Community Christian Fellowship Sunday, 18 Jan. 2004 [This text is being provided in a rough draft format. Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) is provided in order to facilitate communication accessibility and may not be a totally verbatim record of the proceedings.] Intro: Paul Baloche: 2 >> GOOD MORNING. DO WE 3 HAVE ANY -- ANY TEEN MANIA 4 INTERNS HERE FOR THE FIRST 5 TIME? 6 LET'S SEE YOUR HANDS AGAIN. 7 ANY TEEN MANIA INTERNS. 8 HEY, WE WELCOME YOU GUYS. 9 LET'S WELCOME. 10 15 CAN WE FIND OUR SEATS? FIND 16 A SEAT. 17 LET'S BRING OUR 18 CONVERSATIONS TO A CLOSE FOR A 19 SECOND HERE. 20 WE'RE GOING TO BEGIN TURNING 21 OUR HEART AND OUR CONVERSATIONS 22 THIS WAY. 23 OKAY. I WANT TO READ YOU 24 GUYS SOMETHING, KIND OF STIR 25 OUR HEARTS. 20 I WANT TO READ YOU SOMETHING 21 SO THAT WE DON'T JUST FALL INTO 22 RELIGIOUS HABITS OF COMING IN 23 AND SINGING MINDLESSLY. 24 IT SAYS IF YOU WOKE UP THIS 25 MORNING WITH MORE HEALTH THAN 1 ILLNESS, YOU'RE MORE BLESSED 2 THAN THE MILLION THAT WON'T 3 SURVIVE THE WEEK. 4 IF YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED 5 THE DANGER OF BATTLE, THE 6 LONELINESS OF IMPRISONMENT, THE 7 AGONY OF TORTURE OR THE PANGS 8 OF STARVATION, YOU ARE AHEAD OF 9 20 MILLION PEOPLE AROUND THE 10 WORLD. 11 SO IT'S A TIME TO COUNT OR 12 BLESSINGS. YOU KNOW, PSALM 103 13 SAYS PRAISE THE LORD OH, MY 14 SOUL AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS 15 BENEFITS. 16 PART OF THE REASON WE GATHER 17 LIKE THIS IS TO REMEMBER THE 18 BENEFITS AND THE BLESSINGS OF 19 THE LORD IN OUR LIVES. 20 SO LET'S JUST KIND OF STIR 21 UP A HEART OF GRATITUDE IN EACH 22 ONE OF US. 23 IF YOU ATTEND A CHURCH 24 MEETING WITHOUT FEAR OF 25 HARASSMENT, ARREST, TORTURE OR 1 DEATH, YOU'RE MORE BLESSED THAN 2 ALMOST 3 BILLION PEOPLE IN THE 3 WORLD. 4 THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING. 5 I KNOW TODD AND CARRIE ARE 6 HERE. THEY LIVE IN A PART OF 7 THE WORLD WHERE YOU CAN BE 8 ARRESTED AND TORTURED FOR 9 BELIEVING WHAT YOU BELIEVE. 10 IF YOU HAVE FOOD IN YOUR 11 REFRIGERATOR, CLOTHES ON YOUR 12 BACK, A ROOF OVER YOUR HEAD AND 13 A PLACE TO SLEEP, YOU ARE 14 RICHER THAN 75% OF THIS WORLD. 15 HOW MANY OF YOU QUALIFY FOR 16 THAT? 17 LET ME SEE YOUR HAND. 18 TURN TO YOUR NEIGHBOR AND 19 JUST SAY, HEY, YOU'RE RICH. 20 YOU ARE RICH. YOU ARE 21 FILTHY RICH. YOU ARE STINKING 22 FILTHY RICH, YOU KNOW THAT? 23 IF YOU HAVE -- HERE YOU GO. 24 IF YOU HAVE MONEY IN THE 25 BANK -- JUST FORGET THAT PART, 1 ALL OF YOU TEEN MANIACS. YOU 2 YOU KNOW WHAT Y.W.A.M. USED TO 3 STAND FOR? 4 WITHOUT ANY -- MONEY -- BUT 5 STILL, EVEN YOU, CHECK THIS 6 OUT. IF YOU HAVE ANY MONEY IN 7 YOUR WALLET OR SPARE CHANGE IN 8 A DISH SOMEPLACE, YOU ARE AMONG 9 THE TOP 8% OF THE WORLD'S 10 WEALTHY. 11 THAT'S PRETTY AMAZING, HUH? 12 AND YET WE COMPLAIN BECAUSE 13 WE CAN'T GET A NEW IPOD OR 14 SOMETHING. SHAME ON US. 15 IF YOU HOLD UP YOUR HEAD 16 WITH A SMILE ON YOUR FACE 17 AND -- YOU ARE BLESSED BECAUSE 18 THE MAJORITY CAN, BUT MOST DO 19 NOT. 20 HOW MANY OF YOU ARE READY TO 21 BE THANKFUL THIS MORNING? 22 [ APPLAUSE ] 23 3 >> TAKE A MOMENT AND CLOSE 4 YOUR EYES AND COUNT OUR 5 BLESSINGS. 6 GOD, WE GIVE YOU THANKS. 7 THE BREATH OF LIFE. 8 9 >> TAKE FEW MORE MOMENTS 10 THIS MORNING. AS THE BAND 11 PLAYS, JUST PRESS INTO GOD. 12 PRESS INTO GOD. YOU ARE 13 WORTHY, LORD. 14 JUST DO THAT, GUYS. PRESS 15 INTO HIM. 16 17 >> ON THE COUNT OF 3, CAN 18 YOU HEAR ME? 19 ON THE COUNT OF 3, I JUST 20 WANT TO US SHOUT THAT OUT. 21 SAY YOU ARE WORTHY, OKAY? 22 1, 2, 3. 23 YOU ARE WORTHY. 24 LET'S APPLAUSE HIM, ALL 25 RIGHT? 1 [ APPLAUSE ] 2 >> ALL OVER THE WORLD, EVEN 3 NOW, PEOPLE ARE SINGING THEIR 4 PRAISES. I SEE JOSH BACK FROM 5 GERMANY. 6 ANYBODY HERE FROM ANOTHER 7 COUNTRY? 8 WHERE ARE YOU FROM? 9 >> CANADA. 10 >> THEY'RE SINGING HIS 11 PRAISES IN CANADA? 12 WAY IN THE BACK, WHERE ARE 13 YOU FROM, BRO? 14 >> CANADA. 15 >> GOD BLESS THE CANADIANS. 16 >> WISCONSIN. 17 EVEN THE CHEESE HEADS SING 18 HIS PRAISES. 19 THAT'S WHY WE GOT UP THIS 20 MORNING, THAT'S WHY YOU GOT IN 21 YOUR CAR. IT WAS TO MEET HIM. 22 TO MEET WITH YOU, LORD. 23 AND WE ASK YOU DESPERATELY 24 TO REVEAL YOURSELF TO US. 25 LAY ASIDE THE WORRIES OF OUR 1 DAY, THE CARES OF THIS LIFE. 2 MEET WITH US, LORD. 4 >> PRAY THAT OUT. GOD, 5 FILL US. WE'RE AN EMPTY 6 CUP, CONTAINER. WE LIFT IT UP 7 TO YOU, LORD. 8 MY HEART IS AN EMPTY CUP. 9 COME, LORD AND FILL IT UP. 10 LORD, MY LIFE IS AN EMPTY 11 CUP. 12 HERE'S MY HEART, LORD, FILL 13 IT UP. 14 LORD, COME AND FILL THIS 15 PLACE. 16 COME AND FILL THIS PLACE. 17 LORD, COME, LORD COME AND 18 FILL THIS PLACE. 19 COME AND FILL THIS PLACE. 20 >> I'M ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP 21 OF BLESSING OR WHEN I'M IN A 22 VALLEY OF DISCOURAGEMENT, 23 EITHER WAY, REVEAL YOURSELF -- 24 REVEAL YOURSELF TO ME. 25 >> ALL THE FEAR, LORD, ALL 1 THE ANXIETS, I LAY IT DOWN. 2 ALL WORRY, DOUBT, FEAR -- 3 FEAR -- SING THAT OUT. 4 HERE'S MY FEAR, LORD. 5 FUTURE, FEAR OF THE UNKNOWN. 6 FEAR OF STEPPING OUT OF THE 7 FAITH. 8 9 >> LET'S OPEN OUR PALMS. 10 IF YOU FEEL LED, LIFT YOUR 11 HAND WITH YOUR PALM EXTENDED 12 LIKE THAT. SAY, LORD, I'M 13 LETTING GO OF MY GRIP. I'M 14 LETTING GO GO OF MY OVER 15 CONTROL -- TRYING TO CONTROL 16 EVERY ASPECT OF MY LIFE. 17 AS THIS BAND KEEPS PLAYING, 18 JUST OPEN THOSE HANDS. I LET 19 GO AND GIVE IT TO YOU. 20 I RELEASE IT TO YOU. 21 I RELEASE IT TO YOU. MY 22 PRIDE, MY FEAR, MY LIFE, MY 23 SIN, MY SHAME, I LET GO AND 24 GIVE IT TO YOU. 25 CASTING MY CARES UPON YOU, 1 LORD. 2 CASTING MY CARES ON YOU, 3 LORD. 4 I LAY IT DOWN. 5 CASTING MY CARES UPON YOU, 6 KNOWING YOU CARE FOR ME. 7 >> WE PRESENT OUR BODIES AS 8 LIVING SACRIFICE TO YOU, LORD. 9 ROMANS CHAPTER 12:1-2. 10 WE HEAR THE APOSTLE PAUL SAY 11 I BESEECH YOU, BROTHERS BY THE 12 MERCIES OF GOD TO PRESENT YOUR 13 BODIES AS A LIVING SACRIFICE. 14 THIS IS YOUR REASONABLE, 15 ACCEPTABLE SERVICE OF WORSHIP. 16 WE PRESENT OUR BODIES, OUR 17 MINDS, OUR HEARTS, OPEN UP THE 18 DOORS, OPEN UP THE BASEMENT 19 DOOR, ASK TO YOU COME AND HAVE 20 YOUR WAY, LORD. 21 22 >> HALLELUJAH TO YOU OUR 23 KING. 24 HALLELUJAH TO YOU OUR KING. 25 CROWN HIM WITH MANY 1 CROWNS -- CROWN YOU LORD OF 2 ALL. 3 WE CROWN YOU LORD OF ALL. 4 WE BOW DOWN AND WE CROWN YOU 5 THE KING. 6 >> YOU'RE MY KING. 7 LET'S TAKE A MOMENT AND JUST 8 VERBALIZE THAT IN OUR OWN -- 9 WHISPER IT TO HIM OR SHOUT IT 10 OUTSIDE OUT, LORD, YOU'RE MY 11 KING -- YOU'RE NOT JUST MY 12 SAVIOR, BUT YOU'RE MY KING AND 13 I SUBMIT MY LIFE TO YOU AFRESH 14 THIS MORNING. 15 REIGN OVER ME -- LORD, REIGN 16 IN ME. 17 YOU ARE MY KING. 18 I BOW DOWN. I YIELD. I 19 DEFER. 20 I SAY YOU GO FIRST, LORD. 21 I'LL FOLLOW. 22 YOU GO, LORD. I'LL STOP. 23 YOU GO. THEN I'LL FOLLOW. 24 I YIELD TO YOU. 25 NOT MY WAY, BUT YOUR WAY. 1 THE KING IS ON THE THRONE. 2 HE IS AT REST. 3 HE'S NOT ANXIOUS. HE'S 4 CONFIDENT. HE KNOWS THE 5 BEGINNING AND THE END. 6 HE UP HOLDS ALL THINGS BY 7 THE POWER OF HIS WORD. 8 WE BOW BEFORE YOU, KING 9 JESUS. 10 WE BOW TO YOU, LORD. 11 IF THERE'S ANY POCKETS OF 12 RESISTANCE, WE HOLD UP THE 13 WHITE FLAG. WE SIR SURRENDER 14 IT ALL TO YOU. COME AND 15 INHABIT THE LAND OF MY BEING. 16 ENCOURAGE YOU GUYS TO DO 17 THAT. 18 AS AN ACT OF WORSHIP, 19 EXAMINE YOUR HEARTS. IS THERE 20 ANY POCKETS OF RESISTANCE -- 21 YEAH, I'LL GIVE THE LORD ALL OF 22 THIS. BUT I'M JUST GOING TO 23 SAVE THIS LITTLE FOX HOLE, I'M 24 GOING TO CRAWL DOWN IN THIS 25 HOLE LIKE SADDAM HUSSEIN, OR 1 ARE YOU WILLING TO JUST SAY, 2 LAY DOWN YOUR ARMS, LAY DOWN 3 YOUR DEFENSES AND SAY, COME 4 INHABIT THE LAND, OCCUPY MY 5 LIFE, REIGN, TAKE OVER. 6 JUST LET HIM KNOW. SAY, 7 YES, LORD HAVE YOUR WAY. 8 WHEN A KING CONQUERS THE 9 LAND, EVERYTHING BELONGS TO 10 HIM. SO LET'S PREPARE OUR 11 TITHES AND OUR OFFERINGS. AS A 12 WAY OF SAYING, IT'S ALL YOURS 13 ANYWAY, LORD. 14 I WENT TO AN ESTATE SALE 15 THIS WEEK. YOU KNOW WHAT AN 16 ESTATE SALE IS, GUYS? 17 THAT WILL PUT THINGS IN 18 PERSPECTIVE. 19 50 PEOPLE CRAMMED INTO A 20 HOUSE FIGHTING OVER LITTLE TEA 21 CUPS. 22 IT WAS ALMOST PITIFUL, BUT 23 IT WAS SUCH A REALITY, REMINDER 24 TO ME. WE COME INTO THIS WORLD 25 WITH NOTHING, WE'RE LEAVING 1 WITH NOTHING, EXCEPT WHAT 2 HAPPENED BETWEEN US AND THE 3 LORD, OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH 4 HIM. 5 YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? IT 6 COULD HAVE BEEN DEPRESSING. 7 BUT IT WAS -- ALMOST MADE ME 8 SAVE LIKE. 9 THAT'S PRETTY FUNNY, LORD. 10 BOUGHT SOME LAWN FURNITURE. 11 IT'S ALL GOING TO RUST 12 ANYWAY. 13 14 >> COME AND GIVE... 15 >> OH, LORD, THANK YOU, 16 FATHER, THANK YOU THAT WE CAN 17 DO AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE AND 18 WORSHIP HERE, LORD, BY BRINGING 19 THESE MONIES, FATHER. 20 FATHER, I PRAY THAT YOU 21 WOULD TAKE THEM, USE THEM IN 22 YOUR KINGDOM. MAY YOUR NAME BE 23 GLORIFIED IN ALL THE WORLD. 24 AMEN. 1 >> REAL QUICK, BURT HAD 2 ASKED ME TO SHARE A FOLLOW-UP. 3 SOMETIMES WE PUT SOMETHING IN 4 THE BULLETIN AND WE ASK FOR 5 PRAYER JUST TO FOLLOW-UP. 6 LAST WEEKEND RITA AND I KIND 7 OF DID SOMETHING AT 700 CLUB, 8 THEN DID A YOUTH REALLY -- KIND 9 OF REMANDED ME OF AN ATF THING. 10 THERE WAS ABOUT 4500 TEEN-AGERS 11 IN OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND. 12 AND REALLY, THE LORD REALLY 13 MOVED, MOVED REALLY POWERFULLY. 14 AND THEN SUNDAY NIGHT, LAST 15 SUNDAY NIGHT I GOT TO LEAD 16 WORSHIP IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH 17 THAT I GREW UP IN, THAT I WAS 18 AN ALTAR BOY AT. I MEAN, IT 19 WAS REALLY AMAZING. 20 AND IT WAS THE FIRST TIME 21 RITA'S PARENTS AND SISTERS HAVE 22 SEEN HER SING IN PROBABLY TEN 23 YEARS. THEY STILL KIND OF GO 24 WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO AGAIN? 25 IT'S KIND OF LIKE MUSIC, 1 CHRISTIAN MUSIC, RIGHT? 2 SO IT WAS REALLY AWESOME AND 3 JUST SO NEAT. THE 4 PRIEST CAME IN AND I RENTED A 5 STAGE, WE HAD LIGHTS 6 AND IT WAS LIKE -- HE SAID, 7 MAN, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING 8 TO BRING YOUR ACOUSTIC GUITAR. 9 GOTCHA. 10 I SAID REALLY WE'RE NOT 11 GOING TO BRING THE GLASS 12 WINDOWS OR ANYTHING. BUT 13 ANYWAY, SO HE 14 CAME OUT AND OPENED IN PRAYER 15 AND, YOU KNOW [DID THE SIGN OF THE CROSS] 16 AND THEN HANDED IT OVER TO ME. 17 AND I JUST FELT LIKE IT 18 WAS A NEAT BREAKTHROUGH, A 19 NEAT OPEN DOOR THAT I HOPE 20 LEADS TO OTHER THINGS IN THE 21 CATHOLIC CHURCH, BECAUSE I 22 BELIEVE THERE'S SUCH HUNGER 23 THERE, SUCH A DESIRE TO KNOW 24 THE LORD. AND IT WAS GREAT 25 JUST TO HAVE THAT OPPORTUNITY. 1 SO THANK YOU IF YOU PRAYED 2 FOR THAT. WE REALLY SENSED -- 3 RITA SAID LATER, SHE SAID TO 4 ME, MAN, IT JUST FELT SO 5 EASY -- JUST FELT LIKE THERE 6 WAS JUST SUCH GRACE. MORE THAN 7 USUAL. 8 AND ANYWAY, SO -- I JUST ASK 9 YOU FOR PRAYER. THIS 10 WEDNESDAY, I'M GOING TO -- IN 11 CANADA THERE'S A SHOW 100 12 HUNTLY STREET. IT'S KIND OF 13 LIKE THE CANADIAN 700 CLUB SORT 14 OF [ LAUGHTER ] 15 AND ANYWAY, IT'S AN 16 OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE THINGS 17 ABOUT WORSHIP TO LOTS OF PEOPLE 18 AND -- THROUGHOUT CANADA. AND 19 THEN FROM THERE A FLIGHT TO 20 EDMONTON, CANADA -- HOME OF OH, 21 MY GOSH, SHELLEY MOORE. 22 AWESOME. WHY DON'T YOU COME 23 WITH US. 24 >> I WILL. [ LAUGHTER ] 25 >> IT'S ALMOST TO THE 1 YUKON. WHEN YOU LOOK AT A MAP, 2 IT'S ALMOST THE NORTH POLE. 3 ANYWAY, SO IT'S -- IT'S KIND 4 OF TO HOST THE LARGEST WORSHIP 5 CONFERENCE EVER HELD ON -- IN 6 NORTH AMERICA. THEY HAVE OVER 7 8,000 WORSHIP LEADERS AND 8 PEOPLE SIGNED UP ALREADY AND 9 THEN AT NIGHTTIME THERE'S LOTS 10 OF FOLKS THAT COME OUT FOR THE 11 NIGHTS OF WORSHIP. 12 SO IT'S A LOT OF TEACHING. 13 IT'S A LOT OF GIVING OUT. SO 14 WE JUST ASK FOR YOUR PRAYERS 15 THERE. AND THEN -- AND SO, 16 ANYWAY -- WE HAVE CAPABLE FOLKS 17 LEADING WORSHIP HERE. GARY 18 LEACH AND WE HAVE ANN DAVIS AND 19 OTHERS WHO WILL BE LEADING 20 WORSHIP. 21 SO THANKS FOR -- IT DOESN'T 22 MATTER WHO IS LEADING WORSHIP 23 HERE, DOESN'T IT, TO YOU GUYS? 24 IT SHOULDN'T. LET'S ALWAYS 25 LOOK THIS WAY. AND LET'S MAKE 1 SURE THAT, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T 2 WAIT THREE SONGS TO GET 3 INSPIRED BY THE LORD OR GOING I 4 DON'T LIKE THAT SONG. OR, YOU 5 KNOW, I DON'T LIKE THE COLOR OF 6 HER GUITAR OR SOMETHING. IT'S 7 LIKE, LET'S BE MATURE ABOUT IT 8 AND COME INTO THIS PLACE AND 9 SAY, GOD, I'M HERE TO BRING AN 10 OFFERING OF WORSHIP TO YOU. 11 AND THANKFULLY, WE HAVE REALLY 12 CAPABLE, MATURE PEOPLE TO LEAD 13 US -- WE'RE GOING TO DO A NIGHT 14 OF WORSHIP AGAIN AT ROSE 15 HEIGHTS AND DARRELL EVANS IS 16 GOING TO JOIN US. 17 YOU KNOW, HE'S THE GUY THAT 18 WROTE THAT SONG, DANCING WITH 19 MY FATHER GOD IN FIELDS OF 20 GRACE. THAT'S HIS TUNE. AND 21 HE ALSO WROTE TRADING MY 22 SORROWS -- I'M TRADING MY -- 23 ANYWAY, I JUST INVITE YOU TO 24 COME JOIN MANY OTHER CHURCHES 25 IN THE AREA. THAT WILL BE THE 1 FRIDAY THE 30TH. THAT'S ALL 2 FOR NOW. 3 BURT SAID JUST SHARE SOME 4 STUFF. NOW HE'S PROBABLY 5 SAYING, THAT WAS A BAD IDEA. 6 THAT WILL BE IT FOR NOW. 7 THERE'S OTHER STUFF IN 8 FEBRUARY. BUT ANYWAY, THANK 9 YOU FOR YOUR PRAYERS VERY MUCH. 10 REALLY, I FEEL THAT, WHEN WE GO 11 OUT. 12 >> I WASN'T SAYING THAT. 13 I WAS WATCHING MY WIFE UP 14 HERE THIS MORNING DURING 15 WORSHIP. SHE'S CLUCKING AT ME. 16 THERE WERE HALF A DOZEN LITTLE 17 GIRLS UP HERE AND PATTY WAS 18 JUST LEADING THEM IN VARIOUS 19 WORSHIP TO THE LORD AND JUST -- 20 THERE WERE SIX LITTLE GIRLS AND 21 PATTY, WHICH EQUALS SEVEN 22 LITTLE GIRLS IN THE WORLD. 23 WE'RE JUST KIDS IN HIS 24 PRESENCE. SOME OLDER, SOME 25 YOUNGER, BUT WHAT A BLESSING 1 JUST TO GATHER AND BE HIS KIDS. 2 WE'VE GOT SOME STUFF TO GET 3 THROUGH THIS MORNING. 4 YOU MAY REMEMBER, I 5 ANNOUNCED LAST WEEK THAT, GUYS, 6 WE'RE TRYING TO GO FROM THE 7 MIND SET OF BEING A LITTLE 8 COUNTRY CHURCH TO HAVE -- HAVE 9 A LOOK BACK HERE, WE'RE PRETTY 10 MUCH MAXED OUT. AND WE -- WE 11 NEED TO -- WE DESPERATELY NEED 12 TO BRING THIS CHURCH INTO THE 13 '90S. 14 [ LAUGHTER ] 15 >> SO I HAVE PASSED OUT 16 SEVERAL PLACES IN THE 17 CONGREGATION AN EMAIL SIGN UP 18 AND I'M GOING TO ASK YOU TO 19 PASS THIS ALONG, TO PRINT YOUR 20 NAME AND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS. 21 AND THIS IS SO WE CAN SEND YOU 22 THE CCF E. BULLETIN. AND 23 THAT'S JUST BASICALLY WHAT'S 24 GOING ON HERE EVERY WEEK. 25 BUT THERE WILL BE A LINK ON 1 THERE THAT WILL LINK YOU TO A 2 FORM THAT WE WOULD LIKE YOU TO 3 FILL OUT IF YOU'VE CONSIDERED 4 THAT YOUR MEMBERSHIP IS HERE -- 5 EVEN IF YOU'RE HERE FOR A YEAR, 6 THEN COME AND BE A MEMBER FOR A 7 YEAR. BUT IF YOU'VE DONE ONE 8 OF THESE BEFORE, THERE ARE 9 DEMOGRAPHICS ON IT THAT WE HAVE 10 NOT USED IN THE PAST. 11 WE HAD A GRAND TOTAL, AFTER 12 ANNOUNCING THIS LAST WEEK OF 13 EIGHT PEOPLE WHO FILLED OUT 14 THIS FORM. 15 SO PUT YOUR EMAIL ON HERE 16 AND I PLEAD WITH YOU IN THE 17 NAME OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR 18 [ LAUGHTER ] -- TO PROVIDE US 19 WITH THIS INFORMATION. 20 WHERE'S JAMIE? 21 22 >> I FEEL SO SHORT. 23 >> OKAY. THE LORD IS JUST 24 DOING SOME AMAZING THINGS. YOU 25 HEAR THESE TESTIMONIES AND GOD 1 IS JUST OPENING UP ALL KINDS OF 2 DOORS. 3 SO I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT 4 ONE MORE DOOR HE'S GOING TO 5 OPEN UP HERE AT OUR CHURCH. 6 AND THAT IS A DRAMA TEAM. I'M 7 GETTING READY TO START A DRAMA 8 TEAM. THIS IS ALL DEFINITE LED 9 BY THE LORD. I KNOW NOTHING 10 ABOUT DRAMA. 11 I'VE ALREADY TALKED TO A FEW 12 PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HELP 13 OUT. SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED 14 IN HELPING OUT WITH THE DRAMA 15 TEAM, PLEASE COME BACK TO THE 16 BACK TO SEE ME. IF YOU ARE 17 INTERESTED IN BEING IN THE 18 DRAMA TEAM, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE 19 FROM SECOND GRADE ON UP. 20 PLEASE GO BACK TO THE BACK AND 21 SIGN UP AND BRING YOUR PARENTS 22 OR PARENTS GO BACK THERE, 23 BECAUSE I WANT WHAT DAYS AND 24 TIMES WOULD BE BEST FOR YOU, 25 SINCE YOU'RE THE THAT'S 1 PROBABLY GOING TO BE TAKING 2 THEM BACK AND FORTH. 3 I SAID THAT ALL IN ONE 4 BREATH. 5 I HAVE A TABLE RIGHT BACK BY 6 THE BOOKSTORE FOR YOU TO SIGN 7 UP. 8 OKAY. I TOLD EVERYBODY WHO 9 WOULD LIKE TO BE, ANYBODY WHO 10 WANTS TO HELP. 11 EVERYBODY ELSE, MAYBE YOU 12 DON'T WANT TO BE IN DRAMA. 13 MAYBE YOU DON'T WANT TO COME 14 HELP. WHAT YOU CAN DO IS GO 15 THROUGH YOUR CLOSETS, GO 16 THROUGH, YOU KNOW, WHATEVER 17 STUFF THAT YOU HAVE PILED UP 18 THAT YOU THINK MIGHT BE GOOD 19 PROPS, ANY KIND OF, YOU KNOW, 20 OLD CLOTHES THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE 21 THAT WOULD BE KIND OF FUNNY, 22 ANYTHING -- OLD HALLOWEEN 23 COSTUMES 0, ANYTHING LIKE THAT 24 THAT YOU REALLY DON'T NEED, WE 25 WOULD DESPERATELY LOVE TO HAVE 1 THEM. 2 AND YOU CAN JUST -- USUALLY 3 I SIT RIGHT OVER HERE. SO YOU 4 CAN JUST BRING IT TO ME SUNDAY 5 MORNING. I'M ALSO IN THE 6 DIRECTORY, JAMIE HORTON. YOU 7 CAN GIVE ME AL CALL. I'D GIVE 8 YOU MY EMAIL ADDRESS, BUT 9 NOBODY IS GOING TO WRITE IT 10 DOWN. SO DON'T WORRY ABOUT T. 11 YOU CAN ALSO PROBABLY CONTACT 12 CHRIS TO GET AHOLD OF ME. 13 SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO BE A 14 PART OF THE DRAMA TEAM, PLEASE 15 GO BACK THERE AND SIGN UP. 16 THANK YOU. 17 [ APPLAUSE ] 18 19 >> WHEN PAUL WAS WHERE 20 READING THE LIST THIS MORNING 21 OF -- I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THE 22 FACT THAT WE HAD A LITTLE JAR 23 OF CHANGE THAT WOULD PUT US IN 24 THE TOP 8% OF THE WEALTHY ON 25 EARTH. THAT'S A DRAMATIC FACT. 1 BUT WE HAVE ANOTHER 2 PRIVILEGE THAT MOST IN THE 3 WORLD DON'T HAVE, AND THAT'S 4 THE PRIVILEGE TO VOTE. WE 5 ACTUALLY GET TO PICK OUR 6 LEADERS. 7 DAN, COME UP HERE FOR A 8 MINUTE. 9 10 >> HI, I'M DAN WILSON. WE 11 HAVE A SPECIAL SENATE ELECTION 12 GOING ON RIGHT NOW FOR THOSE 13 THAT LIVE IN VAN ZANDT COUNTY, 14 YOU'RE NOT ACTUALLY IN THIS 15 SENATE DISTRICT. 16 BUT BILL RATLIFF VACATED HIS 17 TEXAS STATE SENATE SEAT SO THIS 18 ELECTION IS A SPECIAL ELECTION 19 FOR THAT. 20 EVERYBODY HERE WHO IS 21 REGISTERED TO VOTE IN WOOD 22 COUNTY OR SMITH COUNTY, I WANT 23 YOU TO STAND UP. 25 NOW, EVERYBODY WHO IS 1 STANDING WHO HAS ALREADY VOTED 2 IN THIS PRIMARY ELECTION, I 3 WANT YOU TO SIT DOWN. 4 OKAY. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF 5 PEOPLE WHO CAN STILL VOTE. 6 THE REST OF YOU CAN SIT 7 DOWN. 8 I WON'T POINT YOU OUT ANY 9 MORE. 10 THERE'S SOME -- THIS IS A 11 VERY CRITICAL RACE THAT WE NEED 12 TO VOTE FOR. 13 THERE ARE TWO PEOPLE RUNNING 14 FOR THIS RACE WHO I THINK ARE 15 JUST VERY BAD NEWS. I CAN'T 16 COME UP HERE AND ENDORSE 17 SOMEONE INSIDE OF THE CHURCH. 18 IT WOULD VIOLATE ALL KINDS OF, 19 YOU KNOW, LAWS WITH THAT. BUT 20 BOTTOM LINE, IF YOU WANT TO 21 COME ASK ME, I'D BE HAPPY TO 22 TELL YOU WHO I WOULD VOTE FOR. 23 THERE ARE TWO VERY STRONG 24 PRO-LIFE PEOPLE WHO SHARE THE 25 VALUES OF PROBABLY MOST OF THIS 1 CHURCH THAT ARE IN THIS 2 ELECTION, ONE OF WHOM HAS THE 3 BEST CHANCE OF BEATING THE TWO 4 PEOPLE WHO PROBABLY HAVE THE 5 OPPOSITE VIEWS THAT MOST OF THE 6 PEOPLE IN THIS CHURCH HAVE. 7 THE TEXAS SENATE, THERE ARE 8 31 SENATORS, SO IT'S A VERY 9 POWERFUL POSITION. THESE 10 POSITION DECIDE IF PLANNED 11 PARENTHOOD IS GOING TO BE 12 FUNDED OR DEFUNDED WITH STATE 13 DOLLARS. THIS POSITION DECIDES 14 IF THE STATE OF TEXAS WILL 15 CONTINUE TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE 16 OF AN UNBORN CHILD. IT WILL 17 DETERMINE IF PARENTAL 18 NOTIFICATION ON ABORTIONS WILL 19 CONTINUE TO BE REQUIRED OR IF 20 IT WILL BE ELIMINATED. 21 THE SENATE WILL BE A PART OF 22 DETERMINING IF THE STATE OF 23 TEXAS IS GOING TO RECOGNIZE 24 SAME SEX MARRIAGES OR NOT. 25 THIS TEXAS SENATE IS GOING 1 TO INFLUENCE WHETHER WE AS 2 PARENTS AND THE LOCAL COMMUNITY 3 WILL CONTROL THE EDUCATION OF 4 OUR CHURCH OR IF BUREAUCRATS OR 5 PEOPLE THAT DO NOT SHARE OUR 6 VALUES WILL CONTROL OUR 7 CHILDREN'S EDUCATION. 8 TUESDAY IS YOUR LAST CHANCE 9 TO VOTE FOR THIS ELECTION. 10 BECAUSE IT'S A SPECIAL 11 ELECTION -- AND I BELIEVE THERE 12 ARE FIVE OR SIX -- IS IT SIX 13 CANDIDATES -- OKAY. THERE'S 14 SIX CANDIDATES ON THE BALLOT. 15 IF ONE OF THE CANDIDATES GETS 16 OVER 50% OF THE VOTE, DEMOCRAT, 17 REPUBLICANS ARE ALL ON THE SAME 18 TICKET -- IF SOMEBODY GETS OVER 19 50% OF THE VOTE, MY 20 UNDERSTANDING IS THEY HAVE WON 21 THE ELECTION. CHANCES ARE, WE 22 DON'T THINK ONE PERSON -- 23 BECAUSE THERE'S SO MANY PEOPLE 24 RUNNING THAT REPRESENT SUCH A 25 LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA WITHIN 1 EAST TEXAS, CHANCES ARE THAT 2 THE PEOPLE WHO GET THE TWO 3 HIGHEST PERCENTAGES OF THE 4 VOTE, THERE WILL THEN BE A 5 RUN-OFF ELECTION. 6 IF YOU DO NOT VOTE -- IF YOU 7 HAVE NOT VOTED OR YOU DO NOT 8 VOTE THIS TUESDAY, YOU WILL NOT 9 BE ALLOWED TO VOTE IN THE 10 RUN-OFF ELECTION. SO IT'S A 11 VERY, VERY CRITICAL VOTE. 12 I WILL TELL YOU THAT SOME 13 PEOPLE I'VE TALKED TO HAVE TOLD 14 ME THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT SHARE 15 OUR VALUES HAVE TURNED OUT TO 16 THE POLES PRETTY HEAVILY. SO 17 IF WE DON'T GET OUT, WE'RE 18 GOING TO HAVE TO LIVE WITH WHAT 19 WE LIVE AS A TEXAS STATE SEN 20 TAR FOR PROBABLY QUITE A FEW 21 YEARS. 22 SO TUESDAY, IF YOU LIVE IN 23 THIS NORTHERN SMITH COUNTY 24 AREA, YOU ARE PROBABLY GOING TO 25 VOTE AT THE LINDALE MASONIC 1 LODGE ON TUESDAY FROM 7 A.M. TO 2 7 P.M. 3 IF YOU'RE IN MINEOLA -- I 4 HAVE A LIST OF WHERE YOU CAN 5 VOTE FOR THE DIFFERENT 6 PRECINCTS. IF YOU WANT TO FLAG 7 ME DOWN, I'LL BE OVER HERE. 8 TWO MORE THINGS, NEXT SUNDAY 9 IS OUR FELLOWSHIP LUNCHEON THAT 10 WILL BE UP AT THE MERCY SHIPS 11 CAFETERIA. TODAY IS THE LAST 12 DAY YOU CAN SIGN UP AND THE 13 TICKETS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT 14 THE BOOKSTORE. 15 I THINK MOST OF US ARE AWARE 16 THAT JANUARY 22ND WILL BE THE 17 30TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE SUPREME 18 COURT ROE V. WADE DECISION. 19 I UNDERSTAND BETWEEN NOW AND 20 THEN, IN AMERICA ONLY, THERE 21 HAVE BEEN ABOUT 46 MILLION 22 ABORTIONS. 23 IN LIGHT OF THAT, THERE ARE 24 TOO MANY THINGS THAT I REALLY 25 WOULD -- WOULD SAY, COME, THIS 1 IS A GOOD THING. BUT TONIGHT 2 AT ROSE HEIGHTS AT 6:30 IS THE 3 SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE SUNDAY. 4 WE'VE DONE THIS A NUMBER OF 5 YEARS. I GOT TO SIT THROUGH 6 THE ENTIRE DRESS REHEARSAL 7 PRODUCTION ON FRIDAY, AND IT'S 8 A WONDERFUL COMBINATION OF MANY 9 FROM THE SCHOOL OF PERFORMING 10 ARTS AT TWIN OAKS, LIVING 11 ALTERNATIVES -- MY KIDS ARE IN 12 IT. IT'S A POWERFUL 13 PRESENTATION, MUCH MORE THAN 14 JUST A CONDEMNATION OF 15 ABORTION. IT'S A CELEBRATION 16 OF THE VALUE OF EVERY HUMAN 17 LIFE. 18 AND IF YOU'VE NOT BEEN TO 19 ONE OF THESE BEFORE, IT'S WELL 20 WORTH THE EFFORT TO GO AND SEE. 21 THAT'S AT ROSE HEIGHTS AT 6:30 22 THIS EVENING. 23 OKAY. 24 >> DID EVERYBODY GET A 25 BULLETIN THIS MORNING? 1 IF YOU DIDN'T GET ONE, GET ONE ON THE 2 WAY OUT. 3 DON'T THROW THESE AWAY, 4 PLEASE. 5 IF YOU HAVE THEM, LOOK AT 6 THEM RIGHT NOW. IT'S CALLED 7 LIFE IS SACRED. 8 IF YOU'LL LOOK -- IF YOU'LL 9 OPEN IT UP, YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE 10 BOOK MARK HERE ON THE END 11 THAT'S PERFORATED. YOU CAN 12 TEAR IT OFF. IT'S PRAYERS FOR 13 THE SANCTITY OF LIFE. 14 IT HAS A GUIDELINE FOR 15 MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY, 16 THURSDAY, FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND 17 SUNDAY. 18 IF YOU HAVE THAT, WOULD YOU 19 TEAR IT OFF RIGHT NOW -- LET'S 20 HEAR SOME RIPPING -- AND STICK 21 IT IN YOUR BIBLE OR IN YOUR 22 POCKET AND LET'S AGREE TOGETHER 23 THAT NEXT WEEK, WE WILL TAKE A 24 MOMENT EACH DAY AND PRAY, OKAY? 25 PRAYER IS THE KEY. AND 1 WE WANT TO PRAY. 2 AND SO I ENCOURAGE YOU EACH 3 DAY TO TAKE A MOMENT AND LET'S 4 PRAY FOR OUR NATION, PRAY THAT 5 WE'LL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS. 6 LIFE IS NOT A POLITICAL 7 ISSUE. IT'S A MORAL ISSUE. 8 HOW IN THE WORLD COULD YOU NOT 9 CHOOSE LIFE? 10 IN FACT, I'D LOVE TO USE 11 THIS AS AN ILLUSTRATION 12 SOMETIMES. JUST TO LOAD MY 32 13 PISTOL, PUT IT TO YOUR HEAD AND 14 SAY WHAT DO YOU CHOOSE? 15 I CHOOSE LIFE. BECAUSE LIFE 16 IS VALUABLE. IT'S PRECIOUS. 17 REACH AROUND YOU, WOULD YOU 18 AND SHAKE SOMEONE'S HAND AND 19 WELCOME THEM THIS MORNING. 20 WOULD YOU? 21 22 >> WE WANT TO SAY TO ALL OF 23 YOU, WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE 24 TODAY. WE HOPE YOU HAVE FELT 25 WELCOMED. *** SERMON : "CLARIFYING OUR MISSION" by Pastor David Hickey *** 1 TAKE YOUR BIBLES, WOULD YOU, 2 TURN TO II CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 3 11. 4 II CORINTHIANS 11:1. 5 I WANT YOU TO LISTEN WITH 6 EVERY EAR YOU GOT, BECAUSE GOD 7 WANTS TO SPEAK TO YOUR HEART 8 AND MIND AND HE'S CAPABLE. 9 IF YOU CAME JUST EXPECTING 10 ANOTHER CHURCH SERVICE, HUH-UH, 11 NOT TODAY, NOT FOR YOUR HEART. 12 GOD WANTS TO TALK TO YOU. 13 SO LISTEN. 14 II CORINTHIANS 11:1. 15 I WISH THAT YOU WOULD BEAR 16 WITH ME IN A LITTLE 17 FOOLISHNESS, BUT INDEED YOU ARE 18 BEAR BEING ME. 19 FOR I AM JEALOUS FOR YOU 20 WITH A GODLY JEALOUSY; FOR I 21 BETROTHED YOU TO ONE HUSBAND 22 THAT TO CHRIST I MIGHT PRESENT 23 YOU AS A PURE VIRGIN. 24 BUT I AM AFRAID THAT AS THE 25 SERPENT DECEIVED EVE BY HIS 1 CRAFTINESS, THAT YOUR MINDS 2 SHOULD BE LED ASTRAY FROM THE 3 SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF 4 DEVOTION TO CHRIST. 5 LOOK AT IT BEGIN, VERSE 3. 6 YOU KNOW, I'M AFRAID. PAUL 7 RARELY ADMITTED THAT. YOU 8 KNOW, HE FEARED VERY LITTLE. 9 BUT HE'S ADMITTING TO HIS 10 FRIENDS AT CORINTH, I'M AFRAID, 11 I'VE GOT SOME FEAR HERE. I'M 12 AFRAID THAT THE SERPENT HAS 13 COME ALONG AND LED YOUR MINDS 14 ASTRAY FROM WHAT YOU SHOULD BE 15 EXPERIENCING AND WHAT YOU 16 SHOULD BE EXPERIENCING IS JUST 17 A REAL SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF 18 DEVOTION TO CHRIST. 19 NOW, THIS MORNING, I WANT TO 20 ENCOURAGE YOU TO HEAR WHAT GOD 21 WANTS TO SAY TO YOUR HEART. 22 CHRISTIANITY IS NOT A 23 COMPLICATED THING, BUT IT IS 24 FOR SOME OF YOU THIS MORNING, 25 BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN LED ASTRAY. 1 YOUR MINDS HAVE BEEN LED ASTRAY 2 DOWN A ROAD THAT YOU NEVER 3 SHOULD HAVE TRAVELED AND 4 BECAUSE YOU'VE BEEN LED DOWN 5 THAT ROAD, IT'S A VERY 6 COMPLICATED THINGS TO YOU, 7 CONFUSING THING. 8 CHRISTIANITY IS NOT 9 COMPLICATED OR CONFUSING. YOU 10 WANT TO HEAR OUR DEFINITION OF 11 CHRISTIANITY? IT'S REAL 12 SIMPLE. LETTING GOD LOVE YOU. 13 AND THEN LOVING HIM BACK. 14 IF YOUR CHRISTIANITY IS ANY 15 MORE COMPLICATED THAN THAT, 16 THEN YOU'VE BEEN LED ASTRAY, 17 YOU NEED TO COME ON BACK DOWN. 18 COME ON BACK UP THE ROAD AND 19 LET'S GO BACK TO WHERE HE 20 REALLY INTENDED FOR TO US LAND 21 AND THAT LIVE, AND THAT IS 22 PURITY AND SIMPLICITY AND 23 DEVOTION TO CHRIST. 24 THE ENEMY HAS SPENT EVERY 25 CENTURY TRYING TO MAKE THIS 1 THING COMPLICATED, YOU DON'T 2 CARE. 3 THAT'S WHERE WE GOT TO THE 4 DESIGN OF CLERGY THAT, YOU'VE 5 GOT TO HAVE A BIBLE DEGREE TO 6 UNDERSTAND WHAT GOD IS SAYING. 7 NO, YOU DON'T. NO, YOU DON'T. 8 YOU KNOW, GOD WROTE A BOOK 9 THAT IS UNDERSTANDABLE. IT'S 10 AMAZING TO ME HOW WE APPROACH 11 THE BOOK. YOU KNOW, TAKE A 12 SIMPLE SCRIPTURE LIKE HUSBANDS 13 LOVE YOUR LIVES AND WE WANT TO 14 LOOK AT THAT AND TRY TO 15 UNDERSTAND THE DEEPER MEANINGS 16 OF THAT SCRIPTURE. 17 HOW ABOUT HUSBANDS, LOVE 18 YOUR WIVES. 19 THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT HE 20 MEANT. 21 THAT'S NOT COMPLICATED. 22 IS IT? 23 IT'S NOT EASY, BUT NOT 24 COMPLICATED TO UNDERSTAND. 25 GOD WANTS US TO TAKE HIS 1 WORD AND BELIEVE IT. 2 AS I WAS READING THROUGH AN 3 OLD BOOK, IT'S NOT IN PRINT ANY 4 MORE, SO YOU CAN'T EVEN GET T. 5 IT'S A NEED TITLE. IT'S CALLED 6 THE PERFECT CHURCH. PROBABLY 7 DIDN'T KNOW THERE WAS ONE, DID 8 YOU? 9 BY DONALD ROBERTS. BUT HE 10 SAYS THIS. HE SAYS BATTERED BY 11 THE WORLD AND BEWILDERED BY 12 TRENDS IN THE CHURCH, THE SHEEP 13 LONG FOR A DEEPER AND MORE 14 PERSONAL FELLOWSHIP WHICH MERE 15 BIGNESS AND BUSYNESS CANNOT 16 PROVIDE. 17 PROGRAMMED ALMOST TO 18 DISTRACTION -- I LIKE THE WAY 19 HE WORDS THINGS -- PROGRAMMED 20 ALMOST TO DISTRACTION, THE 21 SHEEP ARE LOOKING ANEW FOR 22 PASTORS WHO WILL FEED THEM AND 23 TEND THEM IN THEIR HOURS OF 24 WEAKNESS AND NEED. 25 WHATEVER THE SIZE OF A 1 CHURCH OR THE DIVERSITY OF ITS 2 MINISTRY, IT STILL REMAINS A 3 FLOCK IN THE SIGHT OF THE GOOD 4 SHEPHERD. 5 THE DEVIL WANTS TO SCATTER 6 THE SHEEP, TO SINGLE THEM OUT 7 IN ISOLATION, LEAD THEM ASTRAY. 8 BUT ITS VERY NATURE, THE 9 FLOCK OF GOD IS FRAGILE, BUT 10 THE SHEPHERD IS FAITHFUL AND HE 11 EXPECTS HIS SHEPHERDS TO BE 12 FAITHFUL ALSO. 13 YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE THINGS 14 WE HAVE TO CONSTANTLY ASK 15 OURSELVES AS CHURCH LEADERS IS 16 ARE WE HERE TRYING TO BUILD A 17 MINISTRY OR HERE TO BUILD 18 PEOPLE? 19 THAT'S A QUESTION WE MUST 20 CONSTANTLY ASK OURSELVES. 21 BECAUSE TOO MANY TIMES WE USE 22 PEOPLE TO BUILD A MINISTRY. 23 YOU ARE THE MINISTRY. YOU ARE 24 THE MINISTRY. 25 YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN ALL 1 KINDS OF COMPARISON. HOW DO 2 YOU VIEW THE CHURCH? WELL, 3 BECAUSE I'M A STRANGE AND WEIRD 4 PERSON ANYWAY, I VIEW THE 5 CHURCH A LOT DIFFERENTLY THAN 6 MOST PEOPLE. I SEE IT AS A 7 FITNESS CENTER. HAVE YOU EVER 8 HEARD IT VIEWED LIKE THAT 9 BEFORE? SINCE I DON'T ACTUALLY 10 GO TO FITNESS CENTERS, I TRY TO 11 IMAGINE WHAT THEY'RE LIKE 12 [ LAUGHTER ] 13 CAUGHT YOU. KNEW YOU WERE 14 THINKING THAT. 15 I MIGHT GO TO ONE SOME DAY 16 IF I EVER NEED IT. 17 [ LAUGHTER ] 18 I SAW MY DOCTOR LAST WEEK, 19 HE SAID ARE YOU TRYING TO LOSE 20 WEIGHT? AND I SAID NO. HE 21 CHANGED THE SUBJECT AND WENT 22 ONTO SOMETHING ELSE. GOT THAT 23 COVERED. 24 LEARN HOW TO BE MEAN WHEN 25 YOU NEED TO BE. 1 BUT IN A FITNESS CENTER, YOU 2 COME TO TONE UP THOSE 3 MUSCLES -- IN FACT, IN A 4 FITNESS CENTER, THE FIRST THING 5 YOU DO IS DISCOVER MUSCLES. 6 IT'S LIKE OH, MY GOODNESS WHAT 7 IS THAT? AND I DIDN'T KNOW 8 THAT WAS THERE. HOW IS THAT 9 SUPPOSED TO WORK? IT'S NOT 10 WORKING RIGHT NOW. 11 AND SO THERE IS THE 12 DISCOVERY PROCESS IN A FITNESS 13 CENTER, YOU DISCOVER YOUR 14 MUSCLES AND THEN YOU BEGIN TO 15 DEVELOP YOUR MUSCLES AND TONE 16 THEM. 17 AND I SEE GOD'S CHURCH AS 18 PLACE THAT WE GO AND DEVELOP 19 AND GET OURSELVES FIT AND GO 20 BACK INTO THE WORLD AND BE 21 READY AND STRONG TO FACE THE 22 ENEMY. 23 YOU SEE THAT? THIS IS A 24 FITNESS CENTER, GUYS. IT GETS 25 A LITTLE ROUGH IN HERE, SWEATY 1 IN HERE, NASTY SOMETIMES 2 BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO GET 3 READY TO GO BACK OUT INTO THE 4 WORLD AND FIGHT THE DEVIL. 5 AND SO PAUL IS WARNING HIS 6 FRIENDS HERE AND WARNING US 7 TODAY THAT THERE IS THIS 8 DYNAMIC HE DOESN'T WANT TO 9 HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE, HE DIDN'T 10 WANT IT HAPPENING IN THEIR LIFE 11 AND HE SAYS IT IN VERSE 2, HE 12 SAYS, I'VE BEEN JEALOUS FOR YOU 13 WITH A REAL GODLY JEALOUSY, 14 BECAUSE I LOVE YOU GUYS. AND 15 HE SAYS, I HAVE PROMISED YOU TO 16 ONE HUSBAND AND THAT HUSBAND IS 17 CHRIST, AND I PROMISED THAT YOU 18 WOULD BE A PURE VIRGIN, A PURE 19 BRIDE FOR HIM AND THAT YOU 20 MIGHT BE PRESENTED TO HIM THAT 21 WAY ONE DAY. 22 AND SO VERSE 3, THIS IS 23 WHERE THIS FEAR IS COMING FROM. 24 THIS FEAR IS THAT THE ENEMY IS 25 GOING TOE GET IN THERE, JUST 1 LIKE HE DID WITH EVE, WITH HIS 2 CRAFTINESS AND TAKE YOUR MIND 3 AND LEAD THEM ASTRAY FROM THIS 4 SIMPLE, SIMPLE WALK AND PURITY 5 OF WALK THAT YOU HAVE TO 6 CHRIST. 7 THAT WORDS SIMPLICITY COMES 8 FROM A WORLD SINGLE, FOCUSED, 9 SINGLE. JUST LIKE YOUR EYES 10 ARE FIXED RIGHT WHERE YOUR EYES 11 NEED TO BE AND YOU'RE NOT 12 CONFUSED BY ANYTHING ELSE. 13 THE WORD PURITY COMES FROM A 14 WORD THAT MEANS INNOCENT OR 15 BLAMELESS. THIS IS WHAT GOD 16 HAS CALLED US TO DO. HE HAS 17 CALLED US TO WALK BEFORE THE 18 LORD IN SUCH A SIMPLE WAY THAT 19 OUR EYES ARE FOCUSED ON HIM AND 20 HIS EYES ARE FOCUSED ON US AND 21 WE WALK IN A LOVE RELATIONSHIP 22 DAY-BY-DAY. 23 SOME OF YOU NEED TO COME ON 24 BACK UP THE ROAD FROM WHERE YOU 25 FIND YOURSELF RIGHT NOW. IT'S 1 GOTTEN TOO COMPLICATED, TOO 2 COMPLEX. 3 WELL, CHRISTIANITY IS 4 COMPLEX. NO, IT'S NOT. 5 WELL, YOU DON'T -- YES, I DO 6 UNDERSTAND. DON'T TELL ME 7 I DON'T UNDERSTAND. I DO 8 UNDERSTAND. 9 IT'S SIMPLE. 10 THERE'S A SIMPLICITY THAT 11 GOD IS CALLING US TO. DON'T 12 TELL ME THERE'S NOT. THERE IS. 13 HE WANTS YOU TO DISCOVER 14 THAT SIMPLICITY OF RELATIONSHIP 15 WITH HIM. 16 YOU SEE, WE GET ALL MESSED 17 UP IN OUR GOOD WORKS BECAUSE 18 OUR GOOD WORKS BECOMES OUR 19 EFFORT TO GET GOD'S APPROVAL 20 WHEN -- WHEN GOD WORKS IS JUST 21 WHAT FLOWS OUT OF US WHEN WE'VE 22 EXPERIENCED HIM. 23 I MEAN, WHEN YOU HANG AROUND 24 JESUS, YOU START ACTING LIKE 25 JESUS. 1 HE'S THAT KIND OF INFLUENCE 2 ON PEOPLE. YOU DON'T HAVE TO 3 GO DO GOOD WORKS. YOU JUST 4 FIND YOURSELF DOING GOOD WORKS, 5 NOT EVEN THINKING ABOUT DOING 6 GOOD WORKS. YOU WEREN'T 7 PLANNING ON DOING GOOD WORKS. 8 THAT'S JUST WHO HE IS. AND 9 WHEN YOU HANG WITH HIM, THAT'S 10 WHO YOU BECOME. IT'S SIMPLE. 11 IT REALLY IS THAT SIMPLE. 12 CHRIST WANTS TO LOVE ON SOME 13 OF YOU, AND SOME OF YOU HAVE 14 WANDERED DOWN THIS ROAD AND 15 THERE'S A DISTANCE BETWEEN YOU 16 AND HIM RIGHT NOW AND YOU DON'T 17 EVEN REALIZE IT. IN YOUR MIND 18 IT'S SO COMPLICATED. IN YOUR 19 MIND IT'S SO FRUSTRATING, SO 20 CONFUSING AND COMPLEX. AND IT 21 DOESN'T HAVE TO BE COMPLEX AT 22 ALL, IT'S JUST, HEY, COME ON 23 BACK UP HERE WHERE HE IS. COME 24 NEAR TO HIM AND JUST EXPERIENCE 25 HIM. 1 WELL, BUT IF I HAVE A QUIET 2 TIME, HOW LONG DOES MY QUIET 3 TIME HAVE TO BE? DOES IT HAVE 4 TO BE A 30-MINUTE QUIET TIME OR 5 A 45-MINUTE QUIET TIME OR A 6 ONE-HOUR OR TWO-HOUR OR 7 THREE-HOUR -- WHY DON'T YOU 8 JUST SHUT UP AND BE QUIET AND 9 ENJOY HIM. 10 AND WHEN YOU'VE -- WHEN HE'S 11 TOUCHED YOU AND YOU'VE 12 EXPERIENCED HIM AND YOU FEEL 13 HIS LOVE, YOU BEGIN CRYING, 14 YOU'VE HAD A QUIET TIME. 15 LET HIM DECIDE. 16 IN FACT, LET HIM DECIDE 17 EVERY PART OF THE CHRISTIAN 18 WALK. YOU QUIT TRYING TO 19 DECIDE. YOU QUIT TRYING TO 20 CONTROL IT. YOU QUIT PUTTING 21 YOUR HANDS ALL OVER IT. 22 TURN LOOSE OF THE CONTROLS, 23 LIKE PAUL WAS SHARING IN 24 WORSHIP TODAY, TURN LOOSE OF 25 IT. 1 AND ONE OF THE HARDEST 2 THINGS FOR TO YOU TURN LOOSE OF 3 IS YOUR OWN CHRISTIAN DEVOTION 4 TO THE LORD. GET YOUR HANDS 5 OFF OF IT. QUIT TRYING TO 6 CONTROL IT. BACK UP AND LET HIM 7 BE LORD, OVER YOUR QUIET TIME. 8 I'VE USED THIS ILLUSTRATION 9 MANY TIMES, BUT IT'S SO FUNNY 10 FOR -- FOR TO US COME INTO THE 11 LORD'S PRESENCE AND WE COME 12 IN -- WE'RE JUST A RATTLING. 13 AND I'M STARTING TO DO THIS 14 WITH PEOPLE. NOT IN A MEAN WAY 15 OR UGLY WAY, BUT WHEN PEOPLE 16 SAY I CAN'T HEAR GOD, I ASK 17 THEM DO YOU EVER HUSH? 18 [ LAUGHTER ] 19 HEARING MEANS LISTENING, NOT 20 TALKING. 21 I'M GOING TO HAVE A QUIET 22 TIME. AND WE JUST STAND THERE 23 FOR AN HOUR AND RATTLE. LORD, 24 PLEASE HELP THIS AND -- YOU 25 KNOW. HUSH AND BE STILL AND 1 KNOW HE'S STILL GOD. 2 ISN'T THAT SIMPLE? 3 DON'T MAKE THIS COMPLICATED. 4 PAUL SAYS THAT I DON'T WANT 5 YOU TO BE LED ASTRAY FROM THIS 6 SIMPLICITY AND PURITY OF 7 DEVOTION TO CHRIST. 8 LET ME MAKE ABOUT HALF OF 9 YOU MAD. [ LAUGHTER ] 10 AND THE OTHER GLAD. 11 YOU A LOT OF PEOPLE IN OUR 12 DAY ARE PRAYING FOR REVIVAL, 13 AND THE REVIVAL THEY HOPE FOR 14 IS ONE OF SUCH -- I CALL IT 15 SUCH A WORM AS I REVIVAL, THAT 16 EVERYONE AT THE SAME TIME 17 REALIZE HOW ABSOLUTELY, UTTERLY 18 SORRY THEY ARE AND FALL ON 19 THEIR FACES AND UTTER DISGUST 20 AND MAYBE THE HOLY GOD WILL 21 COME AND STRAIGHTEN THE MESS 22 OUT. 23 YOU KEEP PRAYING FOR THAT 24 REVIVAL. I WON'T BE JOINING 25 YOU. 1 IN FACT, I'LL BE THE ONE 2 PRAYING AGAINST YOU. SO MARK 3 MY NAME DOWN. 4 I'M PRAYING FOR REVIVAL, BUT 5 THIS IS THE REVIVAL I'M PRAYING 6 FOR, I'M PRAYING FOR A GROUP OF 7 PEOPLE THAT HONOR TO GOD WILL 8 BEGIN TO OPEN THIS BOOK AND 9 WILL BEGIN TO SEE WHAT IT SAYS 10 ABOUT THEMSELVES AND THEY HAVE 11 NO MORE SENSE THAN TO BEGIN TO 12 BELIEVE IT. 13 WHEN IT SAYS I'M A NEW 14 CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS. YOU 15 KNOW, I'VE BEEN THINKING I'M A 16 GOOD FOR NOTHING, LOWDOWN, 17 SORRY FOR WHATEVER SO LONG, I 18 TELL YOU, WHAT I'M GOING TO TRY 19 SOMETHING DIFFERENT HERE F. IT 20 SAYS I'M A NEW CREATION IN 21 CHRIST JESUS, I'M GOING TO 22 START BELIEVING THAT I'M A NEW 23 CREATION IN CHRIST JESUS, THAT 24 OLD THINGS ARE PASSING AWAY 25 THAT, ALL THINGS BECOME NEW. 1 THAT I AM MORE THAN A CONQUEROR 2 THROUGH HIM WHO LOVES ME. I'M 3 LOOK FORGE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO 4 WILL BEGIN TO OPEN THIS BOOK 5 AND HAVE THE AUDACITY TO APPLY 6 THE SCRIPTURES TO THEIR OWN 7 LIFE AND SAY THAT'S WHO I AM, I 8 AM NOT A WORM IN GOD'S EYES ANY 9 MORE. I'M A SON -- I'M NOT A 10 SLAVE, I'M A SON. HE NO LONGER 11 REFERS TO ME AS A SLAVE, BUT A 12 FRIEND. THEREFORE, THESE 13 THINGS ARE TRUE ABOUT ME, OR 14 THEY'RE TRUE ABOUT NOBODY. 15 EITHER I APPLY IT TO MYSELF 16 OR CLOSE THE BOOK AND GO HOME. 17 AND I'M GOING TO BELIEVE THAT 18 GOD IS GOING TO COME TO LEAD AN 19 ARMY OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE WHAT 20 HE SAYS ABOUT THEM IN HIS BOOK. 21 THAT'S THE REVIVAL I'M HOLDING 22 OUT FOR. [ APPLAUSE ] 23 SO ALL OF YOU WORMY ONES, 24 GET READY. MY ADVICE TO YOU IS 25 TO GET WORMED [ LAUGHTER ] 1 I'M NOT OVERLOOKING SIN. 2 BUT IF IT GOES UNDER THE BLOOD, 3 KEEP YOUR FINGERS OFF OF IT, IT 4 IS NO LONGER TOUCHABLE. YOU 5 CAN'T BRING IT UP ANY MORE. 6 THE SIN THAT I PUT UNDER THE 7 BLOOD OF JESUS IS NONE OF YOUR 8 BUSINESS OR ANYBODY ELSE'S ANY 9 MORE. IT IS COVERED FOR 10 ETERNITY. IF YOU DON'T LIKE 11 THAT, TALK TO MY FATHER. YOU 12 HEAR ME? 13 AND WE'RE NOT GOING TO BRING 14 THAT UP ANY MORE. AND OLD 15 THINGS ARE GOING TO PASS AWAY 16 AND ALL THINGS ARE GOING TO 17 BECOME NEW IN YOUR LIFE AND IN 18 MINE. 19 ARE YOU READY TO BELIEVE 20 THAT? 21 SO GOT THAT OFF MY SYSTEM. 22 LET ME ENCOURAGE YOU, GOD 23 WANTS TO LOVE ON YOU. 24 I BELIEVE THAT GOES AGAINST 25 THE GRAIN OF EVERYTHING YOU'VE 1 BEEN TAUGHT. I KNOW ALL OF US 2 WANT TO EARN HIS APPROVAL SO 3 THAT HE CAN LOVE ON US. YOU 4 DON'T DESERVE IT. I DON'T 5 EITHER. AND THAT'S NOT WHAT WE 6 BASE THIS ON. THAT'S WHAT I 7 LOVE ABOUT GRACE. NO PERSON 8 THAT EVER LIVES WILL EVER 9 DESERVE IT. 10 SO YOU DON'T GO AROUND 11 BRAGGING ABOUT GRACE. YOU GO 12 AROUND BRAGGING ABOUT THE ONE 13 WHO GIVES GRACE. THE GRACE 14 GIVER, JESUS. YOU BRAG ON HIM 15 BECAUSE HE IS BESTOWED UPON 16 YOUR LIFE AND MINE SOMETHING 17 THAT WE WOULD NEVER DESERVE. 18 COME BACK UP THE ROAD, GUYS. 19 THERE'S A SIMPLE LIFE WAITING 20 FOR YOU. 21 HOW DO YOU DO A QUIET TIME? 22 JUST GET IN HIS PRESENCE AND 23 SAY, JESUS, COME -- COME, 24 JESUS. 25 YOU KNOW, IF YOU FEEL LIKE A 1 MESS, FINE, LORD, I'M A MESS, 2 COME. HE'LL COME. HE'LL 3 TOUCH. HE'LL CHANGE FOREVER. 4 HE IS THE REDEEMER. HE IS THE 5 ONE WHO TAKES MESSES -- IN 6 FACT, HE'S MAKES BEAUTY OUT OF 7 ASHES, DOES HE NOT? HE 8 PROMISES HE DOES THAT. HE'LL 9 MAKE A BEAUTIFUL THING OUT OF 10 YOUR LIFE. 11 COME ON. COME ON. HE WANTS 12 TO TOUCH YOU. HE WANTS TO LOVE 13 ON YOU. 14 LET'S BOW OUR HEADS. 15 LORD, I KNOW THERE'S PEOPLE 16 HERE TODAY THAT NEED YOUR 17 TOUCH. IN FACT, WE ALL NEED 18 YOUR TOUCH, TO BE HONEST. 19 LORD, THERE'S PEOPLE HERE 20 TODAY THAT HAVEN'T FELT YOUR 21 TOUCH IN A WAY AND THEY'VE BEEN 22 LED DOWN THE ROAD BY THE ENEMY 23 A LITTLE BIT AND THEY'VE BEEN 24 CONVINCED THAT THEY DON'T 25 DESERVE YOUR TOUCH NOW. 1 THEY'RE CONVINCED THAT YOU 2 DON'T WANT TO TOUCH THEIR LIFE. 3 THEY'RE CONVINCED YOU DON'T 4 LOVE THEM, THAT THEY'VE GOT TO 5 SOMEHOW EARN THEIR WAY BACK TO 6 YOU. 7 LORD, WOULD YOU DRAW THEM 8 THROUGH YOUR HOLY SPIRIT. GOD, 9 I'M SO GLAD THAT CHRISTIANITY 10 IS NOT BASED ON MERIT. I'M SO 11 THANKFUL, LORD, THAT WE AREN'T 12 DIVIDED UP IN CLASSES OF PEOPLE 13 AND THOSE WHO ARE THE MOST 14 WORTHY ARE THE ONES WHO GET 15 TOUCHED FIRST. LORD, THINGS 16 ARE SO INVERTED IN YOUR 17 KINGDOM. IT'S THOSE WHO ARE 18 THE MOST NEEDY WHO SEEM TO GET 19 TOUCHED FIRST. SO WE'VE GOT 20 SOME GOOD THINGS ABOUT TO 21 HAPPEN. 22 LORD, WOULD YOU JUST CALL 23 YOUR KIDS TO YOURSELF. I KNOW 24 YOU LOVE THEM. I KNOW YOU WANT 25 TO LOVE ON THEM. AND I KNOW 1 SOME OF THEM DON'T EVEN BELIEVE 2 THAT RIGHT NOW BUT THAT'S OKAY. 3 YOU'RE GOING TO DO IT ANYWAY. 4 SO, LORD, IN JESUS' NAME, 5 THROUGH THE POWER OF YOUR HOLY 6 SPIRIT, COME GET YOUR KIDS -- 7 GET THEM. GET THEM, LORD. 8 THEY MAY HAVE 29 EXCUSES WHY 9 THIS ISN'T GOING TO WORK, BUT 10 YOU JUST REACH DOWN AND TOUCH 11 THEM AND THOSE 29 EXCUSES WILL 12 BE DISMISSED IN A SECOND. 13 LORD, WE WANT TO BE TOUCHED 14 BY YOU WE NEED TO BE TOUCHED BY 15 YOU. WE DON'T WANT TO RESIST 16 YOUR LOVE. 17 LORD, TODAY, DRAW US THROUGH 18 YOUR LOVE. 19 LORD, FOR THOSE WHO NEED TO 20 RESPOND RIGHT NOW, WHO YOU JUST 21 PUT IT IN IN YOUR HEART THAT 22 YOU ARE TALKING TO THEM, NOT TO 23 THE PERSON NEXT TO THEM. YOU 24 REALLY ARE TALKING TO THEN. TO 25 THEM. TO THEM, LORD, HELP THEM 1 TO QUIT LOOKING AROUND, TO 2 THEM. 3 YOU'RE TALKING TO THEM. AND 4 YOU DO LOVE THEM AND YES, YOU 5 ARE AWARE OF WHAT THEY'VE DONE 6 AND YOU STILL LOVE THEM AND YOU 7 KNEW WHAT THEY DID LAST WEEK 8 AND YOU LOVED THEM. 9 LORD, JUST HELP THEM TO 10 UNDERSTAND THAT AND TO FALL ON 11 YOUR GRACE TODAY. 12 DRAW US, LORD. WE NEED THE 13 FATHER'S LOVE. WE'RE A 14 FATHER-DEFICIENT PEOPLE AND WE 15 NEED THE FATHER'S LOVE. 16 GOD, TEACH US HOW TO RELATE 17 TO FATHER. WE WANT TO LEARN 18 HOW TO RELATE TO FATHER. TEACH 19 US, LORD, HOW TO BE SONS AND 20 DAUGHTERS SO THAT YOU CAN BE 21 OUR FATHER. WE ASK THAT IN 22 JESUS' NAME. AMEN. 23 LET'S STAND TOGETHER. I'M 24 GOING TO OPEN THE ALTER UP TO 25 YOU. WE ENCOURAGE YOU JUST TO 1 COME AND KNEEL AT THE ALTER. 2 JUST LIKE YOU ARE. ISN'T THAT 3 NEAT? 4 HOW COULD YOU COME ANY OTHER 5 WAY? 6 AND JUST SAY, FATHER, HERE I 7 AM, PLEASE COME -- PLEASE LOVE 8 ON ME. I NEED YOUR TOUCH. 9 FATHER, WOULD YOU PLEASE 10 COME AND LOVE ON ME. 11 COME ON. I JUST DARE YOU. 12 COME ON. HE WON'T TOUCH ME. 13 COME ON. COME ON. LET'S SEE. 14 COME ON. LET'S SEE WHAT GOD 15 WILL DO TODAY. YOU COME AND 16 SEE WHAT YOUR FATHER WILL DO. 17 18 >> LORD, MAY WE NOT BE LED 19 ASTRAY THIS WEEK BY THE 20 DISTRACTIONS, EVEN THE GOOD. 21 WE CHOOSE YOU. YOU ARE THE 22 BEST. YOU ARE THE CENTER. 23 >> LORD, LET YOUR FACE 24 SHINE ON US AS WE GO. MAY WE 25 REFLECT WHO YOU REALLY ARE TO 1 THIS WORLD, LORD. 2 KEEP US FROM GETTING CAUGHT 3 UP IN THINGS THAT ARE NOT THAT 4 IMPORTANT. WE ASK YOUR 5 BLESSING AS WE GO. 6 BLESSING THAT COMES FROM 7 YOU, IN JESUS' NAME. 8 AMEN. 9 WE'RE GOING TO STAY FOR A 10 WHILE. IF YOU WANT PRAYER, 11 PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STAY. BUT 12 IF YOU NEED TO GO, GO WITH THE 13 BLESSING OF THE LORD ON YOUR 14 HEAD. Transcription by Keith Johnson Community Christian Fellowship 15704 Hwy 110 North Lindale (Garden Valley), TX 75771 Phone: 903-882-8501 Email: ccf-office@juno.com