What are you craving to eat and drink? If we have a crave for what's holy then God's blessings come in abundance. Check out the latest sermon from our series "The Upside-down Blessings" on how those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are blessed by God.

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OC Church of Christ

Good morning.

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I have one question for you.

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Do you guys realize that

you've been changed?

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Do you?

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Okay, that was the question.

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My name is Kenny Barber.

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I've been a part of this church.

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My journey started 29 years ago.

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I've been married 28 years.

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And I've been in California 27 years.

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So a lot's happened those three years.

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I have two daughters.

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Uh, one, my oldest daughter is Courtney.

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She's here.

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Um, A.

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K.

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A.

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Um, Gooders, is what we call her.

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And, um, Kelsey, my daughter Kelsey,

Uh, she's in Baltimore, but actually

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she's listening online here.

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Um, and we call her Scooters.

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So, they don't like that name, but

that's something I've had since

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they were like eight years old.

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Um, my wife and kids, Keena right

now serving, serving the kids.

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Uh, so, um, that's our family.

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Um, we have someone living with us,

Hannah, she's trying to adopt her, but she

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lives with us now, she's a campus student.

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You know, so she's kind of semi part

of the, um, Barbara family as well.

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Uh, so we're talking about, we've been

going through the upside down blessings.

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And, um, what's unique about

these blessings is that they

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are, um, illogical, right?

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You know, we've talked about, actually

I missed some of the services, I've

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been away, but we've talked about, um,

you're blessed if you're born, you know,

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you're blessed, um, if you're poor.

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And so some of those, like,

scriptures, when I read it,

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it just doesn't seem logical.

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Maybe it's just me.

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It doesn't seem logical.

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So, I immediately just

make that best practice.

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You know what I mean by best practice?

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That's something good to do, but

really, can I really, really be that?

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So, I, I categorize that.

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Some people categorize that as conviction.

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You know, I have conviction for this or

that, but you never hear anybody say,

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I have conviction for the beatitudes.

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I got conviction for the mourning part.

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I'm conviction for the poor.

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You never hear nobody say

conviction about that.

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It's something else.

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No one has convictions about that part.

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And so, you know, you look at

that, uh, and it tells me that the

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Beatitudes are all about, it's not

logical, it's all about spiritual.

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Spiritual is not logical.

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In the spiritual world, one

plus one does not equal two.

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And so, God says, I frustrate the

wise because that doesn't make sense.

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There's no way that this could happen.

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You know, in my family, you

know, we had, uh, we was going

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through a lot of challenges.

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Um, something that happened, I

told, I talked to my daughter, I

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said is it okay if I bring this up?

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She says yeah.

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Um, that um, you know, she, she has had

surgery uh, at John Hopkins University

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and the most unique thing happened to

her is that when I heard it, um, I was

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in the gym and I couldn't hear my wife

and she says, hey, a tree fell on Kelsey.

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And I was like, what?

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I was like, maybe I'm

not hearing you right.

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You know, so I, you know, got out

of the gym and she says, yeah,

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a tree fell on your daughter.

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And I'm like, my first thought was, you're

coming home right now, you're coming home.

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You know, but it's, and so

this thing is just, something

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like this is just illogical.

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That does not happen to anyone.

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And so as going through these

Beatitudes, I'm thinking, you know,

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that, um, Hmm, that's something that's

unique, that's something illogical.

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You know, I think what, I think the

spiritual aspect of that is that there's

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something unique about this tree and you.

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It was meant for you.

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And so, and that sounds, to hear

it sounds weird, it's like, what?

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This tree, and I'm thinking,

and I'm not, I'm going deep.

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Like, this tree, you are 20 years

old, and so this tree was sitting

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there, and it was growing through the

last, you know, 19 years, growing,

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growing, growing, this was your tree.

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It's growing, it's growing, that

limb is getting loose, it's for you.

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You're going, you're living your life

here, here, here, here, there, but,

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like, okay, here's your time, I'm

walking with my, okay, it's ready, that

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is yours, boom, that was your tree.

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Didn't kill you, blessed, but is

it going to make you stronger,

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or is it going to tear you apart?

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Blessing or curse?

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So I say, and so I'm like, that's

what the gratitude is about!

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I talk to her, and so she's

like, Dad, I want to go.

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I want to get off the phone.

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I don't want to talk to you anymore.

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I was like, what?

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This is good stuff.

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She's like, you are so inconsiderate.

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And I was like, okay.

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It took me like a day to process that.

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I was like, you know, I'm sorry.

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I think it was inconsiderate.

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You know, so I was like,

there's some consideration as

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we listen to the gratitude.

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It's just, it's practical, but it's just,

I had to learn that consideration as well.

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So today we're talking about, um,

excuse this, right, is Matthew 5, 6.

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Blessed are those who hunger,

oh, right here, and thirst for

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righteousness, for they will be filled.

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And hunger and thirst, for us, it's

about, filling is meeting needs, right?

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We have needs, and we have wants.

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Now, as we get older and mature, we

gotta figure out what's more important.

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Now, in general, what's more important?

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Needs or wants, in general?

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Not a trick question, huh?

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Yeah, sometimes we realize the needs are

a little more important than the wants.

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And so we have all these, these needs.

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Some of the needs are physical, right?

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Water, food, we keep our bellies fed.

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Um, some of it's, some of it's,

uh, emotional needs, right?

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Okay, what age you are, you start to

realize, I got some emotional needs.

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That I have to deal with.

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So, that's the part of being filled.

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And we all try to fill that

in some way we have to.

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And sometimes it's temporary, sometimes

it's not, you know, sometimes we've got to

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be figuring out how to meet these needs.

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And we can meet them, and

it's temporary sometimes.

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But we've got to meet it again.

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It's like thirst.

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I drink, okay, I get thirsty again.

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If I don't keep drinking, hunger as well.

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Amen?

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So, and so somebody's got to figure

out what the needs and the wants.

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And so, my wife is really

good at that with me.

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She always says, okay, I want

to, I want to do something.

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She says, Kenny, alright.

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Oh, she says honey sometimes,

depends on what she relates to me.

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She says, do you really want to do this?

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Think about it, do you really,

really want to do this?

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I go, man, do I want this?

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Maybe, I don't know.

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Did you consider all the other

options, your opportunity cost?

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Ah, I thought about it too

much, maybe I don't, you know.

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And so, we went on this trip with,

um, with Corey to see his family.

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Uh, road trip, great trip,

more about that later.

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We go down the road, and then

we see this, we're on the 99,

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I believe, and we see this...

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It's this bright, shiny object.

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It says Ghirardelli

chocolate and ice cream.

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Out of nowhere, we're in the middle

of farmland and we see this store.

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It's like bright and shiny.

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I was like, guys, we got to do this.

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It's vacation, right?

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So we roll up in there and we

got this like 50 foot um, RV.

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It sounded like 50, but it's huge.

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You know, try to get in there.

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You know, Ghirardelli's ice cream.

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And we get in there and I was

like, okay, you know, it was great.

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And, um, and I see this,

um, what do they have?

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A banana split.

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I haven't had those since

I was like 20, right?

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And so, I see the banana split

and I was like, I gotta have it.

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And I was telling, and it was like,

I gotta have this banana split.

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I haven't had it, it's vacation.

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But I hear this voice in my head,

Kenny, do you really want this?

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And I was telling the guys too, I

was like, I can hear my wife saying,

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oh yeah, do you, do you really feel

like you have to have this right now?

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And so I was trying to fizzle

out and I was thinking, yes!

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I do.

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I'm going to have this ice,

but I regret it after I had it.

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So sometimes we have those

conversations about needs and wants.

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So that's what it's all about.

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It's about being filled, but

with the righteousness I was

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talking about here, it's like,

sometimes we have to make choices.

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We have needs and wants, and they've

got to prioritize it through life.

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This is a more important

need and how to meet this.

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But this is a common thread that

goes underneath all of that,

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is what we're talking about.

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It's a depth.

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of righteousness that it's

saying to always pursue.

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And so, I want to talk about, we're

talking about hunger and thirst,

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but from a spiritual perspective.

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Okay?

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Now, hunger versus thirst.

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You have to go, here's the challenge.

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Three weeks.

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Without.

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Would you rather go through this without

water, or three weeks without food,

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or would you like to shoot me down?

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You know, take me out.

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So, out of those two, raise your hand.

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Would you rather go without

water for three weeks?

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Raise your hand.

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Okay, without food for three weeks?

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Raise your hand.

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You gotta choose one, Jacob.

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Gotta choose one.

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Okay.

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Right!

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So, out of the, out of those two,

he's like, I think thirst is a

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little more intense than hunger.

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But this says, this says those who thirst,

who thirst, it doesn't say or hunger.

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It says what?

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Both.

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Combine those two together.

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That's what it's talking about.

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That's intense.

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And so, now we move to the next slide.

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Alright, spiritual hunger.

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That girl's towing down

right now, right there.

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Now, we've seen that before

in ourselves and someone else.

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Spiritual thirst is like,

I can't wait for the cup.

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Give it to me.

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Right?

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And so, but first of all, before we

decide what this is about, the scripture.

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What is thirst?

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We all have an idea of that

through our normal day to day life.

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What is it?

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Jesus gives a great example.

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Matthew 4, verse 1 5 Then Jesus

was led by the Spirit into the

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wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

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After fasting 40 days and

40 nights, he was hungry.

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The tempter came to him and said,

If you are the Son of God, tell

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these stones to become bread.

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Jesus answered, It is written,

Man shall not live on bread alone,

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but on every word that comes.

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From the mouth of God.

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And so, Jesus, he's fasting, he's

obviously hungry, and thirsty.

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That's our immediate need, right?

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I've gotta feel that.

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But he says, no.

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I don't want to indulge that, because

there's something deeper that I need.

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It's righteousness.

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It's, um, God's word.

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It's what I really, really

want to pursue right now.

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That's gonna help my physical,

that's gonna help my physical needs.

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Um, that is what I'm going to pursue.

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That's the example he has for us.

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We have these things, these

needs, you know, my, you know,

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I have a, I have a house that...

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You know, my plumbing broke down, and so

there's water coming through the ceiling.

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I have my daughter who's having surgery.

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We have so many needs, we say

there's an underlying thing that

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I want you to continue to pursue

that will help to fill everything.

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Amen?

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So moving to spiritual thirst, we've

got to understand what does that

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mean from a spiritual perspective.

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Psalms 42.

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1.

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2.

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It says, As a deer pants

for streams of water.

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So my soul pants for you, my God.

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My soul thirsts for

God, for the living God.

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Where can I go meet with God?

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Soul panting.

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Soul is the deepest part of you.

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Soul is a part of your, your, your mind.

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It's a part of your heart.

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It's the core of who you are.

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It's hard to bear your soul.

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Some of you guys want to keep

it, keep it close, but he says

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that part of me Thirst for you.

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It thirsts so bad, I can't

see you, I can't touch you,

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but I want to meet with you.

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That's illogical.

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How are you going to meet

with someone you can't see?

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Doesn't make sense.

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A spiritual thirst.

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Psalm 63 says, You are my God, are my God.

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Conceptually, I know that.

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Earnestly, I seek you.

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There it is again.

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I'm trying to find you.

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I can't see you, I can't touch you.

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But I am going to try to find you.

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I thirst for you.

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Here's that thirst again.

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I thirst.

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My whole being, that's my whole

soul, longs for this connection.

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Thirst.

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Hunger.

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Isaiah 69, 26, 29.

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My soul, here we go again,

my deepest part, yearns.

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In the night, when I should be sleeping.

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In the morning, longs for you.

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My spirit, my core, wants you.

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Psalm 119 says, Consumed.

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How many of you guys have ever

been consumed by something?

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What does consumed mean?

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It means I can't get

my, my mind off of you.

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Maybe a love interest, maybe

a TikTok videos or something.

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It's like, I just can't get my mind.

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I am so consumed.

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Somebody help me.

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That's what it is.

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You know, so yearning eight four, yearning

to the point where I'm crying out my

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flesh, I'm crying out for the connection.

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That's the definition of,

that's what we're talking about.

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It's a deep part of it, of ourselves.

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Spiritual thirst defines

your walk with God.

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Simple as that.

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If someone says, Hey,

how's your walk with God?

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Oh, it's great.

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Is it defined around thirst really?

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I mean, not, not belittling it, but

I'm saying you really got to question

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yourself, it's like, spiritual, that's

my walk with God, my spiritual thirst.

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What keeps me coming back, what keeps

me coming there, what drives me.

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It's not conceptual.

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Meaning that, you know, we all walk with

God, we all, you know, it's not, it's

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not conceptual, it's a personal thing.

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That defines your walk with God,

is the thirst that you maintain.

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Righteousness.

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What are we thirsting for?

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Is it me, my ice cream?

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I mean, it's real thirst.

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Ice cream?

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When I have this ice cream, I don't know

if you guys tried it, it's Haagen Dazs.

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Um, it's, um, it's white

chocolate raspberry Haagen Dazs.

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Have you guys ever had that?

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I'm serious, man, when I have

that, it's just like, I'm like,

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Julie, that, um, I feel like.

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That just, it just makes me happy.

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I am, I'm serious.

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I am, it makes me happy.

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I can do that.

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I watch a nice TV show.

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I have it.

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It's magic.

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It just makes me happy.

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Happy thinking about it.

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Happy me eating it.

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It's just, that's something for me.

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You guys may have something

like that for you.

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I'm sure it's something that

just, it just makes me happy.

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But righteousness is like, what is right?

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Justice.

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The act of doing what is in agreement

with God's standard, the state of

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being in proper relationship with God.

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So we gotta understand, what

is it that we're pursuing?

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The thirst is.

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Really understand that.

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This is my perspective of it.

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And as we grow in our Christianity, in our

spirituality, it's all about perspectives.

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There is no, I'm learning

there is no right or wrong.

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You should do it this way,

you should do it that way.

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You know, it's about.

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God shapes perspectives

throughout your life.

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This is my perspective.

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It may change in another

six months, I don't know.

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But, thirst and hunger, there's

a level of righteousness, right?

348

It's split into three.

349

There's a part of it, it's about God.

350

It's God's righteousness.

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Then there's a part, okay, something

that permeates from that, is

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about personal righteousness.

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And then our part of that is

like, the personal righteousness,

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it extends outwardly now to the

church, to the people around me.

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I think that's how God set it up.

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Part of the God's righteousness,

there's a term, justification.

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Justification means that

something is given to you.

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We have to work for it.

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It's like, by default, it's yours.

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That's awesome.

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I love, I love the giving stuff.

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I appreciate even, um, Karina just,

um, this announcement about me coming

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up, and I was really encouraged

to hear that, what she said.

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I think you got two out of three right,

but, you know, it was like, it was cool

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just hearing that, you know, as well, but.

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So Matthew 6.

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33, this is scriptures that kind of

shapes it to what righteousness really is.

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We got, we have to understand it

before we can even apply it, right?

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It can't be conceptual.

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Matthew 6.

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33 says, but seek first his

kingdom and his righteousness.

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All these things will be given to you.

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It's all about His, not mine.

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What does He say about it?

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Romans 3.

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22 says it's right.

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It's given through faith in Jesus Christ.

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So, there's a point you have

right, this, this, this, um,

379

justification, righteousness.

380

I see it as, um, 1 Corinthians

says, God made Him who had no sin

381

to be sin for us, so that in Him

we might become the righteousness.

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At least I say righteousness

is what I have become.

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It's who I am.

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It's not what I do.

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It's who I am, it's given

to me, and it's His.

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Something He gave to me through Christ.

387

So the question is, do

you want to embrace it?

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Or do you leave it as a concept?

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Oh yeah, Jesus died for

all of everybody, all sins.

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So, yeah, or do you embrace it?

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It's something that's given.

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I see it as, um, you look at, the

way I view it is, Matthew 7, 14, I'm

393

gonna turn there, but it says, um, the

road to destruction is broad, right?

394

It says the road to life is narrow.

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The way I see it with the justification

is like, is saying, okay, justification

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means God says you come, you're saved.

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Some of it's like, how justification is.

398

The thirst is, I want to be saved.

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So, there's one side of that.

400

And so I will thirst to be saved,

to, um, um, to seek God with all

401

my heart, to be saved, that faith.

402

And then, once you are saved,

it's like now I am put on

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that narrow road by default.

404

I want to be on that narrow road,

is what you say, what we say.

405

Because the narrow road leads to where?

406

Where?

407

You guys know.

408

Heaven!

409

Everybody wants to be

there, mostly, right?

410

So, I want to be on that road.

411

So by default, that

justification, you're on the road.

412

That feels good to be on

that road, doesn't it?

413

So, that's what it's all about.

414

But, do you recognize you're on the road?

415

Do you wake up tomorrow and say,

You know what, I am on that road.

416

Paul refers to it as a race.

417

Do you realize you're in the race?

418

I went, I went, I went I was

in a marathon a long time ago.

419

Right, trained, trained a lot.

420

And, I got this called the San Diego

San Diego Rock and Roll Marathon.

421

And, this was a fabulous event.

422

Every mile was music.

423

So, give me something to look forward to.

424

A different music, different,

you know, so, really cool.

425

It was about, I signed up late, and

so it, it's probably about, I remember

426

like 20, 000 people signed up for

this event, so I was like number 18,

427

000, something like that, and so I had

to wait my turn to even get started.

428

Alright, so, I remember, I trained really

well, but I remember like a mile, like

429

8 or 9, it was, Crazy because everybody

was walking and so I had to get around

430

excuse me excuse me because like that's

just crazy It's like so many people

431

are just walking on this road didn't

respect it the marathon is like I just

432

want to be here because It's fabulous.

433

It's an event.

434

It's like see I did it.

435

It's spectacular people were wearing

like crazy outfits and stuff, too

436

They're running gear like, you know

Costumes and all that, but they

437

were the ones walking on mile five.

438

I was like, are you taking this seriously?

439

The road to heaven, that

narrow, you're on the road.

440

Do you embrace it or not?

441

Justification is, it's

placed outside of you.

442

Puts us there and it feels good, right?

443

But first of all, we got to realize

God has given, placed it there.

444

So God sees me in a certain way

that maybe I don't see myself.

445

You know, sometimes it's easy to

go, like, I'm just the worst sinner.

446

It's easy to say because Paul said that.

447

I can say that to you,

I'm the worst sinner.

448

So, I'm always going to fail,

I'm always going to struggle.

449

Accept that.

450

I ain't Jesus.

451

I've heard that before.

452

I ain't Jesus.

453

That's Jesus.

454

I ain't Jesus.

455

So you can't expect all that from me.

456

But God's view is so important.

457

It's God's view.

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It's like to sit on that and

to be on that road for God's

459

justification is to understand.

460

God sees me as righteous.

461

I'm, I'm running.

462

I got a, I got a shirt.

463

I got a shirt that says rice

on the back on this road.

464

I'm just righteous

because I'm on the road.

465

I am salt.

466

Who likes salt in their food?

467

Food without salt is what?

468

It's just like, man, yeah.

469

Healthy, yeah.

470

But God said, he sees You

and I, we are the salt.

471

Do you see yourself

through God's perspective?

472

Light of the world.

473

It's dark out here, but when I

come around, that light's shining.

474

When I'm around, the light shines.

475

When you're around, the light shines.

476

I'm different.

477

I'm set apart.

478

I'm different.

479

In a good way.

480

Precious.

481

That's probably hard

to touch, but precious.

482

Can you sit on that?

483

Can you sit on God delighting?

484

That his eyes are on you?

485

All the time.

486

It's easy to say, oh man, he's

disappointed in me because I'm

487

doing, messing up, messing up.

488

How could he?

489

I did this last night.

490

Or could you reflect

that he's smiling at me.

491

He's delighting.

492

Even when I mess up, he's delighting.

493

That's the God we serve.

494

In order to stay here,

there's justification.

495

You gotta look at God's perspective.

496

What God's given to me.

497

Do I embrace it?

498

Sometimes you gotta go back.

499

You gotta go back and remember it

and remember it and then move out.

500

On that, if you start forgetting

it, go back, touch it, touch it,

501

touch it, and then move out again.

502

Does that make sense?

503

Can I go on?

504

You guys good?

505

Now, it's, God's righteousness is the

thirst to, first of all, if you're

506

not saved, the thirst to be saved.

507

Or, it's to experience Christ.

508

Um, to embrace God as he sees you.

509

And so, you gotta, it's

to examine your desires.

510

It's like, to be honest,

I don't have this thirst.

511

I don't.

512

Be honest with yourself.

513

I don't have this thirst for that.

514

Other things.

515

And to, and so now you gotta

ask yourself, why don't I?

516

I'm, I'm, in my, um, my profession,

I'm in IT, and we're always

517

trying to make processes better.

518

And we have this process, it's

called, um, the five whys.

519

Anybody know what the five whys is?

520

Okay, cool.

521

Yeah, yeah.

522

It's five whys.

523

And so it's, it's, it's

concept of root cause analysis.

524

And so, to get to the root cause.

525

And I love it because it's so spiritual.

526

It's like getting, that gets to the heart.

527

So ask yourself, why don't

I want to stay on this road?

528

Why don't I want to come to church?

529

Why don't I want to pray?

530

Why don't I, I don't have my quiet time?

531

Why don't I want to have quiet time?

532

And so it's like, ask

yourself that five times.

533

Why don't I have quiet times?

534

Because I don't have time.

535

Why don't you have time?

536

Because, you know, I get up too late.

537

Why do you get up so late?

538

You know?

539

So you keep asking until

you get to the root cause.

540

That's how you get to the heart.

541

You realize, okay, that's the reason why

I don't have quiet times, to be honest.

542

I don't want to, because something

in the past affected me or whatever.

543

So it's like, examine it

to get back on the road.

544

The second part is personal righteousness,

and that's sanctification, right?

545

He says in Titus 2, where it gets to

the last part, it says, it teaches, it

546

teaches us to say no to ungodliness, to

worldly passion, to live self controlled.

547

and upright and godly lives.

548

So, 1 Peter says, pretty much,

be holy because I'm holy.

549

So, the way I see this is that

God's righteousness puts you

550

on the road, and then personal

righteousness is like, now walk.

551

Or, you get in a race, Paul says, now run!

552

Or you're playing basketball,

you're on the bench.

553

You know, it's like, I want you to

want, put me in the game, coach.

554

Get in the game, play.

555

That's personal righteousness.

556

Uh, very, it's very clear.

557

And it's something that

happens inside of us.

558

It's something I have to do personally.

559

Paul talks about it, you know,

it's like working out your

560

salvation with fear and trembling.

561

It's the working out.

562

Spending the rest of

your life working out.

563

It's easy to say, you know what,

today I ain't going to run.

564

You know what, I don't even

want to be in a race this month.

565

I don't got time for no race.

566

To be honest with ourselves, I don't

want this spiritual perspective.

567

I don't have time for that.

568

Obedience is a part of this.

569

It's like, do I have a thirst to obey, or

am I thirsty to just do it on my own way?

570

But directly, the scripture says,

if you love me, you will do what?

571

Obey me.

572

Point blank.

573

We can say, you know what?

574

I love God.

575

Oh, I love God.

576

I feel it.

577

I feel it.

578

I feel it.

579

I sing.

580

The guy's like, do you obey what I say?

581

Do you do it?

582

I don't, what?

583

It's like, that's it, black and white.

584

Sink the fake Christian

righteousness is a statement of love.

585

It could be all about faith, and

no, you're not supposed to do

586

anything when you're a Christian.

587

You know, it's, it's all

about, not about works.

588

He's like, surely you love me.

589

I love it when Paul, when, when,

when, um, when he questioned

590

Peter after Peter denied himself.

591

Says three times.

592

Do you love me?

593

You know, of course, I love you.

594

I've been around you feelings.

595

Feed my sheep.

596

You know, I said three times.

597

Can you obey me?

598

Show me.

599

You guys aren't showing me.

600

I don't got to show you guys.

601

He's like, you show me.

602

Why don't you want to obey me?

603

So ask this question.

604

Why?

605

Sanctification is like, you obey

me, things happen automatically.

606

You start changing.

607

You start to look like me.

608

You don't gotta decide that.

609

You obey me, all of a

sudden, things happen.

610

You light your salt, these things

just start boom, boom, boom.

611

That's how God works.

612

Cause you're my child.

613

You can put a stop to it all.

614

I ain't gonna change.

615

I don't got time for this.

616

There's fruit because of that.

617

It's surrendering.

618

So it's like longing to, um, first

of all, like the longing for personal

619

righteousness is Sometimes it's

really, we look into my Bible family

620

group, we're learning this together.

621

It's like putting it

into the first person.

622

When you read the Bible, have

God speak to you directly.

623

So when you read, it's like,

okay, God wants all of us.

624

God wants me to do what?

625

Do what?

626

See what he wants you to

do from the Word of God.

627

It's repentance and victories.

628

I want to change, I want

to see the victories.

629

Change and victories.

630

That's how change happens.

631

Both sides.

632

It's, perspective is like, I gotta

see God, he's good in everything.

633

So when I read his word,

there's goodness there.

634

It's not doom and destruction.

635

Every scripture, there's some

good that's being produced.

636

It's all good.

637

Um, watch, pray, and fight.

638

Some of it's like, do the

things you did at first.

639

What did I do at first when

I was on the road, fired up?

640

Do what you did at first.

641

Carrying the cross, uh, moving on.

642

The other part is about, for the

personal righteousness, um, you're

643

walking the road, you're, um,

you're on a race, then you look

644

around, there's people around you.

645

I remember I was running a marathon, had

a lot of, um, physical issues along the

646

way, but, you know, finally got along,

you know, once I got rid of my, my cramps

647

and stuff, I had some major cramps.

648

Um, that's another story.

649

It's got to go ahead by now.

650

I'll tell you later.

651

And so I had some cramps, and then

um, and I had some people, and I

652

finally, when I got, you know, kind of

a good rhythm, I saw people around me.

653

And so, and I can start to encourage them,

encourage me, and so, it's about that.

654

It's like, you look around, you got

people all around you on this road.

655

And so, I don't necessarily, my personal

righteousness is important, but now, I

656

care about the community righteousness.

657

I care about my brothers and

sisters righteousness now.

658

It works that way.

659

It can't do the other way around.

660

It's hard to say, I care about

the community, but my social

661

righteousness is like, crazy.

662

But I can help.

663

It's like, it doesn't work that way.

664

It's confusing, it's

like, it's like, it can't.

665

It's, um, and so, it's like,

Mark 3 5 16, Let's shine, the

666

light shine before others.

667

I have the light, and now I'm

going to include other people.

668

Along, help them along the road,

because this road is just not easy.

669

This sanctification is easy, right?

670

So you guys still with me?

671

Okay.

672

Uh, St.

673

Corinthians 5.

674

20 it says, um, God Christ's

ambassador because God was

675

making His appeal through us.

676

Ezra on the road, God is

making His appeal through us.

677

Because the righteousness is in us.

678

And so, um, you know collectively,

in the, um, in the community, in

679

the church, that's our perspective.

680

So it's righteous, this is

the righteousness in others.

681

So the first one is righteousness

in God, the second one is

682

righteousness in ourselves, this

is righteousness in other people.

683

Learn, uh, the longing to help

others in the church grow, too.

684

Longing for the community.

685

Now we went out, um, in the community

before, before, um, we, we met

686

here, and that's something I had to

really pray for as well is that not

687

so much, you know, going door to

door could be a little weird, right?

688

And so I got to fight.

689

Not Jehovah Witness is a bad term,

but you know, I just, the feeling of

690

being like a Jehovah Witness and um,

you know, people like don't want to

691

open their doors and all that stuff.

692

And so I'll put on a suit on purpose.

693

I'm kidding.

694

Yeah.

695

And so, but the feeling, but I had

to realize that helped me to long to

696

just want the community field, right?

697

That's what drives me,

relationships and all that.

698

So, um, and so this demonstrates

our love for other people.

699

through our righteousness.

700

And moving on to, um, and

that's, it's a picture here.

701

This is Cory and his family.

702

And why I brought this up is, you

know, we went on this road trip

703

and, um, the road trip was to,

um, where did we go, Cory, again?

704

Um, yeah, um, so we went to Berry

Creek area, um, and Oroville, which I

705

had no idea where that was on the map.

706

Um, actually I didn't.

707

And so, what, what amazes me is that,

uh, Cory brought it up months ago, that

708

he, he hadn't seen his family in a while.

709

And so, Tuan says, Hey, where

would you want to go on vacation?

710

He says, Uh, if I was the one

who would have said Hawaii,

711

somebody would have said Orville.

712

Then Tuan says, Okay, we'll go there.

713

And, and he's like, Okay.

714

And then he said, Want to come, Kenny?

715

I was like, Sure.

716

So this trip was about to encourage

Cory to connect with his family, who

717

hasn't seen him in, I think, 19 years.

718

And so, what I brought this

up is that this was such an

719

incredible trip to see his family.

720

Reconnect with him and the fears that

I had going up I had expressed with his

721

family is that okay Three of us are going,

you know, I am a tall black man Twan is

722

a medium sized for Asian Asian And then,

and then Tuan, I mean, and then um, Corey.

723

So we're all coming up, and I'm like,

what are they going to see, first of all?

724

And then we're in the backwoods of, I

don't know where, Northern California, so.

725

And then, yeah, so that was like,

I'll have some, I was kind of

726

anxious about that, so that's

going to be weird, you know, too.

727

And they had the same

views of us as well, so.

728

So, we got there, they pulled us in,

we met so many of his aunts and uncles

729

and cousins, and it was amazing,

this connection, it was amazing

730

to see the love of their family.

731

And they pulled us in

as family immediately.

732

And we were leaving, we dropped Cory

off, and then Tom was like, you know

733

what, I so needed this, to see this

love, you know, from this community.

734

I was like, you know what, me too.

735

I didn't know, I need that, but I

need to see that, I need to feel that.

736

That genuine love.

737

So it's about the community,

uh, is so important.

738

So this is my own thoughts here.

739

So, you know, um, I work with a lot

of presentations, so sorry if it's

740

a little complex, but we have this,

so it's a hunger and thirst for

741

righteousness, but then see how this

plays into his greatest command.

742

Right?

743

He says, this is the greatest command.

744

Love the Lord with all your heart,

with all your soul, with all your mind.

745

This is the first and greatest

commandment, and the second is like it.

746

Love your neighbor as yourself.

747

And you can see that loving yourself

is a part of the equation, too.

748

I gotta love me.

749

I can't do this without loving me.

750

Right?

751

But I can love me through Christ.

752

How he sees me helps me to love me.

753

So, that's the God's part.

754

I gotta see how God sees me first.

755

And it says, love the

Lord with all your heart.

756

Personal sanctification is

like, you obey me, you love me.

757

That's the love part.

758

Then it goes to the community part.

759

It's like, and then

you love your neighbor.

760

As yourself.

761

It all, Christ just fits

into his commandments.

762

Says how important.

763

And critical, righteousness is,

but there's a thirst behind it.

764

Develop it, why it's not there,

cultivate it, um, as well.

765

So the promise is like field.

766

Um, the last scripture, Ephesians 3, 17,

it says, I pray that out of his glory

767

and riches, that he may strengthen you

with his power through the spirit in

768

your inner being, so that Christ may

dwell in your hearts through faith.

769

And I pray that you being

rooted and established in love.

770

May have power together with

all God's Holy Spirit people to

771

grasp how wide and long and high

and deep is the love of Christ.

772

And you know this love that surpasses

knowledge that you may be filled to

773

the measure of all the fullness of God.

774

Being filled means strengthened.

775

Being filled means power.

776

Being filled means purpose and root.

777

Being filled means I understand and

I can touch this love of Christ.

778

Being filled means I can be full.

779

Uh, as I mentioned here, security,

uh, wisdom comes from this as well.

780

Um, uh, and it's fulfilling

his greatest commandment.

781

So some action steps is just to write

down some things, uh, some areas in

782

your life that God has changed you.

783

How has God sanctified me?

784

We all are evidence of that.

785

Think about that and write it down.

786

How has God changed me?

787

And so those areas, how, how did

I show my thirst for those areas?

788

Maybe I, you know, I had some

McQuin talk Quiet times, hasn't

789

McQuin talks about people.

790

I had to wrestle here.

791

And that changed.

792

How did you've, you've demonstrated

that, if not now, in parts of your

793

life, looking at that and touching

it, and I wanna recreate that.

794

And so as this time, we're gonna take

communion and I really wanna focus on

795

the first aspect of the righteousness.

796

God's righteousness,

what's been given to us.

797

And we can look at the cross.

798

And as we close our eyes and reflect

on Christ, just think about, um, and,

799

and so I know a lot of times we, we

focus on where I went wrong and, you

800

know, where, you know, how I want

to change, but we can really look

801

at the fact of like how good He is.

802

Uh, what is the, um, how does He see me?

803

You know, what's the opportunities

I'll have once I open up my eyes

804

again after I see the cross?

805

What opportunities do I have?

806

What good can I produce?

807

Amen?

808

Let's pray.

809

Heavenly Father, God, thank you for

just allowing us to come together,

810

to be here, to worship you.

811

Father, you are our focus.

812

Father, you are our desire.

813

Father, we're open to learn

from you, to be taught from you.

814

Father, thank you for the cross, thank you

for Jesus, thank you for the sacrifice.

815

Thank you for just putting

us on the road to heaven.

816

Uh, father, we thank you for the

way that you, you call us higher,

817

uh, to thank you for family.

818

Uh, God.