Well, crossing family, I have some great news to report,
especially to those of you who a while back, set your alarms for
3:00 PM in the afternoon. For those of you who don't
remember, on December 24th of last year, we launched our
campus in Weaver, Iowa. And so far they have held 46
weekend experiences. And thirteen of those
experiences, they've had over 300 people in attendance.
Yeah, which has been incredible. However, our prayer as a church
has been that they would have 300 people 4 weeks in a row now.
Their lowest attendance came on January 17th with only 161
people in attendance. Apparently people don't like
Jesus in January, which I get because it's cold around here.
But by the grace of God, ten of the last 14 weekends they have
been over 300. And I am pleased to announce
that this last weekend they had an attendance of 306.
God has answered our prayers. They have been a Church of 304
weeks in a row. That would make them by my
estimate. Yeah, my note.
Yeah. I was like, oh boy, that would
make them, by my estimation, the 7th largest Christian Church in
the state of Iowa and they are one year old.
We are so thankful for you guys in everything that you're doing.
I want to welcome all of our different locations, those of
you watching online and those of you who are part of the crossing
inside. I was going through McDonald's a
couple a week ago and the lady who was handing me my food said
I used to go to your church. I said, you did.
She goes, yeah, I go, why don't you come anymore?
She goes, well, I was locked up and I went to your church and
the crossing inside, I was like, well, now that you're out, you
can still come. And then last Friday, to our
online community, I was in a duck blind.
And after Daybreak, a guy drove in from Iowa.
He walked down into the pit and he gave me a really big hug.
And he said, I'm the guy that you mentioned in the sermon a
couple of weeks ago. Who's the chat host who said,
hey, I want to serve all three services to connect people to
our online ministry. So would you give Todd a big
round of applause? I will say once Todd got in the
blind, there were no more ducks. So Todd, you're not getting
invited again. But I love it every single time
I get to meet some of you who are part of our online community
and connect with you all. And so if you are watching
online, would you take advantage of the chat, say hi to Todd and
get a chance to meet some of our other incredible chat hosts?
Well, if you are new here, whether it's your first time or
your first time in a long time, we are so glad that you're here.
And I want to encourage you to swing by the new here booth and
all of our lobbies before you leave or if you're watching
online type. I'm new here and the chat and
some people will reach out to you.
But our mission as a church is to help people find an intimate,
personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
And at the crossing, we unapologetically believe that
there is absolutely no one who is too far gone or too much of A
Sinner, that Jesus cannot change them and save them.
But he does it in reverse order. He saves you and then He changes
you. And that is why our big faith
filled goal here at our church is to make this region where we
do life and ministry the hardest place on planet earth to get the
hell from. I got a message that there's a
lady who was a part of DBS and Weaver this week and she may her
goal is to make her cubicle where she works the hardest
place on planet earth to get the help from.
I'm like my girl, keep going. Well, if you've been going on
this Corinthians journey with us, we are in First Corinthians
chapter 14 and I got to be upfront with you.
This chapter is one of the most challenging and confusing
chapters in all of of scripture. In fact, there are more
denominations, there are more beliefs that are split and
divided over the chapter we are going to go through.
And so at the risk of being boring, I'm going to be clear.
So at least you know where we are.
And then if you don't like what I say, there's churches that
land differently free three, if you had parking problems, come
back next week. OK, it'll be all but the
handicapped spots will be available.
OK 3 pillars. When you're getting ready to
read Scripture, number one, you want to remember that God's way
is the best way. John chapter 10 verse 10 says
the thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy.
I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.
You will never regret trusting that God's way is the best way
in your life. Principle or pillar number 2 is
that all Scripture is useful, even the scriptures you don't
like. Why are they useful?
Because Second Timothy chapter 3 says all Scripture is God
breathed and useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting,
and training in righteousness so that the servant of God may be
thoroughly equipped for every good work.
I've talked about this before. You cannot do the work of God
unless you've been filled by the Spirit of God and the Word of
God. And so the Word of God is useful
for you to be about the things of God and #3 obedience to God's
Word matters. Knowing the right thing to do is
different than doing the right thing that you're supposed to
do. We're not supposed to just know
the Word of God, but to live out the Word of God.
With that being said, I'm going to read all 40 verses of First
Corinthians chapter 14. And as I do, you're going to go,
Oh, my. All scripture is God breathe and
useful. God does not have bad breath.
This is good for us, but it's a tough one to swallow.
Are you ready? Here we go.
First Corinthians chapter 14 verses one through 40 in a
minute. That's my fault.
Oh, so, so sorry. My fault.
God bless you guys on the tech team.
Yeah, please forgive me. That's all my fault.
OK, Follow the way of love and eagerly desire the gifts of the
Spirit, especially prophecy. What we'll get into it for
anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people, but to
God instead. No one, or indeed no one
understands them. They utter mysteries by the
Spirit. But the one who prophecies
speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging, and
comfort. Anyone who speaks in a tongue
edifies themselves. What?
We'll get into it, But the one who prophecies edifies the
Church. But I would like everyone of you
to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophecy.
The one who prophecies is greater than the one who speaks
in tongues, unless someone interprets so that the Church
may be edified. Now, brothers and sisters, if I
come to you and speak in tongues, what goodwill I be to
you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or
prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless
things that make sounds, such as a pipe or harp, how will anyone
know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in
the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not
sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle?
So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible
words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying?
You will just be speaking into the air.
Undoubtedly, there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet
none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the
meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the
speaker and the speaker is a foreigner to me.
So it is with you. Since you are eager for the
gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the
church. For this reason, the one who
speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what
they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my
spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.
So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but
I will also pray with my understanding.
I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my
understanding. Otherwise, when you are praising
God in the Spirit, how can someone else who has, who is now
put in the position of an Inquirer, say Amen or I agree to
your Thanksgiving since they do not know what you are saying.
You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is
edified. I thank God that I speak in
tongues more than all of you, but in the church I would rather
speak five intelligible words to instruct others than 10,000
words in a tongue. Brothers and sisters, stop
thinking like children. In regards to evil be infants,
but in your thinking be adults. In the law.
It is written with other tongues and through the lips of
foreigners. I will speak to this people, but
even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.
Tongues, then, are a sign not for believers but for
unbelievers. Prophecy, however, is not for
unbelievers but for believers. So if the whole church comes
together and everyone speaks in tongues and inquires or
unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your
mind? But if an unbeliever or an
Inquirer comes in, while everyone is prophesying, they
are convicted of sin and are brought under judgement by all.
As the secrets of their hearts will be laid bare, so they will
fall down and worship God, exclaiming God is really among
you. What then shall we say?
Brothers and sisters, when you come together, each of you has a
hymn or a word of instruction, A revelation, a tongue, or an
interpretation. Everything must be done so that
the church may be built up. If anyone speaks in a tongue,
two or three at most should speak one at a time, and someone
must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the
speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and
to God. Two or three prophets should
speak, and if the other should weigh and the other should weigh
carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to
someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.
For you can all prophecy in turn, so that everyone may be
instructed and encouraged. The spirits of the prophets are
subject to the control of the prophets.
For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace, and in
all the congregations of the Lord's people, women should be
remained silent in the churches. What?
We'll get into it. They are not allowed to speak,
but must be in submission, as the law says.
If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their
own husband at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak
in the church. Or did the Word of God originate
with you? Are you the only people it has
reached? If anyone thinks they are a
prophet or otherwise gifted by the Spirit, let them acknowledge
what I am writing to you is the Lord's command.
But if anyone ignores this, they themselves will be ignored.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophecy.
Do not forbid speaking in tongues, but everything should
be done in a fitting and orderly way.
Well, if you didn't believe me, you'll believe me now.
This chapter is ripe, so I have broken down my sermon into 6
points, and I've got a minute for each point.
Three big questions, three major conclusions.
Question one, what is prophecy? I'll tell you one it's listed as
a gift to the church, but not everyone has this gift.
First Corinthians chapter 12, verse 7 through 11 says Now to
each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the
common good. To one there is given to the
Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge
by means of the same spirit, to another faith by the same
spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one spirit, to
another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another
distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different
kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of
tongues. All these are the work of the
one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one
just as he determines. Prophecy is a gift that God
gives some people. To prophecy means to declare the
will of God, to make known the purposes of God, to proclaim the
truth about about God. Its primary purpose is to move
people into action. A prophet prophecies and the
people's job is to respond to the prophecy.
When you're reading the Old Testament, you had people show
up like Jonah goes to Nineveh and says get right with God or
else. And guess what the people did?
They got right with God and didn't have to find out or else.
That's the goal of a prophet, to get people to turn back to God,
to turn to God, to follow God, to pursue God.
And prophecy shows up in two ways.
One is 4th telling, the other one is foretelling. 4th telling
is when somebody proclaims a truth about God.
There are some people who would say that what I am doing right
now would be a form of 4th telling, that I'm telling you
the truths about God, making known the things about God.
I would tell you that I think that scripture favors
foretelling more than forth telling, although forth telling
what I'm doing could be included.
Foretelling is a prediction. It if you were sipping the wine,
it has notes of the future in it, which is why Jonas shows up
and says turn around to God or else they're coming to people
and saying unless you turn your ways, they have a specific
special revelation. What that means is some of you
may have encountered a profit. You may have interacted with
somebody who has the gift of the prophetic and they would say
something along the lines of I have a word for you or I see
something in you. God has revealed something to
you. You may have interacted with
somebody who has a gift of the prophetic.
That being said, the third thing I want you to know about
prophets is a spiritual prophet desires testing.
They are not saying that when they speak that they are the
word of God. A lot of this is guardrails,
guys, so that way you don't get spun out by somebody.
First Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 20 through 22 say do not
treat prophecies with contempt. So if somebody has a prophecy,
don't throw it away, but test them all.
Hold on to what is good. Reject every kind of evil.
Not every person who thinks that they are a prophet or has a word
from you has a word for you. You're to test it and go, is
this right? Is this in alignment with God's
word? Is this in alignment with God's
will and purposes? Is this revealed in another way?
Just because someone says it is a prophecy does not mean it is a
prophecy. Some of you guys have seen all
the people who have predicted the end of the world.
As of right now, they are batting 0% on accuracy because
anytime you hear somebody say that the.
I think we had, didn't we have a recent end of the world?
Yeah, they were wrong. You want to know why?
Someone asked Jesus, hey, when's the end of the world?
He says, My father knows, you don't.
I don't. God knows If somebody tells you
that the end of the world is tomorrow, that person's a false
prophet. Delete them off your Twitter
account forever because they are not of God.
Next thing, both men and women can have the gift of prophecy.
We find this in Acts chapter 2, Joel chapter 2 in First
Corinthians chapter 11-5. If you missed that sermon, you
can go back and watch it #5 prophecy is designed to
strengthen and encourage and comfort believers, not make you
look super awesome. Look what it says over and over
again in First Corinthians. I'll just zero in on what it
says in verse 3 in chapter 14. But the one who prophesized
speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging, and
comfort. Many years ago I had surgery on
my vocal cords and it was super scary for me because just so you
know, if I'm not preaching, I'm pretty useless.
Like what job would I be good at?
If I can't talk? I'll be just I don't know.
I don't, I shudder to think, OK, And I had a lady come up and she
looked at me and she goes, I believe that God has revealed to
me that you were going to be just fine.
I believe she prophesied over me. 6 I believe that prophecy is
a gift that is active today for the benefit of believers in the
advancement of the Kingdom for the cause of Christ.
I believe that God still uses prophets #2 what is speaking in
tongues? One, it is listed as a gift to
the church, and not everyone has this gift.
So if you grew up in a spiritual environment where they said that
there was going to be a second baptism or a second
manifestation, and that if you were really saved you would
speak in tongues, that is false. It is a false teaching because
not everybody has the gift of speaking in tongues.
And where did we get that idea from the Bible?
This, This is why this is so important is I'm going to get
into this later, but anything that has godly power, Satan
tries to corrupt. And so you can find yourself
with a group of people that are expecting you to do a thing that
the Bible says does not happen. Paul says not everybody speaks
in tongues. But now all of a sudden people
have this weight pressed on them saying you got to speak in
tongues. So we know that you're saved or
that the Spirit's working in you and you're like, hold on a
second. What does the rest of the
chapter say? Which is why I always talk about
read stuff in context #2 speaking in tongues is primarily
the ability to speak in a known language that is unknown or
unstudied to the speaker. This will not come as a surprise
to you, but I don't speak French.
I hear like he is way too blue collar to be fluent in the
language of love and that is an accurate statement.
But I believe with everything inside of me that God through
His Spirit could make a way through the gift of speaking in
tongues for me to preach to someone or tell someone about
Jesus in French. I could be speaking English,
they could be hearing me in French, and they could hear me
in their own language. We see it happen over and over
again in the Bible and we see it, We hear stories of it
happening over and over again on the mission field.
Why the interpreter you ask? 2 reasons.
The goal of spiritual gifts. Is the unity, strengthening and
encouragement of the local body. So if a person is speaking in a
foreign language to another person in a multicultural
setting. So if we all went to a suit, we,
you guys were a bunch of English speakers here.
But if we were in the First Corinthian church, you might
have 10 different languages represented.
And if I all of a sudden have the gift of speaking in tongues
and I'm speaking to the person who speaks French, which there
wasn't a French speaker in First Corinth, just stay with me, OK?
Because I don't know that many languages even by the name, OK?
And I speak and the person in French hears me, but the person
who speaks Spanish is hearing me do this.
They're going, hey, what's this person saying?
So then somebody interprets what's that person saying?
So that way everybody around can be blessed.
That is primarily what speaking in tongues is, and that's why
there was an interpreter needed. However, one of the questions
that might be burning in some of you who have a different
background than the crossing is what about a private prayer
language or an angelic tongue? I believe that the text opens
the door for this. I have been on both sides of
this issue in my years as a Christ follower, so I believe
that there is reasonable and reliable evidence to support
both sides. But I believe that in First
Corinthians 14 there are notes of at times God will give
somebody the ability to speak in a language that is known to them
and to God. Why?
I don't know. It'll be one of the 500
questions we ask when we get to heaven.
But hear me a private prayer language that does not have an
interpreter is a blessing for the individual, but it is not a
spiritual gift for the church. It becomes a spiritual gift for
the church only if there is an interpreter.
And so some of you may have grown up in a background where
you showed up at a place and a whole bunch of people were
speaking in all kinds of tongues.
And I want you to know that the very same verses in chapter 14
that they are affirming, there are other verses in First
Corinthians chapter 14 that they are disobeying.
And that kind of confusion. In that kind of confusion, Satan
is the only one who wins. As with any gift that God gives,
Satan tries to corrupt it and counterfeit it.
And that's why as Christians, we must constantly be committed to
maturing in Christ so that way we can handle the gifts that He
has given us in God honoring ways #3 is if you haven't had
enough fun yet, why are women to be silent in the church?
All right, stay with me. Paul tells 3 or tells people
three different times in chapter 14 to be quiet.
In verse 28, he says that if you're speaking in a tongue and
there is no one to interpret, keep quiet in the church and
just speak to God and to yourself.
And verse 30, when somebody is prophesying, he says if a
revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first
speaker should stop talking, should be quiet.
And then in verse 34, he says that women are to be silent.
This cannot mean that women are not allowed to speak in church
because in First Corinthians 11, the same book we've been
reading, we're told that women and men are prophesying in the
church. And if you remember, that was
when we were talking about the issue of head coverings.
If you missed it, can't watch it online, but here's the verses,
Chapter 11, verses 4 through 5. Every man who prays or
prophecies with his head covered dishonors his head, but every
woman who prays or prophecies with her head uncovered
dishonors her head. It is the same as having her
head shaved. There are many different views
on how to best navigate this text, but I believe that the
very best one is that this is all about an issue of authority
in the church. This is about who is to
participate in the judging of the prophecy that took place.
In other words, just as God has given order for the home, He has
also given order for the Church. Men and women are equal in
value. Men and women are equal in
Christ. Men and women are unique in
their responsibilities. Now without doing a 15 hour
sermon, I can't do more on this, but I hope I gave you enough to
kind of put some roots down. You might be asking at this
point in time, why on planet earth did Paul include this
chunk of scripture in First Corinthians?
I'm guessing that none of the ladies in our church have
decorated their kitchen with the 1st Corinthians 14 Hobby Lobby
passage. I'm guessing husbands are
looking for it as we speak. Three major conclusions.
One, gifts are to build up the body of Christ.
Pay attention, please. Paul is riding to a messed up
church full of messed up people living in a messed up city in a
messed up world, and they want to make a difference.
And if they are going to make a difference for Christ, they are
going to need to be unified. They are going to need the power
and the presence of the Holy Spirit.
And Paul's biggest point is that spiritual gifts are supposed to
edify others. And if your gift is not blessing
or strengthening or building others up, don't do it or find a
way to do it in a way that builds up others #2 love is to
be our guiding principle. That is why in the middle of all
this gift talk he does 1st Corinthians 13, he goes out of
his way to point people with these supernatural spiritual
gifts about how to operate in love.
Why? Because our love for God and our
love for others will drive us to unity and effectiveness for the
gospel. In our giftings and in our
relationships. We are to be people who prefer
the other for the unity of the church, and in doing so, we
create this beautiful interdependence.
If we all have the same gift, we wouldn't be a gift to our
community. If we only valued one gift, we
wouldn't be valuable to the mission of God in our region.
If we only desired one gift, we wouldn't use the gift that God
gave us because we'd be jealous of the gift that God gave
somebody else, which is why Paul says eagerly desire the greater
gift and he talks about love. If all you do is make it about
your gift and your ability and what you want to do, what you
end up doing is creating chaos and division with the very gift
that God gave you to bring peace and unity.
At all of our locations we have incredible worship people and if
you sit close enough that you can see them, almost all of them
have something in their ears. They're in ear monitors and
going on behind the scenes while they're strumming the guitar,
banging on the drum, playing the keys, all that stuff.
Guess what's going on in their ear?
123412341234 course 234 Course 234 non-stop.
You're going. How on planet earth are they?
Here's why. If everybody shows up and wants
to play at their own tempo, we'd have a mosh pit.
And some of you, you're not, you're not young enough to be in
a mosh pit. You break a hip.
So if you have everybody show up and everybody's playing at their
own speed, you create chaos and confusion.
If everybody on our band shows up and all they want to do is do
their guitar solo and do their drum solo and do their cool
little runs with all their little cool vocal cordy things
that God gave them, we would not have meaningful worship because
there would be chaos and division instead of peace and
unity. For instance, right now we're
going to do something. This is going to stretch you
guys a little bit, OK? Just turn to your neighbor and
say be nice, OK? I want you to think of your
favorite song lyric. Take a second.
Think of like your favorite song lyric that you would sing if you
were in the shower. Got it.
Take a second. Get it.
On the count of three. We're going to sing it.
OK. Just just stay with me.
You're ready. No cussing.
If those of you listening to rap music while you're showering,
OK, don't. No, not OK.
I shouldn't give that one away. All right, on the count of
three, you're going to sing your favorite, just like 1 little
riff 123. That sounded horrible.
OK, OK, OK. Now I'm going to have John and
Emily come out here for a second.
We're going to here's here's your new lyric, the new lyric
that we're going to sing. I'm going to play the role of
the Holy Spirit for a second. I make a hefty looking Holy
Spirit. OK, here's the lyric.
God, you are so good. Just say that back to me.
God, you are so good 123. OK, we're going to elongate the
so just a little bit like God, you are so good.
And then we're ready. God, you are so good. 123.
Good, good, good. OK, now I'm going to try to be a
quiet teacher. You're going to stay back.
And then I'm going to do that. And then.
OK. Ready.
Do you guys know what this part means?
Yeah. Hopefully you guys are smart.
If not, watch a YouTube video. OK, 123.
God, you are good job. All right.
Now you're this is you. OK on ladies, all the ladies
listen to miss Miss Emily, she's going to sing God, you are so
good 1234 God, you are so good. Oh perfect Loretta, God bless
you. You've been doing this for so
long. OK ladies you got your I want
you. We're going to do it again and I
want you to try and sing with her.
We're going to do it like 3 times in a row.
You've LED worship 1000 times. Just take him through it three
times in a row. Ready 12340 ladies, keep going.
You gotta do it again. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
God, you are so all right. For just a second.
I'm going to be the choir director and we're going to hold
it out for just a second. Ready.
Do it again. OK.
Perfect, Perfect. That was my moment.
All right. I need the wild hair now.
Fellas. All the fellas, All the fellas,
all the fellas. You're going to follow John.
Yeah. John, you're going to.
OK, 1234. God, you are so good.
Oh, good job, fellas. Every fella at every campus,
everybody you got to participate 48 through.
You got to be super loud so other campuses can at least, you
know, hear somebody beside me and John.
OK, 1234. OK, now ladies, you're just
going to do your part. Guys.
Shut up, ladies. That was OK, fellas.
This is what the Holy Spirit's trying to do.
He's trying to build something in his church.
And if everybody does their part in together, in unity instead of
chaos and division, He brings peace and power and unity.
So here's what we're going to do in just a second.
We're going to have the guys go. Then we're going to have, no,
we're going to have the girls go, and then we're going to have
the guys go. And then you got to pay
attention. You got to stay in it.
You got to be committed to your part.
If you don't know if you're a guy or a girl, look on stage and
see who looks the most like you. That's where you got to stay.
And then what you're going to do is you're listen to me, you're
going to we're going to sing it all together.
All right, We got a full participation.
No losers ready. 1234 fellows, everybody.
You did it. That's harmony.
He brings something out of it. And when you and I bring our
gifts together for the advancement of the Kingdom of
God, the tune that He gives us, the word that He gives us said
at the timing that He says to do it, we do something beautiful.
And if you show up making it all about you or abusing your gift,
or using your gift in ways that God says not to use it, you can
be saying the right words at the wrong time and doing all kinds
of damage. Which is why as Christians, we
should be desperate for the Holy Spirit, desperate for Him, be
listening to him in such a way that if he whispers, we can hear
it. This is a spiritual mission that
requires spiritual power. And the Holy Spirit is always at
work. And the shame is we rarely join
him. He is always moving, always
drawing, and we want to be a church that partners with him.
The Holy Spirit goes where he's wanted.
And we want him to know that we want him here.
The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is a wind that blows
wherever he pleases. And we want to be a church that
raises the sail and says, blow on us, descend on us, fill us,
empower us so that when you wake up in the morning, you're going,
Holy Spirit, I can't do it without you.
And when you lay to your bed on night and you're getting ready
to go to sleep, you're saying, Holy Spirit, I don't want to go
to sleep without you. That when you leave for work,
you're going, Holy Spirit, guide me as I go among my coworkers,
lead me as I interact with customers.
And when you come home from work, you're going, Holy Spirit,
guide me in the conversations with my wife.
Guide me in the conversations with my kids.
I want you. I want you to lead me and guide
me and equip me and empower me. I want you to lead.
I want to raise the sail and have you blow on me.
We're moving to a time of decision.
Hear me. If you are here today and you do
not have a relationship with Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit is
always drawing people to the Father.
John 1613 states that the Spirit will guide you into all truth,
and I'm here today to tell you that truth has a name and in the
name is Jesus. And if you were here today and
you're going, I have not started an intimate personal
relationship with Jesus Christ, I can promise you with full
assurance that that is what the Holy Spirit wants you to do to
begin that relationship today. And in just a few moments, the
people around you are going to stand and sing and people are
going to come to the steps and pray.
And I want to encourage you to walk right over there underneath
that screen next to the baptistry and talk to somebody,
Ask the questions. Don't put it off any longer.
And to those of you who already have a relationship with Jesus
Christ, I'm just going to ask you one question.
And if you don't have an answer for it, don't leave here today
until you do. Where do you need the power of
the Holy Spirit in your life? What is the area in your life
that has been off limits that you have not invited Him in?
Where is the place in your life where you are not trusting Him,
being guided by Him, being empowered by Him?
If you know what it is, beg Him to show up in that space.
If you don't know where that space is, beg Him to reveal it
to you. You won't regret it.
Would you stand with me, God? This Is Us raising our sail.
Ever since the series on Jonah, I've been praying the prayer.
God, do it again, and do it again in US.
Bring this region to revival and we stand no chance without you.
So God, This Is Us inviting you in, begging for your presence,
believing that life with you is better than life without you,
that there is no area of our life that will not be better
when you're a part of it. So, God, give us the courage and
the strength to invite you in and to follow your lead.
In your name I pray. Amen.