purpose and our 164 00:08:33,659 --> 00:08:37,950 meaning in life because if we veer from that, we're gonna get messed up. 165 00:08:38,580 --> 00:08:43,110 And what this reveals here is this, that it's not about what we were 166 00:08:43,115 --> 00:08:46,170 made for, but who we were made for. 167 00:08:47,910 --> 00:08:52,350 It's not about what we were made for, but who. 168 00:08:53,115 --> 00:08:54,825 We were made for. 169 00:08:55,005 --> 00:08:57,675 You see, we weren't made for something. 170 00:08:57,915 --> 00:08:59,775 We were made for someone. 171 00:09:01,455 --> 00:09:02,745 I'll say that again. 172 00:09:03,135 --> 00:09:05,115 We weren't made for something. 173 00:09:05,115 --> 00:09:14,475 We were made for someone, and as someone is our creator, our God, the ruler 174 00:09:14,475 --> 00:09:19,275 of all creation, you know, I love the quote in the Purpose-Driven Life book. 175 00:09:19,275 --> 00:09:22,905 He says, we were made by God for God. 176 00:09:24,765 --> 00:09:26,085 We were made by God. 177 00:09:26,115 --> 00:09:36,165 For God revealing here again, our very existence is for God and his 178 00:09:36,170 --> 00:09:42,315 purpose, what he deems, what His will and what his pleasure is. 179 00:09:44,175 --> 00:09:46,815 That's our very existence. 180 00:09:47,505 --> 00:09:51,075 We are made for him and not the other way. 181 00:09:53,580 --> 00:09:57,270 Did you catch that we are made for him and not the other way around? 182 00:09:57,270 --> 00:10:00,810 You see, God is our creator and we are the created 183 00:10:04,070 --> 00:10:04,510 creation's. 184 00:10:04,515 --> 00:10:07,170 Purpose is for the creator. 185 00:10:07,770 --> 00:10:09,510 Let's think of technology for a second. 186 00:10:09,515 --> 00:10:12,630 We all have phones or laptops or whatever it is. 187 00:10:12,840 --> 00:10:17,280 Those days were created by man for man's pleasure and will. 188 00:10:17,340 --> 00:10:18,000 Correct. 189 00:10:18,870 --> 00:10:21,870 But some of us, we switched it and we're a slave to our phone, aren't we? 190 00:10:22,710 --> 00:10:23,220 Where's my phone? 191 00:10:23,220 --> 00:10:23,870 Where's my phone? 192 00:10:26,310 --> 00:10:27,180 But those things were made. 193 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:32,700 They tho those things were made by man for man's design. 194 00:10:32,700 --> 00:10:33,600 Pleasure and will. 195 00:10:33,600 --> 00:10:34,800 Do you guys get what I'm saying? 196 00:10:35,460 --> 00:10:42,570 So we are made by God for God's purpose, pleasure and will. 197 00:10:44,640 --> 00:10:45,630 Let's pause on that. 198 00:10:47,760 --> 00:10:49,020 How does that make you? 199 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:54,480 Take a note. 200 00:10:54,485 --> 00:11:00,210 We're go ahead and write down, honestly, how does that make you feel? 201 00:11:03,210 --> 00:11:15,420 Happy, bad, sad, offended, disappointed, excited, grateful. 202 00:11:16,980 --> 00:11:25,430 You see, this question hits at our very core because usually when we 203 00:11:25,435 --> 00:11:29,970 think or study, read, or discuss or learn or listen to, when we talk about 204 00:11:29,970 --> 00:11:36,030 purpose, it usually starts with us as the starting point and the destination. 205 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:44,040 We start with us and the destination is somehow us again. 206 00:11:46,815 --> 00:11:48,795 You know, there's this song that I love here. 207 00:11:48,795 --> 00:11:53,115 It says, in his pride, the wicked man does not seek him in all his thoughts. 208 00:11:53,115 --> 00:11:54,795 There is no room for God. 209 00:11:58,425 --> 00:12:01,935 You see, we don't have to necessarily even be quote unquote wicked 210 00:12:02,625 --> 00:12:04,095 to be able to relate to this. 211 00:12:06,075 --> 00:12:09,615 You see, when we start off thinking about our purpose, we always, what? 212 00:12:09,615 --> 00:12:10,965 We start with us? 213 00:12:11,595 --> 00:12:12,435 What do we want? 214 00:12:12,435 --> 00:12:13,095 What do we like? 215 00:12:13,095 --> 00:12:14,295 What do we desire? 216 00:12:14,895 --> 00:12:17,655 And how will it what benefit us? 217 00:12:18,885 --> 00:12:25,935 And we exclude or crowd out our creator who's actually the one 218 00:12:25,935 --> 00:12:29,895 who designed and made us with his specific purpose in minds. 219 00:12:32,295 --> 00:12:35,415 And so when we start with us, we go in the wrong direction. 220 00:12:38,055 --> 00:12:42,135 And so that means we need to start with God, so we can start off on the right. 221 00:12:42,990 --> 00:12:43,830 And remain there. 222 00:12:43,830 --> 00:12:44,640 You guys get me? 223 00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:47,310 Like marriage or a family? 224 00:12:47,310 --> 00:12:49,680 I mentioned my family in marriage earlier. 225 00:12:50,490 --> 00:12:55,710 Let's say I started with the purpose that, you know what, Karina and the kids, yeah. 226 00:12:55,710 --> 00:12:57,150 They're there to serve me. 227 00:12:59,700 --> 00:13:00,960 How you think that's gonna go? 228 00:13:02,580 --> 00:13:03,390 He said Good luck. 229 00:13:03,390 --> 00:13:04,140 Yeah, good luck. 230 00:13:04,170 --> 00:13:06,660 If you know Karina, you know that ain't gonna go well for me. 231 00:13:07,650 --> 00:13:08,130 Think about it. 232 00:13:08,130 --> 00:13:11,580 If I go, you know, I wanna get married so that it will help me in my taxes, 233 00:13:13,920 --> 00:13:19,380 it would, I wanna get married cuz it'll provide someone to comfort me, to be 234 00:13:19,380 --> 00:13:22,320 there for me, to love me, to help me. 235 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,500 Do you see something consistent in my thinking? 236 00:13:27,450 --> 00:13:29,970 Where did I start with me? 237 00:13:30,660 --> 00:13:33,750 Where did I want to end up with me? 238 00:13:35,640 --> 00:13:38,310 So if I start with my kids, oh, I can't wait to have kids, kids. 239 00:13:38,310 --> 00:13:39,660 Guess what they're gonna do all the. 240 00:13:41,280 --> 00:13:42,150 You better hurry up. 241 00:13:42,150 --> 00:13:43,170 Come on, Dominique. 242 00:13:44,130 --> 00:13:45,090 Well, you can vacuum. 243 00:13:45,090 --> 00:13:47,100 I know you can't lift that thing, but you can vacuum. 244 00:13:50,430 --> 00:13:55,110 Yeah, I might get served, but long term there's gonna be a significant problem. 245 00:13:55,115 --> 00:13:55,770 Is it there? 246 00:13:56,370 --> 00:13:59,880 But also what I'm not actually gonna achieve what I even desire because there's 247 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:03,810 gonna be frustration and challenges that will prevent even what I want. 248 00:14:05,760 --> 00:14:11,940 So again, when we start with our purpose being about, and for us, we're 249 00:14:11,945 --> 00:14:16,620 starting off on the wrong path and we're never going to end up to, even 250 00:14:16,620 --> 00:14:18,210 to the good things that we desire. 251 00:14:20,430 --> 00:14:25,860 So this is why we must remember we are created for God's purpose. 252 00:14:26,580 --> 00:14:31,230 I go back to that question, how does it make you feel if there is a little bit 253 00:14:31,230 --> 00:14:38,260 of a rumbling or a, a pause, a hesitation or a a, something that might be negative. 254 00:14:39,765 --> 00:14:45,765 I believe that we would come to that state or conclusion when we might 255 00:14:46,295 --> 00:14:52,005 consider God to be somehow in his character or nature to be either bad 256 00:14:52,695 --> 00:14:56,205 or simple terms mean in some way. 257 00:14:57,885 --> 00:15:04,245 Like I would be fearful or hesitant to wanna follow a God if I think that he 258 00:15:04,605 --> 00:15:07,665 is somehow mean bad, corrupt, or unjust. 259 00:15:08,805 --> 00:15:11,505 So therefore, the idea of being made for his purposes, that 260 00:15:11,505 --> 00:15:12,915 doesn't sound too appealing. 261 00:15:14,505 --> 00:15:15,465 But here's the thing. 262 00:15:16,395 --> 00:15:17,415 We have to remember. 263 00:15:17,415 --> 00:15:25,635 God's nature and character First John four says it twice that God is love. 264 00:15:27,165 --> 00:15:30,405 It doesn't say that God has love. 265 00:15:31,335 --> 00:15:37,455 It doesn't say that God is even loving God is. 266 00:15:38,115 --> 00:15:42,225 Love his very character. 267 00:15:42,225 --> 00:15:45,135 His nature is love. 268 00:15:45,855 --> 00:15:51,465 So there's no need to fear Be sad because that's who he is. 269 00:15:53,205 --> 00:15:55,305 So let's think about this for a second. 270 00:15:56,715 --> 00:16:05,395 If God is love and we were made by God for God, then we can easily rephrase 271 00:16:05,445 --> 00:16:10,785 this and come to this statement that we were created by Love for Love. 272 00:16:16,665 --> 00:16:18,225 Marinate on that for a second. 273 00:16:20,535 --> 00:16:28,245 We were made by, we were created by Love for Love because God is love. 274 00:16:29,955 --> 00:16:35,535 We could also say this as well, that love created you for love's purpose. 275 00:16:40,740 --> 00:16:41,700 Is that still scary? 276 00:16:43,140 --> 00:16:44,340 Is that still disappointing? 277 00:16:45,450 --> 00:16:50,460 Is that still somehow, wow, I have to relinquish all of this for love. 278 00:16:51,750 --> 00:16:54,990 Again, we're not talking romantic love, we're talking about love in its totality. 279 00:16:58,530 --> 00:17:01,350 So let's remember this purpose for a quick second. 280 00:17:01,350 --> 00:17:03,090 Church, are you still with me here? 281 00:17:05,099 --> 00:17:07,230 Let's remember, what is love's purpose there? 282 00:17:07,230 --> 00:17:08,490 What is God's purpose? 283 00:17:08,490 --> 00:17:13,050 Well, we know there's several things, but the main one, the first one, 284 00:17:13,050 --> 00:17:18,060 the greatest one, is a relationship, is for us to be relational. 285 00:17:18,359 --> 00:17:22,589 Relational with each other, but most of all relational with our creator. 286 00:17:22,589 --> 00:17:24,300 Let's look at what Jesus says. 287 00:17:24,305 --> 00:17:26,849 He's asked this question, teacher, what is the what? 288 00:17:26,910 --> 00:17:28,380 Which is the greatest commandment in the. 289 00:17:28,995 --> 00:17:32,115 Jesus replied, love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all 290 00:17:32,115 --> 00:17:33,885 your soul, and with all your mind. 291 00:17:34,065 --> 00:17:36,675 This is the first and greatest commandment. 292 00:17:36,915 --> 00:17:37,995 And the second is like it. 293 00:17:37,995 --> 00:17:39,555 Love your neighbor as yourself. 294 00:17:39,615 --> 00:17:43,605 All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments. 295 00:17:44,265 --> 00:17:47,655 The greatest commandment that Jesus reveals is to love God with 296 00:17:47,655 --> 00:17:51,525 all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, basically with what? 297 00:17:51,525 --> 00:17:52,185 With everything. 298 00:17:52,785 --> 00:17:56,895 Now, when you love God, with all your heart, mind, soul is strength. 299 00:17:57,255 --> 00:18:01,695 What does that do to you and God and your connection to each other 300 00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:06,195 comes together, doesn't it? 301 00:18:07,755 --> 00:18:09,255 But it's not just we come together. 302 00:18:09,255 --> 00:18:13,665 There's the most intimate in depth of relationships. 303 00:18:15,555 --> 00:18:22,905 So in essence, what Jesus reveals the number one desire, the number one thing 304 00:18:22,905 --> 00:18:28,125 that God has in mind for you and me, and our purpose and our very existent. 305 00:18:28,500 --> 00:18:36,300 Is to have this loving relationship with our creator, for us to have 306 00:18:36,300 --> 00:18:41,610 depth, for us to have intense love and devotion and loyalty. 307 00:18:42,570 --> 00:18:47,580 That's love's purpose when love created us. 308 00:18:50,850 --> 00:18:54,120 But some challenges come in our lives. 309 00:18:55,050 --> 00:18:55,710 Would you agree? 310 00:18:55,710 --> 00:18:57,630 I see Chris nodding his head Yes, he is. 311 00:18:59,370 --> 00:19:00,210 Some challenges. 312 00:19:00,210 --> 00:19:05,159 Here's one challenge or one problem that occurs is when we don't view 313 00:19:05,165 --> 00:19:09,570 our relationship with God like this, but we start to have the, 314 00:19:09,630 --> 00:19:11,610 uh, Aladdin and Genie relationship. 315 00:19:12,600 --> 00:19:14,950 Y'all remember Aladdin number? 316 00:19:15,030 --> 00:19:15,420 You do. 317 00:19:15,420 --> 00:19:18,000 If you don't, man, the movie's been out like 30 plus years. 318 00:19:18,090 --> 00:19:21,690 Okay, so I'm gonna spoil a little bit for you. 319 00:19:21,690 --> 00:19:22,980 Look, just go ahead and watch it. 320 00:19:23,010 --> 00:19:23,370 Okay? 321 00:19:23,370 --> 00:19:23,850 All right. 322 00:19:24,120 --> 00:19:25,500 It's 30, you're 30 years late. 323 00:19:25,530 --> 00:19:25,860 Okay. 324 00:19:26,760 --> 00:19:28,620 But so we know from Aladdin, right? 325 00:19:28,920 --> 00:19:29,610 Aladdin ha. 326 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:33,360 He begins, you know, we can't get to the whole thing, but Aladdin comes up 327 00:19:33,360 --> 00:19:36,600 on a little, what's that little thing in Majig that the lamp, there you go. 328 00:19:36,600 --> 00:19:37,530 All right, come on. 329 00:19:37,530 --> 00:19:38,040 Hallelujah. 330 00:19:38,045 --> 00:19:38,430 All right. 331 00:19:38,490 --> 00:19:39,180 The lamp, right? 332 00:19:39,180 --> 00:19:39,810 He's got the lamp. 333 00:19:39,810 --> 00:19:40,650 The Jie pops out. 334 00:19:40,650 --> 00:19:41,910 He's supposed to get three wishes. 335 00:19:42,150 --> 00:19:45,560 Now, during this time, they start to build a friendship 336 00:19:45,930 --> 00:19:47,850 with a famous song comes, right? 337 00:19:48,210 --> 00:19:49,950 You ain't never had a friend like me. 338 00:19:50,010 --> 00:19:51,630 Can we go ahead and sing that afterwards? 339 00:19:51,630 --> 00:19:56,190 Hey man, I do wanna sing it, but you know, my nose is still a little congested, 340 00:19:56,190 --> 00:19:57,630 so I feel like I can't hit that note. 341 00:19:57,635 --> 00:19:57,990 All right. 342 00:19:59,640 --> 00:20:02,580 So any household during this time, they have this relationship. 343 00:20:02,580 --> 00:20:06,210 They're building a friendship, but now Aladdin has what he thinks he 344 00:20:06,210 --> 00:20:07,680 wants, even though he's been lying. 345 00:20:07,890 --> 00:20:12,180 He has what he thinks he wants, and then it gets to the point where he goes 346 00:20:12,180 --> 00:20:13,830 back on what he promised to Jeanie. 347 00:20:13,830 --> 00:20:18,750 He said, with my third wish, I'll set you free, but when the time 348 00:20:18,755 --> 00:20:20,830 comes he, he goes, I can't do that. 349 00:20:21,420 --> 00:20:22,510 I need you. 350 00:20:23,370 --> 00:20:26,310 To be there so that I can have what I want. 351 00:20:28,590 --> 00:20:29,590 And he's hurt by this. 352 00:20:30,180 --> 00:20:36,060 I thought we were friends, but Aladdin's heart is exposed. 353 00:20:36,330 --> 00:20:36,780 No, no, no. 354 00:20:36,780 --> 00:20:37,890 We're not really friends. 355 00:20:37,890 --> 00:20:44,700 You're just there to serve me, to give me what I want. 356 00:20:45,060 --> 00:20:45,900 And desire. 357 00:20:45,905 --> 00:20:45,940 Desire. 358 00:20:47,010 --> 00:20:53,280 We can view God as one who is there like a genie, to grant us our desires and wishes. 359 00:20:54,690 --> 00:20:59,310 The one who is to serve us instead of us being created for him. 360 00:20:59,315 --> 00:21:05,430 He's created for us and our purposes will and pleasure. 361 00:21:07,470 --> 00:21:10,950 And so he's supposed to give me what I want and pray for. 362 00:21:11,040 --> 00:21:15,250 And whenever I go and I do my religious thing with my religious 363 00:21:15,255 --> 00:21:18,870 lamp, therefore God is supposed to come and say, I'll grant you your. 364 00:21:21,195 --> 00:21:23,865 But then what happens when he doesn't grant you that wish? 365 00:21:26,505 --> 00:21:27,075 Get bitter. 366 00:21:28,905 --> 00:21:29,535 We get bitter. 367 00:21:29,540 --> 00:21:32,745 Well, God, why did it you I did this. 368 00:21:33,345 --> 00:21:34,995 You promised this. 369 00:21:35,625 --> 00:21:35,925 Why? 370 00:21:35,930 --> 00:21:40,695 Because our view of God is he's supposed to serve us. 371 00:21:41,955 --> 00:21:44,745 So now the Christianity thing, I don't know if it really works. 372 00:21:45,195 --> 00:21:47,205 I don't know if his promises are true. 373 00:21:48,045 --> 00:21:48,585 You know what? 374 00:21:48,585 --> 00:21:55,095 Maybe I'll quits and leave God so I can get what I want. 375 00:21:55,215 --> 00:21:57,405 I will make it happen. 376 00:21:58,335 --> 00:21:59,355 And you relate it on. 377 00:22:01,185 --> 00:22:04,125 Again, it can lead to also say, you know what? 378 00:22:04,125 --> 00:22:06,765 I'm still, I know this is right and I can't leave it, 379 00:22:07,095 --> 00:22:08,325 but you know what I'm gonna do? 380 00:22:08,385 --> 00:22:09,675 We don't say this consciously. 381 00:22:09,885 --> 00:22:15,015 What we say it subconsciously is, I'll hold back some of my loyalty. 382 00:22:16,815 --> 00:22:17,885 Do I still come to. 383 00:22:18,915 --> 00:22:20,265 I'll still go ahead and clap. 384 00:22:20,325 --> 00:22:21,135 I'll still pray. 385 00:22:21,135 --> 00:22:27,735 I'll meet up with people, but I'm not fully devoted cuz you haven't given 386 00:22:27,740 --> 00:22:30,105 me what I think you should give me. 387 00:22:31,965 --> 00:22:33,195 So we can have this view. 388 00:22:33,195 --> 00:22:36,855 We could also have this kind of view in our relationship with God. 389 00:22:37,935 --> 00:22:40,095 This is, I know some of you are like, what is that? 390 00:22:40,905 --> 00:22:45,075 There was this thing called an ATM machine back in the day when we used cash. 391 00:22:45,475 --> 00:22:46,275 Remember those days? 392 00:22:47,505 --> 00:22:48,585 So here's the cool thing. 393 00:22:48,590 --> 00:22:48,915 All right? 394 00:22:48,920 --> 00:22:50,475 So maybe it's this section over here. 395 00:22:50,625 --> 00:22:52,875 So this thing called a ATM machine, right? 396 00:22:53,265 --> 00:22:55,455 So you would take this card, you would put it, and it would 397 00:22:55,455 --> 00:22:56,655 give you money back, right? 398 00:22:56,655 --> 00:22:57,525 Coolest thing ever. 399 00:22:57,735 --> 00:22:58,875 You know what I just discovered? 400 00:22:59,085 --> 00:23:01,545 I, I'll be honest, I'm, I'm telling on myself like two years. 401 00:23:01,545 --> 00:23:03,855 If I found that you could actually deposit money in there 402 00:23:03,860 --> 00:23:05,175 at two, I didn't even know that. 403 00:23:05,175 --> 00:23:07,485 I'm telling you I only had withdrawals. 404 00:23:07,485 --> 00:23:07,815 Okay. 405 00:23:07,815 --> 00:23:08,415 You know what I'm saying? 406 00:23:08,895 --> 00:23:09,855 Andre's like, just deposit. 407 00:23:09,855 --> 00:23:12,165 Like, what do you mean you can deposit at atl? 408 00:23:12,315 --> 00:23:13,605 I always go inside the bank. 409 00:23:13,665 --> 00:23:14,775 This is crazy. 410 00:23:14,805 --> 00:23:15,525 Sorry again. 411 00:23:15,735 --> 00:23:16,605 I'm going on a tangent. 412 00:23:16,605 --> 00:23:16,845 All right. 413 00:23:18,210 --> 00:23:22,110 So what happens when we view God like an ATM machine? 414 00:23:23,220 --> 00:23:26,520 It's a transactional, transac transactional relationship. 415 00:23:29,010 --> 00:23:32,430 You see at the atm, you don't sit up here and talk and have a conversation. 416 00:23:32,430 --> 00:23:33,780 Hey, atm, how you doing? 417 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:35,850 You would look foolish. 418 00:23:36,990 --> 00:23:39,780 You know, this ATM serves a specific purpose. 419 00:23:39,990 --> 00:23:41,790 There's a transaction that takes place. 420 00:23:41,910 --> 00:23:44,550 Either I make a deposit or I have a withdrawal. 421 00:23:45,990 --> 00:23:47,580 And so we treat God like this. 422 00:23:47,850 --> 00:23:48,930 We go to God. 423 00:23:49,110 --> 00:23:54,420 I'll give my deposit, I'll give my prayer, I'll give my offering, 424 00:23:55,080 --> 00:23:56,880 and I expect a bigger withdrawal. 425 00:23:57,690 --> 00:23:58,890 I'll go to you when I'm in need. 426 00:23:59,490 --> 00:24:00,420 Oh, I'm in indeed. 427 00:24:00,420 --> 00:24:02,070 God, my life's a mess. 428 00:24:02,190 --> 00:24:05,010 So let me run to you, and as soon as God gets it, 429 00:24:08,760 --> 00:24:09,640 you're the atm. 430 00:24:10,290 --> 00:24:11,580 I'll go to you when I need you. 431 00:24:12,300 --> 00:24:13,040 But when I. 432 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:18,120 So there's no real relationship. 433 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:26,160 The transaction, and this gets in the way of us fulfilling our true purpose. 434 00:24:26,910 --> 00:24:30,780 And we don't experience life to the fool the way Jesus says 435 00:24:30,785 --> 00:24:32,670 we would when we follow him. 436 00:24:33,750 --> 00:24:35,550 And I've had both of these in my life. 437 00:24:36,450 --> 00:24:39,120 We used to watch a lot of health and wealth preachers growing up. 438 00:24:39,120 --> 00:24:42,960 And so we would see this and I'd think, yeah, you know, God should bless me, 439 00:24:43,800 --> 00:24:46,110 or I'd run to God when I needed things. 440 00:24:47,790 --> 00:24:50,190 Or I say, God, you, you, man, I, I've heard all my life how 441 00:24:50,190 --> 00:24:51,240 you're supposed to bless it. 442 00:24:51,330 --> 00:24:54,120 Let me, let me claim by blessing. 443 00:24:56,070 --> 00:25:00,840 It was all about me and mind purposes. 444 00:25:02,070 --> 00:25:05,910 This is why it's so vital that you and I, we remember that we are 445 00:25:05,910 --> 00:25:09,780 made and created for his purpose. 446 00:25:10,440 --> 00:25:11,790 You guys get what I'm saying, brothers? 447 00:25:11,790 --> 00:25:11,880 And. 448 00:25:12,915 --> 00:25:14,715 We're created for his purpose. 449 00:25:14,715 --> 00:25:18,225 We're made for someone, not something. 450 00:25:21,285 --> 00:25:25,395 We have to remember this, we have to accept this, we have to understand this. 451 00:25:25,400 --> 00:25:30,045 And most of all, we have to embrace this because we're not serving 452 00:25:30,045 --> 00:25:31,005 the worshiping, the following. 453 00:25:31,005 --> 00:25:36,165 The God who is mean and just and cruel for the guy who is what? 454 00:25:36,915 --> 00:25:37,245 Love. 455 00:25:40,005 --> 00:25:46,005 Love created us for love's, purposes, and here's the thing, Christianity, our 456 00:25:46,005 --> 00:25:49,545 faith, but honestly just, just the world. 457 00:25:49,575 --> 00:25:54,885 It makes more sense when we have the vantage point or the viewpoint 458 00:25:54,885 --> 00:25:58,045 and the lens of we're made for God. 459 00:25:59,175 --> 00:26:03,645 Even take our worship what, what we realize that we, we 460 00:26:03,645 --> 00:26:05,265 embrace, Hey, we're made for God. 461 00:26:05,415 --> 00:26:10,335 Then worship actually becomes about God and not about styles and 462 00:26:10,335 --> 00:26:12,165 preferences or selection of songs. 463 00:26:12,210 --> 00:26:12,300 Yes. 464 00:26:14,159 --> 00:26:19,199 Not talent but me experiencing and worshiping my creator. 465 00:26:20,550 --> 00:26:24,360 Our peace, our quality of life through our peace, joy. 466 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:30,659 A clear conscience comes from living for God and living in response 467 00:26:30,665 --> 00:26:32,280 to our relationship with God. 468 00:26:32,790 --> 00:26:38,760 Through our quality of life is viewed differently and experienced differently. 469 00:26:40,290 --> 00:26:45,899 Even if we think about our priorities and our daily life choices, what we 470 00:26:45,899 --> 00:26:50,071 realize and embrace and follow that we're created, then we're actually are 471 00:26:50,076 --> 00:26:53,550 aligned and directed on the right path. 472 00:26:54,899 --> 00:26:57,359 Instead of having the wrong view of living for ourselves, we get 473 00:26:57,359 --> 00:27:02,250 aligned with our true purpose and instead of veering, we go right into 474 00:27:02,470 --> 00:27:05,460 the middle of the path of eternity. 475 00:27:07,380 --> 00:27:09,870 And so as we conclude, I have two questions here for you. 476 00:27:10,830 --> 00:27:13,830 How is God ministered to you today? 477 00:27:16,529 --> 00:27:21,719 Take some time today to go ahead, reflect on it, answer that, pray about 478 00:27:21,719 --> 00:27:26,219 it, have a discussion over lunch about it, and this next one here as well. 479 00:27:26,309 --> 00:27:29,099 So what steps should you take next? 480 00:27:30,659 --> 00:27:33,960 How has God minister, what has he said to you today and what 481 00:27:33,960 --> 00:27:36,090 do you believe is the next step? 482 00:27:37,019 --> 00:27:39,750 Again, we are made for God's purposes. 483 00:27:41,010 --> 00:27:46,159 Not about what we were made for, but who we were made for. 484 00:27:47,399 --> 00:27:49,949 And it starts with the relationship with God. 485 00:27:50,519 --> 00:27:53,519 And if you don't have it today, whether you're online or you're here with us 486 00:27:53,519 --> 00:27:57,569 today, I, I'd encourage you to seek help and to trust me, the brothers and 487 00:27:57,569 --> 00:28:01,199 sisters here in the church will be more than happy and more than willing to 488 00:28:01,199 --> 00:28:07,409 help you to discover and have a real relationship with God for some of us. 489 00:28:07,980 --> 00:28:11,100 It's time to get back to treating God like he's our creator. 490 00:28:11,100 --> 00:28:18,330 Again, not as an ATM and not as a genie, but as the one who loves us. 491 00:28:18,330 --> 00:28:21,570 It created us for a relationship and others. 492 00:28:22,560 --> 00:28:26,340 As you reflect on this, you may rejoice, may you are experiencing this. 493 00:28:26,340 --> 00:28:27,210 You are you. 494 00:28:27,215 --> 00:28:28,320 You are living this out. 495 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:30,659 You can testify to it, then hallelujah. 496 00:28:30,659 --> 00:28:31,770 Here's my encouragement. 497 00:28:31,920 --> 00:28:34,860 Then go and share that with others and help them to have it 498 00:28:34,865 --> 00:28:38,100 as well through rejoice in it. 499 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:40,500 But then bring somebody along with you. 500 00:28:43,560 --> 00:28:46,409 We'll close out in Colossians chapter one. 501 00:28:47,670 --> 00:28:50,970 For In Him all things were created, things in heaven and 502 00:28:50,970 --> 00:28:53,640 on earth, visible and invisible. 503 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:57,870 Whether thrones or powers or rulers, or authorities, all things that be 504 00:28:57,870 --> 00:29:00,780 created through him and for him. 505 00:29:00,784 --> 00:29:03,870 Brothers and sisters, we are made for more. 506 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:04,320 Amen.