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[MUSIC]
>> I WONDER WHAT IT MEANS TO BE TEACHABLE.
IS IT IMPORTANT TO STAY TEACHABLE ALL OF OUR LIVES?
ARE THERE BENEFITS TO HAVING A TEACHABLE SPIRIT,
OR ARE THERE FALLOUTS TO HAVING AN UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT?
IT'S SO IMPORTANT THAT WE'RE OPEN TO CORRECTION IN OUR LIVES
SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO GROW AND SO THAT WE CAN CHANGE.
WELL, TODAY I'M SPEAKING TO YOU FROM HILLSONG LONDON,
WHICH ACTUALLY MEETS IN THE DOMINION THEATER
IN CENTRAL LONDON. AND I'M SPEAKING TO YOU
ABOUT "A TEACHABLE SPIRIT."
>> I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE HERE HAVE GOT A TEACHABLE SPIRIT.
I'M BEGINNING A SERIES CALLED "THE HUMAN SPIRIT" OR "KEEPING
A RIGHT SPIRIT," AND I WANT TO TALK TONIGHT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT
"A TEACHABLE SPIRIT" AND THE BENEFITS OF A TEACHABLE
SPIRIT AND THE FALLOUT FROM AN UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT.
AND SOMETIMES WE MAY WONDER WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT ABOUT
LIVING OUR LIVES TEACHABLE? I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT.
IN PROVERBS 17:10 SOLOMON SAYS, "REBUKE IS MORE EFFECTIVE
FOR A WISE MAN THAN A HUNDRED BLOWS ON A FOOL."
REBUKE IS MORE EFFECTIVE ON ONE SINGLE WISE PERSON
THAN A HUNDRED KNOCKS, OR A HUNDRED BLOWS, TO A FOOL.
EVERYBODY MAKES MISTAKES. THE PERSON WHO NEVER MADE
A MISTAKE, NEVER MADE ANYTHING, THEY SAY.
DO YOU KNOW ONE OF MY FAVORITE MISTAKES HERE,
RIGHT HERE IN HILLSONG LONDON, IT ALWAYS MAKES ME SMILE.
IT RELATED TO A GUY WHO WAS A PART OF OUR CHURCH HERE.
NOW HE'S AT HILLSONG CAPE TOWN CALLED GEORGE BOTHA.
GEORGE IS WELL LOVED IN THE CHURCH.
AND GEORGE WAS, ONE TIME, HE WAS ONE OF THE STAFF,
ONE OF THE TEAM, HE WAS ASKED TO LOOK AFTER
THE APPEAL WHEN PEOPLE ARE BEING INVITED TO SURRENDER
THEIR LIFE TO JESUS CHRIST AT THE END OF THE SERVICE.
SO THAT'S A BIG DEAL AND HE DOESN'T WANT TO MESS IT UP.
SO GEORGE IS MAKING THE APPEAL AND HE ACTUALLY PRACTICED AND
REHEARSED IT TO GET IT RIGHT AND HE WANTED TO SAY, "GEORGE
DOESN'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT GOD DOES AND JESUS LOVES YOU."
BUT WHEN IT CAME TO THE BIG OCCASION, NERVES GOT THE BETTER
OF HIM AND HE SAID, "GOD DOESN'T KNOW WHO YOU ARE, BUT JESUS DOES
AND GEORGE LOVES YOU." HA-HA!
I LOVE THAT. I LOVE IT.
TO THIS DAY HIS TWITTER ADDRESS IS @GEORGELOVESYOU.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, T-SHIRTS WERE MADE, WHICH ENDED UP
RAISING FINANCES FOR ONE OF THE GOOD CHARITABLE WORKS
THAT THE CHURCH HERE DOES. YOU MAKE MISTAKES.
I MAKE MISTAKES. I'VE MADE SOME BIG MISTAKES
IN MY LIFE AND SOME, WELL, NOT SO BIG MISTAKES.
EVEN YESTERDAY, I WAS EXCITED 'CAUSE THE ONLY CHANCE I WAS
GONNA GET TO SEE ANYTHING OF THE OLYMPICS WAS THE ROAD
CYCLING RACE WAS GOING PAST THE END OF THE STREET OF
THE HOTEL WHERE WE WERE STAYING. SO I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU
A SERIES OF PHOTOS OF MY GETTING THE OLYMPIC CYCLISTS
AS THEY WENT BY. THE FIRST ONE WAS RIGHT BEFORE
THE CYCLISTS WERE ABOUT TO COME BY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHETHER
WE HAVE THAT THERE BUT IF SO, THERE YOU GO.
THERE'S THE CROWD WAITING THERE IN SUSPENSE FOR THE BIKE RACE.
AND THEN I'LL SHOW YOU ONE IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY HAD GONE
BY, WHICH SHOWS ALL THE SUPPORT CARS AND, YOU KNOW,
IT'S PRETTY EXCITING. AND NOW FOR THE SHOT I TOOK
WHILST THE CYCLISTS WENT BY, HERE IT IS.
SOMEHOW MY IPHONE TURNED ITSELF AROUND.
MY BIG MOMENT, AND ALL I GOT WAS A PHOTO OF ME.
I WANT TO SHOW YOU ONE MORE PHOTO, AND THERE'S A POINT TO
IT, THAT I TOOK ONE TIME. AND WE'RE NOT GONNA LOOK
AT THE PHOTO JUST YET, BUT I'LL TELL YOU THE STORY.
WE WERE IN UGANDA, ACTUALLY GOING TO VISIT THE KIDS
THAT OUR CHURCH SUPPORTS, COMPASSION KIDS
IN KASESE IN WEST UGANDA. AND DRIVING OUT THERE,
IT'S A LONG DRIVE. WE ENDED UP DRIVING THROUGH
A NATIONAL PARK AND, TO MY AMAZEMENT, CAME ACROSS THIS HUGE
HERD, OR FLOCK, OF ELEPHANTS. AND I MEAN, THEY WERE
SO IMPRESSIVE AND THEY WERE SO CLOSE, BIG AFRICAN ELEPHANTS.
AND OUR DRIVER WAS ACTUALLY A GUIDE AS WELL AND SO I ASKED,
I SAID, "DO YOU THINK WE CAN JUST STOP LONG ENOUGH
FOR ME TO GET A PHOTO?" AND HE SAID, "YES,
IT SHOULD BE OKAY. STAY CLOSE TO THE CAR."
SO I GOT OUT AND I STOOD RIGHT BY THE CAR AND I WANTED TO GET
ONE OF THOSE COOL KIND OF SHOTS THAT MY KIDS GET WHERE YOU GET
YOURSELF IN THE SHOT AND TAKE THE PHOTO OF WHAT YOU WANT.
SO THE ELEPHANT, HONESTLY, I PROMISE, IS NOT MORE THAN
A HUNDRED METERS AWAY. AND I LINE UP THE CAMERA,
READY TO GET THE ELEPHANT AND HERE'S THE SHOT THAT I GOT.
HOW DO YOU TAKE A PHOTO AND MISS AN ELEPHANT?
THE TRUTH IS YOU MISS AN ELEPHANT WHEN YOU'RE
TOO BIG IN THE FRAME. AND DO YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES,
WHETHER OR NOT A PERSON IS TEACHABLE OR UNTEACHABLE
COMES DOWN TO THIS SIMPLE FACT, ARE YOU TOO BIG IN THE FRAME?
THE VERSE I BEGAN WITH, AGAIN, PROVERBS 17:10 SAYS, "REBUKE
IS MORE EFFECTIVE FOR A WISE MAN THAN A HUNDRED BLOWS ON A FOOL."
WELL, I DON'T THINK ANYBODY ENJOYS REBUKE, PER SE.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY LIKES TO BE TOLD OR TOLD OFF.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S ENJOYABLE, BUT WHO WOULD YOU LET
SPEAK INTO YOUR LIFE BY WAY OF REBUKE IF IT WERE GONNA GROW YOU
AND HELP YOU AND CHANGE YOU AND GET YOU POINTED TOWARDS WHERE
GOD INTENDS FOR YOU TO GO? YOU KNOW, OFTENTIMES, WHEN IT
COMES TO LEARNING AND GROWING, THERE'S THREE WAYS YOU CAN
LEARN: THE EASY WAY, THE HARD WAY AND THE TRAGIC WAY.
THE EASY WAY, PROBABLY, IS LEARNING FROM
OTHER PEOPLE'S MISTAKES. THE HARDER WAY IS LEARNING
FROM YOUR OWN MISTAKES. THE TRAGIC WAY IS WHEN YOU
DON'T LEARN FROM EITHER. AND PEOPLE WHO HAVE
AN UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT DON'T TEND TO LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES SO,
CONSEQUENTLY, THIS VERSE BECOMES RELEVANT WHERE IT BEGINS TO TALK
ABOUT THE ONE MAN WHO TAKES REBUKE AND IT'S MORE EFFECTIVE
FOR HIM THAN A HUNDRED BLOWS FOR A FOOL.
DO YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE, WHEN IT COMES TO THEIR FINANCES,
IT SEEMS LIKE THEY FACE BLOW AFTER BLOW AFTER BLOW,
KNOCK AFTER KNOCK AFTER KNOCK. BUT THE REALITY IS THEY NEVER
LEARNED FROM THEIR MISTAKES. THEY NEVER GROW.
WE ALL KNOW THAT WE TAKE ENOUGH BLOWS IN LIFE AS IT IS, AND
THERE'S PLENTY OF THINGS THAT COME AGAINST US AND THAT WE'VE
ALREADY GOT, IN THE FORM OF THE DEVIL, AN OPPONENT
WHO WOULD LOVE TO, YOU KNOW, TO KILL AND TO DESTROY.
BUT, OFTENTIMES, JUST THROUGH SOMEONE'S LACK OF CAPACITY
TO RECEIVE ANY FORM OF TEACHING OR ANY FORM OF DISCIPLINE
OR ANY FORM OF REBUKE, THEY GO THROUGH THE SAME BLOWS
OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. YOU CAN SEE IT IN RELATIONSHIPS.
THEY SAY, STATISTICALLY, THAT THE AMOUNT OF SECOND MARRIAGES
THAT FAIL, IS A HIGHER PERCENTAGE THAN THE AMOUNT
OF FIRST MARRIAGES THAT FAIL BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T LEARN
FROM THEIR MISTAKES. DO YOU KNOW I EVEN KNOW LEADERS
AND PASTORS WHO, WHEN IT COMES TO WHAT IT WOULD TAKE FOR THEM,
ACTUALLY, TO GET SOME BREAKTHROUGHS AND BUILD A CHURCH
AND ACTUALLY SEE SOME REAL, REAL, REAL MOMENTUM, OFTENTIMES,
THEY JUST GO AROUND THE SAME OLD MOUNTAIN FACING
THE SAME OLD BLOWS, IT SEEMS, YEAR AFTER YEAR AFTER YEAR.
AND I DON'T SPEAK JUDGMENTALLY ABOUT THAT.
I SPEAK MORE OUT OF COMPASSION BECAUSE THE REALITY IS IF PEOPLE
WOULD JUST SOMETIMES LISTEN TO SOMEBODY WHO HAS A GOOD SPIRIT
AND WHO CAN TEACH THEM AND IF PEOPLE COULD JUST TAKE SOME
TRUTH, GOOD OLD-FASHIONED TRUTH, ABOUT THEMSELVES,
THEY COULD, PERHAPS, AVOID SO MANY OF LIFE'S BLOWS.
WHETHER, FOR YOU, IT'S IN YOUR FINANCES OR IN YOUR CAREER OR
INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS OR WHETHER IT'S JUST THE WRONG
FRIENDS AND YOU KEEP ON HANGING AROUND THE WRONG FRIENDS AND
IT JUST KEEPS YOU GETTING INTO THE SAME TROUBLE, OR WHETHER IT
IS RELATED TO YOUR CAREER OR YOUR LEADERSHIP, WHATEVER IT IS,
LET'S NOT LIVE OUR LIVES WITH AN UNTEACHABLE SPIRIT BECAUSE
THE RESULT OF IT IS NOT ONLY BLOW AFTER BLOW AFTER BLOW, BUT
IT ENDS UP CAUSING YOU TO LIVE BELOW THE POTENTIAL GOD INTENDS
FOR YOUR LIFE AND THAT'S ALWAYS TRAGIC FOR ANYONE.
YOU ARE ON THIS EARTH FOR A GOD-GIVEN PURPOSE.
YOU ARE ON THIS EARTH AND, I THINK, IF YOU LOOK AT THE LIFE
OF JESUS AS GENTLE AS JESUS IS AND AS GENTLE AS JESUS WAS,
JESUS WAS NOT AFRAID, WHEN IT WAS NECESSARY,
TO BRING A REBUKE. HE WAS NOT AFRAID.
YOU KNOW, PETER THE DISCIPLE, YOU KNOW, HE KNEW JESUS.
JESUS WAS THE ONE WHO, OBVIOUSLY, SAID,
"IF YOU FISH ON THIS SIDE, YOU'RE NOT GONNA CATCH ANYTHING.
IF YOU PUT YOUR NET DOWN ON THIS SIDE, YOU'RE GONNA CATCH MORE
FISH THAN YOUR NET CAN HANDLE." SO HE GOT TO KNOW
THE MIRACLE-WORKING POWER OF JESUS EARLY.
SO WHEN, ONE TIME, JESUS SAID, "WHO DO MEN SAY THAT I AM?"
AND SOME OF THE OTHERS WERE SAYING, "JEREMIAH,
JOHN THE BAPTIST," ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE.
HE SAID, "YOU'RE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD."
HE GOT IT RIGHT. HE MUST HAVE BEEN SO, SO, SO
HAPPY WHEN JESUS SAID, "FLESH AND BLOOD,
DIDN'T REVEAL THAT TO YOU." AND SIX VERSES LATER,
WHEN PETER TRIES TO REBUKE JESUS OF ALL THINGS, JESUS SAID,
"GET BEHIND ME, SATAN." WONDER HOW YOU AND I WOULD GO
WITH THAT KIND OF CONFRONTATION? YOU KNOW, SOMEONE JUST,
"GET BEHIND ME, SATAN." MOST PEOPLE WOULDN'T
HANDLE IT VERY WELL. AND, TO BE HONEST,
FROM MOST PEOPLE, YOU SHOULDN'T HANDLE IT WELL.
IN OTHER WORDS, MOST PEOPLE SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO TALK
TO YOU LIKE THAT. BUT WHO CAN?
WHO CAN? WHO COULD BRING THE EFFECTIVE
REBUKE THAT A WISE MAN CAN GROW FROM AND AVOID A HUNDRED BLOWS?
YOU EVER THINK ABOUT WHO YOU DO HAVE IN YOUR LIFE LIKE THAT?
PETER GOES ON, YOU KNOW, AND HE'S THE ONE WHO WAS TOLD
THAT "BEFORE THE *** CROWS, YOU'LL DENY JESUS THREE TIMES."
AND HE SAID, "THAT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN," BUT HE DID IT.
THREE TIMES HE SAID, "I DIDN'T KNOW JESUS," AND HE KNEW WHAT IT
WAS TO BE ON THE WRONG END OF REBUKE FROM JESUS,
BUT THE INTERESTING THING IS PETER WASN'T UNTEACHABLE.
HE LEARNED. AS I LOOK AT 2 PETER 1:4,
AND PETER'S TALKING ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT RELATES
TO LIFE AND GODLINESS. AND HE SAYS IN THIS VERSE,
"HIS DIVINE POWER HAS GIVEN TO US ALL THINGS THAT PERTAIN
TO LIFE AND GODLINESS, THROUGH THE KNOWLEDGE OF HIM."
THIS IS THE SAME PETER WHO SAID, "I DIDN'T KNOW HIM."
IT'S THE SAME PETER WHO, AT ONE POINT, WAS ABLE TO SAY,
"YOU'RE THE CHRIST, THE SON OF THE LIVING GOD."
THEN, "I DIDN'T KNOW HIM." AND NOW HE SAYS, "EVERYTHING
RELATING TO LIFE AND GODLINESS COMES THROUGH KNOWING HIM."
AND IT GOES ON IN THE NEXT VERSE AND SAY, "FOR WHICH COMES
THE GREAT AND PRECIOUS PROMISES."
SO IN OTHER WORDS, YES, HE MAY HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED BY REBUKE,
BUT HE LEARNED AND HE WAS TEACHABLE.
AND, CONSEQUENTLY, HE LIVED A LIFE THAT MADE A DIFFERENCE.
THE PERSON WHO'S UNTEACHABLE, WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT,
OFTENTIMES, IS UNTEACHABLE BECAUSE NO ONE HAS THE RIGHT.
WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT WE PUT A HIGH REGARD ON OUR OPINION,
AND WE GET ON TO SOCIAL MEDIA AND, WHETHER OR NOT IT'S INSIDE
CHURCH CIRCLES OR WHETHER IT'S INSIDE SECULAR CIRCLES, WE
LISTEN TO A MYRIAD OF OPINIONS. AND, YOU KNOW, WE'RE LISTENING
INTO A WHOLE LOT OF OPINIONS--SOMETIMES DON'T
GIVE ANYONE THE REAL RIGHT TO REALLY SPEAK INTO OUR LIVES.
AND BY NOT GIVING ANYONE THE RIGHT TO SPEAK INTO
YOUR LIFE, YOU'LL FACE THE SAME OLD BLOWS,
IN SOME AREAS, THAT YOU CAN SIMPLY AVOID IF YOU'RE
A LITTLE WISER AND YOU HAD THE RIGHT PEOPLE WHO WOULD
SPEAK INTO YOUR LIFE. JESUS TELLS A STORY IN MARK 10,
YOU KNOW, THE STORY OF A RICH, YOUNG RULER.
WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT BEING TEACHABLE, BEING UNTEACHABLE,
THIS GUY IS PRETTY WELL IN THREE DIFFERENT CATEGORIES WHERE,
OFTENTIMES, IT'S DIFFICULT TO BE TEACHABLE.
NUMBER ONE, HE WAS RICH. HE HAD EVERYTHING.
RICH PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVERYTHING WITHOUT JUDGING ANYBODY,
IN PARTICULAR, OFTEN ARE NOT GOOD AT BEING TOLD WHAT TO DO.
OBVIOUSLY, THEY CAN BUY ANYTHING THEY PRETTY WELL WANT TO BUY AND
SOMETIMES, SADLY, CAN EVEN BUY, YOU KNOW, BUY OFF AND
BUY OUT WHO THEY WANT TO BUY. SO NOT ALWAYS GOOD.
THAT'S WHY JESUS SAID IN THE SAME STORY, "IT'S EASIER
TO FIT A CAMEL THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE
THAN IT IS TO FIT A RICH MAN INTO THE KINGDOM OF GOD."
AND SOME SAY THAT THE EYE OF THE NEEDLE WAS
A LITTLE HOLE IN THE WALL OF THE CITY AND OTHERS SAY
IT'S A LITERAL EYE OF A NEEDLE. ALL I KNOW IS IT'S, OBVIOUSLY,
FAIRLY DIFFICULT FOR A RICH MAN TO RECEIVE THE KIND OF INPUT
THAT HE WOULD NEED. RICH, YOUNG.
WELL, HEY, WE WERE ALL YOUNG AND ONE THING ABOUT BEING YOUNG
IS WE KNOW EVERYTHING. I WONDER HOW MANY OF US COULD
WRITE A BOOK, SINCE WE WERE YOUNG, THAT SAID,
"THE THINGS I'VE LEARNED SINCE I KNEW IT ALL."
OLD PEOPLE AREN'T TOO MUCH BETTER.
IN FACT, OLDER PEOPLE, I THINK, SOMETIMES EVEN ARE MORE
DIFFICULT WHEN IT COMES TO ANYONE REALLY BEING ABLE TO
SPEAK INTO THEIR LIFE WHEN IT COMES TO ISSUES THAT CAN AFFECT
THEIR LIFE AND AFFECT THE INPUT OF THEIR LIVES.
YOU KNOW, RICH, YOUNG RULER. PEOPLE WHO LIKE TO BE IN
CONTROL, THEY'RE USED TO BEING IN CHARGE.
IT'S NOT EASY FOR PEOPLE LIKE THAT TO TAKE REBUKE OR TO LIVE
THEIR LIVES IN A TEACHABLE WAY. AND, YET JESUS, I BELIEVE,
INTENDS FOR US TO LIVE OUR LIVES IN A TEACHABLE WAY.
AND WHEN WE BECOME UNTEACHABLE, THEN YOU DO TEND TO GO AROUND
CIRCLES AND FACE THE SAME BLOWS. SOME PEOPLE, DO YOU KNOW IF THEY
JUST LIVED--I TRY TO DESCRIBE TO OUR STAFF AND TEAM
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IF LIFE WAS IN A GIANT TEST TUBE--
THANK GOD IT'S NOT, BUT IF IT WAS--AND YOU
CAN RISE UP, IN TERMS OF GOD'S PURPOSES AND GOD'S
POSSIBILITIES, AS HIGH AS HIGH AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, IF YOU JUST
AVOID BANGING AGAINST THE SIDES. DO YOU KNOW SOME PEOPLE, THEY'RE
ALWAYS TRYING TO *** AGAINST THE SIDES IN LIFE AND NEVER
GETTING ANYWHERE AND TAKING BLOWS THAT FRUSTRATES THEM
AND MAKES THEM FEEL LIKE VICTIMS AND EVERYBODY'S AGAINST THEM
AND HAS THEM LIVING, SOMETIMES, FEELING LIKE THE WHOLE WORLD IS
AGAINST THEM. OTHER PEOPLE, THEY JUST
LEARN HOW TO LIVE WITH A TEACHABLE SPIRIT.
INSIDE CHURCH LIFE, SOME PEOPLE HAVE JUST GOT
THIS TEACHABLE SPIRIT. EVEN WHEN IT COMES TO PEOPLE
PREACHING THE WORD, YOU KNOW, IT'S SOMETIMES THERE ARE PEOPLE
WHO CAN'T EVEN ACCEPT IT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE, YET, SOMEHOW, THEY PERSONALIZE IT AND THEY WON'T
TAKE ANYTHING THAT RELATES TO CORRECTION OR THAT'S GONNA HELP
THEM TO GROW AND CHANGE. UNTEACHABLE.
I SAY, LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A TEACHABLE WAY.
>> I THINK, OFTENTIMES, THE CHALLENGES WE FACE IN LIFE
ARE THINGS THAT JUST COME AT US, AND, REALLY, THEY DON'T HAVE
A WHOLE LOT TO DO WITH WHAT WE DO OR DON'T DESERVE.
BUT THEN THERE'S OTHER THINGS, BLOWS THAT PEOPLE FACE IN SO
MANY DIFFERENT AREAS OF LIFE. IT SEEMS SOME PEOPLE, WHEN THEY
START BUSINESSES, THEY JUST HAVE A BLOW AFTER A BLOW OR IT SEEMS
LIKE THE SAME OLD CHALLENGES OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
AND IF WE WERE HONEST, IT CAN BE BECAUSE WE JUST NEVER
LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES. LEARNING IS SO IMPORTANT.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE, IN LIFE, WE CAN EVER GET TO THE POINT
WHERE WE STOP LEARNING AND WE STOP GROWING.
AND IF WE'RE NOT OPEN TO BEING TOLD AND TO BEING TAUGHT,
THEN WE NEVER WILL LEARN THE VALUE OF SOMEONE LOOKING US
IN THE EYE WHO LOVES US, BUT HAS THE COURAGE TO TELL US WHAT
WE NEED TO HEAR, SHOULD NEVER EVER BE UNDERESTIMATED.
>> BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR IS A VERY RISKY THING.
YOU KNOW, THERE ARE MORE FAILURES THAN THERE ARE
SUCCESSES AND THE ENTREPRENEUR HAS TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE
PROBABLY GOING TO LOSE MONEY, SOMETIMES A LOT OF MONEY.
THEY MAY WELL LOSE A LOT OF TIME THAT YOU CAN'T REDEEM.
SO, YES, IT IS RISKY BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR, BUT THEN
SO IS CROSSING THE ROAD. THE ECONOMY BEING WHAT IT IS,
I'M IN THE PROPERTY BUSINESS, SO I GET AFFECTED BY THAT
QUITE A BIT. I ALSO WORK FOR THE GOVERNMENT
AND SO THE WHIMSY OF GOVERNMENT, YOU KNOW, CHANGING LEGISLATION
AND ALL THAT CAN KNOCK MY BUSINESS FOR SIX.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THAT THERE HAVE BEEN DARK TIMES,
NOT JUST AS A BUSINESS PERSON, BUT IN MY PERSONAL LIFE,
TIMES WHERE YOU GET KNOCKED DOWN AND YOU WONDER,
"CAN I RECOVER FROM THIS? CAN I GET UP?"
SOMEBODY ONCE SAID, YOU KNOW, IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU
THAT MATTERS. IT'S HOW YOU RESPOND TO WHAT
HAPPENS TO YOU THAT REALLY, REALLY, REALLY MATTERS.
AND I'VE BEEN, SORT OF, CAREFUL TO ANALYZE MYSELF IN THE DOWN
PERIODS AND SAY, "OKAY, WELL, MARK, HOW ARE YOU RESPONDING
TO THIS CHALLENGE?" I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT
TO HAVE A TEACHABLE SPIRIT. I'VE HAD PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES
IN MY CAREER TO HAVE A HUGE EGO, BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I
FELT THE LORD IMPRESSING UPON MY HEART RECENTLY, AS I SORT OF
CONTINUE ON THIS JOURNEY, IS BEWARE OF EGO BECAUSE WITH
SUCCESS COMES ACCOLADE, SPECIAL TREATMENT AND SUDDENLY YOU CAN
THINK THAT YOU KNOW EVERYTHING. YOU KNOW, "I'VE SUCCEEDED.
I'VE, YOU KNOW, I'VE DONE THIS. I'VE DONE THAT AND THERE'S
NOTHING MUCH YOU CAN TEACH ME." AND THE LORD SHOWED ME
THAT THAT'S A MASSIVE PIT THAT I COULD FALL INTO
IF I DON'T WATCH MYSELF. PART OF BEING TEACHABLE IS BEING
ABLE TO COME THROUGH ADVERSITY, HAVING LOST EVERYTHING, PERHAPS,
AND BEING ABLE TO DRAW THE LESSONS
FROM THAT EXPERIENCE. I'VE COME THROUGH 40 YEARS
OF UPS AND DOWNS AND UNCERTAINTY AND SO ON.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS I DON'T KNOW WHAT
THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR ME. WHO DOES?
BUT THE ONE THING I DO KNOW IS THAT I HAVE CHRIST IN MY LIFE
AND I HAVE HIS WORD AND THOSE THINGS DON'T CHANGE.
I WOULD SAY THAT THAT'S A TOWER OF STRENGTH FOR ME.
>>AND FIND ME HERE LORD AS YOU DRAW ME NEAR
DESPERATE FOR YOU DESPERATE FOR YOU
I SURRENDER
[MUSIC]
DRENCH MY SOUL AS MERCY AND GRACE UNFOLD
I HUNGER AND THIRST I HUNGER AND THIRST
WITH ARMS STRETCHED WIDE I KNOW YOU HEAR MY CRY
SPEAK TO ME NOW SPEAK TO ME NOW
I SURRENDER I SURRENDER
I WANT TO KNOW YOU MORE I WANT TO KNOW YOU MORE
I SURRENDER I SURRENDER
I WANT TO KNOW YOU MORE I WANT TO KNOW YOU MORE
[MUSIC]
LIKE A RUSHING WIND JESUS BREATHE WITHIN
LORD HAVE YOUR WAY LORD HAVE YOUR WAY
[MUSIC]
>>MY HOPE IS BUILT ON NOTHING LESS
THAN JESUS' BLOOD AND RIGHTEOUSNESS
I DARE NOT TRUST THE SWEETEST FRAME
BUT WHOLLY TRUST IN JESUS' NAME
>> SING, "WHEN DARKNESS." WHEN DARKNESS
SEEMS TO HIDE HIS FACE I REST ON
HIS UNCHANGING GRACE IN EVERY HIGH
AND STORMY GALE MY ANCHOR HOLDS
WITHIN THE VEIL CHRIST ALONE
CORNERSTONE WEAK MADE STRONG
IN THE SAVIOUR'S LOVE THROUGH THE STORM
HE IS LORD LORD OF ALL
[MUSIC]
HIS OATH HIS COVENANT HIS BLOOD
SUPPORT ME IN THE WHELMING FLOOD
WHEN ALL AROUND MY SOUL GIVES WAY
HE THEN IS ALL MY HOPE AND STAY
HE THEN IS ALL MY HOPE AND STAY
CHRIST ALONE CORNERSTONE
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
THIS MEANS SO MUCH TO ME THAT YOU TAKE THE TIME
TO WATCH THIS PROGRAM. AND I HAVE NO DOUBT WHATSOEVER
THAT GOD CAN MAKE A GREAT DIFFERENCE IN YOUR LIFE.
NEVER EVER FORGET THE IMPORTANCE OF LIVING YOUR LIFE WITH
A PERSPECTIVE THAT GOES SO FAR BEYOND YOURSELF.
WHEN WE RECEIVE JESUS CHRIST INTO OUR LIFE AND LIVE FOR HIM,
IT GIVES US SOMEONE TO LIVE FOR, IT GIVES US SOMETHING
TO LIVE FOR. GOD BLESS YOU AND
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.