In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of treating strangers well, as they could potentially be angels in disguise. The sermon then focuses on four verses from the book of Joshua, which encourage believers to be daring in their Christianity. The preacher urges new believers to avoid complacency and instead advance in their Christian experience. The sermon concludes with a reminder to keep heaven in focus and to be daring about the outcome of one's life, using the example of Noah's obedience in building the ark.

Bless your word to our hearts. We ask it now Lord God in Jesus name and all God's people said Amen, grab your Bibles tonight and turn if you would to Matthew's gospel chapter 28 Matthew chapter 28 as we're looking through this special series on these Wednesday nights the disciplines of life and We're going to be looking in total 31 weeks. Now. We come to our third week of The disciplines of life series tonight the disciplines of daring write that down daring daring like radical daring like being extreme For God, what does it mean? One of the great reasons why you and I love reading the Bible is because it is an action book You don't read the Bible to get bored. You get you read the Bible to get pumped up because it's radical stuff you're reading about and It's all ventures of faith. That's tremendously powerful But tonight we'll kick it off by looking at Matthew chapter 28 beginning at verse 18 where Jesus Commissions us to live a radical life Verse 18 and Jesus came and spoke to them saying all authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth Go therefore that's radical and make disciples of all nations all people. That's radical Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son of the Holy Spirit Teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you and behold. I am with you always Even to the end of the world That's radical We're looking tonight at the disciplines of daring. What does it mean to be a real Christian? That is going to make a real difference in a real world there's a big effort right now in in Churchianity To spend all kinds of money do all kinds of things to make the church Relevant that kind of cracks me up Well, we've got to do this. We've got to do that. We've got to act like this. We got to do all these things We don't we can't mention the word church because that causes people to not want to come and we can't use the word worship because that Pete that causes people to think like, you know, serious thoughts will rename everything and Maybe people will come. Are you kidding me? Be careful about that. That's a dangerous thing because first of all Jesus called the church the church He said the gates of hell will not prevail against my church and the book of Revelation seven times He says this is the name of the church. I'm speaking to and it is an amazing thing to consider that we don't have to worry about being relevant if we have our Bibles wide open and if we are filled with the Holy Spirit because God's Word is more relevant than tomorrow's newspaper and The Holy Spirit knows exactly the direction that a culture or that a nation or that a people need to go We need to be in line with the Holy Spirit to find out where the church ought to be going We need to be with the Bible open rather than ten steps to building a successful church. Are you kidding me? a church is built by us preaching the Word of God making disciples praying and Baptizing and raising up others in the name of the Lord and then of course Jesus said send him out Well, not yet. But when this is over then you go out To the ends of the earth, but there's a real battle that you and I are engaged in a real actual war That's underway as I speak a war that is nearly almost 100 100% invisible to the human or naked eye But it affects every one of us every day You and I are involved in a spiritual battle Ephesians chapter 6 verse 10, you know the scripture it says finally Paul said be strong in the Lord. I appreciate that now more than ever and in his mighty power Yeah Put on the whole armor of God so that you may or that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes For our struggle is not against flesh and blood listen up but against the rulers against the authorities against the powers of this dark world and Against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. That is an awesome statement Christian You and I are standing or sitting right here right now in a physical world But we are spiritually energized against a battle that is spiritually based but manifests itself in a physical world and What we do is we put on Christ that is we know the Word of God. We study the Bible we worship together We serve together we get equipped we get ready like an army But our battle is not with the guns and weapons of this world. Our battle is against forces of invisible spiritual darkness a Imagine for a moment if you could think that in this gathering here tonight We know from Scripture that the Bible teaches that there are spiritual beings that look into the proclamation of the Word of God We've read that in Scripture angels. There could be an angel sitting right here right now. I'd have no idea He doesn't take up this material space. I could be walking through a couple of demons or angels right here right now There could be an angel sitting right up here or right up there right now The Scripture says that when the Gospels proclaimed these are things that the spirits desire to look into Isn't that amazing? You said I never heard that before you're freaking me out Oh, listen, you want to get freaked out check this out The Bible says that we better be careful how we treat strangers Because we have unknowingly Treated angels without being aware when you bump into somebody. Hey, man, that's my parking spot Watch out could be an angel driving that car, you know amazing The worlds are in collision as it were I'm gonna give you four verses that say the same thing a little bit different But say the same thing and it's all in route to you and I being daring in our Christianity Four verses that appear in the first chapter of one of the most daring books in the Bible and that is the book of Joshua Joshua chapter 1 verse 5 God says no man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life Joshua as I was with Moses, so I will be with you I will not leave you nor forsake you be strong and of good courage Joshua 1 5 How many of you would love to hear that on the eve of battle? In fact, if I knew that on the eve of battle, I'd probably go out to battle You know with a with iced tea and a baseball hat on no, I'm kidding I mean you got to go to battle, but man if God tells you that aren't you just gonna walk on into that battle with confidence? Joshua chapter 1 verse 7 same chapter different verse God says to Joshua only be strong and very courageous Yeah Joshua 1 9 have I not commanded you be strong and of good courage Do not be afraid nor be dismayed for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go That's the truth of the Bible Joshua chapter 1 verse 18 only be strong and of good courage Joshua went forth with the disciplines of daring in action in his life and the rest we read about it in human history This message this evening is especially appropriate for the new believer. Maybe you're a new believer tonight You need to hear this message In fact, you need to hear this entire series because ultimately it's on discipleship and being a follower of Jesus Listen new believer avoid at all cost what far too many Christians have fallen into the trap of and that is that they've Engaged themselves into a complacent Christian life those verses in Joshua here chapter 1 are the verses you and I need to advance in our Christian experience and there are a lot of people tonight that are Christians, but they're Stagnant in their development and it's not God's fault. It's our choosing if that's our case tonight It's a serious thing Noah Webster in his 1828 dictionary defines daring as this Having a sufficient enough of courage to meet a challenge to be fearless Adventurous to be brave stout of heart. I like that Audacious define heaven daring a courage that comes from the heavenly source Noah Webster says Daring see you and I think about daring in the sense of oh man. Look at that guy He's gonna do this or do that remember that ridiculous program. Please tell me it's not on anymore The fear factor where they ate those bugs and and and eat they ate pig guts and stuff like that on the show What kind of a lunatic would do something like that But it was all about I dare you man. Okay, come on. Just do this Will you do this for 50,000 bucks? Will you eat a moose nose for $50,000? No But people get all excited and what do you do this for all gets my adrenaline going You want to get your adrenaline going? Be a radical Christian That'll get your adrenaline going in a real way. Number one. Jot it down you guys Here we go. As we look into this the disciplines of daring number one is this daring the weaknesses in your life? Can you write that down? I want you to meet this head-on weaknesses the weaknesses in your life Dare them as it were daring the weaknesses in your life We are all listen plagued with certain internal struggles and weaknesses If you know somebody hear me out if you know somebody who when you look at them, it's oh, wow I wish I could be like them why they've got their act together. No, they probably have learned how to hide their weaknesses very well Ladies and gentlemen, if you don't know, let me be the first to tell you everybody's got internal weaknesses and Frailties everyone is plagued with a certain depth of struggle in their lives everybody most people View themselves in a very poor light Now I'm not here tonight to say well, you ought to have a lot of self-esteem. I think that is a losing direction I think you should understand what the Bible says about what God says about you and when you do you will not be based on a self-esteem Evaluation which oscillates from Monday to Tuesday You will realize no matter how you feel or how you think you look God loves me The Bible says so Jesus died on the cross for me. I'm valuable to God and because that's true I'm gonna live my life for God and you get up and you move that way, but the moment you'd you Start to chant to yourself. I'm special. I'm someone important. I'm nice. I'm a good listen This is the big deal in the world today. You gotta understand something You will only do that for as long as you feel good about doing it and when the war or when the storm or when? The wave hits all that little positive talk goes right out the door because you're saying it to yourself in your own ears and you ain't Got no power, but God says listen stand up be of good courage. I'm with you I'll never leave you or forsake you wherever you go I'm gonna be with you and when you understand that you will say Lord, I want to live a daring life for you It's an amazing way to live Philippians chapter 3 verse 3 Here we go. Paul says this for we are the Circumcision who worship God in the spirit rejoicing Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh He's not talking about physical circumcision Look at the screen. He's talking about spiritual circumcision of the heart Though also I might have confidence in the flesh if anyone else thinks he may check this out Listen to what he says Circumcised on the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of the Hebrews concerning the law a Pharisee verse 6 concerning zeal Persecuting the church concerning the righteousness which is in the law blameless. Ladies and gentlemen, we can't say that Paul the Apostle before he met Jesus. This was his evaluation of himself and He's probably pretty accurate Verse 7 but what things were gained to me these I've counted loss for Christ yet Indeed, I also count all things lost for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things So all that stuff was evaporated when he met Jesus why because it was of the flesh and count them as rubbish That I may gain Christ and be found in him not having my own righteousness which is from the law But that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which is from God by faith verse 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection Listen to this and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death Paul is saying you know what I have found out I have been the most righteous guy in the block I was the most holy guy in the synagogue nobody thought Anything other than of me of absolute. I want to be like Saul or Paul Look at him he's the fair rep boy. Look at him. He was it and Paul said all of that stuff translated to nothing the moment I met Jesus and Then he found his strength in Christ so much so that he was so strong in Jesus that he said, you know what? I want to know the power of his resurrection and we could all say amen. Yes Lord I want to know that part of the resurrection and the very next statement. He says and the fellowship of his sufferings What? Paul found the secret That to be daring for Jesus You can't love your life Here's the trick the world tells us in our flesh tells us love your life. Love it. Take care of it First of all, we automatically love our lives We automatically do We are the first ones we think about We're the first ones we feed. We're the first ones to get a drink for ourselves We naturally love ourselves pulses. Here's the key Jesus said it that he said listen, do you want to give up your life? You'll find it We naturally love ourselves The key is Lord you love listen, you love me more than I could ever take care of me so Lord, I relinquish my life to you and That is a form of surrender that is unlike anything you've ever experienced in life because that Type of surrender causes you to come to the front of the line as a word say Lord I surrender and the Lord says, okay great then stand up and let's go. It's an awesome way to live in 2nd Corinthians 12 8 the Bible says concerning this thing Paul was attacked and sick by Physical ailments as well as spiritual demonic attack. He says concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me Here's the Apostle praying to God to have his sickness removed from him And he said to me my grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities Church, listen to that that the power of Christ may rest upon me therefore I take pleasure in my infirmities or weaknesses in my reproaches in my needs and my persecutions and Distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak then I am strong. This is a secret to Christianity How can we be daring in this life by being reckless and how can we be reckless for Jesus? Because we need to understand no matter listen, no matter how weak we are those weaknesses literally become the platforms of our victories You guys this is contrary to everything that you and I have been fed in the natural world. Oh I could never do that. God says Awesome, then that's what we're gonna do. That's how God gets the glory Daring the weaknesses in your life number one jot it down. It's this way daring to go on with Jesus tonight New Christian you say I'm gonna go on with Jesus. I am NOT gonna look back Jesus said no man putting his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. We don't plow anymore but some of us mow our lawns and if you're mowing your lawn and If you look back you're gonna go off the course with your lawnmower or if you're a Sailor tonight or whatever you do you if you're setting on the course and you're looking at it and you look to the left or The right especially behind you in fact, you can be driving your car Don't ever do this if you're driving your car and you look too far to the left or too far to the right guess what? Happens to your steering wheel Did you know that you change lanes? You're you'll naturally turn Pressing on going with Christ Colossians chapter 1 verse 9 says for this reason we also since the day we heard of it Paul said Do not cease to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will. Oh man in all wisdom and spiritual Understanding in one sentence. He just made a statement that could fill up the rest of our lives that you may walk worthy of the Lord fully pleasing him being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God strengthen with all might according to his glorious power for all patience among suffering with joy giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in the light man could Paul talk or what no wonder why they study his words in law school book of Romans guys genius touched by God amazing 1st Corinthians chapter 2 verse 9 as it is written I has not seen nor ear heard nor is it entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him yes but God has revealed them to us through his spirit for the Spirit searches all things yes the deep things of God I want to encourage you Christian press on to Jesus this world is crazy our nation is abandoning us our state it's broke the dollars going down what are we gonna do are you kidding what are we gonna do we're gonna do what we've been told to do follow Jesus is it amazing God's not up in heaven counting his dollars to see how he's doing up there are you kidding he uses gold to pave the streets up there you guys is gonna be great for us keep your eyes on Jesus listen it's easy to start it's another thing to finish but if we keep our eyes on him we're gonna make it all the way through keep your eyes on him that's why we need one another I'm serious I wish I could just you know how they go out in the ocean you know National Geographic and they take sharks and stuff they take them put a tracker on them I wish we could do that right here tag all the believers and make sure all the believers are swimming together right what I mean by that is man we fellowship with each other friendships with each other I know this church is big but it doesn't have to be big and don't tell me it's too big it's just too big hey listen I went to one of the biggest churches in America and if you began look just you guys right here you guys in this area you start to get I know you sit in the same place every week you guys start getting one another's names see but he's looking at us right in our group oh my gosh if you guys start getting each other's names over here okay and say hey you guys want to go out to dinner next week you guys want to go out to dinner before service and what that's how it happens don't tell me it doesn't happen that's what happened at least and I had Calvary Costa Mesa back in those days there's 28,000 people going to that church and you know what it felt like a little church because every Friday night we had people over at our house and we played Bible trivia for hours it was brand-new nobody had ever heard such a game like that was brand-new it was fun it was great fellowshipping together and then stuff happens after that it's great John Jesus said in John 14 verse 12 I tell you the truth anyone who has faith in me will do what I have done he will do even greater things than these because I'm going to the father that is a radical verse is that not amazing daring verse is it not John 14 12 Jesus says you know what you're going to be able to do the same things that I do and even greater things you say Jack that's crazy how can we do greater things than Jesus listen are you ready for this the reference of you'll do greater things than me Jesus said because I go to the father guess what it's the power of the Holy Spirit that takes the Christian who shares the gospel with another person and that person makes a decision for Jesus that's an evangelistic outreach go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel is the Commission that was given to every one of us who named the name of Jesus what greater work do we get to do that Jesus didn't do Jesus said go into all the world and preach the gospel that's what we get to do that he didn't do is that amazing I think that's amazing and you guys know if you've been around this church we invented a statement at this church years ago we really did that in this church you are either a sender or you're a goer you either help people go spread the word or you help the radio program go to the ends of the earth or whatever or you go yourself it's a wonderful thing but you got to go and go with Jesus I hope tonight as you live a daring life for Jesus that you live a life that's bigger than you are I want you to have a Christianity that's bigger than you are you need to have a ministry that's bigger than you you guys this is key see jewel Jack I've only been a Christian for a few weeks you want to have a ministry that's bigger than you in a few weeks you've only been a Christian for a few weeks that's perfect we need you for the parking lot ministry to guide cars like this hey look brand-new Christian put on a smile you don't have to tell a new Christian by the way to smile have you noticed that it's the old crusty Christians you have to say smile will ya the new Christians like yeah park your car there buddy I mean they're all pumped up they're forgiven they're excited the Bible's jumping out of them they're like listen you've been safe for two weeks we need you we need you we need your excitement for Jesus it's amazing it's awesome your ministry your Christianity the life that you're living needs to be bigger than you that's the wonderful thing about Christianity it should be terrifying get up in the morning Lord what are we gonna do today I mean I know I'm going from here to work but what's gonna happen between here and there and then once I get there the whole another thing happens Oh the Christian life it's got to be bigger than us if your Christianity is just so predictable something's wrong go with Jesus also this daring to see the new you the new you in Christ 2nd Corinthians 517 we all know this verse but do we believe it listen therefore if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation all things have passed away ladies and gentlemen is that not in the Bible all things have passed away well you know and I used to be a hooker all things have passed away you know what I used to be a bank robber all things are passed away he goes on all things have become new what an amazing thing I mean your friends call you up hey I heard you're a Christian now that's right well whatever come on we're gonna go to Joe's Bar and Grill and do this or that I'm not gonna do that anymore why I heard on Wednesday night that I'm a new creation in Christ all things have passed away all things become now your friends you'll hear you gotta stand in the truth of God take a stand who are you now in Jesus think about that right now right now right now God has got an opinion of you right now I bought recently a quote book from it was like the Z gallery store it's not a Christian book it's a quote book though it's hilarious and in the quote book for example Winston Churchill says if you're going through hell right now don't stop just keep on going isn't it great well then don't stop keep going do you get on the other side and the Queen of England Queen Elizabeth said she said it doesn't matter what the people think about me I am the Queen what matters is what I think about them hilarious well listen what does God think about you does God right now look over a cloud and say Jack you crazy new creation in Christ you yeah we've been recreated in Jesus Ephesians 2 10 says this that we are now his workmanship I like that I'm not my own workmanship I don't work my way into heaven he saved me now that he saved me I want to do good works but it doesn't give it a heaven for we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them how cool is that daring to see the new you it's amazing so I have this question what do you see in your life for the next five years or ten years as a Christian think about it where do you see your Christianity in you in the next five years well I had a bank ask when we were starting to build this place the bank comes the interview okay well all right let me ask you these questions give life insurance where do you see that where do you see yourself in 20 years are you serious in 20 years I'm a Christian I see myself getting raptured and up in heaven any minute now well you know the bank doesn't want to hear that oh yeah baby we want to borrow your money and then rapture out of here I know some of you Christians have adopted as a financial operation but you shouldn't do that but where do you see your life for example watch this on a large scale on a large scale regarding the church body wise there's the massive need as you know to develop or to finish off the East Wing building for the children's ministry where do you see yourself now regarding the participation of that okay look at this on a lesser scale there's the ministry that's going on right here we have all kinds of things here in the front seat pocket there in front of you of how you can get involved why you guys it's gonna get done with or without you honestly come on God will find somebody to take care of the stuff these things are provided for your spiritual development they really are these things are for you to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus no he's trying to get us to sign up for something just sit there just sit there and rot away you'll just sit there and you'll get glued to your seat someone will step in aren't you terrified of someone taking a task that God wanted you to do and then you stand for God on the end you go man I didn't get anything done and he said well I tried to get stuff done you weren't listening and man I don't want to do that I'd rather get an A for trying and getting in trouble than an F for just sitting around see I didn't know what to do I hope that I stand before God and the Lord says you know what Jack you just did this you did I didn't tell you to do that but you know what you messed a lot of stuff up but I gotta tell you I'll give you an A for trying at least you didn't sit around come on it's the only way to live be daring for him ask the Lord to fill you with his Holy Spirit and then take off hey you know what I don't know if you know this or not but down here on this there's a plaque right here and beneath me there's 24 Bibles in the foundation of this church but it says right here beneath my feet no then if you are certain of your calling this goes to every guest speaker by the way they just they know they're gonna stand on this thing it says a lot of stuff up here but if you have shown yourself approved unto God and if you have prayed yourself ready then now let yourself go and then it says in 1st Corinthians 311 for no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid which is Christ Jesus okay so if this is true it's terrifying stomach churning mouth all dry that's what God moves in so God I can't do this he said that's right you can't I'll just do it for you and with you and through you you guys that's the way to live is so cool it is so great to live like that just know this that the new you and Jesus Christ is created to serve and you'll never be happy as a believer until you're actually serving someone Bob Dylan said he got to serve somebody remember that it might be the devil he said it might be the low but you gotta save somebody he's right yell serve somebody it might be the devil it might be the Lord but we were created to serve somebody and as Christians as believers we were created to serve the Lord so if you're new Christian tonight or if you want to go on seriously with your walk with Jesus mark this stuff down daring also the weaknesses in your life daring not to be like most quickly Daniel 1132 is an awesome verse Daniel 1136 1132 says the people who know their God shall be strong and carry out great exploits Wow that's Daniel 1132 know that verse God wants you to carry out great exploits to the person tonight that is saying I can't you're the one who he wants to do the greatest exploits with it's the person tonight that said I can do that I can do that I can do that come on watch out because the temptation for you to take the glory is big as the church was growing in the New Testament and influencing the world around it listen to this acts 17 verse 6 as they were persecuting the unbelieving world was persecuting the church it says that they dragged Jason and some brethren to the rulers of the city and they cried out saying these who have turned the world upside down have now come here would that be great if people in the community as church lets out oh no oh no Calvary is letting out and the doors open up and those who have turned the world upside down have now come to our town wouldn't that be amazing if devils drove by and their little cars and the spirit they had to roll up their windows when they drove by because they couldn't stand the worship can you imagine can you imagine if you guys just decided to pray and be daring for God and say Lord give us America give us the lost or else we die if we prayed like that can you imagine the demonic realm which is shutter and think of the heavenly host the angels yeah now we're talking imagine it's always done with a few people too so God gets the glory if you're a mom be a spirit-filled mom you know what if you're a teacher be a spirit-filled teacher daring not to be like most don't be like the crowd be a radical mom for Jesus be a radical teacher for Jesus are you a contractor be a radical spirit-filled contractor for Jesus or a gardener or whatever your calling is it's pretty much impossible to be a lame-duck Christian when the Bible says things like this first Corinthians 1031 says whether you eat or drink or whatever you do do it all to the glory of God can you imagine I'm so excited my kids we just got tickets today to the opening game at Anaheim Stadium it's like I've never been to an opening game before I can tell you this right now the temptation to go there and say man and you wear red you know angel colors and you're doing all this stuff and you know what we do that stuff in the world and you know what we thank God for that we thank God for the freedom we thank God for the opportunity but do we get that excited about spiritual things can you imagine point number two the disciplines of daring daring the opportunities in your life daring them opportunities you might want to put the word challenges dare them what's going on in your life mark it down what is the big challenge tonight in your life what is worrying you what is worrying me write it down this thing is worrying me this thing is my challenge it's actually an opportunity because you're a Christian remember Joshua they were going to battle against animal like forces you guys the people that they were crossing over into Canaan to fight were brutal beasts pagan worshipping eating kids sacrificing their babies bizarre sexual activities so how do you know because their archaeological evidence has proved it so unbelievable barbarism and here's the Jews on the other side and God says cross over cross over there's a river right there God says okay Joshua get the priest up front did you see how the the youth worship group was with you tonight they came on out here you know back backstage before service began we were praying and praying for them asking God to anoint them because you know what when they were coming out here they were like the priest and Joshua's day getting right to the edge of the river and the priest the worshippers put their foot in the water and then the Jordan River began to part all the way up the water went all the way back up to Adam north up river from the Jordan and the children of Israel crossed over on dry ground over to Gilgal in Jericho how did that happen worshippers they went first no you send your army you send your engineering corps first to build a Britain oh no not with God you send the worshippers out first and they go out there and they're doing their thing and they're praising the Lord in the water goes now what would happen if you imagine all right you guys we're gonna do this first of all God tells Joshua then Joshua turns and tells the people God is into divinely appointed authority Joshua says this is what we're gonna do can you imagine okay and the first guy can you imagine I hope this works think about it think about you being there there was over 2 million people somebody in that group had to be thinking a man I hope this I hope he knows what he's doing and the Bible says that they just got their feet in the brim of the water it says and then it began to part you guys that's daring that's daring it'll never work step out there watch what happens numbers 1333 here's another amazing thing it's all about Joshua too because remember Joshua and Caleb remember they were the twelve spies went out to spy out the land under Moses command twelve of them came back remember what happened ten of them had it as LA Times kind of report all negative numbers 1333 says regarding their words the ten said no we saw the Giants the descendants of Anak came from the Giants and we were like grasshoppers in our notice this we were like grasshoppers in our own sight we're gonna die that's encouraging and so we were in this and in their sight what they were thinking the bad guys but watch how fear spreads chapter 14 verse 1 so all the congregation when they heard that lifted up their voices and cried and the people wept that night can you now watch numbers 14 verse 6 but Joshua the son of noon and Caleb the son of Jephuniel who were among those who had spied out the land tore their clothes these two guys they ripped their clothes that is a Hebrew expression of absolute grief and they spoke to all the congregation of Israel saying the land we passed through to spy out as an exceedingly good land it's beautiful remember the grapes they brought back and all the food if the Lord delights in us then he will bring us into this land and give it to us a land which flows with milk and honey only do not rebel against the Lord nor fear the people of the land for they are our bread their protection has departed from them and the Lord is with us do not fear that is general Joshua talking and we need that kind of leadership today in the church the church is scared timid the ACLU goes boo and the church runs in the corner now listen I'm gonna be very very direct right now what in the world are we doing we think it's Christian to suck our thumb and hide in the corner see what are you suggesting stand up for your rights as a believer I don't care what country you're listening in right now on well you guys in America you've got a Constitution well we had one until a few ago but anyway doesn't matter if we have one or not we're Christians and we need to stand for what is right if we are not going to have any statesmen in America you be a statesman I'll be a statesman our state though that you and I support and stand behind is the kingdom of heaven that's the difference and so when the needy are in need what do we do we're gonna call the government to feed the needy the church that feed the needy is somebody perpetrating an injustice of someone listen we need to be the ones that keep civility in our culture it's a serious thing these are tremendous opportunities not dangerous challenges oh there's Giants in the land that's right but God already said go so what does that mean Giants in the land but God said go well that means God's gonna deal with the Giants what else can it mean God's either true or he's not true he has proven himself true daring to love him how about that one daring the opportunities in your life how about this daring to love him Deuteronomy 6 verse forces hero Israel the Lord our God the Lord is one you shall love the Lord I this is great you shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart with all of your soul and with all of your strength by the way any relationship that you're involved in you want that person and that person wants you to love them with all of your heart with all of your mind with all of your strength God's a person you say well why should I love him well seems like a normal question until you stop and think about all the things he gives you for one thing it's I'm grateful look beyond what he gives you Lord if you've given me this things then what does that speak about your nature what kind of a God are you you're benevolent you're patient you're kind you're loving Jeremiah 31 3 says the Lord has appeared to me of old saying yes I have loved you with an everlasting love this is the God of the Bible I've loved you with an everlasting love therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn you God wants you with him isn't that great John 15 10 Jesus said if you keep my commandments you will abide in my love just as I keep my father's commandments and abide in his love that's great if you keep my commandments you'll enjoy me it doesn't mean he stops loving you if you disobey his commandments but you're silly to disobey them because you're gonna get hurt can you imagine a police officer saying look I'm here to catch the bad guys so I'm here to protect you unless you're a bad guy so here's what I want you to do I want you to go down that freeway at 65 miles an hour whatever it is you do fine and stay in your lane okay but put your blinker on you know 100 feet or 200 feet before you cross over and you be safe those rules keep you alive and they're good you don't listen that no I'm gonna tell me what to do then that guy's gonna come after you and he's doing his job but with God he loves you even when you're rebelling he won't give you a ticket he'll just spank you and say no stay on the road you're gonna get yourself hurt Jesus says if you love me keep my commandments it's gonna go good with you thou shalt you Christians thou shalt not thou shalt not thou shalt not every one of those thou shalt not notice if you obey those thou shalt nots you won't get hurt you you won't get in trouble you imagine having a kid hey junior look at you gosh you're nine years old now that great I tell you what you can do anything you want you're nine years old you would never do that you would do that to your neighbor's kid but never your own kid you love your kid you would never tell your kid that they get hurts daring to obey him mark that one down daring to obey him and here's the million-dollar bit of advice don't miss it daring to obey him be very careful Christian to walk through the door that Jesus opens for you in life it's easier that way when God opens the door versus you running ahead listen daring to obey him for you tonight to say I'm gonna obey God over my emotions over over what everything is going on I'm gonna obey God when God opens a door go through it what do you mean you'd be surprised how important that is to your life right here right now are you asking God to show you something or to do something in your life right now when he opens the door and I wrote down a few things these are three things that I have heard said or people have said to somebody else but I felt like the Lord might have said that to me so I did this thing I felt like the Lord said if God opens the door walk through it if man opens the door get away from it I've heard this but I thought it would be the right thing to do did God open the door well I thought it'd be the right thing to do get away from it I watched a friend of mine get his life ruined because he said but all my friends told me that I should be a pastor and that's why I went out and did that almost lost his family almost lost everything his friends told him he should go be a pastor so that's how you become a pastor your friends tell you see Jack what are you saying this is what I'm saying mark it down in Revelation 3 7 Jesus said to the angel the church at Philadelphia write these things says he who is holy he was true and he was the key of David he who opens and no one shuts and shuts and no one's hope no one opens God opens the door to the direction of life for you just find out what God is saying obey him it's an awesome way to live a lot of people have ambition and think that it's a spiritual calling let God lead you and guide you what excites you what gets you pumped up what's going on Lord is that from you if it's from you open the door don't go around and try to unlock doors let God open the door it's crazy it's amazing God will bring things if you're open to obey him God will bring are you listening you guys God will bring things into your life that you will have to step back and be in shock about there's things going on regarding this church right now that I can't tell you about yet I can't wait I want I can't wait to tell you it's amazing ministry opportunities that nobody on the planet could have arranged it came to us pastor Jack yes want to meet you all right this is what we've been doing for the last 60 years and we want to make sure that Calvary Chapel Chino Hills is the one that inherits this particular ministry and carries it on to the next generation you sure I'll pray about it and I'm right now I'm in that I'm in that zone now praying about I got to get back to them in a couple weeks I think it is it's over the top it's to the ends of the earth it's beyond anything we've ever thought I'm getting goosebumps talking about it it's a God thing why he opened the door unbelievable stay tuned daring to trust him love him obey him trust him do we really trust God honestly you're not gonna like what I'm gonna say because I'm not gonna like what I'm gonna say you know like when things are really tough and it's really challenging you and because it's tough you think God can't be in this and yet he is he's trying to make your life a daring life for him Jack you know what I got this class project and they we can't have we can't say anything about Jesus in there else where he get enough call your attorney tonight or tomorrow and tell him you're gonna say Jesus in your project like what is the true meaning of Easter tell them the resurrection okay well I'm gonna get enough get enough just make sure you call your attorney and CBS News and all that kind of stuff and have them record it what what's your option well things are really rough with my wife yeah guess what it's time to trust him God last Sunday a guy said can I get a divorce well I guess you can just go down to the store and buy one or however you do it but is that what God wants you to do God want your marriage to work first well my wife's a loser when when men say my wife's a loser you know you know to read between the lines if she is a loser who made her the loser did you think she was a loser when you married her what are you marrying losers for I didn't marry a loser the story's bigger than what you hear it's best to trust God for him for her for your kids seriously point number three I have 30 seconds to do this daring the future daring the future for your life very quickly during the future for your life you guys guess what listen to me very quickly the future's coming if you like it or not tomorrow's gonna be here what do we do literally where are you going I have to be in Indiana tomorrow so I know this the future's happening okay I know what I'm supposed to do when I get there I know what I'm supposed to do on the plane while I'm getting there the future's come the future's coming I thought the rapture was happening the future's coming I'll be back with you on on Sunday you won't even know I'm gone where are you going what are you doing your future's coming it starts tonight starts tomorrow morning daring about what's coming next in your life church the Bible tells us that God knows our lives and he says all things work together for good to those who love the Lord who are called according to his purposes be bold in that also daring about his return he's coming back he said he's coming back Matthew 24 44 says therefore Jesus said therefore you also be ready that's a precondition for the Son of Man is coming that's a warning in an hour that you do not expect that's imminent Christ could come back tonight doesn't have to do anything all the stuff that you're thinking about he has to do before he comes back is all tribulation stuff regarding the second coming the rapture could happen tonight 1st Corinthians 1550 now this I say brethren that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God oh is that a problem nor does corruption inherit incorruption is that a problem verse 51 behold I tell you a mystery we shall not all sleep or die but we shall be changed in a moment in a twinkle of an eye at the last trumpet for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we shall be changed the last trumpet deals with the church the first trumpet deals with the nation Israel there's two trumpets there's a lot of trumpets in the Bible but these particular trumpets one deals with Israel this last one deals with the church by the way you and I are living at a time right now for the first time in human history where Israel is a nation and the church exists on earth on the same time that's how close his coming could be at any moment 1st Thessalonians 413 to 18 the Bible tells us I do not want you to be ignorant brethren of this thing for those concerning those who have fallen asleep in Jesus he goes on to say that the Lord himself will come with the shout with the voice of the archangel the trumpet of God the dead in Christ will rise first then we who are alive remain shall be caught up to meet them in the air that could happen tonight that could happen tonight are you ready to meet him and then finally this daring about the outcome this is fun I don't care if we're over time or not did you got to hear this this is the last moment what's this daring the future for your life is this daring about the outcome keep heaven in your focus watch this Noah was daring about the outcome Noah built a mark how long did it take him anybody remember 120 years can you imagine hey are you an idiot or what what are you building it hadn't rained prior to that where's he taking this thing no you're nuts no one knew what God wanted and he was firm about the outcome Abraham was daring about the outcome he obeyed God Moses was daring about the outcome he told the Pharaoh I don't want your job David was daring about the outcome David said I know that someday I'm gonna dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life that was a trick that was an eternal statement forever Daniel was daring about the outcome the king of the world and Daniel walks up there and says oh yeah listen to this lions thrown in the den Daniel said well you know God if I die it comes to you if not you got work for me to do these lions are just gonna sit there they went to sleep Joshua was daring about the outcome Rahab was daring about the outcome Paul was daring about the outcome was he not Paul said in 2nd Thessalonians 2nd Timothy chapter 4 near the end of the verse near the end of the chapter it's his last writing he's gonna die he says you know what what is laid up for me is a crown of righteousness with the Lord himself will give me a crown of righteousness excuse me Paul hello you're in Rome they're gonna cut your head off Paul says that's what I'm talking about there's a crown laid up for me that the Lord's gonna give me did you see that he didn't see his head cut off in eternity he's talking about getting a crown and Rome sharpening the blade to cut off his head what is done in the physical listen didn't take Paul's head away in the spiritual the Apostles were daring about the outcome Christians tonight we need to be daring about the outcome we are going to heaven father we come to you tonight and Lord God we pray right now we're ready to go right now to heaven but father we pray in Jesus name that by the power of your Holy Spirit Lord God that you would so equip us there's enough people in this Wednesday night service to change the world right side up right here if 12 people 2,000 years ago could bring the gospel to Chino Hills then this gathering of people can take the gospel to the ends of the earth in a moment's time heavenly father in Jesus name I pray that you all of us church while I'm praying will you lift your hands please just lift your hands up to the Lord I'm gonna pray for you Lord I pray now in Jesus name that you would come upon these precious people your lambs and Lord that you'd fill them with your Holy Spirit that you'd anoint them and baptize them in your spirit father we pray now we thank you for that in Jesus name and all God's people said amen let's worship the Lord as we close together