1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,200 Thank you for listening to Riverbend Church's podcast. 2 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:11,600 To find out more about this message or Riverbend church, 3 00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:14,920 connect with us online at Riverbend Church dot live. 4 00:00:21,840 --> 00:00:24,520 Good morning Riverbend Church, how you doing man? 5 00:00:24,520 --> 00:00:27,680 It's so good to be able to worship with you this morning. 6 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:31,840 I know that in the in the pre service announcements and it's 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,120 also in your bulletin. I know that we've been throwing 8 00:00:35,120 --> 00:00:38,280 it out there. Just an invitation for you to 9 00:00:38,280 --> 00:00:42,280 join us on mission throughout this year to come in 2026. 10 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:47,920 This past week Todd and and Nathan spent some time with a 11 00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,160 local church planner up in Boston. 12 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:55,160 Show you few of those pictures actually going to be in outside 13 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:59,040 of Boston in Plymouth, MA helping this church planner. 14 00:00:59,880 --> 00:01:02,720 I know that that looks like our streets from a couple weeks ago, 15 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:07,680 but if you're interested in the Boston mission trip, there's 16 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:11,440 going to be an informational meeting on February, I believe 17 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:14,320 25th at 8:00. It's that Wednesday night. 18 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:18,120 And then this past week I got back from Guatemala, spent a few 19 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:22,240 days down in Guatemala kind of looking at that, scoping out 20 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,560 that mission trip. Incredible, incredible time down 21 00:01:26,560 --> 00:01:28,480 there. Really looking forward to, to 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,440 going back down and, and serving alongside of you. 23 00:01:31,440 --> 00:01:34,960 If you're interested in finding out more about Guatemala, 24 00:01:35,240 --> 00:01:38,000 there's going to be an informational meeting tomorrow 25 00:01:38,000 --> 00:01:41,240 night at 6:00 here at the church. 26 00:01:41,480 --> 00:01:45,080 That's going to be followed up by an informational meeting to 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:47,280 Uganda. We're going to be taking a 28 00:01:47,280 --> 00:01:50,480 mission trip to Uganda in November, November 10th through 29 00:01:50,480 --> 00:01:53,000 the 21st. If you're interested in either 30 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:56,200 Guatemala or Uganda. Sorry I didn't have time to go 31 00:01:56,240 --> 00:01:59,480 to Uganda this past week. I'll show you pictures from 32 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:02,680 there, but if you're interested in either one of those, 33 00:02:02,920 --> 00:02:06,160 Guatemala or Uganda, we're having an informational meeting 34 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,520 tomorrow night. Guatemala is at six, Uganda is 35 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:12,480 at 7. You can come for both, but 36 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:14,840 really excited about just the opportunities just to serve, 37 00:02:15,680 --> 00:02:19,240 serve the Kingdom of God, grow, expand the Kingdom of God, be 38 00:02:19,240 --> 00:02:21,840 able to serve alongside of one another. 39 00:02:22,560 --> 00:02:26,040 So really, really exciting things going on in the life of 40 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,200 Riverbend. So glad to be able to walk this 41 00:02:28,200 --> 00:02:31,560 journey with you. Also, just to acknowledge, 42 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:36,560 yesterday was Valentine's Day. Husbands, if you're wondering 43 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:40,840 why your wife hasn't spoken to you, may need to go back and go. 44 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:42,760 Oh yeah, yesterday was Valentine's Day. 45 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:46,960 But as a church, if you're new to Riverbend, you should know 46 00:02:46,960 --> 00:02:49,280 something that we do. If you call Riverbend home, you 47 00:02:49,280 --> 00:02:51,480 already know this. As a church, we celebrate 48 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,880 certain holidays with Reese's, and these are Reese's hearts. 49 00:02:56,840 --> 00:03:00,320 None of that fun size stuff. These are like the real deal. 50 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:04,120 I probably should tell you to to pay attention. 51 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:08,640 So I don't give concussions. Good catch by the way. 52 00:03:10,440 --> 00:03:13,400 But if you are new to Riverbend, if you are new to Riverbend, 53 00:03:13,400 --> 00:03:14,480 welcome. My name is Ben. 54 00:03:14,480 --> 00:03:16,520 If we haven't had the chance to meet yet, we'd love to 55 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:18,600 personally thank you for choosing to be with us this 56 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:20,640 morning. We would love to connect with 57 00:03:20,640 --> 00:03:22,600 you. Easiest way, most efficient way, 58 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:25,480 probably the best Ave. for that connection is through that 59 00:03:25,480 --> 00:03:28,480 connect card that you received on your way in with a bulletin. 60 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:31,520 That's just our opportunity to get to know a little bit about 61 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,880 you so we know how to connect you with some people maybe 62 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:38,320 similar age or stage, just because we understand just how 63 00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:41,680 important relationships and community really are. 64 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:44,160 So also that connect card if you're new to Riverbend. 65 00:03:44,160 --> 00:03:46,840 It lets us know where to ship a small thank you gift out into 66 00:03:46,840 --> 00:03:50,600 the mail to you. So thank you in advance for 67 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:52,760 filling that out if you're joining us online and this is 68 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,600 your first time with us online. Just drop a comment that says 69 00:03:56,600 --> 00:04:00,720 new here and then just send send us a send us a private message 70 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:03,800 with your contact info and we look forward to connecting with 71 00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:08,040 you as well. But we are in week seven of a 72 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:12,040 series that we started all the way back at the very beginning 73 00:04:12,520 --> 00:04:18,279 of 2026, first Sunday, January 4th, all the way back at the 74 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:21,560 beginning of of this year called Live Well. 75 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,040 And one of the things that this series has been reminding us of 76 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:30,000 is God actually does want and desire for you and I to live 77 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:32,200 well. Here's the disconnect though. 78 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:37,520 A lot of times we wrongly assume that to live well means that God 79 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,040 kind of clears the way of all hardships and all heartbreak and 80 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:46,080 gives us everything that we want, when in reality God loves 81 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,360 us far. Too much to do that. 82 00:04:49,080 --> 00:04:52,200 He loves us far too much to to clear the way of all hardship 83 00:04:52,200 --> 00:04:56,600 and and and and and heartbreak and give us everything that we 84 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:01,680 want, because he knows that the best way to which he can mold us 85 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:03,720 and shape us into the man or the woman that he. 86 00:05:03,720 --> 00:05:07,080 Created us to be so that we can truly live well. 87 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:12,360 Is actually kind of in that laboratory of life that involves 88 00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:15,640 shaping us and molding us in the midst of hardships and 89 00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:20,040 heartbreak and and and and not giving us everything that we 90 00:05:20,160 --> 00:05:24,040 want, but giving us everything that he knows that we that we 91 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:26,200 need. And if you're new to the series, 92 00:05:26,200 --> 00:05:29,000 I want to introduce you to to a main truth or what we call the 93 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,680 big idea throughout this series just to make sure that we're all 94 00:05:31,680 --> 00:05:35,240 on the same page here it is to live well is to live God's way 95 00:05:35,240 --> 00:05:37,720 firm in faith, steady and trials and anchored in hope. 96 00:05:38,280 --> 00:05:42,320 The reason that this is the main truth or the big idea is every 97 00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,960 single one of us, regardless if you're new to Riverbend, you 98 00:05:45,960 --> 00:05:48,600 come to Riverbend every week. If you're the oldest person in 99 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,880 the room, if you're the youngest person in the room, every single 100 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,720 one of us is in some type of setting or context that requires 101 00:05:55,080 --> 00:05:58,760 us to be firm in our faith, to be steady in trials, and to be 102 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:03,680 anchored in hope. You see a presence of of doubt 103 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:07,760 or presence of hardship or a presence of grief. 104 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,320 The presence of grief does not negate the possibility of us 105 00:06:12,320 --> 00:06:13,560 being. Able to live well. 106 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:17,880 We can actually live well in the presence or in the context of 107 00:06:17,880 --> 00:06:20,720 those things as we've been kind of going through and exploring 108 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,200 through kind of what's been guiding us throughout this 109 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:24,360 series. And that's the book of First 110 00:06:24,360 --> 00:06:26,200 Peter. And if you're with us this 111 00:06:26,200 --> 00:06:29,240 morning and you have a Bible with us this morning, I want to 112 00:06:29,240 --> 00:06:33,360 invite you to find First Peter Chapter 4 with me, First Peter 113 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:35,760 chapter 4. And we're going to be doing a 114 00:06:35,760 --> 00:06:37,320 little bit of reading this morning. 115 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:42,440 And if you don't have a Bible, then the passage is going to be 116 00:06:42,440 --> 00:06:46,200 on the screen in front of you. And it's also on the note sheet. 117 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:49,680 It's also on the note sheet. Here's what I'm going to ask 118 00:06:49,680 --> 00:06:51,800 that you do before we get ready to read this. 119 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,160 I need you. Whether you're in the room with 120 00:06:55,160 --> 00:06:57,920 us or online, I need you to lean in a little. 121 00:06:57,920 --> 00:07:01,640 Extra close this morning because what we're going to be talking 122 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:05,320 about this morning, it is almost like a compare and contrast. 123 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:09,240 It is going to serve as a as as a diagnostic tool. 124 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,960 And what I mean by that is we're going to look at how God's word 125 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:16,520 lays out for us. You know, these things are to be 126 00:07:16,520 --> 00:07:20,760 present in the life of a true follower of Jesus because I 127 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:22,120 don't know if you know this or not. 128 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:27,280 Did you know that there are people that truly love Jesus and 129 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,920 then there are people that just kind of like Jesus? 130 00:07:31,280 --> 00:07:35,240 And a lot of times, especially in the South, especially in the 131 00:07:35,240 --> 00:07:38,560 United States, we so often get the two confused. 132 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:43,560 So what it what are the distinctive differences between 133 00:07:43,560 --> 00:07:47,520 someone that truly loves Jesus and is actually following Jesus 134 00:07:48,160 --> 00:07:50,120 and someone that's just playing a religious game? 135 00:07:50,680 --> 00:07:53,760 You like Jesus, you're just not going to sew into your life to 136 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:55,800 him. You like what Jesus can do for 137 00:07:55,800 --> 00:07:57,560 you. You're just not going to follow 138 00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:01,120 Jesus and adhere to his work. What are the distinctive 139 00:08:01,120 --> 00:08:04,720 characteristics that are to be present in the life of a true 140 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:08,520 follower of Jesus? So let's go ahead and dive in. 141 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,200 First Peter, chapter 4. Let's start in verse one. 142 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:15,600 It says since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm 143 00:08:15,600 --> 00:08:20,080 yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whom ever whoever 144 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,000 has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. 145 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:24,880 We're going to. We're going to. 146 00:08:24,960 --> 00:08:28,720 Kind of walk through what that means in just a moment so as to 147 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:32,280 live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human 148 00:08:32,280 --> 00:08:36,440 passions, but for the will of God for the time that is past 149 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:39,679 suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do. 150 00:08:40,240 --> 00:08:42,760 The Gentiles there is is used kind of as a. 151 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:43,919 As a? As a. 152 00:08:43,919 --> 00:08:48,760 Catch all description of anyone and everyone that's not a 153 00:08:48,760 --> 00:08:51,640 follower of Jesus and First Peter. 154 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,680 For the time that has passed, suffice is for doing what the 155 00:08:55,680 --> 00:08:59,240 Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, 156 00:08:59,240 --> 00:09:03,040 drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and lawless idolatry. 157 00:09:03,360 --> 00:09:05,480 With respect. To this they are surprised when 158 00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,600 you do not join them in the same flooded debauchery, and they 159 00:09:08,600 --> 00:09:11,320 malign you. But they will give an account to 160 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,480 him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 161 00:09:13,720 --> 00:09:16,400 For This is why the gospel was preached, even to those who are 162 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,120 dead. That though judged in the flesh 163 00:09:19,120 --> 00:09:23,680 the way people are, they might live in the Spirit the way God 164 00:09:23,880 --> 00:09:27,120 does now, I think that we would all agree. 165 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:31,000 In this room, it's not really light reading, is it? 166 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:36,280 It's not really light reading. But what what Peter here is 167 00:09:36,280 --> 00:09:41,080 doing is he's he's drawing a distinction of who we once were, 168 00:09:41,080 --> 00:09:44,160 if we're really a follower of Jesus, who we once were and what 169 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:48,720 we were once all about pre Jesus and who we now are and what we 170 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:53,120 are to now be about as a follower of Jesus. 171 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:57,680 And the first thing that Peter gives us here is if you're truly 172 00:09:57,680 --> 00:10:00,160 a follower of Jesus, if you're a real follower of Jesus, you 173 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,440 really love Jesus, you actually have the Holy Spirit of God 174 00:10:03,440 --> 00:10:09,800 living in your life, then God will give us a new view of sin. 175 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:12,440 He's going to give us a new view of sin. 176 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:15,000 If you're taking notes with us, let me kind of unpack that. 177 00:10:15,640 --> 00:10:17,920 A new view of sin is going to start with this understanding. 178 00:10:18,440 --> 00:10:21,760 Everyone has a master. Everyone has a master. 179 00:10:21,760 --> 00:10:25,320 It's either sin or it's Jesus. Everyone has a master. 180 00:10:26,760 --> 00:10:28,080 Let me kind of go back to kind of a. 181 00:10:28,080 --> 00:10:30,560 Confusing. It can be very confusing what 182 00:10:30,560 --> 00:10:32,520 Peter's writing here. He says, Since therefore Christ 183 00:10:32,520 --> 00:10:34,640 suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of 184 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,160 thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased 185 00:10:38,600 --> 00:10:41,480 from sin. What Peter's saying here is, if 186 00:10:41,480 --> 00:10:44,040 you're truly a follower of Jesus, that doesn't mean that 187 00:10:44,040 --> 00:10:46,720 you'll never sin and it doesn't mean that you'll never struggle 188 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,000 with sin. It actually goes back to a 189 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:55,040 foundational understanding and truth that everyone serves a 190 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:59,560 master. It's either sin or it's Jesus. 191 00:11:00,040 --> 00:11:02,560 It's either sin or it's Jesus. And you may be with us in the 192 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:06,400 room or online and sit there and go then I don't know what you're 193 00:11:06,400 --> 00:11:09,520 talking about. I don't serve a master. 194 00:11:09,680 --> 00:11:11,320 I'm my own man. I'm my own woman. 195 00:11:12,480 --> 00:11:15,520 I, I call the shots. Nobody's my boss. 196 00:11:16,560 --> 00:11:19,360 And I'll go ahead and tell you, as a pastor, I get that. 197 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:21,640 I get how it's easy to think that. 198 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:22,800 Here's why it's easy to think that. 199 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:24,800 Because it feels good to think that. 200 00:11:25,080 --> 00:11:28,560 Because if I think, hey, I'm my own man, I call my own shots. 201 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,680 Nobody's in control of me. Nothing is in control of me. 202 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:34,840 It gives me the sense of being in control. 203 00:11:35,880 --> 00:11:39,560 But as good as that may sound, and as good as that may feel to 204 00:11:39,560 --> 00:11:42,240 make you. Think that you're in control. 205 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:47,880 It's a deception and you've been blinded to the truth. 206 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:53,680 Here's where I would tell you sin. 207 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,760 Doesn't just influence you, it commands you. 208 00:11:59,000 --> 00:12:01,240 Sin doesn't just influence you, it commands you. 209 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:06,280 Sin is what commands you to chase after what you want to 210 00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:10,040 chase after. Sin commands you to do what you 211 00:12:10,040 --> 00:12:12,040 want to do, and sin commands you. 212 00:12:12,040 --> 00:12:16,160 And how to respond to others and, and how to best protect 213 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,480 yourself. That's sin. 214 00:12:19,040 --> 00:12:23,680 And oh, by the way, every single person on planet earth, their 215 00:12:23,680 --> 00:12:27,120 default master is sin. We've been born with a sin 216 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,160 nature. We've said this so many times 217 00:12:29,160 --> 00:12:30,640 and we'll keep coming back saying this. 218 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:33,440 You do not have to teach. If you're a young parent, 219 00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:36,400 correct me if I'm wrong. You do not have to teach your 220 00:12:36,400 --> 00:12:39,600 kid, your toddler, your preschooler how to sin, right? 221 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,440 You don't have to teach them how to throw a temper tantrum. 222 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:44,800 You don't have to teach them how to have a bad attitude. 223 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:46,960 You don't have to teach them how to be selfish. 224 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,880 And and we've said this before and we're still kind of like 225 00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:52,400 workshop in it. It's still percolating up here. 226 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:56,200 We may rename our preschool environment from Little River to 227 00:12:56,200 --> 00:13:00,520 Little Sinners, right? And some of you young parents 228 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,120 are like, Amen, my kid is in the right place. 229 00:13:05,280 --> 00:13:08,920 Listen, why is that? It's because sin is our default. 230 00:13:08,920 --> 00:13:11,880 We are all born with a sin nature. 231 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:16,760 And if sin is our default, then sin is our master. 232 00:13:17,880 --> 00:13:21,720 And a lot of times we live with this mentality, hey, I don't 233 00:13:21,720 --> 00:13:25,480 want to be mastered by anything. And what I would tell you is 234 00:13:25,600 --> 00:13:27,760 listen. As good as that sounds and as 235 00:13:27,760 --> 00:13:31,640 good as that may feel to make you make that declaration, it 236 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:34,440 doesn't mean that it's true. You are going to be mastered by 237 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:38,040 something or someone. Every single one of us, we are 238 00:13:38,040 --> 00:13:42,080 either mastered by sin or we're mastered by Jesus. 239 00:13:42,080 --> 00:13:45,400 Sin is our master or Jesus is our master. 240 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:50,560 And listen, submitting your life and truly following Jesus is not 241 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:55,240 about working harder. It is about changing masters. 242 00:13:56,360 --> 00:14:01,600 It's about changing masters. So it is possible to tip your 243 00:14:01,600 --> 00:14:06,400 hat and give a nod to God and go, hey Jesus, I love it if you, 244 00:14:06,400 --> 00:14:08,640 I would love it if you would just sprinkle a little blessing 245 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:12,560 over here on what I want to do without truly being a follower 246 00:14:12,560 --> 00:14:15,280 of Jesus. It is very possible to still be 247 00:14:15,280 --> 00:14:18,960 mastered by sin without surrendering your life to Jesus 248 00:14:19,200 --> 00:14:22,000 and still give credence to Jesus on a Sunday morning. 249 00:14:22,120 --> 00:14:27,240 That's what we call religion. So every single person is 250 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:31,640 mastered either by sin or by Jesus. 251 00:14:31,840 --> 00:14:35,760 It's a new view of sin. And and once we have this new 252 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:38,880 view of sin, if you're a true follower of Jesus, we begin to 253 00:14:38,880 --> 00:14:43,320 pray and ask God to open our eyes, to see everything and 254 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,680 everyone through those lenses. We sit there and go, you know 255 00:14:46,680 --> 00:14:48,800 what? That person is walking in 256 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:51,400 godliness. Not because they try harder, 257 00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:53,680 because they're extra holy or because they have a more Direct 258 00:14:53,680 --> 00:14:56,520 Line to God than I do. It's because Jesus is their 259 00:14:56,520 --> 00:15:01,280 Master, or that person is walking in such blonde deception 260 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:05,600 and wickedness because their master is sin, and sin is a 261 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,600 cruel master. Sin always promises things that 262 00:15:09,600 --> 00:15:12,400 it can never deliver. And if we're really to get 263 00:15:12,400 --> 00:15:15,000 honest with ourselves about ourselves, many of us could tell 264 00:15:15,000 --> 00:15:19,080 stories about how we chase after sinful things with false 265 00:15:19,080 --> 00:15:23,280 promises of significance and fulfilment. 266 00:15:23,480 --> 00:15:26,920 And we found that it just LED us in this spiral to where we were 267 00:15:26,920 --> 00:15:29,240 far worse off than we ever were before. 268 00:15:29,440 --> 00:15:31,560 Why? Because sin is a cruel master 269 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:35,880 and sin is a liar. Every single person serves a 270 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:41,160 master, either sin or Jesus. The second way that the Holy 271 00:15:41,160 --> 00:15:43,600 Spirit of God will give us a new view of sin is this. 272 00:15:43,800 --> 00:15:47,960 Before Jesus, I lack truth to guide me and power to change. 273 00:15:47,960 --> 00:15:50,840 Me. Before Jesus, I lack truth to 274 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:55,600 guide me and power to change me. Let me kind of unpack that. 275 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:58,440 Before Jesus, I lack truth to guide me. 276 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:01,520 That doesn't mean that we didn't have access to the Bible. 277 00:16:02,520 --> 00:16:04,680 I mean, we live in the Bible Belt for crying out loud, right? 278 00:16:05,240 --> 00:16:09,400 I mean, you, you walk this campus for about 13 minutes, 279 00:16:09,520 --> 00:16:11,200 you'll probably find a spare Bible or two. 280 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:16,840 I mean, the Bible app, the free Bible app just celebrated its 281 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:21,320 one billionth download. Worldwide at the end of 2025, 282 00:16:21,960 --> 00:16:24,880 and its creators are anticipating celebrating 2 283 00:16:24,880 --> 00:16:27,440 billion downloads by the year 2030. 284 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:32,120 Access to the Bible is not our problem, but just because we had 285 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:34,800 access to it doesn't mean that we cared about it. 286 00:16:36,120 --> 00:16:38,440 Do you know that you can have a Bible and you can even like tip 287 00:16:38,440 --> 00:16:40,560 your hat to the Bible and go, hey, that's the Bible. 288 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:44,720 I'm going to treat it with special care and still not allow 289 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:48,440 the truth of the Bible to permeate your soul and to really 290 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:52,840 make a difference in your life. You see, when when sin is your 291 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:55,680 master, let me tell you what you're guided by. 292 00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,440 The truth that you're the truth that you're guided by is what 293 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:01,920 feels good, what looks good, and what culture says is good. 294 00:17:02,520 --> 00:17:05,000 Here's the problem with that. All those lead to dead end roads 295 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:06,359 and all of those are shifting sands. 296 00:17:06,359 --> 00:17:10,400 What you and I need the most is we need something that we know 297 00:17:10,880 --> 00:17:13,960 is timeless. It's applicable and it's 298 00:17:13,960 --> 00:17:16,560 authoritative and that's the Word of God. 299 00:17:16,560 --> 00:17:20,119 Did you know the Word of God, the Bible, even though it was 300 00:17:20,119 --> 00:17:25,920 written pretty much between 1500 and 2000 years ago, The New 301 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:29,240 Testament, even though it was written over span of 1500 years, 302 00:17:29,600 --> 00:17:32,280 but over 40 different human authors in three different 303 00:17:32,280 --> 00:17:35,840 languages on three different continents with no contradiction 304 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:40,160 whatsoever, and it's 66 books. Did you know that it is just as 305 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:43,360 as applicable to us here today as it was to the original 306 00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:45,600 audience? Why is that? 307 00:17:46,160 --> 00:17:50,080 It's because it's God's truth. It's God's word to us and it's 308 00:17:50,080 --> 00:17:53,320 his truth for us. You see, there's something that 309 00:17:53,320 --> 00:17:55,200 happens. There's something that happens 310 00:17:55,200 --> 00:17:57,440 when we truly surrender our lives to Jesus. 311 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:03,320 This isn't just a book with words on its pages that we that 312 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,680 we read. There's something supernatural 313 00:18:07,680 --> 00:18:10,560 that happens if you're a true follower of Jesus and you sit 314 00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:14,200 down to read the Word of God. There's something amazing that 315 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,040 starts to happen. The Word of God begins to read 316 00:18:16,040 --> 00:18:20,080 you. When you sit down to read the 317 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:21,720 Word of God, the Word of God begins to read you. 318 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:24,760 What do I mean by that? It means that that the Word of 319 00:18:24,760 --> 00:18:28,960 God is relevant and applicable to everything that I will ever 320 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,040 face in the day ahead. It makes sense of my past behind 321 00:18:33,040 --> 00:18:34,720 me. It gives me hope for the future 322 00:18:34,720 --> 00:18:36,880 ahead of me. It is living. 323 00:18:36,880 --> 00:18:39,960 It is active. If you don't have the presence 324 00:18:39,960 --> 00:18:43,400 of the Holy Spirit in your life, man, it's just going to be words 325 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:45,800 on a page. Here's the thing though. 326 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:47,440 It's not just a truth to guide us. 327 00:18:47,800 --> 00:18:50,760 We know that if we've been following Jesus for any amount 328 00:18:50,760 --> 00:18:54,360 of time that when we read the Word of God and the Word of God 329 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:59,440 reads us, we find ourselves so inadequate to really do what 330 00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:01,960 it's commanding us to do. That's because we lack the 331 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,080 power. Who gives us the power to live 332 00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:07,560 in obedience to the Word of God? That's the Holy Spirit of God. 333 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:10,120 You see, when the whole, when you surrender your life to 334 00:19:10,120 --> 00:19:12,400 Jesus, at that moment of surrender, the Holy Spirit of 335 00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,680 God comes and lives in you and he begins to enlighten and he 336 00:19:16,680 --> 00:19:19,200 begins to bring to life his word to us. 337 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:24,440 And he begins to empower us to live in obedience and to live in 338 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:26,360 holiness and to live in godliness. 339 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:29,760 It's not about trying harder, It's not about doing better. 340 00:19:29,760 --> 00:19:34,280 It's not about any of that. It's about allowing the Holy 341 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,200 Spirit's power in US and being dependent on the Holy Spirit. 342 00:19:37,400 --> 00:19:41,280 And what that means is when I come up on a passage or a 343 00:19:41,280 --> 00:19:44,600 scripture. In the Bible that I don't like, 344 00:19:45,120 --> 00:19:49,240 then I need to spend time with God and say, God, I need you to 345 00:19:49,240 --> 00:19:52,800 go to the parts of me that don't like what your word just said 346 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,760 and I need you to fix me. When I come to a passage that 347 00:19:56,920 --> 00:20:01,000 that honestly, it kind of offends me because you know, if 348 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,800 you were with us like last week and we started off where it says 349 00:20:03,800 --> 00:20:06,240 likewise, wives, submit to your own husbands. 350 00:20:06,760 --> 00:20:09,600 Not really a popular statement 2026, is it? 351 00:20:10,280 --> 00:20:12,840 Then we need to go back to God and we say, God, I need you to 352 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:17,120 go into the deep places of me that disagree with that and kind 353 00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:20,480 of bristle up at that, and I need you, your Holy Spirit. 354 00:20:20,480 --> 00:20:24,240 To work in that area of my life. You. 355 00:20:24,240 --> 00:20:27,760 See, that's truth to guide me and that's power to grow me. 356 00:20:28,760 --> 00:20:32,640 That's a new that's that's a new view of sin that before Jesus we 357 00:20:32,640 --> 00:20:35,360 didn't have either. We didn't have either. 358 00:20:35,760 --> 00:20:38,640 But there's a third thing that the Holy Spirit will give us 359 00:20:38,640 --> 00:20:41,520 This new view of sin following Jesus will always lead to real 360 00:20:41,520 --> 00:20:44,440 transformation. It will always lead to real 361 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,040 transformation. I want to read to you. 362 00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,240 A statement. I love this guy by the name of 363 00:20:49,240 --> 00:20:52,200 Shane Pruitt. He's currently the National Next 364 00:20:52,200 --> 00:20:53,600 Gen. Director for the North American 365 00:20:53,600 --> 00:20:56,560 Mission Board. I wrote this in my journal 366 00:20:56,800 --> 00:21:01,400 probably 4 years ago. A Christianity that gets you 367 00:21:01,400 --> 00:21:05,680 into heaven while allowing you to continue living however you 368 00:21:05,680 --> 00:21:10,000 want to here on earth is a Christianity that is completely 369 00:21:10,000 --> 00:21:15,400 foreign to the New Testament. The real gospel changes who you 370 00:21:15,400 --> 00:21:17,920 are, and then it changes what you do. 371 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:23,200 It changes your identity, and then it changes your activity. 372 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,920 In short, it is impossible. Listen to me. 373 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:32,480 It is impossible for someone to surrender their life to Jesus 374 00:21:32,480 --> 00:21:37,400 and to remain the same. It's impossible if you say that 375 00:21:37,400 --> 00:21:39,360 I've surrendered my life to Jesus and I've remained the 376 00:21:39,360 --> 00:21:42,200 same. You may have like followed a 377 00:21:42,200 --> 00:21:45,800 religious protocol. You may have gotten caught up in 378 00:21:45,800 --> 00:21:49,080 a religious, an emotional hype moment. 379 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,640 It is impossible. You will never find an example 380 00:21:52,640 --> 00:21:57,800 of of a life in the Bible or in history that gave their life to. 381 00:21:57,840 --> 00:22:00,120 Jesus and still remained the same. 382 00:22:00,680 --> 00:22:03,560 Let me show you let me kind of take you back to to first Peter 383 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:08,760 and this is starting in in verse three, he says for the time that 384 00:22:08,760 --> 00:22:10,800 is passed. In other words, this is pre 385 00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:12,600 Jesus. If you're a true follower of 386 00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:16,240 Jesus, this is pre Jesus. The time that is passed suffices 387 00:22:16,240 --> 00:22:18,600 for doing what the Gentiles want to do. 388 00:22:18,880 --> 00:22:26,800 Let me kind of like put that in modern day, like Wallace Ease in 389 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:30,880 your past, you did whatever you wanted to do and that was cool 390 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:33,400 with you and that was cool with everybody around you. 391 00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,800 And he's going to give us some examples living in sensuality, 392 00:22:36,800 --> 00:22:39,600 passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties and lawless 393 00:22:39,600 --> 00:22:43,000 idolatry with respect to this. They are surprised we're going 394 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,760 to come back to the day in in a moment. 395 00:22:45,000 --> 00:22:47,200 They are surprised when you do not join them in the same 396 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:50,000 flooded debauchery and they malign you. 397 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,600 Peter goes on. But they will give an account to 398 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,640 him, talking about Jesus who is ready to judge the living and 399 00:22:55,640 --> 00:22:57,240 the dead. For This is why the gospel was 400 00:22:57,240 --> 00:23:01,840 preached even to those who are dead, spiritually dead, that 401 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,840 though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live 402 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:07,800 in the spirit the way that God does. 403 00:23:08,520 --> 00:23:12,640 So in this passage, Peter's going to cite several examples 404 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:18,320 of pre Jesus behaviors. And I believe, I firmly believe 405 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,520 that the Holy Spirit, if the Holy Spirit of God truly lives 406 00:23:21,600 --> 00:23:24,960 in you and truly lives in me, truly lives in us, then he's 407 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:27,080 going to change at least three major. 408 00:23:27,080 --> 00:23:30,320 Aspects of our laws if you taking notes with us, here's the 409 00:23:30,320 --> 00:23:33,480 first one. He will change my appetites. 410 00:23:34,120 --> 00:23:38,280 He will change my appetites and by appetites what I mean by that 411 00:23:38,520 --> 00:23:42,280 is the Holy Spirit of God, if He's truly living in me and he's 412 00:23:42,280 --> 00:23:44,560 doing His work in and through me. 413 00:23:44,560 --> 00:23:47,680 And by the way, the work of the Holy Spirit is always about 414 00:23:47,680 --> 00:23:52,880 transforming me from the inside out to help mold and shape me to 415 00:23:52,880 --> 00:23:57,840 become more Christ like in that. Process the Holy Spirit will. 416 00:23:57,840 --> 00:24:00,360 Change my appetites? He'll change what? 417 00:24:00,560 --> 00:24:02,040 Really. Appeals to me. 418 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:06,000 He'll change the things that that I really used to, to crave, 419 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:09,040 the things that I really thought were going to bring fulfilment. 420 00:24:09,160 --> 00:24:12,600 He's going to change those things that I was blinded to and 421 00:24:12,600 --> 00:24:14,560 deceived by that. I thought that they would 422 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:17,560 actually bring true and lasting fulfilment. 423 00:24:18,200 --> 00:24:21,520 I thought that they would bring like true and lasting love and, 424 00:24:21,520 --> 00:24:24,800 and and peace into my life. He's going to change those 425 00:24:24,800 --> 00:24:28,440 appetites and, and by the way, sometimes the Holy Spirit will 426 00:24:28,440 --> 00:24:30,360 change those appetites overnight. 427 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:34,120 Other times, and I would even say most times, the Holy Spirit 428 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:37,880 of God will gradually, slowly but surely begin to change those 429 00:24:37,880 --> 00:24:40,640 appetites. In that case, when the Holy 430 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,040 Spirit is beginning to change those appetites slowly but 431 00:24:43,040 --> 00:24:46,520 surely, guess what? You now have the power of the 432 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:51,240 Holy Spirit living in you. To override those appetites. 433 00:24:51,440 --> 00:24:54,120 We're not driven. We're not a people if you're, if 434 00:24:54,120 --> 00:24:57,720 you're a true follower of Jesus, we are not a people driven by 435 00:24:57,720 --> 00:25:00,120 our appetites. We're actually driven by our 436 00:25:00,120 --> 00:25:03,920 mission. When we say that the Holy Spirit 437 00:25:04,120 --> 00:25:06,760 will change our appetites, here's really the question we're 438 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,480 asking. Since Jesus, since I've 439 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:14,480 surrendered my life to Jesus, what has changed in my life? 440 00:25:15,240 --> 00:25:18,880 What has changed in my life? And it's not just our appetites, 441 00:25:19,120 --> 00:25:23,280 it's also our affiliations. Remember how Peter talked about 442 00:25:23,280 --> 00:25:26,720 the they? You know, they do not understand 443 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:29,480 why you will not join them in this flooded debauchery. 444 00:25:29,960 --> 00:25:33,280 They will malign you. Who who is The Who is the they? 445 00:25:34,640 --> 00:25:39,680 It's the group of people that were closest to you in your pre 446 00:25:39,680 --> 00:25:44,400 Jesus. Days can I be really open and 447 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,000 real and honest not everyone in your life if you surrender your 448 00:25:48,000 --> 00:25:50,440 life to Jesus, not everyone in your life is going to celebrate 449 00:25:50,440 --> 00:25:52,120 that applaud that and even like that. 450 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:56,840 Now here's the tension as a follower of Jesus you may say 451 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,040 well Ben aren't we called to reach the people around us with 452 00:26:00,040 --> 00:26:04,920 the gospel of Jesus 1000% yes. We are always called to love the 453 00:26:04,920 --> 00:26:08,200 people around us and to look to reach the people around us with 454 00:26:08,200 --> 00:26:12,120 the gospel of Jesus, even the they in our lives. 455 00:26:12,800 --> 00:26:18,280 However, not every person deserves to sit in the high 456 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,200 place of honor of having a primary voice in your life. 457 00:26:22,440 --> 00:26:25,720 That's where you need to be very discerning. 458 00:26:25,840 --> 00:26:29,000 That's where you need to pray. That's where you need a a 459 00:26:29,000 --> 00:26:33,280 community, a body of believers, a church, a small. 460 00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:36,320 Group that is about the same mission. 461 00:26:36,640 --> 00:26:42,800 It's that iron sharpening iron, not iron being dulled over time. 462 00:26:42,960 --> 00:26:45,880 It's being sharpening. You see, when we're talking 463 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:50,240 about the Holy Spirit of God changing our alliances or our 464 00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:54,680 affiliations, here's the simple question we're asking Since 465 00:26:54,680 --> 00:26:57,920 Jesus, since I've surrendered my life to Jesus, what does it cost 466 00:26:57,920 --> 00:27:00,120 me? What does it cost? 467 00:27:00,120 --> 00:27:05,720 Me, the Holy Spirit does not just change our appetites or our 468 00:27:05,720 --> 00:27:08,720 affiliations. The Holy Spirit, third, also 469 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:11,920 changes our attitude. It changes our attitude. 470 00:27:15,520 --> 00:27:19,040 Have you experienced that time like now that you're getting 471 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:20,880 older? Or maybe you're you, you just 472 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:25,480 walked a few more miles with Jesus to where you start to get 473 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:29,240 bothered by some things that used to not bother you. 474 00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:32,280 They they used to just kind of like slide up underneath the 475 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:35,400 radar. I'm not just talking about like 476 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:39,080 people being annoying or nuances or, you know, kind of getting 477 00:27:39,080 --> 00:27:41,760 into that old man get off my lawn face. 478 00:27:43,040 --> 00:27:46,960 I'm talking about like, have you noticed over time, the longer 479 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:51,720 you walk with Jesus, you become more bothered by sin that used 480 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:57,680 to just fly under the radar. It's really interesting The the 481 00:27:57,680 --> 00:28:01,200 apostle Paul, greatest missionary to have ever lived. 482 00:28:01,560 --> 00:28:04,240 It was at the very end of his life that said that he 483 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:06,440 referenced himself as the chief among sinners. 484 00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,120 You realize that in large part it's due to the Apostle Paul's 485 00:28:10,120 --> 00:28:13,000 influence that you and I are sitting here today, right? 486 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:14,880 He was the apostle to the Gentiles. 487 00:28:14,880 --> 00:28:18,320 He was the first one to take the gospel of Jesus outside of the 488 00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:20,000 Jewish culture and the Jewish people. 489 00:28:20,800 --> 00:28:23,360 He is responsible for preaching the gospel. 490 00:28:23,360 --> 00:28:27,240 On three continents he's responsible. 491 00:28:27,240 --> 00:28:30,320 He's the first one to take the gospel into what we now know is 492 00:28:30,320 --> 00:28:33,440 modern day Europe. Many scholars believe that he 493 00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:39,160 took it as far West as modern day Spain or Portugal, and yet 494 00:28:39,160 --> 00:28:42,040 at the end of his life he referenced himself as I Paul, 495 00:28:42,040 --> 00:28:44,800 the chief among sinners. How? 496 00:28:44,800 --> 00:28:46,680 In the world. Could he honestly refer to 497 00:28:46,680 --> 00:28:47,880 himself as the chief among sinners? 498 00:28:48,040 --> 00:28:51,600 It's because the longer he walked with Jesus, the more in 499 00:28:51,600 --> 00:28:55,400 tune and the more sensitive he was to the things in his life 500 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:59,080 and the things about him and his heart and in his mind that we're 501 00:28:59,080 --> 00:29:03,200 no longer compatible with the new person that God had created 502 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,000 him to be. Same thing is true for us. 503 00:29:06,120 --> 00:29:09,280 So when we're asking the Holy Spirit in us, we'll change our 504 00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:11,480 convictions. And when we talk about the Holy 505 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:17,400 Spirit changing our, our, our, our attitudes, we're asking the 506 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:20,680 question, what since following Jesus, what now convicts me? 507 00:29:20,840 --> 00:29:22,560 It's not about becoming legalistic. 508 00:29:22,560 --> 00:29:25,000 It's not becoming about becoming a grumpy old man. 509 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:29,480 It's about, hey, there is a new sensitivity within me to the 510 00:29:29,480 --> 00:29:31,960 things of God and to the things that are not of God. 511 00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:35,200 And I want to be about the things that are of God, and I 512 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:38,960 want to keep far away from the things that are not of God. 513 00:29:38,960 --> 00:29:42,320 So what now convicts me that I used to just let fly under the 514 00:29:42,320 --> 00:29:44,360 radar? Before we go any. 515 00:29:44,360 --> 00:29:47,600 Further, I think this really, really important for us just to 516 00:29:47,600 --> 00:29:49,920 kind of like sit on this for a second. 517 00:29:51,640 --> 00:29:57,040 Can I ask you a question? Did you struggle to answer any 518 00:29:57,040 --> 00:30:02,920 of those 3 questions since following Jesus? 519 00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,840 What has changed in my life? What does it cost me? 520 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:11,400 What now convicts me? If you struggle to answer those 521 00:30:11,400 --> 00:30:14,760 three questions or you sit there and go, I don't know. 522 00:30:15,720 --> 00:30:19,920 I want to tell you something very much in love this May. 523 00:30:19,920 --> 00:30:22,080 Very well be the. Reason that God brought you here 524 00:30:22,080 --> 00:30:25,280 this morning. If you can't answer these three 525 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:31,560 questions, there is great, there is great calls for pause, for 526 00:30:31,560 --> 00:30:34,880 you to really become honest with yourself about yourself and for 527 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,760 you to really ask. Have I really surrendered my 528 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:41,280 life to Jesus? Have I really surrendered my 529 00:30:41,280 --> 00:30:43,360 life to Jesus? Or have I just been playing a 530 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:46,240 religious game? Have I really surrendered my 531 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:49,440 life to Jesus? Or do I really just like Jesus, 532 00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:54,480 what He can do for me? And I got to tell you the 533 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:58,240 greatest decision that you can possibly make is to to switch 534 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:02,680 over to change masters from sin to Jesus to where following 535 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:05,840 Jesus is not about, you know, knowing the rules of religious 536 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:07,040 game. It's about walking in 537 00:31:07,040 --> 00:31:10,880 relationship. Man, how incredible would it be 538 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:15,640 for you to walk out of here this morning being filled and 539 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:18,160 empowered by the. Presence of the Holy Spirit of 540 00:31:18,160 --> 00:31:22,040 God in you. But you've got to really be 541 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:24,000 honest with yourself about yourself. 542 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:28,880 Is there a difference between the pre Jesus you and the post 543 00:31:28,880 --> 00:31:32,920 Jesus you? Is there a because of Jesus dot 544 00:31:32,920 --> 00:31:38,200 dot dot story in your life? If not, there's a very, very 545 00:31:38,200 --> 00:31:38,800 good. Chance. 546 00:31:39,600 --> 00:31:45,520 A much higher likelihood than not chance that you've just been 547 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:49,320 following a religion and you haven't really surrendered your 548 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:51,920 life to Jesus. But here's the good news. 549 00:31:52,360 --> 00:31:55,280 This morning you can, this morning you can. 550 00:31:55,880 --> 00:31:57,800 And we'll come back to that in just a moment. 551 00:31:59,000 --> 00:32:03,000 You see, the Holy Spirit of God does not just give us a new view 552 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:06,960 of sin. It actually gives us a new yes. 553 00:32:07,520 --> 00:32:10,680 It gives us a new, yes, a little bit of time that we have this 554 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:12,560 morning. I want to walk you through kind 555 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,520 of what I mean by that. Look back with me first Peter 556 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:21,880 chapter. 4 starting in verse 7. Peter turns the corner from this 557 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,840 new view of sin to this new yes, and he writes the end of all 558 00:32:25,840 --> 00:32:28,680 things is at hand. Therefore be self controlled and 559 00:32:28,680 --> 00:32:30,720 sober minded for the sake of your prayers. 560 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:33,840 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly. 561 00:32:33,840 --> 00:32:35,640 Since love covers a multitude of sin. 562 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,320 Show hospitality to one another without grumbling as each has 563 00:32:39,320 --> 00:32:42,000 received a gift to use it to serve one another as good 564 00:32:42,000 --> 00:32:46,120 stewards of God's varied grace. Whoever speaks as one who speaks 565 00:32:46,120 --> 00:32:49,440 oracles of God, whoever serves as one who serves by the 566 00:32:49,440 --> 00:32:52,840 strength that God supplies in order both of those, in order 567 00:32:52,840 --> 00:32:55,960 that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. 568 00:32:55,960 --> 00:32:59,120 To him belong glory and dominion, forever and ever. 569 00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:03,920 Amen. This new yes that God gives the 570 00:33:03,920 --> 00:33:06,320 true follower of Jesus is going to start with this. 571 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:09,320 I no longer look to numb out, dumb out, or live distracted. 572 00:33:09,400 --> 00:33:11,200 I now. Have a higher calling. 573 00:33:12,720 --> 00:33:15,320 Correct me if I'm wrong. The vast majority of people, the 574 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:18,920 vast majority of us, we're just looking to make it through 575 00:33:18,920 --> 00:33:24,560 another day. Listen, as a pastor, I am not 576 00:33:24,560 --> 00:33:27,840 dumb to the reality that like towards the end of a message, 577 00:33:28,000 --> 00:33:30,360 we're typically thinking of what's laying ahead of us 578 00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:32,240 throughout the rest of the day and what's ahead of us at the 579 00:33:32,240 --> 00:33:35,840 beginning of the week, right? Most of the time, most people, 580 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:39,720 they wake up, they do what they can do just to get it through 581 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:42,120 another day. Maybe they prepare for the day 582 00:33:42,120 --> 00:33:44,880 to come. And by the time we get off work 583 00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:47,200 and by the time we finish running errands and by the time 584 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:50,440 we finish cleaning up and we kind of get the the house set 585 00:33:50,440 --> 00:33:53,160 and ready for the next day ahead, we're just done. 586 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:58,160 And by done, we choose to numb out and dumb out. 587 00:33:58,560 --> 00:34:00,720 Just kind of let our minds. Rest a little bit and. 588 00:34:01,560 --> 00:34:06,960 Then we do it all over again and all over again and all over 589 00:34:06,960 --> 00:34:12,040 again. Listen, Jesus has given us a 590 00:34:12,199 --> 00:34:17,400 higher calling. A higher calling. 591 00:34:18,239 --> 00:34:23,280 Let me ask you a question. Do you, do you really believe 592 00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:28,440 that Jesus is coming back again? Do you really believe? 593 00:34:28,560 --> 00:34:31,400 It do you believe that, that that Jesus is coming back again? 594 00:34:31,520 --> 00:34:34,000 Like as a matter of fact, let me kind of give you the most 595 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,400 elementary dust statement. Don't, don't write this down 596 00:34:37,400 --> 00:34:39,679 because if somebody sees your notes be like, man, that pastor 597 00:34:39,679 --> 00:34:41,600 is an idiot. That's the most common sense 598 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:43,760 thing. Here's the thing, Jesus, here's 599 00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:45,480 the statement. Jesus is closer to coming back 600 00:34:45,480 --> 00:34:49,600 today than he was yesterday. Can't disagree with that, right? 601 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,679 Do we really believe that Jesus is coming back? 602 00:34:51,679 --> 00:34:56,480 Do we really believe? Do we really believe that if a 603 00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:01,120 person dies before surrendering his or her life to Jesus, that 604 00:35:01,120 --> 00:35:05,280 person will be separated for all eternity in a literal hell? 605 00:35:05,840 --> 00:35:11,160 Do we really believe that if Jesus comes back before a person 606 00:35:11,160 --> 00:35:14,880 surrenders their life to Jesus, there's not a second chance and 607 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:19,160 that person will be eternally separated from God in a literal 608 00:35:19,160 --> 00:35:20,920 hell? I think that we would go 609 00:35:20,920 --> 00:35:23,560 theologically, yes, we agree with that and I would agree 610 00:35:23,560 --> 00:35:26,240 theologically we agree with all of that. 611 00:35:26,680 --> 00:35:34,000 Yet practically we don't. We live dumbed out, numbed out 612 00:35:34,000 --> 00:35:37,040 and distracted lives. And one of the things that we 613 00:35:37,040 --> 00:35:41,280 need to open our eyes to is we have been given a higher calling 614 00:35:41,640 --> 00:35:46,440 by God himself. We do not have time or bandwidth 615 00:35:46,760 --> 00:35:49,320 to invest our lives in lesser things. 616 00:35:49,640 --> 00:35:52,440 And this is the this is the calling, the higher calling that 617 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,120 God has placed on every single life of a follower of Jesus. 618 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:59,200 I want you. I have strategically and 619 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:03,000 intentionally placed you where you are around the people that 620 00:36:03,000 --> 00:36:04,480 you're around to point them to Jesus. 621 00:36:05,080 --> 00:36:08,520 That's the higher calling. That's the first yes, the second 622 00:36:08,520 --> 00:36:09,960 yes, that the Holy Spirit of God gives us. 623 00:36:10,160 --> 00:36:15,480 I no longer react in offense. I now respond in love. 624 00:36:16,160 --> 00:36:18,880 Do you know one of the greatest exhibitions and one of the ways 625 00:36:18,880 --> 00:36:21,240 that that higher calling is made most evident. 626 00:36:22,000 --> 00:36:24,880 It's by the way that I respond to people. 627 00:36:24,880 --> 00:36:27,920 It's by the way that I love people, especially that I love 628 00:36:27,920 --> 00:36:31,000 the people of God and look to bring about godly unity. 629 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:33,480 There's a couple things that I want you to look at. 630 00:36:33,480 --> 00:36:35,760 If you're if, if you have a Bible, I want you to to look 631 00:36:35,760 --> 00:36:40,600 back at at first Peter 48, if you, if you have it just on your 632 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:42,080 note sheet, I want you to look back at something. 633 00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:48,080 Look at those two words to where he says above all, above all, 634 00:36:49,440 --> 00:36:51,920 continue loving one another. Earnestly. 635 00:36:52,840 --> 00:36:54,480 A couple things, a few things that we should pay attention to. 636 00:36:54,480 --> 00:36:57,160 First of all, whenever the Bible says above all, pay. 637 00:36:57,160 --> 00:36:59,000 Attention to that. That's really important. 638 00:36:59,480 --> 00:37:02,560 What Peter's doing here is he's elevating love in the way that 639 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:06,760 we view people and treat people as a top priority because it is 640 00:37:06,760 --> 00:37:09,280 the greatest exhibition of the higher calling that he's given. 641 00:37:09,280 --> 00:37:12,160 US. Where he says continue loving 642 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:18,480 one another earnestly. He goes on to to to explain and 643 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:23,400 what what that means is that it is hard to love people. 644 00:37:23,400 --> 00:37:26,800 Don't give up on people, don't give up on people. 645 00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:32,160 But then he makes a peculiar statement because love covers a 646 00:37:32,160 --> 00:37:36,800 multitude of sins. When Peter writes love covers a 647 00:37:36,800 --> 00:37:40,160 multitude of sins, he doesn't mean that like love is a is a 648 00:37:40,160 --> 00:37:44,040 cover up or it just berries or piles dirt on things. 649 00:37:44,640 --> 00:37:46,560 It can actually mean one of two things. 650 00:37:46,800 --> 00:37:51,440 It can mean either a. That there is an intentional 651 00:37:51,440 --> 00:37:55,520 effort on our part not to point out publicly the failings and 652 00:37:55,520 --> 00:37:57,800 the flaws of the people around us. 653 00:37:58,680 --> 00:38:01,520 That in love, we want to build that person up. 654 00:38:01,520 --> 00:38:04,720 And we go to them in private and say, Hey, listen, I care for you 655 00:38:04,720 --> 00:38:07,600 so much. And God really just laid this on 656 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:10,320 my heart. Can, can, can we sit down and 657 00:38:10,320 --> 00:38:13,320 can we discuss something that's really weighing on me? 658 00:38:14,040 --> 00:38:15,600 That's the first application of love. 659 00:38:15,600 --> 00:38:17,240 Covering a multitude of sin is the second one. 660 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:21,160 And this is really hard is going to require some Christian 661 00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:27,240 maturity is we intentionally and strategically just allow some 662 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:30,640 things that are hurtful and offensive to us to roll off of 663 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:33,160 our backs and just allow the Holy Spirit of God to do his 664 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:39,840 thing. Either way, I want to speak to a 665 00:38:39,840 --> 00:38:43,440 small group of people. I believe that there are some 666 00:38:43,440 --> 00:38:46,040 people here with us in the room and with us online that you have 667 00:38:46,040 --> 00:38:48,960 been praying for a person for years. 668 00:38:49,760 --> 00:38:53,520 You have been for that person and with that person for years. 669 00:38:54,840 --> 00:38:57,200 And it's so hard and you're so tempted just to give up. 670 00:38:59,840 --> 00:39:01,240 Here's my encouragement to you. Don't. 671 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:05,640 Don't give up praying for them. Don't give up pursuing them. 672 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:08,840 Don't give up loving them. God certainly hasn't. 673 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:14,320 Don't give up. What a tragedy it would be to 674 00:39:14,720 --> 00:39:19,240 stand before God and realize that we gave up right before His 675 00:39:19,240 --> 00:39:21,560 planned breakthrough in someone's life. 676 00:39:22,920 --> 00:39:27,760 That third and final yes that He gives us is this is. 677 00:39:27,760 --> 00:39:32,400 I no longer ask what benefits me, I now serve to point people 678 00:39:33,040 --> 00:39:36,560 to Jesus. Every single one of us has been 679 00:39:36,560 --> 00:39:38,880 given talents, gifts, and abilities by God. 680 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,600 You're good at some things that I'm not. 681 00:39:41,800 --> 00:39:45,240 I may be good at some things that you're not as good at. 682 00:39:46,560 --> 00:39:48,400 That's just the way that God has designed us. 683 00:39:48,400 --> 00:39:52,640 I love how Peter writes, being good stewards of God's varied 684 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:55,160 grace. I love that. 685 00:39:55,600 --> 00:39:59,120 Here's one of the here's one of the just head scratching things 686 00:39:59,440 --> 00:40:03,600 that I see. It is so easy for people to 687 00:40:03,600 --> 00:40:07,440 separate their lives into different buckets. 688 00:40:08,240 --> 00:40:13,520 This is what I do for work, this is what I am good at, this is 689 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:16,680 what I enjoy doing in my free time, and then this is how I can 690 00:40:16,680 --> 00:40:20,280 see that I can serve God. We have these different buckets. 691 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,400 Can I tell you this? If you're a true follower of 692 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:28,840 Jesus, the Holy Spirit of God wants to break down those 693 00:40:28,840 --> 00:40:30,640 barriers and those compartments in your life. 694 00:40:32,200 --> 00:40:35,080 Your, your, your life is not meant to be lived in various 695 00:40:35,080 --> 00:40:36,560 buckets. Your life is meant to be lived 696 00:40:36,560 --> 00:40:38,760 from the same bucket because you have the same purpose and the 697 00:40:38,760 --> 00:40:43,040 same mission. Let me kind of put some feet on 698 00:40:43,040 --> 00:40:45,280 that. Let me get you to do a quick 699 00:40:45,280 --> 00:40:50,560 exercise, mental exercise in terms of vocation, in terms of 700 00:40:50,560 --> 00:40:52,720 job. What do you do? 701 00:40:53,960 --> 00:40:56,840 What's your job? What do you do at your job? 702 00:40:57,080 --> 00:41:00,040 Think about that for a moment. And then once you have that 703 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:05,320 answer in your mind, then start asking yourself, how can I use 704 00:41:05,320 --> 00:41:09,960 what I do at work to point the people around me to Jesus? 705 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,720 Get you to think for a moment, What are you good at? 706 00:41:16,080 --> 00:41:18,880 Maybe maybe you're fortunate and blessed enough to be able your 707 00:41:18,880 --> 00:41:21,800 career or your job involves actually what you're good at. 708 00:41:22,720 --> 00:41:25,560 Sometimes the two just don't always line up. 709 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:28,080 Sometimes there's there's kind of like a hidden talent OR 710 00:41:28,080 --> 00:41:29,960 there's something that you're doing kind of as a side hustle 711 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:31,600 that that's kind of where your heart's at. 712 00:41:32,400 --> 00:41:33,440 But what are you? What are you good? 713 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:39,640 At and then ask yourself, how can I take the talent that God 714 00:41:39,640 --> 00:41:41,920 has given me in this area to point people to Jesus? 715 00:41:44,640 --> 00:41:45,280 What? What did? 716 00:41:45,320 --> 00:41:49,080 What do you? Enjoy doing like in in your free 717 00:41:49,080 --> 00:41:50,920 time. And if you're a young parent, I 718 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:53,480 know that you're sitting there going, ah, I remember free time. 719 00:41:56,160 --> 00:41:58,800 But what, what do you, what do you enjoy doing in your free 720 00:41:58,800 --> 00:42:01,240 time? And then ask yourself. 721 00:42:01,840 --> 00:42:06,000 Hey, how can I? Take what I just really enjoy 722 00:42:06,520 --> 00:42:09,440 and how can I use that to point the people around me to Jesus? 723 00:42:10,880 --> 00:42:13,880 You see that that is living on mission. 724 00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:19,160 That is the new yes that the Holy Spirit of God has given us 725 00:42:20,440 --> 00:42:24,320 here's what we want to do as we as we draw to A to a close this 726 00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:26,840 morning. I want to give us just kind of a 727 00:42:26,840 --> 00:42:33,120 time of of reflection and A and a time of really just an 728 00:42:33,120 --> 00:42:36,400 opportunity to respond and to kind of help us. 729 00:42:36,400 --> 00:42:39,200 God got us in that reflection and response. 730 00:42:39,360 --> 00:42:41,440 We want to walk us through four key questions. 731 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:45,480 Here's the first one. Is there evidence of Jesus true 732 00:42:45,480 --> 00:42:51,200 transformation of my life. Let me kind of just summarize 733 00:42:51,200 --> 00:42:54,720 that even further down. Do you know? 734 00:42:54,720 --> 00:42:56,960 That you have truly surrendered your life to Jesus. 735 00:43:00,800 --> 00:43:04,600 Are you truly following Jesus or you just really like what Jesus 736 00:43:04,600 --> 00:43:08,360 can do for you? Is the Holy Spirit, do you know 737 00:43:08,480 --> 00:43:10,640 that there is a time to where you surrender your life to Jesus 738 00:43:10,640 --> 00:43:14,840 where the Holy Spirit of God now lives in you and based off of 739 00:43:14,840 --> 00:43:17,280 those questions that we walked through earlier. 740 00:43:17,280 --> 00:43:21,000 Use that kind of as a self diagnostic and you may be 741 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:24,360 sitting here thinking Ben I. Cannot point to the ways in 742 00:43:24,360 --> 00:43:29,320 which I've been Jesus changed me, or what now convicts me, or 743 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:32,800 what it's cost me. Then would you pray? 744 00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:37,000 Would you? Pray that I want to know that I 745 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,680 have a relationship with Jesus, a new relationship with Jesus 746 00:43:39,680 --> 00:43:42,240 and a real relationship with Jesus. 747 00:43:42,240 --> 00:43:45,040 And I don't want to be playing a religious game. 748 00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:49,880 If that's you, in just a moment, I'm going to invite you to do 749 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:52,200 something kind of bold. We'll, we'll all be standing and 750 00:43:52,200 --> 00:43:55,120 there'll be other people coming down to pray, but I just want 751 00:43:55,120 --> 00:43:56,960 you to step out. I'll be over here and one of our 752 00:43:56,960 --> 00:44:00,080 other pastors will be over here. I just want you to step out, go 753 00:44:00,080 --> 00:44:02,520 to the closest pastor and say, hey, would you pray for me? 754 00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:06,960 I want to know that I am a true follower of Jesus. 755 00:44:08,480 --> 00:44:11,560 Second question, if you only if you have that first question 756 00:44:11,560 --> 00:44:14,240 nailed down, can you go to the next question? 757 00:44:14,640 --> 00:44:17,080 But if you have that answer nailed down here, here it is. 758 00:44:17,720 --> 00:44:19,120 What is my personal higher calling? 759 00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:22,240 What is my personal higher calling? 760 00:44:22,760 --> 00:44:25,120 Look at where. God has placed you how He has 761 00:44:25,120 --> 00:44:29,160 wired you, how He has gifted you and the people these placed 762 00:44:29,160 --> 00:44:30,680 around you. Look at your. 763 00:44:30,680 --> 00:44:35,440 Sphere of influence and how you can point those people to Jesus. 764 00:44:36,200 --> 00:44:39,840 Third question, what does love require of me? 765 00:44:41,960 --> 00:44:43,960 Says love covers a multitude of sins. 766 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:48,320 You know what sometimes love requires That we pray to God and 767 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:51,120 say God. What that person said or did was 768 00:44:51,120 --> 00:44:53,080 really hurtful, harmful, and offensive. 769 00:44:53,400 --> 00:44:57,120 I need you to give me the discernment of whether or not I 770 00:44:57,120 --> 00:44:59,520 need to pray. That You would soften my heart 771 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:03,320 to a degree to where I can then go approach that person out of 772 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:06,000 love and out of my desire. That you grow them and 773 00:45:06,000 --> 00:45:09,000 godliness, not out of vengeance or hurt or offense. 774 00:45:09,800 --> 00:45:13,800 Or, Holy Spirit, I need you to give me the sermon. 775 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:16,640 Is this something that I should just kind of let roll off my 776 00:45:16,640 --> 00:45:20,600 back and for me to kind of dust the dirt off my sandals and move 777 00:45:20,600 --> 00:45:23,520 on and just let you do your? Thing in that person's life. 778 00:45:23,920 --> 00:45:28,920 By the way, love also sometimes involves lovingly correcting 779 00:45:29,880 --> 00:45:33,120 somebody, not because we are holier than thou or want to be 780 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:36,120 smarter or superior, but because we want them to grow in 781 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:39,480 godliness. What does love require of me? 782 00:45:39,840 --> 00:45:42,280 Maybe love requires for you a renewed commitment. 783 00:45:42,280 --> 00:45:43,720 I'm not going to give up on that person. 784 00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:46,040 I'm not going to give up pray, and I'm not going to give up 785 00:45:46,360 --> 00:45:49,400 showing them Jesus through my actions and through my words. 786 00:45:49,880 --> 00:45:53,320 Fourth question is this, in what ways am I serving to point 787 00:45:53,320 --> 00:45:57,080 people to Jesus? I love how Peter here in first 788 00:45:57,080 --> 00:46:01,360 Peter 4 he kind of divides gifts, giftedness into two broad 789 00:46:01,360 --> 00:46:04,360 categories. Where he says, hey, listen, if 790 00:46:04,400 --> 00:46:07,880 if you're gifted in speaking, speak with the authority and 791 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:11,880 boldness that God gives you. Speak as if speaking oracles 792 00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:14,360 from God. But if you're not good at. 793 00:46:14,360 --> 00:46:16,280 Speaking if you're not good at speaking. 794 00:46:16,280 --> 00:46:21,360 Or or or or or teaching then God has gifted you in more of a 795 00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:24,600 hands on type of servant mentality and if that's the 796 00:46:24,600 --> 00:46:28,280 case, serve as if serving with the strength. 797 00:46:28,280 --> 00:46:30,560 Of God. Here's my question to you. 798 00:46:31,080 --> 00:46:36,600 How are you serving to point people to Jesus in just a 799 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:37,680 moment? Here's what we're going to do. 800 00:46:37,680 --> 00:46:40,160 I'm going to pray over us. And then after I pray, we're 801 00:46:40,480 --> 00:46:42,360 going to stand. We're going to we're going to 802 00:46:42,360 --> 00:46:45,160 sing and give you a chance to respond. 803 00:46:45,920 --> 00:46:50,520 Again, if you were with us last week, we talked about the power 804 00:46:50,520 --> 00:46:53,640 of living in relationships. So here's what I would tell you, 805 00:46:55,120 --> 00:46:58,960 if there's areas that we've just covered that you know that you 806 00:46:58,960 --> 00:47:02,960 need to respond to this morning by coming down and pray, I would 807 00:47:02,960 --> 00:47:06,320 just encourage you, if you're married, bring your spouse with 808 00:47:06,320 --> 00:47:07,760 you. Come pray. 809 00:47:08,440 --> 00:47:12,000 Pray for him, Pray for her. If you need. 810 00:47:12,000 --> 00:47:14,960 The assurance of knowing that you have a true relationship 811 00:47:14,960 --> 00:47:17,200 with Jesus. We would love to pray with you. 812 00:47:17,640 --> 00:47:20,880 My hope, my desire, my prayer is that you would simply be 813 00:47:20,880 --> 00:47:23,760 obedient to what God is calling you to do and to step out in 814 00:47:23,760 --> 00:47:26,120 boldness and come pray with us. Let's pray. 815 00:47:26,120 --> 00:47:28,560 God, we love you, and we thank you for who you are, for your 816 00:47:28,560 --> 00:47:32,840 word, for your truth to us. God for your Holy Spirit power 817 00:47:32,840 --> 00:47:36,080 in US. God, for your invitation for 818 00:47:36,080 --> 00:47:38,720 those that are far from you to come to you. 819 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:43,760 God, I pray that you would help if anyone's struggling with 820 00:47:43,760 --> 00:47:47,120 knowing whether or not he or she is truly following you and has 821 00:47:47,120 --> 00:47:51,360 given their life to you. God, if they're struggling with 822 00:47:51,360 --> 00:47:54,080 that, if they're on the fence and not sure, God, I pray that 823 00:47:54,080 --> 00:47:57,080 you would give them the boldness to God that you would give them 824 00:47:57,080 --> 00:47:59,960 the burning. Desire to step out to come talk 825 00:47:59,960 --> 00:48:02,640 to a pastor. God that they would not leave 826 00:48:02,640 --> 00:48:08,120 this place without having that nailed down and being sure God, 827 00:48:08,120 --> 00:48:12,880 for those that are sure, God, I pray that you would refocus our 828 00:48:12,880 --> 00:48:16,400 hearts and our minds to that higher calling that you've given 829 00:48:16,400 --> 00:48:18,840 us. God help us to understand that 830 00:48:18,840 --> 00:48:22,760 our lives are not about us. They're about making you known. 831 00:48:23,720 --> 00:48:26,560 So God in the ways. In which we need to surrender. 832 00:48:27,440 --> 00:48:31,040 The parts of us. That continue need to be formed 833 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:37,120 and shaped and molded and hewn to be in compatibility with your 834 00:48:37,120 --> 00:48:39,440 heart and your desire and your mission for us. 835 00:48:39,920 --> 00:48:41,720 God, we want to come and we want to lay that. 836 00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:46,400 Down got to pray that you would move in freedom and move with 837 00:48:46,400 --> 00:48:49,360 power and it's in Jesus name that we pray, Amen. 838 00:48:54,280 --> 00:48:57,120 Thank you for listening to Riverbend Church's podcast. 839 00:48:57,120 --> 00:49:00,560 To find out more about this message or Riverbend Church, 840 00:49:00,680 --> 00:49:03,960 connect with us online at Riverbend Church dot live.