What is a Christian? August 25, 2024: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 Going to invite the worship team up welcome those online want to thank you for joining us good to be in God’s house this morning we’re going to begin this morning with worship and as you know when we come to the vine we worship we with our hands we lift our hands we clap our hands we play instruments uh we have flags for you if you want uh with our posture we stand and when we worship God we bow we dance all those things are invited and welcome here uh when you go to church I I I like feeling the freedom to worship God uh because a lot of the times you I’m up here on Sundays and I don’t get to be out there with you guys but uh I love it when I can walk into a church and I can feel free to worship God amen so you’re welcome to worship God here and you’re you’re encouraged to worship God be a participant this morning join us let’s stand and worship this morning hallelujah.

▶ 1:00 Well praise is how we enter into his gates so let’s stand let’s worship Jesus and he will be invited into this place. Amen we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord we bring the sacrifice the pra into the house of the Lord and we offer up to you the sacrifices of thanksgiving we offer unto you the sacrifice of joy and we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord and we offer unto you the sacrifice.

▶ 2:00 Of thanksgiving and we offer unto you the sacrifices of open wide the gates open wide the gates up anding of glory who is this king of glory he is the Lord of host open. Gat. Open do and king of shall come in who is this king of glory he is the Lord of host open wi g and lif do and we bring the sacrifice of p into the house of the Lord we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord and we offer unto you the sacrifice is of thanksgiving we offer us to you the sacrifice is of joy and we offer unto you the sacrifice is of thanksgiving that we offer unto you the sacrifice.

▶ 3:19 Of I will sing I will dance I will rejoice in the my God I will sing. I will rej in the Lord my God I will sing I will sing I will I will rejoice in the Lord my God I will sing I will dance I will rejoice in the Lord my God for singing is a pleasure to the Lord for he inhabits the praises of his people dan he joy to his so I will sing and I dance to the Lord I will sing I will dance I will rejoice in the Lord my God I will sing I will dance I will rejoice in the Lord my God singing is a pleasure to the Lord he inhabits the praises of his people and dancing is a joy his heart I will sing and I will dance the Lord.

▶ 4:29 Will I will sing I will dance I will dance I will with the Lord my God I will sing I will sing I will dance will I will rejoice in the Lord my God so we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord we bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord and we offer unto you the sacrifice is of thanksgiving we offer unto you the sacrifices of joy and we offer unto you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and we offer unto you the sacrifice is a joy and we offer us to you the sacrifices.

▶ 5:34 Of thanksgiving and we offer unto. You the sacrifice in the house we praise you Lord we. Pr j how. Great worthy worthy king of kings.

▶ 6:26 Hallu not all battles are won with our y and weapons of war but our weapons of war are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds casting down imaginations and every high thing exalting itself against the knowledge of God and we know that when we praise him our enemies flee before us we can have victory the Psalms talk of David so many times how the Lord delivered him and how he gave him his praise his thanks and his worship there’s power in the name of Jesus amen can we say amen amen power. Power there is power in the name of Jesus in his name.

▶ 7:25 We have called on the name. Of. Jesus we are. Sav we are. Sa. His the he. Free at his name captives are. Free for there is no other name that is. Higher than jes there is power in the name of Jesus like.

▶ 8:20 Us in our hands we declare in the name of Jesus. We. Shall we. Shall at his name God’s. Enies shall be. Crushed under our feet for there is no other name that is high. Higher than Jesus for there is no other name that is.

▶ 9:15 Higher. Jesus there is power in the name of Jesus. Oh we. Believe in his name we declare in the name of Jesus we declare in the name of Jesus we shall. Stand yes we will we shall. Stand at his name God me. Shall be. Crushed under. Our for there is no other name that is.

▶ 10:15 Higher than jes there is no other name for there is no other. Name that is high. Higher than j let’s call upon his name let’s call upon the name of Jesus oh Lord our praise is a weapon. Lord it’s a spiritual p jus oh Lord our God show the power of vi glory. Be magied oh. God we put on the full.

▶ 11:10 Armus thank you God show. Your show your power oh Lord our God show your power. Oh Lord our God oh Lord our God. Oh he is the Lord and he reigns on high he is the Lord spoke into the darkness created the light he is the Lord who is like unto him never ending in days he is the Lord and he comes in his power when we call on his name he is the Lord show your power.

▶ 12:15 Oh Lord our God show your power oh Lord our God oh Lord our God. Oh Lord our God the gospel oh Lord is the hope of our nation it’s the power of God for our salvation you are Lord and we ask not for riches but look to the cross. For our inheritance give us the l you are the Lord show your power.

▶ 13:09 Oh Lord our God show your power oh Lord our God oh Lord our God oh Lord our God pr the Lord. He is the Lord he reigns on high he is the Lord spok into the darkness created the light he is the Lord who is like unto him ending the days he is the Lord and he comes in his power we call on his name he is the Lord show your power.

▶ 14:02 Oh Lord our God show your power oh Lord our God oh Lord our God oh Lord our God it’s the gospel the gospel the Lord is the hope of our nation you are the Lord it’s the power of God for for our salvation you are the Lord we ask not for riches but look to the cross you are the Lord and for our inheritance give us the l you are the Lord show your power oh Lord our God show your power.

▶ 15:02 Oh Lord our God oh Lord our God oh Lord our God oh Lord our God oh Lord our God yes Lord. We bless. You worthy is the king of kings. Lord reminded of David Jesus in the Bible.

▶ 16:12 God Lord when all of the whole nation of Israel was afraid to go against Goliath Lord God he humbled. Himself and he said it’s not my power it’s not my strength that overcomes comes the enemy it’s the Lord and when he stood before Goliath he says you know what God’s going to hand you over to me today not because I’m strong not because I am have big muscles but because my God is.

▶ 16:47 Big and Lord Jesus many people in our time in our era right now are dealing with darkness in their life and God just like the rest of Israel was dealing with an enemy and they couldn’t overcome it God Lord people are not able to overcome but Lord Jesus as these songs are saying you have power you have power over darkness you have power over the enemy God it says that you have put all things under our feet God it says that all authority has been given unto you Lord this morning we acknowledge and God we want to possess the power to overcome darkness we want to the power Lord Jesus to share and help others overcome darkness in their life Lord Jesus when David stood before Goliath and killed Goliath the rest of the Israelites all rallied with him and God we pray for that to happen in the church.

▶ 17:58 God that we would rally against the kingdom of darkness that we would rally against the lies that are being preached Lord Jesus we pray that we would not be Christians any longer sitting back and letting the enemy spew out its lies but Lord that we would stand like David did Jesus we pray Lord this morning that we would take on that role take on the power of God within us to overcome in your precious. Name. Hallelujah show show your power oh.

▶ 18:53 Lord show your power. Oh. Lord our God show your power show your power oh. Lord our God show your power oh. Lord our God. Lord our God it’s not by might nor by power but by my spirit say the Lord amen.

▶ 20:02 Not by might nor my power but by my spirit says the Lord it’s not. By nor my power but by my spirit says the Lord I will build a road and make a way like a shining light till the perfect day I will build my church again I say by my spirit in. The God by my oh my power but by my spirit says the Lord not by might nor by power.

▶ 20:59 Say the Lord I will build a road and make a way like a shining till the perfect day I will build my church again I say by my spirit the Lord oh not. By by power by my spirit the Lord not by. My power but by my spirit the Lord I will build the road and make a way like the shining light till the bir day I will build my church again I say by my spirit s the Lord I will build my church again I say by my spirit.

▶ 22:05 Huah. Hallah. Jusus. Hallah thank you God. The church of God is. Moving the church of God is moving the battle has been won the is overcome we are marching on. To so say goodbye to doubt and give a vict shout the church of God is moving on one more time the church of God the church of God is moving on let’s church of God is moving the battle has one the is over we are marching on today so say goodbye to down and give a victory shout the church of God is moving.

▶ 23:38 On. Hallelujah. Amen no weapon formed against us shall prosper amen. Hallelujah let’s bow our heads as we transition into hearing in God’s word I’d like somebody lift up their voice in prayer Stephanie will you please. Pray dear Lord thank you Jesus that we can come before you in praise and that you reciprocate Lord God just pray you’d help us to continue in your spirit and hear your word that it would strengthen us and carry us through this week through this next month Lord God that we could be conquerors Jesus just as you have called us to be Lord God thank you Lord in your precious name.

▶ 24:32 Amen amen you may find your seats we have. Uh lesson sheets today. Casualty you figure this. Out all right there should be some handouts available so we can follow along along the scriptures um I do this for a few reasons give me a second.

▶ 25:37 Here uh so that you can uh stay awake I see a lot of people falling asleep but the word of God is good and it’ll keep you uh active uh secondly you can take this home and if you just look up the scriptures and pray over them for take a few minutes to do it it’s very it it will really help it will be impactful I want to thank our visitors for joining us this morning it’s good to have everybody but uh God’s word is so powerful and if you go on chat gpt chap gpt will give you a summary of some of the stories in the Bible but the words that are actually used when you read Jesus speaking it you got to see what he is saying and his words that he’s using their their their life uh don’t don’t don’t don’t go through a middleman to get God’s word just just pull out the Bible and read it.

▶ 26:40 Amen what is a Christian. Um let’s see forgot to test to see if this would. Work I don’t know if you guys have ever heard this children’s church song. Well have some rendering problems got to work on.

▶ 27:22 That so when we look at the definition of Christian Christ is the first part of that word it means anointed one messiah I a an Christian is a suffix meaning belonging to coming from being involved in and being like something so a Christian in a simple sense is a person that belongs to Christ comes from Christ is involved with Christ and is like Christ in speech and actions so it’s important in your life yet you ask yourselves these questions are you involved with Christ or are you involved with the kingdom of darkness or the world world follows the kingdom of darkness you have to figure that out am I associating myself when somebody talks to me they associate me with the world or they do they associate me with Christ with God as a Christian.

▶ 28:21 Acts 11:26 the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch so the word Christian was first used uh back in Acts 11 they first were called Christians in Antioch. And uh the question is what did the disciples of Antioch do to have the unbelievers call them Christians I have some. Uh emblems up here the navy the army the marine corps air force uh all of them say united states so you know where they’re coming from when you call yourself a Christian you know that you’re uh when you say that you know what side you’re on okay when you say I’m part of the united states navy or the marines we have several we have a marine here this morning I have an air force uh veteran this morning uh when they went in it wasn’t they weren’t trying to figure out whose side they were on they were part of what the united states military amen and it’s the same way with Christ we should be on his side we should be fighting for his kingdom.

▶ 29:41 Amen nobody agrees with that all right no. Problem Acts 11:26 what did they do for a whole year they what assembled. With the church and taught a great many people they taught God’s word they didn’t just teach somebody’s teachings they didn’t teach uh you know philosophy or the ancient greeks or the Romans they taught the Bible the Old Testament and they were actually getting Revelation from the Old Testament and putting it in their letters you know and acts Paul was writing Peter was writing they can’t these books came out of this time.

▶ 30:29 Luke chapter 4:16 Jesus came to Nazareth I’m sorry let me go back here so assembling is a big part of being a Christian all right the picture here that you have this is a picture of a church in china I don’t know anything about this picture but I do know that the church in china in their beginnings they had to meet in secret to assemble and they had a lot of obstacles to overcome and it was hard they would risk meeting at the risk of their life in the communist at the beginning of the day uh communist uh takeover and all that and so they had many obstacles and it was hard for them and we have obstacles right that we have to overcome we have to get up in the morning or in the evening whenever you decide to assemble you have to take time out of your schedule in America you have to work you have to take care of family you’ve got a lot of things to do and you have to include assembling in God’s house in your schedule all right I’m not going to compare and be like oh the china the chinese people had it harder I would say that they.

▶ 31:45 Did uh but we can level up right as Christians remember when you say you’re a Christian these are the things that you identifying with the word church means assembly you can’t just say oh yeah I believe in Jesus and uh the church and all that the word church means assembly so it’s important that we come. Together it’s not just individuals going and doing their thing it is so important and this time that we have this morning is so valuable when we come in this praise time and this worship time we got to understand how valuable that is just that in your individual life is very important it’s important so that you can overcome and you don’t have to wait till Sunday to praise God you can do it during the week and at the end we’re going to have a time where we pray for one another and we want to invite people up to the front and and lay hands on one another and pray and lift up our voices for one another and this this time is a time that you wouldn’t get if you were by yourself at home amen God’s house in the assembly is is so important to him in Luke 4:16 Jesus came to Nazareth Nazareth where he had been brought up so this is um you know this is something that was going on since he was

▶ 33:15 young and as his custom was his custom meaning his routine his schedule what he did on a day on a weekly basis he went into the what synagogue on the what Sabbath day so Sabbath is the weekly day right so when God when jes when it says that Jesus it was his custom that means he was going weakly and Jesus is our example amen and we want to follow. That God’s house was important to. Christ Hebrews chap 10: 24 let us consider one another consider one another when we come into God’s house you got to start changing you walk through that door or even before you come you got to consider one another as soon as you walk in it’s not about you anymore it’s not about me it’s not about I and me.

▶ 34:09 And it’s about my neighbor you know how can I uh love someone how can I transfer lay hands pray for one another okay and we want to do it in unity. In order to stir up love and good works we want to encourage one another to be transformed there are people that have uh a history of being in sin and they need to be encouraged to come out of that to be transformed.

▶ 34:45 Amen and also that we w love one another there’s a lot of fights that go on in churches and that’s not a that God doesn’t want that in his house there’s a lot of uh quarreling and and all that it’s not u that’s something that God hates if you don’t know if you in Proverbs he said that’s one of the things I hate amen 1 Corinthians 12:12 as the body is one and has many members all the members of that one body being many are one body for by one spirit we were all baptized into one body whether Jews or greeks whether slaves or free and have all been made to drink into one spirit for in fact the body is not one member but many we are one I read that scripture and I was like gosh I need to summarize this I just pick out a certain part but the I read this because it’s important for us to understand that we are to be one we are to be in unity okay that is the prayer that Christ prayed before he was crucified and when he was in the garden and and praying.

▶ 35:58 With fervor one of the things he said that my people would become what one. United and we’re not united today the scriptures say that the later the latter church will be greater than the former so in the former church time they were in unity and so we’re looking toward a time to a time when at the end the church is going to come back together again again and you would say how can billions of people come back together that’s what God. Does and also if you’re looking for the second return of Christ to come in any come any minute we have to look for and and see the things that God wants to complete first all right it’s important to pay attention to those things and one of those is to unite his church again I’m just throwing that on the side.

▶ 37:01 God is not a respecter of persons and when we come into God’s house we want to be united we don’t want to mis treat somebody different than somebody else okay because that’s not how God works and that’s not how God behaves right amen God is not a respecter of persons neither should we be. Okay the body the church church is very important Psalms 133 behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell to assemble to dwell when we’re here together uh as we call each other during the week uh to dwell together in unity okay uh in the past we’ve had people in churches all over there’s people that want to bring that want to get a group off to the side and and talk against the pastor and the leader and all that stuff goes go on in churches and it’s just not good it’s not right uh God doesn’t want that it’s not unity at all uh David said is there not a cause and this is the the thought I think of you know is there not a cause is there not a goal God has a goal right and that’s that he wants to build his church and when we come in and divide and split it up and cause all this division that’s not building his church that’s causing harm that’s not love.

▶ 38:33 Amen is there not a cause when David fought Goliath what happened they all rallied together and were united. Against the Philistines and we want to do the same. Thing so our fellowship time our word time our outreach time our prayer time uh we want to operate and be in unity the Devil wants to steal kill and destroy whatever we uh we have united on he wants to break all that up all right that’s the Devil’s bag that’s what he does and it’s important for us to rise above. That um also we want to change our perspective the church is viewed by people as a cons a customer and business.

▶ 39:28 Relationship right and that’s not what the church is that that right here is this a customer business well I went to this house church because it had the the uh that nice uh drywall over there on the side you know cuz the house is almost falling. Down you know in America we’re conditioned to say oh this is five stars this is this is much better oh when you go inside oh it’s be big beautiful look at that but the church is not about that it’s not about being evalu evaluated by customers it’s about being evaluated by who God. Amen you know when we come in and we evaluate the church and give our review and all that and we give our scathing review all this or that uh that’s what happens right but that’s not what the church.

▶ 40:24 Is if you remember in the book of Revelation. G God he starts evaluating the church right and and he doesn’t he’s not saying oh well you you’re you know something didn’t look pretty the flowers were out of place now he’s talking about their character and one of the examples he gave was that they left their first. Love and uh we don’t want to do that as a church our first love and our first first goal should be to love God amen we can’t get away from that to love God is to obey him and the church today in America is leaving that we’re uh Jesus said if you love me you’ll keep my commandments God’s simple commandments we are turning away from those things and we’re preaching what we want and following what we want and that should not be we cannot leave our first love.

▶ 41:24 Amen Acts 11:27. There was a prophet named Agabus and he prophesied of a famine in the days of Claudius Caesar and the disciples each according to their ability determined to send relief to the brethren dwelling in Judea and they also did this and sent to the elders by the hands of Barnabas and Saul there’s a few things I want to point out. Here um as you can see here there’s there’s really one church at this time there’s not baptists assemblies of God all this you know all these factions today we got the catholic church we got this church evangelical protestant uh episcopal there’s so many different churches right at this time there was one church and they considered one another their brothers and their sisters you know when we look at this church over here in china you know to me they’re not you know the church of china they’re the church they’re my brothers and my sisters.

▶ 42:27 And they are uh spreading the gospel and they’re doing God’s work right. Amen we’re they’re no different we’re no better than them. Um and that’s what they had at this time they also helped one another sent relief to the brethren they didn’t just send it to the world oh let me go help the world they made the the the church the priority we’re going to help one another. And they gave the money to who Barnabas and Saul back in those days they had leaders that they could trust with money amen you know that’s hard to find do you have people that you can trust that you can uh that will not steal for.

▶ 43:24 Themselves in these days prophets came from Jerusalem to Antioch and one of them again sorry same talking about the same. Thing Agabus stood up and showed by the spirit that there was going to be a great famine throughout all the world and it happened in the days of caesar as you know here um as we have taught before you don’t have to be afraid of prophets that prophesy stuff and it doesn’t happen that’s one of the requirements if a prophet comes out and he’s like this is going to happen to you that’s going to happen to you and it doesn’t happen you don’t need to be afraid cu that’s not true. Right um but in their time they had people that were the real deal and they were real prophets that they should listen to and follow and in our time today there’s a lot of people that can get on youtube or make a video and say that they’re a prophet they have you got to you can’t just listen to everything right and it also can turn you off to where you don’t believe in.

▶ 44:30 Anything uh so there’s both sides of the extremes you there um the word is still truth. Okay Matthew chapter 7:28 it was when Jesus had ended these sayings that the people were astonished at his teaching for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes it is imperative for us Americans and all of the world to hear the word of God from people who have the authority and the anointing the anointing and the authority doesn’t come from going to college for it it just doesn’t happen you’ve got to get on your knees you got to pray you got to spend time with God you’ve got to get the word into you okay uh and if it happens at college great but that’s not like it’s uh that God produced a person out of college he just went and you went through a program but maybe you you know you didn’t go through God’s program do you understand what I’m saying you’ve got to go through God’s processing you can’t just get an anointing come out go out to a college and get come out with an anointing from God and authority that comes from being on your knees comes from being in his word and following him and going through his processing plan I heard about that processing plan years ago and I was like what is that and I found out what that was acts

▶ 46:02 13:2 they ministered to the Lord and fasted prophets teachers and church members this statement right here says so much and again this goes back to when you walk through that door when you walk through that door a lot of the times we think it’s about us we think it’s about me I me and here it is it says what they what. They what ministered to who ministered to who the Lord when you walk through that door what is your purpose why are you here why do you go to church these Christians in Antioch where they were first called Christians they came and they ministered to the Lord when they walked in it wasn’t about them it was about God nobody had to pumped them up and say come on you can do it come on you can worship come on get those hands up no they came in and they were they were couldn’t wait to give God praise glory and honor they understood their position they understood who they were they understood who God was and that they were going to serve him it’s important for us to have a different.

▶ 47:25 Perspective they fasted did meaning they didn’t eat. Food. And uh they is talking about prophets teachers and church members church members are not excluded the prophets are not excluded you know you can go to a church and the prophets and the teachers are sitting down while the worship is going on and they’re like yeah yeah yeah oh that’s great that’s wonderful oh and the church members you guys need to worship God I’m going to sit here no way man the first thing when you get up on that stage and you’re a prophet or a teacher you are a worshipper you start out as a church member you are the church there’s no. Separation there just a what this guy has something that somebody else doesn’t have but when we’re united we’re one that’s what the body’s talking about right nobody’s better than each other that’s what it that says in the scriptures the eye doesn’t look to the hand and say oh you hand you’re so stupid.

▶ 48:34 Right we’re one we need every part so important we can’t look down on one. Another the teacher is just as important as the church member and the church member is just as important as the prophet God again is not a respecter of persons. Amen whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant if you have prophets and these people that call themselves prophets and all these positions they have and they call themselves apostles and all this if they are not. Serving they’re not great if they want want everybody to serve them that’s not that’s not that’s.

▶ 49:31 Backwards Jesus when he came he it says here he gave his life a ransom for many he served amen do we understand that that God laid it all on the line for us he dedicated his time for those last three years to save to speak to people he made it his priority. To. Serve it’s important for us to also start thinking about how can we serve right you know assembling is one thing but also how can I as a Christian serve God how can I serve his people did we get that list up over there miss woods is it somewhere in here it’s on the other oh that’s right.

▶ 50:32 Okay so remember when we come into God’s house it’s not about being ministered to I mean yes there’s there’s you go through that you know when you’re a believer uh but as you transition to become a what is the word today. Christian a disciple as you make that transition it’s not about you anymore it’s about who the Lord it’s about ministering to the Lord and it’s so important for us to make that transition Deuteronomy 10:8 in the Old Testament the tribe of levi was separated set apart to bear the ark of the covenant of the Lord to stand before the Lord to minister unto him and to bless his name do we are we having trouble blessing his name are we having trouble serving God are we having trouble just standing in his house uh or standing for his word his truth u there’s a lot of work that has been the picture I have here is a picture of does anybody know who this is I know of course it’s Jesus but who else is in here Mary and Martha h if you remember the story Mary was at Jesus’s feet right listening to what Jesus was saying and Martha was was doing all the serving and and she came up to Jesus said what I need Martha’s help and Jesus said you are worried and you are

▶ 52:02 getting frustrated about many things but Mary has chosen the good part okay it’s a part you’ve got to remember we have to balance things out you cannot neglect sitting at Jesus’s feet but you can’t neglect what it says up here the bearing of the ark there’s a work to be done when we came in this morning people prepared stuff and made sure things were ready there’s a work involved right but we can’t neglect the other side which is to come before God’s Jesus Christ at his feet seek him touch him and that’s what Mary was doing and Mary got up the next day and she helped right it’s not like Mary couldn’t lift anything and do a dish it’s just Martha wanted her to ah get over here right.

▶ 52:59 Now and Jesus is like well hold on a second slow. Down we need we need. Both and so Mary later on met Jesus at Lazarus’s tomb and of course she was a little. Different I’ll take that statement back I don’t know but Exodus 25:22 says there I will meet with you and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat don’t you want to meet with Jesus don’t you want to meet with the God that’s that’s what separates him from the rest of the the religions of the world is that you can what you can what meet with him I want to meet with him when I was a teenager at 12 years old was when I found out that I could meet with my God.

▶ 53:55 And and for years after that as a teenager I would go down to the altar I would praise him because why I would meet with him and I wanted the genuine real thing I didn’t want something fake when they came up and would pray for me because they wanted you to slay in the spirit they wanted you to fall. Over I would say okay I’ll fall but you know something’s got to happen here I want it to be real I don’t want to just fall on the floor. Fake no there’s got to you know I I can just fall but is God doing it that was just going on in my mind we want the real thing amen and I’m not you know putting you down or anything putting that down I’m just saying when they came to make me fall my body did not fall all.

▶ 54:50 Right and I just like okay God if you want me to fall fall but I’m standing I’ve got no problem standing I can do this and you’re praying I I receive. It it’s not about the show it’s about ministering to him. Amen do you want to meet with Jesus do you want to know Jesus you know as a young person I found out that I could meet with Christ and that changed everything I had been I had grown up in children’s church for years and you know I was was known as michael michael motorcycle and I was running here I was running there give me the soaking ball we’re going to throw it at each other dodgeball what’s next man uh where’s the bikes at come on mrs gomez I want to do. Something you know and then I get to that teen group and we all want to be cool and you we walk in and and then all of a sudden they do some altar call like yeah yeah huh and Jesus shows.

▶ 55:51 Up and that changes your mind if folks we can we can do all of our all all our I we can do all of our apologetics all day and go through the arguing and say oh this is why I believe but when Jesus shows up and when he is real it makes a difference and that’s what I express to people yeah God me me for real and God will meet you for real and what do you do with that. When God comes to you you going to say he’s not real he was just. Here and I will speak with you that’s the next thing we need you know you want to meet with God and what what is the next thing he does he says okay how you doing I got something I want to say.

▶ 56:50 Right cuz we need to change we need his influence in our lives we need his his his his transformation and that comes from him speaking with you okay and there’s a difference I have quoted so many scriptures up here so far right and they are God’s word but later on or during your prayer time you can actually hear from him and he will make it real to you in your mind and that’s what happens when you come to the altar God can speak with you and you can meet with him and it makes a difference and it’s not happening in a lot of churches and we want to make sure you have that opportunity here and we want to make sure that that I want you to understand the goal here the goal here is so that you can meet with your God and hear his truth.

▶ 57:51 Amen and uh it’s so important again when you walk through that door you we have to change our mindset why am I here am I here to meet with God am I here to hear his voice or am I here to get my message out am I here to just uh please you know my family what whatever it is right but it doesn’t have to be that way I’m letting you know you can meet with your God you can hear what he has to say to you that’s very powerful it’s very important ministering unto God praying unto. God praising and thanksgiving remember it says enter courts with thanksgiving giving in with praise when the church comes together uh Jesus said when when he was cleansing the temple my house shall be called a house of what prayer for all nations right for china for uh iran for America all of us for everyone worship are we worshiping God fasting reading and learning his word tithes and offerings and assembling for these above things these are how this is how we can minister unto to.

▶ 58:58 God so our time together is very valuable and it’s very important for us to see each other differently it’s important for us to see one another as one it’s important for us to see one another as uh this is my brother this is my sister they are important to God they are important to me. Amen and I want to be in unity for the same goal. Of course the word reading hearing uh we must do this uh there is a difference it says the word of God is living living and power powerful you know the scriptures when you read them as I said before they are living in and they’re powerful when Jesus Christ speaks to your mind his word is living and is powerful and he never contradicts when he speaks to you he does not contradict what he’s already written okay if you find a contradiction with what is written you got to check what voice you’re hearing all right it could be your own voice it could be another voice for the word of God is living and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the vision of soul and spirit just so you know right now the doctors and the physicians they don’t

▶ 1:00:29 know where your spirit is they don’t know where your soul is they can’t go and operate on it but what can operate on it is the what the word the word of God the word of God transcends the spiritual realm and will affect you soul and spirit it is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart there is no creature hidden from its sight so it doesn’t matter who you are okay and this is important for me to read because I’m sitting here like oh I don’t know if people are going to you know I don’t know this I got to trust that his word gets through to everyone it’s written for all of us. Amen all things are open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account all things are naked and open you know God.

▶ 1:01:27 Uh we’ve seen it many times in the scriptures when they came to Jesus he already knew their thoughts right he knows what’s going on everything is exposed to him you can’t hide stuff we can’t hide our sin we can’t hide our thoughts he knows what’s going on he’s no he’s not dumb all right you know Adam is in the garden he’s like uh I was hiding because I was naked and uh God’s like yeah okay you’re trying to hide from me I know what you did I know what’s going on you know God’s not a dummy all. Right but we’ve got to get back in rel right relationship with him we need to humble ourselves before him if you’ve fallen you have an advocate with the father you got to remember that if you mess up you have an advocate Jesus Christ the righteous you can come to his stone of grace and he will forgive you and keep changing.

▶ 1:02:24 You Psalms. 19 your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path people need a light. Folks people are living in darkness and they need the light of the word of God and uh it’s important for us to understand that his word is his truth is is that powerful it can bring people out we must it set up here we must give an account um. In Corinthians there’s a scripture that says all will stand before the judgment seat of Christ okay and it’s simple we need to know that God is going to judge us all right we have to give an account for him why did you act that way why did you behave this way why did you say this uh you know and God knows you why did you disobey me we have to give an account for our life.

▶ 1:03:26 And God is going to judge those. Things your word have I hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you when you listen to the way that these scriptures talk uh it’s implying something here it’s implying that you don’t want to sin we shouldn’t want to sin right that’s implying that people don’t don’t think that today oh I get to sin get to do what I want uh it’s implying hey you got to I got to put his word in my heart so that I not sin against. Him at work my job that I do we have problems all the time and uh you know there’s probably at least a 100 problems that get solved in a month right and uh for something that I’m involved in I and and somebody else solves that I say hey how did my big question is how did you solve it right what did you do and they’ll go through their process of what they did to solve it and uh it’s important for us to look back at the church in Antioch why were they called Christians what did they do how can I apply that to my life if I called myself a Christian do I identify am I doing what these people did who were called Christians.

▶ 1:04:58 They really prayed they really praised they worshiped they fasted and they assembled together we want as Christians to line up to that uh. Behavior today in 2023 24% of Americans have reported to attend religious services which has decreased from 31% 10 years ago. Uh 21% of Americans attend church services only once or twice a month or a few times which is decreased from 25% down to 21% in the last 10 years uh the never churchgoers are up from 43% to. 54% this is all from the barna. Group and also younger Americans are less likely to attend church regularly compared to older generations and a lot of us in the church are.

▶ 1:05:59 Uh we’re grieved at this you know we want the next generation the younger ones to respond to God and follow him uh so we you know this grieves us you know God has some responsibility as well but so do we. Amen and uh it’s just important to know what is happening in our country today we’re talking about a quarter of American are going to church and it’s important for us to assemble as I’ve shown this morning pretty clearly. God uh wants us to. Assemble now when we don’t go to church we’re not acting like the Christians of Antioch when we don’t pray and worship and minister to God we’re not acting like the Christians of Antioch and we bring this up because this is where they were first called Christians and why were they called that it’s because they had these behaviors and these.

▶ 1:07:03 Characteristics if we never meet with or hear from Christ we’re not acting like the Christians of Antioch and it’s time for us to answer God’s call James chapter 2:19 you believe there is one God you do well but even the demons believe and tremble this is a very uh clear statement from James here and he’s saying hey you got to do more than just believe it’s one thing to believe in God it’s one thing to that you can. Um have it in your mind and have faith but you’ve got to move on from belief and faith as we’ll point out in the coming verses and it says here even the demons believe and we know this is true because when Jesus came some of the demons would say why are you hear the holy one of God right they would cry out and say what are you doing here you know uh they knew who he was and they believed in.

▶ 1:08:07 Him Acts chapter 21:20 how many Jews there are who believed and they are zealous for the law but later in this story Acts 21:27 through 31 they wanted to kill Paul and it’s the same way with Jesus Christ they the religious Jews they believed in God but they wanted to kill Christ and they did kill Christ. Right so we have to. Move past from just believing and just having faith and today. Um let me throw that out 1 Corinthians 3:1 I have to speak to you as to babes in Christ believers. Uh and in Corinthians they caused divisions they caused quarreling jealousies committed incests and sexual immorality they disrupted services and got drunk during communion all in first Corinthians those scriptures.

▶ 1:09:12 There and that’s not as we talked about why we assemble. Right we’re not coming together so that we can quarrel be jealous of one another and commit sexual immorality we got to turn away from those things we got to tr be. Transform. Amen. Check John.

▶ 1:09:45 8:31. Jesus said to those Jews who believed on him so here we are we believe we have faith how many of you guys have faith in Christ how many believe in Christ yes he Jesus said if you continue in my word then you are my disciples indeed so you just went from a believer to a disciple amen disciple is one who disciplines or a Christian disciple very similar word somebody that belongs to acts like uh comes from Christ you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free so not only know it in your mind but experience the truth when you meet with God that is knowing the truth and it will make you free Hebrews chapter 6 verse one let us go on to maturity implying and saying hey we got to get up from our belief our faith and grow grow and become mature Christians if you continue in my word you are my disciples indeed do not just let uh you know the word go by as we have said before if you remember the disciples the disciples in the Bible when Jesus was walking on the water it says that he would have passed them by

▶ 1:11:16 right on the road to Emmaus when Jesus was walking with the two men Cleopas and the other guy Jesus almost kept walking as they were going but they constrained him they stopped him and they said hey you come with us we got to get that way folks we got to say hey no we want you here God I want you here I want you in my life that see that’s what God is looking for see this week as you as you go live your life and and you know God’s passing by Christ is passing by your life you’ve got to reach out and grab him every day when you wake up he’s passing by are you going to reach out and grab.

▶ 1:12:06 Him 2 Peter 1:5 how to prevent spiritual blindness how can you be a fruitful Christian how can we never stumble as it says by giving all diligence to add to your faith just that statement that phrase add to your faith so here we go move past believing just believing add to your faith and what are we adding virtue morality your morals got to change so the first thing we we address is our our behavior our actions our morality we’ve got to have some excellent morals you got to turn away from the sin okay to virtue knowledge all right we got rid of the sin now we got to start adding knowledge do you have any knowledge of the Bible do you know the stories from the Old Testament do you know the New Testament have you read Matthew mark Luke and John that’s.

▶ 1:13:07 Knowledge you know do you know Matthew mark Luke and John what they are do you know what the books are about that’s getting knowledge this is how we add. Amen that picture of the the church in china they all had their bibles out and they’re reading. Them. Amen add to your knowledge self-control okay I’m going to start changing the way I talk you know the this sets the goal for us right we want to start adding to per perseverance godliness to godliness brotherly kindness and to brotherly kindness love and some people like well I already have love I’m already at the top well you can work at all of these things in parallel. Amen.

▶ 1:14:04 So this morning we want to take some time this. Morning I want to. Take some time to meet with. God to hear what he has to say let him speak to us. I don’t want to serve a God that’s not real I don’t know if that’s what you want but I don’t want. That so finishing out. Here are we believers that are controlled by sin are we quarreling and dividing jealous of one another are we sexually immoral. And simply uh says in Hebrews that marriage is honorable and the marriage bed undefiled if we don’t uh you know if we’re having sex outside of that marriage between a man and a woman that’s se sexual immorality.

▶ 1:15:13 Drunkenness not bearing fruit. Blind are we stumbling or steadfast in righteousness and truth so what do we do well remember what we said that we by our faith in Jesus we can repent from dead works we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous we come to his throne of grace what can we do we can lay hands on one another you can ask that uh the church lay hands on you and pray that we be transformed and some of us need it I need it you know I’m a candidate here this morning. Aren’t we all. Candidates and lastly rise up and continue in God’s word as Jesus said if you continue in my word so what do we do from now to to go on we we continue we get up and continue amen until we become disciple knowing the truth and become set free by it amen so I’m going to start singing this song we’re going to stand.

▶ 1:16:26 And we’re going to be uh making our way down to the front and we want to pray for one another uh we’re not but not right away but right now let’s take a few minutes to let this sink in and we’re going to stand and we’re going to pray. Individually you know a lot of these scriptures that we brought up this morning should trigger some thoughts in your mind like yes God I want to minister to you for example and let’s just lift up our voices. Together for my waking. Breath for my daily. Bread all right I need someone’s help to uh move the words along somebody could grab the little thing there I don’t want you guys not to know the words here.

▶ 1:17:28 Restart for my waking. Bread for my daily. Bread I depend on. You I depend on you for the sun to. Rise for my sleep sleep at. Night I depend on you Lord I depend on. You you’re the way the truth and the life you’re the well that never runs dry I’m the branch and you are the vine draw me close and te teach me to.

▶ 1:18:33 Abide right now let’s sit bow our heads together and we’re going to lift up our voices and the songs expressing the same thing that we learn how to abide that we learn to stay connected with the vine Jesus Christ let’s lift up our voices together committing unto him wanting to be transformed into his likeness God we pray this this morning we lift up our voices individually Jesus Jesus Lord we pray we ask God Lord for that transformation Jesus we pray Lord God for our own individual lives that we would change our perspective Lord God I want Lord Jesus to minister to you better to serve you better Lord God I don’t want to be focused on myself anymore Jesus I want to focus on you Lord and my my daily walk with you Lord Jesus serve serving you and following you God Lord that I would not neglect being connected to the the source of life Jesus the vine Lord God I pray Lord this morning Jesus Lord I commit Lord Jesus Lord God to to come before you to come before the king of kings to come and set aside time Lord God to the assembly Lord to assemble with you God Lord Jesus Lord I commit this morning Jesus as this as the scriptures are reminding us Lord to be a church like the church of Antioch to be a Christian Lord not in name only Lord God but a real Christian

▶ 1:20:03 that follows it God Lord we pray Jesus Lord I want to commit to you God Lord I commit Lord Jesus changing my behavior Lord adding to my faith God Lord not sitting back Jesus I want to become more and more and more like you Jesus Jesus please Lord Jesus pray Lord God in my life Lord that transformation. Jesus Jesus Jesus Lord Lord oh my God my king Lord my everything Jesus oh Lord Jesus where the Spirit. Leads as I’m. Following I depend on you. I depend on you for the victory.

▶ 1:21:03 Still in front of me I depend on you Lord I depend on you you’re the way you’re the way the truth and the life you’re the way h that never runs dry I’m the branch and you are the vine draw me close and teach me to abide be my strength my song in the night be my all my treasure my prize I am yours forever your mine draw me close and teach me to.

▶ 1:22:01 Abide so out of unity right now we want to take some time here and I’m. Really really want to invite you down just to come as an act in the Bible people they came to Jesus they came from their homes and their houses and they would touch him and they would they would do whatever it took to be near. Him and that’s what this act is this morning just a simple move from where you’re at to this carpet. Here and just saying Lord Jesus I surrender I I want to change my perspective whatever whatever prayer is in your heart I’d like to invite you to come down let’s take this time to seek God and we’re going to pray for one another lay hands on one another and we’re going to pray and ask God that God would strengthen us that he would do the many things here that we spoke in this message I invite you to come on down I want to see everyone everyone come on down there’s plenty of room.

▶ 1:23:11 Here as I sing this one more time and then we’ll pray for one another you’re the way you’re the way the truth and the light you’re the well and never runs dry I’m the branch and you are the vine draw me close and teach me to abide be my strength my song in the night be my all my treasure my bride I am yours and forever your mind draw me close and teach me to. Abide right now we have many people we want to lay hands on one another and we’re going to lift up our voices for one another right now that God would do that great powerful work in our lives let’s pray for one another right now Jesus Lord God we pray for your church we pray for your people God Lord we pray for the young people Lord Jesus as they set out and embark on their lives God Lord that they would be stirred Jesus Lord that they would be stirred in their hearts Lord God to follow you Lord Jesus to be planted in the house of the Lord God Lord we pray for Lord the church right now Lord us people here this morning God we pray.

▶ 1:24:44 Please Jesus Jesus Lord we pray God Lord that you would begin to move upon our hearts Lord that you would begin to stir up your beau oh God Lord Jesus that we would understand the importance of the fear of the Lord that we would understand to follow you Lord Jesus that we would change our perspective Lord Jesus and come in to serve you to minister to you Jesus Jesus Jesus Lord God we pray for a new mind and a new heart Jesus we pray for a new behavior Jesus Jesus please this morning God come Lord God come Lord Jesus Lord we invite you this morning God we want to meet with you we’re here God Lord Jesus come Jesus Jesus Jesus. Oh the holy.

▶ 1:25:40 Spirit. Come oh. Holy Spirit. Come Jesus we pray right now God we pray for one another Jesus Lord God that your spirit would come upon us Lord that we would be transformed God Lord Jesus we don’t want to walk out of here the same way we came in Lord God we want to be changed in our mind in our heart Lord we pray Lord let your spirit come Lord let your spirit transform us and change us God we invite you right now Lord Jesus Lord your spirit of wisdom. Spirit of the Lord the spirit of counsel spirit of strength Lord Jesus the spirit of the fear of the Lord God we pray for the spirit Lord to come Lord and empower us move upon us God.

▶ 1:26:46 Please come oh. Jesus come oh oh. Lord come Lord. Jesus come oh God oh. Holy. Spir come. Jesus. Oh come. Oh. Jesus come. Speak Lord speak your word to us. Come oh come and me with us oh Lord speak your word oh God speak your word to.

▶ 1:27:52 Us Jesus Jesus jus oh come Lord. Jesus. Come come Lord. Jesus. Come oh. Holy. Spirit come. When I pass. Through. Death as I. Enter. Rest I depend on you.

▶ 1:28:45 Lord I depend on you for. Eternal life. To be raised in. Christ oh iend on you Lord I depend on. You you’re the way the truth and the life you’re the well that never runs dry I’m the branch and you are the vine. Draw me close and teach me to ab be my strength my song in the night be my all my treasure my prize I am yours forever your mine draw me close and teach me to.

▶ 1:30:03 Right now we want to lift up those have physical problems right now miss winston is fighting cancer in her body and uh our father over here we want to lift up our voices if there’s anybody else that has a need right now just raise your hand and we want to pray as a church for one another that God would help our situation God would heal us if you have a problem in your mind in your heart we want to lift up our voices for one another and uh I can get some people to help lay hands let’s lift up our voices right now Lord God we come before you right now we pray for miss winston Jesus Lord we pray that you come and with your healing hand on her body Lord Jesus that you’d help her fight the cancer Lord God that you’d help her endure the pain of the medicine that she has to take Lord Jesus we pray Lord God for her situation Lord that you would come with your mighty power Lord Jesus Lord and your work in her her body Lord Jesus we pray for mr silo here God we ask Lord that you would help his Lord his feet his legs Jesus Lord God his heart his mind Lord God Jesus to Lord that you would come and impact his his body Lord Jesus Lord you’re the great physici Lord we need you this morning Lord we pray for savannah this morning we lift her up right now we ask Lord Jesus Lord

▶ 1:31:33 that you would bring healing Lord to our mind to our heart Jesus we ask Lord that you would touch her body soul and spirit Jesus Lord we lift up our voices right now for one another God Lord we ask Lord Jesus that you would come Lord Lord for that with that transformation in our in our hearts Lord Jesus Jesus Lord we pray Lord Jesus we need you we need you oh God we need you in our lives Jesus Lord we pray Lord we seek you this morning God we ask Lord Jesus that you do your work in our hearts in our lives Jesus.

▶ 1:32:16 Please you’re the way the truth and the life surgery in September savannah is having surgery in September let’s lift up together in unity for savannah she’s having surgery let’s pray that it goes well and God be with her Lord God we pray for savannah right now Lord Jesus God we ask Lord that you would bless her Lord Jesus Lord we ask Lord God that you’d Lord help this go well that your hands would be with the doctors Lord Jesus that are doing the surgery Lord God we pray for her mind her body her soul Lord and every part of her Jesus her spirit Lord God Lord above the bodily needs that we have Lord we also have spiritual needs we pray Lord in our minds and our spirit God that we would surrender Lord God to you Jesus that all of us in here would surrender to you God that we would change our perspective Lord when we walk into your church God when we go home Jesus and live our lives God and go out and interact with this world Jesus Lord that we would stand Lord like it said the Levites did Lord that we would serve Lord God you no matter what God we pray Lord for santa her savannah’s body right now we lift her up Jesus Lord we pray Lord God Lord heal her be with her Lord.

▶ 1:33:42 Jesus you’re the way the truth and the life you’re the well that never runs. Dry I’m the br and you are the vine draw me close and teach me to by be my strength my song in the night be my o my treasure my prize I am yours forever you’re mine draw me close and teach me to abide. If anybody has a prayer they’d like to lift up inspired by the Holy Spirit or a prayer on your heart maybe or declaration adoration whatever may be that is bursting you know the spirit does things in a service and uh we want to be a spirit-led service but let it be for his glory and surr.

▶ 1:35:16 Our lives. Surr of gl. Sit.

▶ 1:36:25 Is. For etern whole life to be raised with. Christ I surrender to you. Lord I surrender to you Lord you’re the way the truth and the life.

▶ 1:37:24 You’re the well that never runs dry I’m the branch and you are the vine draw me close and teach me to. Abide before we end uh those online thank you for joining us God may God bless you I hope you heard the word have a wonderful day before we end.