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Since 2000 Every Man Ministries has been activating men worldwide to live out their truest identity in Christ through its discipleship resources, live events, and steaming platform.
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Beyond Fair Weather Faith 0:00 Hey, guys. Welcome to the men's global livestream. If you have a Bible, I want you to hold a spot in Psalm 1 39. That's gonna be our main text. And if you don't have a Bible, don't sweat0:12 it. We're gonna put those verses that we're gonna be reading on the screen. And if you haven't downloaded the notes, those are a huge help because all the verses that we're gonna cover are on the downloaded notes. Now0:23 we're in part 2 of a series called whatever the weather. And in in part 1, just to help everyone understand what the theme of this series is, I introduced the concept0:35 of of the fair weather fan. You know who that guy is. Right? He's the guy who has all the gear and gets all excited just as long as his team is0:47 winning. But then when his team sorta gets on the struggle bus and the weather changes, AKA, they start losing, his gear goes back in the0:58 drawer, and he stops talking about that team because he's a fair weather fan. He only likes his team when they're winning. Now we talked in1:10 part 1 about how God has fair weather followers. In other words, when everything's going great and when the check is in the mail and when things are calm and1:22 comfortable, that man, that follower, he's excited about God. But as soon as the circumstances change, as soon as the weather, right, introduces a few1:34 storms of life into this man's existence, all of a sudden, he's questioning God, he's doubting God, he's not talking about God, his relationship with God gets1:45 pushed off the mark because circumstances start to define his relationship with God and who he is versus what God says is true. You see,1:57 now here is where there's a difference between a fair weather follower of Christ and God's man. God's man knows that just because his circumstances have2:09 changed does not mean that God's character has changed, that God's presence has changed, that God's promises have changed, or God's2:21 attitude toward him has changed. And that is at the center of a lot of spiritual battle. In fact, even as I'm saying that, I know there are thousands of guys out there that are in2:33 the middle of this spiritual battle. There's circumstances and there's the messaging of those circumstances. There's an enemy that is lying to you about what those2:44 circumstances mean, and it has the capacity to impact you living out your faith, whatever the weather of your circumstances. Now the goal, if you're2:56 God's man, and we covered this in part 1, is we never stop worshiping. We never stop praying and seeking to to do God's will. We never stop trusting3:09 and believing in God whatever the weather. Why? Again, because God's character, God's presence, God's promises, God's attitudes toward us doesn't change. He's not3:21 absent in our adversities and more present in our prosperities and comfort. His care and capacity is in both places. God never3:32 abandons what he creates. There's no circumstance that can cause God somehow to quit on you. He's with us even if we can't3:44 feel it or see it at the moment. And what inspires God's man toward that reality, right, is the cross. Everyone watching3:56 that was going, how can God be involved in that? How can God be loving in that? How can God be caring when this is happening? The torture and crucifixion of the4:08 greatest man who ever walked the planet. How can he still be who he is and that is happening? But we all know that right in the midst of4:20 the torture and crucifixion of his only son, god was loving us in a way that no person has ever loved us. He was4:32 redeeming us. He was saving us. He was forgiving us. And he was beginning a process through that death and eventual resurrection of Jesus,4:44 of birthing new life, eternal life, and a new destiny for everyone of his followers. So I laid down that foundation in part 1. In parts 2 through 4, here's4:55 what we're gonna do. We're gonna look at the biblical basis for and some themes and some insights from god's word that really bolster,5:08 you know, our being followers of Christ, whatever the weather. So if you have your downloaded notes, take those out. We're gonna look at our theme verse for the series and5:19 remind ourselves once again, how god's man is called to live whatever the weather of life. 1st Thessalonians 5 16 through 18 says this, rejoice5:32 always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. And so you've5:44 got 3 commands. We covered this in part 1. I encourage you if you haven't seen that session, go back and watch it because it really sets up the series well. But here's our theme verse and we see 3 commands. Guess what?5:55 That are not contingent with your circumstances. We don't rejoice only when things are going good. We don't pray only when things are going good, and we don't worship or give thanks only6:07 when things are going good. No. God's men, day in day out, rain or shine, we are rejoicing. We are praying, and we are giving thanks because that's God's6:19 will. And we have perfect clarity regardless of circumstances about how we're supposed to live and what we're supposed to be doing. Alright? And those form the basis for what we're going to6:31 study. Now that's what we're supposed to be doing whatever the weather life throws our way. Now let's look at kind of a supporting biblical basis6:43 for obeying those commands, and we find that supporting biblical basis in Jeremiah 20 commands and we find that supporting biblical basis in Jeremiah 29. It's a powerful concept that will really encourage us and inspire6:53 us to pray continually, rejoice always, and give thanks in all circumstances. Right? It's a very familiar verse. We're gonna read it and unpack it. It's Jeremiah 29 11 and 12 says this, and it'sGod's Plans for Your Future 7:05 God talking. So God says, for I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you7:17 a hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.7:29 Alright? So what do we glean from Jeremiah 29 11 and 12 that's gonna help us never stop worshiping, never stop praying, never stop seeking, never stop trusting and believing in7:40 God whatever the weather. 1st thing is that God knows what's ahead. God knows what's ahead. We don't know the future, but we rest7:52 in the God who does. We do not panic. And that's where a lot of our anxiety problems comes from. You know, I do a lot of counseling, as a pastor and as a mentor.8:04 And whenever anxiety is an issue that's present, usually, it involves human beings taking on what their shoulders aren't big enough to carry,8:17 AKA the future. And I know I'm talking to some of you directly right now. You're taking on something that's way too big for you. It's called the future. The only person who can take8:28 on the future is the person who knows the future, and that's God himself. The reason why we get anxious is because the future weighs too much for for a finite human being to carry.8:40 That's why we have anxiety. We can't control the future. We don't know the future. Yet, we try to predict it. We try to make things predictable. We8:52 try to make moves, right, to secure a safe and comfortable future, and that all creates anxiety. And God says, hey. I got it.9:05 I know the plans that I have for you. Alright? Which then should help you do your job which is keep worshiping, keep praying, keep seeking me, keep believing, keep trusting me. I9:16 have this. Can I just talk to some of you out there right now? You gotta let that go. Do your best. I'm not saying don't make efforts, don't plan. I'm just saying don't take it on. Right? Because9:28 only God is big enough to take on the future. And when you let that go, right, You'll become a a solid follower of Christ9:40 whatever the weather. The 2nd thing that we see in Jeremiah 29 is that god has my best interest in mind. Not only does god know what's ahead, right? Bonus, god has plans9:52 to prosper you. God has plans to give you a future and a hope, right? And so, not only does he see ahead and is he planning to head but he's planning, listen to this,10:04 to prosper you. So you may not see or feel that plan now. You may not see or feel prosperous or hopeful now, but God promises10:17 that a plan over here is to prosper you and to give you hope. And so we lay hold of that promise. We believe it in the present. We10:29 declare it in the present because god says that's true in the future. The 3rd thing that we see is that god asks for my trust10:40 without knowing the outcome. You notice he then says after saying, hey, I know what's ahead and I have your best interest in mind, by the way. I have good plans. He then asks for trust. He says,10:52 then you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when when you search for me with all your heart. So we call, we come,11:04 we pray, we seek, we find. Say that again. In the midst of all circumstances, right? Because God knows what's ahead and because he has our best interest in mind, what does God then ask us to do?11:16 We call on him. We come to him. We pray to him. We seek him. We find him. In other words, we connect with our father11:28 in the midst of our circumstances. And though we can't see what's ahead, his vantage point is different. He knows the plans. He sees what's ahead. He has hold of11:40 us. But you know what? Sometimes, we can let go like a little 1, let go of the father's hand, and in ignorance, run off and suffer the11:52 consequences because we can't see what he sees. So those are the 3 things that really give a solid biblical basis. Those are the facts about what12:04 is true about God and about you, about your future, and about what God asks for so that we can stay connected in the midst.12:16 Right? Letting him guide us along kind of like a little 1 with a father who has a different vantage point and sees what's ahead. But12:27 there's an even deeper basis for trusting God whatever the weather, not stopping to worship, not stopping praying, not stopping believing,12:39 that we find in Psalm 1 39. So, yeah, God sees. He's the he's the God who sees ahead, but that's only meaningful if he sees you.12:52 It's 1 thing when you're walking with a person and they're walking ahead of you and they see ahead. But if you're supposed to be connected to them, it's only meaningful if they're aware of you13:04 and they have you in tow. Right? So they see ahead. They know what's going on, but it's only meaningful if they are very aware of you. And that's what Psalm 1 3913:16 is all about. There are some things that god says to us through this Psalm and the man of God connecting with and praying to God that13:28 we all need to know as God's men. And this is the 1st thing that God says coming out of Psalm 1 39 1 through 6. He says, I see you like13:39 no other. Just let the paint dry on that. Let that let the word stay up there. God sees you like no other. Right? Listen to what David13:51 says in Psalm 1 39 1 through 6. He says, you have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when IIntimate Sight and Nearness 14:03 rise. You perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down. You are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my14:15 tongue, you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty14:27 for me to attain. Right? When David says, you have searched me, Lord, and you know me, that's the Hebrew word. The word search, the Hebrew word14:39 for that is dig. Right? And God knows you, not like a careless archaeologist that takes a shovel and, you know, just shoves it into the14:51 ground. He's digging into you and no. If you if you know archaeology, to know what they're digging for, they they take take out that, you know, that little brush. They15:03 discover something, and they take away layer after layer after layer after very carefully, very thoughtfully. That is how God knows you.15:14 That's how well. He he very carefully knows the layers, all the layers, the layers of your thoughts, the layers of your image that go down all the way to the15:26 real you that no 1 sees. He's he's digging, but he's very gently doing it, and he he's got you. You are fully transparent15:38 to god. Not only does he know you and not only are your thoughts and your insides, and the real you completely transparent to God, but he also knows your15:51 routines. David says, you know my going out, my lying down, you're familiar with all my ways. So God knows you from the inside out. There's full transparency. God knows your routines, right?16:03 God knows your thoughts. He said, you you perceive my thoughts from afar. He says, before words on my tongue, Lord, you already know it completely. So just imagine an HD screen and the clarity of that.16:14 Right? God sees your thoughts like that. Now that can be terrifying or comforting, but that's how intimately God sees you. That's why we say God sees you16:26 like no other. God wants you to know today. I see you like no other. I see your insides like no other. I see your routines like no other. I see your thoughts like no other. I see everything.16:38 That's where David says, you hem me in. You've got me completely inside and out behind and before you lay your hand upon me. And look at his16:50 response. Instead of being terrified that God sees him like no 1 else. Right? Completely transparent. All his17:01 ways, all his routines, all his stuff. He's not afraid of that. Why? Because he knows who God is. He knows that God loves him. He sees him and he loves him anyway in spite of everything he sees.17:13 And when someone knows you that intimately and is seeing you like no other, that means you're important. Right? We concentrate on things that are17:25 important to us. Can I just tell you there are some of you right now watching and you're wondering, but does God really see me? Does he does he know me? Does he know17:37 my struggle? Answer is, yes, yes, and yes. And you should be comforted by that, because not only does he see you, but he accepts and he loves you seeing17:49 everything. Now, I know that's hard to believe. For some, like, wow, other people don't know the things that I don't. God knows everything. He's there's nothing that that you have in your life that's a18:01 shock or a surprise to him. He created you. He doesn't abandon what he creates. He loves what he creates. So God wants us to know, right, that he sees us like no other. And no change18:13 of circumstances can affect that. That whether you're in adversity or you're in prosperity, whether you're in success or whether you're in failure,18:25 whether you're at the mountaintop or whether you're in the valley, that does not change. God sees you totally and completely. God loves you totally and completely, and your circumstances18:37 can't change that. He sees you like no other. Secondly, as we move down Psalm 1 39, the man of god realizes God is saying to him, I am18:49 near you like no other. Listen to what David says after he acknowledges God's sight and insight into him. He says this, where can I19:00 go from your spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there. If I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn,19:12 if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there, your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say surely the darkness will hide me and the19:24 light will become night around me, even the darkness will be not be dark to you, the night will shine like the day for darkness is as light to you.19:37 So what does David know? What is God saying to us? Well, not only does he see you like no other, he is near you like no other. Alright? We can hide19:49 from people physically. We can hide behind things. We can hide emotionally. We can hide behind images and walls. We can limit what we say so that people20:01 perceive certain things about us. Guess what? God is in all those spaces that we try to hide behind. Right? Whether it's an image, whether it's a space,20:13 whether it's a far off, whether we're running from trying to run from him. You know, essentially, God is telling us through David. Right? You can't get20:25 away from me. And that should be a comfort. Right? You know, not a fear to you. Right? You shouldn't be afraid of that. In your highs and lows, God's near you.20:37 Right? In far off places, maybe you feel isolated and lonely. God is near you like no other. He's right there in your darkest nights. Maybe20:49 some dark nights of your own creation. Yep. He is near you. Right? Some of you are deeply isolated21:01 right now. Maybe you're swimming in people, but you're spiritually and emotionally and relationally isolated. And guess what? You're not alone. God's21:13 near you. He doesn't abandon what he creates. He loves what he creates. And so we have to stop thinking about God in human terms and let him be God. Not21:25 only does he see you like no other, he is near you like no other. Now, can I just say something? The reason why this is spiritual battle is that the devil21:37 will take the truth of what we're talking about right now, and he'll try to flip it. Oh, yeah. God sees you, and he's judging you right now. Right? Versus seeing you21:50 and accepting you. Right? The devil will try to to flip, I am near you, to, no, he's not. He's far from you. Can't you see by your circumstances that God doesn't care?God's Deep Involvement and Change 22:02 Right? So we have to look at this in, as god's man in the context of not only our relationship with god and the truth about what god says about22:14 us, which is true, and we have to look at it in the context of the other messaging that comes this way and and from out there from the devil, planting22:26 thoughts, circumstances. Right? Define us. God doesn't define you, and so we have to be aware of that. So I see you like no other. God is saying, I am near you like no other god22:38 saying. Both of those truths give us a very strong basis for never stopping, never stop worshiping, never stop praying, never stop believing, never22:50 stop trusting. Here's the 3rd thing from Psalm 1 39. It's a great basis for being a Christ follower, whatever the weather. God says, I am involved with you like no23:01 other. He sees us. He's near us. He's involved with us like no other. How involved? Listen to this. Psalm 1 39 13 to 17. Right? For you created my inmost23:13 being. That's as involved as you can be. You knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful.23:25 I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body.23:37 All the days ordained for me were written in your book before 1 of them came to be. How precious to me are your thoughts, god? How vast is the sum of them?23:50 Where I'd account them, they would outnumber the grains of sand when I awake. I am still with you. Wow. What is god saying in terms of his involvement with you? You know, god's been involved24:01 since you were a single cell. He's involved with you on a microscopic and embryonic level. Right? He24:13 saw the development all your days of your personal journey from that single cell to this present moment with you listening to this global livestream.24:25 Right? And that should comfort the man of God. Right? That you're on his mind. Also, nothing24:37 that he has seen from single cell to your whole life journey has come to him as a surprise. So when you understand,24:50 how intimate, you know, god is with you, it is a basis for not being a fair weather follower where our faith is rising and falling based on our25:02 circumstances and but being a follower whatever the weather because God's nearness, God's insight, God's transparent look into my heart, his25:14 involvement with me does not change because my circumstances change. His character doesn't change. His promise doesn't change. His presence doesn't change. His attitude toward25:25 you does not change based on circumstances. Now, as we go down Psalm 1 39, it's really interesting. David, the man of god, is declaring25:38 these truths about god. You man, you really see me like no other. God, you're really near me like no other. God, you're involved with me like no other. And then all of a25:50 sudden, there's there's there's a response to that. He's, like, reminding himself of the truth. And we're gonna close out just kinda looking at 2 responses and 2 prayers26:02 of god's man. Right? In response to how intimately god sees him and is near him and involved with him. Response number 1 from David is fix26:14 my circumstances. Alright? If you're if you see me that well, you know me that well, you're near me that close, and you're involved with me that intimately, then would you please, you know, make26:26 my circumstances more friendly and less hostile? I mean, can we get an amen out there? I mean, haven't we all prayed that prayer at some point? Listen to what David says. If only you, god, would slay the wicked.26:39 Away from me, you who are bloodthirsty. They speak of you with evil intent. Your adversaries misuse your name. Do I not hate those who hate you, lord, and abhor those who are in rebellion against you? I have26:50 nothing but hatred for them. I count them my enemies. Wow. What a little rant right there. Right? There's people who have hurt David,27:02 and David is essentially just saying, would you do something about them? How many of you feel like that right now? You're being thwarted. You're being opposed. Maybe your circumstances are thwarting you and you feel27:14 opposed. Your expectations, aren't being realized. Your hopes aren't being realized. Your dreams are being delayed. And you know what? Knowing that God sees you, God is27:26 near you, God is involved with you, and that his care and capacity is right alongside those 3 truths. It's like, well, what are you waiting for? Right? Why don't you27:38 do something, make my external circumstances more friendly and less hostile? Now, there's David's 1st thought, and it's super normal and27:50 it's superhuman, but then that thought gives way to a 2nd, more mature thought, which is expressed in verses 23 and 24. So response number28:02 1 is fix my circumstances. Response number 2 is change me. He kinda goes from change my circumstances to wait, hold28:14 on, change me. Because he realizes that God could change his circumstances, no problem, but he's choosing not to, which means28:26 that maybe there's another process that's going on, a process of personal change where god is using the circumstances to accomplish something that not having those circumstances would28:37 never accomplish. And so he he does this transition. And he goes from like, fix my circumstances to change me. Listen to what he says in Psalm 1 3928:49 23 and 24. 1 of the best prayers any man of god can pray right from the scriptures. David says this, search me. God, there's that word again and know29:01 my heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way29:13 everlasting. This is like going through what I would call a God MRI. Right? You know how MRI see what29:25 you can't see? They reveal things that are unrevealed externally, and David used that word, search me. There it is again. He started with it. And in Psalm 1 39,29:37 he's ending with he's like, dig, god. Dig deep into me. Reveal me to me. You know, you know my heart. Now he's starting to incorporate29:49 that intimacy for personal change. Yeah. God, you see me. You're near me. You're involved with me. Change me. Man, that's30:01 a powerful prayer. The Holy Spirit wants us to pray. I mean, even as I'm saying it right now, God, you see me like no other. You're near me.30:13 You're involved with me. Change me. Wow. That's powerful. Right? He sees him from the the inside30:25 out. So it's really cool that the bible is so real and so authentic where when we know exactly how near and30:37 how transparent and how much insight he has and his care and capacity are right there along with his involvement, you know, our flesh would just go, we'll fix it. Fix it30:49 out there. But God's more interested in your character than he is in your comfort. Well, you're more interested in your comfort. I'm more interested in my comfort. That's not what31:00 God is primarily interested in. He's interested in my heart and my character and getting that in order so that my conduct will be like Christ's. And he's using31:12 these circumstances even though he may not have desired those. That's why it says give thanks in all circumstances, not for all circumstances.31:25 Alright? And you look at at this prayer and it's just so genuine. Now, these are a good basis31:37 for trusting God whatever the weather. Right? God knows what's ahead. God has your best, interest in mind. God's calling for31:49 trust. Alright? It's it's nice to know that like a father with a little 1, he sees what a head what's ahead. He has a vantage point. But then it's only meaningful32:01 if you know that God is not just aware of what's ahead, but that he's aware of you and and what God is wanting us to hear very clearly. And this is a prophetic word for every man listening to this. God's very32:13 intimately aware of everything that's happening in your life. Isn't it good to know that someone else is thinking about the things that you're thinking about in32:25 your head about your life? God sees all that stuff. God's near and present with all of his care and capacity, his love, and his ability.32:37 Right? And he's involved. So we can now rest and say, alright. Now that I know that, yeah, god. You know, I'm not digging32:49 the circumstances a whole lot, but, and I I would pray that maybe there would be a change, but not before you change me. So dig into me33:01 and know me, test me. I'm gonna push all my anxious thoughts into your pile because you know what's ahead. And you see everything.33:13 And I don't need to take on what doesn't belong to me, the future, that's your deal. It's an amazing amazing process that David is in. Now what does David get33:26 out of understanding and declaring God's sight and insight into him, his nearness, and his involvement. Alright. 3 things.33:38 The man of God, which is us, David, us included. Number 1, we can rest in our present. Why? Because he knows our anxious thoughts.33:50 Right? You're not the only 1 thinking about what concerns you. That reality gives us rest in the present,34:03 comforting. Number 2, we have redemption of our past. Right? That's another result of knowing these things because god34:16 sees us clearly and it still accepts us and loves us and forgives us. Notice how David says, see if there's any offensive way in me. You know, god knows what he's working34:28 with. Alright? God God knows that he's working with a broken human, a flawed human, and he covers those flaws by his grace and he redeems us. So as we never stop worshiping, as34:40 we never stop praying, as we never stop believing and seeking his will, God's rest comes into our lives. Our redemption, we begin to feel34:51 it even after you've blown it. That, yeah, he knows that we're gonna offend him, but we have forgiveness in Christ. So we have rest in the present, redemption from the past. And here's kind of theShow more In this video 0:00 Beyond Fair Weather Faith7:00 God's Plans for Your Future14:00 Intimate Sight and Nearness22:00 God's Deep Involvement and Change35:00 Rest, Redemption, and Reassurance
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