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Marcel: We are in what we are
calling a season of the Lord's favor.

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We had a big giant, LA Jubilee,
, several months ago in August, and

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it was a gathering of our churches
all across the Los Angeles area, and

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we were able to experience a great
thing and we realized, you know what?

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The Jubilee in the old
covenant was a season.

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And we believe that in Christ,
we have not only a season of the

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Lord's favor, but we have daily
opportunities for the Lord's favor.

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But let's take this time to really
embrace the principles that God

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established in the Jubilee today.

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And so we are having this season of the
Lord's favor, and we have some plans to

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help us collectively and individually
experience more and more of God's favor.

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And so we had a prayer and fasting chain
of September, so thank you to all those.

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Who, uh, prayed and fasted in
September and then in October we're

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having our reconciliation night.

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Maybe the better term is the
night of release, and that's

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coming up on October 29th.

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Really excited about that.

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I think our campus ministry won't be
able to join us for that, but, uh,

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you can still have your own release
night and that's gonna be awesome.

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And then we're gonna have a
gratitude wall next month.

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And then we also have a serving project.

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A couple service project opportunities
coming up for us as well.

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And so that's the season that we are
in as we finish the year here in 2025.

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And so we are going to continue
in our sermon series, which

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is called "The Lord's Favor.

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And we have a theme verse for our series.

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It's in Luke chapter four, where
Jesus really announces that he is the

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Messiah and that he is the embodiment,
the fulfillment, the one who brings

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the true Jubilee and he quotes a
verse in Isaiah and he says this

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in Luke chapter four and verse 18.

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The spirit of the Lord is on me
because he has anointed me to

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proclaim good news to the poor.

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He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners and recovery of sight for

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the blind to set the oppress free to
proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

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Just as we talked about before in
our previous series, the Lord's favor

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really, , embodies and comprises of
these elements of a reset, a release,

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and a restore, that we as God's people
have a chance to have a spiritual reset.

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And we talked about how we can have
a reset in our relationship with God.

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Sometimes it's, it's a little quick
reboot or sometimes it's a, it's a factory

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reset in our relationship with God.

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And I wanna encourage us if
that's still where we are, to

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take advantage of this season now
and to have that reset with God.

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We have, also talked about having a reset
in our relationships and how we view

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people and seeing people as image bearers
of the divine image, bearers of God

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and how we view each other as spiritual
family, not just a spiritual community.

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And we also talked about how
Jesus resets our pursuit.

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And how we are now pursuing holiness
as opposed to pursuing happiness.

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And really when we have happiness,
I mean when we have holiness,

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that actually leads to happiness.

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And we talked about resetting the
question instead of, is this a sin or not?

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Instead asking ourselves, is this holy?

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And so now we're gonna move from
reset to release because once

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we've reset our hearts toward God.

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We've got to release what
holds us back from God and

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experiencing the Lord's favor.

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And so today's sermon is talking
about releasing the world's

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grip, releasing the world's grip.

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Let's go to our father in prayer.

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Father, thank you so much for this,
uh, this morning, being able to

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worship you, being able to, uh, um,
uh, uh, have a chance to encourage

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and be encouraged, being able to be
introduced to Olivia and excited about

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her being, uh, a part of the fellowship.

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And God, to have your word.

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Your word is powerful.

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God, your word transforms our thinking.

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Thank you so much for Jesus revealing you.

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To us, and God, we pray right now that
as we dig into the scriptures, father,

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we are not just encouraged, but we,
uh, are transformed by your message.

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In Jesus name, amen.

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Have you ever tried to untie a knot
in your shoelace or, or a rope?

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And in the harder you
pull, the tighter it gets.

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We've all been there, right?

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You tried to, you, you tried to, to, to,
you think you're doing the right thing,

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but actually you made the situation worse.

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And it gets tighter.

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You know, you think pulling will
bring freedom, but instead you

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make it actually bound and you
know, that's how the world works.

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It promises freedom, but the
more you pull in its direction,

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the more trapped you become.

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You know, many people, and even some
of us, we can fall victim to this.

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Living this way where we chase what
feels freeing or natural, only to

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realize later that it tied us down.

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But Jesus came to release
us from those knots.

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And so we're gonna look here and be
reminded of this principle before we get

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into our main text here of this reality.

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True freedom is in Christ.

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True freedom is in Christ.

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In fact, look to your person to your
right and to your left and tell 'em

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true freedom is found in Christ.

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I hope you believe you
'cause you just said it.

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Look over.

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Let's go back to Luke chapter four,
our theme passage for our series.

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Let's be reminded of some elements
here and what Jesus is telling.

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Not only them, but telling us
the spirit of the Lord is on me.

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Because he has anointed me to
proclaim good news to the poor.

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He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners in recovery of sight for

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the blind, to set the oppressed free to
proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.

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And we know this was an announcement
of who he is, he the embodiment,

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but it also was his ministry.

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Jesus was setting people free,
literally, but most of all spiritually.

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And he goes, and he says, I
want to set the oppressed free.

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We can be oppressed by many
things in life, can't we?

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And we can be a prisoner to many things
in life, but Jesus, and only through

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Jesus, just like as we sing, only
through Jesus can we find true freedom.

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And we see here in this passage,
we see here, by it being a quote of

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Jesus, of from the prophet Isaiah.

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That God's heart has always been to
free His creation from what bounds

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us, he's always had a heart, a desire.

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I don't want you to be bound by things.

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I want you to be free.

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I want you to have life to the fool.

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And so God has always been trying to
release us from everything that hinders

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us from being who we were created.

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To be, and Jesus came to bring true
freedom, but that freedom begins with

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releasing the world's grip on us.

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You see, Jesus came to bring the
freedom, but that freedom really begins

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when we release the grip of the world.

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Let's go on over to our
main text for this morning.

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Church.

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Are you with me first?

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John, chapter two.

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We're gonna read first John chapter two.

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John was an apostle.

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He was a follower of Jesus, a
part of Jesus' inner circle.

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And when Jesus, uh, gave trained,
John and John sends this letter to

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the churches and he writes, writes
something really powerful here that we're

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going to look and study and see how it
applies to us and the freedom that we

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have offered for us in Christ Jesus.

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We take it up in chapter two and verse 15.

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Do not love the world or
anything in the world.

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If anyone loves the world, love
for the father is not in them

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for everything in the world.

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The lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eyes, and the pride of life comes not

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from the Father, but from the world.

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The world in its desires pass
away, but whoever does the

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will of God lives forever.

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Let's stop right there.

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Let's break this passage down some.

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It says, do not love the world
or anything in the world.

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Now that can be confusing if we're
unfamiliar with what he's referring

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to when he says the world, because we
know the most famous passage in the New

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Testament is what, for God so loved the
world that he gave his one and only son

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and whoever will believe in him shall
not perish, but have eternal life.

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And so wait.

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God so loved the world, but now
we're saying, do not love the world.

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Is there a contradiction?

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No.

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Because in John three 16,
what's being referred to is

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the world being God's creation.

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It means mankind, you and me, God so
loved all of us, that he wanted us

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not to perish, but have eternal life.

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But there's also another way in
which we use the term, the world

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and what is it being referred to?

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Many of us are familiar,
but let's get a refresher.

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The world can be defined as this,
as the system of thinking, values

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and lifestyles that go against God.

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So it's the, it's the system.

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It's, it's the paradigm.

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It's, it's the thinking, it's
the values, it's the lifestyle.

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That actually opposes God.

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And so we can think of many things, right?

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The idea of, hey, do whatever
makes you happy, or, Hey, a little

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white lie doesn't hurt anybody.

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Do whatever it takes to get ahead.

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This is what is common in
the world because this is the

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world's value self at any cost.

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This is the world's thinking, and this
is what produces the world's lifestyles.

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But we know that goes against.

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What we were created to be.

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That goes against God's
will and character.

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And so this is what's being talked
about when he says, do not love

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the world or anything in the world.

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Don't love what the world is preaching.

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Don't love what the world advocates,
what the world values, how the

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world lives, or anything in it.

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And you go, well, why not?

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Well, when we understand what
the world is, we, it makes sense

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because loving the world is
basically loving what opposes God.

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Loving the world is
loving what opposes God.

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So it makes sense then why we would be
called to not love the world, because why

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would we love everything that opposes God?

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And anything in it.

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We are called to a holy reset to pursue
holiness, not to pursue worldliness.

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We're called to be holy, not worldly.

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And so this stood out to me and
this, this, this hit me hard

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the other day as I was, as I was
thinking about this, but what you

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love can actually block God's favor.

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What you and I love can actually
prevent God's favor in our lives.

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Not because God is withholding, but
because our hearts and our desires, our

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intentions are all filled with things
that are opposed and against God.

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So it can't penetrate because what
it's filled up with the world.

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It's so we can actually undercut
our own selves from God's favor

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by the things that we love.

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So what do you love?

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Do you love the things of God or do
you love the things of the world?

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The answer for many of us is I
love God, but there are a couple

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things that I still do love from
the world if we're being honest.

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Can we be honest?

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We gonna have a whole time of
front and faking up in here.

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Please don't do that 'cause
you undercut yourself.

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And also what we see in this passage
here is that the world pollutes.

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Think about this for a second.

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Every single one of us,
we were born in the world.

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Whether you were born in a Christian
home or not, you were born in the world

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and you adopted worldly ideologies,
worldly behavior, worldly thinking, and

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you might not have started that way, but
just like me, you adopted it because you

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were in the world and you didn't realize
what the world was doing to your soul.

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I know many of us, we get some nice drinks
and some coffee before we come in here.

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Uh, you know, or some of you
stop at your Starbucks, so you a

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Starbucks fiend, and so you can't
start a day without some Starbucks.

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Now just imagine you had
your cold, what is it?

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Lattes.

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Mochas.

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Is that what those things are?

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I don't drink that stuff, so sorry.

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You know, I go to, I go to
Starbucks and I get water, and so

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I sit up there, me and Daniel, I
get, no, maybe I get apple juice.

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I get, I get, I get
the little apple juice.

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I'm like a little kid.

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I got my little apple juice with
the straw and me and Daniel over

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here talking every other Friday.

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You know what I'm saying?

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And so just imagine you had your
juice from your Starbucks or whatever

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it is, and you have it, and then you
decided to, or somebody else decided to

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sprinkle a little bit of dirt in there.

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What would that do to your
nice little latte mocha?

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What would he do to it?

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He said make it nasty.

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It would pollute it, wouldn't it?

230
00:14:01,955 --> 00:14:02,975
You see, it's just a little bit.

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00:14:02,975 --> 00:14:06,545
Now on the surface, if you look, the
drink was probably, depending on what

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00:14:06,545 --> 00:14:09,305
drink it is and what color would probably
still look the same on the outside.

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00:14:10,775 --> 00:14:13,325
But when you tasted it,
you, oh, what is that?

234
00:14:15,095 --> 00:14:19,025
But what if we started adding some
more of that dirt in that drink?

235
00:14:19,385 --> 00:14:20,105
What would happen?

236
00:14:21,455 --> 00:14:24,545
And then what if we started
to stir that drink some more?

237
00:14:25,205 --> 00:14:28,145
What would happen that
dirt now would what?

238
00:14:29,780 --> 00:14:32,150
Would start to take full,
it would start to what?

239
00:14:32,239 --> 00:14:34,219
It would start to change that drink.

240
00:14:34,910 --> 00:14:36,800
It would start to even change
the look of that drink.

241
00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:38,839
It would start to change
the taste of that drink.

242
00:14:38,900 --> 00:14:41,660
And in fact, the drink is
no longer what you purchase.

243
00:14:41,780 --> 00:14:47,390
It is totally something different, and
this is what the world does to our souls.

244
00:14:48,199 --> 00:14:49,545
It's just a little bit of thinking.

245
00:14:50,405 --> 00:14:54,155
It's just a little bit of swallowing
in what's being perceived.

246
00:14:54,155 --> 00:14:58,085
It's a little bit of actions that
relate and that are normal by the

247
00:14:58,085 --> 00:15:04,625
standard of the world and what happens,
it corrupts the inside and sooner or

248
00:15:04,625 --> 00:15:07,985
later, it c corrupts our whole being.

249
00:15:08,765 --> 00:15:10,355
And so, yes, you can see it.

250
00:15:10,475 --> 00:15:15,275
Yes, you can hear it in our
language and how we behave.

251
00:15:17,135 --> 00:15:18,515
This is why there's a call.

252
00:15:18,635 --> 00:15:23,525
Do not love the world or anything
in it because yes, it opposes God,

253
00:15:23,795 --> 00:15:27,455
but it also pollutes our very souls.

254
00:15:28,565 --> 00:15:30,245
And God wants us to be what?

255
00:15:30,515 --> 00:15:32,375
Holy like Him.

256
00:15:33,635 --> 00:15:35,165
So he wants us to refrain.

257
00:15:35,165 --> 00:15:39,245
He wants us to release the
things that will corrupt that.

258
00:15:39,245 --> 00:15:41,045
Brothers and sisters,
are you with me here?

259
00:15:41,855 --> 00:15:43,190
You know, in our thinking, our actions.

260
00:15:43,940 --> 00:15:50,030
Can become more worldly, but God calls us
to release our grip of love for the world.

261
00:15:50,300 --> 00:15:54,680
You see, Jesus comes and we might be
bound and we're chained by the world.

262
00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:58,970
Jesus comes and he offers release,
but sometimes as those chains

263
00:15:58,970 --> 00:16:03,860
come off, we actually go and grab
them back and hold onto 'em, and

264
00:16:03,860 --> 00:16:05,360
we say, yes, I've been released.

265
00:16:05,420 --> 00:16:08,420
But because of our love,
we actually hold onto 'em.

266
00:16:08,540 --> 00:16:11,450
Therefore, it still has a grip on us.

267
00:16:13,430 --> 00:16:19,339
There's a call here to
release the grip of the world.

268
00:16:19,729 --> 00:16:20,900
Let's go to verse 16.

269
00:16:20,900 --> 00:16:22,640
Brothers and sisters, are
you still with me here?

270
00:16:23,150 --> 00:16:27,439
For everything in the world, the
lust of the flesh, the lust of the

271
00:16:27,439 --> 00:16:32,180
eyes, the pride of the life comes not
from the father, but from the world.

272
00:16:32,869 --> 00:16:35,329
You know, the world's pool is deceiving.

273
00:16:35,329 --> 00:16:36,800
It's subtle, but it's strong.

274
00:16:37,715 --> 00:16:39,065
I mean, look what it says here.

275
00:16:39,065 --> 00:16:40,145
The lust of the flesh.

276
00:16:40,145 --> 00:16:44,135
That's living for what feels
good, the lust of the eyes,

277
00:16:44,135 --> 00:16:46,295
living for what looks good.

278
00:16:47,315 --> 00:16:52,835
It says the pride of life, living
for what makes me look good.

279
00:16:53,855 --> 00:16:55,445
These things are all
tempting, aren't they?

280
00:16:56,915 --> 00:17:01,150
And they have a subtle, but yet
a strong pool upon our hearts.

281
00:17:01,620 --> 00:17:03,844
You know, the world tells us, be free.

282
00:17:03,935 --> 00:17:05,855
Follow your desires.

283
00:17:07,744 --> 00:17:13,145
Do what feels right, but that
freedom always comes with chains.

284
00:17:14,555 --> 00:17:18,275
It reminds me of the classic
Disney story, Pinocchio.

285
00:17:18,905 --> 00:17:19,984
You guys remember Pinocchio?

286
00:17:21,395 --> 00:17:22,474
You guys remember Pinocchio?

287
00:17:22,474 --> 00:17:22,535
Yeah.

288
00:17:23,555 --> 00:17:26,675
Now remember, Pinocchio starts all
be little cute little doll, right?

289
00:17:27,095 --> 00:17:30,125
And then what happens is
Pinocchio, what happens?

290
00:17:30,125 --> 00:17:32,075
He goes over to Pleasure Island.

291
00:17:32,075 --> 00:17:32,765
You remember that?

292
00:17:33,545 --> 00:17:34,330
Remember, pleasure island.

293
00:17:35,210 --> 00:17:38,090
He goes to Pleasure Island and,
and they're there and they're

294
00:17:38,090 --> 00:17:39,500
thinking, man, this is awesome.

295
00:17:39,530 --> 00:17:41,030
We get to do whatever we want.

296
00:17:41,030 --> 00:17:44,450
And they're going crazy and they're
having what they think is the time

297
00:17:44,450 --> 00:17:49,100
of their lives, and then all of
a sudden, boop, the ears change.

298
00:17:49,550 --> 00:17:50,060
Boop.

299
00:17:50,090 --> 00:17:52,760
They get a tail, they
look up and what happened?

300
00:17:53,630 --> 00:17:55,310
They turn into donkeys.

301
00:17:56,360 --> 00:18:00,860
And so they thought this world that was so
enticing, that was so great, they didn't

302
00:18:00,860 --> 00:18:04,100
realize that it actually came at a cost.

303
00:18:04,925 --> 00:18:06,755
And turned them in to donkeys.

304
00:18:06,755 --> 00:18:09,395
You know, this is what the
world does to us spiritually.

305
00:18:10,595 --> 00:18:15,785
The world promises pleasure island every
single day of our lives, but not telling

306
00:18:15,785 --> 00:18:21,605
us there's a fine print, you will turn
into a spiritual donkey that you will

307
00:18:21,605 --> 00:18:26,495
be trapped in, enslaved by the things
that we promised would make you free.

308
00:18:27,695 --> 00:18:30,155
You see, there's an illusion of freedom.

309
00:18:30,935 --> 00:18:33,250
However, it's actually a trap.

310
00:18:34,820 --> 00:18:37,610
The world sells its
pleasure island every day.

311
00:18:37,610 --> 00:18:41,090
But again, that kind of
freedom comes at a price.

312
00:18:41,330 --> 00:18:44,120
And we can fall into
this thinking as well.

313
00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:48,200
Some of us, we've been, we've come out of
the world and entered into God's kingdom.

314
00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:50,600
That means under his reign
and rule of our lives.

315
00:18:50,750 --> 00:18:54,620
But yet we can still hold on
to the thinking of the world.

316
00:18:54,920 --> 00:18:59,330
You do, you follow your truth,
live your best life, but that

317
00:18:59,330 --> 00:19:02,090
freedom often leads to bondage.

318
00:19:02,900 --> 00:19:09,110
Bondage to sin, bondage to
image, a bondage to approval,

319
00:19:09,350 --> 00:19:12,710
bondage to possessions, and
just a bondage to pleasure.

320
00:19:13,970 --> 00:19:18,860
And we look up and we're trapped by it,
feeling like there's no way to get out.

321
00:19:19,640 --> 00:19:23,870
I thought I was promised
freedom, but now I'm actually

322
00:19:23,930 --> 00:19:27,290
chained for hallelujah to Jesus.

323
00:19:27,995 --> 00:19:30,035
Serves even better than Jim e Cricket.

324
00:19:30,515 --> 00:19:34,685
And Jesus leads out of this trap
of sin and the world's traps.

325
00:19:34,865 --> 00:19:40,565
And so we continue in verse 17, it says,
the world and its desires pass away.

326
00:19:40,805 --> 00:19:45,185
But whoever does the will
of God lives forever.

327
00:19:45,575 --> 00:19:47,585
And here we have a reality check in.

328
00:19:47,585 --> 00:19:49,145
We have a call to freedom.

329
00:19:49,805 --> 00:19:53,135
The reality check, Hey, the world
and its desires, it's gonna pass.

330
00:19:53,675 --> 00:19:56,675
There's gonna be a day in which
when Christ comes back, all

331
00:19:56,675 --> 00:19:59,735
of that is gonna be passed and
there will be a day of judgment.

332
00:20:00,275 --> 00:20:03,305
And he says, you know what's gonna be
forever is that those who do the will

333
00:20:03,305 --> 00:20:05,975
of God, but God's will endures forever.

334
00:20:06,395 --> 00:20:11,254
And so there's a reality check here,
and there's also a call to freedom

335
00:20:11,975 --> 00:20:16,655
that when we hold on to the things
that are temporary, we are forfeiting

336
00:20:16,655 --> 00:20:18,185
the things that Jesus offered.

337
00:20:19,265 --> 00:20:25,415
See, we can hold on to the temporary
while Jesus offers us something eternal.

338
00:20:26,435 --> 00:20:31,025
Jesus is offering us the eternal,
and so what do we need to do?

339
00:20:31,025 --> 00:20:31,355
Then?

340
00:20:31,445 --> 00:20:35,375
We have to let go of the things so
that we can receive the eternal.

341
00:20:35,735 --> 00:20:39,515
We have to let go and release
the temporary so we can receive

342
00:20:39,515 --> 00:20:43,540
all that God is wanting to do and
produce and bring it to our lives.

343
00:20:44,480 --> 00:20:48,110
But we can't receive it if we're
holding on to the world and

344
00:20:48,110 --> 00:20:50,180
therefore it's grip on our souls.

345
00:20:50,390 --> 00:20:51,380
Do you get what I'm saying?

346
00:20:51,380 --> 00:20:56,150
Brothers and sisters, you see, Jesus
is offering us something greater.

347
00:20:57,290 --> 00:20:59,000
We need to let go of the temporary.

348
00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:00,860
And here, here's what's was really cool.

349
00:21:01,190 --> 00:21:02,030
I read this here.

350
00:21:02,300 --> 00:21:06,770
It says, every no to the world
is a yes to Jesus' freedom.

351
00:21:09,330 --> 00:21:14,210
Every no to the world, is
a yes to Jesus's freedom.

352
00:21:15,455 --> 00:21:17,465
Saying no to that.

353
00:21:17,585 --> 00:21:19,745
I'm gonna say no to that temptation.

354
00:21:19,895 --> 00:21:23,435
No to that way of thinking,
no to that behavior.

355
00:21:23,865 --> 00:21:27,335
And that means I'm saying yes
to Christ's ruling in my life.

356
00:21:27,545 --> 00:21:33,035
Therefore, being free from all of that
and living out who I was created to be.

357
00:21:34,355 --> 00:21:36,785
You know, the Lord's
favor is about freedom.

358
00:21:36,785 --> 00:21:37,325
It's not bondage.

359
00:21:38,480 --> 00:21:40,550
This freedom isn't
about doing what I want.

360
00:21:40,550 --> 00:21:45,080
It's about being released
to do what I was made for,

361
00:21:49,670 --> 00:21:51,290
and so how should we respond?

362
00:21:52,490 --> 00:21:56,210
We understand here that
Jesus brings true freedom,

363
00:21:58,400 --> 00:22:05,060
but we in order to experience have in
living that freedom on a day-to-day basis.

364
00:22:05,345 --> 00:22:06,635
We have to do this.

365
00:22:06,635 --> 00:22:10,265
We have to release our grip of the world.

366
00:22:10,715 --> 00:22:14,045
We have to release our grip of the world.

367
00:22:14,045 --> 00:22:17,435
I wanna read two passages here that
most of you're familiar with here,

368
00:22:17,435 --> 00:22:18,635
but we're gonna read 'em again.

369
00:22:18,875 --> 00:22:21,125
Therefore Romans chapter 12 verse one.

370
00:22:21,245 --> 00:22:26,075
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and
sisters, in view of God's mercy.

371
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:31,580
To offer your bodies as a living
sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.

372
00:22:31,730 --> 00:22:34,490
This is your true and proper worship.

373
00:22:34,700 --> 00:22:42,080
Do not conform to the pattern of
this world, but be transformed

374
00:22:42,350 --> 00:22:43,820
by the renewing of your mind.

375
00:22:43,820 --> 00:22:47,150
Then you'll be able to test and
approve what God's will is his

376
00:22:47,150 --> 00:22:49,190
good, pleasing, and perfect.

377
00:22:49,190 --> 00:22:52,400
Will we jump on over to
James chapter one, verse 27.

378
00:22:52,775 --> 00:22:57,515
Religion that God our father accepts as
pure and faultless as this, to look after

379
00:22:57,515 --> 00:23:01,895
orphans and widows in their distress
and check this out, and to keep oneself

380
00:23:01,895 --> 00:23:05,495
from being polluted by the world.

381
00:23:06,215 --> 00:23:12,935
And so we see this call to not only
stop and refrain from being polluted,

382
00:23:12,995 --> 00:23:17,555
but we need to make sure we don't
conform to the patterns of the world,

383
00:23:17,555 --> 00:23:20,255
but we are renewed in the way we think.

384
00:23:21,035 --> 00:23:23,465
That will change the way we live.

385
00:23:24,035 --> 00:23:25,625
And so what does that mean for us?

386
00:23:25,625 --> 00:23:28,235
That means we need to
release worldly thinking.

387
00:23:29,225 --> 00:23:33,875
We need to release worldly thinking,
you know, news networks, social media,

388
00:23:33,875 --> 00:23:39,215
worldly music and TV influence our
thinking, our worldview, our convictions,

389
00:23:39,275 --> 00:23:40,890
and therefore they lead our lives.

390
00:23:42,410 --> 00:23:45,920
Some of us, and we're gonna be
honest and not, not fake in front.

391
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:46,310
Up in here.

392
00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:50,450
Some of us, our number one teacher and
trainer and old school term, we like to

393
00:23:50,450 --> 00:23:56,180
use our number one discipler in our lives
is the news network or social media.

394
00:23:58,160 --> 00:24:03,260
We say Jesus is Lord, but yet Monday
through Friday, who's really teaching

395
00:24:03,260 --> 00:24:06,350
and training us, it's the media.

396
00:24:08,210 --> 00:24:13,400
What we're consuming, whether it's TV
or music, or it's the news networks,

397
00:24:13,400 --> 00:24:14,480
and therefore, what do we do?

398
00:24:14,540 --> 00:24:19,730
We start sounding just like them
and how do we process things

399
00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,320
as we deal with each other?

400
00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:28,550
As we look at life, we start sounding
just like the world because we view,

401
00:24:28,550 --> 00:24:30,440
we view each other in this sense.

402
00:24:30,620 --> 00:24:31,820
Oh, you know them.

403
00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:33,230
They're, they're liberal.

404
00:24:34,010 --> 00:24:35,420
Oh, you, you know, he's crazy.

405
00:24:35,420 --> 00:24:36,260
He's a conservative.

406
00:24:38,210 --> 00:24:39,230
You know, they just do that.

407
00:24:39,260 --> 00:24:41,030
They're on that race thing again.

408
00:24:41,780 --> 00:24:43,670
Oh, it's all about gender.

409
00:24:45,020 --> 00:24:46,670
It's about class.

410
00:24:47,750 --> 00:24:48,350
What are we doing?

411
00:24:48,350 --> 00:24:49,400
We sound like what?

412
00:24:50,750 --> 00:24:51,500
The world.

413
00:24:52,550 --> 00:24:55,040
We're not processing
this in a spiritual way.

414
00:24:55,070 --> 00:24:58,550
Things that happen in our
lives, we're processing it

415
00:24:58,820 --> 00:25:00,380
through the lens of the world.

416
00:25:01,190 --> 00:25:03,440
We need to release that worldly thinking.

417
00:25:03,770 --> 00:25:05,480
It's polluting the holiness.

418
00:25:06,035 --> 00:25:11,375
We have, we need to gain or
maybe regain biblical convictions

419
00:25:11,555 --> 00:25:13,235
about how we live our lives.

420
00:25:14,165 --> 00:25:18,035
We have a verse that is inspired
and taken in the right context that

421
00:25:18,035 --> 00:25:20,705
directs the way we live our lives.

422
00:25:21,395 --> 00:25:26,915
Not just an opinion that I
formed, but it's based on Jesus

423
00:25:26,950 --> 00:25:29,405
and the standard of God's word.

424
00:25:30,665 --> 00:25:35,255
That's our guide and our director
and our leader in our lives.

425
00:25:36,650 --> 00:25:40,490
If we need to release worldly
behavior, you know, that's how we

426
00:25:40,490 --> 00:25:42,830
treat people, respond to situations,

427
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,310
you know, doing what's natural
or normal By society's standards,

428
00:25:50,180 --> 00:25:51,440
that's not our standards.

429
00:25:53,270 --> 00:25:56,510
We don't do what's natural
or what's normal by society's

430
00:25:56,510 --> 00:25:59,030
standards as the people of God.

431
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,280
We have a standard that's different.

432
00:26:02,180 --> 00:26:03,620
Our standard is different.

433
00:26:03,620 --> 00:26:04,850
Our standard is higher.

434
00:26:06,050 --> 00:26:08,960
Our standard is Jesus.

435
00:26:10,310 --> 00:26:11,390
That's our standard.

436
00:26:12,620 --> 00:26:15,830
And so the world says, treat
people how they treat you.

437
00:26:15,980 --> 00:26:18,560
Jesus says, treat people the
way you want to be treated.

438
00:26:19,760 --> 00:26:22,280
The world says you fight fire with fire.

439
00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,760
Jesus says, no, God's people
overcome evil with good.

440
00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:30,440
The world says, do whatever
it takes to get on top.

441
00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:31,970
Jesus says, no, you wanna be great.

442
00:26:31,970 --> 00:26:34,405
You actually become, least you
become a slave and you serve.

443
00:26:36,470 --> 00:26:41,090
See Jesus and the world, they
oppose each other in ideologies,

444
00:26:41,090 --> 00:26:42,920
staking values and lifestyles.

445
00:26:43,280 --> 00:26:44,420
And so we need to drop.

446
00:26:44,420 --> 00:26:48,260
We need to release worldly thinking,
but we need to release worldly behavior.

447
00:26:48,860 --> 00:26:53,330
And so how we treat others, the
male man, our coworker, our moms,

448
00:26:53,360 --> 00:26:56,090
our dads, whatever it is, we don't
think I'm gonna do what's natural.

449
00:26:56,120 --> 00:26:57,440
I'm gonna do what's godly.

450
00:26:58,520 --> 00:26:59,960
I'm gonna do what's holy.

451
00:26:59,990 --> 00:27:02,930
Even though that might not
feel like that's natural or

452
00:27:02,930 --> 00:27:04,040
what I wanna do in the moment.

453
00:27:07,980 --> 00:27:10,295
If you do what's natural,
guess what you're doing?

454
00:27:10,655 --> 00:27:16,145
Just doing what everybody else
does, and that is the world.

455
00:27:17,135 --> 00:27:20,525
Our standard isn't the world,
our standard is higher.

456
00:27:20,705 --> 00:27:24,155
Our standard is different
because our standard is Jesus.

457
00:27:26,555 --> 00:27:30,125
And so, yes, it's easier said
than done, but it can be.

458
00:27:31,340 --> 00:27:34,700
You've had a moment in your life
where you've done the holy thing as

459
00:27:34,700 --> 00:27:38,360
opposed to doing the worldly thing
that just can't be a one-off, that

460
00:27:38,360 --> 00:27:40,880
needs to become a continual daily life.

461
00:27:42,500 --> 00:27:44,330
I know I was challenged
this week with this.

462
00:27:44,750 --> 00:27:50,390
I was in a situation and, uh, let's
just say somebody was talking to

463
00:27:50,390 --> 00:27:56,060
me and in a worldly way, and man
everything in my body said, boy, this

464
00:27:56,060 --> 00:27:57,170
dude don't know who he talking to.

465
00:27:58,870 --> 00:28:00,425
I was like, oh, you wanna go there?

466
00:28:00,605 --> 00:28:01,865
Oh, I could go there.

467
00:28:02,915 --> 00:28:03,545
I trust me.

468
00:28:03,545 --> 00:28:04,835
I can throw them things now.

469
00:28:06,125 --> 00:28:07,085
Just 'cause the brother's short.

470
00:28:07,085 --> 00:28:08,255
I can throw them things.

471
00:28:08,255 --> 00:28:09,035
You know what I'm saying?

472
00:28:10,175 --> 00:28:11,765
I was like, oh, you wanna hold a grudge?

473
00:28:11,765 --> 00:28:13,445
I can hold a grudge with the best of them.

474
00:28:13,475 --> 00:28:15,335
I don't even need to
deny myself to do that.

475
00:28:16,385 --> 00:28:17,345
Oh, I'm really good at that.

476
00:28:17,345 --> 00:28:18,215
That comes natural.

477
00:28:19,415 --> 00:28:20,315
You get what I'm saying?

478
00:28:21,095 --> 00:28:24,365
And I was so tempted in the moment to
be like, oh, okay, we can go there.

479
00:28:24,365 --> 00:28:25,595
'cause I've been waiting to go there.

480
00:28:28,145 --> 00:28:32,525
Something said, no, if you
do that, you'll be worldly.

481
00:28:33,815 --> 00:28:34,985
You won't be any different.

482
00:28:34,985 --> 00:28:36,155
Don't get up there and preach.

483
00:28:36,335 --> 00:28:38,255
Talk about being holy and is this holy.

484
00:28:38,405 --> 00:28:42,995
Don't do that if that's what you're
gonna do right now, and then afterwards.

485
00:28:43,085 --> 00:28:45,815
Well, I was tempted to be worldly
and worldly in my thinking.

486
00:28:45,815 --> 00:28:49,445
Like, you know, you replay
conversations, you do that right.

487
00:28:49,985 --> 00:28:50,675
I'm not the only one.

488
00:28:50,705 --> 00:28:50,885
Okay.

489
00:28:50,885 --> 00:28:51,065
Whew.

490
00:28:51,065 --> 00:28:51,485
Hallelujah.

491
00:28:51,515 --> 00:28:51,755
All right.

492
00:28:52,985 --> 00:28:54,155
You replay it, right?

493
00:28:54,215 --> 00:28:55,745
And then I'm going, oh, okay.

494
00:28:55,745 --> 00:28:57,275
I gotta fight that worldliness.

495
00:28:57,275 --> 00:29:00,005
'cause it wants to come
back and I gotta be what?

496
00:29:00,005 --> 00:29:05,165
I gotta be holiness and I
can't justify my worldliness.

497
00:29:05,795 --> 00:29:08,075
Now I need to share it with
God and get other people.

498
00:29:08,075 --> 00:29:11,165
I, I need to get all that worldliness out
so that God can feel me with the right.

499
00:29:11,165 --> 00:29:11,915
You get what I'm saying?

500
00:29:13,025 --> 00:29:18,770
But I can't respond to people
the way I naturally feel like.

501
00:29:20,825 --> 00:29:24,245
Brothers and sisters, we can never lower
the standard and justify our behavior

502
00:29:24,245 --> 00:29:26,045
and say, well, that's just natural.

503
00:29:27,215 --> 00:29:28,685
That's just who I am.

504
00:29:29,285 --> 00:29:33,665
God is transforming you not to be who
you are, but for you to be like him.

505
00:29:35,465 --> 00:29:39,875
And Jesus gives us the opportunity,
he's releases us, and all we have

506
00:29:39,875 --> 00:29:45,905
to do is let go of the worldliness
that's in us and every day pursuing

507
00:29:45,905 --> 00:29:47,285
righteousness and holiness.

508
00:29:47,900 --> 00:29:52,880
Instead of pursuing worldliness
again, the world offers an illusion

509
00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,250
of freedom that leads to bondage.

510
00:29:55,730 --> 00:29:58,850
Jesus brings true freedom,
but freedom begins when we

511
00:29:58,850 --> 00:30:00,830
release our grip of the world.

512
00:30:00,830 --> 00:30:03,170
So let's get real practical
right here, brother and sister,

513
00:30:03,170 --> 00:30:04,280
are you still with me here?

514
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:05,180
All right.

515
00:30:05,180 --> 00:30:06,830
Action steps here for the week here.

516
00:30:07,010 --> 00:30:07,970
Write this down.

517
00:30:07,970 --> 00:30:08,810
Take a picture.

518
00:30:08,930 --> 00:30:09,650
Here you go.

519
00:30:09,650 --> 00:30:11,150
First up, identify.

520
00:30:11,180 --> 00:30:15,620
Ask God to show you any worldly
mindset or habit that's holding

521
00:30:15,620 --> 00:30:17,120
you back from true freedom.

522
00:30:18,305 --> 00:30:18,875
Pray about it.

523
00:30:18,875 --> 00:30:19,745
God show me.

524
00:30:19,745 --> 00:30:22,115
I was even praying about it,
uh, earlier in this week.

525
00:30:22,115 --> 00:30:25,655
And then even today, I was like,
man, there's still my reaction

526
00:30:26,165 --> 00:30:29,105
in my family that's worldly.

527
00:30:30,455 --> 00:30:31,625
And I realized that this morning.

528
00:30:31,625 --> 00:30:32,405
I said, you know what?

529
00:30:32,765 --> 00:30:37,115
I react to my kids in a
worldly way too many times.

530
00:30:38,345 --> 00:30:42,070
It, it's natural the way I
respond, but it's not godly.

531
00:30:43,370 --> 00:30:45,680
I need to release that and
I need to repent of that.

532
00:30:45,890 --> 00:30:48,710
I need to take that serious
and I can't accept it.

533
00:30:48,710 --> 00:30:50,330
Say, well, that's just a whole thing.

534
00:30:50,330 --> 00:30:51,350
That's just how we are in the family.

535
00:30:51,500 --> 00:30:58,340
No, there's no excuse, Marcel, identify,
that's worldliness in you and you need

536
00:30:58,340 --> 00:31:00,290
to submit to the Lordship of Christ.

537
00:31:00,410 --> 00:31:01,490
So pray about it.

538
00:31:01,940 --> 00:31:04,760
Pray God, show me what area.

539
00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:09,800
Maybe it's a mindset or it's a habit
that's holding me back from true freedom.

540
00:31:09,950 --> 00:31:11,660
And then second share.

541
00:31:12,050 --> 00:31:13,910
Talk with a trusted friend this week.

542
00:31:13,910 --> 00:31:17,780
Pray together to release it
and pure pursue holiness.

543
00:31:18,020 --> 00:31:20,480
And so I was planning already,
but here you go with some of

544
00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,520
my friends in here, and I just
shared it with the whole audience.

545
00:31:22,520 --> 00:31:23,000
There you go.

546
00:31:23,300 --> 00:31:24,380
I shared mine with you.

547
00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:26,810
All right, but go ahead
and share what it is.

548
00:31:26,990 --> 00:31:27,290
Okay.

549
00:31:27,290 --> 00:31:27,830
You know what?

550
00:31:27,830 --> 00:31:28,790
Here's what I was praying.

551
00:31:28,790 --> 00:31:30,140
Here's what God revealed to me.

552
00:31:30,290 --> 00:31:30,950
Hey, you know what?

553
00:31:30,950 --> 00:31:32,330
Can you pray with me about this?

554
00:31:32,330 --> 00:31:34,940
Can you hold me accountable for this?

555
00:31:35,120 --> 00:31:38,570
Or if you have any advice or input
that can help me, I really appreciate.

556
00:31:39,515 --> 00:31:43,085
Over the next few, few weeks, we're
gonna learn to release others.

557
00:31:43,085 --> 00:31:48,005
We're gonna learn to release ourselves,
but it starts here, releasing the

558
00:31:48,005 --> 00:31:51,215
world so that Jesus can set you free.

559
00:31:52,445 --> 00:31:55,145
We're gonna take commun communion
right now, and this is the time

560
00:31:55,145 --> 00:31:58,805
in which we reflect to remember
Jesus's sacrifice on the cross, the

561
00:31:58,805 --> 00:32:03,065
emblems representing his body and
his blood that was sacrificed for us.

562
00:32:03,395 --> 00:32:06,215
And the Lord's favor isn't just
about blessing, it's about freedom.

563
00:32:07,370 --> 00:32:09,590
Jesus didn't come to
make you behave better.

564
00:32:09,590 --> 00:32:12,770
He came to set you free.

565
00:32:13,910 --> 00:32:17,600
Freedom begins when we release our grip
on the world because the hands that

566
00:32:17,600 --> 00:32:23,870
clinging to the world can't receive the
freedom that Jesus is trying to give.

567
00:32:24,650 --> 00:32:26,300
We go back to Luke chapter four.

568
00:32:26,300 --> 00:32:29,150
The spirit of the Lord is on
him because he is anointed me to

569
00:32:29,150 --> 00:32:30,950
proclaim good news to the poor.

570
00:32:31,220 --> 00:32:34,705
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for
the prisoners in recovery of sight.

571
00:32:35,270 --> 00:32:39,170
For the blind to set the oppressed
free to proclaim the year of the

572
00:32:39,170 --> 00:32:44,605
Lord's favor, the freedom Jesus
proclaims became reality at the cross.

573
00:32:45,020 --> 00:32:45,830
Let's pray.

574
00:32:46,310 --> 00:32:48,740
Father, thank you so much for Jesus.

575
00:32:48,740 --> 00:32:50,240
Thank you for his example.

576
00:32:50,240 --> 00:32:54,710
Thank you for, uh, all of the
results and fruit that comes from,

577
00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:59,060
uh, um, from Christ and his life,
his death and his resurrection.

578
00:32:59,060 --> 00:33:02,960
Thank you for the reality that we get
a chance to experience, not just once.

579
00:33:03,940 --> 00:33:08,680
Not just at salvation, but daily in our
lives, the freedom that Jesus offers.

580
00:33:08,680 --> 00:33:13,690
God, I pray that we can, uh, be that
we, we can be listeners, uh, to your

581
00:33:13,690 --> 00:33:17,920
Holy Spirit, to as you minister to
us, to hear the message you want us

582
00:33:17,920 --> 00:33:22,690
to hear, to hear what thing could be
holding us back from experiencing true

583
00:33:22,690 --> 00:33:27,040
freedom, and then to have the courage
and faith to release that to you so

584
00:33:27,040 --> 00:33:32,380
that we can again, not only commune with
you, but experience your true freedom.

585
00:33:32,735 --> 00:33:34,865
God, we are so blessed in Christ.

586
00:33:34,865 --> 00:33:36,725
Thank you for the freedom that we have.

587
00:33:36,755 --> 00:33:38,105
Thank you for the salvation.

588
00:33:38,345 --> 00:33:39,335
Thank you for the hope.

589
00:33:39,365 --> 00:33:40,295
Thank you for the love.

590
00:33:40,325 --> 00:33:41,345
Thank you for the joy.

591
00:33:41,555 --> 00:33:43,565
Thank you for the promise of eternal life.

592
00:33:43,835 --> 00:33:45,215
It's in Jesus' name we pray.

593
00:33:45,575 --> 00:33:45,785
Amen.