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[2992.10 --> 2996.22] Or we can so easily say, you know, I want Jesus, but I want him at a comfortable distance.
[2996.76 --> 3003.12] I want the spirit to prompt me, but at my terms, at my timing, when I feel like it's convenient.
[3003.12 --> 3007.84] And we live these lives in one way or another where we are resisting the voice of the spirit.
[3007.94 --> 3011.78] And here's why I want to exhort the three of you who've given your profession of faith
[3011.78 --> 3018.38] to be attentive to the voice of God, to carve out the time.
[3018.48 --> 3021.96] I think one of the great temptations we have is not someone who's like, hey, renounce your faith.
[3022.20 --> 3024.46] It's living in a culture that says, why don't you live at a pace?
[3025.12 --> 3031.46] Why don't you be so busy you will not be able to discern the prompting of the spirit, the voice of God, the love of Jesus?
[3031.46 --> 3037.96] Why don't you move so fast from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. or earlier and later with all the things of this world,
[3038.30 --> 3044.98] with the good things of life, so that you're so busy you cannot slow down to hear God speak.
[3045.68 --> 3050.18] And I have to say, I appreciate in your testimonies that sense of like, over the last few years,
[3050.72 --> 3054.94] disciplines coming into your life, starting your day a certain way, finishing your day a certain way,
[3055.28 --> 3059.06] recognizing that for us to hear God speak, and this is a big part of my own story,
[3059.06 --> 3062.70] required slowing down.
[3064.30 --> 3067.74] Slowing down, stilling one's body, putting away the screens,
[3067.86 --> 3070.24] so that you can be in conversation with your Heavenly Father.
[3070.60 --> 3074.00] You can hear the spirit who is alive and at work in your life and say, yes,
[3074.34 --> 3075.62] this is where I want to move.
[3075.90 --> 3078.48] This is who I want to be, and I'm willing to say no to this.
[3078.94 --> 3079.90] Put the screens away.
[3080.24 --> 3083.18] Say no to this commitment, so that I can be in a living,
[3083.68 --> 3084.78] life-giving relationship
[3084.78 --> 3086.44] with my Heavenly Father.
[3087.14 --> 3089.60] So I exhort the three of you, and all of us,
[3090.38 --> 3093.26] to carve out the time to be attentive to Jesus.
[3094.66 --> 3097.00] I shared this in the 9 a.m. service, and I was regretting it,
[3097.04 --> 3099.44] but I'm going to say it again, because I think it's a punchy story.
[3099.54 --> 3100.02] It's convicting.
[3100.70 --> 3102.34] But there's an author I quite love,
[3102.42 --> 3104.20] who talks a lot about spiritual disciplines.
[3105.10 --> 3107.56] Talked about the practice of giving, of silence, of solitude,
[3107.72 --> 3109.76] reading the scriptures, prayer, communally and individually.
[3110.34 --> 3111.58] And he had someone come up to him
[3111.58 --> 3113.22] after he was sharing about these practices.
[3113.46 --> 3115.14] And the guy's like, how can I do these things?
[3115.18 --> 3115.86] I'm so busy.
[3115.94 --> 3117.08] I have so many things going on.
[3117.34 --> 3118.96] And he basically said, like, I love what you're saying,
[3119.02 --> 3120.44] but I'm not going to do these practices.
[3120.86 --> 3122.60] And the pastor quickly said to him,
[3123.04 --> 3124.90] maybe you're too busy to follow Jesus.
[3126.16 --> 3127.96] Maybe this isn't what you actually want.
[3128.60 --> 3129.96] Maybe you're not really in the place
[3129.96 --> 3131.10] where you're ready for apprenticeship,
[3131.10 --> 3133.04] because that requires slowing down
[3133.04 --> 3136.14] and giving attention and priority to a relationship
[3136.14 --> 3138.18] that will change our lives forever.
[3140.68 --> 3143.64] But let me finish not with challenge,
[3144.10 --> 3145.48] but with encouragement.
[3145.68 --> 3148.24] Romans 8, after all, is all about encouragement.
[3148.36 --> 3148.88] You know why?
[3150.02 --> 3150.88] Receive this.
[3151.22 --> 3154.06] The Spirit of God that dwells in our midst
[3154.06 --> 3156.66] is more powerful than the flesh.
[3157.96 --> 3160.72] And that means Jesus changes us
[3160.72 --> 3164.10] in such a way that new possibilities emerge by the Spirit.
[3164.84 --> 3167.06] The power that raised Jesus from the dead
[3167.06 --> 3169.54] is at work putting to death in us,
[3169.76 --> 3171.60] with us, the old self,
[3171.68 --> 3173.44] so that the three of you and all of us
[3173.44 --> 3174.78] can experience more freedom,
[3175.56 --> 3176.34] more peace,
[3176.88 --> 3180.86] more life in and through the work of the Spirit.
[3180.98 --> 3181.92] Praise the Lord for that.
[3182.68 --> 3183.74] And Romans 8 doesn't say,
[3183.84 --> 3185.14] hey, if you get these things in order,
[3185.34 --> 3186.42] if you do the work,
[3186.48 --> 3187.46] then you're going to experience it.
[3187.46 --> 3190.20] It says, no, you've already been brought into God's family.
[3190.62 --> 3193.30] The work of Jesus has already covered over your faith
[3193.30 --> 3193.88] and your life.
[3193.88 --> 3195.90] There's no condemnation and no judgment.
[3196.24 --> 3197.84] And now you have the Spirit to work out
[3197.84 --> 3199.86] for the rest of your lives
[3199.86 --> 3202.92] the freedom you already have secured in Christ.
[3203.94 --> 3204.76] That's Romans 8.
[3205.62 --> 3206.92] And to the three of you, I say,
[3207.50 --> 3208.90] receive the gift of the Spirit.
[3210.32 --> 3211.82] Allow for the rest of your lives
[3211.82 --> 3213.56] the Spirit to draw you into loving,
[3213.80 --> 3215.52] meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ,
[3215.94 --> 3217.52] who is who He says He is.
[3218.34 --> 3219.72] The life is truly life.
[3219.72 --> 3222.16] And the same Spirit
[3222.16 --> 3225.04] that rose Jesus Christ from the dead
[3225.04 --> 3227.18] is ours to experience.
[3227.88 --> 3229.34] Would you let me lead us in prayer?
[3234.34 --> 3235.54] Father, we praise You
[3235.54 --> 3237.70] for making us Your children.
[3239.06 --> 3241.56] We praise You for melting our rebellious hearts
[3241.56 --> 3242.72] in one way or another
[3242.72 --> 3244.30] so that we can be part of Your church.
[3244.30 --> 3247.08] We praise You for all the people
[3247.08 --> 3248.46] that You put in our lives
[3248.46 --> 3250.46] to bring us to a place of faith.
[3251.56 --> 3253.16] We praise You for the prayers
[3253.16 --> 3254.84] prayed on our behalf
[3254.84 --> 3257.46] so that we would know the grace of Christ.
[3257.56 --> 3258.64] You are so good.
[3259.46 --> 3260.54] You are so patient.