1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,000 You can have all of me 2 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:08,000 Every single little piece 3 00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:14,000 You can have it all 4 00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,000 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 5 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,000 To get connected or to give online, 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:22,000 go to hcv.church or give.htv.church. 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:24,000 If at any point during this message 8 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,000 you feel called to make a change in your life, 9 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:30,000 text change me to 970-00. 10 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:32,000 Thank you and enjoy the message. 11 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 So listen, it is great to be back. 12 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Like I said, I was a little nervous about a 16 and a half hour flight, 13 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,000 and yes, I'm still nervous, okay. 14 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:45,000 It was probably one of the hardest things I ever did, 15 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:48,000 but we made it there and back. 16 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,000 And to kind of sum up our trip, 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:53,000 there's too much that happened in the course of a week 18 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,000 to do it on a Sunday morning. 19 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:58,000 So what we were planning in a few weeks, 20 00:00:58,000 --> 00:01:01,000 I'm going to schedule a Sunday late afternoon, 21 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:03,000 probably around four o'clock, 22 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:08,000 testimony and vision casting for our experiences in Africa. 23 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:11,000 So just kind of keep your ears open if you want to hear that. 24 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:13,000 We'll have a ton of pictures. 25 00:01:13,000 --> 00:01:15,000 We'll be sharing what God did in our lives, 26 00:01:15,000 --> 00:01:19,000 and we'll also be sharing the new vision that He put in our hearts, 27 00:01:19,000 --> 00:01:23,000 not just for Jess and I, but for our entire community of faith. 28 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:27,000 So as all of you know, last week Rudy kicked off our May series, 29 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,000 Move Your Body, Change Your Life. 30 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:35,000 And for some of you, you were thinking, why a health series? 31 00:01:35,000 --> 00:01:40,000 So I want to just simply remind you that our scripture focus for the year is Luke 2, 52, 32 00:01:40,000 --> 00:01:47,000 and it reads, Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, in favor with God, and in all the people. 33 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,000 He grew in wisdom, which is mental health. 34 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:55,000 And last month, you know that we discussed that for our April series. 35 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:58,000 He grew in stature, physical health. 36 00:01:58,000 --> 00:02:03,000 And that's what we're going to be discussing this morning in my talk, What the Health? 37 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,000 What the Health? 38 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,000 And let me just start by saying physical health is important. 39 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:11,000 It's very important. 40 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:17,000 And I just want to start by saying this is a judgment-free Sunday. 41 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:26,000 My purpose is not to condemn you about your diet or your exercise or where or what you ate last night for dinner 42 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:30,000 or where you happen to be going when this gathering is over. 43 00:02:30,000 --> 00:02:35,000 Thank goodness Golden Corral is now closed. 44 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:40,000 My goal is zero condemnation. 45 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:45,000 So everyone, just take a deep breath and breathe out. 46 00:02:45,000 --> 00:02:47,000 Just relax, okay? 47 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,000 It's not my goal at all to make you feel bad about yourself. 48 00:02:50,000 --> 00:03:02,000 My goal in this talk is to drive home one truth that I believe will inspire you to want to change your outlook on physical health and exercise. 49 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,000 And I believe it's something that God wants for all of us. 50 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:11,000 So let's open in prayer and allow our minds and our hearts to receive all God has for us. 51 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,000 Holy Spirit come. 52 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:25,000 God just erase from our minds any attitudes or negativity that we have towards exercise or physical health and open our hearts to receive your truth. 53 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:37,000 God let our outlook on this life be formed in your truth as we move forward God to continue to impact and change this community and the world. 54 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:39,000 In Jesus name, Amen. 55 00:03:39,000 --> 00:03:49,000 So our first thought this morning, see, Gnosticism teaches the spirit is important and the body doesn't matter. 56 00:03:49,000 --> 00:03:55,000 So the year is A.D. 90 and John the Apostle is writing a letter. 57 00:03:55,000 --> 00:04:03,000 This letter is now called Third John and he was writing to a Gaius, a leader in the local church, and it opens like this. 58 00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:05,000 Third John 1 verses 1 through 2. 59 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:08,000 This letter is from John the Elder. 60 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:21,000 I am writing to Gaius, my dear friend, whom I love in the truth, dear friend, I hope all is well with you and that you are healthy in body and you are strong in spirit. 61 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:28,000 So John writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit was praying that Gaius would be healthy in three areas. 62 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:39,000 His spirit, which is his connection to God, his soul, which is his mind and his emotions, and that he would be healthy in his physical body. 63 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,000 OK, why was John praying this prayer? 64 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:46,000 Why would he be praying for Gaius's physical health? 65 00:04:46,000 --> 00:04:48,000 Well, let's continue. 66 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:59,000 Verse three, some of the traveling teachers recently returned and made me very happy by telling me about your faithfulness and that you are living according to the truth. 67 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:06,000 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. 68 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:12,000 Now, when you are reading the Bible, OK, and that word truth is repeated several times. 69 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:18,000 John, again, he says faithful to the truth, living according to the truth, following the truth. 70 00:05:18,000 --> 00:05:26,000 John is trying to express to Gaius and you and I the importance of truth, the importance of truth. 71 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:36,000 In fact, John says it brought him great joy that they were faithful to the truth, that they were living in the truth, that they were following the truth. 72 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:44,000 And he makes these statements right after, right, right after that he was praying for their physical health. 73 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,000 So it's the first century A.D. 74 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:51,000 Jesus was born. He lived out his ministry and his calling. 75 00:05:51,000 --> 00:05:56,000 He died on a cross, was buried in a tomb and was resurrected on the third day. 76 00:05:56,000 --> 00:06:05,000 Right after his death, burial and resurrection, he visited with Peter and the apostles, along with five hundred of the brothers and sisters. 77 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:07,000 He was taken back to heaven. 78 00:06:07,000 --> 00:06:11,000 Right. The church is then born as it's filled with the spirit. 79 00:06:11,000 --> 00:06:19,000 Peter preaches and the church instantly grows by the thousands and it begins to explode all around the region. 80 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:26,000 Then enter into the narrative believers who thought they were smarter than the apostles. 81 00:06:26,000 --> 00:06:29,000 So they began to create their own doctrines. 82 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:34,000 And suddenly we have this cancer that's growing in the church. 83 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Remember that's exploding and the church is exploding. 84 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:44,000 But there's this cancer growing on the inside where a group of teachers are teaching a doctrine called Gnosticism. 85 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:52,000 OK. And Gnosticism was one of the most dangerous and heretical doctrines taught during the first three hundred years of the church. 86 00:06:52,000 --> 00:07:00,000 Gnosticism teaches that spirituality is important, but everything that is physical is evil. 87 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:06,000 It also teaches that Jesus wasn't God and man. He was only a spirit. 88 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:13,000 So this group is preaching and teaching against the resurrection of the of Jesus. 89 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:18,000 They're basically saying he was only a spirit. God was not three in one. 90 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:24,000 And everything that has matter, right, like our physical bodies is evil. 91 00:07:24,000 --> 00:07:29,000 So only your spirit is really important. Your body doesn't matter. 92 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:41,000 So for three hundred years, this was being taught by false teachers and people within the church began to believe this as truth. 93 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:45,000 Right. My spirit is important. My body doesn't matter. My spirit is important. 94 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:53,000 My body is evil. And as people began to buy into this lie, it gave birth to two things. 95 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:59,000 One, indulgence in the body and two, neglect of the body. 96 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:05,000 See, when people are only focusing on their spirit, man, and no longer focus on their physical body, 97 00:08:05,000 --> 00:08:13,000 that results in a growing group of Christians, right, who are praying, they're fasting, they're listening to the truth. 98 00:08:13,000 --> 00:08:19,000 Remember, the Bible wasn't written yet, but they're either indulging in or neglecting their bodies. 99 00:08:19,000 --> 00:08:26,000 They're only focused on the spirit. Now, by the third century, this false teaching went away 100 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:32,000 because the resurrection of Jesus became a core tenant of the Christian faith. 101 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:40,000 But the practical issues regarding this teaching does not die with the teaching. 102 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:49,000 And suddenly it gets passed down into the third, the fourth, the fifth, the tenth, the eighteenth, and into the twenty first century. 103 00:08:49,000 --> 00:09:00,000 Now we have this idea of Gnosticism within the church, especially in the United States, where we find people. 104 00:09:00,000 --> 00:09:05,000 You know, they're willing to fast, they're willing to pray, they're willing to preach, they're willing to read the Bible. 105 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:11,000 They want to go to church. They want to serve. They want a title. They want to see the church grow. 106 00:09:11,000 --> 00:09:19,000 They want the ministry to grow, while at the same time, they're dying of stuff that is treatable in their bodies. 107 00:09:19,000 --> 00:09:30,000 They're dying of stuff that is treatable in their bodies. A church that is mighty in spirit, but the house for my spirit is falling apart. 108 00:09:30,000 --> 00:09:38,000 A hyper focus on the spirit, but no focus on the house that holds the spirit. 109 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:47,000 And all across America, we have all this preaching. We have all these teachings we can pull up on YouTube anytime we want. 110 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,000 There's conferences to attend. There's books written. 111 00:09:50,000 --> 00:09:58,000 Thousands of people growing in their spiritual formation, while the body that is holding the spirit is disintegrating, 112 00:09:58,000 --> 00:10:07,000 not because of age, but because of neglect. Not because of age, but because of indulgence. 113 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:15,000 I mean, and this hit home for me while I was away for a week on my trip in Africa, about the fifth or sixth day in, 114 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:20,000 my watch starts pinging at me. And I was like, wow, I've never heard that before. 115 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:26,000 And I looked down at my watch and it was literally making this noise, this alert telling me, 116 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:34,000 Chris, your physical activity is down 200%. What are you doing? 117 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:40,000 And I looked at my watch and I began to think in my mind, what have I been doing for the last five days? 118 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:47,000 I get up at seven. I have a quick breakfast. I'm in a van. I'm at a school. I'm at a church service. 119 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:57,000 I'm at another school. I'm at another church service. And what was I doing? Sitting and watching. 120 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:10,000 Sitting and being fed. Sitting and sharing a testimony. A lot of sitting. 121 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:14,000 What is the number one reason people are dying in America? 122 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:21,000 Now, if you watch the news every day, you're told it's gun violence. It's unrest. 123 00:11:21,000 --> 00:11:28,000 It's China. It's Russia. Danger, danger, danger. And all of it's a lie. 124 00:11:28,000 --> 00:11:37,000 It's simply not true, which leads us to our next thought. Health related issues are killing Americans. 125 00:11:37,000 --> 00:11:43,000 The number one reason people are dying in the United States is not gun violence. 126 00:11:43,000 --> 00:11:49,000 It's heart disease. Heart disease. Number two is cancer. 127 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:55,000 Number three, chronic respiratory linked to smoking. 128 00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:01,000 Number four, accidents. Number five, stroke. Number six, Alzheimer's. 129 00:12:01,000 --> 00:12:07,000 Number seven, diabetes. Number eight, influenza. Number nine, kidney disease. 130 00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:15,000 And number 10, suicide. Three out of the top five reasons people are dying in the U.S. is linked to physical health. 131 00:12:15,000 --> 00:12:25,000 In fact, it's the top three. We are mighty in spirit, but the house that holds the spirit is falling apart. 132 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:32,000 Then in the next five, we have diabetes. We have kidney disease along with suicide. What is that? 133 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:41,000 That's mental health that we addressed last month. So it should come as no surprise that six out of the top 10 reasons 134 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:48,000 for the cause of death in the United States have been shared or talked about over the last few months at the Hub City Vineyard. 135 00:12:48,000 --> 00:12:58,000 Because we value you. And we desire you not only grow in spirit, but you grow in your mind, your body, 136 00:12:58,000 --> 00:13:07,000 your connection with God, and your connection with others. Friends, indulgence and neglect of the body. 137 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:16,000 And it's been passed down through the church from the first to the second to the third to the tenth and now the 21st century. 138 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:23,000 And for those of you who believe this is just a cultural issue, oh, it has nothing to do with the church, Chris. 139 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:31,000 A pastor that I'm going to leave unnamed wrote these words in a Charisma Magazine article entitled, 140 00:13:31,000 --> 00:13:36,000 Why God Places a Priority on Your Physical Health and You Should Too. 141 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:41,000 Quote, Although I believed I was healthy and fit by the time I reached my 22nd birthday, 142 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:49,000 my six foot two frame had skyrocketed to 270 pounds and I was diagnosed with borderline hypoglycemia. 143 00:13:49,000 --> 00:13:54,000 My blood pressure and cholesterol levels were high, my health was rapidly deteriorating. 144 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:58,000 I was told I might need to be on medication for the rest of my life. 145 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:05,000 As a result, I was denied life insurance and instructed by my physician to go on a strict diet. 146 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:10,000 I was shocked. I knew if I didn't change my life, my life would change me. 147 00:14:10,000 --> 00:14:15,000 If I knew I didn't change my life, my life would change me. He continues, 148 00:14:15,000 --> 00:14:21,000 the physical health of your body definitely plays a role in your overall health, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. 149 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:27,000 And when we improve it, our overall quality of life improves significantly as well. 150 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:33,000 Taking care of the one body that God has given us is wide stewardship. It affects our entire life. 151 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,000 Although spiritual health is first and foremost. 152 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:43,000 For example, Paul teaches us this in 1 Timothy 4, 8, physical training is good, 153 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:48,000 but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and the life to come. 154 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:53,000 The pastor continues, our physical health also plays a vital role in our productivity. 155 00:14:53,000 --> 00:15:00,000 According to many experts, many diseases are preventable through proper nutrition and exercise. 156 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:08,000 To suggest that health should not be a priority is to suggest that God isn't concerned with this area. 157 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:13,000 Listen, God created your physical bodies. 158 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:20,000 God created your body to be the house of his spirit that is living within you. 159 00:15:20,000 --> 00:15:25,000 It is through the physical body that you and I carry out the very purposes of God. 160 00:15:25,000 --> 00:15:31,000 Think about it. We can't make the statement, I am called, I am chosen, 161 00:15:31,000 --> 00:15:34,000 if our spiritual houses are disintegrating around us. 162 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:38,000 Because we are not going to feel called and we are not going to feel chosen. 163 00:15:38,000 --> 00:15:44,000 If I can't move, if I am not motivated, and if I die prematurely because of sickness, guess what? 164 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:47,000 My purpose is cut short here on earth. 165 00:15:47,000 --> 00:15:54,000 If I am tired and have no energy, if I am constantly sick because of my own neglect and my own indulgence, 166 00:15:54,000 --> 00:15:59,000 then my purpose for God is cut short. 167 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:04,000 The church is always talking about purpose. You got to find your purpose. 168 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:10,000 But fails to address the vehicle, the body, that handles that purpose. 169 00:16:10,000 --> 00:16:15,000 There is a direct link between our physical health and our spiritual health. 170 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:19,000 And as the followers of Jesus, we have to care about our physical bodies. 171 00:16:19,000 --> 00:16:22,000 Why? Well, it leads us to our next thought. 172 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:25,000 Because God cares about our physical bodies. 173 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:29,000 Right? Should we only focus on physical health so we can get buff? 174 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:33,000 Right? Am I only going to the gym to get big? I want to look like Arnold. 175 00:16:33,000 --> 00:16:36,000 I want to get all swole in front of the mirror and take pictures. 176 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:39,000 Is that why? No. 177 00:16:39,000 --> 00:16:43,000 Should we focus on our bodies and look good in our bikinis? 178 00:16:43,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Right? Summer is coming, ladies. 179 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:51,000 Look in the mirror. I got to snap a few pics and get ready for that change to happen. No. 180 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:53,000 We are not worried about other people looking at us. 181 00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:59,000 See, our culture has a love affair with health and fitness for all the wrong reasons. 182 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:05,000 Right? Many of the reasons people go to the gym and diet, they are all vanity driven. 183 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:08,000 But there is a much better reason to care about your physical health. 184 00:17:08,000 --> 00:17:13,000 And Paul writes these words in 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 185 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:18,000 You say, I am allowed to do anything, but not everything is good for you. 186 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,000 And even though I am allowed to do anything, you must not become a slave to anything. 187 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:33,000 And see, please understand when Paul puts quotations around allowed to do anything, that is not Paul's language. 188 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:39,000 He is quoting the language from their culture. The culture was telling them this. 189 00:17:39,000 --> 00:17:45,000 They have taken the doctrine of freedom in Christ and they have expanded it to their physical bodies, 190 00:17:45,000 --> 00:17:51,000 believing they can do anything they want with it. I can indulge it as much as I want. 191 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:57,000 I can neglect it as much as I want because I am free in Jesus. I can do whatever I want with my body. 192 00:17:57,000 --> 00:18:01,000 I can treat it nice. I can treat it mean because I have freedom. 193 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:07,000 But Paul continues. You say, food was made for the stomach and the stomach for food. 194 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:11,000 This is true, though someday God will do away with the both of them. 195 00:18:11,000 --> 00:18:15,000 But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. 196 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:18,000 They were made for the Lord and the Lord cares about our bodies. 197 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:25,000 What is he saying? He is saying that the body is important to God beyond vanity. 198 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:28,000 It shouldn't be our only focus. Why? 199 00:18:28,000 --> 00:18:34,000 Because God will raise us from the dead by his power just as he raised our Lord from the dead. 200 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:39,000 Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? 201 00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:46,000 Should a man take his body, which is a part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never. 202 00:18:46,000 --> 00:18:48,000 Right? Never. 203 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:55,000 So when you're in a relationship with Jesus, our bodies are a part of Jesus. 204 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:58,000 Right? God is living in us. 205 00:18:58,000 --> 00:19:02,000 And listen, not everything is beneficial for our physical bodies. 206 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:04,000 Do we have freedom in Jesus? Yes. 207 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:11,000 But there's this thing called wisdom, and wisdom needs to dictate how we use our freedom. 208 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:15,000 Yes, we can do whatever we want, but not everything is good for us. 209 00:19:15,000 --> 00:19:18,000 And we have to use wisdom. We have to read. 210 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:24,000 We have to understand what is best for our bodies, what is beneficial for our physical bodies. 211 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:32,000 Why? Because our physical bodies are so valuable that it will be resurrected and recreated. 212 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,000 When we die, our spirit leaves our bodies. 213 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:45,000 2 Corinthians 5a tells us, we are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 214 00:19:45,000 --> 00:19:52,000 So the minute we die, our spirits leave our bodies and are reconnected with God. 215 00:19:52,000 --> 00:20:03,000 Right? If a person is not in a relationship with Jesus, their spirit experiences the pain and the torment of eternal separation from God. 216 00:20:03,000 --> 00:20:10,000 But our bodies, they remain here on the earth in whatever condition it was left when it dies. 217 00:20:10,000 --> 00:20:17,000 Right? Cremated, buried, burned, cut up, dismembered. It stays in the earth. 218 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:20,000 The physical matter cannot be destroyed. 219 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:28,000 Whatever a person chooses to do to their own body after death or happens to them in death, the body cannot be destroyed. 220 00:20:28,000 --> 00:20:32,000 It will remain in or of the ground. 221 00:20:32,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Then we read in 1 Thessalonians 4, 16 through 18, for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, 222 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:45,000 with the voice of the archangel, with the trumpet call of God. 223 00:20:45,000 --> 00:20:51,000 And the Lord will be called to the cross. The believers who have died will rise from their graves. 224 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:56,000 And please understand, that's not their spirits. That's their bodies. 225 00:20:56,000 --> 00:21:02,000 Whatever state they were left in, it will rise up when Jesus returns. 226 00:21:02,000 --> 00:21:10,000 I mean, you can literally see urns being emptied and dust forming back into the body. 227 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:16,000 And we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 228 00:21:16,000 --> 00:21:21,000 Then we will bith the Lord forever, so encourage each other with these words. 229 00:21:21,000 --> 00:21:24,000 Paul says it this way in 1 Corinthians 15, 52. 230 00:21:24,000 --> 00:21:29,000 It will happen in a moment, in a blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown, 231 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:35,000 when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever and we who are living will be transformed. 232 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:40,000 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die. 233 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:46,000 Eternal bodies, mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 234 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:51,000 So the Bible teaches us that God is going to recreate the earth. 235 00:21:51,000 --> 00:21:54,000 We are not going to remain in heaven forever. 236 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:01,000 We have to change the image of these people flying around in clouds playing harps. 237 00:22:01,000 --> 00:22:06,000 Okay, it's not a reality. Heaven is temporary. 238 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:14,000 We will go there for a season. We don't know how long it will be, but the Bible teaches that God will recreate the earth. 239 00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:20,000 And God's presence will come down from heaven to reside in the new earth. 240 00:22:20,000 --> 00:22:26,000 And those who were in a relationship with him will abide over that new earth for eternity. 241 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:31,000 Your physical body is so valuable that God's not going to leave it here. 242 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:36,000 He will resurrect it and he will recreate it into an eternal body. 243 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:40,000 That is how precious and valuable our bodies are. 244 00:22:40,000 --> 00:22:49,000 I mean, we have to begin to look in the mirror and begin to realize that all of us were fearfully and wonderfully made. 245 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Okay, yes, we have blemishes and warts and dents and receding hairlines and all the things that go along with sin. 246 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:05,000 But when we're resurrected, those things will be gone and we will be perfect. 247 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Right? We're always quick to find what's wrong with our bodies, but all those things won't be present in eternity. 248 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:18,000 And for some of you sitting here thinking, Chris, is this true? Is this real? I've never heard this before. 249 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,000 Well, it's because the church never teaches on the physical body. 250 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:25,000 It's always focused on the spirit, man, and growing the spirit. 251 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:28,000 But think about it, all right? Let's get practical. 252 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:33,000 Jesus, he's hanging on a cross, he's dying, and he takes his last breath. 253 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,000 And this is what we read in Luke 23. 254 00:23:36,000 --> 00:23:43,000 Then Jesus shouted, Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands. 255 00:23:43,000 --> 00:23:46,000 And with these words, he breathed his last. 256 00:23:46,000 --> 00:23:51,000 He hangs his head and dies. His spirit, what? Leaves the body. 257 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:55,000 While the body remains where? On the cross. 258 00:23:55,000 --> 00:24:01,000 Jesus' spirit is gone, but his body remains all beaten and bloodied and destroyed for you and me. 259 00:24:01,000 --> 00:24:04,000 While Jesus is now in the presence of the Father. 260 00:24:04,000 --> 00:24:09,000 Rich men come and take down the body, the shell, and they lay it in a tomb. 261 00:24:09,000 --> 00:24:12,000 Where is his spirit? With God. 262 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,000 Now, some scholars argue not only was Jesus reconnected with the Father, 263 00:24:16,000 --> 00:24:20,000 but he also went to hell to defeat the enemy once and for all. 264 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:24,000 While other scholars read 1 Timothy chapter 4, 265 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:31,000 as Jesus encouraging the spirits of those who had died before his death. 266 00:24:31,000 --> 00:24:36,000 The main point is Jesus' spirit was separated from his body. 267 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:41,000 It was wrapped in spices. But where is he? He's in heaven. 268 00:24:41,000 --> 00:24:45,000 It was rolled in a cloth. But he's in heaven. 269 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:51,000 It was placed in a tomb when a large stone was rolled in front of it, but he was where? In heaven. 270 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:57,000 Right? His body, though, was so valuable that on the morning of the third day, 271 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:00,000 the Holy Spirit invaded that tomb and we read this. 272 00:25:00,000 --> 00:25:04,000 Then the angel spoke to the women, don't be afraid. 273 00:25:04,000 --> 00:25:08,000 I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He isn't here. 274 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:13,000 He is risen from the dead, just as he said he would happen. 275 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:18,000 Come, see where his body was lying and now go quickly to tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead. 276 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:24,000 And he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you. 277 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:31,000 Right? God resurrected the three-day-old body and Jesus was reunited with his spirit. 278 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:35,000 Right? Into his body, Jesus stood up again. 279 00:25:35,000 --> 00:25:40,000 The body didn't remain in the earth. It was what? It was returned to its owner. 280 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:47,000 Jesus came out of the tomb on a Sunday morning and changed the world in his body. 281 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:55,000 Jesus was resurrected in his body. He ate fish with his disciples on the shore in his body. 282 00:25:55,000 --> 00:25:59,000 He came through a wall in his resurrected body and gave them the final commandment. 283 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:04,000 Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation, baptizing them in the name of the Father, 284 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:11,000 the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them everything I have commanded you and I will be with you always. 285 00:26:11,000 --> 00:26:18,000 Then Jesus leaves to go back to the Father in his body. 286 00:26:18,000 --> 00:26:26,000 See friends, when we are in a relationship with Jesus, our physical bodies are connected to God. 287 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:33,000 Right? In my body, I am joined to Jesus. So whatever I do with my body, I'm affecting Jesus. 288 00:26:33,000 --> 00:26:38,000 Right? And that's why I'm saying use wisdom. Because if this hand is a part of my body, 289 00:26:38,000 --> 00:26:43,000 and all I do is slap my face, who am I slapping? I'm slapping Jesus. 290 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:48,000 That's not using wisdom. We need to use wisdom when it comes to our bodies, 291 00:26:48,000 --> 00:26:54,000 which leads us to our fourth and final thought. Our bodies are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. 292 00:26:54,000 --> 00:26:59,000 See, Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 6, 19 through 20. 293 00:26:59,000 --> 00:27:07,000 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who lives in you and was given to you by God. 294 00:27:07,000 --> 00:27:15,000 You do not belong to yourself for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. 295 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:20,000 Right? Let's quickly jump back into the Old Testament. God creates human beings, 296 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:27,000 but he's living in heaven and has a relationship with his creation when he would come and visit them. 297 00:27:27,000 --> 00:27:33,000 Once humanity sins and turns away from God, that sin caused separation. Right? 298 00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:40,000 And people could no longer connect to their creator. God wants to reconnect with his creation, 299 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:44,000 so he commands Moses to build a box. It's called the Ark of the Covenant. 300 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:53,000 Cover it with gold, put cherubim on top, and when you build it, my presence will rest where? In the Ark. 301 00:27:53,000 --> 00:27:58,000 So God's presence comes in the box while they were in the wilderness. 302 00:27:58,000 --> 00:28:04,000 God's presence was in the box as they placed it in a tabernacle in the Promised Land. 303 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:11,000 Then Solomon builds God, a magnificent temple, and the box is placed where? In the Holy of Holies. 304 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:15,000 Right? So the presence of God was with the people in the Ark. 305 00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:24,000 When the Ark was stolen, we know that David danced naked before the Ark when it was recovered because he was in God's presence, 306 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:32,000 and he wanted to be reconnected. Jesus comes and frees the presence of God from the box. 307 00:28:32,000 --> 00:28:41,000 No longer is the presence of God in a box, but God wants to be with and in his people. Right? 308 00:28:41,000 --> 00:28:50,000 God doesn't live in a building. He now finds a new home in Steve. He now is living inside a Roger or Lisa or Rhett. 309 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:58,000 That's where God resides. He takes up residency in his people, and every time, hear this, 310 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:08,000 a person declares with their mouth and believes in their heart that Jesus is Lord, God takes a piece of himself and places it in them. 311 00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:14,000 God's presence now resides in us for those that are in a relationship with him. 312 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:20,000 We are the new Ark. We are the dwelling place of God. 313 00:29:20,000 --> 00:29:27,000 So think about it. Going to work as you're driving, the Spirit of God is in me. Right? 314 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:33,000 Going to school, sitting through your boring classes, the Spirit of God is in me. 315 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:39,000 Walking around Walmart or Sam's Club, the Spirit of God is where? In me. 316 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:47,000 Driving around town, the Spirit of God is in me. At the gym, the Spirit of God is in me. 317 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:53,000 Washing dishes, the Spirit of God is. Changing diapers, the Spirit of God is. 318 00:29:53,000 --> 00:30:01,000 Are we getting the understanding? All the things that tear us down can actually build us up because the Spirit of God is where? 319 00:30:01,000 --> 00:30:10,000 In me. We aren't dead. We are alive in Jesus and we are stewards of our physical bodies. 320 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:15,000 Remember, Paul said we were bought with what? A high price. 321 00:30:15,000 --> 00:30:21,000 This body we were given, we were responsible for stewarding these bodies. 322 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:30,000 For example, right, if I was to tell you this piece of artwork has been passed down through my family for generations, 323 00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:36,000 my great grandfather bought this for my great grandmother on Mother's Day. 324 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:42,000 And it's been passed down from generation to generation to generation, hanging on our family's walls. 325 00:30:42,000 --> 00:30:55,000 And if suddenly I took this can of spray paint and I opened it up and I went like this. 326 00:30:55,000 --> 00:31:01,000 How would you feel about that? That kind of makes you a little angry, right? 327 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:07,000 That makes you frustrated. It makes you up to crass. You destroy the artwork. 328 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:13,000 Or you drive by a building or a train and you see graffiti all over these buildings and these trains. 329 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:22,000 I cannot believe people are destroying artwork. They're just destroying it. 330 00:31:22,000 --> 00:31:27,000 We vandalize our buildings each and every day. 331 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:41,000 We vandalize our buildings each and every day by what we eat, by what we watch, and by what we don't do. 332 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:47,000 We vandalize our bodies each and every day. And we'll get an uproar over vandalism, 333 00:31:47,000 --> 00:31:56,000 but we'll say nothing about destroying the very bodies, the very homes that we have been given. 334 00:31:56,000 --> 00:32:00,000 Which leads us to our action steps. 335 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:07,000 Honoring God with our bodies. And I knew that was going to be silent today. 336 00:32:07,000 --> 00:32:11,000 Because I tell you, I've been preparing this for two weeks. 337 00:32:11,000 --> 00:32:16,000 And as I was preparing this and praying about it and praying for all of you, 338 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:22,000 I was just praying that it was well received because I knew it was going to step on American toes. 339 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:28,000 Okay? I'm a unicorn. At the end of this month, I'm going to go do the Murph. 340 00:32:28,000 --> 00:32:33,000 And many of you are like, I don't know what the Murph is. I don't want to know what the Murph is. 341 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:38,000 And I'm not even going to try to do the Murph. And that's fine. God bless you. I'm not saying you should. 342 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:42,000 I'm just one of those people that just go all in. Okay? 343 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:47,000 So in no way am I trying to condemn you. In no way am I trying to judge you. 344 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:55,000 I'm trying to share with you truth to motivate you to live your best life. Amen? 345 00:32:55,000 --> 00:33:05,000 And why shouldn't the church be an example of what it means to be physically healthy and caring for the bodies that God has given us? 346 00:33:05,000 --> 00:33:08,000 In fact, that's our responsibility. 347 00:33:08,000 --> 00:33:14,000 We are stewards of all that God has given us. And too long the church has neglected mental health, 348 00:33:14,000 --> 00:33:20,000 has neglected physical health, and the time is now for that to change. Amen? 349 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:26,000 So how do we honor God with our bodies? Because Paul just told us to honor God with our bodies. 350 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:32,000 And the first is really three simple things because you can go on Google and you'll find 52. Okay? 351 00:33:32,000 --> 00:33:38,000 I don't care about 52. I believe if you do these three simple things each and every day, 352 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:44,000 you will begin to honor God with your bodies and by bringing it into a state of health. 353 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:48,000 And the first is offer God your body. Right? 354 00:33:48,000 --> 00:33:55,000 Offer God your body because it doesn't belong to you. God gave it to us to be stewards. 355 00:33:55,000 --> 00:34:03,000 So we daily offer up our bodies to God. Right? The life that we have, the body that we've been given. 356 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:10,000 Romans 12, 1 through 2 says, So dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. 357 00:34:10,000 --> 00:34:19,000 There it is. Offer God your bodies. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind we find acceptable. 358 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:23,000 This is truly the way to worship Him. Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, 359 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:28,000 but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. 360 00:34:28,000 --> 00:34:34,000 Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 361 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:41,000 See, when Paul wrote this, he was writing to people that were living or coming out of Judaism 362 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:45,000 and practice the custom of sacrifice. 363 00:34:45,000 --> 00:34:52,000 And so often when we hear that your body is a living sacrifice, we don't quite understand the context. 364 00:34:52,000 --> 00:34:59,000 Okay, if I was in the first century, if I was living as a first century Jew, I know that every time I sin, 365 00:34:59,000 --> 00:35:07,000 I would have to go in to my herd and grab the firstborn, unblemished animal and drag it to the temple 366 00:35:07,000 --> 00:35:11,000 where a priest would sacrifice it on the altar. Right? 367 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:18,000 The people that brought their sacrifice would watch it happens as a means of experiencing forgiveness of their sins. 368 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:24,000 That was their lifestyle. Right? They would drag the animal to the temple to be sacrificed. 369 00:35:24,000 --> 00:35:31,000 Their sacrifices came to the altar alive, but left dead. 370 00:35:31,000 --> 00:35:41,000 They came to the altar alive, but left dead. Our sacrifice comes to the altar dead, but leaves alive. 371 00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:45,000 See, there's a big difference. Their sacrifice came alive and left dead, 372 00:35:45,000 --> 00:35:49,000 but when we're in a relationship with Jesus, when I sin, right? 373 00:35:49,000 --> 00:35:58,000 I come before God dead because of that sin, but we are now a living sacrifice and I leave alive. 374 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:04,000 Forgiven, renewed, restored, son, daughter of God. Does that make sense? 375 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:09,000 That's called repentance. That's called turning away. That's going the other way. 376 00:36:09,000 --> 00:36:17,000 Stop living in sin, turn and go the other way. We leave alive. We leave passionate. 377 00:36:17,000 --> 00:36:24,000 Daily, give your body to God. Right? You wake up the first thing, God, this is yours. 378 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:27,000 This is my mind. It's yours. This is my body. It's yours. 379 00:36:27,000 --> 00:36:34,000 And offer it to God as a living sacrifice, which leads us to our next step. Pray. Shocker. Right? 380 00:36:34,000 --> 00:36:42,000 We all forgot our bodies and we pray. We ask the Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit, lead me into healthy habits 381 00:36:42,000 --> 00:36:48,000 that will strengthen my body, that will make it fit to serve your kingdom. Right? 382 00:36:48,000 --> 00:36:56,000 However that looks for your unique person, ask him to show you where you're making health into an idol 383 00:36:56,000 --> 00:37:03,000 or maybe the choices that are destroying your body. God, help you reveal to me how I'm making mistakes. 384 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:12,000 Make your body a priority. Ask him to lead you to people, to resources, to information that will guide you along the journey. 385 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:23,000 Right? There's documentaries. There's testimonies. There's stories. There's books about how health is vital to how you live. 386 00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:32,000 Right? Ask him, God, help me to be strong and to desire your goodness. Right? 387 00:37:32,000 --> 00:37:38,000 The answer to does my health matter to God? Yeah, it matters. Just look at the Bible. Right? 388 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:45,000 My prayer for you is the same as Paul's for the Thessalonian church two millennia ago. First Thessalonians 5. 389 00:37:45,000 --> 00:37:55,000 May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together, spirit, soul, and what else? Body. 390 00:37:55,000 --> 00:38:06,000 And keep you fit for the coming of our master Jesus. The one who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it. 391 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:12,000 Which leads us to our final step. All for God your bodies. Pray. And number three, just move your body. 392 00:38:12,000 --> 00:38:20,000 Church, you've got to start moving your body. I'm going all in and challenging you beyond what Rudy challenged you last week. 393 00:38:20,000 --> 00:38:29,000 I don't want three days a week. I want seven days a week. Because there's no reason we're not moving every single day. 394 00:38:29,000 --> 00:38:39,000 First Timothy 4.8 says physical training is what? What is physical training? What is it? I'm sorry. Let me ask that question again. 395 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:52,000 Church, physical training is good. It's good. Training in godliness is better, but it doesn't say there just neglect your body. 396 00:38:52,000 --> 00:39:02,000 It says no, physical training is good. Promising benefits in this life because we're living abundantly and in the life to come. 397 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:14,000 We're challenged. It's good. Caring for our bodies is good. We should not abuse it. But we abuse our bodies with all the processed foods, all the substances that are just not natural. 398 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:23,000 Toxins that can destroy us. A sedentary lifestyle that does not promote health. You have to start moving. 399 00:39:23,000 --> 00:39:31,000 There is no reason all of us sitting in these chairs are not walking 20 to 30 minutes a day. There's no reason for it. 400 00:39:31,000 --> 00:39:37,000 If you can make up an excuse, fine, that's your excuse, but there's no reason we're not walking 20 to 30 minutes. 401 00:39:37,000 --> 00:39:42,000 And if you're one of those people that say, Chris, I just don't have time. I just don't have time to exercise. 402 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:49,000 Okay, can I challenge you? When you go to shop or go to a store, park in the furthest parking lot away from that store. 403 00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:57,000 Right? When you go to Walmart, go park beside the campers. 404 00:39:57,000 --> 00:40:02,000 Okay? High five someone sleeping in their camper and then start journeying the Walmart. 405 00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:07,000 And by the time you get to the front door, walk all the way through the store and walk back out. 406 00:40:07,000 --> 00:40:14,000 About how long did that take you? About 20 minutes or half an hour, right? Box checked. 407 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:20,000 So you say you can't do it. Right? Don't look for front row, Joe. Look for the back row. 408 00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:27,000 I mean, it's biblical. Jesus said the last will be what? There you go. See, I just backed it up. 409 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:33,000 I just backed it up. Oh, it's not in the Bible. 410 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:39,000 Right? For those of you that have your devotions in the morning in your chair with your coffee and your quiet time, 411 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:45,000 take a walk and listen to the Bible. You know why? Because you're going to get much more out of it. 412 00:40:45,000 --> 00:40:50,000 When you're just sitting in your chair snoozing, basically you just hit snooze. 413 00:40:50,000 --> 00:40:56,000 Okay? And you're reading the Bible, dozing off, reading the Bible, dozing off. You're retaining nothing. 414 00:40:56,000 --> 00:41:03,000 Okay? Take a walk and listen to the Bible. Take a walk and listen to your devotions. 415 00:41:03,000 --> 00:41:10,000 I promise if you take a week and do that, you'll grow more spiritually in that week than you did the week before. 416 00:41:10,000 --> 00:41:19,000 I promise. And if you don't, come and tell me. Right? And I'll do 100 push-ups on the stage without stopping. 417 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:29,000 But I believe that you will change. Right? Physical activity is good for our bodies. 418 00:41:29,000 --> 00:41:34,000 And I get it. There's not much in Scripture. But the last time I checked, talk to a doctor. 419 00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:40,000 Dr. Ciccarelli is in here. Ask her. Okay? Science has proven it. Right? 420 00:41:40,000 --> 00:41:47,000 It helps. Exercise helps with brain health, weight management. It reduces the risk of disease. 421 00:41:47,000 --> 00:41:54,000 It strengthens your bones. It strengthens your muscles. And it improves your ability to live every single day. 422 00:41:54,000 --> 00:42:02,000 Like, why wouldn't we do it? Jesus only rode a donkey once. 423 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:14,000 And he walked everywhere else. He set the example for us. Right? Walk. Move. Have life in the Spirit. 424 00:42:14,000 --> 00:42:21,000 Okay? That's where it's all at. Jess is launching a new ministry here at HCV. Her and Lisa Reese. 425 00:42:21,000 --> 00:42:29,000 Lisa, wait. Woo! There's Lisa right there. They are now certified Revelation Wellness Trainers. 426 00:42:29,000 --> 00:42:36,000 Certified. And they will be launching classes next month. 427 00:42:36,000 --> 00:42:43,000 And for some of you, some of you are sitting there like, I don't have any motivation. I just can't do it. 428 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:50,000 I just can't exercise. I need help. We got help for you. Go to the Welcome Hub. 429 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:56,000 It doesn't matter your conditioning levels. It doesn't matter how far you can run. Walk. Sit. Stand. 430 00:42:56,000 --> 00:43:00,000 It doesn't matter. All are welcome. 431 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:06,000 Go to the Welcome Hub under the beautiful banners that I hung. And make sure you read each banner on your way out. 432 00:43:06,000 --> 00:43:11,000 Sign up. And I promise you won't regret it. 433 00:43:11,000 --> 00:43:15,000 Okay, we used to have this thing at HCV called Run for God. Right? 434 00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:19,000 Someone in this gathering this morning is called to lead that group. 435 00:43:19,000 --> 00:43:25,000 Someone is called to lead that group in this gathering this morning. See me because I want to relaunch it. 436 00:43:25,000 --> 00:43:30,000 Billie Jean. You have a walking group, right, Billie? Billie Jean has a walking group. 437 00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:36,000 If you need help and you want to just talk about life and Jesus, see Billie Jean. You can walk with her. 438 00:43:36,000 --> 00:43:42,000 Maybe we have ten more walking groups. The point is, do something. 439 00:43:42,000 --> 00:43:48,000 Health is an action. It's not a standard of beauty. It's an action. 440 00:43:48,000 --> 00:43:54,000 God wants your health to be used for His glory. God wants your freedom. 441 00:43:54,000 --> 00:43:59,000 He doesn't want you enslaved to anything. Right? Especially your health. 442 00:43:59,000 --> 00:44:06,000 He doesn't want you enslaved to that. Health was designed as a tool to provide energy to you so you can live in purpose. 443 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:13,000 That's all. That's what it was. Ephesians 2.10. You are God's masterpiece. 444 00:44:13,000 --> 00:44:19,000 You were created anew in Christ Jesus so you can do the good things He planned for you long ago. 445 00:44:19,000 --> 00:44:25,000 And listen, if you can't move, you can't do. You've got to move, church. 446 00:44:25,000 --> 00:44:32,000 God is our energy. He fills us. He is the transformer of our lives, hearts, and minds. 447 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:37,000 And He equips us with everything necessary to sharing the good news. 448 00:44:37,000 --> 00:44:41,000 He gives us power in our weakness and help in time of need. 449 00:44:41,000 --> 00:44:48,000 And for those of you who say, Chris, I just can't do it, ask the Holy Spirit to change it. 450 00:44:48,000 --> 00:44:55,000 I've got to get a different spray paint can for second service. 451 00:44:55,000 --> 00:45:01,000 That didn't make a good enough statement. I think I need to get black. 452 00:45:01,000 --> 00:45:09,000 Just destroy it. Black and purple? Okay. 453 00:45:09,000 --> 00:45:14,000 So listen, as we stand, listen, it's real simple this morning. 454 00:45:14,000 --> 00:45:20,000 I'm not going to call you out. I'm not going to ask you to come up front here because I'd just be rude. 455 00:45:20,000 --> 00:45:24,000 But I just want you to be honest with God. Be honest with God. 456 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:28,000 He sees your heart. He knows your mind. He knows the things you want to do. 457 00:45:28,000 --> 00:45:31,000 He knows the things you want to change. And I believe He can change you. 458 00:45:31,000 --> 00:45:39,000 And I believe that every person gathered here this morning can get a little bit closer to God by just practicing physical health every day. 459 00:45:39,000 --> 00:45:47,000 Taking a walk, enjoying time with your family, making it a priority because I promise you, your life will change. Amen? 460 00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:55,000 So Holy Spirit, come, God. Overwhelm this church with your love, your grace, and your mercy, God. 461 00:45:55,000 --> 00:46:02,000 I just pray you speak to hearts and minds and reveal to us those areas where we're lacking in our physical health. 462 00:46:02,000 --> 00:46:07,000 And motivate us, God, to change because as we change, we become stewards of your goodness. 463 00:46:07,000 --> 00:46:13,000 And we become just a mouthpiece for your good news, God. 464 00:46:13,000 --> 00:46:18,000 Letting people see the change that we're experiencing as we prioritize you. 465 00:46:18,000 --> 00:46:21,000 Overwhelm us, God, with your love. 466 00:46:21,000 --> 00:46:28,000 And allow us to see ourselves as you created us, God, in Jesus' name. Amen. 467 00:46:28,000 --> 00:46:33,000 Now I want to pray a simple prayer because you know I pray that simple prayer every week. 468 00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:39,000 Because when I talk about being absent from the body, right, I want everyone to be connected to God. 469 00:46:39,000 --> 00:46:41,000 I don't want eternal separation. Amen? 470 00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:46,000 So we pray this prayer every week because there could be someone here in the quietest of your heart. 471 00:46:46,000 --> 00:46:50,000 You know you're far from God and He's welcoming you home right now. 472 00:46:50,000 --> 00:46:59,000 So let's pray together. Jesus, I'm broken. I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, sin. Change me. 473 00:46:59,000 --> 00:47:04,000 I believe you're God's son. I believe you died for me. 474 00:47:04,000 --> 00:47:14,000 Make me new. Set me free. Help me, God, to share your good news with others. 475 00:47:14,000 --> 00:47:16,000 In Jesus' name, amen. 476 00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:19,000 So if you prayed that prayer, see me after this service. Hold on, we're not done. 477 00:47:19,000 --> 00:47:24,000 Hold on, there was four words of knowledge this morning focused on health-related issues. 478 00:47:24,000 --> 00:47:31,000 Okay, if you have a collarbone on your left side, could be fractured or you're experiencing severe pain, 479 00:47:31,000 --> 00:47:37,000 we want to pray for you. If you have a dysfunctional thyroid, we believe that God wants to heal you. 480 00:47:37,000 --> 00:47:44,000 Left ankle weakness and kidney issues. If any of those things are you, we want to pray for you. 481 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:47,000 Come up here, our prayer team would be on my right. 482 00:47:47,000 --> 00:47:52,000 Or if you have any other physical health-related issues or you need motivation, God, I need motivation to exercise. 483 00:47:52,000 --> 00:47:55,000 Come up and get prayer. Our prayer team will be here. 484 00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:59,000 Now listen, the rest of this month, I already have it outlined out. 485 00:47:59,000 --> 00:48:02,000 Okay, so we just did physical health. 486 00:48:02,000 --> 00:48:06,000 Next week I'm doing what we put into our bodies, what we eat. 487 00:48:06,000 --> 00:48:12,000 And then the last week I'm going to look at rest and why rest and Sabbath is important. 488 00:48:12,000 --> 00:48:19,000 Okay, so that's your next three weeks. I'm believing God's going to transform us and supernaturally make us new people. 489 00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:24,000 Amen? Alright, Rudy, are you there? Okay, so I'm going there. No one leave. I want to high five everybody. 490 00:48:24,000 --> 00:48:29,000 I miss everyone. I've been gone for so long. If you're going out that door, come see me so I can high five you. 491 00:48:29,000 --> 00:48:58,000 Love you guys. God bless. 492 00:48:59,000 --> 00:49:01,000 Amen.