1 00:00:00,300 --> 00:00:03,192 I mean, you can get gripped by this reality. 2 00:00:03,192 --> 00:00:04,356 There's a door here. 3 00:00:04,356 --> 00:00:06,325 Christ is saying, "I'm on the other side. 4 00:00:06,325 --> 00:00:08,967 Come and open, and I'll come in." 5 00:00:08,967 --> 00:00:09,881 And you know what? 6 00:00:09,881 --> 00:00:11,508 You can sit in a message like this 7 00:00:11,508 --> 00:00:13,347 and you can hear this and you can say, 8 00:00:13,347 --> 00:00:16,280 "Yeah, I want that." 9 00:00:16,280 --> 00:00:21,134 "I want that." 10 00:00:21,134 --> 00:00:22,909 Have you ever noticed - 11 00:00:22,909 --> 00:00:28,770 maybe the word "fickle" is a good word - 12 00:00:28,770 --> 00:00:33,092 have any of you ever been in the place, 13 00:00:33,092 --> 00:00:37,060 you sat under powerful preaching, 14 00:00:37,060 --> 00:00:39,722 you had a sweet time in prayer 15 00:00:39,722 --> 00:00:43,461 or powerful season in the Word, 16 00:00:43,461 --> 00:00:45,973 and you're resolved. 17 00:00:45,973 --> 00:00:47,775 I want that. 18 00:00:47,775 --> 00:00:50,020 I want to go deeper. 19 00:00:50,020 --> 00:00:51,502 I want to go further. 20 00:00:51,502 --> 00:00:56,653 I believe it from Scripture. I can have it. 21 00:00:56,653 --> 00:00:59,546 But what happens? 22 00:00:59,546 --> 00:01:01,923 Any of you ever been there 23 00:01:01,923 --> 00:01:05,406 where you look up 24 00:01:05,406 --> 00:01:08,284 and it's like what happened? 25 00:01:08,284 --> 00:01:12,455 How did I get distracted? 26 00:01:12,455 --> 00:01:17,130 I mean, I was resolved for this. 27 00:01:17,130 --> 00:01:20,048 How did I get here? 28 00:01:20,048 --> 00:01:22,374 I was determined. I wanted that. 29 00:01:22,374 --> 00:01:23,961 I made certain resolutions. 30 00:01:23,961 --> 00:01:25,273 Have you ever been there? 31 00:01:25,273 --> 00:01:28,049 You make these spiritual resolutions 32 00:01:28,049 --> 00:01:33,355 and then what happens? 33 00:01:33,355 --> 00:01:35,363 What's the difference between 34 00:01:35,363 --> 00:01:40,315 the people that press on to know the Lord 35 00:01:40,315 --> 00:01:43,087 and the ones that kind of give up 36 00:01:43,087 --> 00:01:46,345 or are always struggling? 37 00:01:46,345 --> 00:01:47,939 Always falling short? 38 00:01:47,939 --> 00:01:49,953 What's the difference? 39 00:01:49,953 --> 00:01:51,728 Well, I think it comes back to this. 40 00:01:51,728 --> 00:01:54,228 I think it comes back to being strengthened 41 00:01:54,228 --> 00:01:57,739 by God Himself to have a will that's committed. 42 00:01:57,739 --> 00:01:59,902 I think it comes to having appetites 43 00:01:59,902 --> 00:02:02,230 that are strong. 44 00:02:02,230 --> 00:02:03,453 I mean, we know it. 45 00:02:03,453 --> 00:02:06,234 You know what, I got sick this week. 46 00:02:06,234 --> 00:02:10,570 My appetite has not been there. 47 00:02:10,570 --> 00:02:12,981 Do you ever go through seasons in your life - 48 00:02:12,981 --> 00:02:15,354 maybe you're saying yeah, way too many of them - 49 00:02:15,354 --> 00:02:16,858 where you're hungry? 50 00:02:16,858 --> 00:02:18,563 You're hungry all the time. 51 00:02:18,563 --> 00:02:21,786 You can eat and you're still hungry. 52 00:02:21,786 --> 00:02:22,847 What's the difference? 53 00:02:22,847 --> 00:02:24,147 Well, there's a difference 54 00:02:24,147 --> 00:02:27,757 in the health of that appetite. 55 00:02:27,757 --> 00:02:29,701 I'll tell you, 56 00:02:29,701 --> 00:02:32,550 if our appetite itself 57 00:02:32,550 --> 00:02:36,054 were to be magnified a hundred fold, 58 00:02:36,054 --> 00:02:38,286 we desperately needed Christ. 59 00:02:38,286 --> 00:02:40,924 Maybe some of the trivialities that have sidetracked us 60 00:02:40,924 --> 00:02:43,175 and derailed us - 61 00:02:43,175 --> 00:02:47,496 did any of you after last week's message, 62 00:02:47,496 --> 00:02:50,443 any of you go out of here thinking, 63 00:02:50,443 --> 00:02:52,437 yeah, I want that? 64 00:02:52,437 --> 00:02:54,021 I want that. 65 00:02:54,021 --> 00:02:55,536 I want you to want it! 66 00:02:55,536 --> 00:02:56,384 I hope so! 67 00:02:56,384 --> 00:02:58,771 See, that's the kind of thing that I'm afraid of. 68 00:02:58,771 --> 00:03:01,381 That you went out of here not thinking that. 69 00:03:01,381 --> 00:03:03,658 I hope you did! I hope some of you did! 70 00:03:03,658 --> 00:03:06,345 You were feeling like: I want that! 71 00:03:06,345 --> 00:03:08,335 I want to know more of the fullness 72 00:03:08,335 --> 00:03:10,950 of Christ settling in to my heart. 73 00:03:10,950 --> 00:03:17,770 I want that. I want it deeper. 74 00:03:17,770 --> 00:03:22,286 But, tomorrow came and what happens? 75 00:03:22,286 --> 00:03:23,796 We forget. 76 00:03:23,796 --> 00:03:25,839 We become distracted by something else. 77 00:03:25,839 --> 00:03:27,772 Oh, you were fully resolved a week ago. 78 00:03:27,772 --> 00:03:29,555 A week ago right now, it was like, 79 00:03:29,555 --> 00:03:33,020 ah, I want that! 80 00:03:33,020 --> 00:03:34,412 I'm going to open the door! 81 00:03:34,412 --> 00:03:36,062 I want Christ to come in. 82 00:03:36,062 --> 00:03:37,312 You prayed last week: 83 00:03:37,312 --> 00:03:38,512 Lord, give me that! 84 00:03:38,512 --> 00:03:40,351 The thing that Paul prayed for. 85 00:03:40,351 --> 00:03:43,286 Give me people to pray that for me! 86 00:03:43,286 --> 00:03:45,154 I want it. 87 00:03:45,154 --> 00:03:47,773 But the cares and the concerns 88 00:03:47,773 --> 00:03:49,725 and the trivialities of the world - 89 00:03:49,725 --> 00:03:52,977 and you see, our commitment is weak. 90 00:03:52,977 --> 00:03:54,872 Our will is too weak. 91 00:03:54,872 --> 00:03:56,417 Your faith is too weak. 92 00:03:56,417 --> 00:03:58,667 I mean, you hear the man in Scripture: 93 00:03:58,667 --> 00:04:01,207 "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." 94 00:04:01,207 --> 00:04:02,659 And I guess one of the things 95 00:04:02,659 --> 00:04:04,782 that I would have our faith to go to 96 00:04:04,782 --> 00:04:06,845 in the very beginning is this belief 97 00:04:06,845 --> 00:04:10,618 that there is a God who can and will 98 00:04:10,618 --> 00:04:15,851 and does strengthen His people. 99 00:04:15,851 --> 00:04:19,039 Has your faith even latched on to this reality? 100 00:04:19,039 --> 00:04:20,286 That there is more - 101 00:04:20,286 --> 00:04:22,381 I can have Christ settle in. 102 00:04:22,381 --> 00:04:24,441 I can have Him come into me 103 00:04:24,441 --> 00:04:26,521 in a way that He's never come into me. 104 00:04:26,521 --> 00:04:28,799 Go back and read the Song of Solomon. 105 00:04:28,799 --> 00:04:31,664 You want to feel this at the level - 106 00:04:31,664 --> 00:04:34,625 marriage is only the picture! 107 00:04:34,625 --> 00:04:37,360 The intimacies of marriage are only the picture. 108 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:38,749 And you can go back there 109 00:04:38,749 --> 00:04:40,826 and you can say yes, 110 00:04:40,826 --> 00:04:46,401 "my Beloved, He put His hand to the door latch." 111 00:04:46,401 --> 00:04:48,508 And what happened? 112 00:04:48,508 --> 00:04:52,456 "Well, I already washed my feet." 113 00:04:52,456 --> 00:04:57,357 Is that not the sad commentary on too many of us? 114 00:04:57,357 --> 00:05:00,151 Yes, I want it! He stands at the door! 115 00:05:00,151 --> 00:05:03,358 He's knocking! I want to let Him in! 116 00:05:03,358 --> 00:05:06,347 But it's just like the Song of Solomon. 117 00:05:06,347 --> 00:05:08,705 We hesitated. 118 00:05:08,705 --> 00:05:10,982 We hesitated. 119 00:05:10,982 --> 00:05:15,591 Something else was more important. 120 00:05:15,591 --> 00:05:18,433 You know what will happen? The Lord will test your heart. 121 00:05:18,433 --> 00:05:19,938 I wanted to sing that song: 122 00:05:19,938 --> 00:05:22,181 "I asked the Lord that I might grow." 123 00:05:22,181 --> 00:05:24,255 Because you know what happens oftentimes? 124 00:05:24,255 --> 00:05:27,164 You say, "Yes, Lord. I want this. 125 00:05:27,164 --> 00:05:29,107 And I'm going to seek to be careful 126 00:05:29,107 --> 00:05:31,474 to not let the kinds of things into my life 127 00:05:31,474 --> 00:05:33,862 that might grieve and offend You. 128 00:05:33,862 --> 00:05:37,375 I want You to find my heart 129 00:05:37,375 --> 00:05:40,724 a sufficient place for You to dwell deeply in." 130 00:05:40,724 --> 00:05:42,692 And you know, you begin to pray for this, 131 00:05:42,692 --> 00:05:44,230 and you begin to long for this. 132 00:05:44,230 --> 00:05:46,555 And what happens? 133 00:05:46,555 --> 00:05:47,851 You begin to pray, 134 00:05:47,851 --> 00:05:50,079 "Lord, strengthen me for this. 135 00:05:50,079 --> 00:05:52,138 More of this. More of Christ." 136 00:05:52,138 --> 00:05:54,031 And then you know what happens? 137 00:05:54,031 --> 00:05:58,920 The Lord tests your heart. 138 00:05:58,920 --> 00:06:01,883 You remember the song. 139 00:06:01,883 --> 00:06:05,669 Suddenly Newton's hymn breaks in upon us. 140 00:06:05,669 --> 00:06:07,629 It can seem very discouraging. 141 00:06:07,629 --> 00:06:09,676 Yes, brother, I went out of here last week. 142 00:06:09,676 --> 00:06:12,783 I was very determined, but you know what I found during the week? 143 00:06:12,783 --> 00:06:15,970 I found such manifestations of pride in my own heart 144 00:06:15,970 --> 00:06:18,912 and idolatry or something else. 145 00:06:18,912 --> 00:06:21,179 I asked the Lord that I might grow. 146 00:06:21,179 --> 00:06:23,827 But you see, you forgot the song. 147 00:06:23,827 --> 00:06:26,134 Because you hear things like this and it's like: 148 00:06:26,134 --> 00:06:27,780 That's glorious! Christ coming in! 149 00:06:27,780 --> 00:06:29,424 And oh, bringing His fragrance, 150 00:06:29,424 --> 00:06:31,905 His power and His presence in my inner being. 151 00:06:31,905 --> 00:06:35,176 Yes! I want that! 152 00:06:35,176 --> 00:06:40,888 I asked the Lord that He might come in. 153 00:06:40,888 --> 00:06:42,437 And Newton said, 154 00:06:42,437 --> 00:06:44,787 "and seek more earnestly His face." 155 00:06:44,787 --> 00:06:47,363 Yes, I want to seek more earnestly to open that door 156 00:06:47,363 --> 00:06:50,028 that He might come in. 157 00:06:50,028 --> 00:06:54,462 "'Twas He who taught me thus to pray." 158 00:06:54,462 --> 00:06:57,993 Isn't Paul teaching us to pray this way? 159 00:06:57,993 --> 00:07:00,517 That Christ may come in. 160 00:07:00,517 --> 00:07:03,638 Lord, You're teaching us to pray. 161 00:07:03,638 --> 00:07:05,564 "And He I trust has answered prayer, 162 00:07:05,564 --> 00:07:06,898 but has been such a way as 163 00:07:06,898 --> 00:07:10,145 almost drove me to despair." 164 00:07:10,145 --> 00:07:11,776 See, that's often what happens. 165 00:07:11,776 --> 00:07:15,018 Lord, please come in. 166 00:07:15,018 --> 00:07:16,975 Come close. 167 00:07:16,975 --> 00:07:18,473 Indwell. 168 00:07:18,473 --> 00:07:20,198 Come in and sup with me. 169 00:07:20,198 --> 00:07:22,514 And see, we hope the same way Newton hoped. 170 00:07:22,514 --> 00:07:24,556 "I hoped that in some favored hour, 171 00:07:24,556 --> 00:07:26,532 at once He'd grant me my request. 172 00:07:26,532 --> 00:07:28,111 By His love's constraining power, 173 00:07:28,111 --> 00:07:31,311 subdue my sins and give me rest." 174 00:07:31,311 --> 00:07:34,454 Instead of this: 175 00:07:34,454 --> 00:07:37,288 "He made me feel the hidden evils of my heart, 176 00:07:37,288 --> 00:07:39,644 let the angry powers of hell 177 00:07:39,644 --> 00:07:46,632 assault my soul in every part." 178 00:07:46,632 --> 00:07:49,005 And you know what happens? 179 00:07:49,005 --> 00:07:53,117 You suddenly feel like, 180 00:07:53,117 --> 00:07:56,295 Lord, I want this. 181 00:07:56,295 --> 00:07:59,925 I want to go deeper. 182 00:07:59,925 --> 00:08:01,791 But as soon as I set my heart to it 183 00:08:01,791 --> 00:08:03,756 and I begin to pray I feel like 184 00:08:03,756 --> 00:08:08,402 I'm further away than ever from Christ. 185 00:08:08,402 --> 00:08:13,276 You may actually feel much worse now than before. 186 00:08:13,276 --> 00:08:15,785 Why? Because things have come up. 187 00:08:15,785 --> 00:08:17,782 They've come to the surface in your heart 188 00:08:17,782 --> 00:08:20,161 that you never imagined were there. 189 00:08:20,161 --> 00:08:22,197 It drives you to despair. 190 00:08:22,197 --> 00:08:25,123 It drives you to be desperate. 191 00:08:25,123 --> 00:08:27,211 But you know what I say? 192 00:08:27,211 --> 00:08:29,973 Is look, this is often part of it. 193 00:08:29,973 --> 00:08:32,441 This is often what God is doing. 194 00:08:32,441 --> 00:08:35,565 Why? You have to remember this. 195 00:08:35,565 --> 00:08:37,861 I think this is key. 196 00:08:37,861 --> 00:08:41,511 Those Laodiceans - 197 00:08:41,511 --> 00:08:45,755 if Jesus would have just broken in right away 198 00:08:45,755 --> 00:08:46,763 and said to them, 199 00:08:46,763 --> 00:08:48,588 "I stand at the door and knock. 200 00:08:48,588 --> 00:08:50,342 Open up." 201 00:08:50,342 --> 00:08:52,817 Well, you know what they were saying. 202 00:08:52,817 --> 00:08:54,306 We're rich. 203 00:08:54,306 --> 00:08:57,267 We've got our act together. 204 00:08:57,267 --> 00:08:59,463 We don't need anything. 205 00:08:59,463 --> 00:09:03,766 We've prospered. In need of nothing. 206 00:09:03,766 --> 00:09:05,478 And you see, you feel so boldly 207 00:09:05,478 --> 00:09:07,843 and confidently, "Yeah, I'm good." 208 00:09:07,843 --> 00:09:11,088 "Christ, come on in." 209 00:09:11,088 --> 00:09:12,470 But Jesus said this to them: 210 00:09:12,470 --> 00:09:13,855 You know what the problem is? 211 00:09:13,855 --> 00:09:17,271 You don't recognize the reality about yourself. 212 00:09:17,271 --> 00:09:18,758 What? 213 00:09:18,758 --> 00:09:20,604 The reality is that you're wretched, 214 00:09:20,604 --> 00:09:24,794 miserable, poor, blind, and naked. 215 00:09:24,794 --> 00:09:29,061 And you see, what we have to recognize is this: 216 00:09:29,061 --> 00:09:32,720 That when Christ comes in, we don't deserve it. 217 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:33,880 We don't deserve it. 218 00:09:33,880 --> 00:09:35,366 Our faith needs to go there. 219 00:09:35,366 --> 00:09:37,819 Our faith needs to latch on to that reality. 220 00:09:37,819 --> 00:09:40,812 Christ coming in and settling down, 221 00:09:40,812 --> 00:09:44,308 it's entirely a mercy. 222 00:09:44,308 --> 00:09:45,713 You don't deserve it 223 00:09:45,713 --> 00:09:49,296 and your performance isn't the basis of it. 224 00:09:49,296 --> 00:09:50,787 Look, it's true, 225 00:09:50,787 --> 00:09:53,006 you can do things to drive your Master away. 226 00:09:53,006 --> 00:09:56,480 There's no question about that. 227 00:09:56,480 --> 00:09:59,988 But how does Jesus want the Laodiceans 228 00:09:59,988 --> 00:10:01,582 to approach the door? 229 00:10:01,582 --> 00:10:06,283 Confident? Got our act together? 230 00:10:06,283 --> 00:10:07,696 Let me tell you this. 231 00:10:07,696 --> 00:10:09,635 If you began to pray 232 00:10:09,635 --> 00:10:11,405 and you began to seek this, 233 00:10:11,405 --> 00:10:12,747 and suddenly God began 234 00:10:12,747 --> 00:10:15,699 to show you things in your heart, 235 00:10:15,699 --> 00:10:17,816 then you know what? 236 00:10:17,816 --> 00:10:20,122 What you want to do is like the Laodiceans, 237 00:10:20,122 --> 00:10:21,052 you want to repent. 238 00:10:21,052 --> 00:10:22,692 You want to recognize what you are 239 00:10:22,692 --> 00:10:24,477 in your own strength. 240 00:10:24,477 --> 00:10:27,940 And recognize that this is God's way of taking you on, 241 00:10:27,940 --> 00:10:30,264 taking you deeper. 242 00:10:30,264 --> 00:10:33,625 To sweep that heart 243 00:10:33,625 --> 00:10:34,928 that Christ may come in. 244 00:10:34,928 --> 00:10:36,156 Don't resist that. 245 00:10:36,156 --> 00:10:38,402 And don't be in despair because of it. 246 00:10:38,402 --> 00:10:40,424 Oh, the devil will be right there saying, 247 00:10:40,424 --> 00:10:42,124 "Look at you. You're a mess. 248 00:10:42,124 --> 00:10:44,695 You think Christ is going to come in and dwell there?" 249 00:10:44,695 --> 00:10:50,336 Listen, whatever his foul language may say 250 00:10:50,336 --> 00:10:51,463 you remember this: 251 00:10:51,463 --> 00:10:54,181 Christ came to save sinners. 252 00:10:54,181 --> 00:10:56,098 And He came to save them 253 00:10:56,098 --> 00:10:57,560 and He came to love them 254 00:10:57,560 --> 00:10:59,252 and He came to commune with them 255 00:10:59,252 --> 00:11:01,901 and He came to dwell within them. 256 00:11:01,901 --> 00:11:04,787 And never because of any merits on their part. 257 00:11:04,787 --> 00:11:08,330 Simply because for their sake, 258 00:11:08,330 --> 00:11:11,243 He's willing to die and to do this 259 00:11:11,243 --> 00:11:18,713 that the glory of God might be shown.