Skip to content Higher Places May 1 · 41 min ...more
May 1, 2025 · 41 min · Pray TV
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Diego Mesa is the Founding Pastor of Abundant Living Family Church based in Rancho Cucamonga, CA. The church, founded with 12 members is now a thriving multi-campus ministry of over 12,000 members.
182K followers
0:00 Hey, guys. Thank you for watching. Wherever you're watching, on 1 of our campuses, soon to be in Norco or Pomona or online. We value you, and I want you I wanna thank you. I want you to create your space.0:12 I want you to tell your neighbors, someone's next to you, don't bother me for the next few moments. If you found your little closet at home or wherever you are in your dining room table, I want you to focus. I know it's0:23 easy to get distracted, but I believe God's gonna say something to you. And I want you to believe that God is gonna say something to you that is gonna be an answer to your life today. You know, was thinking as I was0:35 dry as I was driving to church today, thinking that visitors should not come to church alone. And I I wanna I wanna just dial down on that for a moment. Visitors should not come to0:46 church alone. You know what? Because church for visitors is a foreign environment. And there needs to be somebody to take them by the hand and introduce them to the0:58 language, to the culture. Explain to them sermons and worship. I don't know about you. When I came to church and came to Christ for the first time, it was so foreign to me. I just1:10 was, like, looking around, watching. I was so nervous about doing things. And it would have been so much easier if somebody could have come alongside and just kinda been my commentator in1:22 my ear, so to speak, and say, Diego, chill. It's gonna be alright. This is how we do any things. It's not spooky. It's not scary. And I just want you to recognize, we have a world out there, and they're1:34 not all Christians. And some people have never been to church. So don't take that for granted. So when you invite someone to church, the best thing you could do is come with them to church. Whether that's you meet them1:45 in your foyer, and walk them in, and sit next to them. But introduce them to the things of God. And I promise you, it will eliminate a a lot of confusion in their life. Let's pray.1:57 Father, thank you for the few moments that we can come today to preach about Jesus. And when we preach about Jesus comes life, and hope, and answers today, God. I don't know where people are2:09 living at today. I don't know where people are at today. But you know God. And nobody, nobody, absolutely nobody is so far from you that you cannot speak to2:20 them, and reach them, and forgive them God, and give them a fresh start. And I thank you for that. In Jesus name, amen. Amen. Well, pastor Adam over the last few weeks did a2:32 fantastic job as I listened on live streaming to his messages on high priest. I want you to know it's it was a first, because normally, I lead a series, and then he or2:44 someone else comes behind me. This is the first time in nearly 40 years of preaching where someone has led me, and now I have to follow. So I I pray that I'll be able to2:55 measure up to the standard that he did when he preached about the high priest being Jesus. This year is our theme of higher. And so in this theme of higher, we stand up, not3:07 to be rich ritualistic, but just simply to reverence and give honor to God as we read the word. And so I'm gonna ask you if you're in Pomona, or you're in Norco soon to be, or you're in the3:20 at home, wherever you might be, stand on your feet. And we're gonna read the opening scripture that's found in Psalms. And it reads like this. For who is God except the Lord?3:32 Or who is the rock, save our God? The God who girds me with strength. You need to always personalize the Bible when you read it. If I was gonna do it then, I'd say, the God who3:44 girds Diego with strength. And makes me makes my way perfect. He makes my feet, Diego's feet, like Heinz feet, able to stand3:56 firmly or make progress on dangerous heights of testing and trouble. He sets me securely upon high places. You4:08 know, a few moments we'll preach about what that where where you could be seated. Wherever you are, you could be seated. We we're gonna preach a few moments about what that means when we just read in a few moments. But4:19 again, the Bible is is speaks in Hebrews several times about our high priest. And again, pastor Adam reiterated those scriptures that dealt with our high priest.4:31 The bible says in Hebrews 3 1, he's our high priest of our confession. The next verse tells us, we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with4:43 our weaknesses. He knows our temptations and our struggles. And then last of all, and so Christ did not glorify himself to become a high priest, but was he who said to him,4:54 you are my son today. So the Old Testament, pastor Adam did a great job in doing that. The the outfit of an old high priest, what an high priest function as, what his duty was5:06 was a go between God and man. Once a year, he'd offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. And when you read now, Jesus is saying in the New Testament, I5:18 am the high priest now. There's no more need for high priest. I sacrificed my body. I shed my blood. I was the sacrifice. I came before the throne room of5:30 God. I offered my blood as a sacrifice and atonement for mankind's sin, past, present, and future, anything that you and I would commit. And therefore, the penalty has been paid.5:41 He represents you. He's your high priest. You see, I grew up as a Catholic. And as a Catholic, there was a priest.5:53 And whenever you felt like you had sins in your life, you would go to a confessional booth. And behind this little screen, there was a priest. And you would tell the priest all6:05 your sins that you had committed. And based upon his judgment, he would tell you how many prayers to pray in concordance to that. He'd tell you pray x amount of6:17 our fathers and x amount of hail Marys. But I'm so grateful because of Jesus. I don't have to go to a priest anymore. I don't have to go to a man.6:28 Jesus is the only 1. And that's why first John says, if you miss it, confess your sins to God for he is faithful and just to forgive you and cleanse you from all unright. I just feel like right now,6:40 there's somebody that feels really dogged and defeated today because of the sins that you've committed in your life. And you feel so unworthy. And you almost feel missed out. But today, all you have to do is say, he6:52 already knows. Jesus, I repent. I'm sorry of the sin and call it out. And I ask you to forgive me. And God is faithful, because he's a high priest. So7:04 let's talk a little bit, just for a few moments, about the bible saying about these high places. You know, when we talk about high places, it could refer to this is the year of7:15 high promotions, and high influence, and high blessings, and high favor, and high opportunity. But I believe there's something far greater that God wants when he speaks higher places to us. It speaks7:27 of intimacy with God that he wants. Fellowship with God that he wants. Oneness, togetherness, unity that he wants to take you. That's a reference to high place.7:39 When the disciples, they had to climb a mountain in Matthew the fifth chapter to receive the sermon on the mount. You have to climb higher to reach higher teachings or to7:51 listen to or to obey the word of God. We learned in the bible that Abraham had to climb Mount Moriah. And as he climbed Mount Moriah, God would reveal himself to to us8:03 as Jehovah Jireh, the Lord, the provider. God will meet us in the high places of our lives. When we elevate, separating our self from the things of this world,8:15 consecrate and spend time saying, Lord, I just wanna pray right now. God, just wanna get in the word right now, God. God, I just wanna get into worship right now. God, I just wanna fast for a season, God, or a moment.8:26 God, I just wanna worship you. God, I I wanna go to church. Those are kinda high places where where God's gonna show up. And then Moses climbed Mount Sinai. And and you know what?8:38 That's where God gave him the law. That's where God gave him the law. And so there are great things for you and I that can happen in high places of our lives. This is where we get our DMs of8:49 life. Our direct messages that God gives us. These are where we get God's downloads. And I don't know about you. I'm grateful for God's downloads. Because I'm not smart enough. I'm not9:01 I'm not strong enough. You know, I'm not good looking like you to be able to resolve all the issues of my life. I need some supernatural downloads. When God downloads, these are his9:12 strategies that you need. These are his ideas that you need. These are his ways and plans that you need to solve the issues of your life. And that's where we get them from when we9:24 enter into the presence of God and we spend time with him. We can never get good unless we spend time with God. Where it doesn't come accidentally that all of a sudden, I'm gonna know God, love God,9:36 serve God. You gotta spend time with him. And that's why I shared the few things that I shared of how we spend time with him. Nobody gets good automatically. It is scheduled in our9:48 lives. It is calendar in our eye our lives. It is prioritized in our lives. You gotta schedule your time with God. You gotta prioritize your time with God. You gotta calendar10:00 your time with God. If not, if you're gonna fly by the seat of your pants and just say whenever and whatever, I promise you. The enemy will try to bring so many distractions. Life will get busy. You'll be saying,10:12 oh, I missed it today. Tomorrow I'll start. And then something else will happen. You gotta make that determination. Even has the holy spirit to help you along those lines. I love this quote I'm gonna give you today.10:24 And here's the quote. It reads, you're only as strong as your daily altar or you will be what's this word? Altar. Yeah. You're gonna be changed. You're gonna be flimsy.10:35 You're gonna alter. You're only as strong as your altar. Abraham was called the friend of God. And the Bible says in Genesis, he built an altar. The next scripture talks about,10:47 he built an altar. The next scripture talks about, he built an altar. Why is he building an altar? So that he doesn't get altered. He stays on track on the plan and the purposes that10:59 God has for his life. With that in mind, now I'm getting ready to preach. Now, I'm gonna shift gears now. So I wanna read you a few opening scriptures. We read Psalms. We're gonna come back to it11:11 again And read this scripture. He makes my feet like the feet of deer. Says, sets me on high places. But it's also said in Habakkuk, the Lord God is my11:23 strength. He will make my feet like deer's feet. And he will make me walk on high heels. Then, in first second Samuel 22, it reads the same. He makes11:35 I just I just love this word. He makes. Make. Make. You can't make it yourself. Amen. You can't do it yourself. I mean,11:47 you just need to lift your hands wherever you're weak and just say, God, you make me. Yes. God, you do it for me. I can't, God. God, you make me. And so he says, he makes my feet like11:59 the feet of a deer, and sets me on high places. Today, I wanna talk a little bit about what he meant there, when he talked about a deer. Now, we're familiar with12:11 a deer, but he also could give reference or the picture is, again, he's talking symbolically. He's talking metaphorically. When he's trying to tell you and I to identify12:22 with the deer because that's what God wants to make you in your life. 1 portion of scripture in the New King James and Old King James says, he'll make my feet like hind's feet.12:35 Hind's feet are deer feet. But also with deer, we would also see that goats, not not not earthen land goats. The12:47 goats that go up on the mountains like these. These goats these goats can go in 90 degree. They can jump 12 feet in air and securely plant.12:59 They amazingly, where they when they walk, when they put their foot front foot in a location, their back foot will be exactly in the same location. That's why they won't slip. But13:11 also, we think of like a big horn ram. I don't know if there's a picture of the big horn ram. These are all pictures of Heinz feet. And that's what God is saying. This year, to go13:23 higher, I'm gonna do something in your life today. In the anatomy of your life. And we'll come back to that at the end. That you're gonna be able to go places where you've never13:35 gone before. And where you used to slip, and slide, and fail, and fall. You're not gonna do that anymore. So he says, I'm gonna make your feet like deer feet.13:47 So here's how we're gonna lay it out. Deer feet, deers are agile. Deers are agile. And they're light footed. They're mobile. They're quick. They're graceful. They're nimble. And they're13:59 reliable. They in their responses, in how they interpret things, and in their reactions. Gears are just simply agile. Here's what14:11 agileness means to me as a believer, as I draw the reference. The fruit of the spirit, the work which is the presence within14:22 accomplishes love. The fruit of the spirit is love in you, joy in you, gladness in you, peace in you, patience in you, even tempered in you, forbear I14:33 mean, somebody needs to stop and say, wait a minute. I'm in there somewhere. Just stay there, preacher. Forbearance, kindness, goodness, benevolence, faithfulness,14:45 gentleness, meekness, humility, self control. I'll just say there, self control. Yeah. Self control. Yeah. Self restraint.14:58 Continuous against such things, there is no law, can bring a charge. That's the kind of agileness that God wants in our lives. That when we meet up with difficult people,15:10 don't turn to don't turn to your neighbor and and or they'll think you're talking about them. But everybody on our job, everyone in our family, everyone in our neighborhood, and everyone we meet up with at some time or15:20 another, we're gonna need the fruit of the spirit in our lives. And we're gonna need to be like that deer who's gentle, and agile, and graceful in difficult situations. And15:32 how I react to you, and how I respond to you, and how I interpret. About 2 years ago, I had my driveway redone with pavers.15:45 The company that did it did not do a very good job. And I've had trouble ever since. So they didn't reconnect my electrical. They didn't reconnect my15:56 drainage. They didn't reconnect my sprinklers. They did not put enough drainage, so my driveway floods. And it floods sometimes with the heavy rain we've been16:08 getting into my garage. And so it's just been, you know, an agitation to me. I mean, it's just been an irritation to me. And if I could be honest with you, I've gotten really mad.16:21 Because you paid a lot of money and it was not done right. Well, the the reality was is I had someone else come this week and they've16:32 refixed everything. And if if I've ever looked loved looking outside in my driveway, looking at pouring rain, cats and dogs, and seeing how the water flows16:44 into my drain and out the backyard. It's beautiful. So I told lovely Cindy, I said, man, I feel like taking a video right now and sending it to the16:55 guy that did me wrong. And say, I'll just leave it at that. But I had to remember, the fruit of the spirit. Love, joy, peace, long17:09 So the bible's talking to us about a deer. And the deer has to be agile sometimes. And has to be graceful. The second characteristic of a deer, deers can scale steep17:21 inclines, jagged cliffs, slippery rocks, and rugged terrain. They can jump. They can ascend. And and they have the ability to climb. Here's a couple scriptures that relate that thought to17:33 me. The Bible says, yet in all things, we are more than a conqueror. Amen. You're not just a conqueror. You're more than a conqueror. And if you're a conqueror, that means you're17:44 not supposed to be conquered. Amen. Worries of life, the fears of life, the negativity of life, the offenses of life Amen. Are not supposed to conquer you. You're supposed to conquer17:56 them. The attacks of Satan that come against us, You're not to be conquered. You're supposed to conquer. The next scripture speaks of this in first John. And whatever is born of18:08 God, that's you. If you're a believer, overcomes the world. Anything in this world. Anything in this world that is sin based, and flesh based, and cardinal18:20 based, and trying to tear you down with negative thoughts, and make you live a lifestyle that doesn't glorify and honor the bible. He says that world you've overcome. And this is the victory18:32 that overcomes the world, our faith. We are not we are overcomers. We're not overcome. Yes. Yes. We are victorious. We're not victims. We gotta turn this table around18:44 because not because we're positive. Not because we're making ourselves. Because the Bible says, Jesus says in his word, that's who we are. Amen. And so tough times are gonna come. But you18:56 gotta be like that deer and that mountain goat in that and you scale. Yeah. You scale it. The rugged terrain, you have the ability to climb up and conquer it. Not fall19:08 victim to it. Yes. I wanna show you 1 of my heroes. He's a he's a young evangelist who's being used by God tremendously. But notice, there's something19:19 different and unique about him. Watch the screens.19:23 My mom was pregnant with me, and they didn't know that I had no arms and legs until I was born. And then19:29 I was born, and I said, surprise.19:32 And the doctor said, we're so sorry. We didn't pick up that he had no arms and no legs. He's not gonna have any quality of life. We're sorry we were not able to give you a choice to abort19:43 here. 19 82. And they said to said to my mom and dad, he's never gonna walk.20:01 So God says in the word, he uses the foolish things of this world to confound the wise. How is it but a miracle of God? It's a miracle of God for a man without arms and legs20:13 to be his hands and feet to boldly represent Christ as his ambassador and stand in front of the gates20:20 of hell, and redirect traffic. Isn't that amazing? Nick Wojciech. Yes. He was suicidal. His parents I mean, the doctor said, you know,20:32 he's not gonna live. He will not live a productive life. And now, I think he's married and has 4 kids. Amen. Amen. Amen. And I we tried to get him, but they told us you'll have to wait 2 years20:44 to get him. Wow. Because he's that being used right now in that that calendar and scheduled. But that's a man that scales, in spite of the adversity. I mean, compare your20:55 life with him. You ain't got no troubles, baby. You don't got difficulties that you can't overcome if that man can do it. But he did it by the strength and grace of God. You can scale the21:07 adversities of your life. The the third thing that's amazing is found in Proverbs 29 and verse 18. It says, where there is no vision.21:19 Vision for your life. What's your vision for 20 23? What what do you wanna do? Where do you wanna go? Who do you want to believe financially, spiritually, relationally, in all areas of your life? Cause21:31 the Bible says, if you don't have a vision, no redemptive revelation of what God's saying to you, the people perish. You will perish. But he who keeps the law of God, which includes that21:43 a man blessed, happy, fortunate, and envied or in is that envy? No. My glasses are foggy a little bit. Inevitable. Is he? So the vision. So so21:55 deers are able to scale those mountains, and their visibility is amazing. They see things with clarity. They're not dealing with blurriness or fogginess22:07 in their lives. And and that's why you and I are like the deer. We've got a scale. And when we go higher in the presence of God, God gives us those downloads of clarity within vision that we22:18 need. What is the vision for my marriage, God? What is the vision for my relationship, God? What is the vision that you want me to accomplish with the calling in my life? What you saved me from, God. And that vision22:30 will drive you. And so that deer can climb those mountains, where he's able to gain an amazing view of visibility and vision and advantage from22:42 all that's obscure and dim that's in this world. You gotta go higher. And when you go higher, I want you to recognize the fog of this world you see above it. You see from a whole22:54 different perspective. I mean, there's so many times. So many times, I can get on my bike, and it's misty and it's foggy. But somewhere I could go about 2000 feet23:06 I've climbed or even 3000 feet, and then I pierce the clouds, and the sun is so beautiful up there. The clouds are like a blanket. You've seen them when you go on a on an airplane, and it's just23:18 like a carpet like. And but how did that happen? You had to ascend. You had to ascend to get away from the blurriness and the obscurity that's that's in your life. You have to23:30 be able to do that. When my boys were small and now my grandchildren, sometimes they're too small to see what's in front of them. So they ask you, can you lift them23:41 up? Or you decide to do that. And so you grab the little guy and you you put him on the shoulder, your shoulders. And he's able to see what he couldn't see. I I just want you to know God's got23:53 some beautiful shoulders. And when you go higher in his presence, he'll just lift you up on his shoulders. And you're gonna see things so differently than maybe you see things of difficulty and24:04 hardship that you're facing in your life. The next thing is this, is that deers gain elevation. Deers are able to live in high elevations.24:17 Actually, there's some goats that can live in 13013 thousand feet in elevation. Amazing. 13000 feet. They gain elevation24:28 that others just simply can't. They live in atmospheres that others can't. And you and I have to be able to do that, because the Bible challenges us. Don't be conformed to this world, but24:40 be transformed by the renewing of your mind. You and I cannot take take the dictates of our lives from the ways of this world, the cultures of this world. What's popular in the world.24:52 What's what's famous on Instagram or anything like that. Our ways of belief come from heaven. And you and I have to be individuals that are able to live above the atmosphere. We're25:04 in the world, but we're not of the world. So whatever fears live in this world, and whatever anger lives in this world, and whatever lust lives in this world, and whatever worry lives in this world, you gotta be25:16 able to climb the elevation to get away from the muck and the miry of those things. And that's why the bible says this great scripture in Psalms 91. It says, he who dwells in the25:28 secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the almighty. The safest place to be is in the presence of God. But you gotta find that secret place. How many of you25:40 know that every hero has a hiding place? Batman has his cave and Superman has his his wherever Superman lives and25:52 his you can see how much I practice this. And to his telephone booth or where he has a lay place he lives. But anyways, everybody has a a secret place. Your26:03 secret place is in the presence of God. God, I'm weak, I'm vulnerable, I'm angry right now, I'm worried, I'm scared. There were so many times when fear would try to grip me when26:15 I was diagnosed with terminal cancer. And I had to take a time out from television, take a time out from movies, take a time out from whatever that was around me. And I had to go find my secret place, the secret place26:27 of God, so that he could begin to minister to me. And it just seemed like everything that represented that fear, that gloominess, that heaviness, that intimidation, that scary terrorizing feeling26:39 dissipated when I dwelt in the secret place of the most high God. So you're able to you're able to elevate. When when when I was a children's pastor, we used to sing this26:51 song. It was a little reggae children's song, and it it the words are gonna be on the screen and go like this. Higher, higher,27:13 But I remember singing that. I remember having fun with the kids. And sometimes, you you gotta elevate. You just gotta go higher, higher. Higher, higher, higher, higher. You acting crazy. Higher, higher. You're27:25 stupid things. Higher, higher. You're angry. Higher, higher. You just gotta go higher sometimes. And you're able to do that with the deer. The deer can live in habitations, in a habitat that other animals27:36 can't. He can live in a habitation that's rough, and dry, and tough. He's able to live in wilderness places, famine places, and desert places that other27:48 animals cannot live in. He's able to survive up there. There's not there's not much food up there in the mountains. But he's able to live off of the little scraps. He'll live off of27:59 twigs. He'll live off of bark. He'll live off of anything. He's able to survive those difficult famines in life, and tough times in life. And that's the way you and28:11 I need to be. The Bible says in Psalms 23 in in in verse number 4, yay, though I walk through. Notice it says walk. It doesn't say sit. Yes. Yes. You're supposed to walk through the valley of the28:23 shadow of death. Not sit in the in the valley of the shadow of death. I'm I'm walking through. That's the keyword. Through. Through. Through. Yes. I'm walking through the valley of the shadow of death. I will28:35 fear no evil for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me. In Isaiah, very similar. Isaiah says this, when you pass through the waters, I will be with you. Those are torrid waters.28:46 And through the rivers, they will shall shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flames scorch you. Why? Because God's with28:58 you. And so that deer has the amazing ability to live in an environment where most people die. He thrives because his source is God. His joy is coming from29:10 God, heaven, not this earth. His satisfaction is coming from God, heaven, not this earth. His joy is not coming from this earth. It's coming from God, and so on. And so next is, the29:22 deer possesses high ground. He possesses high ground. If any of you are Star War fans, I don't remember what episode it was. But there's a shot29:34 where a scene where Obi Wan Kenobi is going against Anakin. And this in the movie, you'll see, this was Anakin and this was Obi Wan Kenobi. And they were29:46 fighting down here. But then Obi Wan Kenobi jumped up here. And he tells him, don't jump up here, because I have high ground. He went29:58 ahead and he jumped. And Obi Wan Kenobi cut his legs and cut his arm off. Because he had high ground. And a a deer30:09 with hind feet is able to travel the high ground where the predators can't get him, and where he has an advantage over the predators. See, the bears of life and the30:21 lions of life, they can't scale those mountains. They can't get him. And you and I know need to know how to dwell in the secret place of the most high. We need to go to the30:33 high ground. And here's a some great scripture that really talk about high ground. The Bible says, he raised us up together it with him, and made us sit down together, giving us joint30:45 seating with him in the heavenly sphere by virtue of our being in Christ Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed 1. And then Luke tells us, behold, I give unto you authority to30:57 tramples on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy. All. All the power of the enemy. I love this. And nothing,31:08 no thing shall by any means hurt you. That's Jesus. He said that to you and I. Come on. See yourself today having high ground, not31:20 low ground. You don't have low ground and the enemy has high ground. You have high ground and the enemy has low ground today. And so the deer understands that I gotta get31:32 to high ground, and I possess the ability to get to high ground to do that. That's what Noah did. He got in that boat, he went into high ground, and he was able to survive the flood of31:44 this world. My last point, as I begin to close this now, is that deers have unique diets. Their their stomach is broken up into 4 chambers. And31:56 they're able to storement foods and fermentations in there. And their digestive system is very, very unique. And again, they can eat bark, and twigs, and moss, and32:07 leaves. And they have a very, very unique diet. The Bible tells us that we have a unique diet. Matthew 4 4 tells us, and he replied, it has been32:19 written, man shall not live and be upheld and sustained by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God. Hallelujah. The word of God sustains32:31 us. Then in first Peter, he challenges us again. As newborn babies desire the pure milk milk excuse me, pure milk. Pure milk of the word that you may grow thereby.32:43 Right. When I was growing up, long time ago, they used to have the this bread called Wonder Bread. I I don't know if anybody even remembers32:54 Wonder Bread. But the slang was saying was, it helps build strong bodies 8 different ways. Wonder Bread. You have a Wonder Bread. I have a Wonder Bread. It's the word33:06 of God. Yes. And it will feed you. It will counsel you. It will mentor you. And it will nurture you. Every single day of your life. That's the main source of diet for a33:18 Christian. So I'm back to this thought now. Can you feed yourself or do you need someone else to feed you? You know, it's 1 thing when you're a baby.33:29 Actually, we've all been there and we have babies around us. And so you put that little baby in a high chair and you get your little Gerber's food and you put in the spoon and you you go like this to the baby and you33:40 feed them. But there's something wrong if you're 40 years old, still in that high chair, and someone has to feed you. Right. And so many people, the only meal they get is when they come to33:52 church. Yes. Or when they hear a preacher. Every day. Every day, you need to know how to feed yourself. Open the pages of God's word, and don't34:04 just read the bible. Let the bible read you. Amen. Oh, I need to drop the mic now and go home. I said, stop just reading the Bible.34:16 Yes. Hallelujah. Let the Bible read you. Yes. It's not a race course. I'm gonna get through 3 chapters a day. Here I go. In the beginning, God created the heavens. No. It's in the beginning,34:27 God. What is that saying to me, God? In the beginning in the beginning of my life, in the beginning of everything, you were God and you created. And so you could create things in my See, now you're letting the word read34:39 into you what it needs to say to you. And so, that deer is able to have an amazing diet, and he's able to feed on the word of God, or we will feed34:51 upon the word of God. I'm gonna close with us 2 thoughts now. President James Garfield, in 18 81, was shot by a guy named Charles35:02 Gouthan. And his doctor was doctor William Willard Bliss. Excuse me. Doctor Willard Bliss. And he operated on Willard35:14 operated on president Garfield. And he extrapolated 1 bullet, but there was still 1 bullet they couldn't get. And so there were eventers that that came like35:25 Alexander Graham Bell and said, doctor Bliss, I think I can help you. I've got this invention called a metal detector. And maybe I can use it over the president's body and we can figure out35:37 exactly where that second bullet is. He kinda denounced it. I'm the doctor. I know what I'm doing. Then another man named Lister came. It's where we get the word where where we get the35:49 product Listerine. He was the inventor of Listerine, which sanitizes because they weren't using gloves back then and they didn't wash their hand and sanitize his hand. Well,36:01 you know the story. He died. President Garfield died. But he did not die, they say, from the bullet wound. He die died from germs. He died from germs. Because of the36:12 arrogance and the ignorance of this man. Where Lister could have helped him to kill the germs, This guy allowed germs through how he was interacting with his body36:24 to come in. I want you to recognize, it's not often the bullets of life that take us out. It's the germs that often take us out. And and let let's not be like doctor Bliss36:36 arrogance. So, I wanna close with this thought. How is the deer I'm gonna close with this thought. How is the deer able to do what he does and go to those high places? The reason why36:48 the deer is able to scale those high places, and climb high, and live up there, is he's got an anatomy or a body that's conducive to that environment.37:00 And I'm gonna end now, that he's got amazing eyes, and he's got amazing ears, and he's got an amazing mind, and he's got amazing heart, and he's got amazing feet or hooves. And37:12 that's what we need. So I I wanna just challenge you today that that's what we need. This year, I pray that God gives us the eyes to see, the eyes to37:24 discern, the eyes to see things with clarity in our lives. So I'm gonna ask God to give us a a new set of spiritual eyes this year. I'm asking God to give us a new set of spiritual37:36 ears that we can hear what the spirit of God is saying, and not be so in tune with the things of this world. That I could discern between right and wrong, what is of God and what isn't of God. My hearing. I pray my37:48 mind is blessed so that I can make good judgment calls, good decisions. And that I'll be able to articulate well what God wants me to articulate and decide. I I pray that I have a mouth37:59 that proclaims the gospel, that edifies, that leads people to the Lord. A life that a mouth that encourages. A my a mouth that's wholesome. I pray that my heart remains passionate38:11 toward the things of God, and it's generous and it's kind. And I pray that my hands are skilled to to to to to do labor, to have an occupation, to have a vocation. My my38:23 hands are are places where I could bless other people and minister to them. And I pray that my feet lead me in the right direction, and that I walk the right path this year. And these feet would not lead me in the38:35 wrong direction. All of that is the anatomy of the deer that I believe God wants us to have. And I'll end with this. It's Psalms 42 and verse number 1. It reads this. As the deer,38:47 since we've been talking about the deer, panted forth the water brooks, so my so pants my soul for you, oh God. This word pants,38:59 it means this. It's it's a it's a longing, a passion, a deep desire, a needfulness. So that's what he's saying. As the deer pants longs, has aShow more
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Diego Mesa
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