WEBVTT 00:00:13.640 --> 00:00:15.939 Welcome to Hub City Vineyard. To get connected 00:00:15.939 --> 00:00:19.539 or to give online, please go to hdv .church slash 00:00:19.539 --> 00:00:23.719 connect or hdv .church slash give. If at any 00:00:23.719 --> 00:00:25.940 point during this message you feel called to 00:00:25.940 --> 00:00:28.820 make a change in your life, text change me to 00:00:28.820 --> 00:00:33.200 97000. Now enjoy the message. Good morning, everyone. 00:00:34.330 --> 00:00:37.109 So glad you're here. If you're joining us from 00:00:37.109 --> 00:00:39.490 home, thank you for welcoming us into your space. 00:00:39.670 --> 00:00:42.670 Well, this morning is an exciting morning because 00:00:42.670 --> 00:00:45.609 we're going to pray over a bunch of young people 00:00:45.609 --> 00:00:47.530 and adults that are going to the Dominican Republic 00:00:47.530 --> 00:00:51.909 this Friday. So we are having our first ever 00:00:51.909 --> 00:00:55.929 overseas missions team going to the Dominican 00:00:55.929 --> 00:00:57.750 Republic. If you're on that team, get up here. 00:00:58.270 --> 00:01:01.659 We're going to pray over you. And these young 00:01:01.659 --> 00:01:04.599 people and adults, of course, are going to the 00:01:04.599 --> 00:01:06.659 DR to make a difference. We're believing God's 00:01:06.659 --> 00:01:09.900 going to use them and move through them and work 00:01:09.900 --> 00:01:13.659 in them to just bring life change to that country 00:01:13.659 --> 00:01:17.439 as they travel. All the way through it. And just 00:01:17.439 --> 00:01:19.060 serve. Basically they're just going to go and 00:01:19.060 --> 00:01:22.640 serve. Serve kids. Serve youth. And make a difference 00:01:22.640 --> 00:01:26.040 in that place. Now our hopes is this is the first 00:01:26.040 --> 00:01:29.000 of many trips. This is the first that's focused 00:01:29.000 --> 00:01:31.439 on teens. Hopefully next year we'll be focusing 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.359 on adults. And going overseas as well. So if 00:01:34.359 --> 00:01:36.480 that's something you're interested in. Or would 00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:38.599 like to be a part of. Stay tuned because it's 00:01:38.599 --> 00:01:40.359 coming. So if you could stand. We're going to 00:01:40.359 --> 00:01:43.099 pray over them. And join me in praying for this 00:01:43.099 --> 00:01:48.719 team. As they go. Wow. a small team. Oh, everybody 00:01:48.719 --> 00:01:50.700 took off this week. Yeah, because these are all 00:01:50.700 --> 00:01:54.379 adults except for Claire. So Claire is our one 00:01:54.379 --> 00:01:59.019 teen being represented and a bunch of adults 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:01.260 that are leading the trip. So great. Excellent. 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:04.159 That's right. They need the most prayer. So let's 00:02:04.159 --> 00:02:07.280 pray. Holy Spirit come. God, we are just thankful 00:02:07.280 --> 00:02:10.620 for this team that's leaving for the Dominican 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:13.360 Republic this Friday, God. We just pray that 00:02:13.360 --> 00:02:15.319 you would empower them, God, that you would use 00:02:15.319 --> 00:02:18.080 them mightily. But as they prepare to go this 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:20.620 week, God, I pray that you would calm their nerves. 00:02:21.139 --> 00:02:22.840 That, God, that you would give them confidence 00:02:22.840 --> 00:02:25.860 and peace in knowing that you're going with them. 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:28.979 That, God, your spirit is moving in them, God, 00:02:29.139 --> 00:02:31.120 that they would come home just sharing about 00:02:31.120 --> 00:02:34.139 signs, wonders, and miracles that they saw, God. 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:36.919 that as they practically serve, as they serve 00:02:36.919 --> 00:02:40.340 kids and teenagers, as they serve the community 00:02:40.340 --> 00:02:42.759 there in the Dominican Republic, that people 00:02:42.759 --> 00:02:45.759 would come to know you, that people would just, 00:02:45.819 --> 00:02:48.740 that families would be baptized, God, that churches 00:02:48.740 --> 00:02:51.319 would grow. And we're just thankful for this 00:02:51.319 --> 00:02:54.800 opportunity to go overseas and to make a difference 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:59.599 for you. Holy Spirit, come. Rest on this team 00:02:59.599 --> 00:03:03.139 and go with them now. In Jesus' name. And together 00:03:03.139 --> 00:03:06.280 we say. Amen. So listen, be praying for them 00:03:06.280 --> 00:03:10.219 next week. Like I said, they leave Friday. Also 00:03:10.219 --> 00:03:12.400 be praying for me. I'm driving the church van 00:03:12.400 --> 00:03:17.319 to Dulles Friday morning. I'm supposed to leave 00:03:17.319 --> 00:03:21.419 at 2 a .m. So yes, 2 a .m. Thank you, Miss Jessica, 00:03:21.539 --> 00:03:27.539 for that early morning delivery of our team to 00:03:27.539 --> 00:03:31.250 Dulles so that they can fly. And like I said, 00:03:31.270 --> 00:03:34.650 stay tuned because adults, it's going to be your 00:03:34.650 --> 00:03:39.129 turn next year, hopefully, in the early fall. 00:03:39.409 --> 00:03:43.210 So when Jess and I had the first meeting with 00:03:43.210 --> 00:03:45.830 the DR missions team, she actually encouraged 00:03:45.830 --> 00:03:49.050 them and their parents to download and begin 00:03:49.050 --> 00:03:54.110 learning Spanish on Duolingo. So Duolingo, if 00:03:54.110 --> 00:03:56.530 you don't know, is an app that assists you with 00:03:56.530 --> 00:04:00.840 learning a new language. So for the last 205 00:04:00.840 --> 00:04:04.860 days, I have faithfully been practicing Spanish 00:04:04.860 --> 00:04:09.520 every single day. I have improved my learning 00:04:09.520 --> 00:04:12.719 score every month. My brain feels stimulated 00:04:12.719 --> 00:04:15.439 and fresh. I feel like I'm improving and growing 00:04:15.439 --> 00:04:19.579 as I learn all positive experiences with this 00:04:19.579 --> 00:04:23.779 app. However, I quickly learned this past week 00:04:23.779 --> 00:04:29.029 that I do not know Spanish, okay? Yes, I am learning 00:04:29.029 --> 00:04:31.810 and practicing the information about the language 00:04:31.810 --> 00:04:35.649 every single day. But when a person speaks in 00:04:35.649 --> 00:04:38.269 their native tongue or in the natural language, 00:04:38.750 --> 00:04:41.569 I was unable to understand what they were saying. 00:04:41.750 --> 00:04:44.410 Now, don't get me wrong. I did understand two 00:04:44.410 --> 00:04:47.310 or three words, but could not put a whole sentence 00:04:47.310 --> 00:04:51.389 together. The problem is not the information 00:04:51.389 --> 00:04:54.800 that I am learning. Information in our culture, 00:04:55.060 --> 00:04:57.980 it's a click away. It's literally at our fingertips. 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:00.899 We currently have more access to information 00:05:00.899 --> 00:05:04.699 than any other generation before us. The problem 00:05:04.699 --> 00:05:07.019 that I am experiencing in my learning is not 00:05:07.019 --> 00:05:09.959 information, it's instruction. Because there's 00:05:09.959 --> 00:05:13.500 a big difference between information and instruction. 00:05:14.120 --> 00:05:16.660 Information, of course, is the facts and the 00:05:16.660 --> 00:05:19.920 content, while instruction... is how to apply 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.620 those facts and the content to our lives. Instruction 00:05:23.620 --> 00:05:27.860 comes from instructors or teachers, and really 00:05:27.860 --> 00:05:30.459 good instructors don't want to just teach us 00:05:30.459 --> 00:05:34.220 theories or ideas. No, they want to assist us 00:05:34.220 --> 00:05:36.720 in applying those theories and ideas to our lives. 00:05:36.920 --> 00:05:39.180 They want to teach us the practical skills and 00:05:39.180 --> 00:05:41.560 knowledge of the subject that is being learned. 00:05:41.819 --> 00:05:44.300 So yes, I've been faithfully learning Spanish 00:05:44.300 --> 00:05:49.370 on my own for the last 205 days. But I would 00:05:49.370 --> 00:05:53.350 be much further along if I had a Spanish instructor. 00:05:53.889 --> 00:05:57.230 Which leads me to a question that I want us all 00:05:57.230 --> 00:05:59.649 to wrestle with today as we continue our series, 00:05:59.870 --> 00:06:05.649 Come Holy Spirit. Where do we go when we don't 00:06:05.649 --> 00:06:11.579 know? Where do we go when we don't know? See, 00:06:11.620 --> 00:06:13.620 the answer to this question is actually important 00:06:13.620 --> 00:06:16.600 because we're going to find ourselves up against 00:06:16.600 --> 00:06:19.800 challenges or questions throughout life. In fact, 00:06:19.800 --> 00:06:23.399 every single day. Maybe we would be confused 00:06:23.399 --> 00:06:26.379 with a question that is asked us. Maybe we need 00:06:26.379 --> 00:06:28.860 to make a decision. Maybe we're stuck in our 00:06:28.860 --> 00:06:34.449 faith. Where do you go when you don't know? Do 00:06:34.449 --> 00:06:36.649 you go to friends? Do you go to family for advice? 00:06:36.810 --> 00:06:39.990 Do you quickly fire off an email to Pastor Chris? 00:06:40.189 --> 00:06:43.689 He'll have the answers. What about Siri or Google? 00:06:43.990 --> 00:06:46.529 They always have an answer. Or maybe you're the 00:06:46.529 --> 00:06:50.750 one that uses the TikTok. It doesn't matter if 00:06:50.750 --> 00:06:53.129 it's questions about your marriage or what it 00:06:53.129 --> 00:06:55.629 means to be a parent or a new role or responsibility 00:06:55.629 --> 00:06:59.350 at work, relationship barriers, or growing in 00:06:59.350 --> 00:07:01.970 your relationship with Jesus. Where do you go? 00:07:03.339 --> 00:07:06.139 When you don't know. Maybe for some of you it's 00:07:06.139 --> 00:07:09.379 deeper issues. Maybe you're learning to deal 00:07:09.379 --> 00:07:12.959 and learning to let go of shame. Maybe you're 00:07:12.959 --> 00:07:15.839 learning what it means to forgive others and 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:18.680 ourselves. Maybe you're holding on to some grief 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:23.360 and sadness and want to move forward. Church, 00:07:23.459 --> 00:07:28.230 where do you go when you don't know? And it's 00:07:28.230 --> 00:07:30.730 my prayer that we answer that question this morning 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:33.509 and that the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart. 00:07:33.589 --> 00:07:38.069 Let's open in prayer. Holy Spirit come. God, 00:07:38.089 --> 00:07:39.829 we just lay this question down at your feet. 00:07:39.910 --> 00:07:43.050 We lay this series down and we ask that you empower 00:07:43.050 --> 00:07:49.870 us today. Open our ears. Open our minds. Unlock 00:07:49.870 --> 00:07:54.629 our hearts and change us. God, I just pray that 00:07:54.629 --> 00:07:56.790 you would silence any distractions around us. 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:01.560 that we would clearly hear from you. In Jesus' 00:08:01.620 --> 00:08:05.620 name, amen. And that all leads us to our first 00:08:05.620 --> 00:08:09.879 thought, you see. The Holy Spirit is our teacher. 00:08:10.519 --> 00:08:12.399 See, if you're in a relationship with Jesus, 00:08:12.500 --> 00:08:14.680 we must remember that we have an instructor, 00:08:14.980 --> 00:08:19.379 a comforter, a teacher that literally lives inside 00:08:19.379 --> 00:08:22.379 of us. Toward the end of his ministry here on 00:08:22.379 --> 00:08:26.519 earth, Jesus is preparing his disciples for life 00:08:26.519 --> 00:08:30.259 without him physically being present. He knew 00:08:30.259 --> 00:08:32.379 that he had to die. He knew he had to go to the 00:08:32.379 --> 00:08:35.399 cross. He knew that he would rise on the third 00:08:35.399 --> 00:08:38.840 day. And he says this in John 14, 26. But when 00:08:38.840 --> 00:08:41.940 the Father sends the advocate as my representative, 00:08:42.059 --> 00:08:45.980 that is the Holy Spirit, he will teach you everything 00:08:45.980 --> 00:08:50.470 and will remind you of everything. I have told 00:08:50.470 --> 00:08:54.570 you. See, Jesus is giving the disciples a vision 00:08:54.570 --> 00:08:57.230 of what life is going to look like partnering 00:08:57.230 --> 00:09:00.070 with the Holy Spirit. He's giving them a vision 00:09:00.070 --> 00:09:03.309 of what to expect. And notice, Jesus is very 00:09:03.309 --> 00:09:07.509 clearly saying that we can expect this helper, 00:09:07.730 --> 00:09:11.230 this comforter, this advocate to teach us all 00:09:11.230 --> 00:09:16.429 things. Not just Sunday morning things. Not just 00:09:16.429 --> 00:09:19.980 growth group things. Not just biblical things, 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:25.559 but the teacher will teach us all things. Now 00:09:25.559 --> 00:09:28.139 that word teach that is spoken here means to 00:09:28.139 --> 00:09:32.440 impart or instill. We've all heard someone say, 00:09:32.740 --> 00:09:36.559 well my parents instilled confidence in me. Upon 00:09:36.559 --> 00:09:39.299 hearing that phrase or that statement, we immediately 00:09:39.299 --> 00:09:43.000 know that it implies that this person received 00:09:43.000 --> 00:09:47.509 constant rhythm of investment. in their child's 00:09:47.509 --> 00:09:50.389 self -worth from their parents. So what is Jesus 00:09:50.389 --> 00:09:53.029 saying to us? He is saying that the Holy Spirit 00:09:53.029 --> 00:09:57.730 will give us much more than ideas. The Holy Spirit 00:09:57.730 --> 00:09:59.909 will give us much more than theories. The Holy 00:09:59.909 --> 00:10:01.690 Spirit will give us much more than doctrine. 00:10:01.990 --> 00:10:03.830 The Holy Spirit is going to give us much more 00:10:03.830 --> 00:10:08.570 than just information. The Holy Spirit will consistently 00:10:08.570 --> 00:10:14.139 instill in us all the things. That we need to 00:10:14.139 --> 00:10:16.659 live the life that he's inviting us to live. 00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:20.659 A life of abundance. So if you're not living 00:10:20.659 --> 00:10:24.960 in abundance this morning, I believe the Holy 00:10:24.960 --> 00:10:27.960 Spirit wants to get your attention. 1 John 2, 00:10:28.139 --> 00:10:30.639 verse 27. But you have received the Holy Spirit, 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:34.120 and he lives within you. So you don't need anyone 00:10:34.120 --> 00:10:37.200 to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches 00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:39.419 you everything you need to know, and what he 00:10:39.419 --> 00:10:43.210 teaches is true. It's not a lie. So just as he's 00:10:43.210 --> 00:10:46.590 taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 00:10:47.970 --> 00:10:50.490 To take it a step further, Jesus actually reveals 00:10:50.490 --> 00:10:53.470 the assignment of teach your Holy Spirit, which 00:10:53.470 --> 00:10:55.769 leads us to our second thought. The Holy Spirit 00:10:55.769 --> 00:10:59.710 deposits Jesus' truth inside of us. Again, John 00:10:59.710 --> 00:11:02.809 14, 26. But when the Father sends the advocate 00:11:02.809 --> 00:11:04.570 as my representative, that's the Holy Spirit, 00:11:04.830 --> 00:11:09.139 he will teach you everything. Now, a few verses 00:11:09.139 --> 00:11:11.779 earlier, Jesus shared these words about the Holy 00:11:11.779 --> 00:11:15.220 Spirit. He is the Holy Spirit who leads into 00:11:15.220 --> 00:11:20.139 all truth. See, there is truth in this world. 00:11:20.600 --> 00:11:23.059 And that truth comes from the Holy Spirit. Now, 00:11:23.100 --> 00:11:25.580 the world can't receive him because it isn't 00:11:25.580 --> 00:11:28.480 looking for him and doesn't recognize him. But 00:11:28.480 --> 00:11:32.480 you, church, you know him because he lives with 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:36.649 you now and later will be in you. Just think 00:11:36.649 --> 00:11:42.129 of that. We have a piece of our creator and the 00:11:42.129 --> 00:11:45.990 person of the Holy Spirit living with us inside 00:11:45.990 --> 00:11:50.110 of us. Now, towards the end of his life, Peter, 00:11:50.330 --> 00:11:53.330 a disciple of Jesus, the one who Jesus named 00:11:53.330 --> 00:11:56.830 as the rock of the church, the foundation of 00:11:56.830 --> 00:12:00.029 the church, writes about all the things the Holy 00:12:00.029 --> 00:12:02.809 Spirit will do for us. And we read that in 2 00:12:02.809 --> 00:12:07.019 Peter. chapter 1, verses 2 through 4. May God 00:12:07.019 --> 00:12:11.059 give you more and more grace and peace as you 00:12:11.059 --> 00:12:14.559 grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord. 00:12:14.639 --> 00:12:17.539 Now notice, grace and peace comes with growth 00:12:17.539 --> 00:12:21.080 and change. By his divine power, God has given 00:12:21.080 --> 00:12:24.580 us everything we need for living a godly life. 00:12:25.139 --> 00:12:27.779 We have received all this by coming to know him, 00:12:28.019 --> 00:12:30.559 the one who called us to himself by means of 00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:32.889 his marvelous glory and excellence. And because 00:12:32.889 --> 00:12:34.750 of his glory and excellence, he has given us 00:12:34.750 --> 00:12:39.610 great and precious promises. These are the promises 00:12:39.610 --> 00:12:43.370 that enable you to share his divine nature and 00:12:43.370 --> 00:12:45.570 escape the world's corruption caused by human 00:12:45.570 --> 00:12:49.090 desires. Now think about this. Peter, he was 00:12:49.090 --> 00:12:52.429 at the very table with Jesus as he was teaching 00:12:52.429 --> 00:12:55.509 about the Holy Spirit. Peter would have felt 00:12:55.509 --> 00:12:59.409 the anxiety in his life of Jesus saying to the 00:12:59.409 --> 00:13:03.169 disciples, well, I'm leaving. But I'm not leaving 00:13:03.169 --> 00:13:07.450 you alone. Fast forward many years, Peter is 00:13:07.450 --> 00:13:10.509 now reflecting in the text that I just read to 00:13:10.509 --> 00:13:15.370 you as an older, wiser man that has now lived 00:13:15.370 --> 00:13:19.850 his life in partnership with the Spirit. And 00:13:19.850 --> 00:13:22.149 Peter is saying to us, through the power of the 00:13:22.149 --> 00:13:24.870 Holy Spirit, that we have everything we need 00:13:24.870 --> 00:13:29.139 to live a godly life. We have everything we need 00:13:29.139 --> 00:13:34.039 inside of us to live a life of abundance. Peter 00:13:34.039 --> 00:13:36.919 is referencing that we can know the Holy Spirit 00:13:36.919 --> 00:13:41.919 personally, which means that we know Jesus personally. 00:13:43.080 --> 00:13:46.299 Peter goes on to say that through knowing Jesus, 00:13:46.500 --> 00:13:51.960 we have now received his promises. We have now 00:13:51.960 --> 00:13:56.440 received his divine nature living inside of us. 00:13:57.450 --> 00:14:03.529 Now hear me out. You may not feel like it every 00:14:03.529 --> 00:14:07.750 day, but there's confidence inside of you. There's 00:14:07.750 --> 00:14:10.470 days that you feel weak, but there's strength 00:14:10.470 --> 00:14:16.190 inside of you. There are weeks that you are called 00:14:16.190 --> 00:14:18.509 to lead because there's leadership inside of 00:14:18.509 --> 00:14:23.279 you. You may not feel it right now, but there's 00:14:23.279 --> 00:14:26.299 a sense of belonging and acceptance living inside 00:14:26.299 --> 00:14:29.379 of you because those things are all part of the 00:14:29.379 --> 00:14:33.320 divine nature. All of this is possible because 00:14:33.320 --> 00:14:36.100 of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit 00:14:36.100 --> 00:14:38.879 living inside of us. Remember, he is the third 00:14:38.879 --> 00:14:41.019 person in the Trinity that empowers us to know, 00:14:41.039 --> 00:14:44.100 experience, and understand everything that has 00:14:44.100 --> 00:14:48.039 been made available to us. See, the Holy Spirit 00:14:48.039 --> 00:14:51.980 is like the governor of earth. Now when I say 00:14:51.980 --> 00:14:54.779 governor, I'm not referring to governors we know 00:14:54.779 --> 00:14:59.340 today in our democracy. A governor, as the disciples 00:14:59.340 --> 00:15:01.600 would have understood it, means living under 00:15:01.600 --> 00:15:05.120 Roman rule. And in the Roman Empire, when Rome 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:09.519 would conquer a new land, the emperor would appoint 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:12.919 a military governor to oversee that new land. 00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:17.059 It was the governor's job to make that new conquered 00:15:17.059 --> 00:15:21.480 land look and sound just like Rome. So the new 00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:24.460 governor and his officials appointed to oversee 00:15:24.460 --> 00:15:27.159 this new land, they would build Roman architecture. 00:15:28.059 --> 00:15:30.919 They would teach the people the Roman language. 00:15:31.580 --> 00:15:35.399 They would share with them about Rome's history, 00:15:35.620 --> 00:15:38.740 their belief systems. Essentially, they would 00:15:38.740 --> 00:15:42.379 be instilling into these people everything that 00:15:42.379 --> 00:15:45.460 was needed to know and become a Roman citizen. 00:15:47.470 --> 00:15:49.610 Knowing that, the Holy Spirit does a similar 00:15:49.610 --> 00:15:54.049 work inside of us. See, Jesus has already established 00:15:54.049 --> 00:15:58.610 his kingdom here on earth right now. I mean, 00:15:58.629 --> 00:16:00.250 after all, he told us to pray that the kingdom 00:16:00.250 --> 00:16:03.450 would what? Come to earth. As it is in heaven, 00:16:03.509 --> 00:16:08.049 may it be done here. So when we come into a relationship 00:16:08.049 --> 00:16:11.590 with Jesus and we believe the kingdom of God 00:16:11.590 --> 00:16:14.990 and begin to walk in that, That's established 00:16:14.990 --> 00:16:18.009 inside of us. We literally become citizens of 00:16:18.009 --> 00:16:21.690 God's kingdom. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to 00:16:21.690 --> 00:16:24.470 live inside of us to instruct us in what it looks 00:16:24.470 --> 00:16:28.470 like to be citizens in God's kingdom. Right? 00:16:28.509 --> 00:16:30.990 In the kingdom of God, we all have a new identity. 00:16:31.129 --> 00:16:34.330 Romans 8, 16. For his spirit joins with our spirit 00:16:34.330 --> 00:16:39.330 to affirm that we are God's children. In the 00:16:39.330 --> 00:16:42.649 kingdom, we are taught the values and culture 00:16:42.649 --> 00:16:46.539 of heaven. Luke chapter 6, 35 to 38. Love your 00:16:46.539 --> 00:16:50.080 enemies. Do good to them. Be compassionate. Do 00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:51.840 not judge others and you will not be judged. 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:54.580 Do not condemn others or it will come back against 00:16:54.580 --> 00:16:56.399 you. Forgive others and you will be forgiven. 00:16:56.500 --> 00:17:00.279 Give and you will receive. Now that's not all 00:17:00.279 --> 00:17:02.440 of the qualities. But again, when we read those, 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:04.559 you're like, that's the exact opposite of the 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:08.140 world teaches. Exactly. Because the kingdom of 00:17:08.140 --> 00:17:12.049 God now exists inside of us. Holy Spirit teaches 00:17:12.049 --> 00:17:14.750 us what it looks like to have the kingdom in 00:17:14.750 --> 00:17:18.089 our life. The ministry of the Holy Spirit is 00:17:18.089 --> 00:17:21.269 to take what belongs to Jesus, everything that 00:17:21.269 --> 00:17:25.089 he taught, and download them inside of us so 00:17:25.089 --> 00:17:27.869 that we kind of become little Jesuses just running 00:17:27.869 --> 00:17:32.809 all around the tri -state area. How does this 00:17:32.809 --> 00:17:36.829 happen? Well, there's many different ways, but 00:17:36.829 --> 00:17:39.710 an important and primary way leads us to our 00:17:39.710 --> 00:17:43.019 next stop. See, the Holy Spirit inspires the 00:17:43.019 --> 00:17:47.579 Bible. The Bible is not like any other book in 00:17:47.579 --> 00:17:50.559 the history of the world. The Bible is God's 00:17:50.559 --> 00:17:53.279 divinely inspired word, and when it's in the 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:55.720 hands of a person who is filled with the presence 00:17:55.720 --> 00:17:59.579 of God, it becomes alive, dynamic, powerful, 00:17:59.660 --> 00:18:03.319 and active. Paul, talking to his spiritual son 00:18:03.319 --> 00:18:06.880 Timothy, who was struggling through life, writes 00:18:06.880 --> 00:18:10.440 these words, 2 Timothy 3, 16 through 17. All 00:18:10.440 --> 00:18:14.619 Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable 00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:17.400 for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and 00:18:17.400 --> 00:18:20.539 for training in righteousness, that the man of 00:18:20.539 --> 00:18:22.960 God may be complete, equipped for every good 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:26.920 work. See, Paul writes these encouraging words 00:18:26.920 --> 00:18:29.680 in the middle of a difficult season in Timothy's 00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:32.480 life. And he is emphasizing the power of the 00:18:32.480 --> 00:18:36.960 Bible. Paul writes that every part of the Bible, 00:18:37.019 --> 00:18:39.609 not just your favorite part, that you have memorized, 00:18:39.910 --> 00:18:42.809 not just the part that you have tattooed on your 00:18:42.809 --> 00:18:45.990 arm, not just the part that you see every day 00:18:45.990 --> 00:18:49.289 hanging on your wall, not just the part of the 00:18:49.289 --> 00:18:53.109 Bible you understand, but every part of the Bible 00:18:53.109 --> 00:18:57.009 is God -breathed. Now, if we remember from week 00:18:57.009 --> 00:18:58.910 one, we learned that the literal translation 00:18:58.910 --> 00:19:04.069 of the word spirit is the word pneuma. And pneuma 00:19:04.069 --> 00:19:09.119 was defined as wind or breath. So Paul is saying 00:19:09.119 --> 00:19:13.700 that all Scripture is Spirit -filled, that God's 00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:16.640 breath fills the Bible. It's kind of like this. 00:19:16.839 --> 00:19:20.079 So if I'm to take this pink balloon that many 00:19:20.079 --> 00:19:22.660 of us have done before we take a balloon, maybe 00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:25.359 we're at a party or a celebration, a graduation 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:32.619 party, and we take these balloons and we... We 00:19:32.619 --> 00:19:38.289 blow into... A balloon so that it expands. Now 00:19:38.289 --> 00:19:43.190 what is left inside of this balloon? My breath. 00:19:43.490 --> 00:19:47.690 Right? I exhale. Now I did not understand this 00:19:47.690 --> 00:19:49.789 truth that I'm about to share with you until 00:19:49.789 --> 00:19:52.450 I did a little research on breath this week. 00:19:53.170 --> 00:19:55.690 Other than learning that we all need Mentos. 00:19:58.349 --> 00:20:03.390 In our exhale. In our exhale, I previously thought 00:20:03.390 --> 00:20:06.690 that it was just air exhaled from my lungs that 00:20:06.690 --> 00:20:09.369 I had breathed in from the room in which I was 00:20:09.369 --> 00:20:13.410 or if I was outside. When in reality, I learned 00:20:13.410 --> 00:20:16.769 that our exhale actually contains microbes and 00:20:16.769 --> 00:20:19.930 particles from inside our body that gives off 00:20:19.930 --> 00:20:24.450 a unique signature that is only mine. Like literally 00:20:24.450 --> 00:20:27.730 my unique signature is inside of this balloon 00:20:27.730 --> 00:20:33.200 right now. So not only do you have a fingerprint 00:20:33.200 --> 00:20:37.319 that's unique, we also have a breath print. So 00:20:37.319 --> 00:20:39.140 tell me you're not created in the image of God. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:45.759 And Paul is saying to us that this unique breath 00:20:45.759 --> 00:20:50.980 print from God is found where? In the Bible. 00:20:51.339 --> 00:20:56.130 As we read through those words. God's Holy Spirit 00:20:56.130 --> 00:20:59.630 literally inspired each author to write the words 00:20:59.630 --> 00:21:03.529 onto the pages. So when the teacher, who is the 00:21:03.529 --> 00:21:06.930 Holy Spirit, living inside of us, begins to interact 00:21:06.930 --> 00:21:10.089 with the breath print of God that is alive in 00:21:10.089 --> 00:21:14.410 the Bible, guess what? Things change. How do 00:21:14.410 --> 00:21:17.289 I know that? Well, look at Hebrews 4 .12. For 00:21:17.289 --> 00:21:21.650 the word of God is alive and powerful. It is 00:21:21.650 --> 00:21:23.250 sharper than the sharpest two -edged sword cut 00:21:23.250 --> 00:21:25.910 in between soul and spirit, between joint and 00:21:25.910 --> 00:21:30.289 marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and 00:21:30.289 --> 00:21:33.730 desires. See, as we read through the Bible, we 00:21:33.730 --> 00:21:36.910 begin to think differently. We begin to focus 00:21:36.910 --> 00:21:39.650 on kingdom thoughts. As we're reading through 00:21:39.650 --> 00:21:41.549 the Bible, we get corrected when we're making 00:21:41.549 --> 00:21:44.230 bad decisions. As we read through the Bible, 00:21:44.250 --> 00:21:47.309 we get convicted that our thought pattern or 00:21:47.309 --> 00:21:50.210 what we believe is wrong. As we read through 00:21:50.210 --> 00:21:53.250 the Bible, we receive direction when we feel 00:21:53.250 --> 00:21:56.490 lost. We gain wisdom and understanding when we 00:21:56.490 --> 00:21:59.809 need it in that moment. As we read through the 00:21:59.809 --> 00:22:01.769 Bible, we begin to be transformed by the Holy 00:22:01.769 --> 00:22:05.849 Spirit as he releases what? Truth into our lives. 00:22:07.829 --> 00:22:11.170 This is connecting to the teacher through his 00:22:11.170 --> 00:22:15.930 written and God -breathed word. But let's be 00:22:15.930 --> 00:22:19.769 honest. The Bible can be confusing. In fact, 00:22:19.809 --> 00:22:22.130 many times the Bible can be downright scary. 00:22:23.430 --> 00:22:26.450 It's written by 40 different authors over a 1 00:22:26.450 --> 00:22:30.230 ,500 year time period. We are more than 2 ,000 00:22:30.230 --> 00:22:32.730 plus years removed from the culture and context 00:22:32.730 --> 00:22:35.730 that it's written in. And quite often what happens 00:22:35.730 --> 00:22:38.029 to people that I've discovered is they get to 00:22:38.029 --> 00:22:39.990 a section of the Bible, it becomes confusing, 00:22:40.170 --> 00:22:43.150 sometimes scary, and let's be honest, they close 00:22:43.150 --> 00:22:44.529 it up and be like, I don't want anything to do 00:22:44.529 --> 00:22:49.369 with that. Because when there's confusion, The 00:22:49.369 --> 00:22:52.650 Bible seems intimidating. People begin to question, 00:22:52.809 --> 00:22:55.930 why am I even reading this? So I thought it was 00:22:55.930 --> 00:22:58.829 very important before we move forward that we 00:22:58.829 --> 00:23:01.349 learn a few practical steps in reading the Bible 00:23:01.349 --> 00:23:04.390 because guess what? As your pastor, I want you 00:23:04.390 --> 00:23:09.069 to read the Bible every single day. How often 00:23:09.069 --> 00:23:13.519 do I want you to read the Bible? Thank you. Which 00:23:13.519 --> 00:23:15.380 leads us to five simple steps in applying the 00:23:15.380 --> 00:23:18.339 Bible to our life. First, when you sit down to 00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:22.440 read or listen to, I'd listen to the Bible or 00:23:22.440 --> 00:23:24.819 your devotional. First, please invite the Holy 00:23:24.819 --> 00:23:29.160 Spirit. Why? Chris, why would I sit down? Sit 00:23:29.160 --> 00:23:32.059 down, stand up, however you do it. Palms up, 00:23:32.119 --> 00:23:35.720 Holy Spirit come. Well up within me. Speak your 00:23:35.720 --> 00:23:39.109 truth to me. So that as I'm reading these words, 00:23:39.150 --> 00:23:41.549 I understand them. 1 John 2, 27, you have received 00:23:41.549 --> 00:23:43.730 the Holy Spirit. He lives within you. So you 00:23:43.730 --> 00:23:45.369 don't need anyone to teach you what is true. 00:23:45.450 --> 00:23:47.690 You can understand the words written in the Bible 00:23:47.690 --> 00:23:51.990 when Holy Spirit is present. We need the Holy 00:23:51.990 --> 00:23:54.269 Spirit to reveal God's truth to us. So first 00:23:54.269 --> 00:23:57.930 we invite the Holy Spirit. Next, you have to 00:23:57.930 --> 00:24:00.130 decide what you're going to be reading or listening 00:24:00.130 --> 00:24:03.150 to in the Bible. And why will we do that? Well, 00:24:03.190 --> 00:24:07.170 2 Timothy 3, again. It's inspired by God. The 00:24:07.170 --> 00:24:09.289 Bible is inspired by God. It's useful to teach 00:24:09.289 --> 00:24:11.470 us what is true to make us realize what is wrong 00:24:11.470 --> 00:24:14.309 in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong 00:24:14.309 --> 00:24:16.750 and teaches us to do what is right. God uses 00:24:16.750 --> 00:24:19.089 it to prepare and equip his people to do every 00:24:19.089 --> 00:24:21.880 good work. So for some of you that are thinking, 00:24:21.880 --> 00:24:24.019 I've never read the Bible in my life, my advice 00:24:24.019 --> 00:24:26.200 to you is grab a Bible when you leave here. We 00:24:26.200 --> 00:24:29.779 have dozens right outside in those little areas 00:24:29.779 --> 00:24:32.660 that I can't name correctly, and we would love 00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:34.779 to hand them to you. I call them vegetables. 00:24:35.140 --> 00:24:37.180 I know they're another word, but I can't pronounce 00:24:37.180 --> 00:24:40.799 it. So anyway, that's my little hiccup. If you've 00:24:40.799 --> 00:24:43.099 never read the Bible, I want to encourage you 00:24:43.099 --> 00:24:46.130 to start in the Gospels. The Gospels are Matthew, 00:24:46.230 --> 00:24:48.690 Mark, Luke, and John. Let's all say them together. 00:24:49.109 --> 00:24:52.509 Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. And you can read 00:24:52.509 --> 00:24:55.890 the Gospels for a year because that's the story 00:24:55.890 --> 00:24:59.130 of Jesus. And if we're called to be little Jesuses, 00:24:59.130 --> 00:25:02.809 it's good to learn who he was because that's 00:25:02.809 --> 00:25:05.630 what the Bible ultimately is all about, the redemption 00:25:05.630 --> 00:25:09.430 that we find in Jesus. Now, if you're more advanced 00:25:09.430 --> 00:25:11.069 and you want to read through the entire Bible, 00:25:11.250 --> 00:25:14.160 great. but I would recommend you following a 00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:18.200 plan. Follow a plan. Go to the YouVersion Bible 00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:21.700 app, download it, get it on your phone, and there's 00:25:21.700 --> 00:25:24.380 plans, three months, six months, a year, that 00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:27.319 you read through the Bible, and it's little chunks 00:25:27.319 --> 00:25:30.559 of the entire Bible that you read through over 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:33.460 a time period so that you can understand them 00:25:33.460 --> 00:25:35.819 and apply them to your life. It's not just reading 00:25:35.819 --> 00:25:38.980 straight through from cover to cover. It's chunks 00:25:38.980 --> 00:25:42.240 that are explained. So that we can receive it. 00:25:42.680 --> 00:25:45.220 Which leads us to the next step. You first invite 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:47.160 Holy Spirit. You figure out what you're going 00:25:47.160 --> 00:25:50.420 to read or listen to. Then you ruminate. And 00:25:50.420 --> 00:25:52.039 you say, well, what does that mean? Well, it's 00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:54.660 defined as to go over in the mind repeatedly 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:58.640 and often casually or slowly. And in this stage, 00:25:58.880 --> 00:26:02.779 we meditate. And we ask questions about the words 00:26:02.779 --> 00:26:04.660 that we're reading. Questions like, well, when 00:26:04.660 --> 00:26:07.000 am I learning about God? When am I learning about 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:08.700 Jesus? When am I learning about the Holy Spirit 00:26:08.700 --> 00:26:12.039 in these words? What am I learning about myself? 00:26:12.400 --> 00:26:14.779 What am I learning about people? Why are they 00:26:14.779 --> 00:26:17.759 acting this way? See, we're ruminating. We're 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:20.480 chewing on what we're learning. We're allowing 00:26:20.480 --> 00:26:24.420 it to penetrate within us. And then as we ruminate, 00:26:24.420 --> 00:26:27.839 we, number four, communicate. And what does communicate 00:26:27.839 --> 00:26:30.180 mean? It means you pray, you talk to God. James 00:26:30.180 --> 00:26:33.000 1, 5, if you need wisdom, ask our generous God, 00:26:33.099 --> 00:26:34.200 and guess what? He's going to give it to you. 00:26:34.980 --> 00:26:38.180 He's not going to let you all alone. So you're 00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:40.019 saying, Chris, that as we read the Bible, we 00:26:40.019 --> 00:26:43.359 pray? Yes. You're talking to God at the same 00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:47.359 time. You're interacting with him. Holy Spirit, 00:26:47.420 --> 00:26:49.099 what am I reading here? What are you trying to 00:26:49.099 --> 00:26:51.960 show me? How are you convicting me? Why did I 00:26:51.960 --> 00:26:54.319 close the Bible so quick? Oh, chances are you're 00:26:54.319 --> 00:27:00.059 sinning. Why do I want to run from it? Right? 00:27:00.099 --> 00:27:03.259 You're communicating. You're talking to God. 00:27:03.359 --> 00:27:06.980 And then lastly, we integrate it. We integrate 00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:08.880 it. And what does that mean? Well, James 1, 22, 00:27:09.079 --> 00:27:11.339 don't just listen to God's word. Do what he says. 00:27:12.019 --> 00:27:14.660 Otherwise, you're only fooling yourselves. See, 00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:17.279 ask the Holy Spirit to work these words that 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:20.759 I'm reading into your life. Right? Change me. 00:27:20.779 --> 00:27:23.380 Make me more like your son. Now, this is just 00:27:23.380 --> 00:27:25.220 one approach to reading the Bible. There's many 00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:29.059 approaches. But for my life, I find this is effective 00:27:29.059 --> 00:27:32.849 and life -changing. Right, that if you do those 00:27:32.849 --> 00:27:35.170 five steps and you begin to work it out in your 00:27:35.170 --> 00:27:39.210 life, how often, church? Oh, every day, that's 00:27:39.210 --> 00:27:42.450 right. Then we will allow the Holy Spirit as 00:27:42.450 --> 00:27:47.170 teacher to reveal truths to us in our lives that 00:27:47.170 --> 00:27:49.849 is absolutely essential to our relationship with 00:27:49.849 --> 00:27:52.950 God because we need him for growth and life change. 00:27:53.829 --> 00:27:57.680 We need him. And please understand. Holy Spirit, 00:27:57.700 --> 00:27:59.660 the teacher, does not just speak to us through 00:27:59.660 --> 00:28:02.579 the Bible. Yes, that's one very, very important 00:28:02.579 --> 00:28:06.240 way, but we also need our one action step or 00:28:06.240 --> 00:28:07.980 forethought, however you want to look at it, 00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:11.940 you need to learn to trust the Holy Spirit. Every 00:28:11.940 --> 00:28:15.619 week, every day, right, we're going to go through 00:28:15.619 --> 00:28:19.049 difficulties and challenges in this life. If 00:28:19.049 --> 00:28:20.670 you're anything like me, we get stressed out. 00:28:20.769 --> 00:28:23.170 We get overwhelmed with life. It causes us to 00:28:23.170 --> 00:28:24.890 have a bad day. Now, I'm not going to ask you 00:28:24.890 --> 00:28:26.630 if you had a bad day this week because some of 00:28:26.630 --> 00:28:28.890 you are going to sin and lie, right? Because 00:28:28.890 --> 00:28:30.809 you don't want to raise your hand. But that's 00:28:30.809 --> 00:28:33.529 okay. I know we all had a bad day this week. 00:28:33.589 --> 00:28:36.869 And quite often, those bad days, that anxiety, 00:28:36.930 --> 00:28:40.029 that stress, that depression stems from our relationships, 00:28:40.309 --> 00:28:43.349 our marriage, our work, decisions that need to 00:28:43.349 --> 00:28:46.029 be made, financial pressure, being tired. Some 00:28:46.029 --> 00:28:48.519 of you are just tired. Some of you are raising 00:28:48.519 --> 00:28:52.799 children and you have bad days, really bad days. 00:28:53.279 --> 00:28:55.619 And then we learn from our children how we're 00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:59.680 doing wrong. But quite often when we're having 00:28:59.680 --> 00:29:02.440 a bad day, it's our natural instinct, our initial 00:29:02.440 --> 00:29:04.799 reaction to take matters into our own hands, 00:29:04.960 --> 00:29:08.480 right? We want to try to fix it on our own. But 00:29:08.480 --> 00:29:11.740 here's the reality. Quite often when we're having 00:29:11.740 --> 00:29:13.579 a bad day, we don't have the strength, the skills, 00:29:13.660 --> 00:29:15.299 the capacity, the wisdom, or the understanding. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:18.200 to navigate those difficult seasons in life. 00:29:19.079 --> 00:29:21.740 There are times when the knowledge we learn from 00:29:21.740 --> 00:29:24.559 all of our degrees can't help us or teach us 00:29:24.559 --> 00:29:28.599 anything. There are times in our life where our 00:29:28.599 --> 00:29:31.079 experiences, what we understand through our everyday 00:29:31.079 --> 00:29:33.500 life, they don't change the situation. There 00:29:33.500 --> 00:29:35.839 are times when the leading experts like Google, 00:29:35.960 --> 00:29:38.339 YouTube, and TikTok can't help that situation. 00:29:39.700 --> 00:29:42.700 You know why? Because we need the comforter. 00:29:43.230 --> 00:29:46.210 The advocate and the teacher to assist us with 00:29:46.210 --> 00:29:49.029 those challenging times. But we have to be willing 00:29:49.029 --> 00:29:53.329 to turn to him and listen. Paul and Silas were 00:29:53.329 --> 00:29:56.250 sharing the good news about Jesus all around 00:29:56.250 --> 00:29:58.849 the region. They were experiencing signs and 00:29:58.849 --> 00:30:01.049 wonders. People coming to faith. The church was 00:30:01.049 --> 00:30:04.069 exploding. And we read this in Acts 16, 23 to 00:30:04.069 --> 00:30:08.509 25. They were severely beaten. And then they 00:30:08.509 --> 00:30:11.009 were thrown into prison. The jailer was ordered 00:30:11.009 --> 00:30:13.460 to make sure they didn't escape. So the jailer 00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:15.519 put them into the inner dungeon and clamped their 00:30:15.519 --> 00:30:18.539 feet in the stocks. Around midnight, Paul and 00:30:18.539 --> 00:30:20.420 Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, 00:30:20.539 --> 00:30:24.720 and the other prisoners were listening. So in 00:30:24.720 --> 00:30:28.599 their difficult situation, notice, what did Paul 00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:32.940 and Silas do? Did they try to negotiate their 00:30:32.940 --> 00:30:36.079 way out of prison? Did they try to argue that 00:30:36.079 --> 00:30:38.339 they are innocent and don't deserve to be in 00:30:38.339 --> 00:30:40.880 prison? Did they try to break out of prison? 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:46.140 Did they sit, complain, and pout about their 00:30:46.140 --> 00:30:50.940 situation? They surely didn't. What did Paul 00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:56.220 and Silas do? They did the next best thing. They 00:30:56.220 --> 00:31:00.500 began to praise in prison. They sought after 00:31:00.500 --> 00:31:04.000 God. They pursued God. They worshiped God. And 00:31:04.000 --> 00:31:05.859 as they were worshiping, listen to this, the 00:31:05.859 --> 00:31:08.079 next verse, suddenly there was a massive earthquake 00:31:08.079 --> 00:31:10.559 and the prison was shaken to its foundations. 00:31:10.559 --> 00:31:13.279 All the doors immediately flew open and the chains 00:31:13.279 --> 00:31:17.380 of every prisoner fell off. Now here's the crazy 00:31:17.380 --> 00:31:21.700 thing. I guarantee you, I wouldn't do the same 00:31:21.700 --> 00:31:24.339 thing. When that happened, I'm out of there. 00:31:26.059 --> 00:31:28.769 I don't know about you. But if the clamps fall 00:31:28.769 --> 00:31:31.970 off, the door busts open, and there's a way for 00:31:31.970 --> 00:31:37.210 me to be free from prison, I'm running. I'm running. 00:31:38.589 --> 00:31:43.230 But you know what they did? They stayed and praised. 00:31:44.170 --> 00:31:47.170 They trusted that God had a plan for them. And 00:31:47.170 --> 00:31:51.490 that plan included that jailer's entire family 00:31:51.490 --> 00:31:54.029 beginning a relationship with Jesus as a result 00:31:54.029 --> 00:32:00.779 of their praise. See, God desires, listen, God 00:32:00.779 --> 00:32:04.220 desires that we seek him and praise him when 00:32:04.220 --> 00:32:07.279 we're having a bad day. Because as we take a 00:32:07.279 --> 00:32:09.859 step of faith, you know what God releases? He 00:32:09.859 --> 00:32:13.140 releases his power into our lives. Martin Luther 00:32:13.140 --> 00:32:16.819 King Jr. is quoted as saying, faith doesn't show 00:32:16.819 --> 00:32:21.599 you the whole staircase, just the next step. 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:27.819 Just the next step. So my question to you, are 00:32:27.819 --> 00:32:31.140 you trusting that God's plan for your life is 00:32:31.140 --> 00:32:33.319 so much better than the plans you have for your 00:32:33.319 --> 00:32:37.259 own? Because I promise you, it is. 1 Peter 5, 00:32:37.319 --> 00:32:40.160 6. Humble yourselves under the mighty power of 00:32:40.160 --> 00:32:42.420 God, and at the right time, he's going to lift 00:32:42.420 --> 00:32:46.079 you up in honor. Church, give all your worries 00:32:46.079 --> 00:32:50.819 and cares to God, for he cares about you. Friends. 00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:55.839 Jesus is challenging us this morning to take 00:32:55.839 --> 00:33:02.579 what? One step at a time. Sometimes that step 00:33:02.579 --> 00:33:08.319 is down, right? But quite often, that step is 00:33:08.319 --> 00:33:14.220 up as we move closer and closer and closer to 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:19.519 Jesus. Because he desires that we connect with 00:33:19.519 --> 00:33:23.759 the Holy Spirit in such a way. That all our worries, 00:33:23.859 --> 00:33:28.099 cares, and desires for this world fall away to 00:33:28.099 --> 00:33:31.880 nothing. And we truly become reflections of Jesus 00:33:31.880 --> 00:33:35.279 to the tri -state area. But church, we have to 00:33:35.279 --> 00:33:40.859 understand, it's a choice. Will you stand with 00:33:40.859 --> 00:33:49.180 me? So this morning, and we're going to close 00:33:49.180 --> 00:33:53.579 by worshiping. There's this little song called 00:33:53.579 --> 00:33:58.500 Trust in God, and a part of the song says, I 00:33:58.500 --> 00:34:06.039 sought the Lord, he heard, and he answered. I 00:34:06.039 --> 00:34:09.320 sought the Lord. And what does seeking the Lord 00:34:09.320 --> 00:34:14.659 look like? It's one step at a time, trusting 00:34:14.659 --> 00:34:17.940 the Holy Spirit in you. I sought the Lord, he 00:34:17.940 --> 00:34:21.059 heard, and he answered. Now hear me out. That 00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:24.400 doesn't mean he answered today or tomorrow or 00:34:24.400 --> 00:34:26.599 even next week. But we still have to trust that 00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:32.000 he's going to answer. So before we sing, listen, 00:34:32.199 --> 00:34:33.679 before we sing, we're going to pray a simple 00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:35.880 prayer because I believe God brings people into 00:34:35.880 --> 00:34:38.860 our midst. Every single gathering that is distant 00:34:38.860 --> 00:34:41.760 and far from God. And right now the Holy Spirit 00:34:41.760 --> 00:34:45.480 is drawing you close. Right now the Holy Spirit 00:34:45.480 --> 00:34:48.199 is showing you areas of your life that are not 00:34:48.199 --> 00:34:51.579 lining up with him. And he's calling you home 00:34:51.579 --> 00:34:54.019 saying, come into a relationship with me because 00:34:54.019 --> 00:34:57.239 I want to fill you with abundance. And we're 00:34:57.239 --> 00:34:58.900 all going to pray together because I don't want 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:01.880 anybody praying alone. Let's pray. Jesus, I'm 00:35:01.880 --> 00:35:07.139 broken. I'm full of doubt, shame, regret, sin. 00:35:07.900 --> 00:35:12.619 Change me. I believe you're God's son. I believe 00:35:12.619 --> 00:35:18.599 you died for me. Make me new. Set me free. Fill 00:35:18.599 --> 00:35:23.010 me with your spirit. and your truth. In Jesus' 00:35:23.130 --> 00:35:26.269 name, amen. So if you prayed that prayer for 00:35:26.269 --> 00:35:28.349 the first time, give me a hug, high five on the 00:35:28.349 --> 00:35:30.090 way out so I can give you some next steps. Now 00:35:30.090 --> 00:35:31.710 we're gonna sing and worship, but before we do, 00:35:31.889 --> 00:35:35.550 God put something on my heart this morning. Actually, 00:35:35.610 --> 00:35:40.289 it was earlier this week. I felt like God was 00:35:40.289 --> 00:35:44.429 gonna release healing in these gatherings this 00:35:44.429 --> 00:35:48.130 Sunday. Release healings to your physical body. 00:35:49.420 --> 00:35:51.300 So if you're here this morning, I want to invite 00:35:51.300 --> 00:35:53.260 you and encourage you to take a step of faith. 00:35:53.480 --> 00:35:55.400 Our prayer team will be up here in the front. 00:35:55.480 --> 00:35:58.019 If you have any struggles with your physical 00:35:58.019 --> 00:36:00.639 body and you're here this morning, I want you 00:36:00.639 --> 00:36:02.739 to take a step of faith as everyone's worshiping 00:36:02.739 --> 00:36:04.460 and singing. Come up here. We're going to lay 00:36:04.460 --> 00:36:06.280 hands on you and we're going to believe in a 00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:08.980 supernatural miracle from God. Amen? Is it okay 00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:12.019 if we do that in church? Is it okay if we believe 00:36:12.019 --> 00:36:15.900 for a miracle? So if you're here this morning, 00:36:15.980 --> 00:36:18.769 listen. If you're here this morning. and you're 00:36:18.769 --> 00:36:21.050 struggling with some type of physical ailment, 00:36:21.130 --> 00:36:23.369 I want you to make your way up here as we sing. 00:36:23.510 --> 00:36:25.469 We're going to lay hands and pray for you and 00:36:25.469 --> 00:36:27.449 believe that God's going to set you free. God 00:36:27.449 --> 00:36:28.829 bless you guys. Let's worship and sing.