Will I Get What I Want?

Title: "Will I Get What I Want? | Pastor Joel Mason (Sunday Service)" URL: "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RnOhM8QwFg" Transcript: "(00:01) Okay, love the conversations, but I'm going to go ahead and interrupt here. I'm glad that you're here this morning. I want to uh cover a couple of things this morning. First thing I want to do is thank those of you who are online watching us. Lori, I don't know why you decided to get sick, but knock it off. Um but uh yeah, there's a lot of things going on, but I know a lot of people are joining us online today. (00:22) It's uh that's always a that's an added benefit of technology today that people can join us, but I am glad that you're here in the room. And we're going to be continuing our series this morning um on I Promise, looking at the promises of God. Before we jump into that, there are two things going on that I just wanted to draw attention to. (00:42) One of them is, if you see some stuff in the back corner back there this morning, uh we have had a relationship with Brookwood Elementary for a while and um we have uh been connecting with them for this year, and we weren't able to do our we were a little slower than we wanted to be on some things in connecting with them this year, but we decided at the end of this year we wanted to get several things for their teachers, so we had the teachers give us a list wish list of some things they wanted for the classrooms. (01:09) That's what that is. Thank you everybody that was a part of that. And uh just wanted you to know, that's one of the things we as a church have going on. We're uh involved in that school, and we're supporting the classrooms, so good job. Thanks for doing that. I was I was really impressed with how quickly everybody signed up for all the things that were on the list. (01:29) It went fast, and uh it's exciting to see gathering back there now, and and uh I get the fun of going to drop it off this week, so that will be a good thing. Second thing is, Steve Watson's with us with this morning. Steve, I'm going to ask if you'd come up here for a second. And some of you you may not know Steve, or you may know Steve. (01:47) He's part of our church family. And God brought him here oh while ago. About 18 months ago, and uh I'm going to give you that so you in a minute here can answer my questions and uh God really put a ministry on his heart and opened some doors here and that's part of what we're about as a church is challenging people to go where God leads them to go. (02:08) So, Steve tell us catch us up on what you're doing what's going on. All right. Well, I got together with another fellow his name is Ron Myatt and his wife Doreen and together we're Heaven Word Ministries and what we do is we minister to retirement centers, nursing homes um Alzheimer and dementia facilities in Forest Grove. Uh we've been very busy lately and uh we've got several others that we haven't been able to work out yet but we're you know, as far as asking us to come and provide services. (02:43) We provide church services and Bible studies and whatever basically they need. I live in one of the facilities and so my door's always open and um all of all the residents of that facility know that they can come and knock on my door anytime they need 24/7. And um the Lord has really blessed us because like I said we have more opportunities to serve than we have time to to do it. (03:08) Uh Ron's just been sick for the last month and I had to take over all the duties myself and that's one of the things that we're particularly concerned about because we're both vibrant young men. Uh but there's a point where you just can't you know, as we get older I by the way I'm 72 I'm the baby of the group. (03:28) You know, so we're we're ministering mainly to the to older population the seniors and a lot of times you think as you get older there's so much that I can't do that I used to be able to do and it can get really discouraging but I'm here to tell you even as you get older there's still so much you can do and there's so much that you can share. (03:53) And don't don't think that God is done with you because he's not. I'll tell you what, that I've got more on my plate right now than I've had in years. But that's okay. I'm I'm I'm just enjoying it. Now, you want to get me started? You really do? Not necessarily. >> Cuz I can go the whole time. Tell you what, I'll step down and give it to you. (04:14) Now, you can hang on to that for 1 second. I got a couple of questions for you. Um tell us tell us the different uh services that you have going right now. Okay, well, we have three Bible studies on um Thursday. And in several different facilities. We have a Bible study on Friday morning. And then we have three services on Sunday. (04:34) Um every other week we take the morning service so that the other person can go to their home church. And that's why I'm able to be here today uh because Ron is doing our our service which is our Alzheimer's and dementia uh residents uh this morning. Next week, it'll be me. So, that's why you haven't seen me around much because I've got that other things that I have to be at. (04:58) And then this afternoon, we'll do two services. One at the Elms and one at the Beehive uh facilities uh church services where I'll be leading the music today and he'll be preaching sometimes turn around. He has a background in trumpet. And so uh he knows music, too. So, we we kind of alternate who does what. And um and that's what we'll be doing right now. (05:22) We do have a couple of other facilities that want us to bring church services into their place. Uh we're trying to figure that out now. And we have a fellow over at the Acrely that we're supporting who is uh been in ministry for like 50 years. He's a retired pastor. But we're helping him with his ministry over there and trying to support him any way we can. Good. (05:43) Good. Well, can I pray for you this morning? It's just good to have you back with us and and it's exciting to see what God's doing. So, Father, I just want to pray for Steve and just for the whole ministry that they have going and the things that he is explaining to us here even today, the way you are keeping them busy but impactful and we're thankful that you put this on Steve's heart, that you're using it. (06:04) It's a part of what we're doing as West Valley and and encouraging and supporting Steve in his ministry. Thank you for this opportunity in Jesus' name. Amen. All right. God bless you. Yeah, thanks, Steve. Yeah, please. There we go. Okay. We're going to continue our series this morning, as I said, and I want to start by telling you about a book that I'm reading. (06:31) Uh it's called Deep Survival. Anybody ever heard of it before? Okay, my daughter introduced me to it. Said, "Dad, I really think you're going to love this book." So, I've been reading it. It's just about It's It's about what it literally says. It's about survival. And this person I'm all sudden I'm blanking on the author's name. (06:51) Um Anyway, he'll come back to me. Um he decided to study how it is certain people survive in um tough situations and others don't. And is there something that that leads to sur- you know, is there like a survival gene? Is there something that allows for this to happen? And he's been looking at in the he walks through in the book looking at all kinds of things from the disaster of the accident that took place on Mount Hood several years ago where three climbers were killed. (07:23) He looks at situations like where a somebody who is a Army Ranger can find themselves in a fairly benign situation and end up dying and it's like, "Well, how did that happen?" He should have been well trained for that. What took place? Or how like the the young teenager who was part of a plane crash down in the Amazon jungle and 11 adults and one girl and the girl survived and all 11 adults died. (07:50) Why did she survive? And uh he takes you through all these scenarios, but it's not just from a story standpoint. Oh, let's look at these stories and it's cool. No, it's looking at the really the brain activity that takes place in those that survive and what is the mental processing and what develops and what leads to survival. And it's I'm finding it fascinating. (08:13) I'm That's That's when my brain clicks, okay? So, he had a in in section I was reading this last week. It's talking about the fact that there is a um So, they've identified a truth for those that survive. And one of the things There's There's several that they've identified, but one of them is and I'm going to explain without giving you the full context. (08:38) Hopefully, you can go read the book if you want to know everything Hang on this. Um talks about the fact that those that survive have the ability to be present in their situation. And you go, "Well, of course they are. They're suffering in it." No, that's not necessarily the case and he he explains and lays a scenario out that often leads to people perishing rather than surviving. (09:02) Is that um it's what they call uh future memories and and mind mapping. And so, if I'm going into a situation and he gives us some specific scenarios, but if I'm going into a situation, let's say I'm going to go climb Mount Hood. I start doing preparation to climb Mount Hood from physical to mental as well. And part of that is that our brains, not only do we have past memories, but we make future memories. (09:32) And we don't often think that way, but we do. We'll map things out at the way that we think that they should go. And we try to do the things necessary to make those things happen the way that we have mapped them out in our head. Okay? So, we've created this map. I'm going to climb Mount Hood. (09:51) And I go and I study Mount Hood and what the path is and where it takes me up the mountain. And I know the things that I equipment I'm going to need. I know the techniques that I'm going to need. I I begin to gather this information. And as part of gathering that, I can see myself in those situations. I see myself going, "Okay, I need to be able to pace myself because of the altitude. (10:14) " And I'm And my mind's creating a map of what I'm going to do in the situation that I imagine I'm going to experience. Okay? Can you kind of follow me there just a little bit? All right. So, what happens often times though when people are thrown into situations, when things start to go away from that map that we've created in our mind, problems begin and they've their patterns they can they've tracked these patterns in people now. (10:40) And they know that this is what often happens is that we will tell ourselves in our situation that it's going to be, "Oh, just over that ridge I'll find this trail and it will take me here." And so, we will continue to do things that we if we were to stop, we would go, "That's not smart." in the given situation. (11:01) But, I'll keep trudging on. And what they have found is often times like people will perish out in the wilderness when they had right on their backpacks what they needed to survive. And they the reason they'll abandon their backpack with food and with maybe it's got a rain shelter in it, maybe it's even got matches in it. (11:21) They'll go, "No." In fact, he was showing or telling in this book about one gentleman who was out in the wilderness for lost in the wilderness in Colorado for 5 days. And he wouldn't start a fire though he had the material to start it because it was illegal to start to have a fire outside of the campsites. And I want you to think about that. (11:41) It was snowing. It was below freezing and he wouldn't do it because in his head he had mapped out that you don't do that. You see, so we will create situations where we're not actually present with what's going on around us. And then he takes it out and extrapolates why that's important. He's not just talking about survival in nature. (12:03) He talks about the same thing happens with businesses. They'll do the same thing. They have mapped out what they're going to do and when things start to to deviate from that map instead of stopping and looking at where they are presently deeper into what they have committed to do and it will sink the company. And he gave several examples where companies have done this. (12:26) Then he takes it into the personal and he says we as human beings all will tend to do this even in our daily lives. Because we have pictured ourselves somewhere and we want to get there and in the process of doing that we don't look at where we are. We're not present where we actually are. And so we will do foolish things that will harm us rather than taking into account all that's happening around us and being really honestly valuing that. (12:53) And so point being on that that he makes is those who survive have the ability to rewrite their map and be present where they are. But a lot of us lack the ability to rewrite our map. Okay, let's pray. No, kidding. >> [laughter] >> I just went on a long thing there about a book that you're going I don't know if I'll ever read that. (13:15) There's a point here I'm going to make and I'm going to follow that a little bit this morning. Okay? We're in a series on the promises of God. And God throughout all of scripture, he doesn't make a list of I promise to do this and I do this and I do this if you'll do this, this, this, and this. In fact, I hope you know your Bible well enough to know now what God does is describe himself. (13:40) And from his very character comes promises back to us if we choose to seek him. God is going to be who he is and from his nature comes come the promises that are directly intended for our lives. God is faithful, therefore he promises to be faithful and we benefit from the faithfulness of God if we will seek him. (14:04) We looked at last week, God is loving. He has committed to loving us. Clear back from the beginning of creation, it's been his desire for us to experience his love and that in that he's promised that that love is available to every one of us and we walked through how God demonstrates that love toward us. God displays himself through his promises. (14:28) So when the more we know his promises of God as as developed on the pages of his word, the more we understand God as well. So this morning, I want to take us into I'm going to tie together your mind map and the word of God here this morning is I'm going to take a look at what maps have you made for your life and do they fit within the promises of God? And I want to see if we can't work on our survival skill just a little bit in that we be those become those who learn to rewrite our mental map to where we are presently at in the presence of God. (15:08) Because God desires for us not just to survive, but to thrive. He wants us to know life and to know it to the fullest. That is exactly why Jesus came that we would live within the promises of God. And we are often waiting for what we have mapped out the promise of God to be and to look like down there down the road when I retire, when I get this job, when I get this much money, when I've had these many children, when I'm get this relationship, then we've mapped them all out. (15:39) And in fact, I guarantee you if you and I were to sit here for a few minutes today and be real honest with each other and we were to write out the map that we've created in our mind for our lives, we would discover that often times we are the where the stress and anxiety is and this is one of the things in that book that he talks about comes in when the map doesn't meet reality, we try instead of rewriting the map, we try to force reality to fit the map. (16:09) We do it all the time. That is why, here's one of the weird things that happens in survival situations. There is a known pattern that goes along with survival that when people get into stressful and and hurtful situations, they will often um reject the the right the way out the way to safety without even realizing. (16:31) They'll get there there's a there's a thing that takes place when someone's lost in the wilderness when they begin to realize that the surroundings of familiarity familiarity was in the map in their mind is gone, they will start to just panic. They panic sets in and they'll literally go just running through the woods. They'll just they'll destroy themselves. (16:51) When they should have stayed and if they had thought for a moment they would have realized they should have stayed, but they don't. And so the same thing happens in our lives with God. I honestly believe this that we've written the map and we think we know where it needs to go. And we find ourselves in life anxious, depressed, stressed out, running around and doing things that are nothing but harmful for us. (17:19) And God says, "Do you understand if you'll be still and sit with me, I'll rewrite the map for you because I actually have one for your life." That's part of his promise for us. And so, we're going to be looking today at the fact that and and I and I want us to walk with this together this concept and this truth that God promises to meet all of our needs. (17:45) I want that to sink in with you for just a minute. God promises to meet all of your needs. Where we have problems with it is when God's map for my meeting my needs doesn't line up with my map of what I want. See the problem that gets the rub there? And so, when we're out further on our want map and it doesn't match up the circumstances that God says, "No, this is what you need. (18:16) " we start to panic. And our brain our literally our brains do weird things to us in the midst of those situations. I I could I could spend a whole lot of time on this. A whole neurology of what goes on in the human brain. It's fascinating. Renee was reading me some stuff this morning. (18:35) It is phenomenal what the human brain does. And that is why it's funny Renee made the comment to me, "Science is starting to catch up in the area of neurology, starting to catch up with biblical truth." Because God tells us that we need to think on whatever is good, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely. We We are to to be those who meditate day and night on his word. (18:59) Why do we need to do that? Because it's literally been found when we do that and practice those things, science now has discovered we were actually rewire the brain to the map that God has for our lives. It removes the stress that we bring into our lives. God has a map for you in meeting all of your needs. I want to show that to you this morning. (19:23) I want to look at it just briefly. Give you three ways that God demonstrates that he will meet all of our needs. And then see if we can't learn to practice aligning ourselves with the map that God has planned for you and I. I want to start with a passage out of uh Matthew chapter 6. And contextually uh we should as a church should know where Matthew 6 sits in the teachings of Jesus. (19:52) Matthew chapter 5, Jesus laid out the whole purpose of his coming into our world. Becoming flesh like us, he came to bring the kingdom of God. That we can be those he was restoring and he talks about this all the way through. He he has called us to be those who to come to live in the kingdom of God. We were uh made to live in presence of God where God reigns and we benefit. (20:16) And we live in relationship with him. We rejected it, Christ came to restore it. And in chapter 5, he tells us how that happens. Chapter 6, he develops it out into practical application of living in the kingdom of God. It Put it to you this way. Here's Jesus teaching on being present in the moment. To learn to live when life gets into the situation where we're wondering if we're going to survive, our map is drawn by the giver of life. (20:49) And so when it doesn't look the way that we thought it was going to, we don't panic because he we know he knows better than I know. And it's what it is and I'll put it real simple. We got to give up the want map for the need map and walk with God. But that's not always easy to do. But Jesus talks about it. (21:11) Matthew chapter 6 starting with verse 25. This is a little bit longer section I'm going to read, but I want us to hear what Jesus is saying. This is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life, whether you have enough food or drink or enough clothes to wear. Isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing? I'll try not to take too much time in breaking this down, but Jesus is talking about this very truth right here today that I started us out with is what is it that drives and determines your mental future map. (21:41) And he's saying so many many of us uh in the context of Matthew 6, he's he's saying to us what you tend to do is be consumed by the things you think you need and the things that you want. You're consumed by them. And what it does is it's wiring your brain to always be thinking about what you don't have and what you have to get and when you'll be satisfied. (22:07) And Jesus saying come back and be present. Where? In the kingdom of God. Be present with your provider. Be present with your king. So he can he's he and what's great about this is Jesus is talking about just practical everyday. Don't get more uh base than this. Enough food to drink or what clothes you're going to wear. (22:30) Isn't life more than food and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don't plant or harvest or uh or store food in barns for your heavenly father feeds them. And aren't you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all of your worries add a single moment to your life? And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. (22:53) They don't work to make their clothing. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautiful as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wild flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? So, don't worry about these uh these things saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?" These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers. (23:20) But, your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the kingdom of God above all else and live righteously and he will give you everything you need. I hope maybe that is those verses hit you in a fresh way this morning. And maybe you can, along with me, we can kind of think through what it means that God knows all of my needs. (23:46) And not only does he know all my needs, it says he's going to meet all of my needs. So, I'm I want you to start thinking as we're walking through this this morning, which which map do I follow in my mind? We all have them. We all have our thoughts for the future, what we see coming about, what we want to accomplish, who we want to be, what sets our value. (24:12) Is it a want or is it actually a need? And then I here's one of the things that Jesus does even in this uh passage when he's simplifying it down, he goes, "You don't need as much as you think you need." The things that you want to put on the need list, Jesus coming along and going, "Uh want want want I'll provide your needs. (24:36) " Why is that he would do that? Is that because he God's unkind? God doesn't want us to feel Maybe you think of God as being he gives you just enough to get by, but never gives you enough to enjoy life. We sang a song a little bit ago about God is a good, good father. Jesus goes on by the way here in Matthew, right after this and talks about the fact that he is a good father who gives good gifts to his children. (25:06) And we don't even have a comprehension of what it means to give good gifts, but God does and he gives good gifts to all of his children. So, what we're being told, if we read this in full context, is that I can come to live in the presence of God by recognizing my need and desiring and seeking to follow God. (25:26) I can come into a relationship with God. But in that process, Matthew 5, right? We're going through the Beatitudes again. What happens right in the middle of that? Then you will hunger and thirst for righteousness. Your appetites change. And with a change of appetite in the kingdom of God falls away a lot of the desires that we think we have to have. (25:46) I'm going to tell you something though. You'll never hear me preaching a health and wealth gospel. You you know, fake it till you make it. Uh you can have anything, you just need to claim it. Put your name on it and it's yours. That's not what Jesus taught. Break that news to you. That's not what Jesus taught you. (26:07) He taught you to love his father so much and live seeking to know what God do you want to do with my life today that God will be so delighted in you knowing his presence that out of that relationship flows not only all of your needs, but even the desires of your heart. Because your desire will reflect what you've thought on, what you what you consider, what you meditate, where you go, what's developed your values, what it is that that just drives your existence. (26:40) You're going to want to be in a you'll be in a position where you want to allow all of those things to draw you closer into the presence and knowing the glory of God. And in the process of doing that, God says, "I'll give you whatever you want." God gives good gifts to his children. I'm going to tell you this and I honestly believe it. (27:00) The reason that many of us do not have and again, this is not a health and wealth perspective. This is a not a you can claim it because you're a child of God. It's you are in relationship with God, this is what happens. And I have discovered, Renee and I have discovered in our relationship with God that there's there's several things I I could give you examples of but the simple truth is this. (27:26) God will always meet our needs, no matter how difficult things may seem on the outside. God has always done that. And I mean there has never been a failure on the part of God. There have been times that he has to draw my attention back, absolutely. But God has always met our needs. But you know, beyond that is I if if we seek God with our whole heart, God knows what will also reward our heart. (27:53) And he gives graciously. And he wants this world to be place of enjoying him. So if we seek him, we'll find him. And he gives us and allows us opportunities that will we will know him better. But if I'm not prepared to know him in this situation where getting that will draw me off on a map of my own desires, why would he give that to me? Why would he allow that to take place? He's a good father. (28:19) He's not going to give me something that he knows is going to harm me. I used to ride dirt bikes as a kid. I didn't climb at age five onto a dirt bike and on a on a 400 cc Kawasaki and go and my parents strapped me on it and said, "GO HAVE FUN." BUT I HAD A WHOLE LOT OF FUN ON DIRT BIKES. How did I get to the point where that could happen? I had to went through a process of learning how to be smart on a motorcycle. (28:52) So, they I started on a smaller bike. I was around other people that rode them. I learned what smart and what wasn't. Does that mean every time I was on a bike I was smart? Absolutely not, because when I was out with my friends, we did some of the dumbest things you can imagine. However, I'm still walking. And in the process of that though, I learned what it is to make wise decisions. (29:17) And I got to enjoy those things all the time. The same thing, maybe not a great correlation, but the same thing takes place in my walk with God. He is going to meet my needs in the process of life. And as I learn to walk in his kingdom and in his presence, he goes, "You know, Joel, you would really learn to understand me more if I allow you the into this. (29:44) " And I follow him into that, not demand it because I desired it and God, you got to give it to me. And he allows me new opportunities to express my relationship with him and to know him better. So, God promises to meet all of our needs. So, I want to walk through real quick, just uh a couple of things here this morning. I want to first look at >> [clears throat] >> Here we go, young again. (30:11) Um I want to just start with the first truth that we looked at right there in Matthew 6:32. Where it says, "These things dominate the thoughts of the unbeliever." What things? What clothes are we going to wear? What food am I going to eat? Where am I going to live? How am I going to get there? Uh what I'm going to people going to think of me? Will people like me? Will it be you know, we got this whole list of desires. (30:31) Okay? Not trying to mean to go off that, just clicked in another article I read this week. There this uh generation uh sociologists have been studying this. Has uh literally beginning their to beginning to see in the minds of the the this youngest generation, there's some good things that are starting to happen, but they're in the minds of the young generation are not present 90% of the time in their own life. (31:00) I want you to think about that for a minute. What does that mean? They are often spend most of their time looking at somebody else's life and living by comparison or living a fake life before other people to get attention from those people. And as a result, they don't know how to have interpersonal relationships. (31:23) It's sad, but it's not just sad. They're seeing it's having a very significant mental cost in this upcoming generation. Very significant. And it leads has led to several things now that are new in and cultural norms. In the way we treat each other, the way we interact. Here's Here's just one thing. And And go and look and watch. (31:49) I encourage you to do this. So in fact, I'm thinking of doing this as a test myself in the coming weeks. The One of the best ways to show value to people that they have discovered is by actually looking at them in the in the eyes. What happens when eye contact is made, there is a literal chemical response in the brain that says, "I've been noticed. (32:11) " Now think about that. If you have a generation that spends all their time on a screen and trying to gain attention to feel valued, but never has anybody actually make eye contact with them? What is that doing to them? It's sad. It's hurtful. It It hurts. Here's the challenge I give you. Be present where you are. (32:33) If you are talking with somebody, look them in the eye. It will make him real uncomfortable. Because we have lost that in our culture. Presence is shown through eye contact. So, put the phone down. And enter into the conversation and the relationship by looking at somebody in the eye. (32:56) You can blink and you can look away every once in a while. We don't want to make them think you're too creepy. But, in the process even going through your day if you say see somebody at work, say hi to them. Say hi and stop long enough to make eye contact with them. I guarantee you somebody will say something to you at some point. It's just been weird. (33:18) I feel like you've been looking at me. We need to be seen. Here's the good news. God has seen you long ago. You were his thoughts. And in that, he knows all of your needs. We may not currently see Jesus face-to-face. That day is coming and I long for it. But, this writing of scripture is that God sees you. You are known. You are seen and recognized. (33:52) That's what it means when God says, I've seen you. I know all of your needs. And he's promising to meet those needs. You have been seen by your creator. And he values you. But, let's take it a little bit further. This goes along that line of what I started out with. We often go down the path of desire rather than walk the path of need and it pushes God further from us relationally. (34:20) But, God promises not only to provide, but in his provision to not just meet our needs materially. God is provision is far more than material needs and we have a hard time with that. I want you to think about this. How often is it that we're asking God, even in our prayers and things, the way that we think we have to see something physically tangible to say that God has noticed and responded to me. (34:48) But God's far more interested in you as a person. I want to read to you Philippians 4:18-19. At the moment, I have all I need and more. This is Paul writing to the church in Philippi. Why is he making that statement? Because as he writes this, he's imprisoned in Rome. But he's saying, I have all I need and more. (35:11) I am graciously supplied with the gifts you sent me through Epaphroditus. They are sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. I love the way that Paul sees his situation and sees the way his needs are being met. He sees that what this church has sent to him. There was a There was an interesting situation in Paul's life there when he was in prison. (35:36) And what was common is that prisoners had to provide for themselves. And what that meant was that family members had to come, especially in Paul's situation. They had to take care of him. Others had to take care of the prisoner. And so what's happening, this church in Philippi, the church that Paul started several years ago, has sent gifts to Paul to care for him. (35:56) And he's saying, I see those gifts in light of how God always provides my needs. God is good for me to me. And he is allowing what you have given me, that's actually a praise offering to God. You're giving to God when you're caring for me. Do you see how Paul sees his whole current situation in light of his relationship with God and is not going, God, I I you're not listening to my prayers. (36:23) You need to get me out of prison. I could do so much more for you. We could go out on this area. We haven't gone to Spain yet. We could go to Spain. We could go to this part of the world. We could And And he's not focused on that, is he? He's present where God's placed him and sees every provision as coming from God and gives it back to God as praise. (36:43) And so, what I'm saying is it's not just the physical, whatever it was that they sent to Paul, probably food, probably clothes, different things that they sent to him. But, I want you to hear in his response, he's also emotionally being cared for. He It's It's a It's an uplifting of his spiritual relationship with God. (37:04) God is not just interested in our physical needs. That's why Jesus gives almost a condescending of a statement there in Matthew about, "Why do you worry about your clothes or what you're going to eat or what you're going to wear or you're going to where are you going to be? What? Those things to What? Why are you worried about that?" BECAUSE GOD'S INTERESTED IN YOU as a whole person. (37:26) He's going to take care of you mentally, physically, spiritually. God will care for you. We so limit the activity of God's provision because we want to make it clearly, it's got to be this this car. God, give me this car right now. This number in my bank account. These clothes so I look good when I'm doing my whatever. Because we're in we're down on another road, following a different map, and we're not present with where God is. (37:59) Only saying, "I will take the next step where God leads, not where I will ask God to join me where I go." We've got to understand the difference there. And so often, even in the provisions, when we look at God, we limit his activity because we only see it has to come through what I wanted, so therefore physical, tangible. But, God says, "No, I don't I don't want to rest your heart. (38:25) I want to encourage your spirit. I want to remove the burdens that are weighing you down. I want you to feel the freedom of life that comes from knowing me." God will meet all your needs, but your needs are not confined to what you can go to the store and buy. And there's a third way that God demonstrates his love. (38:49) It's this, God's provision removes the weight of life. You don't think about Do you realize that you and I carry a huge amount of weight every day? I don't know, maybe you're maybe your burden's lighter than mine, that's great. I hope it is. But, it should be light for every one of us. (39:09) Jesus even said, "Take my yoke upon you, for my burden is light." You see, there's a reason why Jesus makes that statement, and it's because we're we're often in our trying to meet our own needs and trying to meet our own wants and desires, we are carrying things that we are never intended to carry. Ever. So, if I can learn to walk with God, you lead me where you want me, suddenly it lifts off of me the demand of the road of desire. (39:42) I have to have that. No, no, you don't. That's not for you. Now, you may you might be able to on your own get it. Good for you. But, you ever consider the cost? And just like God's provision is not always monetary and physical material, often times we don't see the cost, as well. (40:08) The spiritual cost, the emotional cost, the weight of anxiety, the weight of depression, the weight of failure. That's These are the things that come when we seek our own end and follow a map of our own creating. I've dreamed it. I've always wanted it. That's where I've got to be. And when it starts to go off, anxiety gets higher. When I fail, depression sets in. (40:37) When I don't have what I thought I would have and the friends don't seem to be interested and nobody's responding to me, desperation sets in and I decide to think of any way that I can get out of this. You see, we follow that same map that I was mentioning before, what unfolds within the brain in survival situations because I'm trying to survive where I was never intended to be. (41:07) God in his provision lifts the weight of life. I want to take you to Psalm 23. Yeah, I know you're probably very familiar with this passage. Probably you've heard it, memorized it, you know it. So, what is it? The Lord is my what? Shepherd. I have everything I need. Yeah. See, the psalmist starts us right there. (41:32) It's not The Lord is my shepherd. I have some of the things from him and then I'm working on this one and I know I'm going to get here and this one's going to be great and and as soon as, you know, I inherit that, then things will be better and when I do you see it's just simply a stated truth. God's my shepherd. (41:50) I've got everything I need. What's the connection between those two? God is providing my need. He's not worried about, as he's making the statement, I wonder what pasture we're going to eat in today. I wonder if there'll be any grass. Will there be enough for me to eat? I wonder if there'll be any water around to drink. (42:06) I don't know what I'm going to do. Jesus says, "Stop it." God takes care of all those things. He's your shepherd. That's his job. It's what he loves to do. He's there for you. You got everything you need. Isn't that cool? That's exactly what we need to hear. He lets me rest in green meadows. Oh, do we need rest? I don't know about you. (42:31) I do. Do you also know what the psalmist is doing there? Is that when I'm running outside of the care of the shepherd, what's happening? I'm not resting anymore. Rest comes with the shepherd. He leads me beside peaceful streams. He He provides, knowing what I need, he provides it. But, I want you to catch the the modifier there, peaceful streams. (42:54) He doesn't take me by a raging river. Okay, go ahead and wait out there and fill up. See you later. I mean, it's he takes us where I can actually drink. Not only the need, but the ability to have my thirst satiated. It's where I can have it met. He provides. He renews my strength. You mean, he's actually interested in my physical condition? Absolutely. (43:20) He cares. He renews your strength. He guides me along right paths. I want you to catch the word there, he guides me. That means I'm following. I said earlier, it's not arriving somewhere and hoping that God's going to bless it. That's on the wrong map. You're following the wrong thing. It's going to harm you. You're not going to survive. (43:44) Bringing honor to his name. Do you understand what that statement is making there? He's got a personal investment in my survival, my condition. He wants people to be able to look at his flock and it to be seen in our lives who cares for them. They've got everything they need. They don't seem to be stressed out on the latest change that's happening here or there. (44:13) Do I wear a mask? Don't wear a mask. Do I You know, all these things that come at us, the lies that we're constantly told, the deception, the manipulation, all of those things. I don't have to listen to them. I listen to the voice of my shepherd. And he provides everything I need. Everything I need. 1 Peter 5:7, Peter tells us this, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. (44:40) " Wow. Somebody here this morning needs to hear that. And I want to start with the end of that statement. He cares for you. Do you understand that God not only wants to meet your needs, but that he actually cares for you? So that it's not a begrudging God who says, "Okay, here, have a little food." He gives us in abundance. (45:02) As we go on in the 23rd Psalm, what does he do? He prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. In other words, I'm banqueting even when those want to harm me are around me. They can't get to me. They can't touch me. Because my God knows and he cares for my needs. Philippians 4:6 and 7, "Don't worry about anything. (45:26) Instead, pray about everything." Why do I need to pray about everything? Because that's our means of communication with our shepherd. The one who cares. The one who knows what's best. The one who promises to provide. The one who's not going to just provide a little, but everything I need. Should be a constant communication. (45:49) I mentioned it earlier. There are neur- uh neurological sciences showing that the more we repeat a pattern of things that click together in our heads, the pathways develop that keep us on that. We stay true to it, but in the process of that happening within our brains, what's happening spiritually? I am released to live freely in the presence of God. (46:16) There are so many things this body and mind that God gave us is is unbelievable. But it is designed to live in relationship with its creator. We have the ability to many things and seek many things and accomplish many things, but he says, "You know what's going to be best for you? Allow me to meet your needs. (46:39) Let me lead you and I will not only provide I'll provide in the way that will give you everything that you need. I will give you life like you never imagined it to be. I'll be the father who gives you good gifts because you understand that you're only going to find the good things you need from me. God is so good. I'm going to start that verse over. (47:03) Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all that he has done. You see the process of communication is taking place there? That's being present in your current situation. How many times have you prayed earnestly for something, God provided it, and you were on down the road further for the That was just a hurdle in your way and God got it out of the way, good. (47:24) And away you go and then partway down there you remember, "Oh, thanks, God. Okay, now I'm going again." That's not being present. That's asking God to come down your mental map of success rather than following your shepherd on his map of life. He wants to provide everything. Then he will experience you will experience God's peace which exceeds anything you we can understand. (47:51) His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Can I ask you to maybe consider doing that this this week? Try to memorize those two verses right there. Philippians 4:6 and 7. Go over them and over and over. Why? Because I want to I've talked about memorization. We're we're due as a church for our next passage to memorize, so let's make it here. Philippians 4:6 and 7. (48:20) Your brain needs to meditate on the truth of God. Your heart needs your brain to meditate on the truth of God. Your health needs you to meditate on the truth of God. Your mental condition needs you to meditate on the truth of the presence of a loving God who will provide every one of your needs. You need to be uh wiring yourself to the map of survival in the presence of God. (48:48) Start right there, but don't just learn the words, look at the truth of what it's telling you. And it will set you free. So, God knows our needs. God's provision is far more than material, and God's provision removes the weight of life. Amen? Isn't that good? So, let me just challenge this week. Start memorizing Philippians 4:6 and 7. (49:11) Then take the time to examine your heart and surrender your desires to God's will. Then you will know his good, pleasing, and perfect will as it tells us in Romans 12. And that is where life is found. And then seek out opportunities to trust in God's provision in your daily life. In other words, let me put it in this as a vernacular what we talked about today. (49:32) Be present with God in your everyday situation. Be present with God. And you will find the health that he intends for you.