Timely Takeaways from Rend the Heavens IV (Video) — Shane Idleman

Rend the Heavens and Seek God in Prayer

Folks, many of you know the whole theme of the week was, oh, that you would rend the heavens from Isaiah 64. Rend the heavens and come down and visit your people. God, break open the heavens. Rip them open.

And I don't know what's coming next week with the elections, but I'm sure there's going to be some shenanigans with what's going on with Russia and China and Taiwan. I mean, we are in some very interesting times.

So we're going to have to be digging into God's Word like never before. And if I were you, I'd be at 6 a .m. prayer and worship. And we go right into the services. That's where we get fueled up. We get fed with worshiping.

I see people up here sometimes with their journal or their prayer requests, putting their prayer requests for their children up here. Just an incredible time. And guys, we've got to press in more than ever before.

God, that was actually a prayer. Oh God, would you rend the heavens? It's not a theological discourse. He's asking God, please God, rend the heavens. And so Sunday, if you were here last Sunday morning, Pastor Ronnie Floyd did an exceptional job.

Revival Requires Ending What Hinders God

The title I got jealous about. I told him, I said, I wish I came up with that title. What Must Come to an End Before Revival Begins. And I would encourage you to take the next few weeks and listen to all these messages.

We're going to be releasing them over the week. I mean, the testimonies from all over the United States on YouTube, on Instagram, Facebook. It's a little overwhelming of all the people because I didn't really feel it a lot.

I'm not even going to share with you the drama, the obstacles, the situations. As of now, our website, live stream is down. The radio station is down. I got to get with Spectrum and all kinds of things.

You don't even want to know. And I'm like, Lord, I didn't feel much. It was so difficult. Yeah, but the people did. The fruit. So gauging it on faithfulness. So anytime you say, man, I had a hard week, I can relate.

But the key is to keep pressing in, to keep seeking God with all of our heart, with all of our strength. And just challenges after challenges. So many people out sick, too, as well, and had to close children's ministry.

Oh, let's add to the list, right? And so we do need help in all these areas. So if God has put that in your heart, we'd love to have you step up. But it's important, what must come to an end for revival to begin?

All of us must ask that important question, even myself. If I truly want God to rend the heavens and revive my family, revive my children, if I want to press in, I have to sometimes ask, what needs to come to an end?

What's preventing me? And don't let the word revival freak you out. It's actually a very biblical word. It means to awaken something that is asleep or dead. Oh, would Thou not revive us again so that we can rejoice in You.

Ezra would say, give us a measure of revival in our bondage. Basically, Lord, wake us up. Get some fire under the pew so You'll stand up and be excited for the things of God. And many times we talk about the fire of God, but we're sitting on a cube of ice because we haven't experienced it.

Obedience, Prayer, and Holy Consecration

So some things must end, taking inventory. I look at my life often. Lord, what is creeping in? What is going on? Is there disobedience? Because we do know that obedience and nearness to the Father always walk side by side.

Obedience. And I want to stop here for a minute because many people get confused. I'm not talking about a totalitarian, God is angry, God's going to hit you with a lightning bolt and you better just obey like an abusive father.

It's an obedience that flows out of love because of the relationship. Correct? You don't want to cheat on your spouse because you love them, most of you. Right? So like, I can't believe I can't cheat on you.

Can you imagine that? I cannot believe it. I'm stuck with disobedience from here on out. That's ridiculous. Same thing, because it's actually spiritual adultery when we begin to follow things other than God.

And obedience is beautiful, let me tell you. It is beautiful. I am so free. I am so free when I obey God. Something happens, Lord, it's Your radio station, it's Your website, it's You. I'm just going to follow You.

I don't care if everything goes down. I'm just following You. E .M. Bounds, if you don't have his book on prayer, get it and saturate your mind in it. The absence of an obedient life makes prayer an empty performance.

Who can relate to that one? And I would probably submit to you that the reason we don't pray well is because we don't live well. They're married. They go together. You show me somebody who's not fake, right, but somebody on fire for God, their prayer life, they're pushing in, they're pressing in, and that's a man or a woman who has that close relationship with God.

They take a short account of sin. They're obeying Him and when they fall, they repent, they get back on track. That person, that person has made prayer a life, that person has a powerful prayer life because they live in a powerful way close to God.

Holy consecration brings down holy fire. If you want fire in your home, the good kind, don't you ever, I mean, it's difficult. Sometimes emotions are going, right? I've got four daughters at home. Don't tell me about emotions.

Man, hurting feelings every day. And I'm married and I've got a son, so I know it's challenging, but I want a holy consecration. I'll even pray over their rooms. I'll even put on worship. I'm going to do whatever I can to saturate the presence of God into that home.

I'll tell you, it makes a big difference. Big difference. Doesn't atmosphere matter? I've talked about that before. One of my friends who goes here now, spent eight years in prison, I think he'll be at the second service.

Incredible godly man in the men's ministry. I went to visit him three times. And that atmosphere is a lot different. The weight. I'll tat it up, people all around. There's a demonic influence. You feel it, you feel weighed down.

And it was very difficult, very challenging, and so atmosphere matters. Try walking around the streets of North Korea versus our streets. You see, there's something to that, that bringing God into your life.

Spiritual Warfare and Keeping the Fire Burning

And then Monday I talked about what hinders the presence of Christ. What hinders the presence of Christ? And I quoted a book, Fire Upon the Altar. Fire Upon the Altar, the author said this, the spiritual battle in which the Christian is engaged is fierce, it is no game.

I think we need to start remembering that, because sometimes we watch these people on TV or YouTube, it's like, hey, Christianity's cool, man, I got my skinny jeans, I've got my cappuccino, man, let's just talk about positive things, and let's go out, and they don't take it seriously, and they often fall.

You know, I want to be careful, but a year before Carl Lentz fell, I shared to people he was going to fall, because of the lifestyle. And we all have to remain vigilant. I pray for him, I've reached out to him, and other pastors that have fallen, other Christians that have fallen, I'm reaching out every single week, every single week for the last 12 years, every week without fail, a Christian who has fallen in battle, back into alcohol, back into prescription meds.

We had a volunteer back on drugs now, left messages, it really hits home, it's a constant battle. So when I say these things, folks, I'm not just trying to work up the crowd, I live this, I've seen it.

Satan is intent upon destroying the presence of Christ from our lives. There are no vacations from spiritual warfare, actually, vacations sometimes are more difficult, because you let your guard down, and you're in vacation mode.

You know how people have fallen back into sin on vacation mode? That is why the fire must be kept burning. Some of you will realize that he's quoting Scripture, some of you may not, but there are so many times in the Bible, I wish I was there, I wish I was there, I wish I was there, you ever say that?

I mean, of course, the parting of the Red Sea. But this time when they got the altar ready, God said, prepare the altar. And you see the parallels in Paul's writing, prepare the altar of your heart, present your body as a living sacrifice, on the altar, Romans 12.

And you see these connections, and then God says, get the altar ready, don't worry about the fire. I get chills even thinking about that. Let me light it. God says, let me light, because when he lights it, folks, when he lights it, that's not false fire, that's genuine fire.

When the fire of God falls upon the life of an individual of the church, that's the fire of God, and then our responsibility, all it is, is to keep the fire burning. Oh God, help Westside Christian Fellowship, keep that fire burning.

God, you have lit it, you have put fuel on it, but God, help us keep that fire burning by obedience and trusting and loving and brokenness and humility and finding ourself. Oh, when I find myself in your presence, God, light me up, because I'm dying, some of you need to say.

And so the fire of God fell upon that altar. Could you imagine? And he just told the priests, hey, Levitical priests, just keep it burning. I've lit it. It was a sad day in Israel's history when that fire went out.

Returning to the Ancient Paths

Every time the church is revived, I would even say, every time you are revived, man, I've got so much to tell you. All of this just hits so deep because there's a flip side. Everyone that is falling away, I mean, weekly, right?

I just talked about it. There's a whole other group being revived. I'm going to go crazy here, Lord. I mean, come on. This person, I'm not coming again. I fell back in sin. I don't like the church. And this person, oh, I love the church.

I've never been more filled. Two different voices, right? But this is it. Every time the church or you are revived, it's when you go back to the old paths. Go back to the old paths. There's nothing new.

You've heard it said many times. If it's new, it's not true. And if it's true, it's not new. Folks, we've got to go back to the old paths. That's why we put so much emphasis on holiness and obedience and worship and prayer and fasting.

That's what keeps the fire on the altar. Hey, I love potlucks, but they're not going to keep the fire on the altar. Hey, I love these little get-togethers and ministry outlets and we need them. Thank God, but that's not going to get the fire upon the altar.

Whatever ministry, that's not going to keep the fire upon the altar because you can be in ministry and still fail. Just heard this week of a man who found out a long time ago that his wife was cheating on him on the mission field.

And I even brought this up to a church 20 years ago over the hill. We'll keep it at that. Like, your missionaries on the mission field, they're posting, I don't know if posting, it might have been just emailing or something, like five-star hotels and all their wine tasting, and they're on the mission field?

What are the other folks? Enjoy yourself. I got it. But see, there's a drifting. Because I'm busy. I'm busy. I must be on fire for God. But not necessarily. If you're too busy, and here's the biggest threat to a Christian.

Busyness that pulls you away from the presence of God. I've lived it so I can preach it, amen? Busyness that pulls you away from the presence of God. Martha, anyone get that one? Oh, I like a clean stage.

I can walk around a lot. Ronnie, you remember, I would pace up and down. I've got a little bit more conservative now. I'd go down the steps and stuff. But anyway, this area of obedience and worship and prayer and fasting, Jeremiah said this, this is what the Lord says.

Now, any time the Bible says this is what the Lord says, take note, because we know that the Bible is all of God's Word. But when it calls us out, and you out, and me out, and says listen, this is what the Lord says, when you stand at the crossroads, when there is a decision to be made, when you don't know what way to go, when there's a choice that is to be made, it says ask for the ancient paths.

Another one, look for that road that is well-traveled to God. Look at where the path has been worn out and you can clearly see this is the narrow path to God because Jesus says broad is the road of destruction and there are many who find it.

Narrow is the path that leads to eternal life. Look for that good way and then walk in it and you will find rest for your soul. And if you need rest this morning, you need peace, you need joy, oh, ask for that old path.

Ask for the old way. And I wish the rest of the Scripture was not in the Bible. But you said we will not walk in it. And of course, we know Jeremiah and we have Isaiah, Jeremiah, the writing to the nation of Israel.

You've got the northern kingdom of Israel, the southern kingdom of Judah. They've been divided now in kingdoms and Israel fell and then Judah fell I think 150 years later and there's always that call to this nation of returning back to God.

Just look, you're at the crossroads, America. You're at the crossroads. Choose life that you may live. Choose the right path. Get back on the right path with God. But many said we will not. So it does beg the question this morning, what will you say?

Secret Sin and Communion with God

I talked about on Monday, things that drive away the presence of Christ in our life and of course, number one at the list is secret sin. Secret sin. I've mentioned before, you've heard it if you've been coming for any length of time, that I'm not talking about perfection.

You know, I'm the pastor up here because I've never sinned this month. And I've decided to tell you how to do it. And I don't know why you keep falling. It is so easy. It's interesting because the Bible says, you know, if you sin, there's an advocate.

He who says he has no sin is a liar. But it's those who keep short account with it and say this is wrong. I've been wrong. I own it. I repent. I change my mind about this and turn back to you. You keep short account of sin.

You deal with it. Here's the deal. If you don't deal with sin, it deals with you. The Bible talks about New Testament primarily too is when sin is conceived, it grows. And it grows. And if you don't abort it, this is the kind of abortion we believe in here by the way.

Abort sin. Now you should get a t-shirt. I believe in pro-choice. Abort that sin. Abort that sin. It has no life here. And so, but if you don't, it grows. And when it grows, it brings forth death. Fully consumed.

And that secret sin, it's not really secret. Think about it. Is secret sin really secret? God doesn't know about it? No, we just choose not to deal with it. And again, that book, I would recommend, it's a little booklet.

It might be out of print. So you have to find, you know, I usually go to rarechristianbooks .com. You know, you gotta look for these jewels that can be reprinted. Fire upon the altar. Fire upon the altar.

When there's no communion with God. There's no communion with God. Our lives are spent in darkness. We see nothing. We hear nothing. We have no answers. Spiritual death has set in. And that's what secret sin does, folks.

It robs you of the communion with God. It robs you of your relationship with God and it begins to pull you away from God and you're dead to the things of God. I don't want to pray anymore. There's no answer to my prayers.

My house is going crazy. My spiritual life is non-existent. I don't want to go to church. And if I do, it's just to sit there and be bored and to cross it off my checklist, probably because there's secret sin.

E .M. Bounds. Order it today. His book on prayer. Which one? I don't care. Any book, he's written on prayer. Or you can do what I did and get the thick volume that has all of them. No man can pray well who does not obey well.

That should be tweeted out. What do they call Instagram? Instagrammed out. Posted out. And Twitter won't ban it now. No man can pray well who does not obey well. Isn't that true? As I obey God, as I receive the fire of God, the prayer closet is now kindled.

The fire of God upon the altar is now restored in my heart. I can't wait to get to prayer. I wake up singing amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me and usually out of the difficulties of life will come an incredible prayer life.

Moderation, Self-Denial, and Discipline of the Flesh

Or another thing that gets rid of the presence of Christ is when we are too full. Did you know that the practice of moderation strengthens discipline? The practice of, did you know it's okay to practice moderation?

Tell King's stomach no. Tell your flesh no. Don't let it control you. You begin to control it. That's a biblical principle. Nowhere in all of Scripture will you read let your flesh take over. It actually says make no provision for the flesh that you fulfill its lust.

It actually says pull out your eye, Jesus said, if it's causing you to sin. It's starting to control you. Brethren, present your body as a living sacrifice. Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

All that's in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life is not of the Father. Someone else, let me think who it was. I discipline my body. Huh, who was that? I don't know, wrote most of the New Testament.

And it's not a bad word. Discipline, perseverance. The Christian walk is a walk of warfare, of discipline, but it strengthens you for the battle. Can I tell you, so far, what time is it? I don't know what time it is, the clock changed back.

Okay, what has my flesh told me since 12 o 'clock? Well, first thing, it's too early to get up. Hit the snooze. It's dark out, it's cold, go back to sleep. Okay, if you do get up, if you do, I know a donut shop, and I wish I never saw the sign.

They're open at four in the morning on Avenue L. Why did I see that sign months ago? Or Starbucks, 4 .30, and you can have a chocolate pop with a big hot coffee with cream in it. Doesn't that sound, no, I have to seek God.

I don't want to get all jacked up on caffeine and sugar. Yeah, but doesn't it sound good? Listen, the flesh is calling. Get to church, aren't you a little moody, Shane? Aren't you a little irritable? If I would tell you about this week, you wouldn't believe half of it.

As of now, the radio station's still down, I've got to get Spectrum out, and we've got Verizon as the backup, and they charge a lot of money, and that's down, the live stream's down on our website, and then all these issues going on, and I won't even get into more things, and don't you, they're such and such, don't you want to just get of an attitude to them, and yeah, I really do, flesh, thank you for reminding me, but no, no, no, the fullness of the Spirit, the fullness of the Spirit must come in, you must discipline the flesh, you must go out of your way and say hello, and give them hugs, and understand that they go through struggles, too.

If you knew what the person had been through, you might be a little bit nicer to them, and what people struggle with, and then I didn't want to preach the second service, I'm a little tired, I'm getting worn, the first service was great, but the second service, I struggled the first 10 minutes, but once the flesh understood, he's not sitting down, he's not calling the worship back up, he's not getting lazy, it has to submit, and the fire of God comes upon me, and you have to bring the flesh into submission, or it will submit you, it's a wrestling match, is it not?

And who wins in a wrestling match? Whoever cements. And it's a flesh, the flesh just wants to win. Who can just put away that second plate? Is it easy? I guess I have to confess again, any time my daughter makes chocolate chip cookies, ask her what I tell her.

Can you please hide those? Because somehow I get up at midnight, and it knows, I don't know, I forget all about it, but it says, remember the cookies, the warm chocolate, remember, get up and drink a lot of milk, and now I've got all this sugar, and now I've got my metabolic rate going again, and my digestive takes place, and now I don't get good sleep, and the flesh says, that's okay, you can miss church tomorrow, just do, and see, if you don't bring the flesh under submission, it will destroy you, the flesh is not your friend, the carnal mind is enmity with God, it is at war with God, the flesh says this, feed me so I can destroy you, the enemy within.

Now notice how I'm not against food, and things God has given, it's a good thing, but if the good thing begins to control you, what you used to control now controls you, you're in a very difficult spot.

That's why we talk about fasting often, because fasting is a season of telling your flesh to shut your mouth. I'm listening to God. But when we're too full, again, Andrew Murray, only in a life of moderation and self-denial will there be sufficient heart and strength to pray much.

And it is good to clarify, because there was a movement that came out of primarily Roman Catholicism, and Martin Luther fell prey to it, and it's that penance and the whips, and they would whip themselves, and he would remember it when he would go to Rome and crawl up the steps on his knees, and if I'm just suffering for God, and then he opened the Bible, and Romans came alive, and it said the just shall live by faith and faith alone, and that's where the creeds come from, that Christ alone, through faith alone, through grace alone, to the glory of God alone, the five solas of Scripture cry out to us today, and it says deny the flesh, but also be filled with the Spirit, because you're trusting in Christ alone and not in your works.

So don't get caught up in all of the works, works, works, earn favor to God. No, it doesn't earn more favor to God. He doesn't love me more, but I sure love him more when I obey. Only in a life of moderation and self-denial will there be sufficient heart and strength to pray much.

Fasting and Spiritual Desperation

I'm not gonna try it, but I'd love to give you proof of this. In this month of November coming up, November 24th, guys, you know what? I'm gonna call a church prayer meeting right around six o 'clock.

How would that go over? Like a keg of beer at an AA meeting. Just about no one would be here, and if you're here, you're gonna be too lethargic to pray, correct? In case you don't know what I'm talking about, Thanksgiving.

Try just praying after Thanksgiving dinner. Try having a prayer meeting. That never happens. Why? The fullness of the flesh is gonna push away the fullness of the Spirit. Now, I'm not saying that that's bad.

I think it's good. I think Thanksgiving is good. There's seasons of feasts, and there's seasons of famine in the Bible. The wedding feast. But when you become people, we become people of feasting, and there's no famine.

There's no fasting. And that moderation now, when I was supposed to moderate the flesh, it now is controlling me. It will push out the presence of Christ from your life. Why do I try to fast when I preach?

Fast when I worship? Fast when I come to prayer meetings? Because as the flesh is being starved, the fullness of the Spirit comes out. I didn't talk to Ronnie about this, but ask him how he feels leading worship after In-N-Out.

Double-double, French fries and a chocolate shake. Can you come lead now? Probably not good, right? Yeah, not good. I even text Jay Campbell today. I say, hey, you want me to pick you something to eat?

He goes, I don't eat. I just drink water. Why? Because the right thing at the wrong time will hurt you. The right thing at the wrong time will hurt you. And I'm just telling you as a witness of this, the more I feed the appetites of the flesh, the less I feel the fullness of the Spirit.

Let's see if we can help me remember who said this. They're not fasting now because the bridegroom is here. But when the bridegroom is taken away, they will fast in those days. Paul said, I was in much fastings often.

John Wesley wouldn't even ordain people unless they fasted on Wednesdays and Fridays. The Didache or Didachte, however you pronounce it, says before baptism, three-day fast. The early church from Augustine to Ignatius to Polycarp to Justin Martyr to Arrhenius.

Some of them had some wonky thoughts there. I got it, but there was fasting. John Bunyan writing the Pilgrim's Progress in his journals talked about fasting. Wesley talks about Whitfield, fasting. Sinners in the hands of an angry God, a famous sermon that sparked revival in our nation.

Jonathan Edwards was on a three-day total fast. Complete fast, meaning no water. And if you turn it into a work or look how spiritual I am, you miss it. You might as well not even fast. But if you say, God, I am so desperate.

God, I am so desperate for my children. God, they have to turn back to you. There is no guarantee of tomorrow. Our nation is out of control. And if you think a red wave on Tuesday is gonna outdo the crimson blood of Jesus Christ, you've got another thing coming.

Because only the crimson blood of Jesus Christ can help our nation at this point. All hell is breaking loose. All evil is being exposed. And only the remnant standing on the truth of God, proclaiming the truth of God in the midst of uncertainty is gonna cause a wayward nation to get stability again.

That is our only hope. Now, I'm hopeful on Tuesday. I think it matters. I think we are clearly seeing that the right people in office matter. So all of you jokers who thought politics doesn't matter, I hope you're changing your mind because it matters from war and famine and decadence and what we're leaving for our children and our grandchildren.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid. The pulpit used to be able to talk about the things that they say don't talk about anymore. Twitter says, Shane, don't talk about that anymore. Until recently. Facebook sends me warnings.

YouTube, what am I saying that's so wrong? The truth. The truth offends. You're seeing the lines of demarcation being drawn in the sand right now. And my concern is, yes, let's say a certain political party takes House and Senate and how all that works, I don't know, but it's not gonna be two years of utopia.

There's gonna be tremendous civil unrest probably like we've never seen. I'm not trying to scare you, I'm trying to prepare you. And the whole point is look at the red states and the Republicans. Now that's why the next two years are gonna be terrible.

And then here comes the presidential election. Terrible timing. I wish it was right. I wish it was right now. I wish that was Tuesday as well. And our nation is in turmoil. And we need to talk about these things.

People are hungry for information, but you have to point them to the cross. Point them to godly leadership. You guys got me off track again, so let's get back on track. A lack of desperation will remove the presence of Christ from your life.

Lukewarm Faith and Fervent Prayer

A lack of desperation. The average Christian gets by with just enough to keep them lukewarm but not on fire. Isn't that true? I see it all the time. I'm gonna go speak again at the end of this month, I think, and then I'm gonna travel to New Jersey, I'm gonna speak, and it's the same problem.

Shane, there's no fire. The church is lukewarm, right? Because they're content with being lukewarm. That's why Jesus said choose sides. Hot or cold, choose your sides. But if you're lukewarm, I will spew you out of my mouth.

The literal Greek translation is, are you ready? Vomit. Jesus is gonna vomit you out of his mouth if you're lukewarm. People say, I don't understand. I do. I died for you. I died for you, and you're gonna live half-heartedly?

You're gonna be a super Christian on Sunday but a carnal Christian on Monday and deny the very faith that I bought with the price of precious blood of Jesus Christ? I can see why he spews that out of his mouth.

Absolutely. Preaching, I'm trying to. What do you think I've been doing all week? A lack of desperation. Why weren't all of you here this week? Oh, I've got to work. You'll take it off for the Dodger game.

Don't give me that story. I came to ruffle some feathers. Your favorite movie's out. You don't feel good, a little cough. You'll call in sick. You won't go to work. But when we want to pursue God, there seems to be a lack of desperation.

There's a lack of fervency that will also push out the presence of Christ. A lack of fervency. William Gurnell, another great book, Christian in Complete Armor. Very thick book from Puritan. Make sure you get the abridged version where they use modern language if you do order it because these guys are deep with their thou and their they and their go fetch a compass, which doesn't mean go fetch a compass.

But he said cold praying is no more prayer than a painting of fire is fire. Oh God. God, forgiveness of the sin of prayerlessness. Did you catch that? Cold praying is no more prayer than a painting of fire is fire.

Have you ever seen a painting of fire? Does it warm you? Are you gonna put that in your living room? It's like kids go sit by the painting of fire. Why? There's no fervency. There's no passion. There's no desire.

And how can prayers that do not even warm your own heart move God's heart? They can't. And I know it's difficult. I know it's challenging. I often text our prayer warriors in the prayer meetings. I'm like, guys, how can we get the fire of God burning in this place?

My goodness. There's a lack of fervency. Shane, you're spanking us this morning. Yep, yep, I am. The discipline of God is a good thing. He disciplines those He loves. He spanks me, so I'm gonna spank you.

That's how it works here. That's how it works, I'm telling you. Ouch, God, ooh, ah, ooh, ooh. Like, oh, man. You have no clue. I'll start putting terms together. I'm like, Lord, you've gotta be kidding me.

And I'll just remove it. And then the next day, Lord, I can't say this. I don't even know if it's you. I'm removing it. Couple days later, I can't remove it. Because you have to get to the point where I could, and I hope this comes across right.

I don't know how else to say it, though. I could care less what you think about me and my message and what I said this morning, as long as I point you to the truth. And I mean that. I see the attitudes.

I see the looks. I see the people who never come to the altar, never come to the prayer room. But I'm here to tell you I could care less because I care more. I love you enough to tell you the truth. And that's the only thing that's gonna take this nation back.

We may never come back. We might be at the, the Titanic's been hit. Well, I'm gonna get as many lifeboats full as possible. That's where we're going with this. The decadence and the perversion. Failure.

Failure to slow down. Failure to slow down. I don't know, it's a funny point too. Often I'll have people come up and they'll go, we could have kept going another hour. And then you get other people, that was too long.

See, what's the difference? The fire of God's not in their heart. They're ready to go home and watch the sports event. What's on Amazon? What's on this? I'm ready to go and leave. There's no desire for God.

And then also, failure to slow down. Failure to slow down, still stuck on Monday, removes the presence of Christ from your life. He acts for the one who rushes away from Him. They'll wake you up. He acts for the one who waits for Him.

Are you too busy to wait, too occupied to pursue, and too wrapped up to worship? That needs to change. And then Tuesday, Pastor Abram talked about the power of asking Christ to teach us to pray. Teach us to pray.

And I thought what really stood out to me was they asked, Lord, teach us to pray. They were teachable. Why is that so hard for Americans? We know it all. We know it all. When you're teachable, you become tender, and that's what we need today.

Seeking God Wholeheartedly

I want to just encourage you on the messages I didn't get to check those out because I don't have a lot of time to put all the notes together. But go through these. We're gonna send out an email with all these messages.

Make sure you listen to them. Send them to friends and family. Re-listen to them sometimes if you need to. And then Wednesday, I talked about when heaven comes to my rescue. When heaven comes to my rescue, Psalm 34, I sought the Lord.

Praise God for that. I sought the Lord. And that word is like I took a retreat. I spent some time and I sought the Lord. I retreated to Him. I fled to Him. I was led to Him. I jumped to Him. I just ran to Him and He heard me.

And He delivered me from all my fears. It didn't say I would get to God at some point. There was a seeking. There was a pursuing. The analogy I've given you guys before, it's like losing your kid, your child.

What would you do? What if Morgan said, hey, they can't find Kylie next door. Let me get through this sermon, okay? She'll be fine. We'll look for her later. Let me get through this. We got prayer time.