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[music] >> Mhm. >> [music] >> Well, good morning, church. Come on, you can do better. Good morning, church. It's good to see you this morning. Let's stand as we sing, "Great are you, Lord." Let's give God our praise this morning. Lift your voices this morning. >> You give life. You are love. [music and singing] You bring light to the >> [singing and music] >> darkness. You give hope. You mend the broken >> [music] >> heart that is And great are [singing] you, Lord. >> [music] >> It's your breath in our lungs. So, we pour out our >> [music] >> praise. We pour out our >> [singing] >> praise. It's your breath in our lungs. So, we pour [singing and music] out our praise to you only. >> [music] >> You give life. >> [singing] >> You are love. >> [music] >> light. You bring >> [singing] >> light to the darkness. You give >> [singing] >> hope. You restore >> [music] >> every >> [singing] >> heart that is broken. Great are you, Lord. Great are you, Lord. It's your light. In our hearts In [music] our hearts So we pour out our praise to you, Lord. >> [music] >> We pour out our praise to you, Lord. It's your light. In our hearts >> [music and singing] >> So we pour out our praise to you, Lord. >> [music] >> It's your light. In our hearts So we pour out our praise [music] We pour out our praise to you, Lord. >> [music] >> In our So we >> [singing] >> pour out our praise to you, Lord. >> [music] >> Come on, church. Sing. And all the >> [singing] >> earth will shout your praises. Our hearts [singing and music] will cry. These walls will sing. Great are >> [music and singing] >> you, Lord. And all the [music and singing] earth will shout your praises. Our hearts will cry. These >> [music and singing] >> walls will sing. Great are >> [music and singing] >> you, Lord. And all the >> [music] >> earth will shout your >> [singing] [music] [singing] [music and singing] [music] [singing] >> Cuz I sing praises to [music] your name. Oh Lord, >> [music] >> praises [singing] to your >> [music] >> Oh Lord, for your name is [music] great and greatly to be praised. >> [music] >> I sing [singing] praises to your >> [music] >> Oh Lord, praises to Oh Lord, for your name is great and greatly >> [singing and music] >> to be praised. I give [music] glory to your name. I give glory to your Oh, [music and singing] sing the song. Oh Lord, glory to your to your name, oh Lord. For [music] your name is great and greatly >> [music] >> to be praised. >> [singing] >> I give glory to [music] your name, >> [singing] >> oh Lord. Glory to your name, oh Lord. >> [music] >> For your name is great and [music and singing] greatly to be praised. I sing praises to your name, oh lift him up this morning. For I sing praises to your name, oh >> [music and singing] >> Lord. Praises to your name, oh >> [music] >> Lord. >> [singing] >> For your name is great and greatly >> [music] >> to be praised. I sing praises to your name, >> [music] >> oh >> [singing] >> Lord. Praises to your name, oh >> [singing] >> Lord. >> [music] >> For your name is great and >> [music and singing] >> greatly to be praised. Look south, old people. It says, "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord." Let's give him praise this morning. Thank you, may be seated. Let's turn our attention to the screens right fast. >> Well, yeah, y'all can clap. You know, we're on the countdown to Vacation Bible School, June 22nd through the 26th. Hey, if you haven't registered, please do that as soon as you can, okay? And I'm sure we can use some help also, but if you'll just uh take a picture of that QR code right there, it'll it'll link you to the page to register, and just make sure you do that today, if you can. That would help us out a whole lot. Uh just a couple reminders, uh next week, next Sunday is Father's Day, and uh we'll be honoring our fathers, so we invite you to join us for that. And uh we just welcome you here today, and we're glad that you're here. Um a couple of things, uh just remember the Libby family in your prayers. Miss Barbara Libby went home to be with the Lord yesterday. So, let's remember uh Brother Lifts and the family as they're preparing uh for that home-going service. And um And just just pray for our our our youth and the leaders there in Man, West Virginia as they're on their little mission trip. Just pray that God would work and move there mightily as they uh prepare for this week. Uh And uh so, I hope you're here today and I hope you're excited about what God wants to do in your life today here at Calvary. And uh, we're going to pray and then the choir's going to come around and sing a song. Just say amen. Let's pray together. Father, what a privilege it is to pray and call upon your name and thank you for all that you do for us. Lord, just the way that you meet our every needs. God, we can't thank you enough. God, I pray for our time of worship together today as uh, uh, we're here to lift up the name of Jesus. God, I pray that you would use us. God, I pray that you would anoint us. God, as I prayed in the choir room just a while ago that maybe the words of these songs would touch the lives of your people today to draw them closer to you. Lord, that's our prayer. God, and our prayer today is that if if there's one in this room that don't know you savior, Lord, and master, that today would be their day of salvation, God. God, I lift up Jason to you as he'll come and preach the word in just a little bit. God, would you use him? I know him. Just help him remember what he studied, God, and we'll honor you. We'll give you the praise. And God, as we commit this time together to your worship, God, we ask your will to be done. God, we thank you for what you're going to already do. In Jesus name I pray and all God's people said, >> Amen. >> You are my king. You are my king. You are my king. May I live here in this moment may I surrender all >> Amen. >> [singing and music] [singing and music] >> Say amen. >> [singing] [music] >> Say amen. >> [singing] [music] >> Just [singing and music] say amen. For greater is [singing] the one who's in us than he who's in the world. >> [music and singing] [music] >> If there's anybody [singing] here who knows he's faithful, anybody here who knows he's [music] able, say amen. >> [music] >> And if there's anybody [singing] here who's seen his power, anybody here walked >> [music] >> through the fire? Say amen. Anybody [singing and music] here found joy in the midst of sorrow, peace in the storm, hope for tomorrow? Seen it time and time [singing] again, >> [music] >> just say amen. >> [singing] >> Even in the valley of the shadow, [music] when you feel alone [singing] in the unknown, say [music] amen, say amen. >> [singing] >> Even when the storms [music and singing] are raging, stand and know you're not forsaken, say amen, say amen. >> [music] >> Anybody here who >> [singing] >> knows He's faithful? Anybody here who

>> [music] >> knows He's faithful? >> [singing] >> Say amen. And if there's anybody [music] here who's seen His power, anybody here walked through the >> [music] >> fire? >> [singing] >> Say amen. Anybody here found joy in the [music] midst of sorrow, peace in the storm, >> [singing] >> hope for tomorrow? Seen [music] it time and time again. Seen it >> [music] >> time and time >> [music] [music and singing] [music] [music and singing] [applause] >> Would you stand as we continue worship and we sing He is here. Just that little chorus. He is here. If you can touch Him, you'll never be the same. Let's praise His name. >> He is here. Hallelujah. He is here. Amen. >> [music] >> He is here. Holy, holy. I will bless His name again. >> [music and singing] >> He is here. He is here. Angels bow down. He is here. Falling down. >> [music] >> He is here. If you can >> [music] >> touch Him, you will never be the same. He is here. Hallelujah. He is here. >> [singing and music] [music] [singing] [music] >> Our hope, our salvation, our strength is only [music] in the Christ Jesus. Let's worship him this morning. >> In Christ >> [music] >> alone my hope is found. He is my light, my strength, >> [singing and music] >> my song. This cornerstone, this solid [singing and music] ground, firm through the roughest trials and storms. What heights of love, what depths of peace, when fears are [music] stilled, when >> [singing] >> strivings cease. My comfort, my all in [singing and music] all, here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, [singing and music] who took on flesh, born as [music and singing] a man in him helpless state, this gift [singing] of love and [music] righteousness, scorned by the ones he came >> [singing and music] >> to save. To all that cross, as Jesus died, the >> [singing and music] >> wrath of God was satisfied. For >> [music] >> every shame, for every >> [singing] >> pain, here in the [music] ground I stand. >> [music] >> There [music] in the ground his body >> [singing] >> lay, light of the world by >> [music] >> darkest day. Then burst in glory, in glorious [music and singing] day, up from the grave he rose again. >> [music] >> And as he stands in victory, as his curse >> [music and singing] >> has lost its grip on me. For [music and singing] I am his, and he is mine, >> [music] >> bought with the precious blood of [singing] Christ. >> [music] >> On Christ the solid >> [music and singing] >> rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. >> [music] >> All other ground is sinking [music] >> [music] [singing] [music] [music and singing] [music and singing] [music] [singing] [music and singing] [music] [singing] [music and singing] [music and singing] >> Let's worship him this morning. Amen. He's worthy. So, this guy needs no introduction. Jason Denby, he's coming to bring her message this morning. Let's welcome him to the platform and >> Good morning. Oh, you don't know how feel good it feels to be home. You know, I often consider when I talk about my home church about the people who's prayed for me over the years and the people who's uh never given up hope on me and um some of you seen some hard times in my life and uh but that hadn't changed because Brother David as I stand here this morning your prayers been answered because as I stand with a heavy heart I've got confidence to know that my Lord and Savior still in charge. He's going to take care of me. He's going to see me through whatever goes on. That's the same for you. And uh these glasses and these lights so if y'all see me stumbling these uh I feel like I'm trying to get a suntan up here. Amen. I figured I better keep my jacket on so I don't get burnt. Uh But you know, God's good but so I'm a life application preacher. I'm I'm not going to change that, okay? But but so I've got some questions for you this morning and some concern for the Christian faith in a whole. See, we've lost all these songs we just sang just just uh poured into me and and it should have poured into you but the problem is is before we get out the door you're going to be forgotten what you praised. And we and we got us we got to get that that urgency. You know, we we talk about zeal but what you got to have urgency. What's going on this world? We we can sit, we can talk, we can we can have our opinions, we can hide behind a keyboard but until we stand up for God it's just a bunch of words. And and I know that's probably all you say oh here he goes. Yeah, I I I I'm not going to apologize for the message today, okay? So we want to clarify that because this is God's word. And and if it was my word, it would be different. But if I stand before you this morning, and I want to ask you right now, where will you stand? Your your words will say one thing. But I promise you, your actions would say another. You say, "Well, that's that's pretty tough." No, that's reality. You see, we always talk about we want to be like people in the Bible, like Peter or whatever. And I told the church last week, you don't get to be like Peter because we're still like Simon. That's why his name was changed. It's because Simon was the old him, Peter was the new him. And and we we still want to live in the Simon side of the world, but but reap the rewards of the Peter's side. What do we do about that? So, where do you stand? You stand with God? All across America this morning, people standing with God in churches. Those that those that chose to come, but are they standing with God outside the church? Are they standing with God at work? Are they standing with God at the ballparks when they're when they're acting just like everybody else? And and just because the ump made a bad call, that you got the RIGHT TO SAY ALL KIND OF THINGS and that you want to say. Would you say that with with God beside you? And you say, "Well, that's that's that's that's" Would you say it with Jesus? Would you listen to the music you listen to with Jesus in the backseat? You say, "Well, now now you're getting in my business." No, I'm not because HE'S NOT WITH HE'S NOT IN YOUR BACKSEAT, HE'S NOT BESIDE YOU. HE LIVES in you through the person of the Holy Spirit. The places we take God AND THINGS WE DO AROUND GOD are just outright wrong. We've lost our thought We lost We lost our thought process. Everything wants We want it just like we want it. We want a little bit of Jesus and a little bit of the world. So, where do you stand this morning? Do you stand with your checklist Christian? Or do you stand with conviction? Because I promise you, it's much easier to have a checklist than it is to live with conviction. See, because time, energy, or money what it what it takes you you can't have an opinion about anything with time, energy, or money. Cuz it's just words. So, we feel like if we run through our checklist and this is oh, there's my 10 minutes in the morning, there's this and oh oh, let me ask God to forgive me because I'm already going to mess up the day. So, if I get ahead, then I'm okay. Um No, I don't have time for a Bible study. No, uh I'm going to commit to reading my Bible in a year. No, don't commit to reading your Bible in a year. Commit to studying whatever God lays on your heart. Some of you in here may be able to read and comprehend it, but the normal average man can't read the whole Bible and comprehend it in a year. That's just a checklist. That's just something else we're doing. See, if if if we could get away from our checklist, if we oh, you want to make time FOR GOD, BUT GOD MADE TIME. HELP ME UNDERSTAND THAT. Help me understand why we're saying I got to make time to do this or I got to make time to do that or somebody invites you and and we and here's the thing that's that's really on my mind and my heart is everybody's praying for revival. If you're not living revival, you can't pray for it. If your heart's not where God wants it, you can't be that who says, "We need revival." What do you want a pastor to show up here and preach one time? You want somebody to come for a week? What's going to happen? That's just a meeting. They're going to leave. Today it's going to be a strong message. But, I encourage you to listen to what God has to say. Cuz I ain't got sense enough to stand up here and do what I'm doing without the power of God. Enough of y'all know me to know I don't. And that's okay. We're going to start in Romans 8. Pick up in verse 12. And while And while you're looking for that, you know, I'm just afraid that we're falling into the the trap. You know, and the Bible teaches of the following away of the church. If you don't think we're in it, your head's in the sand. That's not me being disrespectful. That's me being transparent. We have to understand and focus on what God wants us. And until we get to where God wants us, and I'm not saying that we're going to get there like light speed, but you got to put effort. You got to put some effort into being like Jesus. Bible says, "Let us make man in our own image." You got to understand, Jesus walked the earth, the Holy Spirit, if you're truly saved, if you're truly saved, then you carry the person, not a it, not a thing, but the person of the Holy Spirit everywhere you go. What are you going to do the next time? You know, uh I might take it easy on y'all this morning cuz I I like to be asked back, but I'm known as a crock-pot pastor. If you didn't turn your crock-pot on this morning, you won't eat with everybody else. Amen. What you got to realize y'all Some of y'all might not have got that. That clock up there, it's wrong. Y'all I can't even see it. See, I told you. Amen. But we got to got We got to get back to in all seriousness. These songs, I don't know what nobody's singing. They just line right up with my message. So, that's God. That gives me confirmation that I'm in the right place at the right time with the right message. Romans 8, and I'm just going to start in 12 and 13. So, [clears throat] the question is, are you committed? Are you committed? Of course you are. In word, but I mean spirit. Are you truly committed to God? Because we can say a lot of things. I bet over half of you have canceled an appointment in the last week. Whether it be a coffee, a doctor's appointment, uh uh just just anything. We always canceling things because we can. So, therefore we've canceled God because we think that we can. The Bible says in 8:12 and 13. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die. But if by the But [clears throat] if by the spirit you put on the Listen, put to death these deeds of the body, you will live. We got We got to under- This is not just filler. Paul's just not finding something to put on paper. And we got to Every if, and, and but, every therefore, wherefore, everything in the Bible is strategically placed by a holy God. We don't get to choose over We don't get to look past it. So, are you committed? Because if if you back up and you go home and you study, then what what's happening is Paul has been speaking about spiritual blessings. Now, here here's the part that the Christian don't like. The blessings, the spiritual blessings, bring obligation. You don't You or no other Christian in America today wants to be obligated but said what they have time for. WE WANT TO SIGN UP FOR WHAT WE WANT TO SIGN up for. We want a participation trophy because everybody else has got one. But what we have to do is stand on the word of God. IF THE WORD OF GOD IS NOT YOUR CENTRAL stone in your life, the thing which you stand on, then you can't reap the full reward of these spiritual blessings. See, when a person gets saved, there's a commitment status unto God. Now, here here's the truth. If I make a commitment to you and break it, you wrote you write me off. I ain't a man of my word. I ain't worth talking to. If I'm a if I'm in business, I do bad business. You write a letter. You write a What's them things called? A A A A A A A What they call? Who? Review. That's what I'm trying to say. I about said a report. So, you write a review. That's what I love about Calvary. Everybody knows everything in here. Amen. I ain't got to worry about nothing. Praise God. I just didn't want to look at my wife and ask her because every time we go somewhere, we got to You know why I can't remember it? Because every time we go somewhere, she got to check every every place and read every one. And by that time, I could be done scheduled something, went and got it done, Pastor Roger. But but it's always let me look at reviews. Why? All somebody was was mad when they wrote it. That's the only thing. And see, you understand that. So, if I make a commitment to you, you're going to hold me accountable. Wait a minute then. Hold up. TIME OUT. WHY ARE YOU SO UPSET OR FEEL SOME KIND OF way when you hear God's word preached or taught or you read God's word, and God SAYS HE'S HOLDING YOU ACCOUNTABLE. How can you be COMMITTED IF YOU'RE NOT ALLOWING NOBODY TO HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE? I was told a long time ago, THE ONLY THING YOU CAN BE HELD accountable for is what you TRULY SAVED. YOU GOT TO UNDERSTAND, GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART. YOU KNOW, IT DON'T MATTER WHAT YOU tell me, or Pastor Reggie, or Pastor Roger. IT DON'T MATTER. GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART. IF YOU WERE STANDING PRAISING GOD THIS MORNING, WAS YOUR HEART CLEAN? Was your heart clean when you STOOD AND PRAISED GOD THIS MORNING? When you sang out praises to God, was your heart truly clean? Were you prepared for what was going to happen? Are you ready to hear God's word? Are you ready to let it penetrate your soul? Because that is the truth. That is who we are, because when when we say that it's true, we agree with that. You know, we all think about, well, what about the person that's not saved that says they are? Quit worrying about what you can't control. Worry about what God is speaking to you. Are you living your life correctly? Or are you living your life as it's spirit-filled as it truly is? Are you doing THE THINGS GOD'S CALLED YOU TO DO? ARE YOU SAYING, "NO, GOD, I'LL DO THAT TOMORROW."? God ain't going to wait ON YOU. GOD PUT ME ON THE SIDELINE FOR 8 YEARS BECAUSE I TRIED to get ahead of him. NOW, IF GOD SAYS GO, I CAN'T GET MY If I got to carry my shoes, I'm good. I'll put them on down the road. I'm not going to wait on God anymore. I'm going to move when he says move. But, you got to understand something. The Bible's clear. And and and and that is where we have to be okay with it. So, I'm going to sit down right here for a minute. So, if you're obligated to live after the spirit and not the flesh, don't raise your hand. Don't say anything. I got a hard question for you. Are you Are you truly doing that? Everything in your life, are you living by the spirit or you living by the flesh? I'm not getting in your business. It's what God word God word wants to know. It's a command. See, as a Christian, we taking this free will thing way too far. Way too far. You saying you never seen anything like this in the world. If If you would study God's word, you'd have heard about it already. There's nothing in God's word that does not If If you read it, nothing should surprise you today. The Bible teaches it. But the question is is Is that just for later or is that for now? Are we supposed to lean on that or or just Is just This is not a book. You may disagree with me and that's okay. Says Holy Bible. Made up of books of the Bible. This ain't the good book. This is God's holy word. This ain't a good read. It's the only read. Until we get that figured out in our heads, then we're going to fall into that that pool of the world. The Bible says if If you according to the If you live according to the flesh, you will die. This death that he's speaking about speaks on the separation from God. Now, I love you in Christ. >> How much further can you be separated from God right now? In your life. Don't worry about nobody sitting beside you who should have been here to hear this message. Oh, I wish they would have heard it. No, I'm asking you. Just you and I. How much further can you be separated from God right now? Are you as close to God as you once was? You know, I I I understand that times have changed. The Bible hasn't. Quit finding excuses and reasons not to study and honor God's word in everything you do. I tell the church all the time, YOU NEED TO WORSHIP GOD WHILE you're brushing your teeth. You know what goes through your head while you're brushing your teeth? Think about the things you think about. I better back up these glasses. I'm going to end up on the floor. Amen. I need to put them steps back up here. Mhm. But you should be thinking about God when you brushing your teeth. You get You get your mind set on on worshipping God. And not worrying about what's going on. What are you Are you praying and asking for God? Are you thanking God for what he's already done? We We ask way too much of of a holy God. IT'S LIKE WE DON'T TRUST HIM. HE ALREADY KNOWS YOUR NEEDS. HAVE HAVE YOU DONE WHAT HE ASKED YOU BEFORE THEN? SEE, because this separation is disobedience. We're doing being disobedient. So, WE HAVE WE HOLD EVERYBODY accountable but ourselves. The man IN THE MIRROR, WHO ARE YOU WHEN YOU BY YOURSELF? That's what I ask everyone. Who are you when you by yourself? What do you listen to? What do you do? What do you watch? WHAT DO YOU SAY? WHAT GOES THROUGH YOUR head when you're by yourself? You know, if you're truly saved, let me help you understand something. If you're truly saved, hell is not your destination. But if you're not, it is. Hell is real because heaven's real. If you're not truly saved, you're on the way to hell. That's just reality. But, if you're truly saved, what he's talking about, this separation from God, you will die spiritually. You will lose your spiritual >> [clears throat] >> energy. What do you have then? You You're right back on self. What has self got you before? You want You want God to to lead your life. YOU WANT GOD TO DIRECT your path. Let him. Quit talking about it. Be committed. You're going to have to. What side do you want to stand on? Are you still on the checklist? That's between you and God. I don't tell nobody what to do. That's not my calling. My My calling is to preach the word of God and let God deal with you. Ain't none of my I can't get in your business. That's not my I CAN'T I GOT TO MIND my own. You don't think that when I study this, and I've had a rough week, and but as I study, God spoke to me. He comforted me in his word, and he prepared me. Because if I had to go up If I had If it had been on my own accord, when Pastor Reggie asked me, "Are you still good?" Me? Me being Jason? I would have said no. That's just the truth. So, where's your spiritual growth? Number two, are you convinced? Are you convinced? 14 and 15. For we know that the law is spiritual. No, I'm sorry. Wrong 14. For as the as many are led by the spirit of God, then the these are the sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage to fear, but you received the spirit of adoption by whom we cry, "Abba Father." So, I'm going to ask you something. Like, >> [clears throat] >> you do understand that one of the blessings of the Holy Spirit, YOU GOT TO BE OKAY with this and we're not. WE'RE NOT OKAY WITH IT. The one OF THE BLESSINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS TO BE LED BY HIM. If we're not allowing him to lead us, THEN THEN WE'RE WE'RE REJECTING THE BLESSING of God. BUT, WAIT A MINUTE, GOD. I I I need a new car. I need a new house. I I don't like my job. I got bills that are due. If you're praying that prayer, you're already behind. You're not trusting God going to take care of you. You're not trusting the spirit of God. That's the blessings that you're going to miss. We as as mankind, we lack wisdom to make decisions on the right thing. That may offend some of you. I'm not saying anything bad. I'm just telling you you don't have the wisdom that God has. You don't see what God sees. You don't know what God knows. So, without without asking God, you should ask God and I know this is You may say, "Oh, that's outdated. This is Oh, that's old school." Whatever, that's okay. But, if you're not asking God about everything you do, YOU'RE NOT DOING WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO DO. YOU'RE ALREADY ASSUMING THAT IT'S OKAY. LIVING THE LIFE THAT WE LIVE IS NOT OKAY. I'M TIRED OF PEOPLE SAYING IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY. IT'S NEVER GOING to be okay. If we do not focus on Jesus Christ and the cross and then understand that we are truly led by the spirit of God. I go back to what Where do you take him? Right now in your mind, where have you been this week that he wouldn't be proud of? What have you said this week that he wouldn't want to hear? What? How have you talked to somebody? You know, and and I'm I'm I'm I'm being kind of funny when I say this because I'm just giving you a hard time, but the reality is at 12:00 most people at restaurants hate their job on Sundays. You believe that? You know why? Cuz we show up. No, we claim to be Christians, BUT WE DON'T ACT LIKE IT. WE SHAKE OUR TEA GLASSES. WE SAY THINGS OUT THE WAY. SOMETHING AIN'T RIGHT. YOU YOU PITCH A FIT, TRY TO GET YOUR MONEY BACK. AND AND AND YOU SAY YOU GOT THE RIGHT CUZ YOU'RE PAYING FOR IT. HOW WHAT KIND OF DAY IS THAT PERSON HAVING? DO YOU LOOK LIKE JESUS CHRIST? IS THE SPIRIT OF GOD LEADING YOU? OR YOU YOU done left him in the car. You say you don't want people watching you. Why not? That's what the Bible says. For we people should change because they see us change. People If you're not being led by the spirit of God, THEY DON'T WANT to be like you. BECAUSE I'VE BEEN TOLD I WENT TO CHURCH here and I was told by somebody when I was going to church here, if that's a Christian, they told me about somebody and they said if that's a Christian, I don't want to be one. Is that you? You say you got the right TO DO YOU WANT TO. My Bible says you don't. My Bible says you don't. Now you getting in my business. No, I'm not. No, I'm not. I promise. I told you. I ain't got time for that. You must abide by the spirit of God because he and he alone knows right from wrong. That's it. You don't. Much as you think you do, you don't. I try to tell my wife that all the time. It don't work, but I tell her. Amen. Why Why is it important to be led by the spirit of God? Because the spirit of God will lead you to honor God. That's what it's about. It's to honor God. When you stand up and sing and you raise your hands or you praise God, can he hear you? Again, is your heart clean? Because I told you earlier if if if you live in a lifestyle that's not appealing and pleasing to God, then you're you're you're dying. You're separation You're separating from God day by day. The Bible teaches your your mercies are renewed daily. But do you take advantage of that or do you hold on hold on to something that's going to pull you away from God? You got to understand that that what the Bible says is is you may not like it, but it's the truth. Point blank. No if, no ands, no buts. And you look at it and you say, "Well, you know what? I'm honoring God my own way." You know, God told me that one me and me and we we I got my own thing with God. No, you don't. God's got a standard. You don't get to pick and choose how you live your life. So, while you're hitting your checklist and you're getting your atta boys and you're getting that pat on the back. Where's your Where Where do you stand with the holy God? Are you in good standing with the holy God this morning? You know how many churches have shut down altars here in even in Rock Hill, South Carolina? People don't use altars no more. That baffles me. I don't understand it. But again, it's none of my business. That's between you and God. We got to get back to allowing God's house to be God's house, not a place to say I did, or look at me. Or here I am this morning. Well, y'all lucky I made it. No. No, nobody's lucky you made it. Lucky's not a word. Lucky is not in the Bible. We're blessed. We're blessed. The Bible teaches as as we talk about it, it's relational. We There should be a relationship. And in a relationship, there's some things that has to intertwine and lock together. You know, uh as as we are adopted, as the Bible says, >> [clears throat] >> in verse 15, but we have received the spirit of adoption. You've been brought into a family. We shouldn't We shouldn't be fearful of things. On your worst day, you should still find the joy of the Lord. That's what's going to get you through. That's what's going to help you surpass what people don't understand. The peace beyond understanding. You You will never understand it, but you're called. You're called. And I keep using that word because that's something we don't talk about anymore. You're called. When you pick up your telephone and you call somebody, they're calling you You answer. WHEN JESUS CHRIST DIED FOR YOU AND GOD allowed the Holy Spirit to BE SET DOWN INSIDE of you. You're called. YOU'RE CALLED TO LOOK, LIVE, AND ACT LIKE JESUS. But we've lost that. Because I'm fine being Jason. You may be fine being you. That's okay. You don't have to answer to me. Never get it crossed up. You will answer to a holy God. I don't care what you believe right now. You you You You do not know when you're going to die. You don't. My sister went home to be with the Lord this week at 44 years old. All I have is the hope in Jesus. That's it. That's it. You know, as we sit here and we we're we act we we say we're convinced. But are you? Are you truly convinced to change? I'll tell you why we don't change. You're worried what people will think about you. You're worried how people will accept you. You're worried if your job will allow you to be a Christian. You hide your faith. But don't let Look Look here. I'm still trying to understand why they called a bus on fire last night celebrating. What did they Basketball game. They're going to catch a bus on fire cuz they won. People will go to jail and they're going to say, "Well, it was it We won the championship." What's that mean? IF YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN, YOU'RE ALREADY A CHAMPION. But I bet everybody in here has got an opinion about some kind of sports venue, athlete, coach. It's okay. But do you talk about God as much as you talk about sports and coaches and athletes? What's your favorite thing to do? Is that what you put before God? I don't know. The last thing is that I want to talk about is is are you concerned? Because I've asked you, you know, I've asked you some pretty hard questions. Are you committed? If I ask you to stand and split the room, are you committed to getting off the checklist of your life? Are you committed? ARE YOU CONVINCED THAT YOU DON'T NEED to live by a checklist? Are you convinced that you need to live by the power of the Holy Spirit? Are you? So, are you concerned? Is there any concern about the lifestyle that you're living? And some may deem it good, but how's God see it? I'm not asking you what man thinks about you. I'm asking you what what God thinks about you. It don't matter what man thinks about it. See, we're people pleasers. We want we want the accolades of this world. We want people to pat us on the back. We want people to tell us it's, you know what? You know, it's okay. You know what another thing that concerns me about being, and I'm just being transparent with you, is all these people that we're putting on pedestals because they're getting saved on Instagram and social media and all that. But we don't know what they think salvation is. We don't know if they understand the biblical truth. Where's the discipleship at? Where's the sanctification process? The easiest thing about being saved is getting saved. It's not over. That's where it starts. That's where the hard work, the grind comes in. That's where the change should TAKE PLACE. THAT RADICAL CHANGE SHOULD BE INSTILLED INTO YOUR BODY AND YOU SHOULD WANT TO live for the Lord every day, no matter what. Bible says in 16 and 17. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ. I just went straight to 17. That's where he wants me to be. I'mma stay there. >> [snorts] >> If indeed we suffer with him that we may also be glorified together. Now I done messed you up. I done said you got to suffer. I done said you you got to deal with some things. See, we all sign up for the good things of God. We all sign up for the crown and and and laying crowns at Jesus' feet, but they didn't tell you, so you missed the part that that what you do on this earth is how you gain that those crowns. You missed that part. You want the glory. You want the self-glory. You want the self-gratification. But you don't want to do you don't want to put up with the suffering. You don't want a part of that. SO YOU'RE GOING TO TELL ME CHRISTIANS going to tell me all over across America today is going to tell me that my [snorts] Jesus suffered on the cross, but you don't want to. And you claim you want TO BE LIKE PETER OR PAUL. YOU CAN'T BE LIKE JESUS IF YOU CAN'T BE LIKE Peter or Paul. You got to be willing to suffer. 16 which I missed. The Lord said move, so I did. >> [snorts] >> You got to understand he reaffirms our standing with God the Father. So let me read it real quick so you can say, "I don't know what you're talking about, pastor." The spirit of God himself bears witness to our spirit that we are children of God. He's telling us, "You are children of God. You're supposed to do things. You have to do things. You're You're obligated to held accountable. You know there's some young people in here today. Praise God for that. I'm about to get all in your business. Is that okay? All right, good. I got one [snorts] amen. That's all I needed. I don't care if they're your blood children or not. When they look at you, they should see Jesus Christ. They shouldn't see you at the grocery store acting up. They shouldn't see you at the convenience store saying things. They shouldn't see you at a ball game swearing at other people, cussing, and throwing stuff. No, they shouldn't. You should look like Jesus. You Because why? Because verse 16 [snorts] says, and I'll read it again. It says, "The spirit himself BEARS WITNESS WITH OUR spirit that we are children of God." You should look like that. You should act like that. And here's the truth. We're all sinners saved by grace. Amen? So, when you do wrong, you got three things to do. One, and first and foremost, you ask God to forgive you. Then you ask that person to forgive you, whether you got TO SWALLOW YOUR PRIDE OR NOT. And then you forgive yourself. Because you're not perfect. We've learned that he leads us. He helps us to deal with sin. There's these things in our life that we could not and and will not be able to do without the power of God. I don't care who you are. I've tried it. Swain Wright, I still think about you often. When I asked you to pray for me one day, you started praying and and and and I've taken that on myself. If I tell people, "Don't ask me to pray for you if you're not ready." So, thank you for that. Thank you for showing me what it meant to to answer God's call. That don't make him special. That shows that he was being obedient in the time of ask. >> [snorts] >> I'm not going to put him on a pedestal. I mean, he needs to be on one, but I'm not going to put him on a pedestal. Y'all get that tomorrow. Praise God. Love you, Swain. I miss you, brother. But the the true work of the holy Holy Spirit reminds you that you're saved. And that you should live like it. And you should act like it. And and and and that should be enough, but he went on to [snorts] say because it's never enough. We never Nothing's never good enough for us anymore. Nothing. SportsCenter and everything else. Look here. We can't be okay with what happened last night. They're They're already predicting next year. That was just last night. And and some of you may not like what I'm about to say, but when you got to start putting the WWE on SportsCenter, THEY WE WE IN TROUBLE. WE ARE IN TROUBLE. THAT AIN'T EVEN REAL. SOME SPORTS AIN'T NO MORE BECAUSE THEY GOT THEM ALL PLAYED NEVER MIND, I ain't going there. Praise God. BUT I'M GOING TO TELL YOU, if you know that ain't real, you don't know how you're you act sometimes, AIN'T NEITHER. QUIT PLEASING PEOPLE AND PLEASE GOD. CUZ YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE WE'RE children of God. We're joint heirs with Jesus Christ. Whatever Christ receives, we shall also receive. Wow. I bet you got right now you're looking into your mind thinking about all the glorified things that you're going to receive. Right? Okay. I'll let you think about that for a minute. Now we're done. Because here's why. Bible says, "If it so be that we suffer with him." Where are you today? Did you sign up for that? I know when I I look here but I don't Nope. As I got closer to God and I I met with men and you [snorts] know, people poured into me. Pastor Jim Neil, Pastor Rogers, they poured into me. It wasn't about eating Mexican food or a hot dog. That was good. But to see see men of God concerned about me. Are you concerned? Are you truly concerned about the next generation? Are you concerned about how people see you? Are you concerned about your lifestyle? Are you concerned about your uh once in a whiles? Are you concerned about once okay? I can't find that in my Bible by the way. Are you concerned about it? Are you concerned about me that I keep harping on it? See right now some of you are more concerned about me standing on the word of God than you are about what's going on in your life. Some of you are more concerned about what I'm saying because you've already got it hand-picked what you're going to do. Some of y'all are truly concerned about everything but God. Some of y'all [snorts] say I don't have the right to say that. That's why I didn't ask you. I don't need your opinions this morning. I need you to hear what God give me. I need you to understand what God said. It's not by mistake that we're all here this morning. We talk about suffering. You know, you're you're you're going to suffer. You're going to suffer. You're going to have to suffer. Because it's in those times as you suffer that Jesus Christ will be glorified because the spirit of God will lead you through those times and then you can minister to somebody else one day because THEY'RE GOING TO SAY, "HOW DID YOU GET THROUGH THAT? HOW DID YOU DO THAT? You know, I don't understand." YOU KNOW WHY THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND? Because they don't have that relationship. There's even Christians that'll tell you, "I don't understand how you did it, brother." That shows lack of commitment and concern of relationship with the holy God, not with me. It it it it boils down to who are you when you're alone. So, I ask you, if you want the rewards that the Bible teaches about, are you willing to live the life that's asked of you? What in your life today, and I'm going to open this altar and you may not come. My prayer is that God God deals with you when you leave here. You know, and and and the the understanding is is until you accept that you need change, you won't change. You don't want to hear me tell you got to do something. Right now God's dealing with you. Right now God's dealing with somebody in in here. There's There's There's too big a crowd here for God not to be dealing with you right now. You're going to be ashamed or embarrassed to come down here because people is going to want to know what's wrong. It ain't nobody's business what's wrong. That You need to pray for them if they ask you. See, that's what's wrong. We worry about what other people are doing and we don't we don't give our attention to a holy God. I don't know where you're at this morning, but I do know people are suffering. I know things life goes on. Do you hear what I'm trying to tell you? But if YOU DO NOT PUT GOD IN THE CENTER OF YOUR LIFE, YOU'RE A MESS. You're always going to be a mess. If you're not trusting God with your every decision, then you're losing hope. The Bible teaches that he is hope. He's the only hope. He's all we have. Are you concerned? It's a hard question and people don't like to answer it and that's okay. It It It really is. And I understand, right? I mean, I am a realist. But I want to ask you a very hard question. If you were to die right now, are you prepared to answer to a holy God? One, are you truly saved? Are you truly saved? Are you washed in the blood? And two, are you living a life that will honor God? Because if you're not, you need to ask God to forgive you. You can pray all you want to with sin in your heart. God's not going to answer your prayers. That's why I swung right when he told me that. It It It opened my eyes that, you know what? When people say pray, they're asking for something. And you may be the only Jesus they see. So, do they see the Jesus that God intends for them to see? Or do they see the Jesus that they don't want to be? That's for you to decide. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, Lord God, I come to you now, Lord. Lord, I've done my best. I've preached your word, Lord God. I thank you, Lord God, for being in the building, Spirit of God, Holy Spirit, I thank you for coming down and sitting down with us today. We don't deserve it. Lord God, I just ask you now just help the people understand without you there's nothing, Lord God. True salvation, repentance, true repentance, 180° turn. But they leave it where it's at. Lord God, I just pray that they take this altar serious. And Lord God, it's just not a another wall, but it's a place that they can leave their burdens today. Jesus Christ, thank you for dying for our sins so we can come to you in a time like this. When everything's crashing on around us, you're still the steady post. You're the anchor that holds. So, Lord God, I just turn it over to you now. In your name we pray. Amen. >> [snorts] >> Let's stand. >> Lord, you know my heart. >> [singing] [music] >> Lord, you know my need. Every step that [music] I take, Lord, I feel [singing] the weight of every burden on me. Lay down at the >> [singing] >> altar. Lay it down [singing and music] at your feet. I am desperate [music and singing] for mercy. I am desperate [singing] [music] for peace. You're the one that is holy. And I'm the one [singing] who's in need. So, I will lay [singing] it down. Lay it down at the altar. [singing] Who am I to you? When you are everything. >> [singing and music] >> And though I cannot be sure that my gift would be pure and be fit for my king. Lay it down [singing and music] at the altar. Lay it down [singing and music] at your feet. I am desperate [singing] [music] for mercy. I am desperate [music] for peace. You're the one that is holy. [singing] And I'm the [singing and music] one who's in need. So, I will lay it down. Lay [music and singing] it down at the >> Amen. Are your hearts clear tonight, this morning? As Appreciate it, brother Jason. [music] God bless you. Amen. You know, I ask this question quite often, you know, if you walked outside the door and Jesus [music] was there, are you ready to meet him? Are you? Good message [music] this morning to remind us. You know, are we committed to Christ? Again, I appreciate it, brother. Well, I appreciate everybody being here this morning. Our guests, thank you for being a part of our service. I will mention this again. Brother David already mentioned next week, Father's Day. Ladies, I know we have a lot of ladies whose husbands, you know, they they they don't attend churches uh like they would like for them to you know, wives would like for them to come. Try to get them to come next week. We do have We're actually going to have a gift for the men next week. All right. Hey, we're going to give you something next week. So, uh so you you've uh try try to get them and remind them and and come next week. And And do remember brother Jason. I know you I I hope you got that in the middle of his sermon there that uh his sister passed away this past week. They're going to be doing the funeral tomorrow. Him and his brother will be doing the funeral. So, you be much in prayer for that family. And continue to be uh like like David already said uh um uh brother Les uh Barbara passing away yesterday. So, let's go to the Lord in prayer and then you have a wonderful week. Come back and be where you need to be. Uh Vacation Bible School, continue to pray for them. Pray for our youth as they're on their mission trip right now. So, let's just join our hearts in prayer. Father, thank you again for the word of God. Lord, that's all we have is to stand upon your word. And Lord, live by your word, Father. Thank you so much for allowing us to be a to be a part of this church family to uh you're bringing people up our church Lord to be called to be pastors Lord. We thank you for all of these that have been come Brandon this Brandon and West and Jason Lord and and others father that are preaching the word of God and we're so grateful for that father. Thank you again. Now be with our church family Lord those that are hurting. Lord those that are going through things father that it's just it's sometimes it's just tough. But Lord we do know this that you have it. Lord that you're in total control of it all. We're in your hands. And father so we'll just we're just learning every day to lean upon you and to trust you. Thank you again. Be with us and we'll praise your name this week as you put somebody in our way so that we may share the gospel the blessed gospel the saving gospel Lord to those that need it and we'll just again praise your name. In Jesus name we pray. All God's people said Amen.