The Sermon Focus In by David McGee
Nov 08, 2015
Focus In (30:17)
Referenced Scriptures: Ephesians 6:10-18
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The scriptures below are from the WEB Bible.
Ephesians 6:10-18
10) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might.
11) Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world‘s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
13) Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand.
14) Stand therefore, having the utility belt of truth buckled around your waist, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
15) and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16) above all, taking up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one.
17) Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;
18) with all prayer and requests, praying at all times in the Spirit, and being watchful to this end in all perseverance and requests for all the saints:
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Or the le of my message today is focused in focus in. And the scriptures that we are going to look at it he feels in chapter six beginning at verse ten. And that about wraps it up in Jesus and they're speaking here. And not Jesus but. Paula speaking here he says that about wraps it up. Got a strong. And he wants you to be strong. So take everything the master has set out for you. Well made weapons of the most stupid thing. Well made weapons of the best materials. Now we know that this is considered the armor of . Section here. But sometimes in our life we need to understand what we're supposed to focus on the K. so what I did to this morning is. I brought my binoculars. If so I can get a Big Bang a good look up close and personal. You know I don't know who you know I don't be that close. All right so. We know that binoculars can really bring things in his to area there isn't a back way of it is this so we see that binoculars have a have a great effect of helping us to focus. But I like the story about the one little boy. He's standing up stairs and in his bedroom window and he's looking out the monoculars from the wrong way and his dad said Well. Son. You're using the wrong end to look through he says that's OK. I'm looking at the guy the kid who's the bully across the street. And I'm just focusing in on how small he really is. So in our lives. There are times that we need to focus in on the wrong and they cause. Looking from the bottom through to the top or the of the islands we find that it puts things out at a distance and. If we look at things the way does. How does see. You see whenever our problems are big. We've got bigger. Blessings and bigger promises. So sometimes we get caught. Looking through the lens part of the goggles and making mountains out of molehills. Taking small things and blowing them out of proportion. But you see when gives us the lens of the scripture that he wants us to see things a far off. Moon. Abraham. He could see the promise of that. Up there somewhere in his destiny out there somewhere in his future. There was a child. Out there somewhere in his future. There was as many descendants as the stars of the sky in the sea Abraham didn't need the not killers to see the distance. brought him out of the tent and says Abraham. I want you to look up. Abraham look up he says can you count them. That's how many your descendants will be. Who so whenever we see how that there are difficulties that come into our life. has already prepared us to meet these difficulties. When there are things that go wrong. We need to look at the is always there and is the one who is helping us to see. To see to see them correctly. And to see how that His promise is going to fit into our own life. So we know that we're net we're not left alone in this. We know that has not left us defenceless. We know that will never leave us nor forsake us so in everything give thanks. Because I can see. I Ruth. I can see the promises of being applied to this part of my life. And so if we don't have a pair of binoculars. You know it's coming hunting season and. If you like to hunt. We you know you go out and you can see if the deer has any horns on or not and. So it's important that we're able to see what we're looking at in here. We need to focus in in this scripture here were Paul writes of the church a deficit. He's telling them. And it's about wraps it up to is strong. First of all. is strong. There is nothing impossible for . He is the creator of the universe he spoke the universe into existence and spoke at all and then he breathed into man and made us a living soul. So we are different than any other aspect of creation spoke. He is strong enough he is great enough to be able to speak. And whatever he speaks he creates. So what is creating in us. He never create chaos. He doesn't create confusion. He doesn't create a little ng. Spirit. He doesn't degrade. You see. Whenever we were say the song we were singing before. As we prayed and sing in the presence of Jehovah. I was remembering that the children of Israel. They had the ever natural. And inside the tabernacle they had the holies. The holy place the smaller tent in which contained the back part of the the tent contained the. Which the Ark of the covenant with. The Ten Commandments. Aarons rod that ed. And a vessel of the manna. And on that place it was considered. The angels of the cherubims were there. And that was called The Mercy Seat of . And the presence of was the focus of the entire nation of Israel. It was that it was like. This is where said that he would be with the children of Israel. And his presence descended they could see this. They could see the presence of descending as it were into that holy place. And so the. This was considered the place where will. And you know it was. It was a way of getting a group of individuals to understand that is a person that is a person each and that he can be in one place at one time. And yet he can be all places at all times and not within our finite. Recognition of of understanding or being able to see how is everywhere president but yet. Present here with me. And if the song as David says if I take the wings of the morning and fly to the other most parts of the earth. If I can travel at the speed of light. I cannot. Out. Distance that I cannot be here and be there. A quicker than can be because 's already there. You see these are the things that set in motion for us about being strong. You know I'm right in the. It's caption. In the USA Today that it said that people don't care if Tom Brady. Cheated. To to arrive at his goal of winning the Super Bowl. People don't care that he that he may have cheated. Well I don't know if he did or didn't but the the. The sad thing is people don't care. If he lied or cheated. To get to his goal and see the. The fundamental part of what teaches us. Is truth. Being true to true to ourselves. And that anything that we would gain by deceit is really not gain. And any time someone would cheat or deceive us to gain something that we don't follow up with anger and bitterness we follow up with forgiveness and love because will take care of that. And he will take care of rewarding me that I might be this person of character this person of You see when we don't learn that in the streets we don't learn that in the schools we learn that in church. We learn that in a place where we can make a difference in our life in the importance of your lives. And the importance of our children. Is that we are making a difference. Because we're teaching them something that cannot be found anywhere else but in the church and in the Word of and. We we look at it from a perspective that is alive and that the presence of Jehovah. Which was in the temple in the in the tabernacle in the tent. Of the Old Testament is the same presence of Jehovah. That's in our own lives. And so whenever we're talking about being strong in the Lord. We're talking about who is in me has great strength. See who is in me. Gives me great strengths. He gives me the strength to do the right thing for the right reasons. He gives me the strength to believe that I can do anything. Through Christ who gives me strength. I believe in she this belief. Activates the power of that resides within us. You see. When we give our forget ask our sins to be forgiven. We asked Christ to forgive us. This is 's dwelling place. didn't come to dwell in places built by man. He came to dwell within the hearts of people that he would write his K'naan Mensah pon the hearts of his children. And so whenever we are doing the right thing for the right reasons. is stirring us. Got inside of us is calling upon us to be strong. So when I'm saying that is strong. Using. When I'm saying that is strong and is who is the creator of the universe is inside of me in that strength is inside of me causing me to think of him to pray and to ask for strength. So is at work inside of us to be strong. Now he wants you to be strong. You see any rest of the. is strong and he wants you to be strong and the strength that is in is in OS. Because is in us. Now. The next one. So take everything the master has set out for you. Well made weapons of the best materials. And this is relieving up to the armor of . What has given to us is the best. Materials. has given to us. A security in our thoughts of how men of salvation. A security in our thoughts that we know we can know the mind of . You see. We can know the mind of because we know the Word of . The Mind of will never contradict his word. So the word we must know the word that's why. You know. OK why does preachers preach. Why do we read the Scriptures why do we read devotionals why. We want to put the word in our heart a narrow minds. So that we have some type of balance. Our society doesn't give us a sort of balance between spirit and life. Our society in our newspapers and our Most of our magazines and everything. Point us. Purely in this in the pool in a self centered direction. . Enables us to determine the difference between selfishness. And how the wants and how that is pleased with us. is pleased with you he loves you. That's not being selfish. That's recognizing that sees me a special. Selfishness over here is self-centered to says. You know I'm special. Because I'm better than you see that's the society. Telling us. You deserve everything you can get and take from society. is saying you did you can have everything that I have for you all of my promises all of my blessings ultimate You can have this. Because I think you're special. I think you're worth it. I love you so much I would die for you. I love you so much I will rise from the dead. And I will impart that spirit inside of you that no matter what happens to you nothing can ever separate us from separate me from you. So that type of understanding. Gives us a healthy self image that we are aware that Cobb loves you. That's not being selfish. If it were selfish. loves me and he doesn't love you. That selfish. But what in this office can do for me. But he won't do it for you that selfish. But is saying. What I've done for others. I can do for you and that who is at work in a is a very strong. Bible says. In my weakness. I find 's strength. Whoa. In my weakness. I find string. What I'm doing is calling upon to help me I'm getting in focus. The promises. Yes will see a. They have to leave. They have to go to go skating. So we find that is them walking them go out the door here. At a distance the church is so large I have to see the hallway to the back yes. All right. Thank you for coming. And being with us. But we see how that has us in focus. And how that has these things for us to do. And he says that we well made weapons are the best materials. does not send us to war against sin and evil. With anything that is faulty. Nothing is faulty. In our in our Arment. has prepared us with an armament that the enemy. Cannot penetrate. Cannot destroy and cannot take away from us. So we are the battles already won. Because Jesus won the battle. At the cross. And at the resurrection. So the battles already won. The enemy is in defeat. Trying to pretend and trying to convince the victors. That they really didn't win. Doesn't work that way. And we find that. And put and it goes on here we put on the full armor of . You know it is. Through these lenses. I can see what they're up to. I can see what the enemy is up to over there on the far side of the hill there. I can see what the enemies up to. Well. If we whenever we read the Scriptures. We know what the enemy's up to the enemy wants to steal to kill and to destroy. But. wants to protect to heal and to enlarge. So and put it and put them to use. So that you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. You see wants to open his one of those thoughts. He wants to open the eyes of our understanding. That's a that's a eyes of understanding. It should be eyes of sight. Know its eyes of understanding. So that I can see very clearly. What's going on and. I understand what is happening in our Sunday school lesson this morning the disciples in Mark and their Jesus had just performed his second feeding of the. The first one was a five thousand the second feeding was a four thousand. And there it is Jesus is with the disciples and they're on the lake. And they didn't bring any bread. They brought one loaf of bread they didn't bring enough to eat. So they're all worried about. We don't have enough bread Jesus is mad at us because we didn't bring enough food in no. And they totally missed the idea. And Jesus is telling them about the leaven the yeast that is in bread affects the whole loaf. And the Pharisees and Sadducees who were just trying to destroy Jesus. Are the leaven of the spiritual life. Don't allow their principles to get into your understanding of your spiritual life. You see. That's for the eyes of our understanding is how is helping us to defeat the enemy. That is around our life. How is it that wants to give us the strength to defeat the enemy of our soul. We can see it. We can read it. But how do we make the application. You see I think of it in a context that. Inside of us is has a story here I want to read it's kind of a. It's a it's a difficult one but. It says about prayer. OK. In ordinary. I'll try to. This was it was set up complicated I tried to make it simple but we'll see if I can complicate it more than what it is an ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say is prayers. He is trying to get in touch with . OK so here we are trying to get in touch with . Now. If he is a Christian. He knows that the prompting to pray. Is also . Inside of him. is prompting us to pray. So we're trying to get ahold of and is prompting us to pray because inside of us we already have Christ inside of us. Christ is forgiveness of our sins. He lives within our hearts so. is already inside of us so we're trying to get ahold of to to answer our prayers and it's who is prompting us to pray. Now an ordinary Christian. Kneels down to say is prayers. But the Christian also knows that all his knowledge of has come from . Oh so now I have got inside of me. Prompting me to pray to . And what I'm going to make my prayers. About has already taught me that he will do the where there's more. So. Whenever we look at this and we're seeing that. What we know of is what has taught us. What he has revealed to us in His Word. Now what we have and His word is not a history book. What is history. Well. We can read about George Washington. But you cannot know George Washington. We can know all the characteristics of George Washington we can know. You know all the things. Some of the things that he did why did them in all the history books and all the. The you know where he lived in Mt. Mt Washington MT Jefferson. Right now we're watching live Jefferson. MT Jefferson. Mt Vernon that's it. OK teachers. OK. Washington was mild Vernon. All right so we can know about George Washington but we can't know him. The difference is that is alive. He's active. The Word of is quick and powerful alive and active. Working inside of our lives. Helping us to see with our understanding that is that work around us. So is strong. is inside of me. is asking me to pray. So Ask your pray. All right. What's appropriate what's a progress that we haven't spoken of here. Any any any special anything. Any once. One. This from got about a car. How many men have read like cars. So we all want to new car. So we need a new car. So the Holy Spirit in prompts us now is that this is where we just talk about this morning. But is this our desire to have a car OK now. Is it prompted by is or prompted by self. That's where we have the conflict. Because if it's too noon to good. We don't deserve it. Whoa. Who said we don't deserve it. Well. I don't want people to think it was even worry about what people think you worry about what is one. The acting. I'm my own once you know. I have my own wants and I'm own wishes. I have but you see what the battle we fight is where what is impossible with . In what is prompting us that can do all things but we can't do certain things because that would be wrong. And who told us that they were wrong because they would be selfish and where does come up with being selfish selfish. Is a betrayal of the truth. That is inside of us but let's go on. So any put to use the stand up everything and put them to use the armor of . Then we'll be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest. King James has it. We do not wrestle. Against flesh and blood. But against prin lities and powers. So what's going on in our lives in the connectedness that we have is that we are not fighting against people were not warring against mind. Mind over matter. If you don't mind it don't matter. OK. This battle that we are in is for keeps this battle that we are in is a life and death struggle. And we are in this fight to the finish. So is that work inside of us. Prompting us to understand that he loves us. He can do all things that doesn't exist impossible nothing will ever separate us. So we're trying to find this place of connection. Were says you have the helmet of salvation. That protects our thoughts. You see our mind is very important to have faith. We don't have to check our brain at the door. But to have faith. Sometimes it goes beyond what we can understand such as to believe here's Jesus with telling the disciples. OK. We need to feed all these people what do we have. Well we got five low fi flat pancakes into sardines. Five loaves and two fishes. OK. Our thinking would say. As a disciples. What is that among so many. But Jesus is saying. What about your heart. What about your faith. What about your comp ion. Jesus had a comp ion or a p ion for the crowd. So what did he do take the five loaves two fish. He breaks and bless it puts it in twelve baskets. The baskets go out and feed all the five thousand comes back with twelve basketsful. That doesn't fit our thought life. But it fits our heart life. Because our heart. Understands can do anything. is capable of moving mountains. is capable of bringing us to the Red Sea and causing the sea to part. See this is the difference between what goes in our head and in our heart. And our understanding of both. Are there for us to gr in the Holy Spirit in comes as our partner in all this. And he's leading us a guiding us so the eyes of our understanding can look at life and say. This is beyond my ability but you know what I feel that wants me to do this you know. I look at my book over here. And I when I thought about it for twenty years. I've got I've got outlines of this for maybe thirty years ago. And they just. There's their piled up. It's something that was in my heart. But I never believed that I could do it. But see my eyes of understanding and my heart of comp ion. Said I have to do this because it's important that people have a tool that. That was useful in working with individuals that there's a tool that is useful that I can. That's greater than what I can reach and P. go to people that I'll never meet or see. So this is where we look through the eyes of our understanding that says. This is what I want you to do. And you feel. We can't. But the spirit inside of us says. I want you to do this. That's the eyes of our understanding. In the armor of protects our thoughts our enemy and wherein the only division we have is us. Saying well I don't think I can do that. And is saying I went to prompt you. If I didn't want you to. I would've put the dream in you. If there was no dream to be fulfilled. And you see. We look for the perfect. But is in every good thing. Every good thing. The people around us. We need to complement them. We need to say thank you. And remember what that wasn't read that in a couple weeks ago it said that the most important thing in the marriage is to say thank you yes dear. Thank you. Somebody said Yes dear. But the. The I know what the ad is thank you and isn't it significant that says in everything give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus seeing Jesus. In our relationships. Seeing Jesus in every good thing. Enables us then to see in the perfect and. sees us perfect. But we can't get past our faults. We need to see the good that has put inside of us. And we need to see how is going to work that good. In our lives. I have one of the thought. We're going to close with this one. I'm going to use this il ration maybe next Sunday. I had three il rations for today and I was just busting out all over to use all three. But I had to limit myself to one. But I'm going to use. And one is a bag. You're going to have a banner next week I'm bringing a bag. OK. And in that bag and I have three by five cards in there. And you're going to second take something out. And you're going to write down. I can't do this but can. Not I can't do and say this is this is a thing he has to do this in you put it in the bag. And don't worry about because is going to do it in your life and everything that comes up in your life. Whether surprise request whether it's a personal D.D. need or desire or whatever it's something beyond your abilities. It's beyond what you can do by yourself. Much write it down. Put in back. That's a back. And what we're going to see is with the eyes of our understanding. We're going to believe that can do anything that he's that he says that he places in our heart. Amen. Let's stand. So inside of us is prompting us to pray. So that we would understand the principles that wants to give to us in our lives. The not selfish. And they're not. Self-centered. They are centered and that will as we do these things. will take the five loaves and the two fishes and multiply them. Because that's what's in your hands. And will take what is in your hands and make a difference in the world around you. Thank you Father for your word. I pray that. That your Holy Spirit will make real and make part of our hearts and minds. These truths that you give to us. I pray that you will help us through the eyes of our understanding. Through our hearts so that you prompt us through the Spirit of that in light and your word bring it to reality inside of us we pray in Jesus' name amen. Or the le of my message today is focused in focus in. And the scriptures that we are going to look at it he feels in chapter six beginning at verse ten. And that about wraps it up in Jesus and they're speaking here. And not Jesus but. Paula speaking here he says that about wraps it up. Got a strong. And he wants you to be strong. So take everything the master has set out for you. Well made weapons of the most stupid thing. Well made weapons of the best materials. Now we know that this is considered the armor of . Section here. But sometimes in our life we need to understand what we're supposed to focus on the K. so what I did to this morning is. I brought my binoculars. If so I can get a Big Bang a good look up close and personal. You know I don't know who you know I don't be that close. All right so. We know that binoculars can really bring things in his to area there isn't a back way of it is this so we see that binoculars have a have a great effect of helping us to focus. But I like the story about the one little boy. He's standing up stairs and in his bedroom window and he's looking out the monoculars from the wrong way and his dad said Well. Son. You're using the wrong end to look through he says that's OK. I'm looking at the guy the kid who's the bully across the street. And I'm just focusing in on how small he really is. So in our lives. There are times that we need to focus in on the wrong and they cause. Looking from the bottom through to the top or the of the islands we find that it puts things out at a distance and. If we look at things the way does. How does see. You see whenever our problems are big. We've got bigger. Blessings and bigger promises. So sometimes we get caught. Looking through the lens part of the goggles and making mountains out of molehills. Taking small things and blowing them out of proportion. But you see when gives us the lens of the scripture that he wants us to see things a far off. Moon. Abraham. He could see the promise of that. Up there somewhere in his destiny out there somewhere in his future. There was a child. Out there somewhere in his future. There was as many descendants as the stars of the sky in the sea Abraham didn't need the not killers to see the distance. brought him out of the tent and says Abraham. I want you to look up. Abraham look up he says can you count them. That's how many your descendants will be. Who so whenever we see how that there are difficulties that come into our life. has already prepared us to meet these difficulties. When there are things that go wrong. We need to look at the is always there and is the one who is helping us to see. To see to see them correctly. And to see how that His promise is going to fit into our own life. So we know that we're net we're not left alone in this. We know that has not left us defenceless. We know that will never leave us nor forsake us so in everything give thanks. Because I can see. I Ruth. I can see the promises of being applied to this part of my life. And so if we don't have a pair of binoculars. You know it's coming hunting season and. If you like to hunt. We you know you go out and you can see if the deer has any horns on or not and. So it's important that we're able to see what we're looking at in here. We need to focus in in this scripture here were Paul writes of the church a deficit. He's telling them. And it's about wraps it up to is strong. First of all. is strong. There is nothing impossible for . He is the creator of the universe he spoke the universe into existence and spoke at all and then he breathed into man and made us a living soul. So we are different than any other aspect of creation spoke. He is strong enough he is great enough to be able to speak. And whatever he speaks he creates. So what is creating in us. He never create chaos. He doesn't create confusion. He doesn't create a little ng. Spirit. He doesn't degrade. You see. Whenever we were say the song we were singing before. As we prayed and sing in the presence of Jehovah. I was remembering that the children of Israel. They had the ever natural. And inside the tabernacle they had the holies. The holy place the smaller tent in which contained the back part of the the tent contained the. Which the Ark of the covenant with. The Ten Commandments. Aarons rod that ed. And a vessel of the manna. And on that place it was considered. The angels of the cherubims were there. And that was called The Mercy Seat of . And the presence of was the focus of the entire nation of Israel. It was that it was like. This is where said that he would be with the children of Israel. And his presence descended they could see this. They could see the presence of descending as it were into that holy place. And so the. This was considered the place where will. And you know it was. It was a way of getting a group of individuals to understand that is a person that is a person each and that he can be in one place at one time. And yet he can be all places at all times and not within our finite. Recognition of of understanding or being able to see how is everywhere president but yet. Present here with me. And if the song as David says if I take the wings of the morning and fly to the other most parts of the earth. If I can travel at the speed of light. I cannot. Out. Distance that I cannot be here and be there. A quicker than can be because 's already there. You see these are the things that set in motion for us about being strong. You know I'm right in the. It's caption. In the USA Today that it said that people don't care if Tom Brady. Cheated. To to arrive at his goal of winning the Super Bowl. People don't care that he that he may have cheated. Well I don't know if he did or didn't but the the. The sad thing is people don't care. If he lied or cheated. To get to his goal and see the. The fundamental part of what teaches us. Is truth. Being true to true to ourselves. And that anything that we would gain by deceit is really not gain. And any time someone would cheat or deceive us to gain something that we don't follow up with anger and bitterness we follow up with forgiveness and love because will take care of that. And he will take care of rewarding me that I might be this person of character this person of You see when we don't learn that in the streets we don't learn that in the schools we learn that in church. We learn that in a place where we can make a difference in our life in the importance of your lives. And the importance of our children. Is that we are making a difference. Because we're teaching them something that cannot be found anywhere else but in the church and in the Word of and. We we look at it from a perspective that is alive and that the presence of Jehovah. Which was in the temple in the in the tabernacle in the tent. Of the Old Testament is the same presence of Jehovah. That's in our own lives. And so whenever we're talking about being strong in the Lord. We're talking about who is in me has great strength. See who is in me. Gives me great strengths. He gives me the strength to do the right thing for the right reasons. He gives me the strength to believe that I can do anything. Through Christ who gives me strength. I believe in she this belief. Activates the power of that resides within us. You see. When we give our forget ask our sins to be forgiven. We asked Christ to forgive us. This is 's dwelling place. didn't come to dwell in places built by man. He came to dwell within the hearts of people that he would write his K'naan Mensah pon the hearts of his children. And so whenever we are doing the right thing for the right reasons. is stirring us. Got inside of us is calling upon us to be strong. So when I'm saying that is strong. Using. When I'm saying that is strong and is who is the creator of the universe is inside of me in that strength is inside of me causing me to think of him to pray and to ask for strength. So is at work inside of us to be strong. Now he wants you to be strong. You see any rest of the. is strong and he wants you to be strong and the strength that is in is in OS. Because is in us. Now. The next one. So take everything the master has set out for you. Well made weapons of the best materials. And this is relieving up to the armor of . What has given to us is the best. Materials. has given to us. A security in our thoughts of how men of salvation. A security in our thoughts that we know we can know the mind of . You see. We can know the mind of because we know the Word of . The Mind of will never contradict his word. So the word we must know the word that's why. You know. OK why does preachers preach. Why do we read the Scriptures why do we read devotionals why. We want to put the word in our heart a narrow minds. So that we have some type of balance. Our society doesn't give us a sort of balance between spirit and life. Our society in our newspapers and our Most of our magazines and everything. Point us. Purely in this in the pool in a self centered direction. . Enables us to determine the difference between selfishness. And how the wants and how that is pleased with us. is pleased with you he loves you. That's not being selfish. That's recognizing that sees me a special. Selfishness over here is self-centered to says. You know I'm special. Because I'm better than you see that's the society. Telling us. You deserve everything you can get and take from society. is saying you did you can have everything that I have for you all of my promises all of my blessings ultimate You can have this. Because I think you're special. I think you're worth it. I love you so much I would die for you. I love you so much I will rise from the dead. And I will impart that spirit inside of you that no matter what happens to you nothing can ever separate us from separate me from you. So that type of understanding. Gives us a healthy self image that we are aware that Cobb loves you. That's not being selfish. If it were selfish. loves me and he doesn't love you. That selfish. But what in this office can do for me. But he won't do it for you that selfish. But is saying. What I've done for others. I can do for you and that who is at work in a is a very strong. Bible says. In my weakness. I find 's strength. Whoa. In my weakness. I find string. What I'm doing is calling upon to help me I'm getting in focus. The promises. Yes will see a. They have to leave. They have to go to go skating. So we find that is them walking them go out the door here. At a distance the church is so large I have to see the hallway to the back yes. All right. Thank you for coming. And being with us. But we see how that has us in focus. And how that has these things for us to do. And he says that we well made weapons are the best materials. does not send us to war against sin and evil. With anything that is faulty. Nothing is faulty. In our in our Arment. has prepared us with an armament that the enemy. Cannot penetrate. Cannot destroy and cannot take away from us. So we are the battles already won. Because Jesus won the battle. At the cross. And at the resurrection. So the battles already won. The enemy is in defeat. Trying to pretend and trying to convince the victors. That they really didn't win. Doesn't work that way. And we find that. And put and it goes on here we put on the full armor of . You know it is. Through these lenses. I can see what they're up to. I can see what the enemy is up to over there on the far side of the hill there. I can see what the enemies up to. Well. If we whenever we read the Scriptures. We know what the enemy's up to the enemy wants to steal to kill and to destroy. But. wants to protect to heal and to enlarge. So and put it and put them to use. So that you will be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. You see wants to open his one of those thoughts. He wants to open the eyes of our understanding. That's a that's a eyes of understanding. It should be eyes of sight. Know its eyes of understanding. So that I can see very clearly. What's going on and. I understand what is happening in our Sunday school lesson this morning the disciples in Mark and their Jesus had just performed his second feeding of the. The first one was a five thousand the second feeding was a four thousand. And there it is Jesus is with the disciples and they're on the lake. And they didn't bring any bread. They brought one loaf of bread they didn't bring enough to eat. So they're all worried about. We don't have enough bread Jesus is mad at us because we didn't bring enough food in no. And they totally missed the idea. And Jesus is telling them about the leaven the yeast that is in bread affects the whole loaf. And the Pharisees and Sadducees who were just trying to destroy Jesus. Are the leaven of the spiritual life. Don't allow their principles to get into your understanding of your spiritual life. You see. That's for the eyes of our understanding is how is helping us to defeat the enemy. That is around our life. How is it that wants to give us the strength to defeat the enemy of our soul. We can see it. We can read it. But how do we make the application. You see I think of it in a context that. Inside of us is has a story here I want to read it's kind of a. It's a it's a difficult one but. It says about prayer. OK. In ordinary. I'll try to. This was it was set up complicated I tried to make it simple but we'll see if I can complicate it more than what it is an ordinary simple Christian kneels down to say is prayers. He is trying to get in touch with . OK so here we are trying to get in touch with . Now. If he is a Christian. He knows that the prompting to pray. Is also . Inside of him. is prompting us to pray. So we're trying to get ahold of and is prompting us to pray because inside of us we already have Christ inside of us. Christ is forgiveness of our sins. He lives within our hearts so. is already inside of us so we're trying to get ahold of to to answer our prayers and it's who is prompting us to pray. Now an ordinary Christian. Kneels down to say is prayers. But the Christian also knows that all his knowledge of has come from . Oh so now I have got inside of me. Prompting me to pray to . And what I'm going to make my prayers. About has already taught me that he will do the where there's more. So. Whenever we look at this and we're seeing that. What we know of is what has taught us. What he has revealed to us in His Word. Now what we have and His word is not a history book. What is history. Well. We can read about George Washington. But you cannot know George Washington. We can know all the characteristics of George Washington we can know. You know all the things. Some of the things that he did why did them in all the history books and all the. The you know where he lived in Mt. Mt Washington MT Jefferson. Right now we're watching live Jefferson. MT Jefferson. Mt Vernon that's it. OK teachers. OK. Washington was mild Vernon. All right so we can know about George Washington but we can't know him. The difference is that is alive. He's active. The Word of is quick and powerful alive and active. Working inside of our lives. Helping us to see with our understanding that is that work around us. So is strong. is inside of me. is asking me to pray. So Ask your pray. All right. What's appropriate what's a progress that we haven't spoken of here. Any any any special anything. Any once. One. This from got about a car. How many men have read like cars. So we all want to new car. So we need a new car. So the Holy Spirit in prompts us now is that this is where we just talk about this morning. But is this our desire to have a car OK now. Is it prompted by is or prompted by self. That's where we have the conflict. Because if it's too noon to good. We don't deserve it. Whoa. Who said we don't deserve it. Well. I don't want people to think it was even worry about what people think you worry about what is one. The acting. I'm my own once you know. I have my own wants and I'm own wishes. I have but you see what the battle we fight is where what is impossible with . In what is prompting us that can do all things but we can't do certain things because that would be wrong. And who told us that they were wrong because they would be selfish and where does come up with being selfish selfish. Is a betrayal of the truth. That is inside of us but let's go on. So any put to use the stand up everything and put them to use the armor of . Then we'll be able to stand up to everything the devil throws your way. This is no afternoon athletic contest. King James has it. We do not wrestle. Against flesh and blood. But against prin lities and powers. So what's going on in our lives in the connectedness that we have is that we are not fighting against people were not warring against mind. Mind over matter. If you don't mind it don't matter. OK. This battle that we are in is for keeps this battle that we are in is a life and death struggle. And we are in this fight to the finish. So is that work inside of us. Prompting us to understand that he loves us. He can do all things that doesn't exist impossible nothing will ever separate us. So we're trying to find this place of connection. Were says you have the helmet of salvation. That protects our thoughts. You see our mind is very important to have faith. We don't have to check our brain at the door. But to have faith. Sometimes it goes beyond what we can understand such as to believe here's Jesus with telling the disciples. OK. We need to feed all these people what do we have. Well we got five low fi flat pancakes into sardines. Five loaves and two fishes. OK. Our thinking would say. As a disciples. What is that among so many. But Jesus is saying. What about your heart. What about your faith. What about your comp ion. Jesus had a comp ion or a p ion for the crowd. So what did he do take the five loaves two fish. He breaks and bless it puts it in twelve baskets. The baskets go out and feed all the five thousand comes back with twelve basketsful. That doesn't fit our thought life. But it fits our heart life. Because our heart. Understands can do anything. is capable of moving mountains. is capable of bringing us to the Red Sea and causing the sea to part. See this is the difference between what goes in our head and in our heart. And our understanding of both. Are there for us to gr in the Holy Spirit in comes as our partner in all this. And he's leading us a guiding us so the eyes of our understanding can look at life and say. This is beyond my ability but you know what I feel that wants me to do this you know. I look at my book over here. And I when I thought about it for twenty years. I've got I've got outlines of this for maybe thirty years ago. And they just. There's their piled up. It's something that was in my heart. But I never believed that I could do it. But see my eyes of understanding and my heart of comp ion. Said I have to do this because it's important that people have a tool that. That was useful in working with individuals that there's a tool that is useful that I can. That's greater than what I can reach and P. go to people that I'll never meet or see. So this is where we look through the eyes of our understanding that says. This is what I want you to do. And you feel. We can't. But the spirit inside of us says. I want you to do this. That's the eyes of our understanding. In the armor of protects our thoughts our enemy and wherein the only division we have is us. Saying well I don't think I can do that. And is saying I went to prompt you. If I didn't want you to. I would've put the dream in you. If there was no dream to be fulfilled. And you see. We look for the perfect. But is in every good thing. Every good thing. The people around us. We need to complement them. We need to say thank you. And remember what that wasn't read that in a couple weeks ago it said that the most important thing in the marriage is to say thank you yes dear. Thank you. Somebody said Yes dear. But the. The I know what the ad is thank you and isn't it significant that says in everything give thanks for this is the will of in Christ Jesus seeing Jesus. In our relationships. Seeing Jesus in every good thing. Enables us then to see in the perfect and. sees us perfect. But we can't get past our faults. We need to see the good that has put inside of us. And we need to see how is going to work that good. In our lives. I have one of the thought. We're going to close with this one. I'm going to use this il ration maybe next Sunday. I had three il rations for today and I was just busting out all over to use all three. But I had to limit myself to one. But I'm going to use. And one is a bag. You're going to have a banner next week I'm bringing a bag. OK. And in that bag and I have three by five cards in there. And you're going to second take something out. And you're going to write down. I can't do this but can. Not I can't do and say this is this is a thing he has to do this in you put it in the bag. And don't worry about because is going to do it in your life and everything that comes up in your life. Whether surprise request whether it's a personal D.D. need or desire or whatever it's something beyond your abilities. It's beyond what you can do by yourself. Much write it down. Put in back. That's a back. And what we're going to see is with the eyes of our understanding. We're going to believe that can do anything that he's that he says that he places in our heart. Amen. Let's stand. So inside of us is prompting us to pray. So that we would understand the principles that wants to give to us in our lives. The not selfish. And they're not. Self-centered. They are centered and that will as we do these things. will take the five loaves and the two fishes and multiply them. Because that's what's in your hands. And will take what is in your hands and make a difference in the world around you. Thank you Father for your word. I pray that. That your Holy Spirit will make real and make part of our hearts and minds. These truths that you give to us. I pray that you will help us through the eyes of our understanding. Through our hearts so that you prompt us through the Spirit of that in light and your word bring it to reality inside of us we pray in Jesus' name amen.