1 00:00:00,360 --> 00:00:05,320 The theme of this year is Legacy of Love, and if this is your 2 00:00:05,320 --> 00:00:08,200 first year to beautiful conference, you may be seeing 3 00:00:08,200 --> 00:00:12,440 all the butterflies around. And I just want you to know that 4 00:00:12,440 --> 00:00:14,160 is on purpose. It's not just because 5 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:16,440 butterflies are kind of in and they're pretty. 6 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:22,000 It's because 15 years ago when God was molding me and shaping 7 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:25,800 me and taking me through a freedom transformation journey, 8 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:29,440 this is a metaphor that he gave me that I was kind of like a 9 00:00:29,440 --> 00:00:32,080 butterfly. I was the same DNA, but I was 10 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:36,280 going from a Caterpillar and becoming something beautiful 11 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,640 that was going to fly. And so we have butterflies 12 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:42,400 throughout this conference because it is a theme. 13 00:00:42,400 --> 00:00:46,280 So I was in Chicago last September with Pastor Matt and 14 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:48,440 they have a butterfly guard in there. 15 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,840 And so I had walked by this one day and I thought I got to come 16 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:52,880 back. And so I did. 17 00:00:52,880 --> 00:00:56,840 I came back and I brought my journal and I went to the 18 00:00:56,840 --> 00:00:59,040 butterfly garden. I think we have a picture. 19 00:00:59,160 --> 00:01:02,440 It was hard to, to take a picture to take it in, but I 20 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:05,080 just thought, man, I, I got to try and take in just this 21 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:08,040 moment. And so I, I sat down with my 22 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,560 journal and all of a sudden I just started to write what I was 23 00:01:11,560 --> 00:01:14,440 taking in. It was so peaceful, it was so 24 00:01:14,440 --> 00:01:17,960 beautiful. Each butterfly was unique. 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:22,520 Each were in the garden, but they were all experiencing 26 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,920 different things. Some of these butterflies were 27 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:30,760 flying, some of them were sitting, some of them were 28 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,600 flying together. There were some that were alone. 29 00:01:33,840 --> 00:01:36,640 There were some of them that were flapping their wings really 30 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:40,080 strong and then others were just like feasting on the food that 31 00:01:40,440 --> 00:01:43,320 they provided for them and it was amazing. 32 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:46,200 So I'm sitting there writing all this down and then this happens. 33 00:01:47,760 --> 00:01:50,640 A butterfly landed on my journal. 34 00:01:50,640 --> 00:01:53,960 How cool is that? So I was like, whoa, this just 35 00:01:53,960 --> 00:01:57,640 got real. So all of the sudden I'm like, 36 00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,640 this is so cool. So I stand up and I start taking 37 00:02:00,640 --> 00:02:04,440 pictures of just how amazing these butterflies were. 38 00:02:04,440 --> 00:02:07,680 They're they're exotic and somewhere blue and bright and 39 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,320 somewhere red and, and it was incredible. 40 00:02:10,320 --> 00:02:12,800 So I started to walk around. It was like God's creation. 41 00:02:12,800 --> 00:02:16,680 And then all of the sudden out of nowhere a butterfly lands on 42 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,320 me and I was like is this normal? 43 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,280 And so I just like sat real still and the lady walks up to 44 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:27,000 me and she goes this is so special. 45 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,400 I was like OK so I should not move. 46 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,880 She's like no don't move. And this butterfly stayed on me 47 00:02:32,880 --> 00:02:36,400 for the longest time and then 1 landed on my leg and I was like 48 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:38,880 this is amazing. She goes this is so rare. 49 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,280 This is so rare ma'am, this does not happen. 50 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,520 And I literally thought of all of you and I was like this is 51 00:02:45,520 --> 00:02:48,560 happening for them. I'm going to take a picture and 52 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:53,400 I started to think about those that that moment and I thought 53 00:02:53,400 --> 00:02:56,760 about all of you and I just started thinking like we are one 54 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,000 large butterfly garden in here tonight. 55 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:04,560 The each and everyone of you are unique and beautiful. 56 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:09,400 We're in different stages of our life, but my prayer is that each 57 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:14,600 and everyone of us would have these rare moments over these 58 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,640 next two days with our Heavenly Father. 59 00:03:16,800 --> 00:03:18,880 These kind of moments where we look on and go. 60 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:23,040 That was so special. Maybe it already has happened. 61 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:25,040 You're like, what was that? Can I tell you? 62 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:27,240 That was the Holy Spirit, that was God. 63 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:28,800 He's starting to move on your heart. 64 00:03:28,800 --> 00:03:32,160 There's something that happens. And I'm just praying and 65 00:03:32,160 --> 00:03:35,000 believing that we would have these rare moments. 66 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:38,000 Like I'll never forget how I felt in that butterfly garden. 67 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,240 I'm praying you never forget these two days. 68 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,440 I'm praying that there are moments that will mark you that 69 00:03:43,440 --> 00:03:46,640 you will take into the rest of your life. 70 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:49,680 And I've got a gift for all of you that's going to commemorate 71 00:03:49,840 --> 00:03:51,720 this. But you have to wait because I'm 72 00:03:51,720 --> 00:03:53,120 going to give it to you at the end of the night. 73 00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:56,720 So don't leave early and don't be sneaking out like saying to 74 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:58,480 the guys, can I get that gift now? 75 00:03:58,480 --> 00:04:01,760 Like, no, you have to wait till we all get it together. 76 00:04:01,760 --> 00:04:04,920 Everybody, we are 1 butterfly garden. 77 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:07,320 All right, Hey, who is ready for the word of God? 78 00:04:07,640 --> 00:04:12,240 Who's ready to dive in? You came hungry to worship. 79 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,640 I'm believing. You're hungry for the Word. 80 00:04:14,640 --> 00:04:17,360 I've got a word that God has given for us. 81 00:04:17,360 --> 00:04:21,480 Sisterhood, as we start this first part of our conference. 82 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,400 All right, so where are my book readers in the room? 83 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,840 How many of you love? OK, a lot of you. 84 00:04:26,840 --> 00:04:29,600 That is awesome. Like you love books, You devour 85 00:04:29,600 --> 00:04:31,120 them. You'll stay up late at night. 86 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:33,200 That is awesome. That is not me. 87 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:37,040 I have comprehension issues. My mom can tell you from the 88 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:40,320 time I was a little girl, I used to be the kind of kid that 89 00:04:40,320 --> 00:04:42,200 would. She would start to read it and I 90 00:04:42,200 --> 00:04:44,200 would just flip to the end. I go the end. 91 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:47,240 Like, are we done yet? That was me. 92 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:52,560 I did not really like books. But we have a granddaughter now. 93 00:04:52,560 --> 00:04:54,600 I'm a grandma, but I call myself Noni. 94 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:58,800 And Pastor Matt is Poppy. She loves books already. 95 00:04:58,800 --> 00:05:00,960 She loves to devour books. Oh, my goodness. 96 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:02,800 Yeah. I just have to have an excuse to 97 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:05,960 show her. You a picture of Esther, but she 98 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:09,040 really does love reading. So I was with her last week and 99 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:12,440 she just devours these books. Like some are her favorite pages 100 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,520 and others she just kind of skips over like when it gets to 101 00:05:15,520 --> 00:05:19,720 the cow, not that interested. But the purple butterfly, I kid 102 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,440 you not, she was fixated. I was like, you are my 103 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:25,280 granddaughter. So it was amazing. 104 00:05:25,280 --> 00:05:28,320 But she loves books. Listen, beautiful conference. 105 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:33,280 Whether you love to read books or you don't, I'm here to tell 106 00:05:33,280 --> 00:05:38,800 you tonight that God is writing a story in your life. 107 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:45,480 He is the author and finisher of your faith and no matter where 108 00:05:45,480 --> 00:05:48,920 you are or what you've come in with tonight, He has a story 109 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:51,720 that he is writing in each and every one of our lives. 110 00:05:51,720 --> 00:05:57,200 From the 6th grade girl in this room to the single woman, to the 111 00:05:57,200 --> 00:06:02,840 widow who is still grieving, from the senior in high school 112 00:06:02,840 --> 00:06:06,040 who's so excited and nervous at the same time, to the college 113 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,400 student who's still trying to figure out that degree. 114 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:14,960 I get it, girl. To the at home mom or the 115 00:06:14,960 --> 00:06:18,600 business owner, to the one who's coming in here searching and 116 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,640 wondering is this whole God thing real? 117 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:23,160 Are these women and what they believe? 118 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,920 Is this really a thing? Can I just tell you, you have a 119 00:06:25,920 --> 00:06:29,720 loving Heavenly Father who is writing your story with love. 120 00:06:30,320 --> 00:06:35,840 He is writing your story. But listen, our story will not 121 00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:40,240 just unfold because of Him, It will unfold because of our 122 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:44,840 desire to follow Jesus through every single chapter of our 123 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:48,840 life, every single thing that is going on in our life that we're 124 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:52,080 saying, OK, God, I don't know what's going on in this part of 125 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:54,880 the story of my life, but I trust that you're writing it. 126 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:59,040 And so I'm going to follow you. Song of Solomon is our theme, 127 00:06:59,040 --> 00:07:03,560 and Song of Solomon is literally a beautiful poetic love story. 128 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:08,160 But spiritually, it's a picture. It's a picture that can help us 129 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,280 to understand God's pursuing covenant love with us. 130 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:16,560 Chapter 2, verse 10 says this. My beloved spoke and said to me, 131 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:21,040 Arise, my darling, my beautiful 1, come with me. 132 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:24,880 See, the winter is past, the rains are over and gone. 133 00:07:24,880 --> 00:07:28,520 The flowers appear on the earth. The season of singing has come. 134 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:31,080 The cooing of doves is heard in our land. 135 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:35,720 Fig tree forms its early fruit. The blossoming vines spread 136 00:07:36,080 --> 00:07:40,560 their fragrance. Arise, come my darling, my 137 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,520 beautiful 1, come with me. So the title of the message that 138 00:07:45,520 --> 00:07:50,640 God has given me for tonight is the story he's writing with me. 139 00:07:51,520 --> 00:07:53,040 Let's pray. Father, we thank you. 140 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:58,480 I pray that you would give us ears to hear what you Holy 141 00:07:58,480 --> 00:08:01,280 Spirit are saying to us, your daughters. 142 00:08:02,120 --> 00:08:06,160 We just lean in and we say we're listening in Jesus name. 143 00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,080 And everyone who agreed said, Amen. 144 00:08:10,480 --> 00:08:13,600 So through this passage, we can easily see that there are 145 00:08:13,600 --> 00:08:17,840 seasons in this relationship. There are winter seasons and 146 00:08:17,840 --> 00:08:20,640 rainy seasons. There's flowers and singing. 147 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,920 There's early fruit, and then there's widespread fragrance. 148 00:08:23,920 --> 00:08:27,560 Like these are different seasons throughout this relationship. 149 00:08:27,560 --> 00:08:31,160 But there's also this moment where it's really clear who God 150 00:08:31,160 --> 00:08:34,679 is calling us. My darling, my beautiful 1. 151 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:37,400 And I just want to remind you tonight, you've already heard it 152 00:08:37,400 --> 00:08:44,360 spoken that you are beautiful. You are you are beautiful. 153 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:47,160 And I'm not talking about the beauty that the world deems 154 00:08:47,160 --> 00:08:49,680 beauty. I'm not talking about Tyra Banks 155 00:08:50,000 --> 00:08:52,440 Top Model. Anyone remember that show back 156 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:56,000 in the 2000s? I'm not talking about Kylie 157 00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:59,760 Jenner's most, you know, recent beauty tip, although I'm all 158 00:08:59,760 --> 00:09:01,840 about it. Like just tell me all the tips 159 00:09:01,840 --> 00:09:04,360 to make me look younger, right? But I'm not talking about the 160 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:06,120 TikTok T.O.K. Like I'm not talking about what 161 00:09:06,120 --> 00:09:09,680 the world deems beauty. I'm talking about inner beauty 162 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:14,280 that comes from knowing who we are in Christ and knowing who 163 00:09:14,280 --> 00:09:18,160 God has made us to be. Knowing that we bear the image 164 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,680 of Christ Jesus and because he is beautiful, we are beautiful. 165 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:25,320 I'm not talking about what the world talks about. 166 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:27,560 I'm talking about the kind of beauty that says I've been 167 00:09:27,560 --> 00:09:30,320 through some things, but I refuse to be bitter. 168 00:09:30,360 --> 00:09:35,360 That is beautiful. One of the the Amen, one of the 169 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,680 first things that we did when we launched our sisterhood, this 170 00:09:38,680 --> 00:09:43,520 was back in 2018, is we made these mirrors. 171 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:46,880 Anyone still have one of these mirrors that says I am 172 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,960 beautiful? And I told all of the girls that 173 00:09:50,120 --> 00:09:52,400 when we got this mirror that said I am beautiful. 174 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:54,440 You have to open it up. You have to look in the mirror 175 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,800 and say you are beautiful because it's one of the hardest 176 00:09:56,800 --> 00:10:00,720 things to do to look yourself and to speak the words of life 177 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:02,840 over yourself. And so we had done that. 178 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:05,560 So I want us to kind of have a little moment where as a 179 00:10:05,560 --> 00:10:08,160 sisterhood, we start to look at each other and speak that kind 180 00:10:08,160 --> 00:10:10,400 of life over each other. So why don't you look at your 181 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:13,280 sister right now and listen? If you're on the receiving end, 182 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,800 you have to receive it. Tell them you are beautiful. 183 00:10:20,840 --> 00:10:26,120 All right. Now look at the other sister and 184 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:32,480 say he calls You Beautiful. He calls You Beautiful. 185 00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:38,760 The scripture says arise come my darling, my beautiful one 186 00:10:39,080 --> 00:10:41,000 listen, listen beautiful conference. 187 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:45,280 There is a story he is writing with you and that story is to 188 00:10:45,280 --> 00:10:48,840 arise to action. He is calling each and every one 189 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,440 of us to arise to action. Does anyone else like to sleep 190 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,200 in? Anyone else love your bed? 191 00:10:55,360 --> 00:10:59,280 Like, I'm pretty sure when I was a teenager, one of the only ways 192 00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:02,640 my mom could Get Me Out of bed was to throw the sheets off and 193 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,920 grab my hands and Get Me Out because I love to sleep in. 194 00:11:06,160 --> 00:11:07,960 And then Matt had to take over that job. 195 00:11:08,200 --> 00:11:12,440 But listen, I just, I just sensed that some of us, man, 196 00:11:12,440 --> 00:11:15,040 we're coming in and we kind of feel like that in our life, like 197 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:19,200 we are asleep under the covers. And I am declaring tonight that 198 00:11:19,200 --> 00:11:21,320 it is time for the blankets to come off. 199 00:11:21,400 --> 00:11:24,440 We are going to arise. We're going to get out of that 200 00:11:24,440 --> 00:11:27,920 sleeping state. We are going to arise to action 201 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:31,200 for Jesus. We get a glimpse of so many 202 00:11:31,200 --> 00:11:35,280 women throughout scriptures to see parts of their story unfold 203 00:11:35,440 --> 00:11:37,560 and each of them arise to action. 204 00:11:37,560 --> 00:11:41,720 We see Ruth who lost her husband and chose to stay with her 205 00:11:41,720 --> 00:11:44,720 mother-in-law and make God her God. 206 00:11:44,840 --> 00:11:49,320 And then God provided and her story led to redemption and she 207 00:11:49,320 --> 00:11:52,000 became a part of the lineage of Jesus. 208 00:11:52,080 --> 00:11:56,680 We see Hannah who carried the ache of infertility and 209 00:11:56,680 --> 00:12:00,160 misunderstanding, but her faithful prayers became the 210 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:05,160 doorway to a miracle son and his life had so much purpose as 211 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,480 well. We see Mary Magdalene and this 212 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:11,200 woman was filled with seven demons, the scripture records, 213 00:12:11,320 --> 00:12:15,400 and she had radical freedom, radical transformation through 214 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:18,760 Jesus and she became one of the first witnesses to his 215 00:12:18,760 --> 00:12:23,800 resurrection because the call to arise is a call to action. 216 00:12:23,960 --> 00:12:27,960 Those women arose, but I want want us to look even deeper into 217 00:12:27,960 --> 00:12:32,480 Mary, the mother of Jesus, because she was more than just a 218 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,400 figurine in a nativity set, everybody. 219 00:12:36,600 --> 00:12:41,200 Yes, she gives birth to Jesus, but throughout scriptures we see 220 00:12:41,200 --> 00:12:46,200 so many parts of her story that God was writing with her. 221 00:12:46,640 --> 00:12:51,360 She was around 13 years old when an Angel came to visit her. 222 00:12:51,360 --> 00:12:53,400 Do we have any 13 year old girls in the room? 223 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:55,080 Just raise your hand unashamedly. 224 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,040 That's awesome, I love it. Think about this, those girls, 225 00:12:58,040 --> 00:12:59,760 if you can even see them right now. 226 00:13:00,080 --> 00:13:04,520 She was their age. An Angel visits her and he says 227 00:13:04,520 --> 00:13:08,560 don't be afraid, I come, you know I'm bringing you some good 228 00:13:08,560 --> 00:13:10,360 news. Like that's a little freaking 229 00:13:10,360 --> 00:13:13,360 out though. He says you found favor with the 230 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:15,960 Lord. This 13 year old girl had favor 231 00:13:15,960 --> 00:13:19,160 already on her and he says you're going to give birth to a 232 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:21,000 son, you're going to call him Jesus. 233 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:26,320 And like any of us who were 13 or any age heard that news, she 234 00:13:26,320 --> 00:13:30,560 says what how? He says the Holy Spirit is going 235 00:13:30,560 --> 00:13:34,040 to come on you. And she's amazing. 236 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,440 Her response is incredible. We see it in Luke 138. 237 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:42,200 She says, OK, I am the Lord's servant. 238 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:46,000 Mary answered, May your word to me be fulfilled. 239 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:50,840 This teenager had such great faith and with humility and 240 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,760 confidence, she was focused on eternity. 241 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:58,240 She trusted the voice of God in this moment and she wanted to be 242 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:01,440 a part of the fulfillment of God's story in her life. 243 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:05,160 She's like, OK, you said it, I agree with it. 244 00:14:05,240 --> 00:14:08,400 Let's do this. I mean, that is amazing. 245 00:14:08,400 --> 00:14:10,920 And she saw some action, everybody. 246 00:14:11,080 --> 00:14:14,680 She not only had that virgin birth, but she got to see so 247 00:14:14,800 --> 00:14:19,160 many miracles, blind eyes open, people come back to life. 248 00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:21,320 Like she got to witness all of this. 249 00:14:21,480 --> 00:14:25,040 She was with Jesus when he was crucified, but she also 250 00:14:25,040 --> 00:14:29,000 witnessed his resurrection. Like there were so many points 251 00:14:29,000 --> 00:14:34,320 of action that she got to see. And she was there on the day of 252 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:40,160 Pentecost. She was probably around 49 years 253 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:44,080 old at this point in her story with God. 254 00:14:44,760 --> 00:14:48,400 And this is after Jesus's Jesus has ascended to heaven. 255 00:14:48,400 --> 00:14:51,680 And you, you might remember, if you're familiar, he tells the 256 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,200 believers to go and to wait for the gift of the Spirit. 257 00:14:55,200 --> 00:14:58,160 And a bunch of people don't. And then 120 of them do. 258 00:14:58,720 --> 00:15:01,640 Acts 113 records this. When they arrived, they went 259 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:04,440 upstairs to the room where they were staying. 260 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,320 Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew. 261 00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:09,120 And then it lists a lot of other men. 262 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:12,640 I'm going to skip to verse 14. They all join together 263 00:15:12,840 --> 00:15:18,440 constantly in prayer along with what does this say, along with 264 00:15:18,680 --> 00:15:23,920 the women and Mary, the mother of Jesus and with his brothers. 265 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:29,080 Mary was there at Pentecost. She was one of the 120 in the 266 00:15:29,080 --> 00:15:32,240 upper room. This was a part of her story 267 00:15:32,240 --> 00:15:36,000 that God was writing with her. And what's the next thing that 268 00:15:36,000 --> 00:15:39,680 happened was the next thing that that takes place in her story, 269 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,320 some action, The Holy Spirit falls. 270 00:15:42,440 --> 00:15:46,720 It's like tongues of fire. These 120 people spill out onto 271 00:15:46,720 --> 00:15:48,680 the streets. They're speaking in tongues. 272 00:15:48,680 --> 00:15:50,240 They're prophesying about the good news. 273 00:15:50,400 --> 00:15:55,280 Mary was a part of that story. She was there on the day that 274 00:15:55,280 --> 00:15:57,440 the Church of Jesus Christ was birthed. 275 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:00,640 She was there when Peter stood up and had to explain to 276 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,000 everyone because they thought everybody was drunk. 277 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:05,040 And he's like, it's only 9 in the morning. 278 00:16:05,280 --> 00:16:08,120 These people are not drunk. Let me actually tell you what's 279 00:16:08,120 --> 00:16:11,240 going on. We see this in Acts 216. 280 00:16:11,480 --> 00:16:15,360 Peter says, no, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel in 281 00:16:15,360 --> 00:16:17,720 the last days. God says I will pour out my 282 00:16:17,720 --> 00:16:21,800 spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will 283 00:16:21,800 --> 00:16:24,320 prophecy. Your young men will see visions. 284 00:16:24,320 --> 00:16:28,200 Your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men 285 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,560 and women, I will pour out my spirit in those days and they 286 00:16:32,680 --> 00:16:36,960 will prophecy. So as Peter stands up, I'm just 287 00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,480 imagining she's going. I'm one of those women. 288 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:43,400 I'm one of those who's actually telling about Jesus. 289 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:46,200 But she had been saying yes since she was 13. 290 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:52,520 You see Mary's teenage yes at 13 echoed into her year at 49 291 00:16:52,680 --> 00:16:56,680 because she knew that God was writing a story in her, but her 292 00:16:56,680 --> 00:17:00,440 yes was allowing it to be written together because a call 293 00:17:00,440 --> 00:17:05,560 to arise is a call to action. And I believe listen, beautiful 294 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:07,640 conference. I believe he's calling you to 295 00:17:07,640 --> 00:17:11,880 arise this weekend. He's calling you to arise to 296 00:17:12,240 --> 00:17:16,040 maybe start that business, adopt that child, get that degree, 297 00:17:16,200 --> 00:17:20,599 share your testimony to start serving, to begin leading, to 298 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:25,440 use your voice, because the call to arise is a call to action. 299 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,320 There's a story he's writing with you and it's a story to 300 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:32,920 also stay faithful. Stay faithful through the 301 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:37,680 process. Stay faithful through the 302 00:17:37,680 --> 00:17:41,160 process. You know, God is, He's 303 00:17:41,160 --> 00:17:45,880 acquainted with our humanity. In other words, he's not 304 00:17:45,880 --> 00:17:48,000 surprised when we have human moments. 305 00:17:48,840 --> 00:17:52,560 He knows that we're not perfect. He knows that this world isn't. 306 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,320 He knows that this life can be so hard and the world can be 307 00:17:55,320 --> 00:17:57,800 really cruel. And the good news is, as 308 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:00,320 followers of Jesus, he's not looking for perfection. 309 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:03,400 He's just looking for faithfulness, looking for a 310 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,280 group of daughters tonight who will say, all right, I'll stay 311 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:08,400 faithful. There's a process I'm going 312 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:09,760 through, but I'm going to be faithful. 313 00:18:09,920 --> 00:18:11,200 I'm going to stick it out with him. 314 00:18:11,360 --> 00:18:13,680 There's a process I'm going through, but I'm going to trust 315 00:18:13,680 --> 00:18:15,200 him. There's a process I'm going 316 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:17,000 through, but I'm going to declare that he is good. 317 00:18:17,120 --> 00:18:19,680 There's a process I'm going through, but I just know he has 318 00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,920 a good plan because he is faithful. 319 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:28,440 Psalm 107 is is an entire Psalm of Thanksgiving that really 320 00:18:28,440 --> 00:18:32,640 celebrates about how God rescues this people in so many different 321 00:18:32,640 --> 00:18:34,400 ways. It says that he rescues them 322 00:18:34,520 --> 00:18:38,120 when they cry out, when they cry out, if they cry out in 323 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:42,080 distress, in wandering, in captivity, in sickness and 324 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:44,840 storms, when they cry out. He is faithful. 325 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:48,600 Maureen, I'm just believing that God heard your cry and he 326 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:51,480 answered that prayer. He was so faithful. 327 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:53,560 By the way, I looked at Pastor Matt and I said I just believe 328 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:55,760 we're supposed to give to your ministry too. 329 00:18:56,040 --> 00:18:58,840 And so as a church through Kingdom Builders, we want to 330 00:18:58,840 --> 00:19:02,880 give you $5000 to your ministry tonight and just continue the 331 00:19:02,880 --> 00:19:07,080 work that God is doing in you in your ministry. 332 00:19:07,080 --> 00:19:09,520 So we love you. I just believe God heard her 333 00:19:09,520 --> 00:19:11,320 cry. And now there are other women 334 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:16,480 who he's hearing that cry because he hears us when we cry. 335 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,800 Psalm 10743 then says those who are wise will take all of this 336 00:19:20,800 --> 00:19:23,160 to heart. They will see in our history. 337 00:19:23,160 --> 00:19:25,280 So the psalmist is writing to God. 338 00:19:25,280 --> 00:19:27,720 He's talking about how there's going to be history with you and 339 00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:29,320 me. They're going to see in our 340 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:34,200 history the faithful love of the Lord, because why we are writing 341 00:19:34,200 --> 00:19:38,120 history together in our relationship with Jesus if we 342 00:19:38,120 --> 00:19:41,760 will stick it out through every process, through through the 343 00:19:41,760 --> 00:19:45,040 times where we've got to humble ourselves, through the times 344 00:19:45,040 --> 00:19:47,680 where we have to forgive, through the times where we 345 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:50,720 realize this is harder than I thought it was going to be, but 346 00:19:50,720 --> 00:19:52,840 I'm going to say faithful through the process. 347 00:19:53,000 --> 00:19:54,720 I'm going to stick it out with Jesus. 348 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,400 He's going to show up every time. 349 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:00,480 His faithful love is going to speak to the history that he has 350 00:20:00,640 --> 00:20:03,200 with you. He's faithful, but he's calling 351 00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:06,480 us. To remain faithful as well, 352 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:13,440 because God has a plan, but the enemy has a scheme, and his 353 00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:18,360 scheme is to steal, to kill and destroy your future, your 354 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:22,960 family, the legacy that he is calling you to build. 355 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:28,120 His scheme is that his scheme is to tempt you, is to lie to you, 356 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:31,560 is to hold you back, is to distract you. 357 00:20:31,560 --> 00:20:34,640 It's a scheme. So the enemy has a scheme, but 358 00:20:34,640 --> 00:20:39,520 God has a plan. So we have to realize that he's 359 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:41,880 faithful, but we got to stay faithful too. 360 00:20:41,880 --> 00:20:44,080 And one of the ways we have to do this, just be aware that the 361 00:20:44,080 --> 00:20:49,800 enemy's always got a scheme. So I was about 37 and I went to 362 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:54,160 lunch and it was one of those places where you eat and then 363 00:20:54,160 --> 00:20:55,720 you can get up and refill your drink. 364 00:20:55,720 --> 00:20:58,600 Come on, don't you love those places like free refills? 365 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:02,840 It's all good. So I, I got up, I, I was, I was 366 00:21:02,840 --> 00:21:05,560 sitting there having lunch and this whole group of baseball 367 00:21:05,560 --> 00:21:09,040 players came in and I was trying to figure out like, where are 368 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:10,720 they from? Because I saw they weren't like 369 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:12,680 FGCU players. Like who are these guys? 370 00:21:12,680 --> 00:21:14,520 Like, who are these guys? What are they? 371 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:16,880 So I'm kind of looking over there and I didn't, you know, 372 00:21:16,880 --> 00:21:19,480 recognize. And, and then all of a sudden my 373 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:22,440 mind started to drift because I was like, Oh, my goodness. 374 00:21:22,800 --> 00:21:26,040 Will at the time was like 15. And I was like, that could be 375 00:21:26,040 --> 00:21:27,320 him. That's my son Will. 376 00:21:27,320 --> 00:21:29,720 I was like, that's my like, that could be him in three years. 377 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:31,760 Oh my gosh, this time's going so fast. 378 00:21:31,760 --> 00:21:34,440 And he's going to grow up. And these are like men now, you 379 00:21:34,440 --> 00:21:36,120 know, So I like all of the thoughts. 380 00:21:36,120 --> 00:21:38,440 How many of you ever you just, you know, your mind kind of 381 00:21:38,440 --> 00:21:40,240 wanders. So I'm in one of those modes and 382 00:21:40,400 --> 00:21:43,760 I stand up to go get a drink. And I realized that one of those 383 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,040 baseball players came up and was kind of standing there to get 384 00:21:47,040 --> 00:21:49,240 his drink. And so we kind of small talk. 385 00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:50,440 I'm like, where are you guys from? 386 00:21:50,440 --> 00:21:52,720 Oh, we're from out of town. We're doing a competition. 387 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,760 We're here only here for a couple of days. 388 00:21:54,920 --> 00:21:57,320 OK. So small chatted a little bit. 389 00:21:57,320 --> 00:21:58,440 Oh, when? Where are you playing? 390 00:21:58,440 --> 00:21:59,800 Whatever. Fill up my drink. 391 00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,240 And in my head I was like, oh, is he going to be here Sunday? 392 00:22:02,240 --> 00:22:04,600 I should invite him to church. And, you know, we're just small 393 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,600 talking. And then all of the sudden he 394 00:22:06,600 --> 00:22:08,240 goes. So this has been great. 395 00:22:08,240 --> 00:22:14,720 Can I have your number? And I kid you not, I thought, 396 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:16,360 wait, I didn't invite him to church. 397 00:22:16,360 --> 00:22:19,640 Why does he need my number? I literally did not know if you 398 00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,200 ever had a moment where you're like, what is happening right 399 00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,080 now? So I stand there for another 400 00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,600 second and I'm like, excuse me? He's like, because I I'd like to 401 00:22:28,600 --> 00:22:33,400 go out and I'm like, oh, Oh my goodness, I'm married. 402 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:40,440 And then he goes, that's OK. Now I'm like, I don't even know 403 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,360 what to do. I'm so flattered and flustered 404 00:22:43,400 --> 00:22:46,640 all at the same time. I'm not inviting this guy to 405 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:47,800 church. I just got to get out of here 406 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:50,640 and I got to go home and I got to tell my husband baby, I still 407 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:55,200 got it. I was like, I could not wait. 408 00:22:56,280 --> 00:22:59,400 He was like, this is the best story ever. 409 00:23:00,680 --> 00:23:03,760 Literally I think I said to him, I could be your mom. 410 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,040 Like as I was walking away, I was just like, I don't think 411 00:23:07,040 --> 00:23:10,240 this kid understands like what is happening. 412 00:23:11,440 --> 00:23:14,560 I had completely forgotten about that story. 413 00:23:14,560 --> 00:23:20,200 I have never told it publicly. I was so flattered. 414 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,240 But as I was writing this message, I kid you not, the Holy 415 00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:25,320 Spirit brought that story to my mind. 416 00:23:26,120 --> 00:23:27,840 And then he asked me this question. 417 00:23:28,640 --> 00:23:30,720 He told me the statement. Then he asked me a question. 418 00:23:30,720 --> 00:23:34,080 He said, Sarah, you need to know that was a scheme. 419 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:41,000 That was a scheme of the enemy. And then he said, why didn't you 420 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:44,520 take the bait? Like he was baiting me. 421 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:46,640 The enemy was baiting me. He was tempting me. 422 00:23:46,640 --> 00:23:50,000 He was putting something in front of me to distract me from 423 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:52,520 God's best in God's way. Like, why didn't you take the 424 00:23:52,520 --> 00:23:54,480 bait? And I just thought about it. 425 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:57,720 And I thought because I knew the story that we were writing 426 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:01,240 together, it's a story of faithfulness. 427 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:02,920 It's a story of following his ways. 428 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,160 It's not a it's not following for the temptation of the world. 429 00:24:06,160 --> 00:24:09,120 It's not looking for something to fulfill, something that only 430 00:24:09,120 --> 00:24:13,560 God can fulfill. And I sensed in that moment that 431 00:24:13,560 --> 00:24:16,680 God said there are some women who are going to be here on 432 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:19,520 Friday night and they're falling for the scheme. 433 00:24:22,360 --> 00:24:26,640 There's a scheme in your life right now and you're falling for 434 00:24:26,640 --> 00:24:29,320 it. Maybe it's a scheme of sexual 435 00:24:29,320 --> 00:24:31,080 immorality. Maybe it's a scheme of 436 00:24:31,400 --> 00:24:34,320 unforgiveness, a scheme of jealousy, a scheme of 437 00:24:34,520 --> 00:24:36,280 bitterness. I don't know what it is, but can 438 00:24:36,280 --> 00:24:38,920 I just tell you the enemy has a scheme. 439 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:44,560 You can shut that door in Jesus name and you can begin to walk 440 00:24:44,560 --> 00:24:48,520 in the plan that God has for you this weekend. 441 00:24:48,840 --> 00:24:51,800 You do not have to fall for the scheme of the enemy anymore. 442 00:24:52,640 --> 00:24:56,280 He's writing a story. We've got to stay faithful, stay 443 00:24:56,280 --> 00:25:01,600 faithful, stay faithful, wait, trust, pray, forgive. 444 00:25:01,720 --> 00:25:04,160 He's still writing your story. And I get it. 445 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,800 For some of us tonight, you may feel like all of hell is coming 446 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,960 against you in the story right now. 447 00:25:10,840 --> 00:25:15,000 You feel like this chapter of your life is so hard. 448 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:20,280 I just want to declare to you tonight, it is not over. 449 00:25:21,360 --> 00:25:25,880 It's not over. You are still writing the story 450 00:25:25,880 --> 00:25:27,640 with God. He's not finished. 451 00:25:27,640 --> 00:25:30,600 It's not over in your marriage. He's not done in that 452 00:25:30,600 --> 00:25:33,440 friendship. He's not done in that area in 453 00:25:33,440 --> 00:25:37,240 your physical body. He's still writing and it's not 454 00:25:37,240 --> 00:25:41,440 over. He has a good plan for you and I 455 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,040 just want to remind us that greater is He that's in us than 456 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,320 he that's against us. Like we have to be so aware that 457 00:25:47,320 --> 00:25:49,720 there is a scheme. We don't have to be afraid of 458 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:51,320 it. We just have to be aware of it. 459 00:25:51,480 --> 00:25:53,400 We have to know how to fight against it. 460 00:25:53,400 --> 00:25:56,760 So greater is He that's in us than he that's coming against 461 00:25:56,760 --> 00:25:58,120 us. Psalm 1/08/13. 462 00:25:58,320 --> 00:26:02,240 That next chapter says, with God's help, we're going to do 463 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:03,880 mighty things, everybody. Why? 464 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:05,960 Because he's going to trample down our foes. 465 00:26:06,120 --> 00:26:09,560 So if you're in one of those chapters where it feels like all 466 00:26:09,560 --> 00:26:12,680 of hell is coming against you, can I tell you all of heaven is 467 00:26:12,680 --> 00:26:15,560 too? He is still writing your story. 468 00:26:15,720 --> 00:26:18,480 He's going to trample on the enemy and you're going to just 469 00:26:18,640 --> 00:26:21,800 look on and look back at the season of your life and you're 470 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:24,440 going to be able to share all that God has done and 471 00:26:24,440 --> 00:26:25,840 sisterhood. Can I just add this? 472 00:26:26,040 --> 00:26:28,160 This is why we can't do life alone. 473 00:26:28,160 --> 00:26:32,000 Can I get an Amen? Like the enemy has a scheme and 474 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:34,400 God has a plan. And This is why we have to have 475 00:26:34,640 --> 00:26:37,960 other people of faith. We have to have the right voices 476 00:26:37,960 --> 00:26:43,240 in our life who are encouraging us to stay faithful to God, not 477 00:26:43,240 --> 00:26:45,640 discouraging us, not pulling us away. 478 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,800 Yeah, just do that. Let's go to that bar. 479 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,120 Let's hang out there. It's fine. 480 00:26:49,120 --> 00:26:51,480 Like, no, we need friends who are like you come into the Bible 481 00:26:51,480 --> 00:26:53,480 study. Did you did you read your word 482 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:55,200 this morning? Have you prayed about it? 483 00:26:55,360 --> 00:26:57,640 I saw you were gossiping, Girl, we don't gossip. 484 00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:01,920 Like, that's not what we have to be able to be in community like 485 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:03,400 that. We need the right voices. 486 00:27:03,480 --> 00:27:07,560 Have you ever figured out how affirming ChatGPT is? 487 00:27:08,040 --> 00:27:11,200 Oh my goodness. If you want to feel good about 488 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:14,520 yourself, just ask ChatGPT a question. 489 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:19,040 He I'll just call it a he. He will affirm you like he will 490 00:27:19,040 --> 00:27:21,880 tell you all of these really good things. 491 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,240 If you type in I can't figure out how to turn this thing on. 492 00:27:25,480 --> 00:27:29,000 He won't say you're so stupid. He will say that can be a 493 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:30,640 confusing one. Let me help you. 494 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:35,040 I'm like, oh, thank you. I was, I was returning. 495 00:27:35,040 --> 00:27:39,520 We had rented a Hyundai Venue and I had to return the car on 496 00:27:39,520 --> 00:27:42,240 my own because Pastor Matt had caught a flight 1 place and I 497 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:43,720 was headed to speak somewhere else. 498 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,800 And so I was going to fill up the gas tank in this Hyundai 499 00:27:47,880 --> 00:28:30,360 Venue. None. 500 00:28:59,320 --> 00:30:00,520 None. None. 501 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:32,360 None.