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>> SO WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN LIVING OUR LIVES AWARE
OR LIVING OUR LIVES UNAWARE? YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT WHAT
IT WOULD TAKE TO UNLOCK THE GREATER POTENTIAL
OF AWARENESS IN YOUR LIFE? THAT IS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH
AN AWARENESS OF WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND AND ABOUT YOU,
BOTH GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL AND THEN TAKING HOLD
OF WHAT SIMPLY IS IN FRONT OF US EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WELL, THE SERIES OF MESSAGES I'M SPEAKING RIGHT NOW
ARE ON AN AWARENESS THAT SETS YOU UP TO WIN,
AND I PRAY AS I CONTINUE ON THIS MESSAGE TODAY
THAT IT SPEAKS LIFE INTO YOU. STAY WITH ME.
LET'S ENJOY THIS TIME TOGETHER.
>> DO YOU KNOW, I PRAY THAT GOD CAN OPEN OUR EYES, SPIRITUALLY
SPEAKING, AND THAT WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES IN A WAY AND WITH
AN URGENCY WHERE WE WANT TO HEIGHTEN OUR AWARENESS
BECAUSE SO MUCH COMES OUT OF AWARENESS.
SO MUCH GOD-GIVEN POSSIBILITY. IT'S THROUGH AWARENESS THAT YOU
CAN ACCESS GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL AND GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE,
AND GOD-GIVEN PROMISE. MANY PEOPLE DON'T HAVE ACCESS
TO GOD'S PURPOSE. GOD'S PROMISE.
YOUR GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL. NOT BECAUSE GOD IS NOT REAL,
NOT BECAUSE HIS CALL AND HIS ANOINTING AND HIS PURPOSE
FOR YOUR LIFE IS NOT REAL, BUT BECAUSE YOU ARE LIVING
SOME WAY WHERE THE CONNECTION, WHERE THE COMBINATIONS,
WHERE YOU'RE JUST NOT PUTTING TOGETHER JUST EXACTLY
WHAT IS AVAILABLE IN CHRIST. YOU ARE UNAWARE.
SO I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO RECOGNIZE
THAT THERE ARE LITTLE KEYS THAT ACTUALLY OPEN ACCESS
TO GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE, AND SOMETIMES THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN FRUSTRATION AND PURPOSE CAN BE SO SMALL.
BUT YOU CAN KNOW THE PURPOSE AND THE PROMISE OF GOD
IF YOU GET A REVELATION OF JESUS AND THE PURPOSE
OF GOD AND THE CALL OF GOD AND THE LOVE OF JESUS
AND THE GRACE OF GOD AND HIS GOODNESS
IN YOUR LIFE IN JESUS' NAME. THROUGH AWARENESS, I BELIEVE YOU
CAN HAVE A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF OCCASION.
THINK ABOUT IT FOR A MOMENT. A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF OCCASION.
A HEIGHTENED SENSE OF CONSEQUENCE.
YOU CAN HAVE A SENSE OF DIRECTION AND A SENSE
OF TIMING AND A SENSE OF PURPOSE.
AND YOU PUT THOSE THINGS TOGETHER AND SUDDENLY YOU FIND
YOU HAVE A COMBINATION TO ACCESS YOUR GOD-GIVEN POTENTIAL.
IF WE BECOME AWARE OF WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST, IF WE BECOME AWARE
OF GOD-GIVEN POSSIBILITY, IT'S INCREDIBLE
WHAT CAN BE ACCESSED. AND BREAKING INTO ALL THAT GOD
HAS FOR YOU IN JESUS' NAME.
>> I BELIEVE AWARENESS CAN LIFT YOUR SENSE OF OCCASION.
I'VE SPOKEN PUBLICLY OVER THE LAST 30, 35 YEARS,
I WOULD GUESS THOUSANDS OF TIMES, THOUSANDS OF TIMES,
AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE WORST NIGHTMARES
YOU CAN HAVE AS A PUBLIC SPEAKER IS JUST
THE THOUGHT OF STANDING UP AND LITERALLY
HAVING NOTHING TO SAY. I MEAN, NOTHING COMES OUT.
OR MISSING THE OCCASION AND HAVING THE WRONG SPEECH
FOR THE WRONG OCCASION. THAT'S A HORRIBLE FEELING.
WHEN YOU SUDDENLY THINK YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE OCCASION
AND I'LL TELL YOU WHY I'M SAYING THIS, BECAUSE DO YOU KNOW THERE
ARE SPECIFIC OCCASIONS, GOD APPOINTMENTS,
DIVINE ENCOUNTERS, AND WE CAN LIVE OUR LIVES
OBLIVIOUS TO A GOD-INSPIRED APPOINTMENT OR OCCASION THAT CAN
CHANGE THE COURSE OF A LIFE, CHANGE THE COURSE OF A DESTINY.
IT CAN PUT SOMETHING IN YOUR SPIRIT,
TURN SOMETHING AROUND, CHANGE SOMETHING, AND THAT'S
A HORRIBLE FEELING. LIKE, YOU TURN UP DRESSED--
EITHER OVER DRESSED, YOU THOUGHT IT WAS
A FANCY DRESS PARTY. YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE.
SOMEONE HERE'S PROBABLY MADE THAT MISTAKE.
YOU CAME DRESSED UP IN A DINNER SUIT NOT KNOWING
THAT EVERYBODY ELSE WAS IN T-SHIRTS AND SHORTS,
OR THE OPPOSITE. YOU CAME IN T-SHIRT AND SHORTS
AND THIS IS SOME FORMAL--NOW, THERE'S PEOPLE HERE
WHO COULDN'T CARE LESS. "WELL, THIS IS WHO I AM."
I KNOW THAT. YOU KNOW, WE CAN COME
INTO GOD'S HOUSE, CAP BACK TO FRONT,
JEANS HANGING DOWN OFF OUR BUTT, AND ALL OF THAT
IS FINE TO A POINT, TO A POINT.
AS LONG AS IT DOESN'T REFLECT WHAT YOU THINK OF THE OCCASION.
BECAUSE ON THIS OCCASION RIGHT NOW, IT'S THE WILL OF GOD
FOR PEOPLE HERE TO HAVE A DIVINE ENCOUNTER, TO HAVE
A GOD-GIVEN APPOINTMENT. WHAT WOULD CAUSE YOUR EYE
TO LIVE OUR LIVES WHERE WE DON'T HAVE
THAT SENSE OF OCCASION? THAT CAN COME OUT OF SERVING GOD
AND SEEKING GOD. I WAS TALKING ABOUT SPEAKING
AND THERE IS A MAN IN THIS ROOM WHO'S A PASTOR,
A LEADER, PREACHES IN OUR CHURCH
FROM TIME TO TIME. HE WAS AT A TIME A SENIOR PASTOR
OF ANOTHER CHURCH, MAYBE 30 MINUTES FROM HERE.
I'LL KEEP WHO HE IS ANONYMOUS. I WOULDN'T WANT ANYTHING ABOUT
WHAT I SAY TO MAKE IT OBVIOUS BECAUSE ONE TIME HE WAS HAVING
IN HIS CHURCH A BREAKFAST OR A DINNER FOR ALL
OF HIS BUSINESS PEOPLE, AND I WAS THE SPEAKER.
SO I HAD JUST IN RECENT TIME SPOKEN A PARTICULAR MESSAGE
THAT I THOUGHT WAS THE PERFECT MESSAGE FOR THE OCCASION.
SO WE'RE SITTING, WE'RE HAVING OUR DINNER.
IT'S GETTING TOWARD TIME WHERE I HAD TO SPEAK.
AND LITERALLY HE'S ABOUT TO INTRODUCE ME, AND HE SAYS,
"WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO SPEAK ON?"
AND I SAYS, "WELL, I'M GOING TO SPEAK ON SUCH AND SUCH."
HE SAYS, "YOU CAN'T DO THAT." AND I'M GOING, "WHY?"
HE SAYS, "BECAUSE I DID THAT LAST SUNDAY."
SO NOW I'M AT THE RIGHT OCCASION, BUT IT JUST SEEMS LIKE
I GOT THE WRONG MESSAGE. DO YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE LIVE
THEIR LIVES, IT'S NOT AS THOUGH THEY'VE GOT THE WRONG OCCASION,
THEY JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POWER OF THE MESSAGE.
ALL DRESSED UP WITH NOWHERE TO GO.
MISSING THE SENSE OF OCCASION. NO SERVICE
IS JUST ANOTHER SERVICE. NO CHANCE TO GIVE
IS JUST ANOTHER OFFERING. NO ENCOUNTER WITH PEOPLE
IS JUST ANOTHER CONVERSATION. YOU WATCH GEORGE STREET
IN THE DOWNTOWN SYDNEY AREA, AND YOU'LL SEE THOUSANDS,
THOUSANDS OF FACES GET ON A TRAIN IN RUSH HOUR
IN SYDNEY AND THERE'S JUST ALL THESE FACES.
THEY'RE ALL JUST A CROWD. A CROWD, A CROWD.
A CROWD, A CROWD. HERE WE JUST GOT A CROWD.
A GREAT CROWD OF PEOPLE. A CROWD, A CROWD, A CROWD.
FACE, FACE, FACE, FACE, CROWD, CROWD, FACE, FACE, FACE, FACE.
BROKEN HEART. DEVASTATION.
LOST SOMEONE THIS LAST WEEK. THAT'S WHY I ACTUALLY TAKE TIME
WHEN I WATCH PEOPLE. AND I LOVE WATCHING PEOPLE.
TO TRY TO THINK ABOUT THE FACT THAT ALL THESE FACES,
NORMAL LOOKING PEOPLE, THIS IS NOT JUST A FACE.
THIS IS A LIFE. 'CAUSE I WANT TO LIVE
MY LIFE AWARE. I WANT TO HAVE
A SENSE OF OCCASION. IN MATTHEW 25,
JESUS TELLS A STORY OF A BRIDEGROOM WHO CALLS TIME
FOR THE WEDDING AND INVITED TO THE WEDDING WERE FIVE WISE
VIRGINS, FIVE FOOLISH VIRGINS. AND IT SAYS IN MATTHEW 25:1,
"THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SHALL BE LIKENED THESE TEN VIRGINS WHO
TOOK THEIR LAMPS AND WENT OUT TO MEET THE BRIDEGROOM."
IT SAYS, "NOW FIVE OF THEM WERE WISE, FIVE WERE FOOLISH.
THOSE WHO WERE FOOLISH TOOK THEIR LAMPS AND TOOK NO OIL
WITH THEM." IT SAYS, "BUT THE WISE TOOK OIL
IN THEIR VESSELS WITH THEIR LAMPS, BUT WHILE THE BRIDEGROOM
WAS DELAYED, THEY ALL SLUMBERED AND SLEPT."
NOTHING WRONG WITH SLEEPING. THEY ALL SLEPT.
IT'S JUST THAT SOME HAD A SENSE OF OCCASION,
AND THE OTHERS DIDN'T. THEY COMPLETELY
UNDERESTIMATED THE OCCASION. "AND AT MIDNIGHT A CRY WAS
HEARD, 'BEHOLD THE BRIDEGROOM IS COMING.
GO OUT TO MEET HIM.' THEN ALL THOSE VIRGINS
AROSE AND TRIMMED THEIR LAMP," BUT LISTEN,
"THE FOOLISH SAID TO THE WISE, 'GIVE US SOME OF YOUR OIL,
FOR OUR LAMPS ARE GOING OUT.' BUT THE WISE ANSWERS SAYING,
'NO, LEST THERE SHOULD NOT BE ENOUGH FOR YOU AND US,
BUT GO RATHER--" THEY SELL-- "BUY FOR YOURSELVES.'"
THE LONG STORY IS, FIVE WERE READY AND THEY WENT IN.
FIVE WERE NOT READY, THEY HAD COMPLETELY MISUNDERSTOOD
THE OCCASION, AND THEY MISSED OUT.
AND THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, FINISHING THEIR STORY
IN VERSE 13, "WATCH THEREFORE FOR YOU
KNOW NEITHER THE DAY NOR THE HOUR IN WHICH
THE SON OF MAN IS COMING." YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND
THE OCCASION OF THE CROSS. ALL OF THIS ACTIVITY AND PEOPLE.
I DID A MESSAGE ON BEING DISTRACTED BY PEOPLE.
THE VERY THING GOD CALLED US TO, PEOPLE, CAN BE THE VERY
THING THAT DISTRACTS US FROM WHAT GOD HAS CALLED US TO
AND THAT'S PEOPLE. AND EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT MOMENT
IN JOHN 12 FOR JESUS WAS PEOPLE. HE SAYS, "WHEN IT WAS ALL ABOUT
DYING FOR PEOPLE, LAYING DOWN HIS LIFE FOR THE SAKE
OF HUMANITY," HE SAYS, "AND IT'S FOR THIS PURPOSE,
FOR THIS CAUSE, I HAVE COME TO THIS HOUR."
AND DO YOU KNOW THERE WE'RE ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE
ON EVERY SIDE TRYING TO TAKE BITS OF HIM?
SOME WANTED AN INTERVIEW, SOME WERE AGAINST HIM,
SOME WERE FOR HIM, SOME WERE OPPOSING, SOME DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND, BUT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL, JESUS SAID,
"WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE ME SAY? SAVE ME FROM THIS HOUR?"
YOU SEE, THIS WAS AN UNBELIEVABLE OCCASION
FOR HUMANITY. BUT IT SEEMED SO MANY NEVER
HAD THAT SENSE OF OCCASION THAT ENABLED THEM
TO LIVE THEIR LIFE AWARE. TOMORROW IT'S MONDAY.
IT'S A MONDAY. DO YOU KNOW MONDAYS ARE MONDAYS?
IT'S ONLY RAINY DAYS ON MONDAYS THAT GET US DOWN ACCORDING
TO AN OLD SONG, DON'T GET ME DOWN,
I LOVE MY MONDAYS. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THIS,
IT'S MONDAY. JUST A MONDAY.
YOU'VE HAD A MONDAY BEFORE. MAYBE YOU'LL HAVE
ANOTHER MONDAY AGAIN. IT'S MONDAY.
DON'T JUST LET IT BE MONDAY. HAVE A SENSE OF OCCASION.
LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH AN AWARENESS.
EVERY--EVERY CONVERSATION, EVERY POSSIBILITY,
EVERY OPPORTUNITY, LET'S BELIEVE FOR GOD
TO HEIGHTEN OUR AWARENESS BECAUSE OUT OF IT
WILL COME ACCESS INTO PROMISE AND PURPOSE AND POTENTIAL
IN JESUS' NAME. NOT ONLY DOES IT BRING A SENSE
OF OCCASION, BUT ALSO WHEN YOU LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH A COMMITMENT
TO AWARENESS, DISCERNING, PERCEPTIVENESS, JESUS PERCEIVED.
HE PERCEIVED THE SCRIPTURE SAYS. IT'S LIVING YOUR LIFE IN A WAY
WHERE YOU'RE LISTENING, WHERE YOU'RE NOT JUST LOOKING,
YOU'RE SEEING. IT'S DIFFERENT.
YOU CAN BE IN HERE AND THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE
WHO COULD BE LOOKING AT SOMETHING AND THERE
COULD BE SOMEONE ELSE WHO IS SEEING SOMETHING.
IT'S DIFFERENT. I BELIEVE GOD TO SEE PEOPLE
WHO NEVER LOSE THEIR SENSE OF CONSEQUENCE.
SEE, THE REALITY IS, ONE THING THAT'S ETERNAL THAT THE BIBLE
DESCRIBES IN GENESIS 8, "WHILE THE EARTH REMAINS,
SEEDTIME AND HARVEST." I'M TALKING ABOUT CONSEQUENCE.
IN OTHER WORDS, EVERY SEED SOWN HAS A HARVEST.
IN THIS SENSE EVERY ACTION HAS A REACTION.
TALKS ABOUT COLD AND HEAT, WINTER AND SUMMER, AND DAY
AND NIGHT SHALL NOT CEASE. SO THESE ARE ETERNAL THINGS,
OR AT LEAST THROUGHOUT THE COURSE OF TIME
THEY REACH BACK TO THE-- FROM ETERNITY PAST ALL THE WAY
THROUGH TO ETERNITY FUTURE. YOU KNOW SOMETHING?
THAT'S EASY FOR YOU AND I TO KNOW THAT, YOU KNOW THAT;
YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW, YOU KNOW THAT.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE HOW IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL OF THAT,
JUST YOUR SERVING JESUS, JUST FOR FAITH IN GOD,
YOUR GROWING IN CHRIST, ALL OF THAT, HOW IN THE MIDDLE
OF IT, SOMEHOW YOU JUST BECOME JADED IN YOUR SENSE
OF CONSEQUENCE. PARENTS RAISING CHILDREN
TO HONOR GOD AND HONOR THE HOUSE OF GOD,
AND RAISE CHILDREN TO PUT THE HOUSE OF GOD FIRST,
AND YOU THINK "OH, YOU KNOW, COUPLE OF WEEKS TIME,
WE'LL GO IN 3 WEEKS, IN A MONTH, YOU KNOW,
IT'S ALL RIGHT. IT'S ALL RIGHT."
BUT DON'T EVER, EVER LOSE AWARENESS OR YOUR SENSE
OF CONSEQUENCE. SEEDTIME AND HARVEST.
WHEN IT COMES TO PERSONAL DEVOTION, SKIP A DAY,
SKIP A WEEK, SKIP A MONTH. WE'RE IN CHURCH,
YOU KNOW, IT'S OKAY. BUT DON'T EVER LOSE YOUR SENSE
OF CONSEQUENCE. WHEN IT COMES TO RELATIONSHIPS
AND FRIENDSHIPS, 1 CORINTHIANS 15:33
IS FOR EVERYBODY ELSE. THIS IS WHAT IT SAYS,
"BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER."
"BAD COMPANY CORRUPTS GOOD CHARACTER."
YOU KNOW, IT'S AN INTERESTING THING THAT, BECAUSE WE SEE THAT
IN OTHER PEOPLE, "OH, THEY JUST GOT IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD."
EVEN BELIEVERS, "OH, THEY JUST GOT IN WITH THE WRONG CROWD."
IS EVERY NON-CHRISTIAN PERSON BAD COMPANY?
NO ACTUALLY, THERE'S A LOT OF INCREDIBLE WONDERFUL PEOPLE.
IS EVERY CHRISTIAN GOOD COMPANY? NO ACTUALLY, THERE'S A LOT
OF PEOPLE THERE WHO SOMEWHERE, YOU KNOW, HAVE COMMITTED
TO CHRIST BUT THEY'RE FULL OF BITTERNESS AND ANGER
AND FULL OF THINGS AND YOU KNOW IT'S AMAZING
HOW WE CAN FORGET THAT WHAT'S ETERNAL IS ETERNAL.
YOU'RE GOING TO MAKE CHOICES. IF YOU WANT TO RAISE
YOUR AWARENESS, YOU BECOME JADED.
YOU LOSE YOUR SENSE OF OCCASION. YOU LOSE YOUR SENSE
OF CONSEQUENCE. YOU FORGET THAT EVERY ACTION
HAS A REACTION. YOU FORGET THAT EVEN THOUGH
YOU'VE DONE THIS A THOUSAND TIMES THAT IN ACTUAL FACT
THE WAY WE RESPOND IT IS DETERMINING THINGS
THAT ARE ETERNAL THINGS THAT ARE BIGGER THAN OURSELVES.
WE FORGET THAT THE CHOICES WE MAKE, THE DECISIONS WE WATCH,
THE THINGS WE WATCH, THE THINGS THAT HAPPEN
AROUND AND ABOUT US, WE CAN HAVE ALL THIS
AND YOU KNOW, I'M AN EXPERIENCED CHRISTIAN.
I'M AN EXPERIENCED CHRISTIAN. I'VE BEEN A CHRISTIAN NOW
FOR SINCE I WAS A LITTLE BOY. I'M A VERY,
VERY EXPERIENCED CHRISTIAN. I'VE BEEN GOING TO CHURCH,
THE SALVATION ARMY WHEN I WAS A LITTLE CHILD.
I'VE BEEN GOING TO CHURCH ALL MY LIFE, EVEN WHEN I
DIDN'T REALLY KNOW JESUS PERSONALLY, I WENT TO CHURCH.
I'VE BEEN IN CHURCH. I'VE BEEN IN BIBLE COLLEGE.
I GO TO SERVICES 6 TIMES A WEEK, MAYBE 10, 12, 15 TIMES A WEEK.
I'M AN EXPERIENCED CHRISTIAN. CHURCH IS MY WORLD.
YOU KNOW, PRAISING GOD, THAT'S WHO I AM.
AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THAT, THE GREAT DANGER
IS TO FORGET THAT I AM STILL SOWING SEEDS THAT HAVE
A CONSEQUENCE. WE CAN LOSE OUR SENSE
OF AWARENESS. NOW, I DON'T KNOW WHAT AREA
YOU'VE BECOME A LITTLE JADED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT AREAS WHERE
MAYBE YOU JUST NEED TO JUST ALLOW THE GRACE, THE KNOWING
THAT GOD IS GOD, THE BELIEVING IN YOUR HEART
TO ACTUALLY BE THAT LITTLE THING
THAT'S THE KEY, THE PIN NUMBER, THE PASSWORD,
THE COMBINATION-LOCK OPENER, BUT I DO KNOW WE JUST
NEED TO CONTINUE TO ASK GOD, OPEN OUR HEARTS,
OPEN OUR HEARTS, HELP US TO LIVE OUR LIVES AWARE.
LET'S DECIDE THAT WE ARE GOING TO LIVE OUR LIFE WHERE WE
BELIEVE GOD FOR OUR AWARENESS TO GROW AND ACCESS GOD-GIVEN
POTENTIAL AND PURPOSE AND PROMISE IN JESUS' NAME.
>> I BELIEVE THAT THE BIBLE, THE WORD OF GOD,
SETS US UP TO LIVE OUR LIVES WITH THE KIND OF AWARENESS
THAT REALLY DOES PUT YOU IN A POSITION TO BREAK THROUGH
WHETHER IT'S DISCOURAGEMENT OR OPPOSITION OR WHETHER
IT'S JUST CIRCUMSTANCES, AWARENESS.
WE'RE SET UP FOR SPIRITUAL AWARENESS THROUGH THE GIFTS
OF THE SPIRIT, THROUGH SO MANY OF THE RESOURCES THAT COME OUT
OF A WEALTH OF GOD'S WORD. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE SET UP
TO LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH THE KIND OF AWARENESS WHERE YOU DON'T
ALLOW LIFE TO HAPPEN TO YOU, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT LIFE
HAPPENS IN YOU BECAUSE THERE'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE
IN THAT. WHEN WE JUST LET LIFE HAPPEN
TO US, THEN WE BECOME VICTIMS TO LIFE.
BUT WHEN WE LET LIFE HAPPEN IN US, THEN WHAT'S IN US ULTIMATELY
DETERMINES WHAT'S GOING ON AROUND AND ABOUT US.
SO THAT'S THE WAY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE.
AWARENESS. IT'S NOT JUST SORT OF LIVING
YOUR LIFE WITH AN AWARENESS OF THE THINGS THAT IT'S EASY
TO BE AWARE OF. IT'S THINKING ABOUT THE TIMES
AND THE THINGS THAT WE LIVE OUR LIVES UNAWARE.
BEING AWARE OF THE NEEDS OF OUR PARTNER, OUR WIFE,
YOUR HUSBAND, OR YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR FAMILY.
BEING MORE AWARE OF WHAT'S GOING ON
IN OUR EVERY-DAY INTERACTIONS. BECOMING AWARE OF WHAT GOD'S
WANTING TO DO IN OUR LIFE IN EVERY-DAY CIRCUMSTANCE.
AWARENESS OR UNAWARENESS. IT CAN MAKE THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN STEPPING UP AND WINNING OR DRAWING BACK AND LIVING UNDER
THE POWER OF THE WORLD AROUND AND ABOUT YOU.
LET'S LIVE OUR LIVES MORE AWARE.
>> YOU KNOW, THERE WERE MANY TIMES IN MY LIFE THAT, YOU KNOW,
I ACTUALLY REALLY WANTED TO RUN AWAY FROM
THE SITUATION I WAS IN, RUN AWAY FROM, YOU KNOW, ALL THE HURTS
AND THE PAINS THAT WAS HAPPENING IN MY WORLD.
AT THE AGE OF 5 YEARS OLD, MY MOM REMARRIED AND SHE--
SHE ACTUALLY REMARRIED AN EX-GANG MEMBER.
THERE WAS MANY YEARS THAT WENT BY, AND I--I WAS THE AGE OF 9,
AND THE DRUGS AND EVERYTHING GOT A LITTLE BIT TOO MUCH,
AND HE ACTUALLY ENDED UP, YOU KNOW, SEXUALLY ABUSING ME.
DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS A DREAM, DIDN'T KNOW IF IT WAS SOMETHING
THAT I WAS MAKING UP IN MY MIND 'CAUSE I NEVER THOUGHT
THAT A--THAT A FATHER, OR EVEN A STEP-FATHER,
COULD HURT THEIR LITTLE GIRL. IN MY JOURNEY AS BEING
A CHRISTIAN, YOU START TO UNDERSTAND CHRIST'S LOVE
AND CHRIST'S FORGIVENESS FOR YOU.
I NEEDED TO MAKE THINGS RIGHT, AND I NEEDED TO FORGIVE
THE PEOPLE THAT HURT ME THE MOST.
JUST LAST YEAR, I JUST FELT PROMPTED TO WRITE MY STEP-FATHER
A LETTER AND TO SAY HOW MUCH I FORGAVE HIM, THAT I REALLY
DID FORGIVE HIM, AND THAT GOD HAD A PLAN FOR HIS LIFE.
BECAUSE OF THAT LETTER IN THAT--AND THE LOVE OF CHRIST
THAT WAS KIND OF BROUGHT THROUGH THAT LETTER, MY STEP-DAD
KNEELED DOWN IN HIS ROOM, AND MY MOTHER LED HIM INTO
THE SINNER'S PRAYER, AND NOW SPEAKING TO HIM
ON THE PHONE, HE'S A DIFFERENT PERSON AND THAT IS ONLY--
ONLY BECAUSE OF CHRIST. YOU KNOW, LOOKING BACK
WHEN I WAS THAT LITTLE GIRL, ALL I WANTED TO DO
WAS RUN AWAY, BUT I'M NOW RUNNING
TO THE ARMS OF CHRIST. I'M RUNNING WITH--WITH
FORGIVENESS IN MY HEART, AND I KNOW THAT SOMETIMES
THERE MIGHT BE BUMPS ALONG THE JOURNEY, BUT I KNOW
THERE'S AN ANSWER AND HIS NAME IS JESUS CHRIST.
>> I PRAY YOU WILL NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POTENTIAL YOU
HAVE TO LIVE A LIFE WITH JESUS CHRIST
AS YOUR SOURCE. ANYONE WHO OPENS THEIR LIFE UP
TO GOD CAN KNOW THE PURPOSE OF GOD WORKING IN THEM
AND WORKING THROUGH THEM AND ALSO OPENING YOUR LIFE
UP TO GOD-GIVEN ETERNAL PURPOSE.
MAN, WHAT A PRIVILEGE THAT IS. HEY, I PRAY FOR YOU.
I PRAY THIS WEEK WILL BE A GREAT WEEK IN YOUR LIFE.
GOD BLESS YOU. THANKS FOR JOINING ME,
AND DON'T EVER FORGET THE BEST IS YET TO COME.
>> YOU ARE MY LIGHT YOU ARE MY STRENGTH
YOU ARE MY ROCK ON YOU I STAND
I LIFT MY VOICE I RAISE MY HANDS
I LIFT MY SOUL WITH ALL I AM
IN CHRIST FOREVER I'LL STAND
I WILL BELIEVE
YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH IN MY WEAKNESS
GOD BE LIFTED UP AND I WILL SING
LIFT YOUR PRAISES HIGH LORD BE MAGNIFIED
YOU MAKE ALL THINGS NEW I WILL BELIEVE.
[MUSIC]
SO HEAR THIS SONG RECEIVE OUR PRAISE
YOU ARE OUR STRENGTH FOR ALL OUR DAYS
WE LIFT YOU UP OUR VOICES HIGH
IN EVERY STORM LET GOD ARISE
IN CHRIST FOREVER I'LL STAND
AND I WILL BELIEVE
YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH IN MY WEAKNESS
GOD BE LIFTED UP AND I WILL SING
LIFT YOUR PRAISES HIGH LORD BE MAGNIFIED
YOU MAKE ALL THINGS NEW I WILL BELIEVE
[MUSIC]
>> ON THAT DAY WHEN I SEE ALL THAT YOU HAVE FOR ME
WHEN I SEE YOU FACE TO FACE
THERE SURROUNDED BY YOUR GRACE
ALL MY FEAR IS SWEPT AWAY IN THE LIGHT OF YOUR EMBRACE
WHEN YOUR LOVE IS ALL I NEED AND FOREVER I AM FREE
WHERE THE STREETS ARE MADE OF GOLD
IN YOUR PRESENCE HEALED AND WHOLE
LET THE SONGS OF HEAVEN RISE TO YOU ALONE
NO WEEPING NO HURT OR PAIN
NO SUFFERING YOU HOLD ME NOW
YOU HOLD ME NOW NO DARKNESS
NO SICK OR LAME NO HIDING
YOU HOLD ME NOW YOU HOLD ME NOW
[MUSIC]
IN THIS LIFE I WILL STAND THROUGH MY JOY AND MY PAIN
KNOWING THERE'S A GREATER DAY
THERE'S A HOPE THAT NEVER FAILS
WHERE YOUR NAME IS LIFTED HIGH
AND FOREVER PRAISES RISE FOR THE GLORY OF YOUR NAME
I'M BELIEVING FOR THE DAY
WHEN THE WARS AND VIOLENCE CEASE
ALL CREATION LIVES IN PEACE LET THE SONGS OF HEAVEN
RISE TO YOU ALONE NO WEEPING
NO HURT OR PAIN NO SUFFERING
YOU HOLD ME NOW YOU HOLD ME NOW
NO DARKNESS NO SICK OR LAME
NO HIDING--
>> THE END OF AN ERA IS NOT THE COMPLETION OF A DESTINY.
MOMENTUM COMES WHEN WE BELIEVE THE BEST FOR THE FUTURE, WE KEEP
SPEAKING LIFE INTO THE FUTURE AND WE COMMIT TO THE FUTURE.
>> THE SPIRIT OF GOD IS UPON US TO PREACH THE GOSPEL,
TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED AND TO PROCLAIM
THE ACCEPTABLE DAY OF OUR GOD.
[MUSIC]
>> IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE. IT'S ABOUT THE PURPOSES OF GOD.
IT'S ABOUT CONNECTING GOD'S HEART WITH GOD'S PEOPLE AND
SEEING PEOPLE RISE UP AND BE ALL THAT GOD HAS CALLED THEM TO BE.