There are many influences in society today, and we need to guard our hearts like never before! Movies, literature, TV, Internet, the list is long of the many influences – For good and for bad. So does it matter what I watch? Every day we need to make choices. The ultimate question is: Who is sitting on your throne? The throne cannot be divided, we need to make a choice. 

IMPACT Copenhagen 2015

<p>There are many influences in society today, and we need to guard our hearts like never before! Movies, literature, TV, Internet, the list is long of the many influences – For good and for bad. So does it matter what I watch? Every day we need to make choices. The ultimate question is: Who is sitting on your throne? The throne cannot be divided, we need to make a choice. </p>

<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

Empower Missions

Christian Hjortland

An Undivided Throne

The topic of the lecture this morning is an undivided throne.

And I think that for some of you this could be challenging.

So let us let us pray together for a moment before we start.

Father in heaven I thank you for the opportunity to to serve you once again And I just pray that you may use me and that you may speak through me, that you may be present here, that you may speak to our hearts individually, because I know that we all have different things we struggle with and I know that you have a plan for each 1 here and pray that this message may be clear and that it may be a blessing to us all.

And this was wintertime, so it was a little bit slippery.

And he was driving too fast, so he was just, you know, sliding out of the road.

And right before the car was going toward the steep, He managed somehow to get out of his door.

But he was standing there, and all in shock.

And a trucker, he was behind him and he saw what was going on.

But another thing happened as he, you know, managed to get out, 1 of his arms was getting stuck somehow in the car, so he actually lost the arm.

And the trucker, he saw this and he was moaning for his BMW and he said, Sir, you have bigger problems than that and pointed at his, well, where his arm was supposed to be.

And he looked and then he started crying, my Rolex, my Rolex.

You know, the influence of this world can so easily take our focus and we have to ask ourselves, what are we living for?

Because some people, they're more worried about their things in this world than their own lives.

But so many times we can, I mean, I'm sure we can somehow relate to it, maybe more or less, But we live in a great controversy and there is a fight between good and evil?

And we read yesterday a verse, Revelation chapter 12, verse 17.

And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ." I said that, you know, more than ever before, the great controversy is directed toward us.

We are in the middle and God is trying to get our attention.

The devil is trying to get our attention and it's just a reality.

We need to know that the devil is trying as much as he can to just twist things, to counterfeit the truth and to put our focus, to make us focus on the wrong things.

But the ultimate question we have to ask ourselves is, who is sitting on your throne in your life?

We're gonna take a look at some important things here.

Jesus had just heard, Jesus had just heard the tragic news about his cousin, John the Baptist.

And at this time he traveled by boat, by himself, to a desert place to be by himself.

I mean, imagine Jesus was always, you know, people after him.

I mean, we have to realize that when he came to this earth, he took human flesh.

I mean, 1 like you and me that face temptations just as we.

I mean, that must have been exhausting for him all the time.

You know, people condemning him, people begging him.

And, you know, and now after this tragic news, he decided to go to a place by himself.

A multitude saw this somehow and they followed him.

When he came to the other side, quite soon, a multitude followed him.

And notice this, because we're going to compare a little bit the mind of Christ and the mind of the disciples.

In verse 14 it says that he was moved with compassion.

I mean he needed to be by himself, but still, as he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion.

I mean, he could have just said, please let me be alone for a moment.

I mean, I also need some rest, I need some space.

He was moving with compassion still because he saw them and how they were suffering.

And then it was getting late and you know the disciples had also come there and they were like, Jesus, it's getting late.

Just send the multitudes away so that they can eat.

And they were like, well, we only have, You know, we have 5 bread and 2 fishes here.

I mean, they're just, you know, trying to think rational, like probably you and me would do if we were asked the same thing.

Jesus took this food that they had and he multiplied it, of course, and gave everyone to eat.

And then, do you remember how much food was left over?

I think when Jesus did this, I think it gave a clear signal to the disciples that, you know, look, you have 1 basket enough for each even left over after all are full.

And bread is a symbol of Christ and also his word.

And I think that's a signal to them, look, I'm taking care of you, I'm even giving you more than you need.

So, then Jesus sent away the disciples by boat and come with me to verse 23 we're gonna read some verses here now verse 23 in Matthew 14 says and when he had sent the multitudes away he went up on a mountain by himself to pray now when evening came he was alone there finally he got some time alone and also I know that Jesus, he knew what was going to happen next.

Well, For instance, it says in the desire of ages that day by day the Father unfolded his plans, that is, Jesus' plans.

So should we depend upon God that our lives may be the simple outworking of his will?

So day by day the Father revealed to Jesus his plans.

So I think Jesus at least had a clue, you know, what was going to happen and what the plans God had for him.

Well, either way, we see, let's continue reading verse 24.

But The boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary.

So here a storm is coming, and Jesus said, just remind them, you know, look, I can meet your needs.

You know, and even in Mark, the same story, it says, and he saw them toiling and rowing.

He's a Jesus, He knows this, he knows what's going on.

But what is happening with the disciples?

Verse 25, it says, "'Now in the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went to them walking on the sea.'" Again, he sees, okay, someone needs me, I'm gonna help them.

Verse 26, "'And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, it is a ghost, and they cried out for fear.

Jesus is just trying to remind them of how he's gonna take care of their knees.

And then when they see someone walking on the water, to them, their first thought is, I must be a ghost.

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An Undivided Throne

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