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Kingdom Practice: Fasting | Making Room for Him | Pastor Trev Evans · Koinonia Christian Center

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  Amen. All right, let's grab your Bibles.
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  Whether that's a paper Bible, electronic
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  Bible, on your cell phone, whatever it
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  is that you have. Come over. We get
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  ready to make our confession today.
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  Come on, say, "This is my Bible.
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  >> This is my
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  >> It is God's word.
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  >> It reveals to me.
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  >> It reveals to me
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  >> God's will.
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  >> Therefore,
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  >> therefore,
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  >> it's the final authority.
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  >> To which I submit
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  >> to which I submit
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  >> to settle all the issues
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  >> settle all the issues
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  >> of my life."
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  It's the standard
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  >> of my conduct
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  >> and the basis
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  >> of all my expectations.
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  >> Come on, shout it out. I am
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  >> I am
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  >> what it says I am.
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  >> I possess
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  >> what it says I possess.
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  >> It says I am.
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  >> And I can do
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  >> I can do
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  >> absolutely everything.
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  >> Absolutely everything
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  >> it says I can do.
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  >> I'm a believer.
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  >> Not a doubter.
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  >> I'm a doer.
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  >> Not just a hearer.
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  >> And my life. And my life,
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  >> my everyday life,
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  >> my everyday life
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  >> is the better
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  >> is the better.
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  >> After having heard
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  >> after heard
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  >> the word of faith,
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  >> the word of faith.
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  >> Faith comes by hearing.
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  >> Faith comes by hearing
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  >> and hearing
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  >> and hearing by
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  >> the word of God.
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  >> Let's rise.
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  >> You may be seated in the presence of the
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  Lord.
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  Amen.
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  Sound Ministry is the bomb. You hear me?
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  >> I just love them. All right. Today we're
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  going to be talking about the kingdom
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  practice of fasting.
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  >> It just went all the way down.
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  Carolina fans didn't even say nothing on
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  that. I thought y'all would still have a
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  little joy. We're talking about the
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  kingdom practice of fasting. We are
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  heading into our church fast beginning
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  February the 17th. And uh God has uh
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  given to us to talk about the kingdom
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  practice of fasting.
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  We're going to Matthew chapter 6 verse
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  16. We'll get there in just a moment.
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  However, there are some scriptures in
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  the Bible, Jasper, that I find
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  disturbing.
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  I do. The scriptures bring you comfort
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  and they do. But there are some
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  scriptures that I just find downright
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  disturbing.
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  Like one of the scriptures it said where
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  he says
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  that they will come before him and they
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  will cry Lord Lord and he will say
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  depart from me for I never knew you.
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  >> Now these are not sinners. These are
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  people per se. These are people who did
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  works in the name of God.
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  >> He said have we not prophesied in your
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  name? Have we not casted out devils in
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  your name? And you mean to tell me we
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  going to do all that and get up here and
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  you still don't know us?
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  That's that that's one of those
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  scriptures that just bothers me.
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  >> I found another one in preparation for
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  for this lesson. It's found in Luke
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  chapter 2 verse 7. Now we read it all
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  the time. Bam. Around Christmas, but
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  this is a scripture that bothered me. It
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  says, "And she brought forth her son,
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  her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
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  swaddling clothes and laid him in a
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  manger." This is what bothers me. It
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  says because there was no room for him
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  in the end.
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  >> You mean to tell me that God will bring
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  and give us a gift
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  >> and we wouldn't have room for it?
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  >> You mean to tell me that he would come
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  down through 40 and two generations and
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  prepare a body not to redeem himself but
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  to redeem us and then when he gets here
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  there's no room. Jesus,
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  >> this grabbed my attention and this is
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  why I believe God has gathered us around
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  Matthew chapter 6:16 because because
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  today I want to talk about making more
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  room for him.
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  >> Making more room for him.
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  >> We are preparing, as I said, for our
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  church fast that begins February the
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  17th and it will run through April the
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  30th. It is our annual 40-day fast and
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  it is a time where we pull away uh from
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  a lot of the distractions that pull on
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  us so that we can draw closer in our
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  relationship with God.
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  >> We sung about having a closer walk with
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  Jesus.
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  >> April 3rd. What did I say?
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  >> Whoa. Hold on.
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  Somebody was counting like that is not
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  40 days.
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  And I know y'all you know I'm I'm a new
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  pastor. So that I'm not coming in
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  bringing nothing new. We doing 40 days.
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  >> There we go. The clap. There it is. A
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  February 17th
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  through April 3rd.
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  Bump your neighbor so they don't walk
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  out of here.
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  April 3rd.
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  No, I got to make this clear because I
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  told the Saints that turned down Tuesday
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  was the third Tuesday. And after the
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  third Tuesday, somebody pulled up on
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  somebody else on the fourth Tuesday and
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  tried to make them put their sandwich
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  down.
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  So I need us to hear
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  February 17th
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  >> through April 3rd. Okay, let's ride.
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  Fasting.
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  Fasting is the voluntary, catch this,
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  abstinence from food for a spiritual
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  purpose.
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  It is a way to humble ourselves to seek
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  God's presence and to align ourselves
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  with his will.
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  Fasting is an expected practice of the
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  believer.
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  >> Matthew chapter 6 verse 16.
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  The it says first four four words are
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  what I want. It says moreover when you
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  fast. That's
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  >> right.
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  >> That that's what I want. Now you can
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  read the rest of it through verse 18
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  when you get home. But that's what I
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  want to just want to hang my hat on.
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  when you fast.
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  >> Jesus has an expectation for his
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  followers that he didn't put it if you
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  fast
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  >> because if we leave it up to us
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  >> and if it was left up to us, we would
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  never
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  >> Oh YEAH, WE WOULD NEVER FAST.
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  >> But Jesus has an expectation that his
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  followers would have a practice that
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  they would adopt in their lives called
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  fasting.
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  >> Why? Because fasting is the opportunity
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  for us to back up for all from all the
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  things that pull our attention away from
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  God.
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  >> Boy, we going to work today.
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  >> Yeah. See, notice he did not say if you
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  fast. Fasting is not an optional kingdom
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  practice.
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  >> It is an expectation of the king that we
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  say we serve.
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  >> Fasting is not about, catch this, is not
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  about earning God's favor or trying to
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  manipulate God. Amen.
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  >> No, I I already have his favor.
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  >> HE ALREADY DIED for me
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  >> when I WAS IN SIN. WHILE I WAS IN SIN,
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  HE SENT HIS SON TO die for me. I already
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  have the favor of God on my life. So,
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  I'm not trying to get in good standings
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  with God. Fasting is not for God. It's
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  for me.
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  >> Yeah. It's it's about it's about me
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  creating space in my life for God.
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  >> Amen. You know, my wife and I was just
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  talking about something that happened to
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  us uh about 10 years ago. Rather
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  traumatic and and it's it's amazing how
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  time can help you laugh over stuff that
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  you once cried about.
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  >> We woke up today, we talked about how 10
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  years ago in in 2016, somebody kicked
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  the door into our house
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  >> and uh took some stuff. And so then I
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  called, you know, I called one of my
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  construction friends over and he came
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  and he boarded up the house, you know,
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  because my wife said, "No, listen. we
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  ain't staying there tonight.
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  And I was like, if you put the board ON
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  THE BACK DOOR, BABE, WHY just let's just
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  all get in one room just together. She
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  said, I I can't help that.
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  I'm not staying here. I said, okay,
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  never mind. Don't say that. Save that
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  for marriage retreat. So, I said, "Okay,
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  we won't stay here." So, I we called one
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  of our good friends and we asked, I
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  said, "Hey, can we stay at your house?"
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  And she said she said, "Yeah." Yeah. So,
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  we went over for one night and uh we I
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  came back the next day to check on the
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  house and do you know them jokers kicked
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  the board down.
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  >> Now, Jeff, whatever hope I had of us
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  ever returning
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  was destroyed the second day.
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  So, I had to call my sis back and say,
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  "Hey, listen. We going to need a few
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  more days."
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  She said, "Hey, no problem.
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  So, I was cool that she let us to come
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  over. But bam, what got me this time was
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  when we went back, the same room that I
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  was in the first night
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  was different. We walked back in the
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  room and the closet that had things in
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  it the day before no longer had things
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  in it when I got back. All right.
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  >> I appreciated her letting us stay the
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  first night, but the second night said
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  to me
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  >> THAT I WAS WELCOME in a way that I
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  didn't think I was really going to be
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  welcome.
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  >> Not because she let me stay,
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  >> but because she made room for me,
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  >> talking.
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  IT'S SOMETHING. IT'S ONE THING TO ASK
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  GOD TO COME IN TO MY LIFE. It's one
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  thing to ASK HIM TO COME IN AND BE MY
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  SAVIOR, BUT WHEN YOU MAKE ROOM FOR HIM
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  TO BE LORD,
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  >> when you make room FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO
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  TELL TO TO TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT YOUR
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  ATTITUDE,
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  >> will you make room FOR HIM TO BE ABLE TO
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  GET IN YOUR DECISION MAKING?
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  >> SEE, THERE'S SOME OF YOU RIGHT NOW WHO
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  ARE ABOUT TO MAKE LIFEALTERING
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  DECISIONS. AND I'M TELLING YOU AS YOUR
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  PASTOR, YOU NEED TO PUSH PAUSE FOR 40
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  DAYS.
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  >> YOU NEED TO PUSH PAUSE FOR 40 DAYS.
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  YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE SOME DECISIONS OUT
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  OF YOUR FEELINGS. YOU NEED TO TAKE THE
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  RESIGNATION LETTER AND PUT IT UP.
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  >> WHY? WHY? BECAUSE YOU'RE ABOUT TO MAKE
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  DECISIONS and you haven't even made room
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  for God to clear his throat.
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  YOU'RE ABOUT YOU'RE ABOUT SOME OF US
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  THAT'S A CHALLENGE BECAUSE SOME OF US
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  LIVE BY THE SAYING I rather ask for per
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  uh forgiveness than permission.
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  >> Oh God I done got OUT HERE. YEAH. SOME
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  OF YOU SAY YOU RATHER YOU RATHER ASK FOR
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  FORGI. YOU RATHER do something and then
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  ask God to forgive you rather than on
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  the front end ASK GOD SHOULD I do it?
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  And when we live like that, it says we
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  haven't made room for him.
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  >> That's right.
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  >> SOME OF US RESPOND to people before we
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  make room for God.
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  >> They say something to you. YOU DON'T
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  PAUSE. YOU DON'T HOLD UP. YOU DON'T WAIT
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  A MINUTE. YOU DON'T PRAY IN THE HOLY
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  GHOST. YOU DON'T SIT IN NO SILENCE. YOU
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  JUST FIRE OFF.
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  >> And then we wonder why we have the
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  situations that we have.
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  It's because we haven't made room for
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  God, for his word, for his opinion, for
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  what he says,
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  >> for the people that he put in our lives.
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  >> Bump. Somebody say, "I need to make
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  room."
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  >> I need to make room. that this is why
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  fasting
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  >> is so critical
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  >> because fasting causes us to back up
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  from some of the things that cloud our
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  lives
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  >> and from some of the things that crowd
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  our lives
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  >> so that God can have room to speak where
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  he needs to speak.
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  >> Oh my God, this is good to me.
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  >> This fast, catch this. This fast is not
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  just about giving up something, but it's
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  about making room for God to show up.
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  >> It's about creating space for him to
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  speak and to move. And catch this, even
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  to transform us from the inside out.
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  >> Many of us want to grow in our
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  relationship with God.
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  >> We do. When we write prayer requests
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  down, that's probably one of the biggest
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  prayer requests that we have. Besides
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  financial strength, it is to grow closer
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  in my relationship with God.
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  >> Can I tell you that you and I cannot
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  cannot grow any more in our relationship
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  with God without disruption from our
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  norm
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  >> than we can grow physically w without
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  having discomfort in the gym.
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  >> Just two claps. I know
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  >> because I've been talking to you all
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  about getting in shape and what happens
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  is kid
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  I start out good.
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  I do. I start out real good, but then
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  I wish I could just put it on one thing
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  because so far I put it on cold and
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  tired
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  and pizzas went on sale
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  >> and I'm looking for the easy button to
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  my health.
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  But what I realize is there is no easy
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  button.
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  >> That if I am going to gain the health
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  that I desire, that there's going to
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  have to be a level of, catch this,
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  disruption,
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  >> discomfort,
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  >> and disconnection.
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  >> Amen. By the same token, spiritually,
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  when you and I get ready to go on a
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  fast,
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  we have to make a decision to allow the
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  fast to bring discomfort,
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  >> disruption, and disconnection.
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  >> See, this is what Write down Isaiah
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  chapter 58. We're not going there, but
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  write down Isaiah 58. Because these
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  people in Isaiah 58, they started to
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  fast. They were doing a fast, but they
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  did not allow the fast that they were
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  doing to disrupt any it to disrupt their
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  routine. And God said, "Wait a minute.
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  You call this a fast,
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  >> but you still mistreating people.
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  >> You you call you CALL THIS A F I KNOW
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  YOU DOING THE OUTWARD STUFF, BUT YOU
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  CALL THIS A FAST, and you still
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  minimizing and talking down to people.
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  You called THIS A FAST, BUT YOU HAD NOT
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  DEVIATED FROM YOUR NORMAL PRACTICES. YOU
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  STILL YOU STILL working and serving
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  every day on THE SABBATH. SABBATH NO
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  SABBATH. YOU STILL DOING YOUR SAME
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  ROUTINE.
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  >> COME ON NOW.
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  >> God said THIS IS NOT A FAT. NOTHING HAS
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  BEEN DISRUPTED.
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  >> Come on now.
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  >> There is no discomfort
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  IN WHAT IT IS THAT YOU'RE DOING.
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  >> YOU'RE STILL CONNECTED TO EVERYTHING
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  THAT YOU'VE BEEN CONNECTED TO. GOD SAID
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  THIS IS NOT A FAST.
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  And can I tell you, you and I have a
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  responsibility
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  to not to go through the motions
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  February 17th through April the 3.
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  GOD IS CALLING US TO PREPARE FOR THIS
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  SPE THIS INTENTIONAL TIME OF GROWTH.
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  >> Can I tell you growth will not just it
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  won't just happen.
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  >> I wish I didn't have to tell this but I
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  have to tell it. There has been times
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  where I went through the fast and I did
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  just that.
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  >> Right?
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  >> I went through the fast.
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  >> I did not allow any discomfort. I did
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  not allow any disruption. I did not
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  allow real disconnection.
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  And so consequently, I got out of it
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  what I put into it.
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  >> NO, I GOT OUT of it what I put into it.
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  There's a guy here at the church
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  and I'm not going to call his name cuz I
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  didn't get his permission. But when I
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  tell you he went on this fast last year,
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  he wasn't even a member of the church.
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  He just said, "I'm I'm I'mma do it."
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  Some I think one of the guys, one of the
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  line men had been nagging him.
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  Man, you need to be a part of this, man.
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  You need to be a part. He said, "All
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  right, man. Look, whatever. Just with a
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  pack. Is that what it is?" Okay. All
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  right. Give me one.
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  But when he got his pack and he read
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  through it,
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  >> he said, "You know what?" He said, "I'm
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  going to get I'm going to give myself to
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  this for 40 days."
• 16:47
  This joker
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  came in to align men one night with his
• 16:52
  journal. And to honest to God, I thought
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  Pastor Christie had been writing in it
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  because it HAD NOTES FROM WALL to wall.
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  >> He did not just go through
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  But he ALLOWED THE FAST TO disrupt his
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  routine.
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  >> HE ALLOWED THE FAST TO BRING SOME
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  DISCOMFORT INTO HIS LIFE. SEE, I KNOW
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  MANY OF US SAY, YOU KNOW, I'M not a
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  morning person. AND MAYBE YOU'RE NOT.
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  BUT WHAT I'M ASKING YOU FOR 40 DAYS IS
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  TO ALLOW THE FAST TO DISRUPT YOUR LIFE.
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  >> NOW, I'M NOT SAYING EVERYBODY GOING TO
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  GET UP in the morning. I'm not saying
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  that.
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  And you maybe you don't. You work third
• 17:29
  shift. You probably shouldn't.
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  But what I'm saying is don't use that as
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  an excuse to stay comfortable.
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  >> E even if you're going to even if you're
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  going to to do the fast and your your
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  time is in the evening,
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  don't don't because catch CATCH THIS.
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  YOUR FLESH IS always
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  >> going to look for a way
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  >> to stay comfortable.
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  OH, YOUR FLESH IS ALWAYS
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  >> I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES WHEN I'M
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  ON THE fast and I get through eating and
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  you know what my flesh say? I need
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  something sweet. THERE YOU GO. I SAW
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  YOU. I SAW YOU. I NEED SOMETHING SWEET.
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  >> It's too many of us in here.
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  It's always going to find a way.
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  >> See, the first thing that our fast has
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  to do, it has to bring disruption.
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  >> Our fast has to bring disruption. Give
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  it to me. We make room when we allow the
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  fast to disrupt our routine. Catch this.
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  Fasting is a divine interruption
• 18:45
  that breaks the flow of our normal
• 18:47
  routine so that we can realign our focus
• 18:50
  on God. Yes sir.
• 18:52
  >> Yeah. Yeah. IT H THERE HAS TO BE AN
• 18:54
  INTERRUPTION.
• 18:57
  >> NO, it has to be an interruption.
• 18:59
  Whatever it is I normally do, I have to
• 19:01
  be open to God to bring disruption in my
• 19:05
  life.
• 19:05
  >> Amen.
• 19:06
  >> See, because most of us want what God
• 19:08
  has for us, but God does not bring it
• 19:11
  most times without disruption.
• 19:13
  >> Something has to be disturbed.
• 19:16
  >> Something has TO BE ROCKED. SOMETHING
• 19:19
  HAS TO BE SHAKEN FOR US TO GET WHAT WHAT
• 19:22
  GOD HAS FOR us
• 19:24
  >> away WITH THE THOUGHT THAT YOU AND I ARE
• 19:26
  GOING TO BE ABLE TO GROW AND BECOME AND
• 19:29
  ASCEND TO WHAT GOD HAS FOR US WITHOUT
• 19:31
  DISRUPTION.
• 19:34
  >> Can can I just THAT THAT'S WHY THAT'S
• 19:36
  WHY MANY OF US HAVEN'T SEEN IT YET
• 19:38
  BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN TRYING to get it
• 19:39
  without disruption.
• 19:44
  >> Yeah. NO, THAT'S WHY YOU HAVEN'T SEEN
• 19:45
  THE CHANGE THAT YOU DESIRE IS BECAUSE
• 19:47
  YOU'RE TRYING TO YOU EXPECTING THE
• 19:48
  CHANGE TO COME WITHOUT DISRUPTION.
• 19:52
  >> NO, THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHY THE
• 19:53
  MARRIAGE IS STILL challenged because you
• 19:55
  won't allow ANYBODY TO DISRUPT HOW YOU
• 19:58
  RESPOND to her.
• 20:01
  >> God said you can't keep talking THAT
• 20:03
  HARD AND EXPECT me to heal her heart and
• 20:05
  fix your marriage.
• 20:08
  >> Oh, let me get back to my notes. I done
• 20:09
  started meling there. IT HAS TO BE A
• 20:12
  DISRUPTION. THERE HAS TO BE AN
• 20:14
  INTERRUPTION of my routine.
• 20:17
  >> Joel chapter 1 verse14.
• 20:20
  Write down Joel chapter 1 verse14.
• 20:24
  THE PROPHET TALKS to the children of
• 20:25
  Israel. HE SAYS, "CONSECRATE A FAST." HE
• 20:28
  SAYS, "CALL A SOLEMN ASSEMBLY. Gather
• 20:32
  the elders and all the inhabitants of
• 20:34
  the land to the house of the Lord YOUR
• 20:36
  GOD AND CRY TO THE LORD." HE SAID,
• 20:38
  "LISTEN, THIS IS NOT BUSINESS AS USUAL."
• 20:41
  >> AMEN. THIS IS NOT BUSINESS AS YOU CALL
• 20:44
  EVERYBODY IN
• 20:46
  BECAUSE NOW IT'S A TIME FOR US TO GATHER
• 20:48
  AND CALL ON THE NAME OF THE LORD IN A
• 20:50
  WAY TO DEMONSTRATE TO GOD THAT WE REALLY
• 20:52
  need him.
• 20:53
  >> See See, I DON'T WANT I DON'T WANT I
• 20:56
  DON'T WANT THE ONLY thing that can
• 20:58
  disrupt my life is trouble.
• 21:04
  >> I DON'T KNOW. NO, I DON'T I DON'T WANT
• 21:06
  NOW, TROUBLE HAS A MIGHTY WAY OF
• 21:07
  DISRUPTING OUR LIVES,
• 21:09
  >> BUT I DON'T WANT THE ONLY THING THAT CAN
• 21:11
  GET MY ATTENTION to be trouble.
• 21:14
  >> NO, I I WANT TO BE ABLE TO INTENTIONALLY
• 21:16
  DISRUPT MY LIFE. I WANT GOD TO BE ABLE
• 21:19
  TO GET MY ATTENTION WILLFULLY.
• 21:22
  >> HALLELUJAH.
• 21:23
  >> AMEN.
• 21:24
  >> Sometimes people say, you know, God
• 21:26
  brought this in my life to get my
• 21:27
  attention. That's because you wouldn't
• 21:28
  listen to him whisper to you
• 21:33
  >> when HE SENT THAT FRIEND TO YOU AND
• 21:35
  SAID, "NO, YOU KNOW WHAT? I don't think
• 21:36
  you should get in this relationship
• 21:38
  because it it it it doesn't look like
• 21:41
  >> this going to work out for you."
• 21:44
  >> Then you come to a women's gathering and
• 21:45
  Pastor Tracy pulled you to the side and
• 21:47
  said,
• 21:48
  >> "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
• 21:51
  And the Holy Ghost gives her something
• 21:53
  that she would not have known any other
• 21:55
  way. But you still wouldn't listen to
• 21:57
  that. And then when it hits,
• 22:00
  >> then you say, "God is trying to get
• 22:02
  you." No, God know he was trying to use
• 22:04
  your friend. And Pastor Tracy,
• 22:08
  >> now
• 22:10
  >> sometimes the only thing that gets that
• 22:12
  disrupts us can be trouble.
• 22:17
  >> I don't want that to be the case.
• 22:19
  I I I would much rather willfully during
• 22:23
  this time
• 22:24
  >> to disrupt my own life.
• 22:28
  >> I would rather willfully during this
• 22:29
  time I rather put put the put the
• 22:32
  boundaries and the restrictions on my
• 22:34
  own life
• 22:35
  >> than to have circumstances.
• 22:43
  >> That's what we say when people have
• 22:44
  money issues. We tell them say, "Listen,
• 22:46
  why don't you cut cut this out and cut
• 22:48
  that out and cut this back? PUT THE
• 22:50
  RESTRICTIONS ON YOURSELF
• 22:53
  >> RATHER THAN THEM COMING TAKING
• 22:54
  EVERYTHING AND SHUTTING IT OFF AND AIN'T
• 22:56
  NO POWER. NOW YOU GOT TO CUT IT OFF."
• 23:01
  >> NO, ALLAH, YOU BRING THE DISRUPTION.
• 23:05
  >> That's what God said. GOD SAID, "YOU
• 23:06
  BRING the interruption.
• 23:08
  >> You shut some stuff down.
• 23:12
  >> YOU CLOSE SOME THINGS DOWN. YOU BRING
• 23:14
  THIS.
• 23:15
  >> YES.
• 23:16
  >> You don't need a prophet to tell you you
• 23:18
  watch too much TV.
• 23:22
  >> No, YOU YOU DON'T YOU DON'T NO, NO, NO.
• 23:23
  YOU DON'T YOU DON'T NEED YOU DON'T NEED
• 23:25
  A WORD FROM GOD. YOU ALREADY KNOW
• 23:28
  >> THAT IS CAUSING YOU TO CUSS WHEN YOU
• 23:29
  USED TO HAD THAT PROBLEM CUSSING.
• 23:35
  >> Somebody say, "I need a disruption."
• 23:37
  >> I need a disruption.
• 23:38
  >> Yeah. I need to allow my fast to bring a
• 23:40
  disruption IN MY LIFE. PSALM 42. Psalm
• 23:44
  42 verse one and two. It says, "As the
• 23:46
  deer pants for streams of water, so my
• 23:50
  soul
• 23:51
  pants for my God, my soul thirsts for
• 23:55
  God, for the living God. When can I go
• 23:59
  and meet with God?" Understand
• 24:01
  something. Fasting creates a divine
• 24:03
  interruption that awakens, catch this, a
• 24:06
  deeper hunger and thirst for God.
• 24:10
  Now, I'm going GO AHEAD AND TELL YOU THE
• 24:12
  FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS, that hunger is not
• 24:14
  what's going to be getting your
• 24:15
  attention.
• 24:18
  >> It's going to be the be the craving for
• 24:21
  everything that you've been normally
• 24:23
  having.
• 24:25
  >> Some of you are just like me. You can go
• 24:27
  through the day, you can go through, you
• 24:28
  don't even eat breakfast and you look
• 24:30
  up, IT COULD BE 12 OR 1:00 BEFORE you
• 24:32
  eat. But when you fast,
• 24:38
  SO MUCH SOMETHING ABOUT THAT. YOU WAKE
• 24:41
  UP WITH PANCAKES on your mind.
• 24:44
  Waffle House. You don't even hardly go
• 24:45
  to Waffle House. Waffle House. Cracker
• 24:48
  Barrel.
• 24:52
  The flesh will always cry out when you
• 24:55
  get ready to disrupt the routine.
• 25:02
  But I but when we fast it creates a
• 25:04
  deeper hunger for the things of God
• 25:07
  that when we allow our routine to be
• 25:08
  disrupted. Catch this again. Let me let
• 25:10
  me BE CLEAR. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST WEEK.
• 25:13
  >> The first week all of us are going to be
• 25:17
  grabbing a hold of the horns of the
• 25:19
  altar
• 25:20
  >> asking God from for strength from on
• 25:22
  high.
• 25:24
  >> No. This is why I'm asking this is why
• 25:26
  I'm asking everybody to get a fasting
• 25:28
  buddy.
• 25:29
  No, don't go through the fast by
• 25:31
  yourself.
• 25:32
  >> Connect with somebody that you can call
• 25:35
  when your head gets thumping.
• 25:38
  >> Connect with somebody and let them know,
• 25:39
  "Hey, man, listen. I I just need some
• 25:41
  prayer right now cuz it is challenging.
• 25:47
  You and I need that."
• 25:49
  >> Why? Because when we break our when we
• 25:51
  break our routine, our flesh is going to
• 25:53
  cry out.
• 25:55
  >> No, let me let me just take the suspense
• 25:57
  out OF IT FOR YOU. WHEN YOU GET READY TO
• 25:58
  DISRUPT YOUR ROUTINE, YOUR FLESH IS
• 26:00
  GOING TO cry out.
• 26:01
  >> And I want us to be ready
• 26:05
  >> because what is on the line is not that
• 26:07
  hunger pain that you feeling now, but
• 26:09
  your hunger and your thirst for God is
• 26:11
  on the line.
• 26:14
  >> You and I got to number one allow
• 26:15
  fasting to bring a disruption. Number
• 26:18
  two, we got to embrace discomfort.
• 26:24
  >> Thank you for that one. Amen. You and I
• 26:26
  have to embrace discomfort. This is not
• 26:28
  going to be comfortable.
• 26:29
  >> Amen.
• 26:32
  >> NO. BAM. BAM. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE
• 26:33
  COMFORTABLE. NOT JUST THE things that
• 26:36
  I'm not doing.
• 26:37
  >> Yeah.
• 26:38
  >> But even the things that I need to start
• 26:39
  doing,
• 26:42
  >> there's some of you who will start
• 26:43
  praying during the fast. And this is not
• 26:45
  a knock on anybody
• 26:47
  >> because you you you you're going to be
• 26:48
  establishing a prayer life.
• 26:51
  >> And getting up praying every day is
• 26:53
  going to be new for you. And it's not
• 26:54
  going to feel comfortable
• 26:57
  because you're going to be like start
• 26:58
  talking to God and it's going to be like
• 27:00
  and the enemy is going to be so
• 27:01
  faithful.
• 27:03
  >> Who you talking to?
• 27:05
  >> You're talking to who?
• 27:07
  >> And then some of you who've BEEN FILLED
• 27:08
  WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT, YOU NEED TO PRAY
• 27:10
  MORE IN your heavenly language.
• 27:14
  >> It's not going to be comfortable.
• 27:16
  >> But can I tell you something? Most of
• 27:18
  the things the most of the areas in
• 27:20
  which we need to grow are not found
• 27:22
  inside of our comfort zone.
• 27:28
  >> No, no. There's a brother that wrote a a
• 27:30
  poem years ago. It said, "There is no
• 27:32
  growth inside my comfort zone."
• 27:36
  >> There's a level of discomfort that you
• 27:38
  and I must embrace.
• 27:41
  Oh, that is good to me. There's a level
• 27:43
  of discomfort that you and I must
• 27:46
  embrace.
• 27:48
  When we make room, we make room when we
• 27:51
  allow fasting to embrace discomfort.
• 27:55
  Catch this. Discomfort and fasting is
• 27:57
  not meant to harm you, but it is meant
• 28:00
  to remind you of your dependence on God.
• 28:04
  >> See, because we we LIVE IN A DAY NOW
• 28:05
  WHERE WE can get anything we want,
• 28:07
  whatever we want.
• 28:10
  >> When you hungry, YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO
• 28:11
  LEAVE THE HOUSE. JUST PICK UP YOUR phone
• 28:13
  and go to Uber Eats
• 28:15
  >> and it's there in 25 minutes.
• 28:18
  >> When you want TO W I REMEMBER BACK IN
• 28:20
  THE DAY WHEN YOU wanted to watch a show,
• 28:21
  you had to wait for it to come on again.
• 28:26
  >> If you missed IT ON THURSDAY NIGHT AT 7
• 28:28
  O'CLOCK, YOU HAD TO WAIT A WHOLE week
• 28:31
  >> for next Thursday at 7 o'clock.
• 28:33
  >> But now we live in a world where it's on
• 28:35
  demand.
• 28:37
  >> That we don't have to wait for anything.
• 28:39
  And so what has happened is it has
• 28:42
  removed the elements of discomfort out
• 28:44
  of our lives.
• 28:47
  >> SO MUCH SO THAT WHEN WE EXPERIENCE
• 28:49
  DISCOMFORT, WE THINK IT'S ALL THE DEVIL.
• 28:57
  >> WE THINK ALL DISCOMFORT IS THE DEVIL.
• 29:01
  >> WE WE WE THINK THAT GOD CANNOT USE
• 29:04
  DISCOMFORT EVER IN OUR LIVES.
• 29:07
  THE BIBLE SAYS ONE PSALM 119:7 HE SAID
• 29:10
  THIS is a scripture you don't hear much.
• 29:12
  He said it was good for me
• 29:15
  >> that I've been afflicted.
• 29:18
  >> No we like it's good for me that I got
• 29:20
  my praise on. Now that's good.
• 29:26
  I just heard the old saying in my head.
• 29:29
  No pain.
• 29:31
  >> That was all 80s and 70s and 60 babies
• 29:34
  right there. Yeah. no pain.
• 29:36
  >> Now, I'm not SAYING YOU SHOULD BE A
• 29:38
  GLUTTON FOR PUNISHMENT.
• 29:40
  >> BUT WHAT I'M SAYING IS YOU CAN'T BE A
• 29:41
  COWARD AND RUN AWAY from it when
• 29:43
  discomfort comes.
• 29:50
  >> There's a level of discomfort that you
• 29:51
  and I have to embrace that if we're
• 29:53
  going to grow in our relationship with
• 29:55
  God, there's going there's going to be
• 29:57
  things that God will step by and ask you
• 29:58
  to do that are not comfortable.
• 30:01
  There's some of you during this fast,
• 30:03
  you need to shut down the negative
• 30:04
  self-t talk.
• 30:07
  >> No, you need to shut that negative
• 30:09
  self-t talk down. And you have become
• 30:11
  comfortable with that.
• 30:13
  >> BUT GOD IS GOING TO CHALLENGE YOU DURING
• 30:15
  THESE 40 DAYS. STOP CALLING YOURSELF
• 30:17
  DUMB.
• 30:19
  >> STOP CALLING YOURSELF STUPID.
• 30:21
  >> STOP SAYING THAT YOU CANNOT DO WHAT IT
• 30:23
  IS I'VE CALLED YOU TO DO. SHUT THAT
• 30:25
  DOWN.
• 30:27
  >> And catch this.
• 30:29
  DECLARING THAT YOU ARE WELL AABLE
• 30:31
  initially feels uncomfortable.
• 30:35
  >> DECLARING THAT I CAN DO ALL THINGS
• 30:37
  THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME FEELS
• 30:39
  UNCOMFORTABLE.
• 30:40
  >> DECLARING THAT I'M FEARFULLY AND
• 30:42
  WONDERFULLY MADE
• 30:44
  >> FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE.
• 30:46
  >> BUT IF YOU AND I ARE GOING TO GROW AND
• 30:47
  BECOME WHO IT IS GOD HAS CALLED US TO
• 30:49
  BE, WE HAVE TO EMBRACE that discomfort.
• 30:57
  Embrace the discomfort of hearing that
• 30:59
  you are beautiful.
• 31:03
  >> Embrace the discomfort in hearing that
• 31:06
  you are more than what they called you.
• 31:10
  >> Embrace the discomfort of the feeling
• 31:13
  that that that that says, "God, I don't
• 31:16
  have quite three nickels to rub
• 31:19
  together,
• 31:20
  >> but you said that you'll supply all of
• 31:22
  my need. Yeah,
• 31:24
  >> of that feel it don't even I don't feel
• 31:26
  it
• 31:28
  >> and it feels weird saying it.
• 31:30
  >> But if I'm EVER GOING TO SEE IT, I HAVE
• 31:33
  TO EMBRACE THE DISCOMFORT OF SAYING IT
• 31:34
  WHILE I DON'T SEE IT.
• 31:40
  >> SH. I have to be shaken to embrace
• 31:43
  discomfort.
• 31:45
  If this fast going to do what it needs
• 31:47
  to do and gonna make the room that it
• 31:49
  needs to make, number one, I got to let
• 31:53
  it disrupt my routine.
• 31:55
  >> Number two, I have to embrace the
• 31:57
  discomfort that's going to come with
• 32:00
  fasting. Amen.
• 32:01
  >> Amen.
• 32:02
  >> And number three, if I'm going to make
• 32:04
  room for God to speak, for him to shift
• 32:08
  me, for him to change me, for him to
• 32:09
  transform me from the inside out,
• 32:12
  >> I have to be willing to disconnect from
• 32:15
  the distractions.
• 32:20
  >> Beloved,
• 32:24
  fasting is more than just the abstinence
• 32:27
  of food.
• 32:29
  It's a it's a part of it. That's part of
• 32:32
  the definition. But another part of our
• 32:34
  fasting is disconnecting from many of
• 32:38
  the distractions that we have in our
• 32:39
  lives.
• 32:41
  >> If I am if I am just not eating certain
• 32:44
  foods, but I'm still watching TV, still
• 32:46
  on social media, still texting and
• 32:48
  responding back to everything in the
• 32:49
  comments.
• 32:52
  If if if I'm doing that,
• 32:55
  then I'm not I'm not embracing I'm not
• 32:58
  going to see what it is God has for me.
• 33:00
  >> I'm I'm not going to I'm not going to
• 33:02
  receive the growth and the strength. Can
• 33:04
  I tell you this week alone?
• 33:11
  Can I just go just take five minutes?
• 33:18
  >> I know God calling us right toward this
• 33:19
  fast at this time.
• 33:23
  watching somebody
• 33:32
  put the Obama's faces
• 33:35
  >> on the body
• 33:37
  >> of an eight. Just just give me five
• 33:39
  minutes and I'm going I'm going to move
• 33:40
  on. Just give me five minutes. Okay,
• 33:42
  clock is starting.
• 33:49
  This is why fasting is so important.
• 33:52
  >> Not that we don't we we we can speak up
• 33:55
  and speak out and we should, but there's
• 33:58
  a thin line.
• 34:00
  >> There's a thin line between
• 34:03
  responding appropriately
• 34:06
  and then just going off and getting
• 34:08
  getting lost in the in the news thread.
• 34:17
  I was so tempted
• 34:20
  >> to just start responding.
• 34:23
  >> See, because what
• 34:32
  was it? Maya Angelo who said, "When
• 34:35
  someone shows you who they are,
• 34:38
  >> that's right. Did she said it?" Ain't
• 34:41
  that what she said? That was my Angelo.
• 34:42
  That's what she said.
• 34:45
  >> So, Doc, pray for me.
• 34:50
  I'm not even so taken back by
• 34:53
  >> what he said.
• 34:56
  >> I mean, it's that's not shocking cuz we
• 34:59
  know
• 35:00
  >> what we're dealing with. Right.
• 35:04
  >> I'm concerned at all of the people who
• 35:06
  name the name of Jesus,
• 35:08
  >> who are finding ways to do patchwork to
• 35:12
  still prop him up
• 35:14
  >> and saying he's a Christian.
• 35:19
  That's where I just don't understand.
• 35:28
  That's just that's about all I need to
• 35:30
  just stop right there. Right.
• 35:32
  >> That's my concern.
• 35:36
  >> And I'm not lost.
• 35:38
  >> This is why I think it's so necessary
• 35:42
  >> for us to have times to disconnect.
• 35:47
  >> See, because some some of us get too
• 35:49
  involved and we start getting in
• 35:51
  comments and we done lost our
• 35:52
  Christlikkeness.
• 35:56
  >> No. But when you get in the chat and you
• 35:58
  start mfinging and ding and effing and
• 36:00
  all that, you done went too far.
• 36:05
  >> You doing just like they doing.
• 36:19
  See, regardless of what they do,
• 36:22
  >> you and I still, and this is not to be a
• 36:24
  sucker. This is not to be a doormat,
• 36:26
  >> right?
• 36:27
  >> But you and I still have a
• 36:28
  responsibility
• 36:30
  >> to be Christlike.
• 36:32
  >> AND CATCH THIS. YOU CAN STILL SPEAK UP.
• 36:35
  >> That's right.
• 36:36
  >> No, you can't. You can be clear and
• 36:38
  speak directly.
• 36:39
  >> That's right.
• 36:40
  >> Without losing who you are in Christ.
• 36:49
  >> I believe God is calling us to this fast
• 36:52
  >> because understand something else.
• 36:55
  God can do more when we turn to him.
• 37:01
  when we turn our plate down and turn up
• 37:03
  in praying
• 37:04
  >> and turn up and see this week I'm
• 37:06
  talking about making room
• 37:08
  >> for him. Next week I'll talk about
• 37:10
  filling the space with him.
• 37:14
  >> But when we make room for him,
• 37:18
  we can say it allows us to be able to
• 37:21
  speak in a way and to speak through us.
• 37:24
  And God can do more
• 37:27
  >> when we humble ourselves and follow his
• 37:29
  direction than we can in our own flesh.
• 37:33
  >> See, BECAUSE YOU AND I, OUR FLESH WILL
• 37:35
  HAVE US CLAPPING BACK,
• 37:37
  >> RIGHT?
• 37:38
  >> AND GUESS WHAT? YOU'LL FEEL good
• 37:41
  >> for the moment,
• 37:43
  >> but then our witness is lost.
• 37:47
  >> And I'm not saying you don't speak up. I
• 37:49
  said speak up,
• 37:50
  >> right?
• 37:50
  >> Be clear,
• 37:52
  >> but don't lose your witness.
• 37:58
  God is calling us to a time of fasting.
• 38:04
  >> What fasting says is that you know what,
• 38:06
  God, I don't control all of this.
• 38:10
  >> And I'm yielding whatever control I have
• 38:12
  to you.
• 38:14
  >> I'm used to whenever I feel like eating,
• 38:16
  I just eat.
• 38:18
  >> Whenever I feel like whatever I feel
• 38:19
  like doing, I just do it. Right?
• 38:21
  >> But my time of fasting says, "You know
• 38:23
  what, God? I'm I'm yielding all of this,
• 38:25
  and I'm depending on you.
• 38:27
  >> I'm depending on your strength. I'm
• 38:29
  depending on your guidance. I'm
• 38:31
  depending on you leading me. I'm
• 38:33
  depending on you. You shifting me. I'm
• 38:36
  depending on you transforming me. I
• 38:38
  can't transform myself." So God, I
• 38:40
  humble myself.
• 38:41
  >> I turn down all these other voices.
• 38:46
  >> I turn down my own voice.
• 38:48
  I turn down my own way.
• 38:50
  >> And God, whatever you want to bring into
• 38:52
  my life, God, the discomfort,
• 38:55
  >> the disruption,
• 38:57
  >> God, the disconnection
• 38:59
  >> from the things that are not like you,
• 39:03
  >> the things that keep pulling me away
• 39:04
  from you,
• 39:06
  >> the things that KEEP DRAGGING ME AWAY.
• 39:07
  GOD, I WANT TO GIVE THAT TO YOU.
• 39:10
  >> During these 40 DAYS, I'M ASKING SOME OF
• 39:12
  YOU, THOSE OF YOU WHO are not single,
• 39:14
  I'm asking you to put sex up for 40
• 39:16
  days.
• 39:17
  Boy, it's quiet in here now. YOU SEE
• 39:19
  THAT? GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.
• 39:28
  >> NO, I'm asking YOU TO MAKE THE
• 39:30
  COMMITMENT.
• 39:34
  >> You're not married.
• 39:37
  >> IT'S STILL CALLED FORNICATION IN
• 39:38
  SCRIPTURE.
• 39:41
  >> SO, I'M ASKING YOU TO disconnect
• 39:45
  >> from what is distracting you.
• 39:52
  No, some of you, SOME OF YOU, SOME OF
• 39:53
  SOME OF some of us drink.
• 39:55
  >> That's how you, you know, that's how you
• 39:57
  kind of calm down. I'm asking you to get
• 39:59
  to disconnect from it for 40 days.
• 40:05
  >> 40 days.
• 40:10
  >> Some of you smoke, you know, and I ain't
• 40:13
  I ain't judging you. I'm just asking you
• 40:15
  to give God 40 days. Amen.
• 40:19
  >> I'm just ask you to allow the Holy
• 40:20
  Spirit to disrupt your routine
• 40:22
  >> to go through the discomfort
• 40:25
  >> to disconnect from the distractions.
• 40:27
  >> Come on now.
• 40:28
  >> Some of you see see watch watch me get
• 40:30
  the other half of the sanctuary. Watch
• 40:32
  this. Some of you have gossip buddies
• 40:34
  and all y'all do is get on the phone and
• 40:36
  y'all cut people down. I'M ASKING YOU TO
• 40:38
  PULL AWAY FROM it for 40 days.
• 40:41
  >> You heard that?
• 40:48
  Why?
• 40:50
  Because we're making room for him.
• 40:53
  >> We want to make room for him.
• 40:56
  >> We want to hear what he has to say.
• 40:59
  >> We want him to move in our lives the way
• 41:01
  he wants to move.
• 41:02
  >> Oh yeah.
• 41:03
  >> We really want to be transformed.
• 41:06
  >> Allow it to disrupt you. Allow the fast
• 41:08
  to disrupt your routine.
• 41:10
  >> Amen.
• 41:12
  You really want to shift in this season.
• 41:15
  You want a closer walk with him. Embrace
• 41:17
  the discomfort.
• 41:18
  >> Amen.
• 41:20
  >> That comes through this fast.
• 41:22
  >> If you want to go to the next level and
• 41:24
  embrace and become and do everything
• 41:25
  that God has called you to be, do and
• 41:28
  become.
• 41:28
  >> You tired of where you are. Disconnect
• 41:31
  from the distractions.
• 41:33
  >> I promise you
• 41:36
  >> that GOD IS FAITHFUL.
• 41:38
  WOO! I PROMISE you
• 41:40
  >> that God is faithful.
• 41:43
  >> You will not be the same.
• 41:46
  >> NO, YOU WILL NOT be the same.
• 41:49
  >> You will be changed. Growing people,
• 41:52
  >> oh, growing people,
• 41:58
  >> you allow it to disrupt your routine.
• 42:02
  You embrace that discomfort. You don't
• 42:05
  fight it.
• 42:07
  you actually disconnect from those
• 42:09
  distractions,
• 42:11
  be it things or people.
• 42:14
  >> Come on now.
• 42:14
  >> I promise you
• 42:18
  that God will shift your life.
• 42:21
  >> I'm talking about from the inside.
• 42:23
  >> I'm not talking I'm not talking about
• 42:24
  stuff from the outside. Now, he may do
• 42:25
  some stuff on the outside. I'm talking
• 42:26
  about him changing you on the inside.
• 42:29
  >> I'm talking about him taking that heart
• 42:30
  of stone
• 42:31
  >> where you always RESPONDING TO PEOPLE IN
• 42:33
  A HARD WAY.
• 42:34
  >> That's right. that God will soften that
• 42:36
  heart and give you a heart of flesh.
• 42:38
  >> Where you've had spurts OF ANGER AND
• 42:40
  YOU'RE LASHING OUT AT PEOPLE, GOD WILL
• 42:42
  GIVE YOU a spirit of calm
• 42:47
  >> where your flesh has been out of
• 42:49
  control.
• 42:53
  >> God will give you control back
• 42:56
  >> in those areas.
• 42:59
  >> What God is, he's not asking you to do
• 43:01
  the work. He's asking you to make room
• 43:04
  for him
• 43:05
  >> so he can do the work.
• 43:10
  >> Let's pray.
• 43:12
  Father, in Jesus name, we thank you for
• 43:15
  this opportunity that you've given us
• 43:18
  around your word.
• 43:20
  Father, I thank you because you are
• 43:22
  calling us into this season of
• 43:23
  alignment.
• 43:26
  And Lord, admittedly on the outside, it
• 43:29
  does it's not thrilling.
• 43:31
  Lord, there's a part of us
• 43:34
  that wants what you have for us.
• 43:37
  And Lord, there's another part of us
• 43:39
  that is going to be fighting us to stay
• 43:43
  in our own way.
• 43:46
  Father God, we're asking you right now
• 43:49
  to help us.
• 43:53
  Lord, we humbly ask you to help us
• 43:58
  for the areas, Lord, that you are
• 44:00
  started speaking to our lives where we
• 44:02
  need to allow you to disrupt our
• 44:04
  routine.
• 44:07
  Father, help us
• 44:10
  to embrace the discomfort
• 44:13
  of not eating all the things that we
• 44:15
  love and enjoy eating.
• 44:18
  Help us, Lord, to embrace the discomfort
• 44:21
  of of the new practices
• 44:24
  or maybe starting practices again,
• 44:28
  of reading our word,
• 44:30
  of praying,
• 44:32
  of sitting in solitude.
• 44:35
  Lord, those things are not comfortable.
• 44:36
  But Lord, help us to embrace the
• 44:38
  discomfort.
• 44:41
  Lord, we ask you to help us
• 44:44
  as we
• 44:46
  disconnect
• 44:48
  from the distractions of our lives.
• 44:52
  Father, help us.
• 44:55
  Thank you for your Holy Spirit to give
• 44:57
  us the strength. And Lord, you don't
• 45:00
  give us all of the strength from the
• 45:02
  beginning,
• 45:04
  but Lord, we pray as the as you taught
• 45:06
  the disciples to pray, give us this day
• 45:10
  our daily bread. Give us this day of
• 45:12
  strength. And Father, may we be
• 45:13
  dependent upon you
• 45:17
  for all 40 days.
• 45:21
  We thank you, Lord,
• 45:23
  that you are not a man that you should
• 45:25
  lie.
• 45:27
  If you said it, you'll do it. If you
• 45:29
  spoke it, you will bring it to pass. And
• 45:30
  we thank you for what you're going to do
• 45:32
  in us during this time as we make room
• 45:35
  for you.
• 45:37
  We thank you for how you're going to
• 45:40
  shift us. We thank you for how what are
• 45:43
  you creating on the inside of us. We
• 45:45
  thank you that we don't have to do it by
• 45:46
  ourselves.
• 45:52
  Father, we just take this moment
• 45:56
  and lift ourselves before you. and the
• 45:58
  things that that pull on us. Father, we
• 46:00
  just take this moment
• 46:03
  and lift it before you
• 46:06
  right here in the presence of God. I'm
• 46:08
  asking us
• 46:11
  whatever it is that you know that you
• 46:15
  need to disconnect from, will you just
• 46:16
  take a moment, you and God, e church, in
• 46:20
  this moment, you and God, lift that up
• 46:23
  to God.
• 46:26
  the routine that needs to be disrupted
• 46:29
  just to end this moment. The discomfort
• 46:31
  that you have to embrace.
• 46:40
  Ask him for his help.
• 46:46
  Ask him for his strength.
• 47:07
  Father, that's what we
• 47:09
  that's our prayer
• 47:12
  is that we will make room for you.
• 47:16
  Holy Spirit, we thank you that you shine
• 47:19
  your pin light in our hearts and in our
• 47:21
  minds. And Lord, you don't shine it to
• 47:24
  condemn us. You shine it to make us
• 47:27
  aware of it so that we can we don't hide
• 47:29
  it, Lord, but we'll offer it to you and
• 47:32
  ask you, Lord, for your help and your
• 47:34
  strength. Thank you for being willing to
• 47:37
  give us what we need. Thank you for
• 47:39
  being willing to give us the strength
• 47:41
  and the boldness and the courage to face
• 47:44
  and to deal with whatever it is that you
• 47:46
  are bringing before us.
• 47:51
  Father, we thank you that we're not
• 47:52
  doing it alone.
• 47:55
  Holy Spirit, we give you access.
• 47:59
  We give you access
• 48:02
  and we thank you for the work that you
• 48:05
  are doing in us.
• 48:07
  And we thank you that you will complete
• 48:08
  it.
• 48:10
  And we honor you for it now in Jesus
• 48:12
  name.