WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.980 I know it has been mentioned how grateful I am 00:00:02.980 --> 00:00:06.000 for everyone that's here and for every guest. 00:00:06.179 --> 00:00:08.480 Don't we love when guests come to Heaven View? 00:00:10.119 --> 00:00:12.880 You are a guest here today. We are honored that 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.060 you would come and worship Jesus with us and 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:18.460 we want you to respond to his presence in whatever 00:00:18.460 --> 00:00:22.339 way you can by giving your heart to him in praise 00:00:22.339 --> 00:00:26.000 and even in response to his word and believing 00:00:26.000 --> 00:00:29.559 that he can give you a miracle before you leave. 00:00:29.879 --> 00:00:32.920 that he knows you, he knows exactly what you're 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:36.539 facing, and he will respond to your need if you 00:00:36.539 --> 00:00:40.939 respond to his presence. I want to mention something 00:00:40.939 --> 00:00:43.060 I mentioned in the first service, and that is 00:00:43.060 --> 00:00:46.219 there is a need in Sri Lanka. This church family 00:00:46.219 --> 00:00:50.060 has partnered with CSI to be a blessing. They 00:00:50.060 --> 00:00:53.079 had a cyclone a number of weeks ago, and we did 00:00:53.079 --> 00:00:57.179 give, but I got a note from the missionary this 00:00:57.179 --> 00:01:00.689 week. The need is still very great. In fact, 00:01:00.710 --> 00:01:02.710 if you wanna go back at the beginning of the 00:01:02.710 --> 00:01:04.790 last service, then the message, you'll be able 00:01:04.790 --> 00:01:07.930 to hear more details. Even that message would 00:01:07.930 --> 00:01:11.950 be worth your time and attention. Galatians chapter 00:01:11.950 --> 00:01:15.469 two and verse 20, it's just one verse. I believe 00:01:15.469 --> 00:01:17.629 we're gonna see it here from the New King James 00:01:17.629 --> 00:01:20.750 Version. Why don't we read it out loud together? 00:01:21.450 --> 00:01:25.700 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer 00:01:25.700 --> 00:01:30.060 I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life 00:01:30.060 --> 00:01:34.079 which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith 00:01:34.079 --> 00:01:38.159 in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself 00:01:38.159 --> 00:01:40.920 for me. We'd like to preach for just a little 00:01:40.920 --> 00:01:45.420 while from this thought a happy now year, happy 00:01:45.420 --> 00:01:49.760 now year. There are some things we cannot predict 00:01:49.760 --> 00:01:55.420 about 2026 that may not. make it a happy new 00:01:55.420 --> 00:01:58.719 year. It may be a year of struggle. It may be 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:01.319 a year of challenge, but you know what? There 00:02:01.319 --> 00:02:04.900 are things we have in God right now that are 00:02:04.900 --> 00:02:08.819 not fluctuating based on circumstances or emotions, 00:02:09.020 --> 00:02:12.400 and we're gonna focus on those things and be 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:17.680 what God has called us to be now. Let's pray 00:02:17.680 --> 00:02:24.729 together. Lord Jesus, I thank you for. I thank 00:02:24.729 --> 00:03:03.569 you Lord Can you say in Jesus name? You may be 00:03:03.569 --> 00:03:06.770 seated. There was not many people gathered in 00:03:06.770 --> 00:03:11.569 the sanctuary on this particular day and just 00:03:11.569 --> 00:03:15.069 a couple of family members and they were paying 00:03:15.069 --> 00:03:19.430 respects to a man in the casket and to be really 00:03:19.430 --> 00:03:22.550 truthful, he had not lived quite a good life. 00:03:22.590 --> 00:03:25.509 In fact, his life was anything but good and even 00:03:25.509 --> 00:03:29.469 his own family had suffered from his poor decisions. 00:03:29.819 --> 00:03:33.860 but out of respect for God and for life, they 00:03:33.860 --> 00:03:36.960 were there. And the preacher did not know the 00:03:36.960 --> 00:03:40.520 man. The preacher was just trying to be a good 00:03:40.520 --> 00:03:44.020 preacher, trying to say some nice things, trying 00:03:44.020 --> 00:03:47.300 to encourage the family. But apparently as he 00:03:47.300 --> 00:03:50.240 was speaking about the man that he did not know, 00:03:50.900 --> 00:03:52.979 his wife was sitting right here on the front 00:03:52.979 --> 00:03:56.840 row. She was there with her son and he started 00:03:56.840 --> 00:04:00.330 saying so many nice things about this man. that 00:04:00.330 --> 00:04:02.650 finally the lady couldn't handle it anymore. 00:04:02.710 --> 00:04:04.610 She said to her son, could you go see if that's 00:04:04.610 --> 00:04:08.389 your father in the casket? That's an old preacher 00:04:08.389 --> 00:04:11.449 joke, but it fit in right here with where we're 00:04:11.449 --> 00:04:15.409 going today. Some of y 'all are like, I wasn't 00:04:15.409 --> 00:04:17.750 here for that funeral. Oh, you probably were, 00:04:17.769 --> 00:04:23.189 we just hid it. We hid it from you. Can you imagine 00:04:23.189 --> 00:04:28.310 if you could die? before the rest of 2026 begins. 00:04:28.490 --> 00:04:30.529 Now I know that may be a sad thing to consider, 00:04:30.550 --> 00:04:32.810 but what are some of the good things that would 00:04:32.810 --> 00:04:35.310 happen as a result of your death? You would never 00:04:35.310 --> 00:04:40.410 have to pay taxes anymore. Now that may not be 00:04:40.410 --> 00:04:43.509 worth dying, but I'm just saying, try to look 00:04:43.509 --> 00:04:46.730 at the bright side. If you were not gonna live 00:04:46.730 --> 00:04:50.790 through 2026, you were going to pass away suddenly. 00:04:51.389 --> 00:04:53.569 If you hate school and you're in school, you 00:04:53.569 --> 00:04:57.279 would never have to go back to school. I'm not 00:04:57.279 --> 00:05:00.019 suggesting that we become a cold and drink Kool 00:05:00.019 --> 00:05:02.899 -Aid. I'm just saying that there could be a few 00:05:02.899 --> 00:05:06.740 things about living that would not be worth living, 00:05:06.740 --> 00:05:09.399 and if you could die, you could escape those 00:05:09.399 --> 00:05:15.060 things beyond taxes, beyond the opinion of others. 00:05:16.519 --> 00:05:19.699 Boy, we get a lot of that, don't we? You know, 00:05:19.699 --> 00:05:22.560 if you died, you wouldn't have to worry anymore 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:26.870 about likes on Facebook. or people thumbs -upping 00:05:26.870 --> 00:05:29.350 on Instagram, whatever they do on Instagram. 00:05:29.810 --> 00:05:32.170 If you died, you wouldn't have to worry about 00:05:32.170 --> 00:05:35.949 anybody else liking or not liking your life that 00:05:35.949 --> 00:05:40.850 you were making up to try to impress them. Now 00:05:40.850 --> 00:05:42.870 there's other things a little bit more serious. 00:05:43.589 --> 00:05:49.370 What if somebody was addicted to alcohol or drugs, 00:05:49.550 --> 00:05:52.649 things that were destroying their body, destroying 00:05:52.649 --> 00:05:57.279 their relationships? And if they died and they 00:05:57.279 --> 00:06:00.319 were in the casket, you could bring, let's say 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:03.420 it was an alcohol addiction, severe alcohol addiction, 00:06:03.879 --> 00:06:06.600 you could bring whatever was their beverage of 00:06:06.600 --> 00:06:08.759 choice and you could just shove it in their face 00:06:08.759 --> 00:06:11.680 and because they're dead, they would no longer 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:15.079 be tempted. It would not even impact what if 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:17.779 somebody had a horrible addiction to pornography 00:06:17.779 --> 00:06:21.680 and you took every video or every YouTube spot 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:25.519 or You know clip that that maybe that used to 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:28.000 get them all stirred up and you could put your 00:06:28.000 --> 00:06:30.800 phone in their face for hours and They would 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:33.480 not be driven to lust like they had been all 00:06:33.480 --> 00:06:36.319 the time that they were living I'm just saying 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:39.079 there are a lot of negatives to dying, but there 00:06:39.079 --> 00:06:42.079 could be some positives too And this is a little 00:06:42.079 --> 00:06:45.240 bit of a more to start a message, but I think 00:06:45.240 --> 00:06:48.899 you get my point. That one thing about dying 00:06:48.899 --> 00:06:52.639 is there's no more self -centeredness. There's 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:57.439 no more immorality. There's no more ungodliness. 00:06:58.040 --> 00:07:01.639 Of course, if I'm dead, I also miss all the joys 00:07:01.639 --> 00:07:04.959 of being alive. And thank God life is so much 00:07:04.959 --> 00:07:08.720 more than the things that we despise about life. 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:12.720 But what if we could die? to everything we don't 00:07:12.720 --> 00:07:16.980 like about life, but still live for all of the 00:07:16.980 --> 00:07:20.420 joys of life. That might be worth dying for. 00:07:21.040 --> 00:07:22.980 In other words, I'm still gonna be breathing, 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:26.040 I'm still gonna be enjoying my family, I'm still 00:07:26.040 --> 00:07:28.540 gonna get all the benefits of being alive, but 00:07:28.540 --> 00:07:31.800 I'm literally gonna crucify those parts of life. 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:37.319 That just pulled me down. That's literally what 00:07:37.319 --> 00:07:39.699 the apostle Paul is promising us through the 00:07:39.699 --> 00:07:43.899 word of God in Galatians 2. I have been crucified 00:07:43.899 --> 00:07:48.160 with Christ. He was a man that consented to the 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:51.459 punishment the imprisonment and the death of 00:07:51.459 --> 00:07:54.180 Christians He must have lived with some of those 00:07:54.180 --> 00:07:58.000 shameful memories of his past the only way he 00:07:58.000 --> 00:08:01.819 could overcome Living a life of shame and guilt 00:08:01.819 --> 00:08:05.439 for everything about his sin that made him feel 00:08:05.439 --> 00:08:09.279 so horrible was he was crucified with Christ 00:08:09.839 --> 00:08:13.060 And he said, it is no longer I who live, but 00:08:13.060 --> 00:08:17.699 it is Christ who lives in me. And the life which 00:08:17.699 --> 00:08:22.180 I now live is not just gonna get better when 00:08:22.180 --> 00:08:26.420 I get to heaven, but the life which I now live, 00:08:26.860 --> 00:08:31.459 I live in the flesh, I live by the faith in the 00:08:31.459 --> 00:08:36.379 Son of God who loved me and gave himself for 00:08:36.379 --> 00:08:39.850 me. I used to be religious, he could say, but 00:08:39.850 --> 00:08:43.629 my religion was driving me away from Jesus Christ. 00:08:43.909 --> 00:08:47.870 But then when I met Jesus Christ, and I surrendered 00:08:47.870 --> 00:08:51.889 my life to him, he gave me the privilege of being 00:08:51.889 --> 00:08:55.629 crucified with him. I didn't die physically, 00:08:55.950 --> 00:08:59.590 but I died out to my past, and I died out to 00:08:59.590 --> 00:09:03.590 my sin, and I died out to my shame, and I died 00:09:03.590 --> 00:09:07.809 out to my guilt, and now the lie. which I live 00:09:07.809 --> 00:09:11.110 right now, not just when we all get to heaven, 00:09:11.470 --> 00:09:15.149 but the life that I live right now. I live in 00:09:15.149 --> 00:09:18.490 the flesh, there's still temptations, there's 00:09:18.490 --> 00:09:22.490 still struggles, but I live by faith in Jesus 00:09:22.490 --> 00:09:26.690 Christ. Anybody can relate to the funeral that 00:09:26.690 --> 00:09:32.480 you had, maybe. anybody can relate to the day 00:09:32.480 --> 00:09:35.480 that you made it to the altar and you died out 00:09:35.480 --> 00:09:39.120 to your sin, you died out to your past, you died 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.919 out to your lust, you died out to your selfishness, 00:09:43.159 --> 00:09:46.559 and you can say with the Apostle Paul, I have 00:09:46.559 --> 00:09:53.440 been crucified with Christ. I am dead, but I'm 00:09:53.440 --> 00:10:00.659 very much alive. I am dead. But I am very much 00:10:00.659 --> 00:10:05.460 alive If you are new to Jesus Christ in his gospel 00:10:05.460 --> 00:10:09.679 maybe perhaps You are a churchgoing person whether 00:10:09.679 --> 00:10:13.279 it's this church or another church and you know 00:10:13.279 --> 00:10:15.940 That Jesus is your Savior you believe with all 00:10:15.940 --> 00:10:20.919 your heart He died for your sins He rose again 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.840 He's coming back for you soon. I want you to 00:10:24.840 --> 00:10:27.960 know one of the greatest things about the gospel 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:31.980 is that we are offered an opportunity to die 00:10:31.980 --> 00:10:37.279 so that we can live. To die to our life without 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:43.000 him. To die to our life before him. And we can 00:10:43.000 --> 00:10:48.759 live with him and in him. Not in the sweet by 00:10:48.759 --> 00:10:54.600 and by, but now. That's a happy now year. Romans 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:58.460 chapter six says it this way. What shall we say 00:10:58.460 --> 00:11:01.879 then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may 00:11:01.879 --> 00:11:05.399 abound? Certainly not. The old King James says, 00:11:05.539 --> 00:11:11.059 God forbid! How shall we who died to sin live 00:11:11.059 --> 00:11:15.879 any longer in it? Or do you not know that as 00:11:15.879 --> 00:11:19.100 many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus, 00:11:19.740 --> 00:11:23.679 were baptized into his death. Therefore we were 00:11:23.679 --> 00:11:27.330 buried with him through baptism into death. that 00:11:27.330 --> 00:11:32.009 just as Christ was raised from the dead by the 00:11:32.009 --> 00:11:36.049 glory of the Father, even so we also should walk 00:11:36.049 --> 00:11:40.830 in newness of life. For if we have been united 00:11:40.830 --> 00:11:45.769 together in the likeness of his death, in a death 00:11:45.769 --> 00:11:48.750 that's kind of like his death, only it's a spiritual 00:11:48.750 --> 00:11:54.129 death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness 00:11:54.129 --> 00:11:59.519 of his resurrection. If we unite together in 00:11:59.519 --> 00:12:03.100 the likeness of his death, how do we do that, 00:12:03.320 --> 00:12:06.179 preacher? Well, once you put your faith in Jesus 00:12:06.179 --> 00:12:09.179 Christ, it is essential that you repent of your 00:12:09.179 --> 00:12:13.320 sins. It's essential that you come to Jesus and 00:12:13.320 --> 00:12:17.139 say, Jesus, forgive me for everything in my life 00:12:17.139 --> 00:12:21.500 that lends itself to the sin and the lust and 00:12:21.500 --> 00:12:25.460 the corruption of this world. I want to die to 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:28.000 those things. In fact, beyond repentance, it 00:12:28.000 --> 00:12:31.539 is essential, it is critical that you would be 00:12:31.539 --> 00:12:35.740 baptized in Jesus' name. I promise you, I'm not 00:12:35.740 --> 00:12:38.360 talking about just joining a church. In fact, 00:12:38.700 --> 00:12:41.019 around here, we bat - baptize people all the 00:12:41.019 --> 00:12:44.279 time that are not members of this church because 00:12:44.279 --> 00:12:48.279 baptism is not about church membership. It is 00:12:48.279 --> 00:12:52.940 about identifying. It is about dying in the likeness 00:12:52.940 --> 00:12:56.639 of his. It's about uniting with the death of 00:12:56.639 --> 00:13:01.580 Jesus Christ through repentance and baptism by 00:13:01.580 --> 00:13:06.950 immersion, calling on the name of Jesus. I want 00:13:06.950 --> 00:13:10.929 to beg somebody today that you can start 2026 00:13:10.929 --> 00:13:14.309 like our new friend Mel did in the first service. 00:13:14.490 --> 00:13:17.429 He came out of that baptismal. He got back in 00:13:17.429 --> 00:13:20.370 his clothes that he brought to church. He wore 00:13:20.370 --> 00:13:22.870 dry clothes to church. We had a robe that he 00:13:22.870 --> 00:13:25.809 got all wet. We kept the wet robe. We gave him 00:13:25.809 --> 00:13:28.549 back his dry clothes. He came out to the altar 00:13:28.549 --> 00:13:31.110 and he said, I just figured it's a new beginning. 00:13:31.330 --> 00:13:34.409 I might as well have a new life. That's the grass 00:13:34.409 --> 00:13:37.870 gospel of Jesus Christ. That's the promise of 00:13:37.870 --> 00:13:41.950 Jesus Christ. That's what happens when you unite 00:13:41.950 --> 00:13:46.049 with the death, the burial, and the resurrection 00:13:46.049 --> 00:13:51.370 of Jesus. If you've been following Jesus, serving 00:13:51.370 --> 00:13:54.710 Jesus, living for Jesus, believing for Jesus, 00:13:55.429 --> 00:13:58.990 but you have not been baptized in Jesus' name, 00:13:59.690 --> 00:14:03.730 you are not united in the likeness of his death. 00:14:04.000 --> 00:14:08.059 And because of that, you cannot possibly be united 00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:11.159 in the likeness of his resurrection. You may 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:13.360 keep coming to church because you know it gets 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.960 your family off the back. You might keep coming 00:14:15.960 --> 00:14:18.500 to church because you know you got a few friends 00:14:18.500 --> 00:14:21.299 and you might get in a bad spot sometime. You 00:14:21.299 --> 00:14:24.659 might need a few friends, but if you will unite 00:14:24.659 --> 00:14:28.279 in the likeness of his death through repentance 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:32.220 and baptism in Jesus' name, I guarantee you, 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:35.960 you can unite. in the likeness of his resurrection. 00:14:36.220 --> 00:14:39.799 He will fill you with his Holy Spirit. And the 00:14:39.799 --> 00:14:42.840 Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead will 00:14:42.840 --> 00:14:47.179 raise you up to live a new life in Jesus Christ. 00:14:47.440 --> 00:14:51.179 And then if you die in this life when the trumpet 00:14:51.179 --> 00:14:54.500 sounds, you're gonna live again forever with 00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:58.019 Jesus Christ. Because if the Spirit that raised 00:14:58.019 --> 00:15:01.799 up Christ from the dead dwell in you, he'll make 00:15:01.799 --> 00:15:10.500 you alive. Even after you die, I cannot say enough 00:15:10.500 --> 00:15:14.399 about the importance of repentance at the start 00:15:14.399 --> 00:15:18.879 of a new year. I cannot say enough about the 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.759 importance of baptism by immersion in the name 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.279 of Jesus Christ for the remission of your sins 00:15:25.279 --> 00:15:29.279 at the start of a new year. I cannot say enough 00:15:29.279 --> 00:15:33.450 because we hear so much. philosophy and misconception 00:15:33.450 --> 00:15:37.350 in the world today, especially because of technology. 00:15:37.669 --> 00:15:40.309 There are people that will say that the Holy 00:15:40.309 --> 00:15:43.470 Ghost is not real, or the Holy Ghost is not important, 00:15:43.690 --> 00:15:45.990 or people don't get filled with the Spirit the 00:15:45.990 --> 00:15:48.190 way they did in the Bible, or maybe that's just 00:15:48.190 --> 00:15:50.610 a select group of people that are really zealous 00:15:50.610 --> 00:15:54.490 for Jesus. That is not true. Anybody in this 00:15:54.490 --> 00:15:57.629 sanctuary can be filled with the Spirit of God 00:15:57.629 --> 00:16:00.370 just like they did in the Bible. You can literally. 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.600 I cannot say it enough. You can speak with other 00:16:04.600 --> 00:16:07.279 tongues as the Spirit gives you the utterance, 00:16:07.519 --> 00:16:10.399 but you've gotta be willing. You've gotta be 00:16:10.399 --> 00:16:14.159 willing. God's not gonna force you. God's not 00:16:14.159 --> 00:16:17.059 gonna beg you. I might beg you, but he won't 00:16:17.059 --> 00:16:20.980 beg you. You've gotta be willing to unite in 00:16:20.980 --> 00:16:24.940 the likeness of his death. And after you unite 00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:28.580 in the likeness of his death, you can unite in 00:16:28.580 --> 00:16:31.679 the likeness of his. resurrection. If you've 00:16:31.679 --> 00:16:33.840 ever repented of your sins or been baptized in 00:16:33.840 --> 00:16:36.559 Jesus' name or been filled with the Holy Ghost 00:16:36.559 --> 00:16:38.899 speaking with other tongues, could you wave your 00:16:38.899 --> 00:16:41.340 hand almost like you're sticking your hand in 00:16:41.340 --> 00:16:44.139 the air, like you just don't care, like you're 00:16:44.139 --> 00:16:47.120 not ashamed, like you're not looking at other 00:16:47.120 --> 00:16:49.740 people worried about what they think. All you 00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:53.120 know is that you once was dead, but now you're 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:57.039 alive unto God. You once was dead, but now you 00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.460 live in Christ. Oh, that's a good reason to shout. 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:03.580 That's a good reason to wave an arm. That's a 00:17:03.580 --> 00:17:06.400 good reason to clap some hands. Come on, I'm 00:17:06.400 --> 00:17:09.599 talking about a happy now life. Not six months 00:17:09.599 --> 00:17:13.059 from now, but today is the day of salvation. 00:17:13.440 --> 00:17:17.220 Today is the day to give your life to Jesus. 00:17:24.200 --> 00:17:29.420 Praise God. Thank you for being so. supportive 00:17:29.420 --> 00:17:32.700 and encouraging. I hope you will respond with 00:17:32.700 --> 00:17:35.960 the same fervor when I make this next statement. 00:17:37.220 --> 00:17:41.640 Jesus made it obvious to everyone that would 00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:46.960 be a part of his kingdom that uniting in the 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:52.460 likeness of his death was not just a one and 00:17:52.460 --> 00:17:55.759 done experience. He said, whoever is gonna come 00:17:55.759 --> 00:18:02.339 after me, Let him deny himself. Take up his cross 00:18:02.339 --> 00:18:07.799 daily and follow me. I'm glad we shout about 00:18:07.799 --> 00:18:11.640 repentance, baptism, the infilling of the Holy 00:18:11.640 --> 00:18:14.900 Ghost, speaking with other tongues, but we ought 00:18:14.900 --> 00:18:17.859 to shout about praying and fasting until our 00:18:17.859 --> 00:18:21.650 flesh is submitted. We ought to shout about reading 00:18:21.650 --> 00:18:25.049 the Bible until the Bible reads us. We ought 00:18:25.049 --> 00:18:27.109 to shout about, hey, I don't just go to church. 00:18:27.309 --> 00:18:30.289 I have become the church. You know why? Because 00:18:30.289 --> 00:18:33.289 when I started to follow Jesus, it wasn't just 00:18:33.289 --> 00:18:36.109 a one -time experience. And if I make it to church 00:18:36.109 --> 00:18:38.630 a few Sundays a year, then I'll be on my way 00:18:38.630 --> 00:18:41.529 to heaven. My God, you're never going to overcome 00:18:41.529 --> 00:18:44.650 your flesh living for God that way. You're never 00:18:44.650 --> 00:18:48.509 going to experience a happy now year living for 00:18:48.509 --> 00:18:51.279 God. based on something you did when you were 00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:54.359 a kid or something that happened a long time 00:18:54.359 --> 00:18:57.500 ago, somebody's got to shake themselves and say, 00:18:57.799 --> 00:19:01.039 by the grace of God, I am crucified with Christ. 00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:05.200 Nevertheless, I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:09.660 in me and the life which I now live. I live by 00:19:09.660 --> 00:19:14.099 the faith of the Son of God, faith in the Son 00:19:14.099 --> 00:19:20.670 of God who loved me. and gave himself for me. 00:19:21.589 --> 00:19:28.910 Can I say that a happy now life is not just you 00:19:28.910 --> 00:19:38.769 and I trying to be better at being us. A happy 00:19:38.769 --> 00:19:44.029 now life is about you and I learning how to yield 00:19:44.029 --> 00:19:52.190 to the greater He that is in me How many of you 00:19:52.190 --> 00:19:54.109 that have the Holy Ghost believe that's Christ 00:19:54.109 --> 00:19:58.069 in you That's good, that's most of the people 00:19:58.069 --> 00:20:01.170 that were waving their hand before So if you're 00:20:01.170 --> 00:20:04.289 gonna have a happy now life if I'm gonna have 00:20:04.289 --> 00:20:08.809 a happy now life It's gonna have to be more than 00:20:08.809 --> 00:20:12.410 just based on circumstances. It's got to be more 00:20:12.410 --> 00:20:15.549 than just based on all the other things that 00:20:15.549 --> 00:20:19.670 people think make a happy life happen, I'm gonna 00:20:19.670 --> 00:20:24.210 have to yield to the Spirit of God inside of 00:20:24.210 --> 00:20:30.549 me and believe that as I die out to me, then 00:20:30.549 --> 00:20:35.589 He is gonna be formed in me. He's gonna live 00:20:35.589 --> 00:20:39.440 through me. And the reason why I can have a happy 00:20:39.440 --> 00:20:44.180 now year is because greater is he that is in 00:20:44.180 --> 00:20:47.220 me, and he's getting greater every day. No, he 00:20:47.220 --> 00:20:50.079 doesn't have to change, but I have to change 00:20:50.079 --> 00:20:54.559 to surrender my life, to put my life on the altar, 00:20:54.859 --> 00:20:58.599 to crucify my flesh, to pray a little bit, to 00:20:58.599 --> 00:21:01.299 fast a little bit, to get in the Word a little 00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:09.900 bit until he reigns in me. Praise God. Praise 00:21:09.900 --> 00:21:15.059 God. I don't think it's easy to crucify your 00:21:15.059 --> 00:21:18.700 flesh. All of us try to start the year with prayer 00:21:18.700 --> 00:21:22.759 and fasting. I don't think that's easy. I have 00:21:22.759 --> 00:21:26.019 had seasons where I have fasted and fasted and 00:21:26.019 --> 00:21:30.299 fasted. The older I get, the harder it gets to 00:21:30.299 --> 00:21:33.039 enter into those seasons. You'd think it would 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:36.079 get easier. But you know what the problem is? 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:40.599 This flesh has been around 58 years, and it's 00:21:40.599 --> 00:21:44.859 got 58 years worth of experience to bypass the 00:21:44.859 --> 00:21:49.359 will of God, to prop up my own good works so 00:21:49.359 --> 00:21:52.740 I can say, well, I don't do this, but I do that. 00:21:53.420 --> 00:21:56.660 I may not have it right here, but I got it really 00:21:56.660 --> 00:21:59.839 good better than others over here. Well, if you 00:21:59.839 --> 00:22:03.019 live for God that way, you're never gonna crucify 00:22:03.019 --> 00:22:05.849 your flesh. In fact, you're gonna start to think 00:22:05.849 --> 00:22:09.549 that your own good works is responsible for your 00:22:09.549 --> 00:22:12.410 free ticket to heaven. If you live that way, 00:22:12.529 --> 00:22:15.009 you'll say, well, you know what? I haven't obeyed 00:22:15.009 --> 00:22:17.529 some of the Bible, but I still help the poor. 00:22:17.650 --> 00:22:20.369 I still feed the hungry. I'm sure he's gonna, 00:22:20.589 --> 00:22:23.250 my goodness, I wouldn't wanna live for God that 00:22:23.250 --> 00:22:26.309 way. I would rather live for God as though my 00:22:26.309 --> 00:22:30.589 past is in the casket. My good deeds is in the 00:22:30.589 --> 00:22:34.130 casket. My best efforts is in the casket. And 00:22:34.130 --> 00:22:38.109 every single day I wake up with a desire less 00:22:38.109 --> 00:22:50.670 of me and more of you. Praise God. Praise God. 00:22:51.809 --> 00:22:58.650 Praise God. 1 John 3 says, I hope, now when I 00:22:58.650 --> 00:23:01.589 say I hope you shout about this. You don't have 00:23:01.589 --> 00:23:04.490 to make any noise, but I hope inside your soul 00:23:04.490 --> 00:23:11.369 says yes Because this is amazing Behold what 00:23:11.369 --> 00:23:15.970 manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon 00:23:15.970 --> 00:23:21.430 us That we should be called the children of God 00:23:21.430 --> 00:23:25.069 Yes You don't have to say it out loud. I'll do 00:23:25.069 --> 00:23:28.430 it for you, but you can't the world doesn't know 00:23:28.430 --> 00:23:30.890 us They didn't know Him. They don't look at us 00:23:30.890 --> 00:23:32.890 like we're the children of God. They don't say 00:23:32.890 --> 00:23:35.089 anything different about us. I mean, they should 00:23:35.089 --> 00:23:36.970 see some differences about us, but that's a message 00:23:36.970 --> 00:23:41.730 for another day. But anyway, beloved, now we 00:23:41.730 --> 00:23:49.009 are children of God. Yes! And it has not yet 00:23:49.009 --> 00:23:54.289 been revealed what we shall be. But we know when 00:23:54.289 --> 00:23:58.619 He shall reveal, when He is revealed. We shall 00:23:58.619 --> 00:24:04.559 be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Yes, 00:24:04.559 --> 00:24:15.880 yes, yes! I'm already a child of God. Yes! But 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:20.759 he's not finished with me yet. Yes! I'm on my 00:24:20.759 --> 00:24:27.440 way to becoming like him. Yes! That's a lot to 00:24:27.440 --> 00:24:30.519 shout about. I'm glad you've remained comfortably 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:32.500 seated because I don't think you could keep up 00:24:32.500 --> 00:24:34.579 with all the shouting that's happening in those 00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:41.019 few words. So I know I'm a child of God. I know 00:24:41.019 --> 00:24:44.000 when he gets done with me, I'm gonna be just 00:24:44.000 --> 00:24:48.180 like Jesus. Wow. There's a chart they're gonna 00:24:48.180 --> 00:24:51.000 show you that kinda makes this all theological. 00:24:51.980 --> 00:24:57.460 We got justification, sanctification. and glorification. 00:24:58.119 --> 00:25:01.640 Say that with me, justification? Sanctification? 00:25:03.079 --> 00:25:07.180 Glorification. What is justification? We are 00:25:07.180 --> 00:25:11.039 now the children of God. How we get to be the 00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:14.940 children of God? He shed His blood for us. What 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:19.720 an awesome God. Yes! I sound like I got Tourette's. 00:25:22.759 --> 00:25:26.880 But if you lost your job in 2026, if you lose 00:25:26.880 --> 00:25:30.460 your family in 2026, if you lose your home in 00:25:30.460 --> 00:25:45.220 2026, but you're still a child of God. Yes! That's 00:25:45.220 --> 00:25:49.680 a happy now year. Because right now I'm covered 00:25:49.680 --> 00:25:53.380 by the blood of Jesus right now I live in the 00:25:53.380 --> 00:25:56.779 mercy of the cross right now I'm on my way to 00:25:56.779 --> 00:26:01.259 heaven not because of me, but because of Jesus 00:26:01.259 --> 00:26:15.539 But with this I feel like I'm selling a timeshare 00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:19.799 with this package You get more than justification 00:26:19.799 --> 00:26:25.019 You get glorification I'm gonna get back to the 00:26:25.019 --> 00:26:28.160 the middle one the present we got the past what 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:31.220 Jesus has already done for us We've got the future 00:26:31.220 --> 00:26:35.140 what he's gonna do for us Because that verse 00:26:35.140 --> 00:26:43.819 says when we see him we shall be I Don't know 00:26:43.819 --> 00:26:47.670 if you really get that when we see him That doesn't 00:26:47.670 --> 00:26:53.089 mean we're just gonna like them or Well by the 00:26:53.089 --> 00:26:55.869 time we all get to heaven I'm gonna be a little 00:26:55.869 --> 00:26:58.869 bit better me than I have been no, that's not 00:26:58.869 --> 00:27:03.450 what glorification means When we see him I'm 00:27:03.450 --> 00:27:07.029 talking about the sweet woman of God That's lived 00:27:07.029 --> 00:27:11.789 for God for so many years been faithful Been 00:27:11.789 --> 00:27:14.750 been been obedient to the Word of God. Thank 00:27:14.750 --> 00:27:20.299 God for that That person's gonna be like him 00:27:20.299 --> 00:27:23.559 That's glorification But you know what's so awesome 00:27:23.559 --> 00:27:29.200 about God? If you just started living for God 00:27:29.200 --> 00:27:33.339 not too long ago and Every day for you is one 00:27:33.339 --> 00:27:37.720 step forward and two steps back one step forward 00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:41.319 and two steps back But the funny thing about 00:27:41.319 --> 00:27:44.259 it is every time you fall you get right back 00:27:44.259 --> 00:27:48.220 up right back up I keep falling back, but I'm 00:27:48.220 --> 00:27:50.980 not giving up. I'm gonna keep moving forward. 00:27:56.339 --> 00:28:00.640 Is there anybody that would be brave enough to 00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:02.920 say, I know when y 'all look at me you think 00:28:02.920 --> 00:28:05.660 I'm a super Christian, but I've fallen a bunch 00:28:05.660 --> 00:28:10.380 of times. You'd wave your hand. You put your 00:28:10.380 --> 00:28:12.779 hands down anybody that's really living for God 00:28:12.779 --> 00:28:15.460 today But you'd be brave enough to say I failed 00:28:15.460 --> 00:28:17.380 the Lord a bunch of times just wave your hand 00:28:17.380 --> 00:28:20.259 I'm not waving my hands just to say hello. I 00:28:20.259 --> 00:28:22.720 failed the Lord a bunch of times I've fallen 00:28:22.720 --> 00:28:25.519 a bunch of times But what this verse promises 00:28:25.519 --> 00:28:28.420 us that there's coming a day when we're gonna 00:28:28.420 --> 00:28:33.569 see him and when we see him we shall be like 00:28:33.569 --> 00:28:37.990 him. That's beyond justification. That's glorification. 00:28:38.230 --> 00:28:40.910 In other words, the suffering of this present 00:28:40.910 --> 00:28:45.049 time are not worthy to be compared to the glory 00:28:45.049 --> 00:28:48.490 that shall be revealed in us. When I have a need, 00:28:48.609 --> 00:28:51.589 I bring the need to Jesus. But if God doesn't 00:28:51.589 --> 00:28:53.849 answer the prayer the way I think he should, 00:28:54.069 --> 00:28:56.930 I've got to step back and say, thank God. He's 00:28:56.930 --> 00:28:59.950 not doing it my way, but he's doing it his way. 00:29:00.130 --> 00:29:04.410 This is part of him. getting me ready for glorification. 00:29:05.990 --> 00:29:08.410 Oh, would you thank the Lord for that promise? 00:29:16.349 --> 00:29:20.670 Right now, we are the children of God. Right 00:29:20.670 --> 00:29:24.170 now, we're justified by the cross of Christ. 00:29:24.529 --> 00:29:28.430 Right now, we have this amazing hope that in 00:29:28.430 --> 00:29:31.420 a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, a trumpet's 00:29:31.420 --> 00:29:39.380 gonna sound and we shall be changed. Yes! But 00:29:39.380 --> 00:29:44.039 somewhere between justification and glorification 00:29:44.039 --> 00:29:49.859 is a process that theologians call sanctification. 00:29:51.180 --> 00:29:54.680 My sweet mother, my sweet mother -in -law asked 00:29:54.680 --> 00:29:58.380 me a couple times in the last three weeks in 00:29:58.380 --> 00:30:01.190 talking to me about heaven. She didn't say it 00:30:01.190 --> 00:30:03.089 the way I'm gonna say it, but these are the words 00:30:03.089 --> 00:30:14.730 just not the same passion. She said She don't 00:30:14.730 --> 00:30:18.250 yell at me she taught her daughter how to do 00:30:18.250 --> 00:30:27.819 that no no no That wasn't right Y 'all see what 00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:29.380 happened right there right in front of God and 00:30:29.380 --> 00:30:31.740 everybody I took one step forward. I took I took 00:30:31.740 --> 00:30:36.200 seven steps back That's what I did But I'm gonna 00:30:36.200 --> 00:30:42.180 get up. I'm gonna keep trying But in the present 00:30:42.180 --> 00:30:47.480 distress This is what happens verse 3 and everyone 00:30:47.480 --> 00:30:53.640 who has this hope in him Purifies himself just 00:30:53.640 --> 00:30:58.099 as he is pure So everybody that's been justified, 00:30:58.279 --> 00:31:01.500 I mean you've been blood balled. Are you hearing 00:31:01.500 --> 00:31:06.079 me? You have been buried in the likeness of his 00:31:06.079 --> 00:31:09.339 death. You put your faith in Jesus. You've repented 00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:12.160 of your sins. You've been baptized in his name. 00:31:12.200 --> 00:31:14.480 You've been filled with his spirit. And now you're 00:31:14.480 --> 00:31:17.059 living a resurrection life. You've got something 00:31:17.059 --> 00:31:19.740 inside of you that at least doesn't want to sin. 00:31:19.940 --> 00:31:22.799 You may be tempted and sometimes you sin. But 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:24.880 when you sin, you go right back to the altar 00:31:24.880 --> 00:31:27.480 and you crucify your flesh one more time and 00:31:27.480 --> 00:31:30.059 say, Oh God have mercy on me a sinner. And guess 00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:32.960 what he does? He forgives you the next time like 00:31:32.960 --> 00:31:35.619 he did the first time. Do we sin that grace may 00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:39.140 ab - God forbid, but when we sin we have an advocate 00:31:39.140 --> 00:31:42.279 Jesus Christ the righteous and so we know in 00:31:42.279 --> 00:31:46.000 this world There is a process. It's called sanctification 00:31:46.000 --> 00:31:49.640 We are pure because of his blood, but we are 00:31:49.640 --> 00:31:53.000 moving forward in that purification But all the 00:31:53.000 --> 00:31:56.319 while the reason why we keep on going is we have 00:31:56.319 --> 00:31:59.619 a hope soon and very soon We are going to see 00:31:59.619 --> 00:32:10.059 the key and when we see him we shall be Praise 00:32:10.059 --> 00:32:17.799 the name of the Lord. And really, really, if 00:32:17.799 --> 00:32:25.619 you live for God that way, on the days that you 00:32:25.619 --> 00:32:30.019 crucify your flesh, it's like you're having a 00:32:30.019 --> 00:32:33.869 funeral and you're the one in the casket. And 00:32:33.869 --> 00:32:38.309 if you crucify your flesh the right way, we can 00:32:38.309 --> 00:32:41.390 throw some of those besetting sins that used 00:32:41.390 --> 00:32:44.930 to always drag you away from God. We can shove 00:32:44.930 --> 00:32:48.250 them in your face in the casket and they're not 00:32:48.250 --> 00:32:51.349 gonna pull you away anymore from the Lord because 00:32:51.349 --> 00:32:56.170 you're dead to sin. Now the reason why you gotta 00:32:56.170 --> 00:33:01.089 die every day is because the devil is a sly old 00:33:01.089 --> 00:33:04.339 fox. There's some things I used to repent about 00:33:04.339 --> 00:33:07.859 every day. I haven't repent about him for years 00:33:07.859 --> 00:33:12.480 Jesus delivered me Furthermore, I got married 00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:15.079 that helped a lot too. I'm just saying I think 00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:17.640 we ought to live in the real world But I got 00:33:17.640 --> 00:33:22.059 a bunch of stuff a bunch of stuff. I've got to 00:33:22.059 --> 00:33:27.200 crucify every day every day But can I tell you 00:33:27.200 --> 00:33:30.160 a little secret as you're on your journey to 00:33:30.160 --> 00:33:33.279 be more like Jesus? I mentioned a few things 00:33:33.279 --> 00:33:35.599 before not to judge anybody just because they're 00:33:35.599 --> 00:33:39.680 examples of Things we can identify in the real 00:33:39.680 --> 00:33:44.960 world If this old fella was addicted to alcohol 00:33:44.960 --> 00:33:50.619 when he's dead No more trouble with that If this 00:33:50.619 --> 00:33:55.019 old fella was addicted to pornography when he's 00:33:55.019 --> 00:34:00.700 dead No more trouble with that and I know but 00:34:00.700 --> 00:34:04.920 that's part of that sanctification. I know that's 00:34:04.920 --> 00:34:08.980 part of that process of purification. I know 00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:12.659 I'm pure, but I'm still moving forward. But you 00:34:12.659 --> 00:34:20.000 know what the hardest thing to crucify? This 00:34:20.000 --> 00:34:23.559 guy, you know what he's gonna struggle with more 00:34:23.559 --> 00:34:29.159 than addiction or lust? He's gonna struggle with 00:34:29.610 --> 00:34:35.070 His own desire for what he wants You say are 00:34:35.070 --> 00:34:42.550 you sure I'm I'm certain because from the manger 00:34:42.550 --> 00:34:49.130 To the tomb Jesus was tempted in all points like 00:34:49.130 --> 00:34:54.889 as we are yet without sin But you know what got 00:34:54.889 --> 00:35:00.829 him what came close to ruining everything is 00:35:00.829 --> 00:35:05.170 when he was in that garden and he said, oh God, 00:35:06.030 --> 00:35:12.869 let this cup pass. I've done everything as a 00:35:12.869 --> 00:35:18.230 man that I was called to do. But here I stand 00:35:18.230 --> 00:35:24.829 and the real purpose of my life is gonna demand 00:35:24.829 --> 00:35:31.469 that I say not my will, but your will. And we 00:35:31.469 --> 00:35:35.110 got churches filled with people that overcome 00:35:35.110 --> 00:35:39.550 pornography, overcome alcohol, overcome drugs. 00:35:40.349 --> 00:35:42.750 And the Lord says, my goodness, this sanctification 00:35:42.750 --> 00:35:45.989 stuff really works. But then he brings you to 00:35:45.989 --> 00:35:50.510 an area in your life where he says, can you really 00:35:50.510 --> 00:35:57.730 say, not my will, but thine be done? And my goodness, 00:35:58.650 --> 00:36:02.650 spiritually, we get out of that casket And we 00:36:02.650 --> 00:36:05.690 walk around like, hey, wait a minute. It's my 00:36:05.690 --> 00:36:08.769 life. I'm gonna do what I want with my life. 00:36:09.429 --> 00:36:12.050 I'm gonna be what I want with my life. I'm gonna 00:36:12.050 --> 00:36:14.170 go where I wanna go with my life. I'm gonna be 00:36:14.170 --> 00:36:17.590 with whoever I want in my life. But it really 00:36:17.590 --> 00:36:23.989 is a crisis of surrendering your will. That's 00:36:23.989 --> 00:36:27.769 why you're in the church. Pastor Brian, we give 00:36:27.769 --> 00:36:30.829 people a thousand different ways to surrender 00:36:30.829 --> 00:36:36.429 their will. every single day. Don't we? Hey, 00:36:36.530 --> 00:36:38.329 would you like to be on the Martha ministry? 00:36:38.570 --> 00:36:42.130 Well, not really. You don't really want to clean 00:36:42.130 --> 00:36:46.050 toilets? Not at all. Well, here's a little secret. 00:36:46.849 --> 00:36:50.090 If you do what you don't want to do, you're going 00:36:50.090 --> 00:36:54.909 to practice crucifying your flesh. I'm on the 00:36:54.909 --> 00:36:58.570 Martha ministry. You know why? Because I'm at 00:36:58.570 --> 00:37:02.400 a point in my life at 58 years of age, where 00:37:02.400 --> 00:37:04.719 I got a lot of people patting me on the back 00:37:04.719 --> 00:37:08.179 saying, man, you're really somebody. And it scares 00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:12.400 me that if I don't find ways to crucify my flesh, 00:37:12.880 --> 00:37:16.199 if I don't find ways to get this flesh to do 00:37:16.199 --> 00:37:19.739 what it don't wanna do, I can't finish the journey. 00:37:21.400 --> 00:37:24.500 I'm not worried about alcohol. I'm not worried 00:37:24.500 --> 00:37:29.159 about pornography. I'm worried about not my will. 00:37:30.060 --> 00:37:40.340 But dine be done Let me tell you about that don't 00:37:40.340 --> 00:37:45.059 feel sorry for me Because it's a happy now year 00:37:45.059 --> 00:37:49.119 It's a happy now life Living for you are there 00:37:49.119 --> 00:37:52.780 times that I don't crucify my flesh Absolutely, 00:37:52.960 --> 00:37:54.980 and you know the result of that ultimately I 00:37:54.980 --> 00:37:58.460 am not very happy with myself with my life with 00:37:58.460 --> 00:38:01.820 anything I ain't drinking and doing drugs and 00:38:01.820 --> 00:38:05.900 all that, but I'm not happy. But when I surrender 00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:09.659 my will one more time, when I say not my will, 00:38:09.739 --> 00:38:15.019 but thine be done. Oh, the joy. Somebody reminded 00:38:15.019 --> 00:38:17.219 me that happiness and joy are two separate things. 00:38:18.139 --> 00:38:20.920 You know, we don't say joy new year, we say happy 00:38:20.920 --> 00:38:24.920 new year. That's why I've been using happy. Oh, 00:38:25.039 --> 00:38:29.820 the joy of serenity. I surrender my life to you, 00:38:29.900 --> 00:38:32.860 Lord, one more time. And please don't misunderstand, 00:38:33.039 --> 00:38:36.019 I have so much farther to go on this journey. 00:38:36.840 --> 00:38:38.980 There are so many places where I need to say 00:38:38.980 --> 00:38:42.719 not my will, but thine be done. But I can guarantee 00:38:42.719 --> 00:38:47.179 you it's a happy now life. When you find a way 00:38:47.179 --> 00:38:50.320 to go in that garden and one more time say, I 00:38:50.320 --> 00:38:53.840 am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, 00:38:54.179 --> 00:38:57.380 yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life 00:38:57.380 --> 00:39:02.920 which I now live. It's a life that's propelled 00:39:02.920 --> 00:39:06.309 by the reality that I'm already justified. and 00:39:06.309 --> 00:39:09.309 soon I'm gonna be glorified. So in the meantime, 00:39:09.650 --> 00:39:13.389 I'm gonna allow life and circumstances and most 00:39:13.389 --> 00:39:16.710 of all the word of God and the will of God to 00:39:16.710 --> 00:39:20.710 help me to enjoy sanctification, that process 00:39:20.710 --> 00:39:24.949 of purifying myself even as I am pure. But the 00:39:24.949 --> 00:39:27.909 thing that's gotta be purified the most is my 00:39:27.909 --> 00:39:37.159 own will, my own flesh. If there's a young person 00:39:37.159 --> 00:39:40.760 in this room that wants to have a happy life, 00:39:41.300 --> 00:39:45.380 start saying no to your flesh. You'll never regret 00:39:45.380 --> 00:39:49.300 it. You say, that's crazy. You will never regret 00:39:49.300 --> 00:39:52.039 it. Here's a way you can practice. Are you ready? 00:39:52.480 --> 00:39:55.000 If you still live at home, obey your parents. 00:39:55.980 --> 00:39:59.780 Your flesh don't want to obey your parents. They 00:39:59.780 --> 00:40:01.099 may ask you to do something that you're thinking, 00:40:01.119 --> 00:40:04.719 that's crazy. Do it anyway. If you want to go 00:40:04.719 --> 00:40:13.539 really crazy with this, obey your pastor. It's 00:40:13.539 --> 00:40:16.199 a little bit harder to obey your pastor. Your 00:40:16.199 --> 00:40:18.380 parents kick you out of the house. You've been 00:40:18.380 --> 00:40:21.179 living on the street. Your pastor's like, oh, 00:40:21.219 --> 00:40:23.059 it's okay, buddy. We love you. It's going to 00:40:23.059 --> 00:40:27.360 be all right. But you'll never have a happy life. 00:40:27.789 --> 00:40:30.369 Just being surrounded by people that pet your 00:40:30.369 --> 00:40:34.409 flesh. Oh you good boy. Good boy. Good boy. Oh 00:40:34.409 --> 00:40:37.869 My goodness find somebody that's encouraging 00:40:37.869 --> 00:40:42.170 you to realize I am crucified with Christ. It's 00:40:42.170 --> 00:40:44.869 not what I want. It's what — if you've got a 00:40:44.869 --> 00:40:48.530 grandma or a grandpa that helps you crucify your 00:40:48.530 --> 00:40:51.030 flesh, you ought to thank God every day for them. 00:40:51.190 --> 00:40:54.349 If you've got a mom or dad that helps you crucify 00:40:54.349 --> 00:40:57.090 — you ought to thank God. If you've got a pastor 00:40:57.090 --> 00:40:59.849 that still preaches, you ought to take up your 00:40:59.849 --> 00:41:02.710 cross every day and follow — you ought to thank 00:41:02.710 --> 00:41:05.869 God for that pastor. If every now and then you've 00:41:05.869 --> 00:41:09.550 got an opportunity to say no — to you and yes 00:41:09.550 --> 00:41:12.650 to the will of God and the purpose of God. You 00:41:12.650 --> 00:41:15.050 know what we're doing? We're keeping you in the 00:41:15.050 --> 00:41:18.710 casket one more day so that you can rise to walk 00:41:18.710 --> 00:41:22.449 in newness of life so that you can be everything. 00:41:24.429 --> 00:41:31.050 Would you stand? Man, I took so much time. We 00:41:31.050 --> 00:41:33.030 just don't have time to pray. We're just gonna 00:41:33.030 --> 00:41:35.030 have to dismiss and go get something to eat. 00:41:35.969 --> 00:41:39.590 Well, let's just go over time When it gets into 00:41:39.590 --> 00:41:42.610 overtime that means the game is really going 00:41:42.610 --> 00:41:45.230 good That means you're getting more than your 00:41:45.230 --> 00:41:49.130 money's worth How many of you would be at a football 00:41:49.130 --> 00:41:50.989 game today and they go into overtime and you'd 00:41:50.989 --> 00:41:57.710 be cussing about it oh Man the games going longer 00:41:57.710 --> 00:42:02.550 than we supposed to go. Oh, no you wouldn't not 00:42:02.550 --> 00:42:10.800 a chance This service is about to go into overtime. 00:42:11.739 --> 00:42:19.800 Yes! We're having fun. Well, a couple of us are 00:42:19.800 --> 00:42:23.340 having fun. Would you bow your heads with me? 00:42:24.119 --> 00:42:29.440 Lord Jesus, in this room right now, there are 00:42:29.440 --> 00:42:34.150 some individuals that have lived What I have 00:42:34.150 --> 00:42:38.269 preached Better than I could ever preach it And 00:42:38.269 --> 00:42:40.530 I pray that the favor and blessing of God would 00:42:40.530 --> 00:42:43.989 rest upon their lives God some of them are some 00:42:43.989 --> 00:42:47.710 of our most senior saints and they are still 00:42:47.710 --> 00:42:51.639 Taking the plow and not looking back They're 00:42:51.639 --> 00:42:54.300 living like heaven could be. The next breath 00:42:54.300 --> 00:42:57.699 they breathe is on streets of glory. And I pray 00:42:57.699 --> 00:42:59.900 that you would bless them, that you would open 00:42:59.900 --> 00:43:02.579 up the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing 00:43:02.579 --> 00:43:05.639 on them. Give them strength. Add strength to 00:43:05.639 --> 00:43:08.980 their days so that until you take them to be 00:43:08.980 --> 00:43:12.219 with you, they are able to be an example to us 00:43:12.219 --> 00:43:16.940 of godliness and righteousness, having been justified 00:43:16.940 --> 00:43:21.400 and getting ready to be glorified. They're enjoying 00:43:21.400 --> 00:43:26.019 this walk of being sanctified. Bless them, Jesus. 00:43:26.260 --> 00:43:33.039 Bless them, Jesus. Bless them, Jesus. And Jesus, 00:43:34.340 --> 00:43:37.860 scattered among those that I have just prayed 00:43:37.860 --> 00:43:46.199 for are some that literally feel the agony of 00:43:46.199 --> 00:43:49.460 wishing they could be better. at being whatever 00:43:49.460 --> 00:43:53.659 they're supposed to be. But Jesus delivered them 00:43:53.659 --> 00:43:57.719 from that burden today, and they would just surrender 00:43:57.719 --> 00:44:01.920 to the reality that now we are the children of 00:44:01.920 --> 00:44:06.980 God, that now we stand redeemed by his blood, 00:44:07.300 --> 00:44:10.480 and that their focus in the last few moments 00:44:10.480 --> 00:44:14.360 of this service would not be just confessing 00:44:14.360 --> 00:44:18.579 and crying about their failures. They would be 00:44:18.579 --> 00:44:22.440 celebrating your glory and what you have done 00:44:22.440 --> 00:44:29.800 to make all of us your children and Jesus in 00:44:29.800 --> 00:44:34.960 a crowd this size There are at least a few But 00:44:34.960 --> 00:44:37.980 even though they have claimed you as Savior They 00:44:37.980 --> 00:44:40.480 have never repented of their sins or they have 00:44:40.480 --> 00:44:43.900 yet to be baptized in Jesus name And they never 00:44:43.900 --> 00:44:46.139 even thought that they could be filled with the 00:44:46.139 --> 00:44:48.159 Spirit like they were in the Bible. They've heard 00:44:48.159 --> 00:44:52.099 so much from so many that they even wonder if 00:44:52.099 --> 00:44:56.219 it's real. But Jesus, let hope spring in their 00:44:56.219 --> 00:44:59.739 hearts today that they will head for that water 00:44:59.739 --> 00:45:03.139 of baptism and they will come out of that watery 00:45:03.139 --> 00:45:07.420 grave and newness of life. Resurrection power, 00:45:07.900 --> 00:45:12.699 God, in Jesus' name. And God, I pray for those 00:45:12.699 --> 00:45:18.340 of us that feel the tug of your spirit that we 00:45:18.340 --> 00:45:21.920 would recommit for a new year to a little bit 00:45:21.920 --> 00:45:26.199 more prayer and a little bit more fasting and 00:45:26.199 --> 00:45:29.539 a little bit more time in your word, not just 00:45:29.539 --> 00:45:33.099 to be good religious card -carrying members of 00:45:33.099 --> 00:45:37.900 the church, but because we know we are crucified 00:45:37.900 --> 00:45:41.090 with Christ. and yet there are still some parts 00:45:41.090 --> 00:45:43.789 of our will that have not been surrendered to 00:45:43.789 --> 00:45:49.409 you. And we see a joy that can only come when 00:45:49.409 --> 00:45:53.530 the seed falls in the ground and dies. We see 00:45:53.530 --> 00:45:58.150 a joy that can only come when we say, not my 00:45:58.150 --> 00:46:01.949 will, but thine be done. We see a joy that can 00:46:01.949 --> 00:46:08.099 only come when we bend our will. around that 00:46:08.099 --> 00:46:12.300 tree one more time. And we pray, Jesus, help 00:46:12.300 --> 00:46:17.239 me to take up my cross daily and follow you. 00:46:18.199 --> 00:46:21.880 In the name of Jesus, in the name of Jesus, if 00:46:21.880 --> 00:46:23.960 you have the Holy Ghost right where you're standing, 00:46:24.519 --> 00:46:26.860 would you pray in the Spirit because there are 00:46:26.860 --> 00:46:30.760 destinies that will be changed in this sanctuary 00:46:30.760 --> 00:46:34.800 because someone says, though none go with me. 00:46:34.860 --> 00:46:38.159 still I will follow. Even though everybody's 00:46:38.159 --> 00:46:40.940 touting a better way, an easier way, I'm gonna 00:46:40.940 --> 00:46:44.019 take up my cross and follow Jesus. Even though 00:46:44.019 --> 00:46:47.400 I have found a way to excuse areas where I'm 00:46:47.400 --> 00:46:50.159 inconsistent, and areas where I have not allowed 00:46:50.159 --> 00:46:53.980 myself to truly surrender my life for a cause 00:46:53.980 --> 00:46:57.039 that's bigger than myself, but I hear the call 00:46:57.039 --> 00:47:00.940 of God today and I will pray not my will, but 00:47:00.940 --> 00:47:05.030 time be done. and whatever trial I'm in right 00:47:05.030 --> 00:47:07.809 now, whatever struggle I'm in right now, whatever 00:47:07.809 --> 00:47:12.989 search for significance I'm in right now, I will 00:47:12.989 --> 00:47:16.590 surrender it all that I might walk with Jesus. 00:47:17.250 --> 00:47:20.650 I will surrender my own hopes and dreams that 00:47:20.650 --> 00:47:26.429 I might obey the pull of the Spirit to say no 00:47:26.429 --> 00:47:33.159 to my flesh and no to my dreams and yes. to Jesus, 00:47:33.659 --> 00:47:36.420 knowing full well I cannot predict how this journey 00:47:36.420 --> 00:47:39.380 will end, knowing full well that I can't tell 00:47:39.380 --> 00:47:41.980 which way he will lead me to the left or to the 00:47:41.980 --> 00:47:46.260 right. But I do know that when I see him, I shall 00:47:46.260 --> 00:47:50.760 be like him. And if everything between now and 00:47:50.760 --> 00:47:53.199 then is a little bit of suffering and a little 00:47:53.199 --> 00:47:56.920 bit of sacrifice, oh, I will rejoice on that 00:47:56.920 --> 00:48:01.150 day and I will say the suffering. of this present 00:48:01.150 --> 00:48:06.349 world cannot be compared to the glory that has 00:48:06.349 --> 00:49:14.250 been revealed in me. I'm a short boy I know you've 00:49:14.250 --> 00:49:16.150 been standing for a while, but could you raise 00:49:16.150 --> 00:49:18.849 your hands as if to say, I just surrender to 00:49:18.849 --> 00:49:21.690 whatever you have for me, Jesus. I just surrender 00:49:21.690 --> 00:49:24.889 to whatever you have for me, Jesus. I don't know 00:49:24.889 --> 00:49:27.769 everything I'm feeling right now, and I don't 00:49:27.769 --> 00:49:31.170 know exactly what my response is gonna be to 00:49:31.170 --> 00:49:33.789 this message, not just in these next few moments. 00:49:34.010 --> 00:49:37.170 but in the days ahead, but Jesus, I'm gonna lean 00:49:37.170 --> 00:49:39.250 into a little bit more prayer and a little bit 00:49:39.250 --> 00:49:41.769 more fasting. I'm gonna lean into a little bit 00:49:41.769 --> 00:49:45.389 more word, Bible study time, not just to say 00:49:45.389 --> 00:49:47.869 I read a few chapters, but to hear your voice. 00:49:48.190 --> 00:49:50.349 I don't know where it's all gonna lead, Jesus, 00:49:50.590 --> 00:49:54.010 but if it leads me to a garden where I pray as 00:49:54.010 --> 00:49:57.230 it were and sweat great drops of blood, I pray 00:49:57.230 --> 00:50:00.150 that you will give me the courage and the conviction 00:50:00.150 --> 00:50:03.619 to say not my will, but thine be done. to say 00:50:03.619 --> 00:50:06.739 not my will but thine be done, because you have 00:50:06.739 --> 00:50:10.960 laid before me in 2026 a happy now year. You 00:50:10.960 --> 00:50:13.099 have promised me through the voice of the Spirit 00:50:13.099 --> 00:50:15.300 that I don't have to be like a double -minded 00:50:15.300 --> 00:50:18.820 man, unstable in all my ways, going to the left 00:50:18.820 --> 00:50:20.639 a little bit and going to the right a little 00:50:20.639 --> 00:50:23.000 bit, heading forward a little bit, but then heading 00:50:23.000 --> 00:50:25.760 backwards a little bit. Oh no, God, that's not 00:50:25.760 --> 00:50:31.000 for me. Now, now is my time. Now is my time. 00:50:31.300 --> 00:50:35.170 Now! That is the day of my salvation. I am crucified 00:50:35.170 --> 00:50:37.829 with you, Lord. Nevertheless, I live, yet not 00:50:37.829 --> 00:50:40.809 I, but you live within me and the life which 00:50:40.809 --> 00:50:45.750 I now live. I live it right now, God. I'm your 00:50:45.750 --> 00:50:49.230 child now. I live for your purpose now. I'm surrendering 00:50:49.230 --> 00:50:51.969 to your will now. I want everything you have 00:50:51.969 --> 00:50:57.300 for me right now. If that's you, would you come 00:50:57.300 --> 00:50:59.639 and just stand at the altar and raise your hands 00:50:59.639 --> 00:51:02.199 and say, I receive everything that you have for 00:51:02.199 --> 00:51:05.460 me right now. And I laid down my life. I laid 00:51:05.460 --> 00:51:09.139 down my dreams. I laid down my desires. I'm gonna 00:51:09.139 --> 00:51:11.400 put them on the cross one more time. Come on, 00:51:11.400 --> 00:51:13.079 I know it's a little bit later than it usually 00:51:13.079 --> 00:51:16.860 is, but I beg you, I beg you, please, please 00:51:16.860 --> 00:51:20.300 hear the call of God today. Don't think this 00:51:20.300 --> 00:51:22.920 is just a game. Don't think you could just go 00:51:22.920 --> 00:51:23.719 through the motions.