1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,440 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. 2 00:00:15,440 --> 00:00:23,060 To get connected or to give online, go to connect.hcv.church or give.hcv.church. 3 00:00:23,060 --> 00:00:27,360 If at any point during this message you feel called to make a change in your life, text 4 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,600 change me to 970-00. 5 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:33,160 Thank you and enjoy the message. 6 00:00:33,160 --> 00:00:44,640 Hub City Worship, as they bring you a new song, Cheryl Crowes, I Shall Believe. 7 00:00:44,640 --> 00:00:50,240 Come to me now. 8 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:56,720 Oh and lay your hands over me. 9 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:08,720 Even if it's a lie, say you will be alright and I shall believe. 10 00:01:08,720 --> 00:01:19,720 I'm broken and true and I know you're onto me. 11 00:01:19,720 --> 00:01:31,720 That I only come home when I'm so alone and I do believe. 12 00:01:31,720 --> 00:01:37,720 That not everything is gonna be the way you think it ought to be. 13 00:01:37,720 --> 00:01:43,720 Seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me. 14 00:01:43,720 --> 00:01:51,720 Say honestly you won't give up on me. 15 00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:57,720 And I shall believe. 16 00:01:57,720 --> 00:02:03,720 And I shall believe. 17 00:02:03,720 --> 00:02:08,720 Open the door. 18 00:02:08,720 --> 00:02:14,720 Oh and show me your face tonight. 19 00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:20,720 I know it's true, no one heals me like you. 20 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,720 And you hold the key. 21 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:30,720 Whenever again. 22 00:02:30,720 --> 00:02:36,720 Oh would I turn away from you. 23 00:02:36,720 --> 00:02:46,720 Well I'm so heavy tonight but your love is alright and I do believe. 24 00:02:46,720 --> 00:02:54,720 That not everything is gonna be the way you think it ought to be. 25 00:02:54,720 --> 00:03:00,720 Seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me. 26 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:08,720 Please say honestly you won't give up on me. 27 00:03:08,720 --> 00:03:14,720 And I shall believe. 28 00:03:14,720 --> 00:03:20,720 I shall believe. 29 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:30,720 Thanks everyone. 30 00:03:50,720 --> 00:03:56,720 That not everything is gonna be the way you think it ought to be. 31 00:03:56,720 --> 00:04:02,720 Seems like every time I try to make it right it all comes down on me. 32 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:10,720 Please say honestly you won't give up on me. 33 00:04:10,720 --> 00:04:16,720 And I shall believe. 34 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:22,720 Oh and I shall believe. 35 00:04:22,720 --> 00:04:28,720 Oh and I shall believe. 36 00:04:28,720 --> 00:04:34,720 I shall believe. 37 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:40,720 I shall believe. 38 00:04:40,720 --> 00:04:46,720 I shall believe. 39 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:54,720 Yeah. 40 00:04:54,720 --> 00:05:10,720 You get me home. 41 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:18,720 You get me home. 42 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:24,720 I shall believe. 43 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:30,720 I shall believe. 44 00:05:30,720 --> 00:05:34,720 I shall believe. 45 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:44,720 I shall believe. 46 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:56,720 Please say honestly you won't give up on me. 47 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:00,720 Oh can you hear me Lord? 48 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:06,720 Oh don't give up on me no no. 49 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:12,720 In these troubled times. 50 00:06:12,720 --> 00:06:18,720 Oh and I shall believe. 51 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:24,720 Oh and I shall believe. 52 00:06:24,720 --> 00:06:30,720 Oh and I shall believe. 53 00:06:30,720 --> 00:06:38,720 I shall believe. 54 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,720 I shall believe. 55 00:06:42,720 --> 00:07:10,720 Thank you. We love you. 56 00:07:10,720 --> 00:07:38,720 Thank you. 57 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:48,720 Hey give it up everybody. Good morning. 58 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:52,720 And we got a lot of talent up here don't we? 59 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:58,720 Lauren Parker the Hub City Worship Team as they bring you Cheryl Crow's I Shall Believe. 60 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,720 So welcome to HCV. If you join us from home thank you for welcoming us into your kitchen, 61 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:06,720 your living room or your car wherever you may be listening. 62 00:08:06,720 --> 00:08:12,720 And every summer many of you know we discuss songs written within our secular culture 63 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:20,720 in search of the spiritual meaning that challenges us to grow in our relationship with Jesus. 64 00:08:20,720 --> 00:08:26,720 Last week we kicked it off with The Maker. This morning you heard Cheryl Crow's I Shall Believe. 65 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:34,720 Now this year like I shared last week it's quite often songs that you may have never heard before. 66 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:38,720 But the best part of that is we all get to learn them together. 67 00:08:38,720 --> 00:08:46,720 I Shall Believe was released in August 1993 on Cheryl Crow's debut album Tuesday Night Music Club. 68 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:52,720 The album also featured hits Strong Enough and the familiar Jam All I Want to Do. 69 00:08:52,720 --> 00:08:56,720 Tuesday Night Music Club reached number three on the US Billboard 200 albums. 70 00:08:56,720 --> 00:09:00,720 Cheryl Crow actually won three Grammy Awards in 1994 for the album. 71 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:05,720 Record of the Year, Best New Artist and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance. 72 00:09:05,720 --> 00:09:12,720 So that song if you have heard it before has been played in numerous movies and TV shows. 73 00:09:12,720 --> 00:09:19,720 Now it's interesting when you have never heard a song before and I've never heard this song before two and a half weeks ago. 74 00:09:19,720 --> 00:09:25,720 Over the last week I've been really listening to it and diving into it, reading about it, reading the lyrics, 75 00:09:25,720 --> 00:09:32,720 reading Cheryl Crow's comments on it and if I'm reading it correctly it tells the story of a woman 76 00:09:32,720 --> 00:09:39,720 who left her husband for an affair, who returns home broken, desperate and distraught, 77 00:09:39,720 --> 00:09:43,720 seeking to be consoled from the man she abandoned. 78 00:09:43,720 --> 00:09:52,720 Now for many of us this is not a situation we've ever experienced or dare I say is it? 79 00:09:52,720 --> 00:09:58,720 See throughout the Bible we find God describing his feelings towards his people 80 00:09:58,720 --> 00:10:02,720 and quite often these feelings are shocking. 81 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:09,720 For example Jesus describes us as chicks that God longs to gather in his wings. 82 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:17,720 We read that we are like babies at the breast of a nursing mother desiring more of God. 83 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:24,720 Positive comforting images and yet there is one illustration that God uses to describe his love 84 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:29,720 and feelings for his people over and over and over again throughout the Bible 85 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:34,720 and it is this image of which this Cheryl Crow song connects with. 86 00:10:34,720 --> 00:10:39,720 It is the image of a prostitute and her broken hearted husband. 87 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:45,720 You can read throughout Hosea, Isaiah and Jeremiah the images repeated time and time again 88 00:10:45,720 --> 00:10:53,720 God heartbroken over a people that have spit in his face and have abandoned him to chase after other loves. 89 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:59,720 See in the ministry of Jesus we see this thing not only repeated but actually lived out. 90 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:06,720 Jesus came to rescue not the alogorical prostitutes but actual prostitutes 91 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:11,720 as the outcasts into despise and the filthy of the society flocked to him. 92 00:11:11,720 --> 00:11:18,720 Looking at this song through the lens of the kingdom of God I noticed three things about this woman. 93 00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:24,720 First her desperation, her shame and her hope. 94 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:31,720 We see her desperation in the tones of the song itself that her life can never be healed. 95 00:11:31,720 --> 00:11:37,720 Come to me now and lay your hands over me even if it is a lie she writes. 96 00:11:37,720 --> 00:11:42,720 Say it will be alright. Throughout the song you can hear her despair. 97 00:11:42,720 --> 00:11:52,720 She has her freedom that she gained but it leaves her misery, tears and emptiness. 98 00:11:52,720 --> 00:12:00,720 She is like the prodigal son in Jesus' parable who comes to the end of himself longing to eat simply with the pigs. 99 00:12:00,720 --> 00:12:05,720 Can this man whom she left fix what she has destroyed? 100 00:12:05,720 --> 00:12:09,720 She doubts it but even if he cannot she will seek him anyway. 101 00:12:09,720 --> 00:12:12,720 Better to die at his feet than die alone. 102 00:12:12,720 --> 00:12:21,720 You also see her shame. I am broken in two and I know you are the one on to me that I only come home when I am so all alone. 103 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:27,720 Even in her repentance she recognizes the mixed motives, the selfishness. 104 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:34,720 Her husband is no fool. She knows he knows when she is honest with herself. 105 00:12:34,720 --> 00:12:38,720 All she can complete is an empty life that seeks to be filled. 106 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:45,720 The song sings open the door and show me your face tonight. I know it is true no one heals me like you and you hold the key. 107 00:12:45,720 --> 00:12:53,720 I leave it all in your hands she says. I am seeking mercy not justice and only you can provide it. 108 00:12:53,720 --> 00:12:58,720 Finally you see her hope. The title of the song is I Shall Believe. 109 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:01,720 Please say honestly you won't give up on me and I shall believe. 110 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:05,720 She no longer hopes in herself but in someone else. 111 00:13:05,720 --> 00:13:09,720 The husband who will take her back. 112 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,720 Say the word and I will be healed she says. I trust not in my own goodness. 113 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,720 I have none at all instead I trust in your goodness. 114 00:13:16,720 --> 00:13:19,720 The whole song is actually a love song. 115 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:29,720 All the more beautiful because it comes from someone who finally realizes how faithful and true is the love that she rejected. 116 00:13:29,720 --> 00:13:39,720 And see friends only when we realize how desperate our need is will we finally recognize the riches of God's grace for us. 117 00:13:39,720 --> 00:13:45,720 In Jesus' own words he who has been forgiven much loves much. 118 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:50,720 And see whether or not Sheryl Crow intended it this song is a picture of the gospel. 119 00:13:50,720 --> 00:13:57,720 It is a picture of God's kingdom. You and I are the adulterous wife and God is the husband. 120 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:01,720 We have brought shame to him, disgrace and misery. 121 00:14:01,720 --> 00:14:05,720 What does it cost him to take us back? 122 00:14:05,720 --> 00:14:22,720 The song ends before it tells us but we all know in real life scorn, nails, thorns, tears and death are the result of our rejection. 123 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,720 Which leads us to our first thought this morning as we discuss Sheryl Crow's I Shall Believe. 124 00:14:26,720 --> 00:14:32,720 Kingdom benefits do not equal part time followers. 125 00:14:32,720 --> 00:14:38,720 See I felt this song described a person that is living in limbo. 126 00:14:38,720 --> 00:14:41,720 And what does it mean to live in limbo? 127 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:55,720 Well it's described as in a forgotten or ignored state, place or situation, an uncertain or undecided state or condition, a condition between two extremes. 128 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:02,720 How many times as followers of Jesus do we find ourselves living in the limbo? 129 00:15:02,720 --> 00:15:10,720 You know having a relationship with Jesus while at the same time dabbling in the world. 130 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:16,720 I quite often always hear well Chris it makes me happy. 131 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:22,720 It makes me feel so good. 132 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:30,720 You know in the song we heard this morning the wife what she experienced in the rush of infidelity. 133 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:32,720 We read this in James 4. 134 00:15:32,720 --> 00:15:38,720 You adulterers and he's not addressing the woman in the song. 135 00:15:38,720 --> 00:15:40,720 This letter is addressing the church. 136 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:44,720 Don't you realize that friendships with the world makes you an enemy with God. 137 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:50,720 I say it again if you want to be a friend of the world you make yourself an enemy of God. 138 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:52,720 Do you think the scriptures have no meaning? 139 00:15:52,720 --> 00:16:00,720 They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 140 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:09,720 See when we begin a relationship with Jesus we're filled with the Holy Spirit and we are joined with Jesus. 141 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:20,720 And friends the spirit who lives inside of us cares about us loves us wants the best for us. 142 00:16:20,720 --> 00:16:27,720 The scriptures tell us he is jealous for our love and attention. 143 00:16:27,720 --> 00:16:33,720 See he doesn't want to be placed on the side and saved just for Sundays. 144 00:16:33,720 --> 00:16:36,720 That's when the spirit comes to life. 145 00:16:36,720 --> 00:16:46,720 He wants all of us every single day because Jesus paid it all for us on the cross. 146 00:16:46,720 --> 00:16:54,720 See the difference between the Holy Spirit and the devil is the devil does not care if we just have a little bit of him. 147 00:16:54,720 --> 00:17:05,720 If we just have a little devil on the side he doesn't care because he knows that a little can grow quickly into so much more. 148 00:17:05,720 --> 00:17:16,720 And here's the reality friends there are people here this morning even watching online and you're sitting on the fence. 149 00:17:16,720 --> 00:17:24,720 And there's one thing that we have to realize when we sit on the fence especially a fence like this. 150 00:17:24,720 --> 00:17:33,720 It doesn't take but a few dare I say seconds before it's going to start to hurt. 151 00:17:33,720 --> 00:17:42,720 But yet people do it because while they're on the fence they have the view of both worlds. 152 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:49,720 Right they can see God's kingdom they can see the world and all its benefits. 153 00:17:49,720 --> 00:17:52,720 But they end up having nothing. 154 00:17:52,720 --> 00:18:07,720 Just this uncomfortable pain and anxiety that follows a person trying to live with both worlds in his or her hands. 155 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:12,720 You know I shared last week a relationship with Jesus can be described as boring. 156 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:21,720 It can be boring when you're trying to live in a relationship with him and having some world on the side. 157 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:25,720 You want me to define sitting on the fence for you? 158 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:29,720 Having enough of the world that we're not fully living for God. 159 00:18:29,720 --> 00:18:39,720 Or for those of you on the other side having enough of God that we're not fully enjoying or indulging the world. 160 00:18:39,720 --> 00:18:46,720 And see here's the reality you can't live for both it either has to be one or the other. 161 00:18:46,720 --> 00:18:49,720 And they're not my words they're Jesus's words. 162 00:18:49,720 --> 00:18:59,720 Revelation 3 I know all the things you do that you're neither hot nor cold. 163 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:07,720 I wish that you were one or the other but since you are lukewarm water neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth. 164 00:19:07,720 --> 00:19:16,720 And see trying to experience the best of both worlds and end up with nothing. 165 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:25,720 Joshua chapter 24 verse 14 and see it's not just Jesus this goes all the way back to the Old Testament. 166 00:19:25,720 --> 00:19:28,720 So fear the Lord and serve him wholeheartedly. 167 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:36,720 Put away forever the idols your ancestors worshiped when they lived beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt served the Lord alone. 168 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:41,720 Now notice Jesus did not say believe in God. 169 00:19:41,720 --> 00:19:43,720 What did he say I'm sorry Joshua? 170 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:47,720 Joshua did not say believe in God he said serve him. 171 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:49,720 Serve. 172 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:53,720 There's a big difference between belief and serving. 173 00:19:53,720 --> 00:19:58,720 Right we heard the struggling woman in the song I shall believe. 174 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:03,720 Well it's fine you believe what are you doing? 175 00:20:03,720 --> 00:20:06,720 See God is not talking about believing in his existence. 176 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:09,720 He's not talking about trusting him for salvation. 177 00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:13,720 He's talking about fully living for God. 178 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:19,720 And so many followers of Jesus within our culture in the United States say well I believe in God. 179 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:24,720 I go to church I say the right things on Sunday. 180 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:29,720 I put my $20 in the offering boxes at past. 181 00:20:29,720 --> 00:20:37,720 And see this talk is not about you doing more or doing something correctly. 182 00:20:37,720 --> 00:20:42,720 Like this talk is about turning that fence into an electric fence. 183 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:46,720 Get on one or the other. 184 00:20:46,720 --> 00:20:49,720 Go all in. 185 00:20:49,720 --> 00:20:51,720 Don't be afraid. 186 00:20:51,720 --> 00:20:54,720 I mean if you want to go all in with the world go for it. 187 00:20:54,720 --> 00:20:56,720 Indulge. 188 00:20:56,720 --> 00:20:59,720 You're going to be empty. 189 00:20:59,720 --> 00:21:02,720 But you go all in in God. 190 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:04,720 You're never going to regret it. 191 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:07,720 Joshua continues in verse 15. 192 00:21:07,720 --> 00:21:11,720 If you refuse to serve the Lord then choose today whom you'll serve. 193 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:14,720 Notice he even tells the people of Israel choose. 194 00:21:14,720 --> 00:21:19,720 Would you prefer the gods of your ancestors that your ancestors serve beyond your friendliness 195 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:22,720 or will be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live. 196 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:27,720 But as for me and my family we will serve the Lord. 197 00:21:27,720 --> 00:21:34,720 And see I believe when a person makes a decision to serve and follow God and go all in 198 00:21:34,720 --> 00:21:37,720 the family is going to follow. 199 00:21:37,720 --> 00:21:41,720 Is that what you're saying this morning? 200 00:21:41,720 --> 00:21:46,720 Will you serve? 201 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:49,720 Will you go all in? 202 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,720 Look at 1 Kings 18-21 for the message. This is amazing. 203 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,720 Listen to Elijah challenging the people. 204 00:21:56,720 --> 00:22:01,720 How long are you going to sit on the fence? 205 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:06,720 If God is the real God follow Him. 206 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:13,720 If it's Bale, oh excuse me, if it's Netflix or Amazon Prime, 207 00:22:13,720 --> 00:22:23,720 oh if it's marijuana or social media or politics or religion, go follow them. 208 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:29,720 Isn't that what he's saying? 209 00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:32,720 Make up your minds. 210 00:22:32,720 --> 00:22:37,720 Now notice here nobody said a word nobody made a move. 211 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:40,720 That's the scripture that's not me. 212 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:46,720 They were sitting on the fence. 213 00:22:46,720 --> 00:22:48,720 Choose. 214 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:53,720 You know this is all about going all in one side or the other. 215 00:22:53,720 --> 00:22:59,720 Yet there's so many people that believe that dabbling in sin will not hurt their relationship with Jesus. 216 00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:03,720 Oh it's okay I can dabble my big toe it won't hurt. 217 00:23:03,720 --> 00:23:06,720 Okay I got an example for you. 218 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:10,720 Fresh off the shelves of Pepsi Nitro. 219 00:23:10,720 --> 00:23:13,720 Has anyone ever had a Pepsi Nitro? 220 00:23:13,720 --> 00:23:14,720 Me either. 221 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,720 Will you try it for me? 222 00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:17,720 Oh I made a mess. 223 00:23:17,720 --> 00:23:20,720 Just give it a try. 224 00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:21,720 Is it pretty good? 225 00:23:21,720 --> 00:23:23,720 Can I have a taste? 226 00:23:23,720 --> 00:23:26,720 Okay. 227 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:30,720 Here you go. 228 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:33,720 That's a dabble isn't it? 229 00:23:33,720 --> 00:23:36,720 Like someone offered you a drink you're like man that's a good Pepsi Nitro. 230 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:39,720 Oh let me have a back a spin in it. 231 00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:44,720 It's just a dabble it's just a little spit. 232 00:23:44,720 --> 00:23:48,720 It won't taste bad. 233 00:23:48,720 --> 00:23:51,720 It's just a little spit. 234 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:53,720 It's just a little of my time. 235 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:54,720 It's just a little of my energy. 236 00:23:54,720 --> 00:23:56,720 It's a little of my focus. 237 00:23:56,720 --> 00:23:59,720 No one needs to know. 238 00:23:59,720 --> 00:24:07,720 See the Holy Spirit is jealous for daily connection with us. 239 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:10,720 Will you go all in? 240 00:24:10,720 --> 00:24:11,720 Which leads us to our next thought. 241 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:15,720 You see Jesus is worth more than anything we're going to lose. 242 00:24:15,720 --> 00:24:19,720 See the deal with the fence, living on the fence, 243 00:24:19,720 --> 00:24:23,720 and so many people straddle it and ride it because it's the fear of loss. 244 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:26,720 Oh I'm going to lose something. 245 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:30,720 Jesus is worth the sacrifice. 246 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:33,720 He's worth more than anything you're going to lose. 247 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:39,720 He is worth the early mornings of devotional time. 248 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:43,720 He is worth the Sunday services and serving for others. 249 00:24:43,720 --> 00:24:44,720 He's worth our finances. 250 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:46,720 He's worth the relationships we're in. 251 00:24:46,720 --> 00:24:49,720 He's worth the jobs. 252 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:53,720 Listen at the end of the year, isn't it me, it's June. 253 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,720 We're halfway through 2022 and in six months, 254 00:24:57,720 --> 00:24:59,720 for so many people it gets to the end of December. 255 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:01,720 They look back on the year and they think, 256 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,720 man if only I would have. 257 00:25:04,720 --> 00:25:06,720 If only I made that decision. 258 00:25:06,720 --> 00:25:09,720 If only I could have. 259 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,720 Listen, I promise you, 260 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:16,720 you're never going to regret anything you give up for God. 261 00:25:16,720 --> 00:25:21,720 Never. 262 00:25:21,720 --> 00:25:25,720 You're only going to regret at the end of 2022 263 00:25:25,720 --> 00:25:28,720 when we were selfish, self-consumed, 264 00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,720 and missed all the opportunities that God gave us 265 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,720 and we were too close-minded to see them. 266 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:37,720 That's regret. 267 00:25:37,720 --> 00:25:40,720 Matthew 10, 38, if you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, 268 00:25:40,720 --> 00:25:44,720 you're not worthy of being mine. 269 00:25:44,720 --> 00:25:47,720 I mean Jesus is challenging us. 270 00:25:47,720 --> 00:25:50,720 My sacrifice, what I paid on the cross, 271 00:25:50,720 --> 00:25:56,720 is worth so much more than anything you're ever going to give up. 272 00:25:56,720 --> 00:25:58,720 I'm a big baseball fan. 273 00:25:58,720 --> 00:26:00,720 I enjoy watching baseball. 274 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:02,720 I probably watch it four or five days a week. 275 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,720 I watch it on the TV because I'm a San Francisco Giants fan, 276 00:26:05,720 --> 00:26:09,720 West Coast team, don't get to see them much around here. 277 00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:11,720 But every now and again when they travel east, 278 00:26:11,720 --> 00:26:13,720 I get to see them play locally. 279 00:26:13,720 --> 00:26:17,720 Typically I try to go once a year. 280 00:26:17,720 --> 00:26:20,720 I've actually enjoyed seeing them play at Nationals Park several times 281 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,720 on different occasions. 282 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:25,720 I got to see them in a playoff game with my son Isaac. 283 00:26:25,720 --> 00:26:28,720 It was super exciting because there was all these National fans 284 00:26:28,720 --> 00:26:31,720 and then like two Giants fans, that's what it felt like, and we won. 285 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:33,720 So it was great. 286 00:26:33,720 --> 00:26:34,720 My son actually had to look at me and say, 287 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,720 Dad, please be quiet, we may not get out of here alive. 288 00:26:38,720 --> 00:26:40,720 I said, don't worry, they're Nationals fans, they don't care, 289 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:43,720 they won't fight, we're good. 290 00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:45,720 Another time I had an opportunity, 291 00:26:45,720 --> 00:26:48,720 we had a bunch of tickets given to us, I took my whole family. 292 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:50,720 A whole family went. 293 00:26:50,720 --> 00:26:55,720 Well back then it was seven of us, now it's eight, but that's okay. 294 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:59,720 So our whole family went, we were about 20 rows back from home play, 295 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:00,720 it was beautiful. 296 00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:03,720 We got together and watched the game, and again the Giants won. 297 00:27:03,720 --> 00:27:06,720 Man, I should go more often. 298 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:12,720 It was about 12 years ago, okay, it was a long time ago, 299 00:27:12,720 --> 00:27:18,720 we had tickets given to us at National Stadium in the Diamond Club section. 300 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:23,720 Now let me just explain the Diamond Club to you, okay? 301 00:27:23,720 --> 00:27:27,720 The Diamond Club is right behind home play. 302 00:27:27,720 --> 00:27:30,720 Okay, right behind home play. 303 00:27:30,720 --> 00:27:34,720 And we got to our seats and we sat down and immediately a server came up to us 304 00:27:34,720 --> 00:27:37,720 and said, what can I get you, sir, what can I get you, ma'am? 305 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:40,720 And we were like, oh, we're fine, she goes, no, you don't understand. 306 00:27:40,720 --> 00:27:44,720 It's free. 307 00:27:44,720 --> 00:27:46,720 It's free? 308 00:27:46,720 --> 00:27:48,720 It's free. 309 00:27:48,720 --> 00:27:49,720 Get anything you want. 310 00:27:49,720 --> 00:27:58,720 And we're like, oh, kids, what would you like? 311 00:27:58,720 --> 00:28:00,720 And not only did you get anything you wanted when you ordered it, 312 00:28:00,720 --> 00:28:04,720 but you were in these seats, you were kicking back, you know, 313 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:07,720 it was like Leiterberg Cinemas, but at the ball game, 314 00:28:07,720 --> 00:28:09,720 and the views were incredible. 315 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:11,720 Just amazing. 316 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:16,720 Then to top it all off, with every ticket that our server had to tell us this, 317 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:24,720 we had no idea, with every ticket, you had $60 in national store cash. 318 00:28:24,720 --> 00:28:26,720 I was like, what? 319 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:27,720 I started adding that up. 320 00:28:27,720 --> 00:28:29,720 I'm like, that's $240. 321 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:30,720 Kids, go have fun. 322 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:32,720 It's Christmas. 323 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,720 I mean, 12 years ago, 13 years ago, we didn't have much extra money. 324 00:28:35,720 --> 00:28:37,720 I was like, no, no, we're keeping that stuff. 325 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,720 We're going to wrap it up. 326 00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:52,720 Now, I share this with you because as I was preparing my talk this week, 327 00:28:52,720 --> 00:28:57,720 we're planning on knowing my 11-year-old, he wants to go see the Giants. 328 00:28:57,720 --> 00:28:59,720 They're playing in Pittsburgh next week for his birthday. 329 00:28:59,720 --> 00:29:00,720 That's what he wanted to do for his birthday. 330 00:29:00,720 --> 00:29:04,720 So we're going to go to Pittsburgh and see the Giants play the Pirates. 331 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:08,720 And I just began thinking about all these times I went and saw the Giants play. 332 00:29:08,720 --> 00:29:16,720 I began to realize, do you know the only difference between the Diamond Club 333 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:24,720 and the bench seats in the top row of the stadium is the price someone is willing to pay for it? 334 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:26,720 And listen up. 335 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,720 Jesus paid it all. 336 00:29:28,720 --> 00:29:30,720 And if I'm going to be in God's kingdom, guess what? 337 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:32,720 I want to be sitting in the Diamond section. 338 00:29:32,720 --> 00:29:35,720 I don't want to be in the top row, right? 339 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:38,720 I don't want to be in the top row in the bench seats that are all uncomfortable 340 00:29:38,720 --> 00:29:42,720 and you can't even see the game. 341 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,720 Jesus desires that we live in abundance. 342 00:29:46,720 --> 00:29:48,720 Abundance is going all in. 343 00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:51,720 Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. 344 00:29:51,720 --> 00:29:53,720 Don't you realize that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit? 345 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:55,720 You live in you and was given to you by God. 346 00:29:55,720 --> 00:29:58,720 You do not belong to yourself. 347 00:29:58,720 --> 00:30:03,720 For God bought you with a high price. 348 00:30:03,720 --> 00:30:08,720 Within our culture, there's a lack of appetite for God. 349 00:30:08,720 --> 00:30:14,720 I mean, people will scroll through hours and hours of Instagram and Facebook 350 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:21,720 and spend hours making the perfect TikTok if they cannot spend five minutes reading the Bible. 351 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,720 Stop living on the fence. 352 00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:28,720 Give God everything. 353 00:30:28,720 --> 00:30:33,720 The reason people are bored reading or listening to the Bible is because our minds 354 00:30:33,720 --> 00:30:38,720 have been entertained by our society. 355 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:48,720 I mean, don't you realize the TV is boring when you don't turn it on? 356 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:51,720 True or false? 357 00:30:51,720 --> 00:30:54,720 I mean, that's just an ugly gray screen. 358 00:30:54,720 --> 00:31:00,720 I mean, the last time I checked, you're not going to see much on Instagram when you don't log in. 359 00:31:00,720 --> 00:31:02,720 It's boring. 360 00:31:02,720 --> 00:31:07,720 Don't log in. 361 00:31:07,720 --> 00:31:11,720 Now, some of you are like, oh, here we go. 362 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:13,720 Oh, I got to read the Bible all day. 363 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:15,720 I got to listen to the Bible. 364 00:31:15,720 --> 00:31:16,720 Look, man, I'm not saying that. 365 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:18,720 It's not a checklist. 366 00:31:18,720 --> 00:31:25,720 It's putting Jesus first so that He can have more of us. 367 00:31:25,720 --> 00:31:32,720 Right in my marriage, Jess doesn't want me to walk around every day, 24 hours a day, holding her hand. 368 00:31:32,720 --> 00:31:39,720 Look, that's just not healthy for her or me. 369 00:31:39,720 --> 00:31:44,720 But she does want my heart. 370 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,720 And when my heart is there, everything is great. 371 00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:53,720 But when it's not, it's a mess. 372 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:58,720 God is saying, stop living in the limbo. 373 00:31:58,720 --> 00:32:05,720 Go all in with me today, which leads us to our next thought. 374 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:09,720 Look, sin ends with surrender. 375 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:14,720 Now, listen, I didn't say all sin. 376 00:32:14,720 --> 00:32:18,720 Some of your sins need deliverance. 377 00:32:18,720 --> 00:32:26,720 Some of your sins require repentance, and there's other sins that need downright, outright counseling. 378 00:32:26,720 --> 00:32:29,720 However, there's a majority of sins that can be simply... 379 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:35,720 Now, listen, there's a majority of sins that can simply be replaced with God. 380 00:32:35,720 --> 00:32:36,720 That's all. 381 00:32:36,720 --> 00:32:39,720 What some people call radical change... 382 00:32:39,720 --> 00:32:41,720 You know what God says? 383 00:32:41,720 --> 00:32:43,720 That's just replacement. 384 00:32:43,720 --> 00:32:45,720 That's not radical change. 385 00:32:45,720 --> 00:32:49,720 God doesn't need for you or me to be radical. 386 00:32:49,720 --> 00:32:55,720 He just wants to replace our habits that cause us to sin with Him. 387 00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:58,720 That's it. 388 00:32:58,720 --> 00:33:00,720 And if all of us pause... 389 00:33:00,720 --> 00:33:03,720 Listen, if all of us hit the pause button, those are your relationship with Jesus. 390 00:33:03,720 --> 00:33:11,720 If you hit the pause button and you think back to your life before God, before Jesus came into it, 391 00:33:11,720 --> 00:33:17,720 I believe that many of us can acknowledge, hey, we gave a lot to the devil. 392 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:23,720 We gave a lot of our time, our energy, our focus, and our money. 393 00:33:23,720 --> 00:33:24,720 Right? 394 00:33:24,720 --> 00:33:32,720 We gave him so much, it left us broke, empty, tired, and distraught. 395 00:33:32,720 --> 00:33:38,720 Yet, when we begin a relationship with Jesus, it's like, oh, hold on. 396 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,720 God, you want it all? 397 00:33:41,720 --> 00:33:46,720 I got to surrender everything to you? 398 00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:50,720 Doesn't that make me a Jesus freak or something? 399 00:33:50,720 --> 00:33:54,720 It's like you go all in with the devil, you give him everything. 400 00:33:54,720 --> 00:33:58,720 Spending thousands of dollars on your drugs, what do you mean tithes? 401 00:33:58,720 --> 00:33:59,720 What? 402 00:33:59,720 --> 00:34:04,720 You mean tithes? 403 00:34:04,720 --> 00:34:06,720 Like what you mean? 404 00:34:06,720 --> 00:34:12,720 You spent 20 grand of your life on your marijuana, but you're not going to give God 20? 405 00:34:12,720 --> 00:34:18,720 What? 406 00:34:18,720 --> 00:34:23,720 I mean, just look at the United States. 407 00:34:23,720 --> 00:34:31,720 There's so much of our country that miss out on all that God has for them 408 00:34:31,720 --> 00:34:35,720 because Sundays has become Family Day. 409 00:34:35,720 --> 00:34:38,720 Yet, there's so many families for Family Day, 410 00:34:38,720 --> 00:34:43,720 they're watching Netflix on separate devices in separate rooms. 411 00:34:43,720 --> 00:34:47,720 Family Day? 412 00:34:47,720 --> 00:34:51,720 That's selfish individual day. 413 00:34:51,720 --> 00:34:53,720 That's Sunday's Family Day, Chris. 414 00:34:53,720 --> 00:34:56,720 We can only come once a month. 415 00:34:56,720 --> 00:35:02,720 I'm sorry you're binge watching whatever you're binge watching. 416 00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:08,720 Or if Sunday's not Family Day, it's Sports Day. 417 00:35:08,720 --> 00:35:13,720 Oh, well, Chris, you know, my son's going to be the next Pele. 418 00:35:13,720 --> 00:35:16,720 I've got to get him scoring goals. 419 00:35:16,720 --> 00:35:19,720 Newsflash, no he's not. 420 00:35:19,720 --> 00:35:25,720 My two-year-old's running faster than him. 421 00:35:25,720 --> 00:35:29,720 Watch Phoenix, he's fast. 422 00:35:29,720 --> 00:35:34,720 So our culture has essentially separated the family unit to get everybody to different fields. 423 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:36,720 Sunday, forget about church. 424 00:35:36,720 --> 00:35:37,720 We don't need God. 425 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:44,720 We've got to get our professional athletes to their games. 426 00:35:44,720 --> 00:35:51,720 And I'm not saying, listen, I'm not saying you have to be doing something at HCV seven days a week. 427 00:35:51,720 --> 00:35:56,720 It's not about this church. 428 00:35:56,720 --> 00:35:58,720 It's about Jesus. 429 00:35:58,720 --> 00:35:59,720 That's what it's about. 430 00:35:59,720 --> 00:36:00,720 It's about God. 431 00:36:00,720 --> 00:36:07,720 And listen, we grow closer to Jesus by gathering together, encouraging one another, 432 00:36:07,720 --> 00:36:18,720 praying for one another, and surrendering what culture tells us is right is wrong. 433 00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:21,720 You know, is there someone willing to say no? 434 00:36:21,720 --> 00:36:26,720 Because I believe if people begin to stand up and say no, we're going to put Jesus first, 435 00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:32,720 then suddenly you're going to see a revival well up within yourself, and you're going to impact other people. 436 00:36:32,720 --> 00:36:37,720 I mean, there's no wonder divorce rates in the church are nearly as high as in our culture, 437 00:36:37,720 --> 00:36:41,720 because we're not willing to surrender. 438 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:47,720 I mean, Paul says it this way in Galatians 5, so I say let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. 439 00:36:47,720 --> 00:36:51,720 Then you won't be doing what your sinful nature craves. 440 00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:54,720 Simply replace the sinful nature with the Spirit. 441 00:36:54,720 --> 00:36:56,720 Sounds easy, right? 442 00:36:56,720 --> 00:37:00,720 It's not. 443 00:37:00,720 --> 00:37:03,720 You have to be willing to surrender it. 444 00:37:03,720 --> 00:37:06,720 That means you've got to get up 30 minutes earlier to have your morning time with God. 445 00:37:06,720 --> 00:37:15,720 That means you have to be willing to be inconvenienced in your busy schedules to serve someone in need. 446 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:18,720 I mean, heck, when this goes all the way back to the Old Testament, 447 00:37:18,720 --> 00:37:22,720 when God set his people free from bondage and slavery in Egypt, 448 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:25,720 notice what he told Moses to say to Pharaoh. 449 00:37:25,720 --> 00:37:27,720 Exodus 8.1. 450 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:31,720 Throwing back a little New King James for you old-schoolers. 451 00:37:31,720 --> 00:37:33,720 And the Lord spoke to Moses. 452 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:39,720 Go to Pharaoh and say to him, Thus says the Lord, 453 00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:43,720 Let my people go that they may serve me. 454 00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:47,720 Everyone say serve. 455 00:37:47,720 --> 00:37:52,720 Notice he doesn't say let my people go so they will live a beautiful life in a promised land 456 00:37:52,720 --> 00:37:54,720 and won't have any more problems. 457 00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:58,720 19 times Moses goes to Pharaoh and says, 458 00:37:58,720 --> 00:38:06,720 Let my people go so that they may serve me. 459 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:10,720 God saved us so we can have a relationship with us. 460 00:38:10,720 --> 00:38:14,720 The people of Israel thought they were getting out of Egypt for a better life. 461 00:38:14,720 --> 00:38:19,720 In reality, the first three days they went without food or water. 462 00:38:19,720 --> 00:38:23,720 They're ready to kill Moses, go back to Egypt. 463 00:38:23,720 --> 00:38:29,720 It wasn't a better life, it was a better God. 464 00:38:29,720 --> 00:38:33,720 Listen, God's goal is not to give us a better life. 465 00:38:33,720 --> 00:38:35,720 Does everyone hear that? 466 00:38:35,720 --> 00:38:40,720 His goal is for us to become more like his son. 467 00:38:40,720 --> 00:38:45,720 And I want to challenge you, instead of binge watching your favorite series, 468 00:38:45,720 --> 00:38:52,720 watch an episode, and then find time to read through or listen to the Gospels. 469 00:38:52,720 --> 00:38:59,720 I'm not telling you to go be a monk, I'm telling you to prioritize your relationship with Jesus. 470 00:38:59,720 --> 00:39:03,720 Replace your bad habits to God. 471 00:39:03,720 --> 00:39:05,720 Give them to God. 472 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:10,720 Replace them with God. 473 00:39:10,720 --> 00:39:15,720 Which leads us to our next thought. 474 00:39:15,720 --> 00:39:18,720 See, what is living in revival this morning? 475 00:39:18,720 --> 00:39:23,720 Is it me or my sin? 476 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:25,720 But how can that be? 477 00:39:25,720 --> 00:39:27,720 Did the law, which is good, cause my death? 478 00:39:27,720 --> 00:39:28,720 Of course not. 479 00:39:28,720 --> 00:39:33,720 Sin used what was good to bring about my condemnation to death. 480 00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:36,720 So we can see how terrible sin really is. 481 00:39:36,720 --> 00:39:40,720 It uses God's good commands for its own evil purposes. 482 00:39:40,720 --> 00:39:45,720 So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. 483 00:39:45,720 --> 00:39:47,720 The trouble is with me. 484 00:39:47,720 --> 00:39:50,720 I'm all too human a slave to sin. 485 00:39:50,720 --> 00:39:52,720 I don't really understand myself. 486 00:39:52,720 --> 00:39:57,720 For what I want to do what is right, I don't do it. 487 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:01,720 Instead I do what I hate. 488 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:06,720 And see, for some of us here this morning, at one point in your relationship with God you were alive. 489 00:40:06,720 --> 00:40:10,720 You experienced forgiveness, you experienced grace, you experienced abundance, 490 00:40:10,720 --> 00:40:15,720 but now something has changed. 491 00:40:15,720 --> 00:40:18,720 And you're on spiritual life support. 492 00:40:18,720 --> 00:40:20,720 And I want you to look at your heart this morning. 493 00:40:20,720 --> 00:40:22,720 What's in revival? 494 00:40:22,720 --> 00:40:26,720 Your spirit or your flesh? 495 00:40:26,720 --> 00:40:29,720 Because when our flesh is in revival, guess what? 496 00:40:29,720 --> 00:40:32,720 I'm promising you right now, you're going to lose money, you're going to lose relationships, 497 00:40:32,720 --> 00:40:35,720 they're going to become strange, you're going to lose your joy, you're going to lose... 498 00:40:35,720 --> 00:40:40,720 And there's going to be consequences. 499 00:40:40,720 --> 00:40:47,720 But when your spirit's in revival, we desire to make a difference in the lives of others. 500 00:40:47,720 --> 00:40:50,720 We desire for others to experience more in this life. 501 00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:53,720 We want to serve. 502 00:40:53,720 --> 00:41:01,720 But see, unfortunately what happens for so many people is life gets in the way of spiritual revival. 503 00:41:01,720 --> 00:41:05,720 Life! 504 00:41:05,720 --> 00:41:14,720 Because if you look back at your life, quite often it's not necessarily a bad thing 505 00:41:14,720 --> 00:41:20,720 that can cause us to lose our passion for God. 506 00:41:20,720 --> 00:41:24,720 It could be your marriage, it could be the kids that you had, it could be a promotion you received, 507 00:41:24,720 --> 00:41:29,720 and suddenly you spiritually die and God takes a back seat. 508 00:41:29,720 --> 00:41:33,720 And listen, I don't want you to look back on this life with regrets. 509 00:41:33,720 --> 00:41:40,720 Heck, I don't even want you to look back on this year with regrets. 510 00:41:40,720 --> 00:41:48,720 Good things in this life destroy God's best for your life. 511 00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:55,720 And you have to guard against the temptation to simply ride the fence. 512 00:41:55,720 --> 00:42:02,720 Four simple action steps for us to apply to our lives of how we daily take up our cross. 513 00:42:02,720 --> 00:42:06,720 Because I believe as we take up our cross, we're dying to ourselves and we're dying to those things 514 00:42:06,720 --> 00:42:10,720 that keep us from living and going all in with God. 515 00:42:10,720 --> 00:42:13,720 And first, just daily walk in obedience. 516 00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:16,720 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you're not worthy of being in mine. 517 00:42:16,720 --> 00:42:18,720 You're not worthy of being in that relationship. 518 00:42:18,720 --> 00:42:24,720 To take up your cross simply means to walk in obedience to God. 519 00:42:24,720 --> 00:42:28,720 And as a follower of Jesus, you don't look at the Bible and decide for yourself, 520 00:42:28,720 --> 00:42:32,720 well, I believe that and follow that, but not this part. 521 00:42:32,720 --> 00:42:35,720 It doesn't work that way. 522 00:42:35,720 --> 00:42:43,720 The Bible calls that type of person foolish and double-minded, living in both worlds. 523 00:42:43,720 --> 00:42:47,720 Those that are all in with Jesus trust that God knows best. 524 00:42:47,720 --> 00:42:55,720 And they desire to align every part of their lives with what God desires for us. 525 00:42:55,720 --> 00:42:58,720 Anybody in the trains? 526 00:42:58,720 --> 00:43:01,720 Yeah, me either. 527 00:43:01,720 --> 00:43:08,720 But the crazy thing is, Phoenix, my two-year-old, he's now in the Thomas the train. 528 00:43:08,720 --> 00:43:10,720 I just don't get it. 529 00:43:10,720 --> 00:43:13,720 I mean, I've watched Thomas. 530 00:43:13,720 --> 00:43:17,720 I've read all the books about Thomas. 531 00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:20,720 I'm just not getting the stories. 532 00:43:20,720 --> 00:43:31,720 But one thing I do know about trains that I've learned, because Phoenix really wanted a Thomas the train, so he got one. 533 00:43:31,720 --> 00:43:34,720 Oh, Monday, I think. 534 00:43:34,720 --> 00:43:39,720 So the one thing I learned about trains, in order for Thomas to stay on the track, 535 00:43:39,720 --> 00:43:40,720 that's how he moves forward. 536 00:43:40,720 --> 00:43:43,720 When he gets off the track, what happens? 537 00:43:43,720 --> 00:43:44,720 He crashes. 538 00:43:44,720 --> 00:43:47,720 It's pretty funny to watch. 539 00:43:47,720 --> 00:43:55,720 He also crashes when he gets thrown into the tub and he's run on batteries. 540 00:43:55,720 --> 00:43:57,720 But that was an intentional one. 541 00:43:57,720 --> 00:44:05,720 My point, you need to stay in step with what God desires by reading the book. 542 00:44:05,720 --> 00:44:13,720 1 John 5, 2, we know we love God's children if we love God and obey His commandments. 543 00:44:13,720 --> 00:44:18,720 Loving God, verse 3, means keeping His commandments and His commandments are not burdensome. 544 00:44:18,720 --> 00:44:20,720 Isn't that interesting? 545 00:44:20,720 --> 00:44:22,720 It's not a burden. 546 00:44:22,720 --> 00:44:26,720 Because it brings us abundant life, which leads us to our next step. 547 00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:27,720 Just accept your circumstances. 548 00:44:27,720 --> 00:44:32,720 Matthew 10, 38, if you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you're not worthy of being mine. 549 00:44:32,720 --> 00:44:36,720 Look, we're all going to face difficult circumstances. 550 00:44:36,720 --> 00:44:44,720 I mean, it's amazing that our community made national news by a shooting. 551 00:44:44,720 --> 00:44:47,720 And it just breaks your heart. 552 00:44:47,720 --> 00:44:52,720 And there's so many people, when they're faced with difficult circumstances, 553 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:54,720 they typically have three responses. 554 00:44:54,720 --> 00:44:58,720 They fight, they flight, or they have faith. 555 00:44:58,720 --> 00:45:04,720 Either we argue with God and tell Him how wrong He is and blame Him for the circumstances you're in. 556 00:45:04,720 --> 00:45:11,720 We completely run away from Him and ignore Him, or you have the faith to trust that He's at work. 557 00:45:11,720 --> 00:45:19,720 To take up your cross means that you believe that God sees us, knows us, and is working for our best. 558 00:45:19,720 --> 00:45:23,720 We take up our cross when we recognize that we're living in a broken world, 559 00:45:23,720 --> 00:45:29,720 and we reject the lie that God is punishing us for our mistakes, because it's a lie. 560 00:45:29,720 --> 00:45:37,720 We know that God cares more about us than He does our comfort. 561 00:45:37,720 --> 00:45:43,720 Philippians 4, 13, for I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength. 562 00:45:43,720 --> 00:45:47,720 Which leads us to step three, just daily pray for conviction. 563 00:45:47,720 --> 00:45:55,720 And this is a hard one for people to do, but it's a part of taking up your cross and following Him. 564 00:45:55,720 --> 00:45:58,720 God lovingly challenges us by His Spirit. 565 00:45:58,720 --> 00:46:01,720 And we need to give Him permission to. 566 00:46:01,720 --> 00:46:05,720 I mean, you heard what Paul said, I want to do what's right, but I never do it. I always do what's wrong. 567 00:46:05,720 --> 00:46:12,720 We've got to give permission to the Spirit to reveal to us the areas in our life where we need growth and change. 568 00:46:12,720 --> 00:46:14,720 Amen? 569 00:46:14,720 --> 00:46:16,720 And He'll speak to us. 570 00:46:16,720 --> 00:46:21,720 But there's so many people that will avoid them and pretend they're not there and fence. 571 00:46:21,720 --> 00:46:24,720 That's just riding the fence. 572 00:46:24,720 --> 00:46:33,720 Psalm 139, 23, search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my stress. 573 00:46:33,720 --> 00:46:35,720 My anxious thoughts. 574 00:46:35,720 --> 00:46:40,720 Which leads us to our final step, just daily die yourself. 575 00:46:40,720 --> 00:46:47,720 Taking up your cross and following Him means that you're willing to die to self. 576 00:46:47,720 --> 00:46:52,720 You see, quite often we live a life that revolves around us. 577 00:46:52,720 --> 00:47:02,720 You know, there's a lot of Jesus followers that suddenly become mini gods. 578 00:47:02,720 --> 00:47:06,720 And we become first in our lives. 579 00:47:06,720 --> 00:47:10,720 And God says, hey, you're not the center of everything. I am. 580 00:47:10,720 --> 00:47:14,720 And see, when we do the first three steps of taking up a cross, guess what? 581 00:47:14,720 --> 00:47:16,720 We put God first in our lives. 582 00:47:16,720 --> 00:47:23,720 The last step, daily dying to self, is our attempt to end our selfishness. 583 00:47:23,720 --> 00:47:27,720 Because we're all selfish. 584 00:47:27,720 --> 00:47:34,720 Will you give God complete control? Isaiah 26, 3, Lord, we show our trust in you by obeying your laws. 585 00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:36,720 Our hearts desires to glorify your name. 586 00:47:36,720 --> 00:47:47,720 Listen from the message, who you are and what you've done is all we'll ever want. 587 00:47:47,720 --> 00:47:52,720 Yes, God. 588 00:47:52,720 --> 00:47:57,720 What does it look like for you to get off the fence this morning? 589 00:47:57,720 --> 00:48:00,720 And I want to challenge you as I was working through this this week. 590 00:48:00,720 --> 00:48:03,720 This isn't a sermon. 591 00:48:03,720 --> 00:48:05,720 This isn't a message. 592 00:48:05,720 --> 00:48:08,720 This isn't even a talk. You know, quite often I refer to my Sunday mornings as a talk. 593 00:48:08,720 --> 00:48:11,720 This isn't a talk. 594 00:48:11,720 --> 00:48:21,720 Friends, this is an invitation to experience the fullness of God in your life. 595 00:48:21,720 --> 00:48:29,720 And this morning, Rick prayed for our gatherings and prayed for me and prayed for our worship team. 596 00:48:29,720 --> 00:48:35,720 And he prayed that we would experience the fullness of God this morning. 597 00:48:35,720 --> 00:48:38,720 He didn't know what I was going to share. 598 00:48:38,720 --> 00:48:44,720 But that we would experience the fullness of God. 599 00:48:44,720 --> 00:48:47,720 So here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to invite the Holy Spirit to come. 600 00:48:47,720 --> 00:48:58,720 I'm going to ask God to reveal or speak to us any errors of our life where we're on the fence. 601 00:48:58,720 --> 00:49:03,720 Holy Spirit, come. Speak to us. 602 00:49:03,720 --> 00:49:10,720 Reveal to us, God, any areas, God, where we're not going all in. 603 00:49:10,720 --> 00:49:20,720 Where we're dabbling, where we're seeking the world, where we're not just pursuing you with everything. 604 00:49:20,720 --> 00:49:22,720 Speak to us, God. 605 00:49:22,720 --> 00:49:25,720 Whisper into our spirits. 606 00:49:25,720 --> 00:49:29,720 Holy Spirit, come to life now within us. 607 00:49:29,720 --> 00:49:38,720 Reveal your jealousy to us, God. 608 00:49:38,720 --> 00:49:44,720 Now, if God revealed something to you, I'm not going to ask you to share it, but I am going to ask you to do this. 609 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:50,720 If God revealed something to you that you're holding back from Him, that you need to give to Him, you need to surrender to Him, 610 00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:54,720 I'm going to ask you to stand. I want to pray for you. 611 00:49:54,720 --> 00:49:56,720 Yep, just stand up. 612 00:49:56,720 --> 00:49:59,720 Yes, yes, that's it. 613 00:49:59,720 --> 00:50:02,720 Move, Spirit. Come, Holy Spirit. 614 00:50:02,720 --> 00:50:08,720 Yes, Lord. 615 00:50:08,720 --> 00:50:10,720 Yes, God. 616 00:50:10,720 --> 00:50:14,720 Yes, Lord. 617 00:50:14,720 --> 00:50:20,720 Yes, Lord. 618 00:50:20,720 --> 00:50:36,720 I just speak to each and every person that stood in obedience, God, and I pray, God, that their act of surrender brings life change. 619 00:50:36,720 --> 00:50:42,720 That, God, they're acknowledging where they're dabbling, where they're not going all in, God, their acknowledgement that, God, 620 00:50:42,720 --> 00:50:51,720 that you should replace it now in Jesus' name with your Spirit. Replace it in Jesus' name. 621 00:50:51,720 --> 00:51:01,720 That they would mark this day as a day of spiritual revival within them. In Jesus' name. Amen. 622 00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:04,720 Now, if we all could stand. 623 00:51:04,720 --> 00:51:13,720 You know, I'm not going to leave a Sunday like this, a song like this, a talk like this, without offering the opportunity to come back to Jesus, 624 00:51:13,720 --> 00:51:20,720 or to start a relationship with Him, because, I mean, that's what it's all about. 625 00:51:20,720 --> 00:51:23,720 So no one looking around, you know how we do it here at HTV. 626 00:51:23,720 --> 00:51:27,720 If there's anybody here, I'm going to simply ask you to lift your hand. We're all going to pray with you. 627 00:51:27,720 --> 00:51:35,720 You won't be singled out. I won't make you come forward, and I won't push you over. 628 00:51:35,720 --> 00:51:42,720 So Holy Spirit come. Is there anybody here that needs to start that relationship, begin that relationship, or return to Him? 629 00:51:42,720 --> 00:51:50,720 Yes, Lord. Yes. Yes. Yes. 630 00:51:50,720 --> 00:52:01,720 And you know we all pray this together. Jesus, I'm broken. I'm full of doubt, sin, shame, regret. Change me. 631 00:52:01,720 --> 00:52:11,720 I believe you're God's Son. I believe you died for me. Make me new. 632 00:52:11,720 --> 00:52:22,720 Fill me with your Spirit. Help me to be fully alive. In Jesus' name. Amen. 633 00:52:22,720 --> 00:52:32,720 Now listen, text me this week, text changeme to 9700. I'll follow up with you. Hold on, we're not done. 634 00:52:32,720 --> 00:52:38,720 You're like, oh, texting, we're done. We're not done. 635 00:52:38,720 --> 00:52:45,720 If you prayed it online, if you prayed it here, if you didn't even raise your hand and you prayed it, text me please so I can pray for you, encourage you, and give you next steps. 636 00:52:45,720 --> 00:52:57,720 Now listen, there was also a prayer before the gathering that God wanted to touch some people physically. 637 00:52:57,720 --> 00:53:06,720 That God would move on your life. Specifically two areas. If you have something going on with the left eye, I don't know what that is. 638 00:53:06,720 --> 00:53:10,720 It could be anything with the left eye. We want to pray for you this morning. 639 00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:24,720 And also, anybody with braces or some kind of pain in your neck or, does that make sense? 640 00:53:24,720 --> 00:53:31,720 Just some kind of, that's not allowing you to be fully mobile. We want to specifically pray for you physically there. 641 00:53:31,720 --> 00:53:39,720 Okay, and how we do that, our prayer team's over here on the right. Okay, over here by our wonderful elevator. 642 00:53:39,720 --> 00:53:48,720 So if you want to get prayer for those areas, if you have some type of brace on your knee or your neck or your arm or something, we want to pray for you physically or a left eye. 643 00:53:48,720 --> 00:53:56,720 We want to pray that God would move in your life. Amen? Because we believe in healing. We believe God sets people free. We believe that God's kingdom is here now. 644 00:53:56,720 --> 00:54:02,720 So if you're joining us from home, thank you for welcoming us into your home, your car, your living room, wherever you may be watching. 645 00:54:02,720 --> 00:54:12,720 If you're here, now listen, if you're here, next week we continue summer jams with some Eric Clapton for those of you throwback rock and rollers. 646 00:54:12,720 --> 00:54:16,720 Okay, a little Eric Clapton style, one of the best guitarists ever. 647 00:54:16,720 --> 00:54:28,720 And then I need you, okay, to look at your neighbors so that I can get to the back of the door and high five you and beat even those people that are leaving right now. 648 00:54:28,720 --> 00:54:47,720 Can't beat them, can I?