Canaan-Sized Dreams: Living as Citizens of Heaven

[00:01:03] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
Thank you for watching!
[00:02:33] Let's pray.

[00:05:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Welcome to Multiply Church, will you stand and worship with us?

[00:05:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Sometimes you gotta dance through the darkness, sing through the fire, praise when it don't make sense.
[00:05:25] Sometimes you gotta stare down the giant, worship from the light.

[00:05:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Sometimes you've got to shout it from the mountain Louder in the valley Trusting that He's gonna get you there Sometimes you've got to hope for the wonder Wait for the answer Worship with your hands in the air
[00:06:16] of the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit of the Holy Spirit.

[00:07:11] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
He is worthy, you are so worthy Faithful all my life, blessings day and night Countless reasons why I'll praise you anyway

[00:08:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Come on, give the Lord a shout of praise!

[00:08:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Hallelujah!
[00:08:47] We love you, Yahweh Mighty Lord Sovereign King You in every battle Even in the shadows Gentle Father
[00:09:00] Holy fire Comforter Peace within the chaos How you sustain us Breath of heaven Within our lungs A new sound is stirring How great is your name

[00:12:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Welcome.
[00:12:38] If you're joining us online, we are so glad that you chose to join us today.
[00:12:42] Here at Multiply Lake Norman, we are so thankful for each person who joins us in worship, and we're especially thankful for you if you're new this morning.

[00:13:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
When I was lost and all alone Your presence was where I found hope You were there and You're here right now In every high and every low You never left me without hope You were good and You're good right now
[00:13:55] of Christ Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

[00:14:33] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Revival Revival Revival Revival Revival

[00:16:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
You're good and I've witnessed it You're strong and I've witnessed it You're constant, I've witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again and again You love and I've witnessed it
[00:16:25] You saved and I witnessed it And I'm confident I'll see it again You're good and I witnessed it You're strong and

[00:17:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
We are here to tell someone

[00:18:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I've witnessed your faithfulness I've seen you breathe life within So I'll pour out my praise again You're worthy
[00:18:44] God you're worthy of all of it Your promises never fail I've got stories I live to tell So I'll pour out my praise again You're worthy God you're worthy of all of it Hallelujah, hallelujah.

[00:19:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
As the altar team makes their way
[00:19:14] In a world that is filled with anxiety and filled with a lot of burdens, right?
[00:19:21] We're all feeling something or have gone through something.
[00:19:25] But it reminds me of a passage in Philippians chapter 4 verse 6 and 7 that tells us not to worry about anything but instead pray about everything and tell Him exactly what you need.
[00:19:40] And then it goes on to tell us and thank Him for what He has done.
[00:19:46] See what I see in that passage is a process of transfer.
[00:19:51] A transfer from worry to peace.
[00:19:55] And it begins when I begin to pray.
[00:19:59] Because what is prayer?
[00:20:01] Prayer is stating
[00:20:03] This no longer belongs to me.
[00:20:06] I can no longer carry this alone.
[00:20:09] So I'm giving it to the one that does exceedingly far beyond what I can even understand or imagine.
[00:20:17] And when I begin to tell them exactly what I need,
[00:20:21] It's not that he doesn't know.
[00:20:23] It's because I say I trust you.
[00:20:26] I trust that you are my provider.
[00:20:28] I trust that in you is my peace.
[00:20:30] I trust that in you I have sustainment.
[00:20:34] but see when I begin to thank him for what he has done see what's in front of me doesn't need to change because when I thank him for what he has done what happens is my petition transfers to declaration it says this is already being worked out so I no longer have to hold this any longer so today at these altars and whether you are online
[00:21:01] Raising your hands.
[00:21:02] God wants you to know today's the day of transfer.
[00:21:05] He doesn't want you to hold on to what you're going through alone anymore.
[00:21:09] Give it to Him.
[00:21:11] Because when we do that, then the Word says we can experience a peace that exceeds all we can understand.
[00:21:19] So God is here tonight.
[00:21:22] And what He's saying in this morning, at this hour, it's time to transfer.
[00:21:27] It's time to lay it down.
[00:21:29] The altars are open.

[00:21:43] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
Mender of the broken Healer of the soul
[00:22:12] I will bless you, Lord Maker of the heavens The oceans and the skies
[00:22:39] All the earth rejoices It's you we glorify It's you we glorify
[00:23:42] All the earth rejoices it's you we glorify Oh we lift to the Lord
[00:26:32] I will bless the Lord I will bless the Lord at all times at all times I will bless the Lord I will bless the Lord at all times at all times

[00:27:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
I know our online crowd is watching this on a Sunday morning, but I got a rowdy crowd here on a Friday night.
[00:27:09] I got people that are coming to church on a Friday.
[00:27:16] So where else you gotta be?
[00:27:20] Store's already out of milk.
[00:27:21] It doesn't matter.
[00:27:22] You haven't gotten it by now.
[00:27:25] At all times, church.
[00:27:27] At all times.
[00:27:29] At all times.
[00:27:30] In the snow and in the sunshine, in the pain and in the good times, at weddings and at funerals, at birthday parties, and at painful times.

[00:27:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
At all times.
[00:27:41] Come on, somebody testify tonight.
[00:27:43] At all times.
[00:27:45] At all times.
[00:27:46] Somebody preach that to themselves this morning.
[00:27:48] At all times.
[00:27:50] Tonight.
[00:27:51] At all times.
[00:27:52] At all times.
[00:27:52] Come on, one more time, let's lift up a praise to the Lord that I will bless the Lord!
[00:28:56] Come on, if you love Jesus in the house today, can you give him a shout of praise in this place?
[00:29:02] We love you, Lord.

[00:29:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
We bless you, Lord, with everything that we have.
[00:29:08] In Jesus' name, amen, amen.
[00:29:11] Give somebody a high five.
[00:29:12] High five somebody in your living room.
[00:29:14] Give somebody a virtual high five.
[00:29:17] Throw it in the chat.
[00:29:20] Amen, amen.
[00:29:22] We can go ahead and be seated.
[00:29:25] Pastor Bill mentioned it but make sure that you are here on Wednesday night we want to we want to do that prophetic activation training listen some of you are new to multiply and you've had a prophetic gifting all your life you just didn't know what it was you walk into rooms and you sense things and people have told you you're weird you're not weird that's actually the prophetic gifting within you some of you have dreams you've had dreams since you were eight years old that seemed significant and you didn't know what to do with it
[00:29:54] We want to call that out.
[00:29:56] That's the prophetic gifting within you.
[00:29:58] We want to pour into you.
[00:29:59] We want to mentor that.
[00:30:01] We want to train that.
[00:30:02] And then Pastor Chris, come on.
[00:30:04] How many of you appreciate the ministry of Pastor Chris?
[00:30:06] He was one of our speakers at Revival Nights.
[00:30:10] And so he's going to be here.
[00:30:12] Bring somebody with you at 645 this Wednesday.
[00:30:16] It is a powerful, powerful time.
[00:30:18] and then we want to welcome this isn't often that I get to do this but because of all the snow and the weather and everything we've got our Lake Norman family that's joining us online come on Concord can you say hey to Lake Norman we love you guys so much as we continue we want to continue our Elevate series our Elevate series and we're going to be in Genesis and right right right over here on my ex
[00:30:46] Because I am that OCD.
[00:30:48] Thank you.
[00:30:49] Brandon's known me a long time.
[00:30:50] He's testifying that when he's walking off.
[00:30:53] He's like, it's more than you know.
[00:30:55] He's got stories.
[00:30:56] You can see him afterwards.
[00:30:59] We're going to be in the book of Genesis 50 and then in Hebrews chapter 11.
[00:31:04] Genesis 50 and Hebrews chapter 11.
[00:31:07] We're looking at Joseph.
[00:31:11] verse 22 in Hebrews chapter 11 so this is the this is the hall of faith the hall of faith the hall of fame in baseball and football especially recently has been getting a lot of press who got in who didn't get in and this but this is the hall this is the hall I'm gonna reserve comments on on those we're just gonna go to the Bible
[00:31:37] but Hebrews chapter 11 and there's about 3,000 people named in all of scripture plus all of the unnamed crowds but there's only there's less than 20 that that have made this list and so what we're doing is we're leaning in and we're saying God what is it about the characteristics of these men and women of faith that can not just that we can learn from but that we can receive an impartation from
[00:32:05] that can ignite our faith that if just if the hall of faith is still being written if heaven's pen is still active I want on that list I want this church on that list I want to not only know the stories of history of faith but I want to live a life of faith can you say amen and so we're looking at Joseph
[00:32:26] and Joseph most of these people in the hall of faith they only get about one or two lines a couple Abraham gets a gets a paragraph and there's there's a couple to get a couple sentences but most of them just get one or two lines and so I started thinking about that and I started thinking about the life of Joseph Joseph had an amazing life Joseph takes up a large portion of the book of Genesis and so I was wondering like what is it about Joseph's life that is going to make it into the
[00:32:56] Hall of Faith.
[00:32:57] Verse 22 starts that it was by faith that Joseph and don't put it on the screen yet but but I just started filling in that blank myself like by by faith Joseph had a dream or maybe by faith Joseph kept a hold of that dream when his father and his brothers didn't believe in him or maybe it was the line by faith that Joseph survived that pit and being sold into slavery by his brothers that by faith Joseph learned
[00:33:26] Learn to stay strong and to flee from sexual temptation.
[00:33:31] By faith Joseph remained strong in prison when he was falsely accused.
[00:33:36] By faith Joseph interpreted the dreams of the baker and the cupbearer.
[00:33:40] By faith Joseph remained steadfast when he was lied to and forgotten about.
[00:33:45] Like you could go on and on, right?
[00:33:47] There's so many amazing things about Joseph's life.
[00:33:52] But none of those made it.
[00:33:55] None of them.
[00:33:57] In fact, it's a really interesting line that made it that when you go through the life and I've preached series on Joseph, but I've never preached this line.
[00:34:09] It says, by faith, Joseph, when he was about to die, said confidently that the people of Israel would leave Egypt.
[00:34:20] And then this is the thing.
[00:34:23] He even commanded them to take his bones with them
[00:34:28] when he left we'll get to the phrase in Genesis chapter 50 later but in Genesis chapter 50 Joseph says bury this is my title bury my bones
[00:34:42] Bury my bones.
[00:34:43] That's what made it in the hall of faith.
[00:34:47] And I was confused.
[00:34:49] Why not the dreams?
[00:34:51] Why not the faithfulness?
[00:34:52] Why not the fleeing?
[00:34:53] Why not the forgiveness?
[00:34:55] Why did we go all the way to the end of Joseph's life when he was about to die and one phrase that he uttered on his deathbed, bury my bones.
[00:35:05] What was it about that line?
[00:35:09] And then this is the thought that came to me.
[00:35:12] Joseph knew where he was going all of his life Joseph knew his final destination and because Joseph knew his final destination that's how he could live faithfully through everything else because when he was in the pit
[00:35:34] The pit wasn't his destination he knew where he was going and when he was being falsely betrayed and thrown out of Potiphar's house Potiphar's house was a good job for a season but he knew where he was going it wasn't his final destination and when he was in prison he could survive being in prison and being falsely accused because Joseph knew where he was going Church if you know where you're going
[00:36:03] If you know where you're going, that is a key to faith.
[00:36:09] That's how you can get through days.
[00:36:12] That's how you can get through seasons of disappointment.
[00:36:16] This wasn't an end of life declaration.
[00:36:18] It was an all is life declaration.
[00:36:22] See, Egypt is a representation of this earth, but Canaan, the promised land, is a representation of heaven.
[00:36:29] What Joseph was saying is Egypt may be my address, but it's not my permanent residence.
[00:36:36] I'm just a visitor here.
[00:36:38] I work in Egypt.
[00:36:40] I raise my family in Egypt.
[00:36:42] I serve in Egypt.
[00:36:43] But I'm not going to take on Egypt's values.
[00:36:46] I'm not going to serve Egypt's gods.
[00:36:49] I wonder if he was by faith looking forward to when Peter would write these words that we are temporary residents and foreigners in this land.
[00:36:59] that the Apostle Paul wrote we are citizens of heaven where the Lord Jesus Christ lives and we eagerly await for him to return as our Savior I hope you don't mind church if I preach a little bit old-fashioned on a Friday night and remind you that this is not your home
[00:37:21] We're citizens of a different kingdom.
[00:37:24] I need somebody to turn to your neighbor and tell them, I know where I'm going.
[00:37:28] I know where I'm going.
[00:37:30] You might be going back to your neighborhood.
[00:37:32] You might be going back to bed after this service, but that's not your final destination.
[00:37:39] You might be going to a job this week where the boss doesn't appreciate you.
[00:37:43] You might be going to a college class that doesn't seem to make sense in light of your final destiny.
[00:37:49] You might be going to ask for a favor, an extension on your mortgage because you can't pay your bill, but that's not your final destination.
[00:37:59] You have a home.
[00:38:00] Jesus said, I go ahead of you and I am preparing a place
[00:38:04] I know where I'm going.
[00:38:11] I know where I'm going.
[00:38:20] Tell your neighbor bury my bones.
[00:38:24] Tell them but not tonight.
[00:38:33] If you haven't noticed
[00:38:36] This world has gone crazy.
[00:38:41] It's nuts out there.
[00:38:46] But that's not your address.
[00:38:49] I may not know what to do, but I know where I'm going.
[00:38:54] I may not even know who my friends are, but I know where I'm going.
[00:39:00] I may not know what tomorrow holds, but I know where I'm going.
[00:39:05] I'm pressed but not crushed I'm perplexed but not in despair I'm persecuted not abandoned I'm struck down but not destroyed I know where I'm going so if we know that how do we live like it now let's take Hebrews 11 and let's go to Genesis chapter 50 and you're gonna think when I start reading Genesis 50 you're gonna think that that you're listening to a bipolar preacher
[00:39:38] Pastor, you just told me this is Egypt.
[00:39:40] You just told me this is temporary.
[00:39:43] You just told me this isn't my permanent residence.
[00:39:46] You just told me that I can make it through everything.
[00:39:49] And it's all true.
[00:39:50] And, say and.
[00:39:53] And.
[00:39:54] Well, let's read.
[00:39:56] Genesis chapter 50.
[00:39:57] Number one is this.
[00:39:58] We'll get to Genesis in just a moment.
[00:40:01] We still need to plan like Jesus isn't coming back for a thousand years.
[00:40:08] so let me before I go to Joseph in Genesis let me take you back to Thessalonica because Paul was writing this letter to the church in Thessalonia and they had become so convinced they they went to a Friday service and their preacher whipped them into a frenzy and they said I know where I'm going so I'm not going to work on Monday that's what they said so they all quit their jobs and went up on a hillside and just started
[00:40:38] Staring at the sky, started meddling in each other's business, started gossiping, started being, started being, aren't, aren't, isn't it crazy how the things 2,000 years ago don't relate to today at all?
[00:40:51] Like, listen to what Paul says.
[00:40:55] It's in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3.
[00:40:58] He says, hey, hey y'all, my translation.
[00:41:01] Hey y'all, I hear that some of you are living idle lives.
[00:41:05] Say idle.
[00:41:07] Not I-D-O-L, I-D-L-E.
[00:41:10] I haven't heard this preached on in a while.
[00:41:14] I'm going to preach this a little bit tonight.
[00:41:18] We hear that some of you are living idle lives, spending all your time on social media.
[00:41:25] Oh wait, Paul didn't say that.
[00:41:31] Can I help you?
[00:41:35] I want to inspire you.
[00:41:36] I want to help you.
[00:41:39] Stay out of the comment section.
[00:41:47] I just freed somebody in this house.
[00:41:52] That's where all the idle people spend their time.
[00:41:56] It's got nothing better to do.
[00:41:58] Not raising their kids, telling somebody else how to raise their kids.
[00:42:03] In the comments section, haven't been to church in 12 years, but they're gonna tell every preacher in the county how to preach, tell you how to live, tell you how to run their business.
[00:42:16] I'm telling you how to run your business.
[00:42:18] Paul has some strong words.
[00:42:20] The Bible calls those idle people.
[00:42:23] Idol people.
[00:42:25] They don't have a life.
[00:42:27] So they're in the comment section.
[00:42:29] Even if you're scrolling, stay out of the comment section.
[00:42:33] Even if you're posting, stay out of the comment section.
[00:42:36] Tell your neighbors, stay out.
[00:42:38] Stay out.
[00:42:40] It's all the idol people hanging out there.
[00:42:43] Nothing better to do.
[00:42:45] Refusing to work.
[00:42:48] I'm back to the Bible now.
[00:42:51] And meddling.
[00:42:53] That's a good southern word.
[00:42:55] Meddling.
[00:42:57] Meddling in other people's business.
[00:42:59] This is what Paul said 2,000 years ago.
[00:43:02] And then he says this, We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and get to work.
[00:43:14] and earn your own living and then he says as for the rest of you dear brothers and sisters never get tired of doing good it's interesting to me that Paul connects your weariness with trying to do good with the idle people who are trying to pull you down and so I want to preach to you don't let the idle people wear you out
[00:43:37] Don't let the idle people get you weary.
[00:43:40] Don't let the idle people get you discouraged.
[00:43:43] Don't you dare ever, ever live your life according to idle people that want to tell other people how to live and they're not doing it themselves.
[00:43:54] You be encouraged tonight.
[00:43:56] Never get tired of doing good.
[00:43:58] What kind of good?
[00:43:59] Now let's go to Genesis chapter 50.
[00:44:02] Let me give you these three things.
[00:44:04] Number one, serve
[00:44:07] Your city.
[00:44:10] Serve your city.
[00:44:11] Pastor, but you told me this is Egypt and I'm not in Egypt and this isn't my home.
[00:44:17] But listen to what Joseph did.
[00:44:18] Even though Joseph said bury my bones, even though Joseph said heaven is my home, even though Joseph said as soon as I get the chance I'm out of here, he also said this.
[00:44:30] So Joseph and his brothers and their families continued to live in Egypt
[00:44:37] and Joseph lived to be the age of 110.
[00:44:40] That's the tension that we live in.
[00:44:45] Heaven is your ultimate destination, but your work does matter.
[00:44:51] Your education does matter.
[00:44:53] Your family does matter.
[00:44:57] One of the things that we often go back to at Multiply Church and we teach through is this idea of the four layers of purpose.
[00:45:04] The four layers of purpose.
[00:45:06] I'm just going to give you a quick overview.
[00:45:07] They're going to put this circle up on the screen.
[00:45:10] But at the Four Layers of Purpose, we teach that Jesus is always the center of our lives.
[00:45:15] Jesus has to be the center.
[00:45:17] We don't get to give the center to Jesus and.
[00:45:20] We don't get to give it to Jesus and our spouse, Jesus and our kids, Jesus and.
[00:45:25] No, it's Jesus at the center.
[00:45:27] And then out of Jesus, we are all called to be part of
[00:45:31] The Ecclesia in the Old Testament.
[00:45:33] It's Moed in the New Testament.
[00:45:35] It's Ecclesia.
[00:45:36] They both mean the same thing, the gathering of the called.
[00:45:39] So you can't be a part of the church if you're not gathering with other believers.
[00:45:43] That's just what the Bible teaches.
[00:45:44] So Jesus at the center, we're all called to be part of the church.
[00:45:49] But then in Ephesians 4, the Bible teaches that we all, Paul uses that word time and time again in Ephesians chapter 4.
[00:45:56] You may have heard it taught differently, but I encourage you to go back and read what Paul is actually saying.
[00:46:00] We all have
[00:46:01] Apostolic, Prophetic, and so that's what that acronym APEST, Apostolic, Prophetic, Evangelistic, Shepherding, and Teaching, Giftings.
[00:46:10] So Apostles, the Apostolic are innovators and entrepreneurs.
[00:46:15] Prophetic, seers and reformers.
[00:46:16] Evangelistic, storytellers and gatherers.
[00:46:19] Teachers are learners and guides and shepherds are caretakers and healers.
[00:46:26] But then we are to connect.
[00:46:28] We don't just serve once a week in the church.
[00:46:31] We serve
[00:46:31] the rest of our days in what we call the gates of our city so in business and in government and in media and in entertainment education family and health care those are the major influence areas of influence of our culture and our society so each one of you carries an Ephesians 4 gifting apostolic prophetic evangelistic shepherding and teaching
[00:46:57] To step in and serve your city, and I just want to encourage you, keep doing good.
[00:47:04] Keep doing good.
[00:47:06] I want to apply this just real specifically.
[00:47:10] A couple of times a year, I emphasize this.
[00:47:15] And I think it's important to emphasize because this is something that's going to come and go, and half our county is not even going to know it, and it's going to be gone, but it's really important.
[00:47:26] So if you put that circle back up there, this is what we teach about engaging the gate of government.
[00:47:33] So government is never at the center.
[00:47:35] We're not the political church where we preach politics.
[00:47:39] We preach Jesus.
[00:47:40] But because we love Jesus, we feel like we are responsible, not we feel like.
[00:47:46] The Bible says that we are to take Jesus into every sphere.
[00:47:49] And one of those spheres is the gate of government.
[00:47:52] So let me just quickly say this.
[00:47:55] There are
[00:47:56] Primary elections coming up in Cabarrus County.
[00:47:59] This applies to you as well, Lake Norman.
[00:48:02] But there are school board elections primaries and the clerk of court election primaries.
[00:48:09] And here's what you need to know.
[00:48:11] Whoever wins this primary for the clerk of court wins because they're running unopposed.
[00:48:16] And it matters.
[00:48:17] You say, I didn't even know there was a clerk of court.
[00:48:20] What's a clerk of courts?
[00:48:23] research it i don't have time to go into it but it's an extremely important position and they appoint a bunch of other positions that control a lot of things in this county you need to make sure that you vote for the clerk of courts also you need to make sure you vote for school board i was talking with one of our amazing county commissioners she's an amazing christian woman amazing woman of prayer
[00:48:51] And she was telling me this afternoon about schools in our county that are allowing boys in girls' locker rooms.
[00:49:00] Not in Charlotte, not in Seattle, in Cabarrus County.
[00:49:05] This is happening in, if you don't vote, that's on you.
[00:49:09] If you're not educated, that's on you.
[00:49:14] So how do you get educated?
[00:49:16] We're going to give you one opportunity.
[00:49:18] This is the opportunity that I found.
[00:49:19] So there's a 2026 Cabarrus County candidate forum for Clerk of Courts and Cabarrus County School Board.
[00:49:27] It's this Thursday, February the 5th at 6.30 p.m. at West Cabarrus High School.
[00:49:32] I would encourage Multiply Church, show up.
[00:49:35] If you can't show up, send a representative.
[00:49:39] Because our church literally can make the difference in this county.
[00:49:45] We just did our, I know it's snow weekend, you wouldn't know it,
[00:49:49] But there are approximately 4,600 people that call Multiply Church home.
[00:49:56] Glory to God.
[00:49:59] Church, that'll shift an election.
[00:50:02] That'll shift a local election.
[00:50:04] Please be informed.
[00:50:06] Why?
[00:50:06] It matters.
[00:50:08] It matters.
[00:50:08] Joseph said Egypt isn't my home, but he served in a powerful political position in Egypt.
[00:50:16] We need more men and women of God to run for school board.
[00:50:19] We need men and women of God to be county commissioners.
[00:50:21] We need all of that.
[00:50:23] It matters.
[00:50:24] It matters.
[00:50:25] Here's the second thing.
[00:50:28] Even though we're burying our bones someplace else, family matters.
[00:50:34] Family really matters.
[00:50:35] Spend time with your family.
[00:50:37] Verse 23 says this.
[00:50:39] He lived to see three generations of descendants of his son Ephraim, and he lived to see the birth of his children.
[00:50:45] of Manasseh's son, Mechir, whom he claimed as his own.
[00:50:53] I find it interesting.
[00:50:55] We don't know a lot there, but there was a grandson that it seems like Joseph brought into his house.
[00:51:02] This isn't in my notes.
[00:51:04] I wonder, grandparents, if you're maybe raising a child that you didn't expect to raise.
[00:51:10] That's a God assignment in your life.
[00:51:12] I bless you.
[00:51:13] I bless you with that assignment.
[00:51:17] But family matters.
[00:51:19] And so weddings matter.
[00:51:20] Birthday parties matter.
[00:51:23] Going sledding with your kids matter.
[00:51:26] I got my sled in my truck.
[00:51:30] I'm going looking for a hill.
[00:51:32] Like, let's go.
[00:51:35] But this is what I want to encourage you.
[00:51:38] Parents, I want to de-stress some of this.
[00:51:43] There's so much pressure.
[00:51:45] On parents to make every birthday like Disney World and spend all this money and like they're two.
[00:51:55] They won't even thank you.
[00:51:58] They won't even, I look, you know, you'll show them pictures ten years later.
[00:52:02] They don't even remember it.
[00:52:04] there's so much so much pressure you're spending so much money to impress your two-year-olds friends parents that you don't even like they're coming to your house eating your cake you won't see them in five years parents i want to take some pressure off your kids are going to remember just the ordinary everyday moments
[00:52:33] They're going to remember kitchens and backyards.
[00:52:36] That's what they're going to remember.
[00:52:38] Don't feel like you've got to make everything spectacular.
[00:52:41] Don't feel like you've got to swipe a credit card to go on vacation.
[00:52:45] Just spend time together.
[00:52:46] Eat some meals together.
[00:52:48] Play in the backyard together.
[00:52:49] Go sled riding together.
[00:52:51] Build a fire together.
[00:52:52] Just do the inexpensive things.
[00:52:55] But family matters.
[00:52:57] Spend time with your family.
[00:52:58] Here's the final thing.
[00:53:00] Cast vision for the future.
[00:53:02] Cast vision for the future.
[00:53:04] Even though we are burying our bones in a distant land, we need to cast vision for the future.
[00:53:10] Verse 24 says this,
[00:53:11] soon I will die Joseph told his brothers but surely God will come to help you and lead you out of this land of Egypt he will bring you back into the land that he solemnly promised to give Abraham to Isaac and Jacob even when Joseph was on his deathbed what was he doing he was casting vision come on kids you got this you've got a calling on your life grandkids you got a calling on your life
[00:53:36] Keep walking out faithfully your mission in life.
[00:53:40] Keep serving God faithfully.
[00:53:43] One of my favorite things over the past couple weeks is I keep getting these stories and I keep getting these text messages and they have purple crayons in them.
[00:53:51] People are emailing me they're drawing keep sending them to me I love it I love seeing these I can't tell you the whole story yet but I'll tell you the miracles in the works and it's about to be sealed but I was at a meeting and somebody was was telling me um that their their wife took their
[00:54:09] He said, I'm not a magnet person.
[00:54:13] I don't want artwork on my refrigerator.
[00:54:15] I don't want a messy refrigerator.
[00:54:17] These new refrigerators, you can't even stick things to them anyways, can you?
[00:54:21] But he sent me a picture of it.
[00:54:23] He's got his refrigerator, and he's got his purple crayon.
[00:54:27] His wife taped that purple crayon up into the refrigerator.
[00:54:31] And she said, I can't tell you her promise, but she said, I'm praying.
[00:54:35] I'm dreaming into that.
[00:54:37] Keep dreaming big.
[00:54:39] Dreaming big I release purple crayon dreams I release dreams in this house that are so big that are so crazy that are so expensive that are so ridiculous that are so out of this world I need to release an out of this world dream because your dream is not of this world it's of his world a Canaan sized dream a promised land size dream in Jesus name
[00:55:09] Now here's the two things.
[00:55:10] Let me bring it full circle.
[00:55:12] We've got to live our lives and plan and dream like Jesus isn't coming back for a thousand years, but we need to be ready like he's coming back today.
[00:55:24] Be ready like he's coming back today.
[00:55:28] Somebody, I can't take credit for this line, but somebody told me this today.
[00:55:33] They said, Pastor, if people were half as concerned
[00:55:38] about getting ready for Jesus' return as they are about preparing for the quarter-inch of snow that we're going to get.
[00:55:53] People are watching at home, we probably have eight inches.
[00:55:55] Watch God be like, huh?
[00:55:58] Seven inches, Steve.
[00:55:59] Seven inches.
[00:56:00] Seven inches.
[00:56:06] a lot of your let me let me back up not a lot some people's fear I don't want to give more worry anxiety if you're already a believer there's a different route if you're not a believer let me preface it if you're not yet a believer if you're if you're scrolling through Facebook and you don't even know who this multiply church is and you're watching some guy just just stay with me like one one more minute
[00:56:34] Some of you are experiencing fear and worry and anxiety in your life and you think it's tied to a temporary circumstance.
[00:56:42] It's not.
[00:56:43] It's actually tied to the fact that you don't know where you're going when you're going to die.
[00:56:47] Because once you settle that, once you settle that you know where you're going to spend eternity, though your problems might persist, they become very temporary.
[00:57:00] Now let me preach this to believers.
[00:57:03] some of us are trying are worried too much about Egypt and we're trying to make some of you are stressed out because you're trying to make Egypt too comfortable
[00:57:12] Egypt was never supposed to be comfortable to begin with.
[00:57:15] We're going to serve our city, but don't get comfortable in Egypt.
[00:57:20] Don't spend all your time and all your money and all your energy trying to make Egypt good because you're not going to be here anyways.
[00:57:30] I want to invest in something that has eternity.
[00:57:33] I want to serve eternal purposes.
[00:57:36] I want to serve my eternal God.
[00:57:37] And so once you settle eternity that I know
[00:57:42] I know where I'm going then when people mock me I wish they wouldn't but I still know where I'm going though they come against me I still know where I'm going though the mortgage is coming I still know where I'm going it's not that the problems aren't real it's just that in the scope of all eternity
[00:58:03] they begin to shrink because we put them in the light of an eternal God with eternal resources with eternal life that he has for all of our all of our lives Matthew 25 and I'll close with this story I'm not gonna read it I'm just gonna tell it Jesus tells a story of ten bridesmaids
[00:58:31] five of them were wise and five of them were foolish and what happened was they were getting ready for the bridegroom to come and they all had lamps and they all had oil in their lamps and some of the bridegrooms the five wise ones brought enough oil they brought enough oil the Holy Spirit's going to preach this message to somebody and I'm not even going to have to interpret it the Holy Spirit's going to just start speaking to you right now
[00:59:00] some of them had enough oil to remain burning until the bridegroom came back and some of them who used to have oil they did have oil they believed that the bridegroom was going to return the problem wasn't belief the problem was they ran out of oil and they missed
[00:59:27] The return.
[00:59:29] This parable is about the return of Jesus.
[00:59:31] They missed the return of Jesus.
[00:59:33] Not because they didn't believe in Jesus.
[00:59:36] They believed in Jesus.
[00:59:37] They actually believed that he was going to return.
[00:59:40] If they didn't believe he wasn't going to return, they would have went to some other party.
[00:59:44] So they were standing.
[00:59:46] These were church people is what I'm trying to say.
[00:59:49] These were people that show up every Sunday in church, but they're not ready.
[00:59:54] but they're not ready and don't let the devil fool you for a moment that just because you go through the ritual and show up on a Sunday or even show up on a Friday the only thing that makes you ready is you've got oil currently
[01:00:11] Don't let the oil run out.
[01:00:13] What is the oil representative of?
[01:00:15] It's representative of the power of the Holy Spirit in your life.
[01:00:19] Is the power of the Holy Spirit operating currently in your life?
[01:00:23] Yes, salvation is only by believing and confessing that Jesus is Lord.
[01:00:28] But it's not just a one-time act.
[01:00:30] Belief is not just a historical act.
[01:00:33] It is a current act that I gotta keep on believing.
[01:00:36] I gotta keep on believing.
[01:00:37] I'm not saying you don't have moments of doubt.
[01:00:39] I'm not saying you don't have moments of unbelief.
[01:00:42] I'm not saying you don't have moments where you do the wrong thing.
[01:00:45] But there is an ongoing reliance on the power of the Holy Spirit.
[01:00:52] By the way, you can't live without oil in 2026.
[01:00:55] You can't live without oil.
[01:00:57] We need oil.
[01:00:58] We need all of the Holy Spirit.
[01:01:00] We need all of His power.
[01:01:02] We need all of the prophetic.
[01:01:04] We need all of His gifts.
[01:01:06] We need all of everything that He has for us.
[01:01:10] My question is, do you know where you're going?
[01:01:16] Do you know where I feel urgency in the house tonight?
[01:01:20] I feel urgency in the house tonight.
[01:01:22] I feel urgency online this morning.
[01:01:25] Would you bow your heads and close your eyes all across this place?
[01:01:29] Eternity is in the balance right now.
[01:01:32] Please hold steady right now.
[01:01:33] Where you're at everybody just hold steady right where you're at eternity is in the balance do you know where you're going with heads bowed and eyes closed you would say pastor i don't know i'm not sure if heaven will be would be my home i don't know that i have made jesus my lord and savior you can make that decision right here
[01:01:54] right now I don't want you to hesitate I'm gonna count to three when I get to three if you don't know if you're not sure I want you to lift your hand high I want you to settle this right here right now one pastor I'm not sure two pastor I want to give my life to Jesus three if that's you lift your hand high all across this auditorium throw it in the chat I got you you can put your hands down how many of you would join those
[01:02:23] and say something like this pastor I feel like I'm running out of oil I feel like I'm running low I don't know what's causing you to run low on oil I don't know if it's pressure I don't know if it's other people I don't know if it's idle people and they're draining you and they're draining you and all their chatter is draining you I don't know what's draining your oil but if you need
[01:02:49] If you just need to refuel with some oil I just want you to stand all across this house just go ahead and stand come on there's an unlimited supply of heaven maybe you've been serving Jesus all your life but you would say pastor I need some fresh oil I need some fresh oil in this house just begin to lift your hand and say power of the Holy Spirit fall fresh on me
[01:03:11] Fall fresh on me can we stand all of us across this place can we join with those and say God pour out your power pour out your presence I'm gonna pray though if you raised your hand I'm gonna get back to you in just a moment but I'm gonna ask the worship team just to lead us in a moment come on let's just ask the Lord to pour out some more oil on us to pour out some more power on us

[01:03:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
At all times, at all times I will bless the Lord, I will bless the Lord At all times, at all times I will bless the Lord

[01:04:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Come on, somebody get refreshed tonight.
[01:04:25] Come on, somebody just reach out for more of the Holy Spirit.
[01:04:30] More, oh God.
[01:05:45] The Holy Spirit's waiting on somebody.
[01:05:49] The Holy Spirit's waiting on somebody with heads bowed and eyes closed.
[01:05:54] You've got everybody else fooled, sir, and you almost have yourself fooled.
[01:06:01] But you are not sure where you're going.
[01:06:06] You're going through the motions, but you haven't fully surrendered your heart and your life to Jesus.
[01:06:15] Please don't walk out of this auditorium.
[01:06:17] Please don't click off of this livestream.
[01:06:21] I'm not trying to scare you, but the Bible teaches that we are not promised tomorrow.
[01:06:27] The Bible says,
[01:06:28] Today is the day of salvation.
[01:06:31] So if you hear His voice, hearken your heart today.
[01:06:36] With heads bowed, with eyes closed, all across this house, who would be so bold as to say, Pastor, I need to settle this.
[01:06:46] I need to know today that Jesus is my Lord and Savior and that heaven is my home.
[01:06:55] If that's you, boldly lift your hand.
[01:06:58] Boldly lift your hand to heaven.
[01:07:00] Boldly lift your hand to heaven.
[01:07:02] Boldly.
[01:07:04] In Jesus' name.
[01:07:06] In Jesus' name.
[01:07:08] Thank you, Lord.
[01:07:09] Thank you, Lord.
[01:07:10] As I pray this prayer out loud, I'm going to ask everybody in the house to repeat it after me and join their faith with those who are going from death to life today.
[01:07:21] Come on, let's all pray together.
[01:07:22] Say, Dear Jesus, I surrender.
[01:07:26] Say, Dear Jesus, I come to the cross and I ask you, Lord, to forgive me.
[01:07:33] of all of my sin and I ask you Jesus to come into my life come into my heart and help me to live wide awake to the love of God and fully alive to my purpose it's in Jesus name in Jesus name and everybody said amen come on church let's celebrate tonight amen

[01:08:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
What a powerful message that was.
[01:08:08] If you chose today to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior and you prayed that prayer with Pastor Doug as he led the people in prayer, please let us know.
[01:08:24] Contact us at Multiply Church Lake Norman by going online.
[01:08:28] Let us know that you received the Lord and we will be in contact with you.
[01:08:33] We look forward to seeing you next Sunday at our church.
[01:08:38] In Mooresville multiply Lake Norman.