WEBVTT 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:12.300 Thank you for listening to this message from 00:00:12.300 --> 00:00:31.980 Lifehouse Church. This is River. River was on 00:00:31.980 --> 00:00:34.359 piano, and she is gifted in various different 00:00:34.359 --> 00:00:36.939 areas, including painting. So I've asked her 00:00:36.939 --> 00:00:38.960 to do a little bit of an illustration while I'm 00:00:38.960 --> 00:00:42.070 preaching this morning. Thank you for praying 00:00:42.070 --> 00:00:44.710 over our students and our staff, those that are 00:00:44.710 --> 00:00:47.210 going to camp this week, and even for those who 00:00:47.210 --> 00:00:49.270 have graduated. We're excited that we've gotten 00:00:49.270 --> 00:00:51.850 to get to know them, but then also that we get 00:00:51.850 --> 00:00:54.609 to stand together as a united body that gets 00:00:54.609 --> 00:00:57.390 to expect such great things for them. We know 00:00:57.390 --> 00:00:59.850 that God is working in their lives already, and 00:00:59.850 --> 00:01:01.950 that he's just going to continue to do so. And 00:01:01.950 --> 00:01:03.530 so we're really excited that we get to be a part 00:01:03.530 --> 00:01:06.269 of that, both those going off to school soon, 00:01:06.409 --> 00:01:10.260 but also for those going to camp this week. It's 00:01:10.260 --> 00:01:12.340 crazy that it's already this point in the year, 00:01:12.459 --> 00:01:14.640 but has anybody else kind of been like, that's 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:18.359 great, but where did the rest of June go? It 00:01:18.359 --> 00:01:22.319 has flown right by. And by this time in summer, 00:01:22.379 --> 00:01:24.359 usually it means we get to be outside, we get 00:01:24.359 --> 00:01:26.980 to enjoy the sunshine, all that warmth, which 00:01:26.980 --> 00:01:30.319 is super great, usually, except for the fact 00:01:30.319 --> 00:01:32.719 that this week it has been horrifyingly hot. 00:01:33.260 --> 00:01:36.159 And Ryan and I's house has actually been without 00:01:36.159 --> 00:01:41.579 AC since last Monday. Yeah. When Ryan and I first 00:01:41.579 --> 00:01:44.239 moved here from Bedford to Carlisle, there are 00:01:44.239 --> 00:01:46.799 some things that we were not prepared for but 00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:49.659 had to learn, such as, you know, what do you 00:01:49.659 --> 00:01:52.939 do or what is things that are worth the hassle 00:01:52.939 --> 00:01:55.159 when you're looking to buy a house? What do you 00:01:55.159 --> 00:01:58.319 do when your HVAC system is iced up? And where 00:01:58.319 --> 00:02:01.359 do you go when you're sweating in your basement? 00:02:02.120 --> 00:02:04.260 Those were all things that we had to answer by 00:02:04.260 --> 00:02:06.200 Monday. So you can only imagine how the rest 00:02:06.200 --> 00:02:09.819 of the week went. And I frequently joke that 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:13.159 while I am an adult, I am not a premium adult. 00:02:15.080 --> 00:02:17.960 So for any of the young adults that are in here 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:20.259 or even like the teenagers that are still in 00:02:20.259 --> 00:02:22.379 here, and if you're a kid that's still in here, 00:02:22.439 --> 00:02:24.659 listen to me when I say this. You don't know 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:27.919 everything. Don't give them attitude when they're 00:02:27.919 --> 00:02:29.840 trying to help you because someday you're going 00:02:29.840 --> 00:02:33.419 to wish that you had their advice. So there are 00:02:33.419 --> 00:02:36.780 some things that... We have had to learn that 00:02:36.780 --> 00:02:39.060 I wish we didn't have to deal with. But regardless, 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.159 we're so thankful for the people in our lives 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:43.639 that have given us hope. The ones who have shown 00:02:43.639 --> 00:02:45.719 us that we are not alone in the struggles that 00:02:45.719 --> 00:02:47.939 we've gone through. So Pastor Kip and Dixie, 00:02:47.960 --> 00:02:49.939 we are so thankful for you guys. You have been 00:02:49.939 --> 00:02:53.360 our wonderful oasis in the AC this week as we've 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:55.120 gotten to stay with you guys. And we're so thankful 00:02:55.120 --> 00:02:58.520 for that. If you would, please pray with me as 00:02:58.520 --> 00:03:01.169 we get into the morning message. Heavenly Father, 00:03:01.289 --> 00:03:03.469 God, we thank you for what you've already done 00:03:03.469 --> 00:03:05.289 this morning. God, we thank you that you are 00:03:05.289 --> 00:03:08.069 present with us. And we just are praying that 00:03:08.069 --> 00:03:10.569 this morning you allow us to be open to what 00:03:10.569 --> 00:03:13.050 you have. What you have prepared within me. Father, 00:03:13.210 --> 00:03:15.810 I pray that whatever is coming out of my mouth 00:03:15.810 --> 00:03:17.990 is not just things that are from my brain. But 00:03:17.990 --> 00:03:20.530 God, that I am just a vessel for your word. That 00:03:20.530 --> 00:03:23.750 you allow me to speak only what I am. called 00:03:23.750 --> 00:03:25.830 to speak this morning and that you allow anything 00:03:25.830 --> 00:03:29.210 that is maybe not in my notes to come out because 00:03:29.210 --> 00:03:32.349 it's something that you have designed or specifically 00:03:32.349 --> 00:03:34.569 called out for a moment for a person. Father, 00:03:34.650 --> 00:03:36.349 we know that you see each and every one of us 00:03:36.349 --> 00:03:38.009 individually, and we pray that you're with us 00:03:38.009 --> 00:03:41.229 this morning, guide our words, illuminate revelation 00:03:41.229 --> 00:03:43.629 through the scripture, and allow us to just receive 00:03:43.629 --> 00:03:45.750 from you. Father, we love you and we worship 00:03:45.750 --> 00:03:50.189 you. In Jesus' name, amen. So as I was saying... 00:03:50.490 --> 00:03:53.590 Everything is a learning moment. But some things 00:03:53.590 --> 00:03:55.969 that you learn are unfortunately learned the 00:03:55.969 --> 00:03:59.370 hard way. Has anybody ever heard, and you can 00:03:59.370 --> 00:04:01.969 raise your hands, this catchy little phrase called 00:04:01.969 --> 00:04:07.250 leaves of three, let them be. All right. Now, 00:04:07.389 --> 00:04:10.069 if you would, raise your hand if even though 00:04:10.069 --> 00:04:11.810 you've heard that phrase or maybe you didn't, 00:04:11.810 --> 00:04:14.909 you still managed to find yourself in a wonderful 00:04:14.909 --> 00:04:20.180 rash position from said poison. Yep, you're not 00:04:20.180 --> 00:04:23.060 alone there. Now that catchy little phrase, for 00:04:23.060 --> 00:04:25.439 those of you who don't know, is basically what 00:04:25.439 --> 00:04:29.000 people use to identify poison ivy or poison oak 00:04:29.000 --> 00:04:31.540 by its appearance. Basically it's three leaves 00:04:31.540 --> 00:04:34.819 attached to one stem. And yet, despite having 00:04:34.819 --> 00:04:37.160 been taught those various ways, there are many 00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:38.920 of you, if you didn't look around, there are 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:41.819 many of you who have still incurred that poison. 00:04:41.920 --> 00:04:45.370 And if you have not been... exposed to that poison. 00:04:45.449 --> 00:04:48.069 You're one of a much smaller percentage for a 00:04:48.069 --> 00:04:50.750 variety of different reasons. You possibly don't 00:04:50.750 --> 00:04:52.949 live anywhere near it and just don't go outside. 00:04:53.290 --> 00:04:56.470 You are not allergic to it, which is a very small 00:04:56.470 --> 00:04:59.870 percentage of people. Or even you actually listen 00:04:59.870 --> 00:05:02.209 to the advice and the warnings that people gave 00:05:02.209 --> 00:05:08.079 you. But sin much like poison, is tricky. People 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:10.779 have tried to teach you what right is and what 00:05:10.779 --> 00:05:13.240 wrong is, and then the first time that it happens, 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:14.720 you know, it's not great. You're experiencing 00:05:14.720 --> 00:05:16.399 all of those different symptoms that you've never 00:05:16.399 --> 00:05:20.019 experienced before. But if you choose to continually 00:05:20.019 --> 00:05:23.899 step into ignorance and just blatant disregard 00:05:23.899 --> 00:05:26.740 for what is right, what is wrong, then that's 00:05:26.740 --> 00:05:29.279 when you find that when you cave, you become 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:32.959 a slave, which also can be stated like this. 00:05:33.199 --> 00:05:37.029 Whatever you submit to, is what you commit to. 00:05:37.430 --> 00:05:39.790 I'll say that one again. Whatever you submit 00:05:39.790 --> 00:05:44.110 to, you commit to. If you want, you can turn 00:05:44.110 --> 00:05:46.769 with me to Romans chapter six. We're gonna be 00:05:46.769 --> 00:05:49.730 in there for the majority of the morning. So 00:05:49.730 --> 00:05:53.949 I'm in Romans chapter six, verse 15. I'm gonna 00:05:53.949 --> 00:05:58.490 pull it up on the screen there. Paul writes in 00:05:58.490 --> 00:06:01.089 Romans 6, starting in verse 15, says, well then, 00:06:01.230 --> 00:06:04.410 since God's grace has set us free from the law, 00:06:04.569 --> 00:06:07.670 does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course 00:06:07.670 --> 00:06:10.850 not. Don't you realize that you become the slave 00:06:10.850 --> 00:06:13.850 to whatever you choose to obey? You can be a 00:06:13.850 --> 00:06:16.790 slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can 00:06:16.790 --> 00:06:19.250 choose to obey God, which leads to righteous 00:06:19.250 --> 00:06:23.980 living. You see, every action, reaction, or even 00:06:23.980 --> 00:06:27.500 inaction is a choice we've made to see something 00:06:27.500 --> 00:06:30.399 and continue to watch it, to hear something and 00:06:30.399 --> 00:06:33.319 to choose to not interject, or even to eat something 00:06:33.319 --> 00:06:37.060 and to feel its effects. Whenever we make a choice, 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:40.899 we commit to it. Even if we take a bite and reject 00:06:40.899 --> 00:06:45.079 it immediately, you've already chosen to expose 00:06:45.079 --> 00:06:48.060 yourself to something. You've chosen what would... 00:06:48.430 --> 00:06:50.990 take up a part of your day. You've already given 00:06:50.990 --> 00:06:55.050 it a place in our history, even if we basically 00:06:55.050 --> 00:06:59.790 want to clear it away. Whatever it becomes, something 00:06:59.790 --> 00:07:03.290 that we choose is something that we commit to. 00:07:03.430 --> 00:07:06.189 So when it comes to sin and poison, then the 00:07:06.189 --> 00:07:08.990 next choice, the next step is what's crucial. 00:07:09.970 --> 00:07:12.870 In movies, if people are poisoned or they're 00:07:12.870 --> 00:07:17.149 in danger, what do they do? They what? They panic. 00:07:17.189 --> 00:07:19.790 Well, sure. But basically they look for an antidote 00:07:19.790 --> 00:07:24.149 or they possibly call for help. You know, basically 00:07:24.149 --> 00:07:26.209 they're like, somebody help me. I'm dying. I'm 00:07:26.209 --> 00:07:30.149 struggling. So then why in our personal lives 00:07:30.149 --> 00:07:32.550 when we're struggling with something, do we just 00:07:32.550 --> 00:07:35.170 want to kind of hide away in shame? We want nobody 00:07:35.170 --> 00:07:37.209 to know that we're struggling with something, 00:07:37.290 --> 00:07:41.449 that we're tangled in something. Because it's 00:07:41.449 --> 00:07:43.649 one thing to realize that we've been poisoned, 00:07:43.750 --> 00:07:47.850 but then another one to realize it and continue 00:07:47.850 --> 00:07:50.829 in our old ways, because that's when we discover 00:07:50.829 --> 00:07:53.689 that we've just been rolling in poison. And instead 00:07:53.689 --> 00:07:57.230 of learning from the effects of it, we get used 00:07:57.230 --> 00:08:02.250 to it. Who has ever watched God's Not Dead? Anybody? 00:08:02.810 --> 00:08:04.709 Yeah, it's a great movie series that I highly 00:08:04.709 --> 00:08:06.910 recommend if you've never seen it before. But 00:08:06.910 --> 00:08:09.509 there is a scene in there where there is an atheist 00:08:09.509 --> 00:08:12.550 son and he goes to visit his mother who has dementia. 00:08:13.329 --> 00:08:16.569 The son says, you have prayed and believed your 00:08:16.569 --> 00:08:19.389 whole life. Never done anything wrong. And here 00:08:19.389 --> 00:08:22.189 you are. You're the nicest person I know and 00:08:22.189 --> 00:08:25.250 I'm the meanest. You have dementia and my life 00:08:25.250 --> 00:08:29.360 is perfect. Explain that to me. Her reply. was 00:08:29.360 --> 00:08:32.759 sometimes the devil allows people to live a life 00:08:32.759 --> 00:08:35.320 free of trouble because he doesn't want them 00:08:35.320 --> 00:08:38.039 turning to God. Their sin is like a jail cell. 00:08:38.159 --> 00:08:40.740 It's all nice and comfy and there doesn't seem 00:08:40.740 --> 00:08:43.659 to be any reason to leave. The door is wide open 00:08:43.659 --> 00:08:46.919 until one day the time runs out, the cell door 00:08:46.919 --> 00:08:51.370 slams shut and suddenly it's too late. When I 00:08:51.370 --> 00:08:53.210 think of this scene, I picture somebody kind 00:08:53.210 --> 00:08:55.350 of laid out in a recliner. They've got a bag 00:08:55.350 --> 00:08:57.730 of potato chips on one hand and a TV remote on 00:08:57.730 --> 00:09:00.169 the other. Basically, you could say they're going 00:09:00.169 --> 00:09:04.070 nowhere fast. They are completely consumed with 00:09:04.070 --> 00:09:06.190 what they're doing and content with where they 00:09:06.190 --> 00:09:10.110 are. Likewise, if we find ourselves wrapped up 00:09:10.110 --> 00:09:13.330 in poison but continue to kind of ignore the 00:09:13.330 --> 00:09:15.289 symptoms, the things that we've been going through, 00:09:15.350 --> 00:09:17.629 the discomfort and the convictions that we feel, 00:09:18.250 --> 00:09:21.929 The voice of God can grow distant. But it's not 00:09:21.929 --> 00:09:25.909 because he is distant, but because we began to 00:09:25.909 --> 00:09:29.970 not listen. Have you ever felt like God was so 00:09:29.970 --> 00:09:32.690 distant in your time of need? Or maybe you actually 00:09:32.690 --> 00:09:35.009 managed to utter a prayer, but it felt like nobody 00:09:35.009 --> 00:09:38.549 was on the receiving end. I've been there too. 00:09:38.649 --> 00:09:42.169 I've struggled and I've cried. But the amazing 00:09:42.169 --> 00:09:46.090 thing. Is that even if we felt that he was distant, 00:09:46.230 --> 00:09:51.169 he was always making a way. It just may not look 00:09:51.169 --> 00:09:55.090 like what we expected. And despite our choices, 00:09:55.169 --> 00:09:59.230 God continues to plant exactly what we need near 00:09:59.230 --> 00:10:02.330 our mess. When there is poison, there is often 00:10:02.330 --> 00:10:06.629 a remedy growing close by. And that remedy points 00:10:06.629 --> 00:10:11.889 to the creator. You see, often growing near poison 00:10:11.889 --> 00:10:14.450 ivy is another plant sometimes called a touch 00:10:14.450 --> 00:10:17.330 -me -not. So we've got these two plants growing 00:10:17.330 --> 00:10:19.769 right next to each other in the same environment, 00:10:19.870 --> 00:10:22.110 one called poison and the other one specifically 00:10:22.110 --> 00:10:25.929 telling us not to touch it. And naturally, you 00:10:25.929 --> 00:10:28.169 may be wondering, okay, I thought she was talking 00:10:28.169 --> 00:10:30.970 about a remedy. Why is her message getting worse? 00:10:31.289 --> 00:10:34.009 And why would God create something like that? 00:10:34.669 --> 00:10:37.110 Well, here's the thing about these two plants. 00:10:38.809 --> 00:10:41.309 Poison ivy, it is what it says it is. If you're 00:10:41.309 --> 00:10:42.889 allergic to the oil in the plant, you're going 00:10:42.889 --> 00:10:46.230 to get a rash or worse. But this other plant 00:10:46.230 --> 00:10:48.590 is actually just called a touch -me -not because 00:10:48.590 --> 00:10:51.830 somewhere along the line, somebody decided to 00:10:51.830 --> 00:10:55.649 poke its seed pods and it exploded. The other 00:10:55.649 --> 00:10:58.549 name for this plant is called a jewelweed because 00:10:58.549 --> 00:11:01.250 it refers to the dew droplets that can glisten 00:11:01.250 --> 00:11:04.009 when on the leaves. So yeah, that is the picture 00:11:04.009 --> 00:11:06.330 of how closely these two plants can actually 00:11:06.330 --> 00:11:09.220 grow right next to each other. And so the interesting 00:11:09.220 --> 00:11:12.539 thing about jewelweed is it actually can function 00:11:12.539 --> 00:11:18.139 like a natural remedy to the poison, to the oils 00:11:18.139 --> 00:11:22.659 within the poison ivy. If you are exposed to 00:11:22.659 --> 00:11:25.200 the poison, the sap within the jewelweed can 00:11:25.200 --> 00:11:28.840 neutralize the attack so long as you apply it 00:11:28.840 --> 00:11:31.720 as soon as possible. I mean, it might help minimize 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:34.779 your symptoms. If you've already developed a 00:11:34.779 --> 00:11:36.759 rash, but it certainly is not something that 00:11:36.759 --> 00:11:39.220 we use to just throw caution to the wind and 00:11:39.220 --> 00:11:42.000 walk through a patch of poison ivy thinking that 00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.600 nothing could ever go wrong. Because this remedy 00:11:44.600 --> 00:11:47.559 is not necessarily a healing, but it's a start 00:11:47.559 --> 00:11:51.159 towards one. Jewelweed was designed to direct 00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:55.620 us, to point us in the direction of hope, of 00:11:55.620 --> 00:12:09.159 healing. himself. Romans 6 17 and 18 says thank 00:12:09.159 --> 00:12:13.659 God once you were slaves of sin but now you wholeheartedly 00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:16.480 obey this teaching we have given you. Now you 00:12:16.480 --> 00:12:19.220 are free from your slavery to sin and you have 00:12:19.220 --> 00:12:23.480 become slaves to righteous living. I also kind 00:12:23.480 --> 00:12:25.279 of like this version in the Amplified because 00:12:25.279 --> 00:12:29.269 at the end it says you have become obedient with 00:12:29.269 --> 00:12:31.169 all your heart to the standard of teaching in 00:12:31.169 --> 00:12:33.429 which you were instructed and to which you were 00:12:33.429 --> 00:12:36.330 committed. And so again, earlier I said, whatever 00:12:36.330 --> 00:12:40.149 you submit to is what you commit to. But we have 00:12:40.149 --> 00:12:43.850 to remember that mercy is not permission, but 00:12:43.850 --> 00:12:46.889 the grace of God is what empowers us to walk 00:12:46.889 --> 00:12:51.649 away from sin, not to remain in it. We are in 00:12:51.649 --> 00:12:55.419 fact saved by grace through faith. in Christ 00:12:55.419 --> 00:12:58.019 who has saved us. But if we choose sin again 00:12:58.019 --> 00:13:00.320 and again with the mindset that he'll just forgive 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.679 and forgive, we're missing a part. Yes, God's 00:13:04.679 --> 00:13:08.139 grace is sufficient. He is kind, he is loving, 00:13:08.200 --> 00:13:12.019 he is forgiving, but he's also seeking a repentant 00:13:12.019 --> 00:13:15.559 heart. He's seeking the one trying to turn from 00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:18.659 their current path of destruction and chaos and 00:13:18.659 --> 00:13:21.799 poison and seeking someone who is actually going 00:13:21.799 --> 00:13:26.639 to follow after him. He gives grace because he 00:13:26.639 --> 00:13:28.659 knows that we're not always going to get it right. 00:13:28.779 --> 00:13:31.740 He knows and he's going to heal us and he will 00:13:31.740 --> 00:13:34.639 protect us and he will provide things along the 00:13:34.639 --> 00:13:37.580 way to continually help us to seek after him. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:41.820 Scripture tells us that we were once dead. We 00:13:41.820 --> 00:13:46.379 were once entangled in sin with no hope. But 00:13:46.379 --> 00:13:50.659 God made a way. He gave us his son and he continues 00:13:50.659 --> 00:13:54.929 to give us grace and mercy when we sin. But we 00:13:54.929 --> 00:13:58.549 have to make the choice to live free and wiser. 00:13:59.450 --> 00:14:02.509 We no longer just have to chase down symptom 00:14:02.509 --> 00:14:05.210 after symptom because it cuts to the root of 00:14:05.210 --> 00:14:08.750 the issue. For the spirit of the living God does 00:14:08.750 --> 00:14:11.610 not just soothe wounds, but he breaks chains. 00:14:13.090 --> 00:14:16.889 The power that has set you free, the power that 00:14:16.889 --> 00:14:20.230 is within you in Christ Jesus is what can break 00:14:20.230 --> 00:14:23.570 you free from anything from depression to anxiety. 00:14:24.139 --> 00:14:26.899 He can take you from self -harm and suicidality. 00:14:26.899 --> 00:14:29.240 He can take you from fear and generational curses. 00:14:29.259 --> 00:14:34.259 He can do it. And so the question here is not, 00:14:34.419 --> 00:14:39.080 is it true? But okay, I believe that. So God, 00:14:39.139 --> 00:14:44.419 what can I do? If we truly believe that God takes 00:14:44.419 --> 00:14:46.720 us one step further, instead of just walking 00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:49.799 in our normal path, he sets us apart and sets 00:14:49.799 --> 00:14:56.019 us on a path for his glory. Romans 6, 19, kind 00:14:56.019 --> 00:14:58.379 of the latter half of it, it says, Previously 00:14:58.379 --> 00:15:00.940 you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and 00:15:00.940 --> 00:15:04.120 lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. 00:15:04.720 --> 00:15:07.740 And now you must give yourselves to be slaves 00:15:07.740 --> 00:15:10.460 to righteous living, so that you will become 00:15:10.460 --> 00:15:14.320 holy. Obviously this week we've got the 4th of 00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:16.940 July coming up. And most people around this time, 00:15:17.019 --> 00:15:18.960 they're attending freedom parades. And we're 00:15:18.960 --> 00:15:21.460 celebrating with fireworks. And it is a time 00:15:21.460 --> 00:15:24.899 that people often remember that freedom isn't 00:15:24.899 --> 00:15:28.019 free. And we know that we've got people serving 00:15:28.019 --> 00:15:32.019 our country daily. That people are dying on battlefields. 00:15:32.019 --> 00:15:34.039 That people are doing what they have been called 00:15:34.039 --> 00:15:37.190 to do. But we also have to remember that Jesus 00:15:37.190 --> 00:15:41.830 came for us. He came to pay that price, to die 00:15:41.830 --> 00:15:44.970 on the cross for us, bearing the weight of our 00:15:44.970 --> 00:15:49.470 sin and shame. And then he resurrected to claim 00:15:49.470 --> 00:15:53.529 his rightful victory over death. And we believe 00:15:53.529 --> 00:15:57.029 that he came to redeem us so that one day we 00:15:57.029 --> 00:16:00.659 could live an eternal life with him. free and 00:16:00.659 --> 00:16:03.580 in no pain and in peace and the comfort and the 00:16:03.580 --> 00:16:06.899 love that comes with his embrace. But until that 00:16:06.899 --> 00:16:10.580 day, we have a mission. He didn't just say, okay, 00:16:10.639 --> 00:16:13.019 you get to just live and go enjoy yourself and 00:16:13.019 --> 00:16:15.240 I'll see you later. It was no, while you're there, 00:16:15.419 --> 00:16:20.059 I have a mission for you. Do you remember that 00:16:20.059 --> 00:16:23.279 I told you that the jewel weed can also be affectionately 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:26.710 called the touch me not? The thing about those 00:16:26.710 --> 00:16:29.330 plants is that their scientific name is called 00:16:29.330 --> 00:16:32.730 impatiens capensens. Impatiens comes from that 00:16:32.730 --> 00:16:36.470 Latin word impatient. Basically because the members 00:16:36.470 --> 00:16:39.570 of this family group are impatient to disperse 00:16:39.570 --> 00:16:42.350 their seeds. At the slightest touch, this pod 00:16:42.350 --> 00:16:46.830 will just explode. The capsules can dramatically... 00:16:47.450 --> 00:16:50.269 go even as far as six feet away from where they 00:16:50.269 --> 00:16:51.850 were currently at, where they were currently 00:16:51.850 --> 00:16:54.389 planted. And to make it even more so, their seeds 00:16:54.389 --> 00:16:58.210 are buoyant, which means they float. So here's 00:16:58.210 --> 00:17:02.230 the point. In a world full of despair, bring 00:17:02.230 --> 00:17:06.250 hope. Many of us have been in patches of poison 00:17:06.250 --> 00:17:09.589 and we needed relief. Many of us have sat in 00:17:09.589 --> 00:17:13.190 the hot seat and needed a break. Many of us have 00:17:13.190 --> 00:17:15.970 endured the heat of the week and needed a C. 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:19.359 Many of us have been through fire and we needed 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:23.420 the fourth man. And all of us have been on our 00:17:23.420 --> 00:17:29.099 way to the heat of hell and needed saving. Romans 00:17:29.099 --> 00:17:32.400 5 .8 says that but God showed his great love 00:17:32.400 --> 00:17:35.400 for us by sending Christ to die for us while 00:17:35.400 --> 00:17:39.240 we were still sinners. And while we can't personally 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:43.119 save anybody in our own might, our testimonies 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:47.500 can bring hope. Instead of harming people, shaming 00:17:47.500 --> 00:17:49.619 people, or pulling people down because of the 00:17:49.619 --> 00:17:53.240 messes that they are in or have been in, things 00:17:53.240 --> 00:17:55.559 that are part of their history, we should be 00:17:55.559 --> 00:17:58.039 taking everything and pointing it towards Jesus. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:03.559 Although we may be around trends and talks and 00:18:03.559 --> 00:18:06.619 all sorts of terrible things, every person that 00:18:06.619 --> 00:18:08.880 we meet, every action that we do is something 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:12.759 that should reflect and point straight to him. 00:18:15.009 --> 00:18:18.170 Because we are to be in this world and not of 00:18:18.170 --> 00:18:22.069 this world. Jesus pointed out those two greatest 00:18:22.069 --> 00:18:25.130 commandments were to love the Lord your God with 00:18:25.130 --> 00:18:27.250 all your heart, with all your soul, and with 00:18:27.250 --> 00:18:31.190 all your mind. And then to love others, to love 00:18:31.190 --> 00:18:36.990 your neighbor as yourself. 1 John 2, 3 -6 says, 00:18:37.049 --> 00:18:40.410 we know that we have come to know him if we keep 00:18:40.410 --> 00:18:43.910 his commands. Whoever says, I know him, but does 00:18:43.910 --> 00:18:47.190 not do what he commands is a liar. And the truth 00:18:47.190 --> 00:18:52.049 is not in that person. But if anyone obeys his 00:18:52.049 --> 00:18:55.910 word, love for God is made truly complete in 00:18:55.910 --> 00:18:58.950 them. This is how we know we are in him. Whoever 00:18:58.950 --> 00:19:03.829 claims to live in him must live as Jesus did. 00:19:04.650 --> 00:19:08.730 And what better way to love God and love people. 00:19:09.240 --> 00:19:11.700 than to tell them and to show them that there 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:15.099 is hope and freedom in the name of Jesus. Amen? 00:19:17.359 --> 00:19:20.559 So then just as the jewel weed plant propels 00:19:20.559 --> 00:19:23.559 its seeds far and wide, we should be spreading 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:27.599 seeds wherever we go. Because we never know just 00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:30.920 how far that seed will travel, and we don't know 00:19:30.920 --> 00:19:33.960 which ones are going to grow. It's not up to 00:19:33.960 --> 00:19:36.819 us to decide who needs the word of God and who 00:19:36.819 --> 00:19:39.150 does not. Because everybody needs the word. But 00:19:39.150 --> 00:19:42.109 it's not up to us to decide who we should tell 00:19:42.109 --> 00:19:45.490 or who needs it the most in this moment. Every 00:19:45.490 --> 00:19:48.269 single person that we need should be a seed that 00:19:48.269 --> 00:19:52.650 we plant of the gospel. We have that living seed 00:19:52.650 --> 00:19:55.529 inside of us. And so at the slightest touch, 00:19:55.690 --> 00:19:58.750 we should be ready to explode, to spit out the 00:19:58.750 --> 00:20:02.130 good news. To be a slave of righteousness means 00:20:02.130 --> 00:20:05.950 to take every action, every reaction, or even 00:20:05.950 --> 00:20:09.369 at times our choice of inaction and turn it to 00:20:09.369 --> 00:20:12.230 be glorifying to him. He called us to live in 00:20:12.230 --> 00:20:15.349 freedom. And sometimes people kind of turn their 00:20:15.349 --> 00:20:16.549 noses up at that. And they're like, well, this 00:20:16.549 --> 00:20:18.710 freedom doesn't feel very free. It feels like 00:20:18.710 --> 00:20:22.029 restrictions. Even though the restrictions are 00:20:22.029 --> 00:20:25.839 meant to be like protections. With the 4th of 00:20:25.839 --> 00:20:28.319 July coming up, think of children around fireworks. 00:20:28.460 --> 00:20:30.980 You don't want a child to just grab a firework 00:20:30.980 --> 00:20:35.420 and take off running, right? God is the same 00:20:35.420 --> 00:20:38.039 way. He doesn't want us to take hold of something 00:20:38.039 --> 00:20:40.839 that he knows is just going to explode and harm 00:20:40.839 --> 00:20:48.460 us. Romans 6 .22 says, but now you are free from 00:20:48.460 --> 00:20:51.400 the power of sin and have become slaves of God. 00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:53.940 Now you do those things that lead to holiness 00:20:53.940 --> 00:20:57.259 and result in eternal life. For the wages of 00:20:57.259 --> 00:21:00.039 sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:04.660 life through Christ Jesus our Lord. But as he 00:21:04.660 --> 00:21:07.299 gives us direction to stay away from things, 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:11.019 he's not just a God of no, he's a God of go. 00:21:11.839 --> 00:21:14.519 The Great Commission in Matthew 28 tells us that 00:21:14.519 --> 00:21:17.359 Jesus came to them and said, all authority in 00:21:17.359 --> 00:21:20.599 heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, 00:21:20.640 --> 00:21:24.680 go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing 00:21:24.680 --> 00:21:27.200 them in the name of the Father, the Son, and 00:21:27.200 --> 00:21:30.099 the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything 00:21:30.099 --> 00:21:33.640 I have commanded you. And surely I am with you 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:38.930 always until the very end of the age. And while 00:21:38.930 --> 00:21:41.049 the Great Commission says go make disciples of 00:21:41.049 --> 00:21:43.329 all nations, and you may look at me and say, 00:21:43.390 --> 00:21:45.369 well, I'm not going to be a missionary. I don't 00:21:45.369 --> 00:21:47.109 plan on leaving the United States. And that's 00:21:47.109 --> 00:21:50.029 fine. The thing about it is your mission field 00:21:50.029 --> 00:21:54.269 is all around you. Right here where you're planted 00:21:54.269 --> 00:21:57.509 or anywhere that you go, regardless of how long 00:21:57.509 --> 00:22:00.609 your season is. Again, that's not up to us to 00:22:00.609 --> 00:22:05.900 decide. So go make disciples. Go tell your friends 00:22:05.900 --> 00:22:08.880 and your families about God and tell them when 00:22:08.880 --> 00:22:10.740 they're making the wrong decisions and continue 00:22:10.740 --> 00:22:14.160 to guide them. Go pray for the waitress who just 00:22:14.160 --> 00:22:17.279 dropped a tray of glass and is concerned and 00:22:17.279 --> 00:22:20.960 worried for the rest of her job. Go pray for 00:22:20.960 --> 00:22:24.460 the quiet one sitting in the corner who doesn't 00:22:24.460 --> 00:22:26.240 even think that anybody cares that they're there. 00:22:27.759 --> 00:22:31.059 Go because we're called to do more than just 00:22:31.059 --> 00:22:34.779 to avoid sin, but to walk in the power and authority 00:22:34.779 --> 00:22:37.619 given to us by Christ Jesus and acknowledging 00:22:37.619 --> 00:22:40.119 that he declared that he would be with us until 00:22:40.119 --> 00:22:45.259 the very end of the age. Worship team, if you'd 00:22:45.259 --> 00:22:47.160 join me, and then also prayer team, if I could 00:22:47.160 --> 00:22:55.539 get you to come up front as well. No matter what 00:22:55.539 --> 00:23:01.109 has been. You are heard. Your prayers, our prayers 00:23:01.109 --> 00:23:04.289 are not just hitting a wall, but God is asking 00:23:04.289 --> 00:23:07.829 us to step out in faith. He's calling people 00:23:07.829 --> 00:23:11.049 to turn off the TV and walk out of their prison 00:23:11.049 --> 00:23:14.170 cells. He's telling people that we need to leave 00:23:14.170 --> 00:23:17.690 our seats. We need to step away from our old 00:23:17.690 --> 00:23:23.150 selves and into who he has called us to be. And 00:23:23.150 --> 00:23:26.589 even in the commission to go. We are reminded 00:23:26.589 --> 00:23:29.690 that we are not the savior and thank God for 00:23:29.690 --> 00:23:33.809 that. We are not the ones that have to save everybody. 00:23:33.869 --> 00:23:37.170 We just have to follow the one who did. We are 00:23:37.170 --> 00:23:40.269 an imperfect people trying to follow a perfect 00:23:40.269 --> 00:23:51.609 God. Thank you for tuning in to this message 00:23:51.609 --> 00:23:54.750 from Lifehouse Church. We pray that you were 00:23:54.750 --> 00:23:58.009 impacted powerfully by this message. If you have 00:23:58.009 --> 00:24:00.609 been personally affected by our ministry and 00:24:00.609 --> 00:24:02.910 you would like to partner with us as we love 00:24:02.910 --> 00:24:06.049 God, love people every day, visit our website 00:24:06.049 --> 00:24:10.650 at www .lifehousecog .com.