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[MUSIC]
>> SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON MISSION
AND ON SONG AND ON PURPOSE? WHAT ARE THE COMMITMENTS
FOR THE PURPOSEFUL? DO YOU THINK THERE'S
A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN YOUR SPIRITUAL LIFE
AND THE REST OF YOUR LIFE? ARE YOU DELIBERATE
ABOUT THE DIRECTION YOUR LIFE IS TAKING?
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME TODAY ON "HILLSONG TELEVISION."
I'M SPEAKING ABOUT LIVING ON MISSION,
ON SONG, AND ON PURPOSE. IT'S REALLY ABOUT
BEING PURPOSEFUL IN THE WAY WE LIVE OUR LIVES.
I PRAY IT BLESSES YOU. I PRAY IT HELPS YOU.
>> WE BEGAN THIS YEAR WITH THE THEME "ON MISSION."
MISSIO DEI, THE MISSION OF GOD OR THE SENDING OF GOD.
I WANT TO SPEAK TONIGHT ABOUT LIVING YOUR LIFE,
LISTEN CAREFULLY, ON MISSION, ON SONG, ON PURPOSE.
ON MISSION, ON SONG, ON PURPOSE. YESTERDAY WE HAD A BREAKFAST
IN OUR CHURCH. IT WAS AMAZING.
ACROSS OUR CHURCH, WE HAD 2,600 PEOPLE
ON A WET SATURDAY MORNING FOR BREAKFAST, AND THAT'S
A TESTIMONY IN ITSELF. AND AT THAT BREAKFAST, WE HAD
THE CHANCE TO SPEAK SOME OF OUR PLANS AND SOME OF OUR DREAMS
AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT RELATE TO THE DIRECTION WE'RE
GOING AS A CHURCH, AND I HAD THE CHANCE TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE
AND INSPIRE FAITH IN PEOPLE. IT WAS A GREAT MORNING.
AND I WAS SPEAKING FROM MATTHEW 25
ON A PARABLE JESUS TOLD, PERHAPS MY FAVORITE STORY.
I'VE ALSO BEEN SPEAKING TO OUR STUDENTS AND OUR STAFF
FROM THIS PARABLE, AND IT'S THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS.
THE PARABLE OF THE TALENTS IS A GREAT ANALOGY FOR OUR GIFTINGS
AND OUR TALENTS, BUT A TALENT IN THE NEW TESTAMENT RELATES TO
CURRENCY, A SUM OF MONEY. AND IT'S A STORY JESUS TOLD
WHERE A MASTER, VERSE 14, WAS GOING ON A VERY LONG JOURNEY.
AND JESUS SAID, "THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IS LIKE A MAN
TRAVELING TO A FAR COUNTRY, WHO CALLED HIS OWN SERVANTS
AND DELIVERED HIS GOODS TO THEM. AND TO ONE HE GAVE FIVE TALENTS,
TO ANOTHER TWO, AND TO ANOTHER ONE, TO EACH
ACCORDING TO HIS OWN ABILITY; AND IMMEDIATELY HE WENT ON
A JOURNEY," THE BIBLE SAYS. IT GOES ON AND TELLS US
HOW THAT THE FIRST TWO, THEY WERE PURPOSEFUL WITH
WHAT THEY WERE ENTRUSTED WITH. AND NOT ONLY WERE THEY ABLE TO
GIVE TO THE MASTER WHEN HE CAME BACK AFTER A LONG TIME
THOSE FIVE TALENTS BACK, BUT THEY DOUBLED IT AND
WERE ABLE TO GIVE HIM DOUBLE. THE ONE WHO HAD FIVE DID THAT,
THE ONE WHO DID TWO. BUT THE OTHER TOOK
A DIFFERENT TACT. RATHER THAN BE PURPOSEFUL
WITH IT, HE WAS PURPOSELESS AND HE HID IT IN THE GROUND.
DO YOU KNOW THIS ROOM IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE AND MANY, PERHAPS,
HAVE GOD-GIVEN GIFT AND GOD-GIVEN TALENT AND THINGS
THAT WE HIDE IN THE GROUND. AND DO YOU KNOW THE AMAZING
THING IS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS THAT HE HID HIS LORD'S MONEY
IN THE GROUND. SO IT WASN'T ACTUALLY HIS.
DO YOU KNOW THE GIFT AND TALENT THAT OFTEN WE DECIDE TO LAY IN
THE GROUND THAT STANDS DORMANT, THE THINGS THAT YOU REALLY ARE
NOT STEPPING UP AND USING FOR GOD'S PURPOSE, IT'S NOT YOURS.
AND YET MAYBE LIKE THIS ONE SERVANT,
YOU'VE HID IT IN THE GROUND. WELL, DO YOU KNOW TO LIVE YOUR
LIFE ON MISSION MEANS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE.
2 TIMOTHY CHAPTER 1, VERSE 9, I LOVE THIS VERSE.
AGAIN, LISTEN TO IT. "HE HAS SAVED US AND CALLED US
WITH A HOLY CALLING, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR GOOD WORKS--"
IT'S NOT ACCORDING TO HOW GOOD YOU ARE BUT ACCORDING TO
HIS PURPOSE AND GRACE, HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE.
LOOK NOW CAREFULLY IN THE FIRST LINE, "HE HAS SAVED YOU
AND HE HAS CALLED YOU." IN THE FOURTH LINE, "HE HAS
PURPOSED YOU AND GRACED YOU." LOOK THIS WAY, SANDWICHED
BETWEEN GOD'S SALVATION AND GOD'S GRACE IS CALLING
AND PURPOSE. NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE,
NO MATTER WHERE YOU'RE SITTING IN THIS ROOM, YOU ARE
SAVED FOR GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE. YOU ARE CALLED TO
THE PURPOSE OF GOD. HE GRACES US FOR
THE PURPOSE OF GOD. IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS PURPOSE.
YOUR TIME AND YOUR ENERGY IS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
YOUR LIFE AND YOUR HEALTH IS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
YOUR GIFTS AND TALENTS ARE ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
OUR FINANCE AND RESOURCE IS ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
OUR FAMILY AND RELATIONSHIPS ARE ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
IT IS ALL ABOUT THE PURPOSE OF GOD.
SO, TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON MISSION IS TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE.
YOU ARE SUCCESSFUL ON PURPOSE. YOU ARE FRUITFUL ON PURPOSE.
YOU'RE LIVING YOUR LIFE IN AN EFFECTIVE WAY ON PURPOSE.
YOU ARE PURPOSEFUL. IN OTHER WORDS,
YOU ARE DELIBERATE ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF YOUR LIFE.
YOU SEE, DESTINY, TO SOME PEOPLE IT'S JUST LIKE FATE.
YOU MIGHT WALK OUTSIDE, YOU MIGHT GET HIT BY A CYCLONE.
NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. IT'S JUST FATE.
THAT'S HOW THEY SEE DESTINY. I BELIEVE THE WORD POINTS
TO A DIFFERENT CONCEPT OF DESTINY ALTOGETHER.
DESTINY IS A GOD-GIVEN FUTURE AND A GOD-GIVEN HOPE.
DESTINY IS ABOUT TAKING WHAT, PERHAPS, YOU'VE HIDDEN
IN THE GROUND AND SAYING, "THIS IS TO THE GLORY OF GOD,"
AND TRUSTING GOD WITH YOUR GIFT AND TRUSTING GOD WITH
YOUR TALENT, WITH YOUR LIFE, YOUR HEALTH, YOUR FINANCE,
RESOURCE, FAMILY AND FRIENDS. WHATEVER IT IS,
IT'S ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD. YOU SEE, SOME PEOPLE, THEIR LIFE
IS NOT ON SONG BECAUSE, WELL, IT'S THEIR SPIRITUAL LIFE,
THAT'S THEIR DEVOTIONAL LIFE. THAT'S THEIR PRAYER LIFE.
THAT'S THEIR BIBLE LIFE. THAT'S THEIR SUNDAY CHURCH LIFE.
THAT'S THEIR CHRISTIAN FRIENDS' LIFE AND THEN THERE'S THEIR
REAL LIFE, THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE, THEIR JOB, THEIR WORK,
THEIR FAMILY, THEIR HOME, THEIR FRIENDS.
THAT'S THEIR EVERYDAY LIFE. WELL, YOU SEE, WHEN WE
UNDERSTAND IT'S ALL ABOUT GOD'S PURPOSE, WE DON'T HAVE
TWO LIVES, OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE AND THE REST OF OUR LIFE.
TO BE ON SONG MEANS YOU MAKE ALL OF IT YOUR BUSINESS, YOUR HOME,
YOUR STUDIES, YOUR FINANCE, YOUR FAMILY, YOUR FRIENDS,
YOUR RELATIONSHIPS. IT'S ALL ABOUT
THE PURPOSE OF GOD. THAT MEANS YOU ARE LIVING
YOUR LIFE ON MISSION. YOU ARE READY
IN THIS GREAT CO-MISSION. WE ARE CO-MISSIONED.
WE ARE IN THIS CO-MISSION THAT JESUS HAS GIVEN US
AND YOU ARE ON MISSION ON SONG AND ON PURPOSE.
DAVID, ACTS 13:36, WHAT DID HE DO?
THE BIBLE SAYS WHEN DAVID SERVED GOD'S PURPOSE IN HIS OWN
GENERATION, HE FELL ASLEEP. IN OTHER WORDS, HE DIED.
HE WENT TO HEAVEN. BUT WHAT DID HE DO?
HE SERVED GOD'S PURPOSE IN HIS OWN GENERATION.
THE AMAZING THING IS WHAT HE WAS DOING WAS BUILDING FOR ETERNITY
'CAUSE HERE I AM STILL TALKING ABOUT HIM TODAY.
THERE THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT HIM IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. YOU SEE, HIS LIFE OUT LIVED
HIM BECAUSE HE LIVED ON MISSION, ON SONG AND ON PURPOSE.
THAT'S THE WAY TO LIVE YOUR LIFE IF YOU WANT TO LIVE A FRUITFUL,
EFFECTIVE LIFE. AND IF YOU GET A CHURCH FAMILY
WHO DECIDE TOGETHER THAT, "WE ARE GOING TO NOT JUST
DO THIS FOR OURSELVES, OUR CHRISTIAN WALK
IS NOT JUST ABOUT OURSELVES, WE ARE CALLED TO A CO-MISSION
THAT WE ARE ON MISSION. WE ARE GONNA LIVE ON SONG,
ALIGNING OUR LIVES WITH THE PURPOSE OF GOD."
WELL, THAT'S WHAT I'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT.
I WANT TO ENCOURAGE YOU TO BE PURPOSEFUL, TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON
PURPOSE, TO BE DELIBERATE ABOUT LIVING YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE.
DO YOU KNOW THE ONE MAN, HE LACKED PURPOSE SO HE TOOK
WHAT HE HAD AND HE HID IT IN THE GROUND.
DO YOU KNOW, I WANT TO GIVE YOU FOUR COMMITMENTS
OF THE PURPOSEFUL? NUMBER ONE, "I WILL NOT LIVE
MY LIFE BY MY OWN PERCEPTION AND BELIEF.
I WILL NOT BE LIMITED BY PERCEPTIONS AND BELIEF."
YOU SEE, WHEN THE MASTER CAME BACK THE FIRST TWO,
THE MASTER THAT THEY KNEW, MAN, HE ENCOURAGED THEM.
HE SAID, VERSE 21, "WELL DONE, GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT."
HE ENCOURAGED THEM. HE WAS SHOWED LOYALTY TO THEM.
HE GAVE THEM OPPORTUNITY. "YOU HAVE BEEN FAITHFUL
IN A FEW THINGS. I'M GONNA MAKE YOU RULER
OVER MANY THINGS." HE SAID, "ENTER INTO
THE JOY OF THE LORD." HE SPOKE OF JOY, ENCOURAGEMENT,
FAITHFULNESS, SO MANY WONDERFUL THINGS, ABUNDANCE.
THE OTHER GUY, IT SEEMS LIKE HE SERVED A DIFFERENT MASTER
BECAUSE IN VERSE 24, WHEN THE MASTER ASKED HIM
ABOUT THE ONE TALENT HE WAS GIVEN, HE SAID,
"I KNEW YOU TO BE A HARD MAN. YOU REAPED WHAT YOU HADN'T SOWN,
AND YOU GATHERED WHERE YOU HADN'T SCATTERED SEED.
AND SO I WAS AFRAID AND I HID THE TALENT IN THE GROUND."
IT'S LIKE HE KNEW A DIFFERENT MASTER.
THESE TWO, THEY LIVED PURPOSEFULLY AND THEY
ENCOUNTERED A MASTER WHO, IT SEEMS, WAS FILLED WITH
ENCOURAGEMENT AND BLESSING AND OPPORTUNITY AND JOY.
THIS GUY, HE SAID, "I KNEW YOU TO BE A HARD MAN."
SAME MASTER, ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERCEPTION.
SO MANY PEOPLE LIVE THEIR LIVES SHORT OF THE PURPOSE GOD INTENDS
BECAUSE THEY ARE RULED BY POOR PERCEPTION AND POOR BELIEF.
DO YOU KNOW IN THE DESERT, THERE ARE TWO KINDS OF BIRDS?
THERE ARE VULTURES AND THERE ARE HUMMING BIRDS
IN THE SAME DESERT. AND DO YOU KNOW THESE TWO BIRDS,
INTERESTINGLY, THEY EAT OFF ENTIRELY DIFFERENT THINGS.
THE VULTURE, HE EATS ROTTING FLESH AND IN THE DESERT,
HE FINDS WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR. THE HUMMING BIRD
EATS THE NECTAR ON THE FLOWER ON A LIFE-GIVING PLANT AND
HE FINDS WHAT HE'S LOOKING FOR. IN THE MASTER IN THIS STORY,
THEY'RE TWO CONTRASTING ATTITUDES, BUT THEY BOTH FOUND
WHAT THEY WERE LOOKING FOR. HE HAD AN EXPECTATION OF A HARD
MASTER AND THAT'S WHAT HE FOUND. THEY HAD AN EXPECTATION OF
A MASTER WHO WOULD GIVE THEM OPPORTUNITY AND TO CHANGE THEIR
LIFE AND THAT'S WHAT THEY FOUND. IN LIFE, YOU WILL FIND WHAT YOU
ARE LOOKING FOR AND TRAGICALLY, MANY BELIEVERS ARE LIVING
THEIR LIFE BY PERCEPTION. WHAT IF YOUR PERCEPTION OF GOD
IS WRONG? WHAT IF YOUR PERCEPTION OF GOD
IS LIMITING GOD? WHAT IF GOD IS BIGGER THAN
YOUR PERCEPTION? WE'VE GOTTA LET OUR LIFE
AND OUR BELIEF AND OUR FAITH BE DEFINED BY WHAT GOD'S WORD
SAYS BECAUSE PERCEPTION AND BELIEF IS LIMITING
AND SHRINKING SO MANY PEOPLE. WHAT'S YOUR PERCEPTION OF GOD?
DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR PERCEPTION OF OTHERS IS WRONG, YOU CAN HAVE
AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PERCEPTION THAN OTHER PEOPLE'S EXPERIENCE.
I'M A PASTOR. VARIOUS PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT
PERCEPTIONS OF ME. YOU KNOW WHAT I'M SAYING?
ALL SORTS OF PERCEPTIONS. SOMETIMES WE HEAR THINGS
ABOUT SOMEBODY AND IT RULES OUR PERCEPTION.
YOU CAN BE LOCKED OUT OF RELATIONSHIP.
YOU CAN BE LOCKED OUT OF FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE OF
PERCEPTION. IF YOU WANT TO LIVE ON MISSION
AND ON PURPOSE, YOU HAVE TO CHALLENGE YOUR PERCEPTIONS.
LET THE WORD OF GOD DECIDE YOUR OUTLOOK TO PEOPLE, YOUR OUTLOOK
TO GOD, AND SOMETIMES EVEN MORE IMPORTANT,
YOUR OUTLOOK ON YOURSELF. WHAT IF YOU ARE LIMITING
YOURSELF BY YOUR PERCEPTION? "I'M NOT THIS.
I'M NOT THAT. I'M NOT THE OTHER THING."
YOU KNOW WHAT? THE TRUTH IS THAT'S NOT WHAT GOD
SEES, AND IF PEOPLE CAN JUST STEP UP AND LIVE THEIR LIFE
ACCORDING TO WHAT GOD SEES-- WHAT GOD SAYS ABOUT YOU
IS SO DIFFERENT THAN OFTEN WHAT WE HAVE ALLOWED
OUR PERCEPTION TO BECOME. AND SO MANY PEOPLE, IF THEY
WANT TO LIVE THEIR LIVES IN A PURPOSEFUL WAY, THEY NEED
TO DECIDE, "I WILL NOT LIMIT MY LIFE BY POOR PERCEPTION
AND POOR BELIEF." SECOND COMMITMENT
OF THE PURPOSEFUL IS, "I REFUSE TO ACCUSE TO EXCUSE."
LISTEN TO IT AGAIN. "I REFUSE TO ACCUSE TO EXCUSE."
CAN WE HAVE A LOOK AGAIN AT VERSE 24?
WHEN THE MASTER CAME AND ASKED THE THIRD SERVANT HE SAID,
"WHERE'S MY TALENT?" HE SAID, "WELL,
I KNEW YOU TO BE A HARD MAN." HE STARTED TO MAKE ACCUSATION
ABOUT THE MASTER. "I KNEW THAT YOU WERE
A HARD MAN. THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT IT,
YOU'RE A HARD MAN." SO WHAT DID HE USE TO EXCUSE
HIS LACK OF PURPOSEFULNESS WITH WHAT HE WAS ENTRUSTED WITH?
HE STARTED TO ACCUSE SO HE COULD EXCUSE.
DO YOU KNOW WE DO THAT ALL THE TIME.
IT'S CALLED PROJECTION. VERY RARE YOU'LL MEET ANYONE
WHO FALLS AWAY FROM GOD AND BACKSLIDES, WHO BLAMES THEMSELF.
IT'S EITHER CHRISTIANS' FAULT. "WELL, CHRISTIANS
ARE ALL HYPOCRITES." OR IT'S THE CHURCH'S FAULT OR
IT'S A PARTICULAR PERSON'S FAULT OR IT'S SOMEBODY ELSE'S FAULT.
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE BACKSLIDER WHO LOOKS AND
JUST TAKES ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THEMSELVES BECAUSE IT'S
EASIER TO ACCUSE AND EXCUSE. BUT AS LONG AS WE'RE LOOKING
FOR EXCUSES, WE DON'T LIVE OUR LIFE PURPOSEFULLY.
WHAT GOD WANTS TO DO IN YOUR LIFE IS SO MUCH GREATER
THAN YOU CAN IMAGINE, AND WE CAN FIND EVERY REASON WHY NOT.
BUT AS LONG AS WE ARE BLAMING, BLAME-A-TITIS IS WELL-ALIVE
IN THE SIN NATURE. BLAME-A-TITIS, IT COMES RIGHT
OUT OF THE GARDEN ITSELF WHERE, WHAT HAPPENED?
ADAM BLAMED EVE. EVE BLAMED THE SERPENT,
BLAME, BLAME, BLAME, BLAME. WE CAN BLAME.
WE CAN EXCUSE. WE CAN FIND A REASON WHY NOT,
BUT PURPOSEFULNESS JUST SAYS, "GOD, I'M YOURS.
I WANT TO LIVE ON MISSION. I WANT TO LIVE ON PURPOSE.
I WANT TO LIVE ON SONG." AND IT'S AMAZING WHAT GOD CAN
DO WITH WASHED-UP, BURNT-OUT PEOPLE, WITH THE ASHES
OF OUR LIFE, IF WE JUST DECIDE TO LIVE PURPOSEFULLY.
>> PERCEPTION IS SO IMPORTANT; OUR PERCEPTION ABOUT GOD,
OUR PERCEPTION OF OTHERS, OUR PERCEPTION OF OURSELVES.
DO YOU KNOW YOU CAN HAVE PERCEPTIONS ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE
THAT COULD BE TOTALLY LIMITING YOUR RELATIONSHIPS
AND FRIENDSHIPS? MANY PEOPLE HAVE PERCEPTIONS OF
THEMSELVES THAT COMPLETELY LIMIT THEM AND ARE NOTHING LIKE
THE WAY THAT GOD SEES THEM. AND THEN, PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANT
OF ALL IS OUR PERCEPTION OF GOD. DAVID SAID ABOUT GOD,
PSALM 119 HE SAID, "YOU ARE GOOD AND YOU DO GOOD."
YOU SEE THE WAY WE BELIEVE GOD IS WILL DETERMINE
WHAT WE BELIEVE GOD DOES. AN EXTREMIST HAS A PARTICULAR
PERCEPTION OF GOD AND THAT AFFECTS WHAT HE WOULD BELIEVE
THAT GOD DOES, OFTEN TRAGICALLY. SOMEBODY WHO BELIEVES
IN THE GRACE OF JESUS, A GOD WHO LOVES THEM,
A GOD WHO IS FOR THEM AND NOT AGAINST THEM, THEY HAVE
AN ENTIRELY PERCEPTION OF GOD. BUT DO YOU KNOW,
MAYBE YOU GREW UP IN A RELIGIOUS BACKGROUND AND
OUT OF THAT YOU HAVE THIS PERCEPTION OF GOD THAT'S ANGRY
AND HARSH AND JUDGMENTAL. DO YOU KNOW GOD,
HE IS A JUDGE BUT THE TRUTH IS HE'S A GRACIOUS JUDGE.
BECAUSE OF JESUS, WE CAN KNOW THE LIFE OF CHRIST
AND THAT IS SO BEAUTIFUL. AND THE LIFE OF CHRIST
WILL HELP YOU TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON MISSION,
TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON SONG AND TO LIVE YOUR LIFE ON PURPOSE.
IF WE HAVE THIS CONCEPT THAT LIFE HAS, WELL, WHAT IS OUR
DEVOTIONAL LIFE, OUR SPIRITUAL LIFE, WHICH IS KIND OF
SEPARATE FROM OUR EVERYDAY AND OUR REAL LIFE, WE'LL
NEVER FULFILL GOD'S PURPOSE. AND WE ARE ON A MISSION.
IT'S THE GREAT CO-MISSION. YOU'RE IN IT, I'M IN IT.
AND IF PEOPLE REALIZE THAT AND STEP UP AND LIVE THEIR LIVES
ACCORDING TO PURPOSEFULNESS, WELL, THEN THEY
START LIVING THEIR LIVES ACCORDING TO GOD'S PROMISE.
>> WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I DO THINK THAT MY PERCEPTION
OF WHO GOD IS, HIS NATURE AND HIS CHARACTER WAS DEFINITELY
INFLUENCED BY MY PARENTS, ESPECIALLY MY DAD.
THE VIEW I HAD OF GOD WAS VERY MUCH A LOWER MASTER,
YOU KNOW, A SCHOOL MASTER. IT WAS A TOTAL MISUNDERSTANDING
OF THE NATURE OF GOD BECAUSE I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT GRACE
WAS AND THAT CHANGED, AND I'M REALLY GRATEFUL THAT IT DID.
WHEN I WAS 13, I FELT MY DAD SOFTEN UP, YOU KNOW, I REALLY
FELT SOMETHING HAD CHANGED IN HIM THAT MEANT FOR US
THERE WAS WAY MORE FREEDOM AND THERE WAS A LOT MORE GRACE.
AND MY DAD WOULD CONSTANTLY TALK ABOUT GOING
AND SITTING ON GOD'S LAP, SITTING ON THE FATHER'S LAP.
YOU KNOW, AND TO ME, I WAS JUST LIKE, THAT'S A VERY CHEESY
IMAGE, BUT I SAW THE REALITY OF WHAT THAT MEANT BECAUSE I
SAW MY DAD STARTED TO CHANGE AND HE STARTED BECOMING A LOT
SOFTER AND ENLIGHTENED ME, YOU KNOW, TO WHO GOD WAS.
NOW, I'M KIND AT THE POINT WHERE I REALIZE LIKE THE BEST IMAGE
I COULD GET OF GOD WOULD BE THE IMAGE I GET MYSELF.
SOMETIMES THE BEST DEVOTIONS THAT I'VE HAD, OR THE BEST
MOMENTS WITH GOD THAT I'VE HAD, IS WHEN I'M ON A RUN.
I'M LISTENING TO MUSIC AND I FEEL GOD SPEAK TO ME
AS I'M RUNNING. AND SO THERE IS THE NEED
FOR PERSONAL DEVOTION. THERE IS THE NEED TO FIND OUT,
YOU KNOW, FROM SCRIPTURE, WHO GOD IS.
IT'S ONE OF THE HARDEST THING TO DO 'CAUSE THE WORLD
IS SO LIKE ALLURING AND TRYING TO PULL YOU AWAY FROM IT.
I FEEL LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IN TIME OF DEVOTION IS THAT MY WILL
STARTS ALIGNING WITH HIS WILL, AND SO WHAT I WANT
TO DO ESSENTIALLY BECOMES WHAT HE WANTS ME TO DO.
[MUSIC] >>OH, YOU BRING HOPE
TO THE HOPELESS AND LIGHT TO THOSE
IN THE DARKNESS AND DEATH TO LIFE
NOW I'M ALIVE
OH, YOU GIVE PEACE TO THE RESTLESS
I SEE YOU NOW IN YOU I'M FOUND
AND JOY TO HOMES THAT ARE BROKEN
AND YOU OPENED THE DOOR FOR ME
AND YOU LAID DOWN YOUR LIFE TO SET ME FREE
ALL THAT I AM WILL SERVE YOU, LORD
[MUSIC]
OH YOU FILL THOSE WHO ARE EMPTY
AND RESCUE THOSE IN THE VALLEY
AND THROUGH IT ALL YOU CALM MY SOUL
OH YOU FIND ME IN MY WEAKNESS
AND HEAL THE WOUNDS OF MY HEARTACHE
I WORSHIP YOU IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH
AND YOU OPENED THE DOOR FOR ME
AND YOU LAID DOWN YOUR LIFE TO SET ME FREE
ALL THAT I AM WILL SERVE YOU, LORD
JESUS AND YOU OPENED MY EYES
TO SEE ALL THE WONDER AND AWE
OF CHRIST IN ME JESUS, YOU'RE EVERYTHING
I NEED
ALL I NEED YOU'RE ALL I NEED
YOU'RE EVERYTHING YOU'RE ALL I NEED
YOU'RE ALL I NEED
ALL HONOR ALL GLORY
ALL PRAISE TO YOU
>> WELL, I HAVE NO DOUBT GOD HAS A FUTURE AND A HOPE FOR YOU.
THE REASON I HAVE NO DOUBT IS HE SAID SO IN THE BIBLE.
HE WAS SPEAKING TO HIS OLD TESTAMENT PEOPLE
AND HE SAID, "I KNOW THE THOUGHTS I THINK TOWARD YOU
AND THEY'RE THE THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL,
TO GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND TO GIVE YOU A HOPE."
THE WAY WE PERCEIVE GOD IS SO IMPORTANT.
IF YOU FEEL LIKE GOD IS AGAINST YOU, THEN YOU WON'T LIVE YOUR
LIFE ACCORDING TO HIS PROMISE, A GOD WHO WANTS TO GIVE YOU
A GOD-GIVEN FUTURE AND A GOD-GIVEN HOPE,
AND YOU CAN ENTER INTO THAT THROUGH THE LIFE THAT COMES
THROUGH INVITING JESUS RIGHT INTO THE CENTER OF YOUR WORLD.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME. GOD BLESS YOU.
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.