176 00:19:10.915 --> 00:19:15.285 Well hope. Uh, how are you doing, man? I listen. 177 00:19:15.925 --> 00:19:18.045 I hope you've had a better week than I have , 178 00:19:18.425 --> 00:19:22.285 if I'm completely honest with you. Uh, I'm, I'm just gonna tell you, uh, 179 00:19:22.305 --> 00:19:25.445 how my week started off. Actually, I'm not gonna embellish here. 180 00:19:25.465 --> 00:19:28.484 I'm gonna go back to, to last weekend. It was last Saturday, 181 00:19:28.865 --> 00:19:32.895 and I went to a baby shower. I promise there's more than that, 182 00:19:32.955 --> 00:19:35.535 but that should already let you know that for me. If you know me, 183 00:19:35.536 --> 00:19:39.015 that's like the first step to a terrible weekend. But no, 184 00:19:39.135 --> 00:19:42.255 I actually had a really, really good time. We went to a baby shower. Uh, 185 00:19:42.315 --> 00:19:44.975 it was for someone on my, uh, my wife's side of the family. 186 00:19:45.035 --> 00:19:49.615 So we drove down to Wilmington. And so we went there Saturday, uh, afternoon. 187 00:19:50.075 --> 00:19:53.095 And, uh, it was good, man. We helped set up things. We had the food out. 188 00:19:53.095 --> 00:19:56.255 We had a good time with everybody. We got to hang out with people and talk. 189 00:19:56.315 --> 00:19:59.615 See people we hadn't seen in a really long time. But, uh, 190 00:19:59.685 --> 00:20:03.415 that was Saturday and Sunday morning, I had to be back here to preach. 191 00:20:04.395 --> 00:20:06.815 So we weren't able to spend the night like we normally do. Instead, 192 00:20:06.816 --> 00:20:11.295 we loaded up the car, we drove back and about 20 minutes away from Fuqua, 193 00:20:11.935 --> 00:20:12.256 I just, 194 00:20:12.256 --> 00:20:17.015 something didn't feel right now to try to help keep me awake for the ride. 195 00:20:17.775 --> 00:20:20.135 I had a cup of coffee. And so I just assumed, okay, 196 00:20:20.136 --> 00:20:22.295 this is just nature taking its course. We'll be okay. 197 00:20:22.296 --> 00:20:25.734 We're 20 minutes from home, be there in no time. Everything will be okay. Uh, 198 00:20:25.835 --> 00:20:29.415 but we get home. I take my time. I get my wife and my daughter inside the house. 199 00:20:29.435 --> 00:20:32.215 We unload the car, everything like that. And just after a few minutes, I'm like, 200 00:20:32.216 --> 00:20:33.975 Hey, listen, I gotta go take care of something. 201 00:20:33.975 --> 00:20:38.055 So I leave and I go to the restroom, and after a few minutes, I'm like, 202 00:20:38.605 --> 00:20:41.775 something just doesn't feel right. Like, I pull out my phone and I, 203 00:20:41.815 --> 00:20:44.095 I text Morgan, my wife, and I'm like, Hey, 204 00:20:44.096 --> 00:20:48.885 something just feels a little bit off. Well, I won't give you all of the like, 205 00:20:48.886 --> 00:20:52.645 nitty gritty, gross details, but to summarize, uh, 206 00:20:52.805 --> 00:20:57.685 I ended up with the worst case of food poisoning I've ever had in my entire 207 00:20:57.715 --> 00:21:01.484 life. Uh, again, without painting too much of a visual for you, uh, 208 00:21:01.485 --> 00:21:04.605 I lost 13 pounds over the course of four days. 209 00:21:05.225 --> 00:21:08.405 That's how rough this thing had started taking over my body. 210 00:21:08.425 --> 00:21:11.605 And I just remember that first night when things were getting really bad. 211 00:21:11.606 --> 00:21:15.805 There was a moment when, um, I was, I was in my bathroom and I'm, 212 00:21:15.825 --> 00:21:19.885 I'm sitting there and I'm on the ground and I am like, I'm, I'm crushed. 213 00:21:19.885 --> 00:21:23.405 Like I'm my, my wife, my my sweet wife. She's there trying to offer support, 214 00:21:23.665 --> 00:21:27.085 and she's just like, I just felt so bad for you, but I I wasn't gonna touch you. 215 00:21:27.205 --> 00:21:28.965 I was gonna stay away . You know? Um, 216 00:21:29.025 --> 00:21:31.325 and so I'm sitting there and there's just this moment when I'm like, 217 00:21:31.425 --> 00:21:36.165 I'm pounding my hands on the ground. I'm like gasping for air. 218 00:21:36.345 --> 00:21:39.125 I'm weeping. There's just this moment. And in this moment, I'm just, 219 00:21:39.185 --> 00:21:43.244 I'm crying out to God. I'm like, God, please, like, just take this away. 220 00:21:43.715 --> 00:21:46.885 Make it be over. Like I don't have anything else left. Like, 221 00:21:46.915 --> 00:21:48.285 just make this stop. 222 00:21:48.305 --> 00:21:52.605 And I could just feel my insides turning partially because of the desperation 223 00:21:52.795 --> 00:21:53.628 that I felt. 224 00:21:53.645 --> 00:21:56.645 Im partially because of the ham sandwiches that I think started this entire 225 00:21:56.646 --> 00:21:58.805 thing. And somewhere in the middle of all that, 226 00:21:58.806 --> 00:22:00.365 I'm sitting there and my head and my, 227 00:22:00.425 --> 00:22:03.605 my face is literally touching the bathroom floor. Like, 228 00:22:03.645 --> 00:22:07.205 I just don't care about anything at this point. And I felt like in this moment, 229 00:22:07.705 --> 00:22:10.925 God told me something. Now I wanna take a quick moment and just say, 230 00:22:11.285 --> 00:22:14.205 I have conversations with a lot of people and they ask me, Aaron, 231 00:22:14.265 --> 00:22:16.045 how do I know when God's talking to me? 232 00:22:16.365 --> 00:22:19.244 Versus how do I know if it's just me like talking to myself? 233 00:22:19.345 --> 00:22:22.925 And I usually tell them one or two things. I say one. Uh, usually, uh, 234 00:22:23.055 --> 00:22:26.965 God's gonna tell you something that sounds like something you would never try to 235 00:22:27.125 --> 00:22:30.115 convince yourself of. Like, it makes sense, you know, 236 00:22:30.116 --> 00:22:30.916 it's probably the right thing, 237 00:22:30.916 --> 00:22:33.395 but you've been trying to avoid that for a long time. 238 00:22:33.535 --> 00:22:35.155 The second thing is usually his timing, 239 00:22:35.305 --> 00:22:37.075 like when he chooses to tell you something, 240 00:22:37.425 --> 00:22:40.475 when he chooses to speak to you usually will stand out, right? Okay. 241 00:22:40.476 --> 00:22:42.675 So just kind of take that, put it in your back pocket, 242 00:22:43.545 --> 00:22:46.715 back to my bathroom floor. I'm sitting here and I'm crying out to God, 243 00:22:46.716 --> 00:22:49.875 and I'm praying, God, make it stop. Take it away. I don't want this anymore. 244 00:22:50.135 --> 00:22:53.715 And I just felt like in this moment, God was spoke to me and said, 245 00:22:54.744 --> 00:22:56.555 when was the last time you prayed like this? 246 00:22:59.965 --> 00:23:04.275 And the only thing I thought was, dude, not right now. Please. Like, 247 00:23:04.595 --> 00:23:05.955 I don't wanna have this conversation. 248 00:23:06.115 --> 00:23:10.475 I don't wanna do intensive soul work right now, God, like, I just need you to, 249 00:23:10.494 --> 00:23:12.915 to take this thing away. But it, it genuinely, 250 00:23:12.916 --> 00:23:15.234 that question has stuck with me all week long, 251 00:23:17.035 --> 00:23:18.775 and I've been thinking about it ever since. Man, 252 00:23:18.935 --> 00:23:23.655 when was the last time that I prayed so hard that my whole self got 253 00:23:23.895 --> 00:23:24.728 involved? 254 00:23:25.155 --> 00:23:29.445 When was the last time that I prayed so intentionally that it brought me to my 255 00:23:29.645 --> 00:23:33.975 knees? When was the last time that in the case of like this food sickness, 256 00:23:33.976 --> 00:23:38.695 that's something bothered me so much that it actually caused me some sort of 257 00:23:38.975 --> 00:23:41.734 physical reaction, this spiritual thing, uh, 258 00:23:41.735 --> 00:23:44.415 kind of manifesting itself in this physical way? 259 00:23:46.285 --> 00:23:49.535 When was the last time that I prayed with so much investment that it not only 260 00:23:50.055 --> 00:23:54.455 affected what was going on inside of me, but outside of me as well? 261 00:23:56.295 --> 00:23:59.955 See, what brought me to prayer in that situation and in prayer like that, 262 00:23:59.984 --> 00:24:04.595 that gritty gross on the ground, just letting it all out sort of prayer, 263 00:24:04.596 --> 00:24:08.635 was that there was something inside of me that felt like words couldn't contain. 264 00:24:10.065 --> 00:24:11.715 Like there was something where just a, 265 00:24:11.795 --> 00:24:14.595 a gentle bowing of the heads wasn't enough. 266 00:24:14.596 --> 00:24:17.595 There was beating of the fist and tears coming from my eyes, 267 00:24:17.615 --> 00:24:21.795 and I just cried out to ask God, why? And I think that was totally okay, 268 00:24:21.796 --> 00:24:26.555 because my outer po posture had finally started to reflect my inner 269 00:24:26.556 --> 00:24:27.389 posture. 270 00:24:28.855 --> 00:24:32.455 I prayed with my whole self at whatever cost. 271 00:24:32.555 --> 00:24:34.494 And this is something that we see, uh, 272 00:24:34.495 --> 00:24:37.494 consistently throughout scripture all the time. I'm, 273 00:24:37.515 --> 00:24:40.535 I'm gonna show you a biblical example that's a little more exciting, 274 00:24:40.675 --> 00:24:44.295 and it involves a lot less bodily fluids. Okay? So if you have your Bible, 275 00:24:44.605 --> 00:24:48.375 turn to Second Samuel chapter six. Um, and while you're getting there, 276 00:24:48.376 --> 00:24:49.895 I'll just kind of set this up a little bit for you. 277 00:24:49.994 --> 00:24:53.975 So what's happening in this passage is we're looking back at the people of 278 00:24:53.976 --> 00:24:56.975 Israel who we've been talking about for the past couple of weeks, right? 279 00:24:56.976 --> 00:24:58.895 They tend to come up a lot. And if you were here last week, 280 00:24:59.195 --> 00:25:03.415 you remember hearing me talk about this space called the Holy of Holies. And so, 281 00:25:03.695 --> 00:25:03.725 uh, 282 00:25:03.725 --> 00:25:07.615 this was the place where God's presence would come and meet his people once a 283 00:25:07.616 --> 00:25:07.755 year. 284 00:25:07.755 --> 00:25:12.335 And inside of that room was this big golden box called the Ark of the Covenant. 285 00:25:12.715 --> 00:25:15.255 If you've ever seen Indiana Jones, you probably know what I'm talking about, 286 00:25:15.256 --> 00:25:15.875 right? 287 00:25:15.875 --> 00:25:19.695 And so the Ark of the Covenant was kind of this physical representation of the 288 00:25:19.935 --> 00:25:22.935 presence of God. Now, Israel had kind of started misusing it. 289 00:25:22.936 --> 00:25:26.455 They started treating it like a, a lucky rabbit's foot or like some sort of, uh, 290 00:25:26.456 --> 00:25:27.535 good luck charm. 291 00:25:27.835 --> 00:25:32.015 And this flippant use of it or this view of that thing, uh, 292 00:25:32.195 --> 00:25:34.975 led to them losing it. In two Samuel chapter four, 293 00:25:35.175 --> 00:25:37.295 they go into a battle with the Philistines. And in that battle, 294 00:25:37.355 --> 00:25:39.695 the Philistines actually capture that thing. 295 00:25:39.955 --> 00:25:42.655 And Israel has this moment of coming to their senses of like, man, 296 00:25:42.656 --> 00:25:46.895 we've been mistreating, uh, this representation of the spirit of God. 297 00:25:47.075 --> 00:25:49.935 And so the Philistines have it now, and they don't want it for very long, 298 00:25:49.936 --> 00:25:52.895 because while they have it, these curses come upon them. Uh, 299 00:25:52.896 --> 00:25:56.935 these plagues come upon them. And so they actually willingly give it back to, 300 00:25:57.575 --> 00:26:01.815 uh, to Israel. And so David is king, uh, of Israel at this time. 301 00:26:02.155 --> 00:26:04.295 And as it's starting to make its way back, 302 00:26:04.395 --> 00:26:07.215 it takes a quick pit stop at a guy named Obed Ed's house. 303 00:26:07.216 --> 00:26:09.494 You can read about that in two Samuel chapter six. 304 00:26:09.495 --> 00:26:14.325 But I want us to pick up in verse 16. Um, I'm sorry. 305 00:26:14.565 --> 00:26:17.085 Actually go back to verse 12. We're gonna pick up in verse 12 here. 306 00:26:17.505 --> 00:26:20.565 As it's being returned, it says, and it was told King David, 307 00:26:21.005 --> 00:26:25.045 the Lord has blessed the household of Obed Edam and all that belongs to him 308 00:26:25.046 --> 00:26:27.045 because the Ark of the Covenant had been there. 309 00:26:27.665 --> 00:26:31.765 So David went and brought up the Ark of God from the house of Obed Edam to the 310 00:26:31.766 --> 00:26:36.285 city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the Ark of the Covenant, 311 00:26:37.205 --> 00:26:39.244 um, Ark of the Lord had gone six steps, 312 00:26:39.305 --> 00:26:43.525 he sacrificed an ox and fattened and a and a fattened animal, excuse me. 313 00:26:43.865 --> 00:26:46.205 And David danced before the Lord with all his might. 314 00:26:46.225 --> 00:26:49.445 And David was wearing a linen ephod. This was just, uh, 315 00:26:49.446 --> 00:26:52.484 what the priests wore at that time. It was a ceremonial rope. 316 00:26:53.425 --> 00:26:56.645 So David and all the House of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with 317 00:26:56.885 --> 00:26:59.405 shouting and with the sound of the horn, verse 16, 318 00:26:59.905 --> 00:27:03.845 as the ark of the Lord came into the city of David McCall, the daughter of Saul, 319 00:27:03.846 --> 00:27:06.365 who by the way was also David's wife, uh, 320 00:27:06.366 --> 00:27:11.005 looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord. 321 00:27:11.145 --> 00:27:15.205 So the, the arc is making it way into the city. And this woman is looking out, 322 00:27:15.206 --> 00:27:17.445 she sees her husband and he's, I don't know, 323 00:27:17.446 --> 00:27:19.565 hitting the grid or something outside of the window, right? 324 00:27:19.725 --> 00:27:22.405 Like he's getting excited, he's getting down. And look at how, 325 00:27:22.406 --> 00:27:25.285 what her response was, it says he was dancing before the Lord, before the Lord, 326 00:27:25.345 --> 00:27:27.645 and she despised him in her heart, 327 00:27:28.905 --> 00:27:32.885 and they brought in the arc of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent 328 00:27:32.886 --> 00:27:33.965 that David had pitched for it. 329 00:27:34.105 --> 00:27:37.565 And David offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord. 330 00:27:37.625 --> 00:27:40.645 And when David had finished offering the burnt offerings and the peace 331 00:27:40.885 --> 00:27:43.645 offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of, 332 00:27:43.785 --> 00:27:48.045 of hosts and distributed among all the people, the whole multitude of Israel, 333 00:27:48.046 --> 00:27:50.125 both men and women, a cake of bread, 334 00:27:50.285 --> 00:27:52.605 a portion of meat and a cake of raisins to each, 335 00:27:53.705 --> 00:27:58.395 then all the people departed each to his house. Verse 20. And then it says, 336 00:27:58.396 --> 00:28:02.435 David returned to bless his household, but McCall, the daughter of Saul, 337 00:28:02.436 --> 00:28:05.795 his wife, uh, came out to meet David and said, 338 00:28:06.275 --> 00:28:08.395 how the King of Israel honored himself today, 339 00:28:08.765 --> 00:28:11.475 uncovering himself today before the eyes of his servants, 340 00:28:11.535 --> 00:28:15.835 female servants as one of the vulgar fellow shamelessly uncovers himself. 341 00:28:16.295 --> 00:28:17.755 So she's like, dude, what were you doing? 342 00:28:17.756 --> 00:28:19.994 You're out there acting a fool in front of all these people. 343 00:28:19.995 --> 00:28:23.155 You're supposed to be the king, and you're out here embarrassing yourself. 344 00:28:23.775 --> 00:28:26.994 And look at how David responds. In verse 21, David said to McCall, 345 00:28:27.575 --> 00:28:31.755 it was before the Lord who chose me above your father and above all his house, 346 00:28:31.756 --> 00:28:35.595 to appoint me as prince over Israel, the the people of the Lord. 347 00:28:35.895 --> 00:28:38.155 And I will celebrate before the Lord. 348 00:28:38.915 --> 00:28:41.995 I will make myself yet more contemptible than this, 349 00:28:42.455 --> 00:28:44.155 and I will be a base in your eyes, 350 00:28:44.375 --> 00:28:47.315 but by the female servants of whom you have spoken by them, 351 00:28:47.675 --> 00:28:50.875 I should be held in honor. I love the way that other translations put this. 352 00:28:51.075 --> 00:28:53.795 It says, uh, uh, McCall comes to David and says, Hey, 353 00:28:53.895 --> 00:28:57.475 why were you being so undignified? And David's response is literally, woman, 354 00:28:57.835 --> 00:29:02.075 I was praising Jesus. I'll get even more undignified than this if I want to. 355 00:29:02.255 --> 00:29:05.435 And I just love that level of zeal for the Lord. 356 00:29:05.805 --> 00:29:10.555 David was so celebratory and he was so authentic before 357 00:29:10.615 --> 00:29:13.795 God. They, and he wanted to let that be known so much that he's like, listen, 358 00:29:13.955 --> 00:29:15.995 I don't care how embarrassed I am in the process. 359 00:29:16.455 --> 00:29:20.305 I'm having a moment with my heavenly Father and man, 360 00:29:20.405 --> 00:29:23.465 that's what prayer can be like. 361 00:29:23.466 --> 00:29:26.265 We can have these moments where we don't have to worry about how we look or how 362 00:29:26.266 --> 00:29:27.985 we sound, or are we using the right words. 363 00:29:28.245 --> 00:29:32.625 Prayer can be a whole bodied expression of what our words 364 00:29:33.035 --> 00:29:33.868 can't express. 365 00:29:35.215 --> 00:29:40.195 It can be messy and joyful and full of tears or laughter or on a 366 00:29:40.196 --> 00:29:42.525 walk or on our knees or dancing. 367 00:29:42.865 --> 00:29:46.205 And I'm just so afraid that so many of us have missed out on some level of 368 00:29:46.485 --> 00:29:50.125 intimacy with God because we lack authenticity in front of God. 369 00:29:51.555 --> 00:29:55.255 I'm afraid that so many of us may have missed out on the potential of an aspect 370 00:29:55.256 --> 00:29:57.735 of our relationship with Jesus, because well, if we're completely honest, 371 00:29:58.315 --> 00:30:01.135 listen all this dancing and crying and hooping and hollering, like, 372 00:30:01.865 --> 00:30:05.845 isn't that a Pentecostal thing? like, isn't that what, 373 00:30:06.075 --> 00:30:09.205 what the other churches do? Like is, is hope, that type of church, 374 00:30:09.505 --> 00:30:14.485 am I that type of Christian? And to that, I just want to ask you, 375 00:30:15.185 --> 00:30:17.005 are you willing to just be yourself? 376 00:30:18.785 --> 00:30:21.685 Are you willing to dance before the Lord because of his goodness? 377 00:30:21.686 --> 00:30:25.085 Because that's, that's how he made you. He's placed that joy inside of you. 378 00:30:25.086 --> 00:30:28.805 Like you don't have to hide an aspect of who you are from the God who created 379 00:30:28.865 --> 00:30:33.515 you. You can be authentic. You can let out those tears. 380 00:30:34.175 --> 00:30:36.715 You can cry, you can dance, you can sit, you can kneel, 381 00:30:36.855 --> 00:30:41.275 you can raise your hands to heaven without any fear of anything. Why? 382 00:30:41.276 --> 00:30:45.275 Because it's just simply being authentic. And so maybe your pushback is, man, 383 00:30:45.276 --> 00:30:49.325 this all just feels like a bit much, it just feels theatrical. 384 00:30:49.326 --> 00:30:53.165 Like does prayer really require all that? And to that, I will say yes and no. 385 00:30:53.166 --> 00:30:55.965 Does prayer require performance? Absolutely not. 386 00:30:56.305 --> 00:31:00.245 But does it require authenticity? Absolutely, yes. 387 00:31:01.785 --> 00:31:05.725 In fact, Jesus makes this distinction in Matthew chapter six. Uh, 388 00:31:05.755 --> 00:31:09.125 he's given his sermon on the Mount, and, uh, he's talking to, 389 00:31:09.385 --> 00:31:12.845 to his followers or just people who have gathered to hear what it is that he has 390 00:31:12.846 --> 00:31:15.765 to say because they're interested in this way of life that Jesus is talking 391 00:31:15.766 --> 00:31:20.405 about. And I wanna read, um, these verses. This is Matthew chapter six, 392 00:31:20.845 --> 00:31:22.765 verses one through eight, where Jesus is, 393 00:31:22.825 --> 00:31:27.525 is talking about ultimately this idea of authenticity before 394 00:31:27.675 --> 00:31:32.145 your spiritual Father. Starting in verse one, Jesus says, 395 00:31:32.245 --> 00:31:36.585 beware of practicing your righteousness before other people 396 00:31:37.045 --> 00:31:38.505 in order to be seen by them. 397 00:31:38.925 --> 00:31:42.585 For then you will have no reward from your father who is in heaven, 398 00:31:43.465 --> 00:31:45.475 thus when you give to the needy. So he, 399 00:31:45.476 --> 00:31:48.275 he's starting to give some examples here. When you give to the needy sound, 400 00:31:48.335 --> 00:31:49.635 no trumpets before you, 401 00:31:50.055 --> 00:31:52.355 as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, 402 00:31:52.545 --> 00:31:56.435 that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, 403 00:31:56.465 --> 00:32:00.155 they have received their reward. I call this like the good news, 404 00:32:00.375 --> 00:32:05.275 bad news paradox of hypocrisy , because the bad, the good news is, 405 00:32:05.475 --> 00:32:06.875 is that these people are seeking a reward. 406 00:32:07.255 --> 00:32:11.785 And the good news for them is that they do get a reward. But the bad news is, 407 00:32:11.786 --> 00:32:16.065 is that it's not what they genuinely want. They're not getting the, the, the, 408 00:32:16.345 --> 00:32:19.105 uh, uh, relationship with the father. Instead, 409 00:32:19.205 --> 00:32:23.505 all they're settling for is mere praise from humans that'll fade in a heartbeat. 410 00:32:26.365 --> 00:32:30.545 And so he keeps on going. He says, when you give to the needy, 411 00:32:30.546 --> 00:32:33.545 do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing so that you're 412 00:32:33.546 --> 00:32:34.905 giving may be done in secret. 413 00:32:34.965 --> 00:32:38.465 And your father who sees in secret will reward you. Verse five, 414 00:32:38.565 --> 00:32:41.845 he switches the conversation over to prayer. He says, and when you pray, 415 00:32:42.385 --> 00:32:44.245 you must not be like the hypocrites. 416 00:32:44.995 --> 00:32:48.855 For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners that 417 00:32:48.856 --> 00:32:53.855 they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they receive their reward. 418 00:32:54.405 --> 00:32:59.165 They've gotten all they're gonna get out of it. But when you pray, 419 00:33:00.545 --> 00:33:04.605 go into your room and shut your door and pray to your father who is in secret, 420 00:33:04.705 --> 00:33:08.775 and your father who is in secret, I'm sorry. 421 00:33:08.776 --> 00:33:13.315 And your father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, 422 00:33:13.335 --> 00:33:17.555 do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do for they think that they will be 423 00:33:17.645 --> 00:33:19.075 heard for their many words. 424 00:33:20.715 --> 00:33:25.335 Do not be like them for your father knows what you need before you ask them. 425 00:33:27.215 --> 00:33:31.335 Jesus is clear here. None of this that we're talking about these, 426 00:33:31.345 --> 00:33:33.495 these different postures, these uh, uh, 427 00:33:33.496 --> 00:33:37.015 different ways of expressing ourselves through prayer, like they're not for, 428 00:33:37.045 --> 00:33:39.215 they're not a performance. However, 429 00:33:39.305 --> 00:33:42.295 there is an audience and that is an audience of one. 430 00:33:43.585 --> 00:33:47.725 And there's just such a freedom and a relief that comes in that when you realize 431 00:33:47.865 --> 00:33:50.125 the beauty of the one that you stand before, 432 00:33:51.235 --> 00:33:54.565 when you realize that you're in front of the God who loves you and made you and 433 00:33:54.566 --> 00:33:57.445 called you and sees you authentically as you are, 434 00:33:57.665 --> 00:34:01.565 and knows all the insides and the outsides about everything that you are, man, 435 00:34:01.566 --> 00:34:02.925 there's just a safety there. 436 00:34:04.295 --> 00:34:09.114 And it's in that place where you can just breathe easy and say, 437 00:34:09.175 --> 00:34:11.594 God, prayer doesn't have to be this thing. 438 00:34:12.625 --> 00:34:15.955 It's just me presenting myself to you authentically. 439 00:34:16.055 --> 00:34:18.635 And however that comes out, so be it. 440 00:34:19.735 --> 00:34:23.675 And the thing that I love about these, these postures, these adopted, uh, uh, 441 00:34:23.676 --> 00:34:27.075 forms that we can take on is, man, 442 00:34:27.076 --> 00:34:29.635 they just give us a way to help focus things in. 443 00:34:30.905 --> 00:34:35.315 They give us a way to channel these emotions that we feel all these times when 444 00:34:35.575 --> 00:34:38.635 bowing our head and closing our eyes. Just doesn't feel like enough. 445 00:34:38.805 --> 00:34:42.755 There are ways that we can express to God with our entire body, uh, in, 446 00:34:42.995 --> 00:34:46.075 in what I believe are significant, authentic ways. 447 00:34:46.215 --> 00:34:51.155 So this week in our 21 day prayer journey that we're going on together inside of 448 00:34:51.156 --> 00:34:54.155 the Hope app, which that we have some information on how, uh, 449 00:34:54.215 --> 00:34:57.675 you can access that and get into it, if you haven't joined in with us so far, 450 00:34:57.805 --> 00:35:02.235 we're going in a week to hop in with us. But through this, 451 00:35:02.375 --> 00:35:05.875 we actually want to, as a church, this is where we find the value in this, 452 00:35:05.876 --> 00:35:07.355 right? I dunno if you remember last week, I said, 453 00:35:07.455 --> 00:35:10.995 the value in this is not about us just coming together and talking about prayer. 454 00:35:11.225 --> 00:35:15.594 It's actually in experiencing it. So this week, every single day, 455 00:35:15.614 --> 00:35:20.555 we are going to practice a different posture of prayer together, not as like a, 456 00:35:20.655 --> 00:35:24.075 Hey, this is gonna level you up in your Christianity, or this is gonna somehow, 457 00:35:24.594 --> 00:35:28.075 uh, uh, blow the roof off of everything that you knew prayer to be. Listen, 458 00:35:28.364 --> 00:35:30.675 maybe it will be that for you and maybe it won't. 459 00:35:31.575 --> 00:35:33.915 But what we hope is that through practicing these things that, 460 00:35:34.075 --> 00:35:38.125 and somehow it at least stirs up the affection inside of you to say, man, 461 00:35:38.265 --> 00:35:41.445 I'm finding new ways to express my heart to God 462 00:35:43.445 --> 00:35:44.765 And just maybe you've never tried before. 463 00:35:44.785 --> 00:35:47.485 So here's a guided way to be able to go through that. 464 00:35:47.515 --> 00:35:50.885 Some of the things that we're gonna be working through this week is the idea of 465 00:35:50.886 --> 00:35:54.325 kneeling in prayer, which just give us this, 466 00:35:54.395 --> 00:35:57.645 this stature of submission and reverence to God. 467 00:35:57.705 --> 00:36:00.925 The idea of standing with our arms raised over our head. 468 00:36:00.926 --> 00:36:05.645 We see this in scripture as a sign of steadfastness and perseverance, 469 00:36:05.665 --> 00:36:10.565 laying prostrate before the Lord that is face down in complete surrender to 470 00:36:10.614 --> 00:36:14.085 God's will. The same way that Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane. 471 00:36:14.155 --> 00:36:17.125 It's sitting the way that King David did before the Lord, 472 00:36:17.195 --> 00:36:21.885 just allowing God to speak to us in a place of fellowship and meditation. 473 00:36:22.075 --> 00:36:25.885 It's walking around your neighborhoods or around your schools or around your 474 00:36:25.886 --> 00:36:29.525 cities interceding on the behalf of other people, saying, God, 475 00:36:29.665 --> 00:36:33.645 I'm willing to get some skin in the game and actually take an action to walk 476 00:36:33.646 --> 00:36:35.685 outside of the comfort of my own home, 477 00:36:36.075 --> 00:36:39.205 towards the people that I believe you're calling me to pray for. 478 00:36:39.355 --> 00:36:43.765 It's dancing the way that David danced in a way of celebration and praise 479 00:36:43.995 --> 00:36:47.125 without limitations. And it's sitting in silence, 480 00:36:47.925 --> 00:36:52.725 learning what does it mean for me to sit still and be quiet and turn everything 481 00:36:52.726 --> 00:36:56.605 off and trust and know that God is sovereign? 482 00:36:59.065 --> 00:37:02.765 All of these different things are just ways for us to help, uh, 483 00:37:02.855 --> 00:37:07.364 learn what it looks like to use our whole body, 484 00:37:07.864 --> 00:37:11.325 to focus in on God, because that's what these things are. 485 00:37:11.335 --> 00:37:15.485 These prayer postures are tools to help us 486 00:37:16.094 --> 00:37:19.875 focus on God. It's as simple as that. 487 00:37:22.255 --> 00:37:24.835 If you're anything like me, when you try to pray, man, sometimes your brain, 488 00:37:24.836 --> 00:37:26.955 it just goes all over the place. But it's, 489 00:37:27.355 --> 00:37:31.435 it's just little things like we do in spaces like this where we'll say, 490 00:37:31.436 --> 00:37:33.715 let's pray. And what do you do? I don't know if you think about this or not. 491 00:37:33.775 --> 00:37:35.675 You take on a prayer posture. Typically, 492 00:37:35.676 --> 00:37:40.275 you'll close your eyes and your bow your head. Why? Why? 493 00:37:40.825 --> 00:37:43.755 Like genuine question. Do you ever think about why? 494 00:37:44.135 --> 00:37:46.755 Or do you just do it because it's a reflex? No, 495 00:37:46.756 --> 00:37:51.515 we close our eyes to keep us from getting distracted and we bow our heads out of 496 00:37:51.715 --> 00:37:53.755 reverence and respect for the one that we're talking to. See, 497 00:37:53.756 --> 00:37:55.435 we all have a prayer posture. 498 00:37:56.735 --> 00:38:00.594 But what if we were intentional about taking what we do on the outside and just 499 00:38:00.595 --> 00:38:04.395 letting that be an expression of our hearts, the posture of our heart, 500 00:38:04.396 --> 00:38:08.355 which Jesus really cares about. Listen, 501 00:38:08.594 --> 00:38:10.835 if if you feel like I'm laying in the plane a little quick here, uh, 502 00:38:10.915 --> 00:38:15.594 I am because again, the goal of this is not just to talk about it, 503 00:38:15.614 --> 00:38:16.795 but it's to practice it. 504 00:38:18.055 --> 00:38:22.675 We closed out our time last week of singing a song together as an opportunity of 505 00:38:22.676 --> 00:38:25.875 prayer, and we're gonna do something that's kind of similar to that. 506 00:38:27.895 --> 00:38:29.594 But what I want us to do is, man, 507 00:38:29.675 --> 00:38:33.675 I just want us to worship together in a way where we're just mindful 508 00:38:36.685 --> 00:38:40.565 That we are authentically presenting ourselves to God. And so for you, 509 00:38:40.745 --> 00:38:43.325 if that looks like sitting in your seat, stay in your seat. 510 00:38:43.505 --> 00:38:46.965 If that looks like standing on your, uh, feet and raising your hands, 511 00:38:47.185 --> 00:38:48.125 by all means do that. 512 00:38:48.126 --> 00:38:51.205 If that feels like maybe you need to scoot over a little bit and find a space, 513 00:38:51.405 --> 00:38:52.445 a space in the aisle, 514 00:38:52.465 --> 00:38:56.325 and kneel down before God and just genuinely let him do some soul work, 515 00:38:56.385 --> 00:38:59.245 if it means you just need to not sing, but just listen. 516 00:38:59.465 --> 00:39:00.925 Or maybe it's vice versa, 517 00:39:01.185 --> 00:39:04.565 you actually need to sing these things out even though you don't feel it, 518 00:39:04.566 --> 00:39:07.965 to try to stir up something inside of you towards, uh, 519 00:39:07.966 --> 00:39:10.725 your affections for your father than man. Do that. 520 00:39:12.805 --> 00:39:12.805 Blessed. 521 00:39:12.805 --> 00:39:14.485 But let's not just go through the motions. 522 00:39:15.935 --> 00:39:18.125 Let's actually worship together and listen, 523 00:39:18.126 --> 00:39:20.405 this has been factored in our time together. 524 00:39:20.425 --> 00:39:22.125 You don't have to worry about your kids in kid city. 525 00:39:22.126 --> 00:39:24.565 You don't have to worry about picking up people from middle school or anything 526 00:39:24.566 --> 00:39:26.765 like that. This is a chance for you to just sit 527 00:39:28.505 --> 00:39:31.525 in the midst of your busy week. We said, Hey, what if we just, 528 00:39:31.635 --> 00:39:36.405 what if we gave everyone some time uninterrupted 529 00:39:38.025 --> 00:39:41.485 to just authentically connect with the Father? 530 00:39:43.385 --> 00:39:44.525 And then we'll have a moment of, 531 00:39:44.526 --> 00:39:49.485 of prayer that we kind of guide here with one another. But for now, 532 00:39:51.055 --> 00:39:51.888 let's pray. 533 00:39:56.075 --> 00:39:56.908 Lord, um, 534 00:39:59.344 --> 00:40:01.844 you know us better than we know ourselves. 535 00:40:04.225 --> 00:40:07.565 You intricately made us and you gave us all of our quirks. 536 00:40:09.105 --> 00:40:12.645 God, I think all of us have a part of our personalities of who we are, 537 00:40:12.646 --> 00:40:15.765 that we just feel like we should, uh, hide away from other people. 538 00:40:15.815 --> 00:40:20.405 Maybe we temper it when we leave the house or whatever, but God, 539 00:40:20.406 --> 00:40:23.805 you know that that's there. And God, you want all of us. 540 00:40:25.825 --> 00:40:28.725 So, Lord, whether that is a joy that we feel, 541 00:40:29.515 --> 00:40:31.885 that we don't feel safe to express, 542 00:40:31.886 --> 00:40:34.805 whether that is an anger or a hurt that we have with you, 543 00:40:34.806 --> 00:40:38.685 that we don't know how to let out God or anywhere in between. Father, 544 00:40:39.545 --> 00:40:42.965 we authentically present ourselves to you, to today, 545 00:40:44.465 --> 00:40:48.645 God, as a church, collectively be honored in our worship. 546 00:40:49.705 --> 00:40:53.325 Be honored in our praise. Be honored in our prayers. 547 00:40:54.235 --> 00:40:55.605 Hear us, oh God, 548 00:40:57.265 --> 00:41:00.005 not just for the words that come out of our mouth or the things that are 549 00:41:00.006 --> 00:41:04.725 happening externally, God, but examine our hearts. And Lord, 550 00:41:04.825 --> 00:41:08.005 we just pray that you would give us permission somehow to align the two, 551 00:41:10.355 --> 00:41:14.765 help our bodies to be used, to bring you glory in every way. 552 00:41:14.835 --> 00:41:19.205 Give us postures of prayer both physically and spiritually. Lord, 553 00:41:22.185 --> 00:41:26.725 we honor you today. In your son's name we pray. Amen. 584 00:46:13.364 --> 00:46:17.705 If you're watching with us online, thank you for sticking around. Uh, 585 00:46:17.885 --> 00:46:20.985 I'm actually here with a couple of people, um, in our Raleigh campus right now. 586 00:46:21.775 --> 00:46:24.864 They came to hang out with us through all the snow and all the bad weather 587 00:46:25.225 --> 00:46:28.065 , but we're here, um, 588 00:46:29.515 --> 00:46:30.665 doing the exact same thing. 589 00:46:30.666 --> 00:46:33.425 We just wanna present ourselves to God authentically. 590 00:46:33.426 --> 00:46:36.145 And so I just wanna lead all of us in this moment of doing it. 591 00:46:36.146 --> 00:46:39.065 There's only a few of us here. Uh, so there's plenty of room to, 592 00:46:39.085 --> 00:46:42.145 to get up and move around and spread out. If you're watching this at home, 593 00:46:42.146 --> 00:46:45.305 maybe you're in your living room and maybe you and your family are watching this 594 00:46:45.425 --> 00:46:48.025 together. Maybe you're by yourself, but I just wanna encourage you, 595 00:46:48.085 --> 00:46:52.385 can we just practice, uh, uh, prayer together, 596 00:46:53.485 --> 00:46:58.105 but in a way that is authentic and just uses all that we have. So, 597 00:46:58.165 --> 00:47:00.344 so here's what I wanna invite all of us to do. I just want us to, 598 00:47:00.405 --> 00:47:02.985 to get into this, this posture of getting on our knees. 599 00:47:13.125 --> 00:47:17.025 And, um, once you're there, I just, 600 00:47:17.585 --> 00:47:20.425 I just want you to think about the way that you're sitting for a minute. 601 00:47:24.215 --> 00:47:27.265 Just close your eyes and ask yourself, man, 602 00:47:27.266 --> 00:47:29.770 when was the last time I sat like this before my father? 603 00:47:32.945 --> 00:47:35.364 And I want you to think about what this posture means. 604 00:47:38.475 --> 00:47:40.405 It's a, a position of reverence. 605 00:47:43.715 --> 00:47:45.125 It's a position of respect. 606 00:47:47.165 --> 00:47:49.805 I think in certain aspects it's a position of begging. 607 00:47:52.405 --> 00:47:57.125 But man, we don't beg as, uh, someone going to a tyrant. 608 00:47:57.185 --> 00:48:01.805 We beg as people coming to a father who we know loves us and who we just want 609 00:48:01.985 --> 00:48:06.925 to pour out his love on us and to lavish that love on us in new ways. 610 00:48:11.385 --> 00:48:13.045 And so right now, I just want you to sit, 611 00:48:15.825 --> 00:48:19.125 and I just want you to, to just talk to your father. 612 00:48:19.126 --> 00:48:21.045 And we're gonna do this in a couple of different ways. The first is, 613 00:48:21.205 --> 00:48:24.165 I just want you to spend some time in your own words, just saying, God, 614 00:48:24.695 --> 00:48:25.885 thank you for loving me. 615 00:48:54.105 --> 00:48:57.355 When Jesus talks about a, a good father, um, 616 00:48:59.675 --> 00:49:00.508 he says that, 617 00:49:00.605 --> 00:49:04.935 that God knows what you need in the same way that he provides for the sparrows 618 00:49:05.355 --> 00:49:09.655 he provides for us. And so, I know a lot of us, 619 00:49:09.715 --> 00:49:14.455 we have needs, we all have things in our life that, um, man, if 620 00:49:15.955 --> 00:49:20.175 We just trust, we just need to trust God to supply those things. And so, 621 00:49:20.176 --> 00:49:21.015 I just want you to take a minute 622 00:49:23.455 --> 00:49:25.555 and just in this humble posture, 623 00:49:26.985 --> 00:49:29.114 make your requests known to God. 624 00:49:30.495 --> 00:49:32.395 Let your heavenly Father know what you need. 625 00:50:12.995 --> 00:50:15.455 And then from the same posture of humility, I, i, 626 00:50:17.195 --> 00:50:18.895 can we just ask God to use us 627 00:50:21.135 --> 00:50:25.905 like how he sees fit. To say, I'm, 628 00:50:25.965 --> 00:50:28.645 I'm willing to take my hand off the steering wheel. And God, 629 00:50:28.685 --> 00:50:32.045 I just want to trust you, for you to, 630 00:50:32.225 --> 00:50:35.885 to speak to me and tell me how you wanna lead me and how you want to guide me 631 00:50:35.886 --> 00:50:39.605 and where you wanna send me. Lord, 632 00:50:39.606 --> 00:50:42.085 it's from this posture of humble obedience that we say yes. 633 00:50:46.205 --> 00:50:47.425 So Father, speak to us. 634 00:51:23.435 --> 00:51:24.364 Lord, we love you. 635 00:51:28.594 --> 00:51:32.765 Lord. We love you. Thank you for loving us. 636 00:51:34.625 --> 00:51:38.005 God, thank you that you, uh, saw fit to save us. 637 00:51:40.605 --> 00:51:40.896 Lord, 638 00:51:40.896 --> 00:51:44.215 thank you that you draw us to yourself and that you allow us to just connect 639 00:51:44.216 --> 00:51:45.895 with you. God, we're so humbled by that. 640 00:51:50.645 --> 00:51:54.614 Lord, I pray for our church. Um, 641 00:51:54.695 --> 00:51:57.375 I pray for everybody who's going on this journey with us together of just 642 00:51:57.505 --> 00:52:00.614 connecting with you, God, that your spirit would just be, uh, 643 00:52:00.685 --> 00:52:04.735 made real to all of us. That we would connect with you in new, in fresh ways, 644 00:52:04.736 --> 00:52:07.895 that we would learn what it means to actually pour ourself to you. 645 00:52:08.375 --> 00:52:12.094 Not pour out ourself to you authentically. God may be for the very first time. 646 00:52:14.555 --> 00:52:15.015 And God, 647 00:52:15.015 --> 00:52:20.015 I pray that it changes the trajectories of lives and in turn of families, 648 00:52:20.315 --> 00:52:22.335 and in turn, our church, God, 649 00:52:23.195 --> 00:52:27.225 and in turn our city and in turn our world, father 650 00:52:31.325 --> 00:52:35.885 Lord, we love you. We ask you to use us as you see fit. 651 00:52:36.055 --> 00:52:38.844 Guide us to the places where you want us to go. 652 00:52:43.085 --> 00:52:46.005 Lord, we love you. We love you. 653 00:52:47.245 --> 00:52:52.005 And just from this bent down place of abandoned God that we just say thank you, 654 00:52:54.045 --> 00:52:58.925 we say thank you, thank you for Jesus, thank you for the cross. 655 00:53:00.525 --> 00:53:02.965 In your son's mighty name we pray, amen. 656 00:53:05.265 --> 00:53:06.565 And I just wanna encourage you, man, 657 00:53:06.566 --> 00:53:10.445 just sit in this space for as long as you need to take that time. 658 00:53:11.805 --> 00:53:15.405 Just sit before your father in humility because he loves you. 659 00:53:18.325 --> 00:53:21.205 Guys, thank y'all so much for joining us this week. And, and I just pray that, 660 00:53:21.725 --> 00:53:23.925 uh, man, that this week would be profound 661 00:53:25.844 --> 00:53:29.364 and you just sitting before and connecting with your heavenly Father.