1 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:04,480 Hey, welcome to the City Point Church podcast. 2 00:00:04,480 --> 00:00:07,280 Thanks for joining us. Every day is an opportunity to 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,280 take hold of. So we hope this message inspires 4 00:00:10,280 --> 00:00:13,560 you and build your faith that it helps you have more of a God 5 00:00:13,560 --> 00:00:15,800 perspective for your day. Enjoy. 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:19,800 I'm going. To start with a story, I've got 7 00:00:19,840 --> 00:00:22,880 a good story to tell. You know why it's good? 8 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:27,520 Because it's a true story. It's a testimony of what God did 9 00:00:27,520 --> 00:00:30,320 in my life. I got saved. 10 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:35,920 For those that don't know, I got saved seven years ago and praise 11 00:00:35,920 --> 00:00:42,840 God and early on I had this dream and vision that God had 12 00:00:42,840 --> 00:00:45,400 put in me to go to Bible college. 13 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:47,680 I didn't know what it was. I didn't know it was a 14 00:00:47,680 --> 00:00:51,760 university. I had no idea where I was going. 15 00:00:51,760 --> 00:00:55,040 I just know that God had put this dream and was calling me 16 00:00:55,040 --> 00:00:59,040 into Bible college. Yes, I'd heard about it through 17 00:00:59,040 --> 00:01:04,120 the Grapevine and people would come up to me and say tji see 18 00:01:04,599 --> 00:01:08,960 Bible college all over your life and I thought to myself I might 19 00:01:08,960 --> 00:01:11,560 go check this out. So what do I do? 20 00:01:11,720 --> 00:01:15,520 I asked my wife to sign me up and she signs me up. 21 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,680 I thought I was going to a life group that learned about the 22 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,000 Bible. I had no idea you had a degree 23 00:01:22,480 --> 00:01:25,440 the after that that you would attend and get a degree. 24 00:01:25,880 --> 00:01:28,840 I had no idea that you could become a pastor through it. 25 00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:33,080 I was just going there because God just kept putting dreams in 26 00:01:33,080 --> 00:01:34,400 me. I'd wake up in the middle of the 27 00:01:34,400 --> 00:01:37,800 night and I would dream about Bible college and have visions. 28 00:01:38,280 --> 00:01:40,360 I forgot, I better stop this. I've got to go. 29 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:45,320 And so I went, went on my merry way. 30 00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:50,400 And I had so much. I didn't have an idea of where I 31 00:01:50,400 --> 00:01:54,080 was and what I was doing. And I seen all these people that 32 00:01:54,080 --> 00:01:57,800 surrounded Bible college and they were saying doctor this and 33 00:01:57,800 --> 00:02:01,560 doctor that. I didn't know that you could 34 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:03,480 have a doctrine in a different field. 35 00:02:04,280 --> 00:02:07,640 I went home to my wife. I said, I'm perplexed. 36 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:10,320 I learned that word in Bible college. 37 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:15,400 There's all these doctors over there. 38 00:02:15,400 --> 00:02:16,960 What are they doing? Is that where all the rich 39 00:02:16,960 --> 00:02:19,360 people hang out? Is that what they do? 40 00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:21,560 And I thought, you only have one doctor. 41 00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:23,960 It's a medical doctor. My wife, she laughed. 42 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:27,880 She said, DJ, that's so funny. You could have a doctorate at 43 00:02:27,880 --> 00:02:29,960 any field. And I did not know that. 44 00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:32,480 And that was a good start to Bible college. 45 00:02:33,600 --> 00:02:36,400 And anyway, I would attend diligently full time. 46 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,040 And I was only nine months into my salvation going there. 47 00:02:40,040 --> 00:02:43,440 You didn't know a lick of the Bible, hardly even knew Jesus, 48 00:02:43,640 --> 00:02:46,560 just knew that I encountered him and he was real and I was there 49 00:02:48,160 --> 00:02:51,760 and people would begin to speak these words and I never heard 50 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:54,560 such vocabulary in my life. I was uneducated. 51 00:02:54,800 --> 00:02:57,520 My vocabulary, Larry was about that big. 52 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,920 And I was thinking to myself, what are they saying? 53 00:03:02,640 --> 00:03:05,200 What are these words that are coming out of my their mouth? 54 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:07,880 So all through the lecture I'd put my hand up. 55 00:03:07,880 --> 00:03:11,080 What does that word mean, Sir? What does exegesis mean? 56 00:03:11,080 --> 00:03:13,160 What does Officer Jesus mean? What is that? 57 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,800 And I'd turn a three hour lecture into an 8 hour lecture. 58 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:22,600 I even asked one question once. I said I was Hitler, the devil. 59 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:26,160 I seriously had no idea. And he's like, teacher, I'll 60 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:30,120 just see you after my class. He was so gracious to me. 61 00:03:31,520 --> 00:03:34,480 Then it got too hard. It got to the point where I had 62 00:03:34,480 --> 00:03:37,640 no idea that you had to do. They started talking about 63 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:41,600 assignments and they started talking about referencing and 64 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:45,120 doing all these 2000 word essays. 65 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,560 The only essays I knew was my mates from Mexico. 66 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:59,360 But here I am and I started doing it on my own strength and 67 00:03:59,360 --> 00:04:01,680 I thought I could do it alone, apart from God. 68 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:04,640 Let me just give you a say. If you're in Bible college 69 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,360 today, what you will do in Bible college, you'll replicate in 70 00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,600 ministry. What you will do in Bible 71 00:04:11,600 --> 00:04:13,320 college, you'll replicate in ministry. 72 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:16,920 If you think you can get through Bible college without God, 73 00:04:16,920 --> 00:04:18,519 you'll think you can get Bible college. 74 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,200 You think you can get into ministry without God too? 75 00:04:21,560 --> 00:04:23,800 There is no shortcuts like past the rights. 76 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:28,160 Give a, a word a couple of years ago, two years ago to the dream 77 00:04:28,160 --> 00:04:30,320 team. There is no shortcuts to this. 78 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,400 The anointing is real. You know when you got it and you 79 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:39,480 know when you're done. So I end up taking off and I 80 00:04:39,480 --> 00:04:44,960 left church for two years and I didn't say a word to the Dean of 81 00:04:44,960 --> 00:04:46,640 the college. I didn't say a word to my 82 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:49,000 pastors. I just left without notice. 83 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:53,080 COVID happened and I let I use that as a cover up. 84 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:56,080 Every excuse. Oh you know, never my fault 85 00:04:57,280 --> 00:05:03,200 until God sent a beautiful couple in this very church to 86 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,800 come save me and my wife from that desert that I put myself in 87 00:05:06,800 --> 00:05:10,000 and my family. I LED my family inside a church 88 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,720 and I let him ride out and God sent 2 beautiful family members 89 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:20,600 to come and rescue us from our desert and they would walk 90 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:23,760 through US, walk with us in this journey and bring us back to 91 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,640 church. And God would do a beautiful 92 00:05:26,640 --> 00:05:29,880 work in my heart and I'll come back to church. 93 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:35,160 And I felt this burning desire and unfinished business to go to 94 00:05:35,160 --> 00:05:39,320 those people and ask for forgiveness and are repented of 95 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:44,680 what I did to their face. And I went to my Bible college 96 00:05:44,680 --> 00:05:47,600 Dean of the school and I met with him and I thought he was 97 00:05:47,600 --> 00:05:49,720 going to say, TJ, why didn't you call me? 98 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,600 TJ could have helped you and I could have done this and I could 99 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,040 have done that. But I walked out of that meeting 100 00:05:56,760 --> 00:06:01,480 feeling so uplifted. I felt like $1,000,000 that I 101 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:04,560 promised myself I'd never walk into Bible college and somehow 102 00:06:04,560 --> 00:06:06,520 walked out of that meeting and said sign me up again. 103 00:06:11,480 --> 00:06:16,880 So I titled this message, Repentance is a superpower. 104 00:06:18,760 --> 00:06:22,280 Repentance is a superpower. It's freeing. 105 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:24,000 It's freedom. Man. 106 00:06:24,000 --> 00:06:28,400 When I got my first taste of true repentance, I was hooked. 107 00:06:29,160 --> 00:06:32,560 I couldn't believe it. I was carrying around this 108 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:36,160 weight for so long. I would toss and turn, even on 109 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:39,680 my bed in the desert season, wondering about the people that 110 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:41,520 are wronged and how I wronged God. 111 00:06:42,120 --> 00:06:45,560 But all it took was a moment of repentance that released me from 112 00:06:45,560 --> 00:06:50,520 the trap and from the snare and from the chain of unrepentance 113 00:06:50,520 --> 00:06:52,320 that led my heart to become hard. 114 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,360 Repentance is a superpower, and for so long I wondered that 115 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,640 word. I always wondered what is 116 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,960 repentance because for me, from the outside in, I always assumed 117 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:09,080 repentance had to do when it was like when you got in trouble by 118 00:07:09,080 --> 00:07:13,560 your parents. You've been a bad boy, naughty, 119 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,960 bad times. Or associated repentance with 120 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:22,600 hell condemnation because the way I've seen some people preach 121 00:07:22,600 --> 00:07:24,600 on it, Repent now you go on to hell. 122 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:31,000 OK, fair enough. But repentance in the Bible is 123 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:34,280 so beautiful and that's what I want to highlight the beauty of 124 00:07:34,280 --> 00:07:38,160 repentance. See it's biblical meaning is in 125 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:43,520 the Old Testament is to turn, to return, to turn back to God. 126 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:49,000 And in the New Testament it says it like this, to change, to 127 00:07:49,000 --> 00:07:52,520 change one's mind, one's thinking, to change your 128 00:07:52,520 --> 00:07:56,840 thought. See, we make repentance and 129 00:07:56,840 --> 00:07:59,360 think about it. This big thing that has to 130 00:07:59,360 --> 00:08:02,240 happen. Like Jonah and Nineveh, where he 131 00:08:02,240 --> 00:08:06,840 went there and he preached and he told them what God had told 132 00:08:06,840 --> 00:08:11,480 him, and they threw on sackcloth and ashes and they went into a 133 00:08:11,480 --> 00:08:13,640 time of fasting. That is amazing. 134 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,520 But repentance can be as small as this. 135 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:24,880 Oh, I never seen it that way. And you've changed your mind and 136 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:28,840 you're thinking according to the word of God, the truth that He's 137 00:08:28,840 --> 00:08:32,080 given you. There's been so many times. 138 00:08:32,080 --> 00:08:35,880 Thank you for that bell. There's been so many times where 139 00:08:35,880 --> 00:08:40,120 I have spoken to an elder in this church and I believe one 140 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,320 way wholeheartedly and they've gone on. 141 00:08:42,360 --> 00:08:47,760 TJ, that's just not true. But I said, yes, it is. 142 00:08:48,120 --> 00:08:49,960 They're like, no, it's not. It's in your word. 143 00:08:50,280 --> 00:08:52,800 And I would go home and I'd read it because I want to know for 144 00:08:52,800 --> 00:08:56,200 myself. And I'd go to my word and I'd 145 00:08:57,160 --> 00:09:00,640 see that they were right. And I'd have a change in my 146 00:09:00,640 --> 00:09:04,160 thinking and a change in my thought pattern around that, 147 00:09:04,560 --> 00:09:08,200 which changed my action. It changed my belief around what 148 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,080 I believed. And that's transformation, 149 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:16,360 right? But nobody attributes that to 150 00:09:16,360 --> 00:09:21,200 repentance. We all give that word 151 00:09:21,200 --> 00:09:24,160 transformation, and it deserves it too. 152 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Such a big praise party. But seldomly do we realize that 153 00:09:29,120 --> 00:09:33,080 repentance is the vehicle and road in which we come to that 154 00:09:33,080 --> 00:09:39,800 place of transformation. We can ask our brothers and 155 00:09:39,800 --> 00:09:46,240 sisters today, especially if you're discipling somebody, what 156 00:09:46,240 --> 00:09:49,040 is your prayer life like? We all know that question. 157 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,440 Everyone knows that question. What is your prayer life like? 158 00:09:55,400 --> 00:09:59,440 But the question is this. That I think is equally 159 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,640 important. What is your repentant life 160 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:07,040 like? What is your repentant life 161 00:10:07,040 --> 00:10:11,440 like? Have you kept up to repentance, 162 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,520 beloved? But, TJ, what are you telling 163 00:10:15,520 --> 00:10:17,400 me? I thought our sins are forgiven. 164 00:10:17,600 --> 00:10:20,320 Yes. They're forgiven eternally from 165 00:10:20,640 --> 00:10:24,360 condemnation. We're forgiven from eternal 166 00:10:24,360 --> 00:10:28,440 death. But don't stay in that place 167 00:10:29,840 --> 00:10:32,960 where we think we've graduated from repenting. 168 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,080 Because that place leaves you stuck. 169 00:10:36,480 --> 00:10:40,200 That place robs you from transformation. 170 00:10:40,760 --> 00:10:45,880 It's a continual process. See the Apostle Paul says this 171 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:51,400 in Acts 26 verses 20. If we can go there in our Bibles 172 00:10:51,480 --> 00:10:56,800 or take notes today, he says I preach first to those in 173 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:03,880 Damascus who knows Paul, man, come on then in Jerusalem and 174 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:11,560 through it all Judea and it also to the Gentiles that what all 175 00:11:11,560 --> 00:11:19,120 must repent of their sins and turn to God that all must 176 00:11:19,120 --> 00:11:23,360 repent, not some, not a not a few, not the ones that have come 177 00:11:23,800 --> 00:11:27,120 to Christianity that all must repent and turn to God. 178 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,880 And here's a key and prove they have changed by the good things 179 00:11:31,880 --> 00:11:38,560 they do. Man, there's proof around your 180 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:43,040 repentant life. You know, John says it this way, 181 00:11:43,720 --> 00:11:50,840 The the John the Baptist, he says produce fruit by keeping up 182 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:57,040 to repentance. Who's ever made that connection 183 00:11:57,320 --> 00:11:59,320 with repentance and producing fruit? 184 00:12:01,160 --> 00:12:04,440 Are you kidding me? By by keeping up to repentance, 185 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:08,280 that means there's something producing in our life and that's 186 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:11,920 fruit. Maybe sometimes we we feel like 187 00:12:11,920 --> 00:12:14,200 we have going through an unfruitful season or an 188 00:12:14,200 --> 00:12:18,040 unfruitful time. Maybe it's time we got back on 189 00:12:18,040 --> 00:12:22,560 that place where we're like God. I, I live a life of repentance 190 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:28,880 to produce fruit in my life. Proof. 191 00:12:29,200 --> 00:12:35,600 The evidence is transformation, but how we get there is through 192 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,760 living a life of continual repentance. 193 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,240 See, repentance is not about bringing you down and for your 194 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:47,280 demise, but Christ to lift you up and lift you up and edify you 195 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:51,600 and bring you to a a place deeper in relationship with Him 196 00:12:51,600 --> 00:12:54,760 and transformation. No longer you think that way. 197 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:58,640 No longer you act that way. No longer you believe that way 198 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,120 because the word of God has got inside of you and you've been 199 00:13:02,120 --> 00:13:05,920 transformed in the inside out and no longer will I walk that 200 00:13:05,920 --> 00:13:07,880 way. See, there's some people in here 201 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:11,600 today that no longer longer do things they did five years ago, 202 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:13,000 10 years ago. Why? 203 00:13:13,240 --> 00:13:16,960 Yes, because of transformation. But let me tell you, I celebrate 204 00:13:16,960 --> 00:13:21,120 yous today because that comes from repentance, the vehicle and 205 00:13:21,120 --> 00:13:22,320 road. And which got you to 206 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:31,830 transformation. One of the greatest 207 00:13:31,830 --> 00:13:39,030 illustrations of the beautiful nature of repentance comes from 208 00:13:39,030 --> 00:13:42,150 the story in the Holy Bible about the Prodigal Son. 209 00:13:43,480 --> 00:13:47,680 I could cry here, so it's OK, we can cry together. 210 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:54,880 But the prodigal son, he thought he had a better way. 211 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,960 He believed the grass is greener on the other side. 212 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:04,560 Maybe he's seen his father's bank statements and thought he's 213 00:14:04,560 --> 00:14:07,720 holding that here. I need to get me some 214 00:14:07,720 --> 00:14:10,200 inheritance. And quick, why wait? 215 00:14:12,240 --> 00:14:13,360 There's a good life there, there. 216 00:14:13,360 --> 00:14:16,560 All my mates are drinking, all my mates are doing party life. 217 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:21,680 But I'm missing out here on the farm eating farm food. 218 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,720 I want Mackers and Hungry Jacks like my mates, but Dad's got me 219 00:14:28,720 --> 00:14:32,160 on a strict diet. And maybe he thought, you know 220 00:14:32,160 --> 00:14:40,040 what, Dad wouldn't mind if I took some inheritance early. 221 00:14:40,040 --> 00:14:45,200 I know you're getting old now, but you know I've had enough. 222 00:14:45,560 --> 00:14:48,440 An actual fact, you got your bank statement the other day and 223 00:14:48,440 --> 00:14:50,840 the reason why you couldn't find it is because I was reading it 224 00:14:50,840 --> 00:14:56,240 for two hours. So we off he goes with his 225 00:14:56,240 --> 00:15:00,680 inheritance, but then life happens. 226 00:15:01,080 --> 00:15:05,640 See, The thing is, the inheritance here without Christ 227 00:15:06,200 --> 00:15:10,120 is nothing. But you've got an eternal 228 00:15:10,120 --> 00:15:13,240 inheritance in his name's Jesus, and that never runs out. 229 00:15:17,000 --> 00:15:23,640 You think you can hear on earth and spending on on good times 230 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,160 and spending on on on things that that aren't of eternal they 231 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,760 they lead to brokenness. They lead a down. 232 00:15:30,760 --> 00:15:33,880 Trust me, I've been through everything in life where I've 233 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:37,000 tasted and I've seen what this world's got to offer and they 234 00:15:37,000 --> 00:15:40,360 give me a piece just for a moment and then he'll come back 235 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,800 and with interest and absolutely rob me every time. 236 00:15:45,440 --> 00:15:48,080 But God's eternal inheritance in Jesus Christ. 237 00:15:48,080 --> 00:15:50,600 You know that he calls you and his his inheritance. 238 00:15:51,920 --> 00:15:56,240 How amazing is that? But the prodigal, he said verses 239 00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:00,920 17, it says when he come to his senses, another version says he 240 00:16:00,920 --> 00:16:04,480 come to his own man. Imagine what he was feeling. 241 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,360 He's he's come broke now he's finished his inheritance. 242 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:13,000 And he said how many of my father's hired servants have 243 00:16:13,000 --> 00:16:16,400 food to spare? He knows that. 244 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:23,400 And here I am starving to death. I will set out and go back to my 245 00:16:23,400 --> 00:16:28,360 Father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and 246 00:16:28,360 --> 00:16:33,040 against you. How many of us have done that 247 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:37,800 when we've gone to somebody and say, I have not only sinned 248 00:16:37,800 --> 00:16:41,240 against you, but I've sinned against heaven, I've sinned 249 00:16:41,240 --> 00:16:44,680 against God in you. I'll repent for my mistake. 250 00:16:50,320 --> 00:16:52,960 He says, I'll set out and go back to my father and say to 251 00:16:52,960 --> 00:16:55,480 him, Father, I've sinned against heaven and against you. 252 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:59,240 Verses 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. 253 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:02,000 Make me like one of your hired servants. 254 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:06,400 Don't even give me the position of being to be called son 255 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:08,720 anymore. So he got up and went to his 256 00:17:08,720 --> 00:17:14,880 father, But while he was still a long way off, some of us can 257 00:17:14,880 --> 00:17:20,839 still feel a long way off. But this is the beautiful nature 258 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:23,400 about repentance. It's displayed here. 259 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:27,040 Is that what happens when we come to Father God in a repented 260 00:17:27,040 --> 00:17:30,480 heart and how His response is in the Bible every time. 261 00:17:30,480 --> 00:17:35,240 If you read and read the response of true repentance, you 262 00:17:35,240 --> 00:17:37,680 will see what our God did with that. 263 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:41,720 It's not for your demise. It's not for your destructions, 264 00:17:41,720 --> 00:17:45,200 but it's beautiful. It's magnificent. 265 00:17:45,200 --> 00:17:49,960 It frees you. And he saw him and he was filled 266 00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:52,640 with compassion for him. And he ran to his son. 267 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:55,400 That was a cultural unknown in that time. 268 00:17:56,520 --> 00:17:58,760 And he threw his arms around him and kissed him. 269 00:18:03,400 --> 00:18:06,000 That's our Father's response when we repent. 270 00:18:08,080 --> 00:18:12,040 His response is this. And the son said to him, Father, 271 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:14,160 I've sinned against heaven and against you. 272 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:16,640 I'm no longer worthy to be called your son. 273 00:18:17,680 --> 00:18:24,120 But the father said to his servants, quick, quickly, bring 274 00:18:24,120 --> 00:18:27,880 the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and 275 00:18:27,880 --> 00:18:32,160 sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill 276 00:18:32,160 --> 00:18:33,400 it. Let's have a feast and 277 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,640 celebrate. For this son of mine was dead 278 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:40,680 and is alive again. He was lost and and now found. 279 00:18:40,680 --> 00:18:45,240 So they began to celebrate. Let me tell you, beloved, when 280 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:49,000 you come to God in this way, in true repentance, there is a 281 00:18:49,000 --> 00:18:53,120 celebration. God saying, come on my son, come 282 00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:56,560 on my daughter, I want to celebrate you that you've had 283 00:18:56,720 --> 00:19:02,360 this hard position to come to me and now I'm going to transform 284 00:19:02,360 --> 00:19:06,520 you in this area in your life. Our Father is this is his 285 00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:11,120 heavenly nature to when we come to him like this, He will never 286 00:19:11,120 --> 00:19:14,920 turn his back on us no matter what. 287 00:19:17,240 --> 00:19:20,720 True repentance isn't about shaming you for your demise of 288 00:19:20,880 --> 00:19:24,040 destruction. It's about Jesus lifting you up 289 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,720 and restoring you to freedom and a transformation in him. 290 00:19:31,800 --> 00:19:35,040 It's about transforming you, getting into your mind and your 291 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:39,240 thoughts that one way you were thinking this way, He wants to 292 00:19:39,240 --> 00:19:42,240 get in to those areas in your life. 293 00:19:43,000 --> 00:19:47,400 And I'll use tithing for an example for some of us here 294 00:19:47,400 --> 00:19:51,680 today, and this isn't about trying to put you down, but I'm 295 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:55,480 saying that when we come into that place and we say, God, oh, 296 00:19:55,480 --> 00:20:00,040 I can't give you that area in my life that that's the area that 297 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,840 God won't work in because you haven't give him permission. 298 00:20:02,840 --> 00:20:06,200 He's a gentleman. He wants to get into that part 299 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,280 of your life and transform you and take you to a higher level 300 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:12,920 and bless you with His blessing and give you his favor. 301 00:20:14,200 --> 00:20:18,600 But when we come before and say, you know what, God, I haven't 302 00:20:18,600 --> 00:20:21,080 let you in in that part of my life. 303 00:20:21,080 --> 00:20:23,320 I'll ever haven't let you into that part of my mind. 304 00:20:23,320 --> 00:20:25,440 I haven't let you into that part of my heart. 305 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:31,360 But here I am, Father God. I repent, but not only do I 306 00:20:31,360 --> 00:20:37,360 repent, would you teach me and show me and strengthen me in 307 00:20:37,360 --> 00:20:40,400 this area? You don't do it alone. 308 00:20:42,440 --> 00:20:47,280 There is a Father that's running after you today, and maybe you 309 00:20:47,280 --> 00:20:50,840 come to church today and this is your first time. 310 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,240 And I thank you so much for coming to church and being in 311 00:20:55,240 --> 00:20:58,760 this great church. The Father's been running after 312 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:03,360 you for a long time, and there's no mistake that you're in this 313 00:21:03,360 --> 00:21:07,360 place today. This is who Father God is. 314 00:21:07,360 --> 00:21:10,720 There is a robe, there is a ring, there is new sandals and a 315 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:14,120 celebration for you. All that take up the name of 316 00:21:14,280 --> 00:21:24,080 Jesus and call upon His name, Whoever believe in Him and put 317 00:21:24,080 --> 00:21:26,720 their faith in Him will not perish. 318 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,760 You will receive eternal life and that's the good news today. 319 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:34,520 There is joy and repentance. It's not for your destruction, 320 00:21:35,040 --> 00:21:40,640 but for your transformation. Repentance is a superpower. 321 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:44,920 See Edwin Lewis Cole said this about the prodigal. 322 00:21:44,920 --> 00:21:48,840 I love this quote because he picked up on a pattern about the 323 00:21:48,840 --> 00:21:52,760 prodigal son. And the pattern of the prodigal 324 00:21:52,760 --> 00:22:00,160 is this rebellion, ruin. And in the middle of repentance, 325 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:09,920 reconciliation, restoration, he rebelled, come to ruin, he 326 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,960 repented, was reconciled and restored back to his father. 327 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,040 Let me tell you today, maybe you've tasted this world for way 328 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:23,280 too long and the world is giving you nothing but grief and you've 329 00:22:23,280 --> 00:22:27,280 been living life the same way for 1520 years and it hasn't 330 00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:30,240 worked out for you. And you keep trying and trying 331 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:32,840 again. But let me give you this today. 332 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,280 Have you tried Jesus? Have you tried Jesus? 333 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,080 Have you put Jesus on? Have you give Jesus? 334 00:22:39,080 --> 00:22:41,960 You'll have you. Have you wanted to say, you know 335 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:43,760 what, God, I'll give you my life. 336 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,960 See how that works out for you and keep coming to church and 337 00:22:48,960 --> 00:22:53,040 fellowship and see how your life gets transformed and changed. 338 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:58,120 That's repentance right there, where you turn away from the old 339 00:22:58,120 --> 00:23:00,720 way of living, turn away from the old man. 340 00:23:00,720 --> 00:23:04,520 And he said he'd put his spirit in you and he'd make you a new 341 00:23:04,520 --> 00:23:07,000 creation, a new person. You can't even help it. 342 00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:09,520 You can't even earn it. He just does it. 343 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:14,920 I remember one guy said to me today, a while ago, was down at 344 00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:18,920 the Bribie Island jetty, I just love to talk to people. 345 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,760 And I was evangelizing to him, giving him the gospel and the 346 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,800 good news. And he said, how'd you change, 347 00:23:27,800 --> 00:23:34,040 mate? And I was like, hey, hook, line 348 00:23:34,040 --> 00:23:37,880 and sinker, ask me that again, brother. 349 00:23:38,920 --> 00:23:41,000 You know, you just bait them. You bait them into those 350 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:43,680 questions, man. I'll tell you what, it's not my 351 00:23:43,680 --> 00:23:46,560 favorite thing. It's awesome. 352 00:23:47,120 --> 00:23:51,600 Let me tell you. I changed and he took a step 353 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:55,480 back and he was fairly offended at what I said. 354 00:23:57,240 --> 00:24:00,200 And he said, what do you mean? No, no, that was all you, you, 355 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:02,520 you did that. That's what you did. 356 00:24:02,520 --> 00:24:05,800 And, and, and let me tell you, you've worked hard for that. 357 00:24:05,800 --> 00:24:09,680 Don't you dare. And I said, I understand where 358 00:24:09,680 --> 00:24:12,720 you're coming from, but the truth is this. 359 00:24:13,280 --> 00:24:16,720 I tried everything, brother. Everything. 360 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:21,360 Every single thing. I tried it and it didn't work. 361 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:28,920 And I tried Jesus and it worked. Jesus, the name of Jesus. 362 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:32,240 He's the only one. He's the one that transforms 363 00:24:32,240 --> 00:24:34,280 you. He's the one that gets inside of 364 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,880 you and transforms you. He's the one. 365 00:24:36,960 --> 00:24:39,080 He's the one. He's the one. 366 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:42,680 He's the one for this community. He's the one for your family. 367 00:24:42,760 --> 00:24:48,760 He's the one for your friends. Come on, Jesus, He's the one. 368 00:24:49,640 --> 00:24:52,520 He's the one. There's no way I could have done 369 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:56,680 that on my own. He's the one I'd help all along. 370 00:24:57,520 --> 00:25:02,760 Just like that Bible college story, I end up coming back to 371 00:25:02,760 --> 00:25:07,600 that place. Two years, 2 1/2 years, I stayed 372 00:25:07,600 --> 00:25:11,000 in that place and I finished only because of Christ and the 373 00:25:11,000 --> 00:25:14,080 Spirit that he's given me. And I remembered and he 374 00:25:14,080 --> 00:25:15,960 strengthened me. And I said, oh, that's right, 375 00:25:15,960 --> 00:25:20,480 God, this isn't for me to take over myself. 376 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,320 This isn't my ministry. This isn't my mission. 377 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,840 I had a moment of repentance that led me into transformation. 378 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:32,880 You know how freeing that is. People talk about addictions and 379 00:25:32,880 --> 00:25:34,400 they say, you know how bad that is. 380 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:40,080 Yeah, fair enough. But those addictions turned into 381 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:42,680 something now where I'm addicted. 382 00:25:42,680 --> 00:25:46,080 I can't wait to get in His word. I can't wait to get into prayer, 383 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:48,400 man. I'm addicted to the presence of 384 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:52,200 God. How much more can we be addicted 385 00:25:52,200 --> 00:25:55,280 to freedom? Man, I'm fully sold out to 386 00:25:55,280 --> 00:25:58,360 freedom. There's so many old Search my 387 00:25:58,360 --> 00:26:00,720 heart. Oh Lord, why was David saying 388 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:04,360 that? Search me so I can repent, so I 389 00:26:04,360 --> 00:26:09,120 can transform God search what's in me that I can't see so I 390 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:13,800 could repent and transform so I can change the way I think so I 391 00:26:13,800 --> 00:26:17,920 can change my belief system, so I can change what I what I 392 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,880 thought was true, but I was deceived, but only by the word 393 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:26,640 of God that you've brought in a sword that cut me going in. 394 00:26:26,840 --> 00:26:30,640 And yes, it hurts sometimes, but brothers and sisters, let me 395 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:34,440 tell you, we not allow that sword of the spirit, which is 396 00:26:34,440 --> 00:26:38,440 sharper than any other sword, to have its time to come out and 397 00:26:38,440 --> 00:26:43,000 heal. So many of us don't give the 398 00:26:43,000 --> 00:26:46,120 opportunity of the Word of God to heal. 399 00:26:46,320 --> 00:26:52,600 It's the only sword I know that cuts and heals at the same time. 400 00:26:54,480 --> 00:27:01,920 But so many will get in this, let it cut their heart and stay 401 00:27:01,920 --> 00:27:06,880 in that place and allow God. We've got to allow God to let 402 00:27:06,880 --> 00:27:09,480 the washing of the world, let the healing of the world, let 403 00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:15,400 the transformation and the renewing of the mind as the band 404 00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:22,680 comes up, Oh God, God's magnificent. 405 00:27:23,800 --> 00:27:27,960 He's wonderful. Repentance is beautiful. 406 00:27:29,560 --> 00:27:34,040 Maybe repentance has had a bad shade, but the more I read the 407 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:37,440 word, the more beautiful and wonderful and freeing it is. 408 00:27:41,080 --> 00:27:46,080 It's not for your demise. Repentance is for every 409 00:27:46,080 --> 00:27:51,640 Christian. Repentance should be in a daily 410 00:27:51,640 --> 00:27:57,240 lifestyle, quick and ready to repent, to turn away. 411 00:27:58,320 --> 00:28:01,360 And I know even for me, there's things that I don't know right 412 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:05,200 now, and I'll be honest with you that I'm waiting for God to 413 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,960 come, waiting and waiting. I do this every day. 414 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:12,600 God, I shouldn't have thought like that. 415 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:16,200 I'm sorry. But repentance is more than a 416 00:28:16,200 --> 00:28:21,280 good sorry. It's about your faith in action 417 00:28:21,720 --> 00:28:24,920 that leads to repentance, that leads to transformation. 418 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:31,880 The proof on your life that something has taken place in 419 00:28:31,880 --> 00:28:38,720 your mind, in your heart, is that you've actioned towards God 420 00:28:38,720 --> 00:28:42,600 and allowed that transformation to happen. 421 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:49,480 We no longer can sit in limbo and linger and stagnant. 422 00:28:51,280 --> 00:28:54,520 There's areas in our life that God wants in all the time 423 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,160 because He wants to free you, would set you up into a higher 424 00:29:00,160 --> 00:29:08,160 place and edify you, would lift you up a life of repentance. 425 00:29:09,480 --> 00:29:14,000 I've given 3 scriptures here that will help us practice this 426 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:18,640 way of living. One of them is a lifetime verse 427 00:29:18,640 --> 00:29:21,440 for me. Number one. 428 00:29:21,440 --> 00:29:25,880 Romans chapter 2 verses 4 in the new King James Version says 429 00:29:25,880 --> 00:29:28,680 this. This is Paul speaking the 430 00:29:28,680 --> 00:29:32,280 apostle. Or do you despise the riches of 431 00:29:32,280 --> 00:29:40,800 His goodness, forbearance and long-suffering ready, not 432 00:29:40,800 --> 00:29:46,560 knowing that the goodness of God lead you to repentance? 433 00:29:49,800 --> 00:29:53,440 That's different. The goodness of God leads you to 434 00:29:53,440 --> 00:29:57,200 repentance. And another version that says 435 00:29:57,200 --> 00:30:00,800 kindness. So hold up. 436 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:03,960 It's not shame that leads me there. 437 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:08,640 It's not guilt that leads me there. 438 00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:12,880 It's not condemnation that leads me there. 439 00:30:13,600 --> 00:30:17,160 What is it? It's His goodness and His 440 00:30:17,160 --> 00:30:22,560 kindness. So when you're in that moment 441 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:25,920 and you've come to God and you're, you're standing in 442 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:30,800 repentance, celebrate and be overjoyed that his goodness has 443 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,040 LED you there, that his kindness has LED you there. 444 00:30:34,560 --> 00:30:42,480 Oh God, how exciting is that? So instead of being Lord and 445 00:30:42,480 --> 00:30:47,400 focus on your sin all the time, one big key God give me in a 446 00:30:47,400 --> 00:30:52,200 revelation he give me was that I had trouble overcoming some 447 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,280 addictions when I first come to Christ. 448 00:30:56,040 --> 00:30:58,600 You know that scripture fix your eyes on Jesus. 449 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:01,400 It didn't say fix your eyes on your sin. 450 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:07,240 It says fix your eyes on Jesus and instead of focusing on my 451 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:13,040 sin and focusing, I turned and I repented and I turned to God and 452 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,760 I said, oh God, you're magnificent, You're wonderful. 453 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:18,920 You're the one that strengthens me. 454 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:21,000 You're the one that's put your spirit in me. 455 00:31:21,520 --> 00:31:24,320 Father, I know that my sin is great. 456 00:31:24,440 --> 00:31:26,640 Forgive me and help me and teach me. 457 00:31:27,600 --> 00:31:30,640 I need you God and I'll keep focusing on you. 458 00:31:31,320 --> 00:31:35,640 Like Pastor Andrew Stagg says, what has got your attention has 459 00:31:35,640 --> 00:31:38,920 got you. What grabs your attention, grabs 460 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:41,080 you. What's grabbed you today, 461 00:31:41,080 --> 00:31:44,320 Church, What's captivated you today? 462 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:48,200 Is it Christ or your sin? What do we focus on? 463 00:31:48,200 --> 00:31:51,600 I'm not trying to say sweep it under the carpet, come to God 464 00:31:51,640 --> 00:31:56,480 honestly and truthfully, but fix your eyes on the author of life. 465 00:31:56,720 --> 00:32:01,360 Fix your eyes on Christ. Fix your eyes on Jesus, on 466 00:32:01,640 --> 00:32:06,200 Jesus, on Jesus, on Jesus. That's the key there. 467 00:32:07,080 --> 00:32:11,520 Be excited that His goodness and His kindness has LED you to that 468 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:24,320 place #2 in Joel chapter 2 verses 13 in the NIV says this. 469 00:32:26,920 --> 00:32:31,120 Rend your heart and not your garments. 470 00:32:32,720 --> 00:32:38,480 Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and 471 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:41,320 compassionate. There's that word, compassionate 472 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:50,520 again, slow to anger, abounding in love, and He relents from 473 00:32:50,520 --> 00:32:57,120 sending calamity. Rend your heart and not your 474 00:32:57,120 --> 00:33:01,320 garments. He's saying here there's no 475 00:33:01,320 --> 00:33:05,320 substitute for your heart, Rend your heart. 476 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:09,840 Don't rend your time for a substitute for him. 477 00:33:10,800 --> 00:33:13,440 Don't rend your money for a substitute for him. 478 00:33:15,320 --> 00:33:20,200 We're not coming to him and trying to substitute, but he 479 00:33:20,200 --> 00:33:23,640 said just give me your heart, rend your heart to him. 480 00:33:23,920 --> 00:33:29,440 Offer it up to him for him to do a deep work and and partner with 481 00:33:29,440 --> 00:33:36,280 God work with him so many times. I want to God to ZAP me. 482 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:42,200 He ZAP me all right, ZAP me with truth and conviction. 483 00:33:43,560 --> 00:33:46,800 Get up. I want to partner with you TJ in 484 00:33:46,800 --> 00:33:49,680 relationship. It's going to be hard. 485 00:33:49,680 --> 00:33:54,480 They're going to be tough times, but I'm with you. 486 00:33:56,520 --> 00:34:02,200 Rend your heart every day before you look at your phone, before 487 00:34:02,200 --> 00:34:08,280 you start your day here. I am God, for you to use a 488 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,080 living vessel, A chosen instrument. 489 00:34:11,080 --> 00:34:13,000 Start speaking identity over yourself. 490 00:34:13,000 --> 00:34:17,800 Beloved. I'm loved today, brother. 491 00:34:18,199 --> 00:34:20,360 Almighty God, I rend you my heart. 492 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:27,000 God. Thank you, father #3 Revelation 493 00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:31,120 2, verses four and five. I love this Scripture. 494 00:34:31,120 --> 00:34:36,679 This is my lifelong Scripture because I know what it was like 495 00:34:36,679 --> 00:34:41,080 to fall out of the love of God, and I know what it was like to 496 00:34:41,080 --> 00:34:43,880 be restored in His loving arms in repentance. 497 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:49,360 And here's a key here. It says, yet I hold this against 498 00:34:49,360 --> 00:34:50,920 you. He's talking to the Ephesus 499 00:34:50,920 --> 00:34:52,840 church, but it applies to us today. 500 00:34:53,679 --> 00:34:56,280 You have forsaken the love. You had it first. 501 00:34:59,560 --> 00:35:02,680 I've done that. I've forsaken the love I had at 502 00:35:02,680 --> 00:35:07,840 first when I first got saved, man, I remember being so 503 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:12,440 overcome by His love. I knew that there was a God. 504 00:35:13,560 --> 00:35:15,880 I knew Jesus was real in that moment. 505 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:21,800 Just one touch, one revelation, I knew and I was overcome by His 506 00:35:21,800 --> 00:35:24,280 love. I never knew a love like that, 507 00:35:25,640 --> 00:35:29,480 but that was immense, that was intense, that was supernatural. 508 00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:33,520 I've never felt love like that from a human being, ever. 509 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:36,960 But that love of God, and I still can't comprehend it. 510 00:35:36,960 --> 00:35:41,560 I still can't fathom, and I'm good with that, His depth of his 511 00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:46,080 love. But for us, some of us, maybe 512 00:35:46,080 --> 00:35:49,400 the love has gone cold. And here's a real key for you 513 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:52,640 today. Maybe you, you have you just 514 00:35:52,640 --> 00:35:54,880 saying God, I don't know where you are anymore. 515 00:35:54,880 --> 00:36:00,640 I can't feel you anymore. I, I used to remember being in 516 00:36:00,640 --> 00:36:03,400 your presence like that and I would feel you in a certain way, 517 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:07,960 but I can't even remember the last time I spoke to you. 518 00:36:09,320 --> 00:36:13,400 I feel empty. This verse is for you. 519 00:36:14,440 --> 00:36:18,200 Verses 5 is a real key here. It says consider how far you 520 00:36:18,200 --> 00:36:23,040 have fallen. There's a consideration of how 521 00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,960 you how far you have fallen. If that's you today, you look 522 00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:31,880 back from your salvation and you consider how far you have walked 523 00:36:31,880 --> 00:36:36,720 away from the living God. He never walked away from you. 524 00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:39,680 Just like Adam and Eve, when they sinned, where did they go? 525 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:45,680 They went hid. Men and women, brothers and 526 00:36:45,680 --> 00:36:51,040 sisters, children of God have been hiding from God ever since. 527 00:36:51,960 --> 00:36:58,360 They've been hiding from God the shame, the condemnation that the 528 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:02,800 world tells them that the enemy comes in and deceives God, 529 00:37:02,800 --> 00:37:08,360 saying consider how far you have fallen ready, repent, Consider 530 00:37:08,360 --> 00:37:11,760 how far you've fallen. Repent and watch this. 531 00:37:12,400 --> 00:37:16,480 What does it say up there? And do the things you did at 532 00:37:16,480 --> 00:37:20,080 first. Do you remember when you first 533 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:25,360 got saved, what you did? Do you remember how long you 534 00:37:25,360 --> 00:37:30,200 spent in your word? Do you remember how long you 535 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:34,880 prayed to the living God? Do you remember how excited you 536 00:37:34,880 --> 00:37:39,360 were when God encountered you and when you knew the love of 537 00:37:39,360 --> 00:37:43,160 Christ and there was nothing else that could compare? 538 00:37:43,440 --> 00:37:47,480 And man, you just couldn't wait to get home after work and be 539 00:37:47,480 --> 00:37:51,360 and sit with Jesus. And you couldn't wait after 540 00:37:51,640 --> 00:37:56,480 being having such a long day to go to life group and share and 541 00:37:56,480 --> 00:37:59,840 listen to the brothers and sisters and have fellowship. 542 00:37:59,960 --> 00:38:04,160 You couldn't wait to church and and praise, worship Him in 543 00:38:04,160 --> 00:38:07,280 spirit and in truth. Oh man. 544 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:17,000 But life gets in the way and it tries and, and and this 545 00:38:17,640 --> 00:38:28,240 decreases and prayer decreases and our tanks start to empty and 546 00:38:28,240 --> 00:38:31,640 the enemy comes in and he starts to deceive. 547 00:38:33,160 --> 00:38:37,360 He tell you lies. He tell you who you you are when 548 00:38:37,360 --> 00:38:40,920 God is saying something totally different and he's telling you 549 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:45,760 who you are in here. He's saying I'm made in you. 550 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,160 You're made in my image, that you are loved. 551 00:38:49,160 --> 00:38:55,080 It says if you do not repent, I'll come to you and remove your 552 00:38:55,080 --> 00:38:58,560 lamp step from its place. And it can feel like that. 553 00:38:59,320 --> 00:39:03,800 Oh man, I know what it's like to to live in darkness after I've 554 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:06,760 encountered God. I know what it's like to feel 555 00:39:06,760 --> 00:39:11,600 the love of God grow cold in me. Man, it's the worst knowing God, 556 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:17,840 but knowing that you keep walking away from him, walking 557 00:39:17,840 --> 00:39:20,960 away from the only source of goodness, the only source of 558 00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:26,240 love. He doesn't remove himself from 559 00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:28,720 you like you see in the prodigal son. 560 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:33,720 Every time you you repent and say I'm no longer walking this 561 00:39:33,720 --> 00:39:35,160 way. I've had enough. 562 00:39:35,640 --> 00:39:39,200 I've come to my senses. Oh God, I repent. 563 00:39:39,520 --> 00:39:41,600 I repent because I know you're good. 564 00:39:41,600 --> 00:39:44,320 This world ain't going to give me the love that you have. 565 00:39:44,480 --> 00:39:47,400 This world isn't going to speak over me like you do. 566 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:50,080 I'm turning away from that whole way. 567 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:53,920 Oh Jesus, and I'm turning towards you right now and I'm 568 00:39:53,920 --> 00:40:02,040 making a decision right now. Consider, repent, and do the 569 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:06,480 things you've done at first. Like I said this morning, 570 00:40:06,480 --> 00:40:12,360 there's some things that I have too have put down when I when I 571 00:40:12,360 --> 00:40:17,360 first encountered Christ and now it's time for me to pick those 572 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,840 things back up. Church. 573 00:40:20,840 --> 00:40:24,440 It's time that we get excited about being in the presence of 574 00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:27,760 God. It's time that we get excited 575 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:31,360 about coming to church again. Oh, it's time that we get 576 00:40:31,360 --> 00:40:35,360 excited about being with Jesus and telling him and letting him 577 00:40:35,360 --> 00:40:38,800 wash over you. It's time that we invite that 578 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:41,240 family member. It's time that we no longer 579 00:40:41,240 --> 00:40:45,440 stand in line in shopping center and not tell the person next to 580 00:40:45,480 --> 00:40:49,960 us about the hope in which we hold, about the living hope in 581 00:40:49,960 --> 00:40:54,040 which we carry, and about the Holy Spirit in which you have 582 00:40:54,040 --> 00:40:55,800 been filled all. Its time. 583 00:40:55,920 --> 00:41:00,560 You don't do it on your own, it's with Him.