WEBVTT 00:00:00.320 --> 00:00:03.600 You may have a good morning. 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:06.480 My name is Ariel and Hallelujah. 00:00:13.279 --> 00:00:16.000 Alright, before we start, I want to read a psalm. 00:00:16.399 --> 00:00:17.679 It's from Psalm 4. 00:00:19.120 --> 00:00:21.679 It says this Praise the Lord. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:24.160 I praise God in His sanctuary. 00:00:24.480 --> 00:00:26.320 I praise Him in His mighty heaven. 00:00:27.280 --> 00:00:29.199 Praise Him for His acts of power. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:31.199 Praise Him for His surpassing. 00:00:32.640 --> 00:00:34.560 Praise Him with the sounding of the trumpet. 00:00:35.039 --> 00:00:36.719 Praise Him with the harp and the lyre. 00:00:37.039 --> 00:00:39.119 I praise Him with timbrel and dancing. 00:00:39.679 --> 00:00:41.600 Praise Him with strings and hide. 00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:44.399 I praise Him with the clash of symbols. 00:00:44.799 --> 00:00:47.039 Praise Him with resounding symbols. 00:00:47.200 --> 00:00:48.640 Let's all say that last part. 00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:52.399 Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. 00:00:52.640 --> 00:00:53.280 Amen. 00:00:53.679 --> 00:00:54.159 Amen. 00:00:54.240 --> 00:00:56.560 Come on, let's praise God this morning. 00:00:57.679 --> 00:00:59.359 Come on, hands together. 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:11.599 You get all the breath we say. 00:01:12.400 --> 00:01:13.120 Alay. 00:01:16.879 --> 00:01:18.560 You get all the break. 00:01:24.480 --> 00:01:26.159 You get all the break. 00:01:32.400 --> 00:01:34.719 Get all the gray, all the way. 00:01:35.680 --> 00:01:38.400 I've got a god who is for me. 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.920 And he's known for making a way. 00:01:43.280 --> 00:01:46.640 He fought the battle, so I wouldn't have to. 00:01:46.959 --> 00:01:49.920 All glory belongs to this name. 00:01:50.400 --> 00:01:53.840 Oh, I've got a god who's been playing. 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:57.599 All more than I could explain. 00:01:58.400 --> 00:02:04.319 And through every season, despite of my weakness, he gave me a strong act. 00:02:05.120 --> 00:02:06.480 I think the break. 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:08.479 Mama stayed back. 00:02:08.960 --> 00:02:10.240 I take the break. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:14.080 That's why I woke up the break. 00:02:16.639 --> 00:02:17.919 I take the break. 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:43.680 And he put my shame in the grave. 00:02:44.400 --> 00:02:48.159 Went to heaven back and now I never had to. 00:02:48.479 --> 00:02:51.039 And he did it all in three days. 00:02:51.199 --> 00:02:52.479 I kicked the break. 00:02:54.960 --> 00:02:56.319 I kicked the break. 00:02:58.000 --> 00:02:59.280 That's why I woke up. 00:03:02.639 --> 00:03:04.000 I think the bird. 00:03:05.199 --> 00:03:06.159 We stayed. 00:04:55.680 --> 00:04:57.279 You did all the free. 00:04:59.839 --> 00:05:01.199 I can't fit. 00:05:03.680 --> 00:05:05.040 I can't break. 00:05:08.959 --> 00:05:10.319 I repeat after me. 00:05:10.480 --> 00:05:13.279 Let everything that has breath. 00:05:13.519 --> 00:05:14.319 That has breath. 00:05:14.480 --> 00:05:15.120 Praise the Lord. 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:16.160 Praise the law. 00:05:16.319 --> 00:05:17.040 Praise the Lord. 00:05:17.199 --> 00:05:17.920 Praise the law. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:18.879 Let everything. 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:20.879 Let everything That has breath. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:21.839 That has breath. 00:05:22.079 --> 00:05:22.720 Praise the Lord. 00:05:22.959 --> 00:05:23.839 Praise the law. 00:05:24.079 --> 00:05:24.800 Alright, see it. 00:05:24.879 --> 00:05:25.360 Come on. 00:05:25.439 --> 00:05:27.519 I'll praise in the valley. 00:05:28.399 --> 00:05:30.720 I'll praise on the mountain. 00:05:33.120 --> 00:05:35.360 I'll praise when I'm sure. 00:05:36.079 --> 00:05:38.240 I'll praise when I'm doubting. 00:05:40.879 --> 00:05:43.040 I'll praise without number. 00:05:43.519 --> 00:05:46.399 And I'll praise when surrounded. 00:05:48.480 --> 00:05:50.800 Cause praise is the water. 00:05:51.600 --> 00:05:53.519 My enemies drowning. 00:05:56.240 --> 00:05:58.720 As long as I'm breaking my singing up. 00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.759 I'll praise when I feel it. 00:06:18.160 --> 00:06:20.800 And I'll praise when I don't. 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:24.959 I praise cause I know. 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:27.680 You're still in control. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:33.600 Come on, shut it. 00:06:35.279 --> 00:06:37.439 It's more than a step. 00:06:38.319 --> 00:06:40.319 My praise is the shop. 00:06:40.800 --> 00:06:47.759 That brings care to breathe. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:07:02.160 I don't think it's a little bit more. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:23.279 Hands up, hands up. 00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:34.879 I come on, let's see this bridge together. 00:07:35.040 --> 00:07:36.240 I'll praise cause you. 00:07:42.480 --> 00:07:43.600 I'll praise God. 00:07:48.959 --> 00:07:51.839 I'll praise, I'll praise cause you suffer. 00:07:52.000 --> 00:07:53.600 I'll praise cause you rain. 00:07:54.000 --> 00:07:57.360 Praise cause you wrote and defeated the bread. 00:07:57.600 --> 00:07:59.439 I'll praise cause you're faithful. 00:07:59.759 --> 00:08:01.199 Praise cause you're true. 00:08:01.680 --> 00:09:23.440 Praise cause you nobody let everything. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:24.720 That has bread. 00:09:24.879 --> 00:09:25.600 That has grip. 00:09:25.759 --> 00:09:26.559 Praise the look. 00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:27.440 Praise the look. 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:28.480 Praise the look. 00:09:28.639 --> 00:09:29.279 Praise the look. 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:34.159 Let everybody praise the look. 00:09:34.480 --> 00:09:35.039 Praise the look. 00:09:35.279 --> 00:09:35.919 Praise the look. 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:36.799 Come on one more time. 00:09:37.039 --> 00:09:37.840 Let everything. 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:40.000 That has break. 00:09:40.159 --> 00:09:40.879 That has break. 00:09:41.039 --> 00:09:41.679 Praise the look. 00:09:41.919 --> 00:09:42.559 Praise the look. 00:09:42.799 --> 00:09:43.600 Praise the luck. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:44.320 Praise the look. 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:49.279 Praise the law. 00:09:49.360 --> 00:09:50.240 Come on, shut it. 00:09:50.399 --> 00:09:51.600 Praise the law. 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:01.600 Thanks, buddy. 00:10:01.840 --> 00:10:03.440 Hey, uh, you guys are hype today. 00:10:03.519 --> 00:10:04.159 I love it, man. 00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.240 Singing me happy. 00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:07.120 This is good. 00:10:07.200 --> 00:10:08.480 It's a good day to be in church. 00:10:08.559 --> 00:10:10.080 If you're breathing, that means you're alive. 00:10:10.240 --> 00:10:12.320 If you're live, that means there's purpose. 00:10:12.720 --> 00:10:14.639 And uh that's what we're here for today. 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:17.120 And so do this before you sit down. 00:10:17.200 --> 00:10:19.440 Uh sorry, ex introverts. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:20.799 I apologize. 00:10:21.039 --> 00:10:23.840 Look at someone next to you and tell them they look pretty good today. 00:10:23.919 --> 00:10:24.559 Just tell them that. 00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:25.360 Come on. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:31.679 Look good. 00:10:32.240 --> 00:10:33.279 Guys, look good. 00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:34.960 Good. 00:10:37.679 --> 00:10:40.080 Alright, you guys can go ahead and be seated. 00:10:40.799 --> 00:10:43.120 Again, introverts, I'm so sorry. 00:10:43.360 --> 00:10:46.080 Especially if you're visiting, you're like, well, I'm done here. 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:48.080 First and last time. 00:10:49.200 --> 00:10:55.120 Hey, there's uh worse things than to be happy about being in the house of God to worship God together with other people, right? 00:10:55.200 --> 00:10:56.159 Like it's a good thing. 00:10:56.320 --> 00:10:58.960 And today is gonna be an incredible day of church. 00:10:59.039 --> 00:11:01.440 Uh, if you didn't know that, just take it from me. 00:11:01.600 --> 00:11:03.200 Uh, my faith is full. 00:11:03.360 --> 00:11:06.159 Um, I'm so grateful to be a part of this church. 00:11:06.240 --> 00:11:20.879 Uh, my love for this church just keeps growing and growing and growing every week and every month that I'm here longer, and the kindness that I've experienced from uh this church has been unbelievable to me and my family, and I'm just never gonna quit saying thank you to you guys. 00:11:20.960 --> 00:11:26.480 Um it's nice when you make it easy for a pastor to be a pastor, and I don't take that lightly, and you guys have been so kind. 00:11:26.559 --> 00:11:28.240 So clap for yourselves. 00:11:28.559 --> 00:11:29.919 Thank you guys. 00:11:31.120 --> 00:11:34.320 Today's gonna look a little different, and I'll tell you why. 00:11:34.480 --> 00:11:38.799 Um, I'm a big proponent of this idea of what I call borrowing faith. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:45.679 Um, there's been so many seasons in my life where life was just handing it to me, man, and and uh you guys all know what that's like. 00:11:45.759 --> 00:11:48.000 Uh our number all gets called at different times. 00:11:48.159 --> 00:11:53.360 Uh, this side of eternity is a bit of a roller coaster ride, ups, downs, twists, turns, all the things. 00:11:53.679 --> 00:12:06.159 And um it's never lost on me that there's always a portion of people that walk into any one of our campuses at any service, and life right now for you is the crazy part of the roller coaster ride, and it's difficult. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:10.879 And here's what I love about the gospel is it invites weakness. 00:12:11.120 --> 00:12:20.480 And we don't live in a culture or society that gives much credence or honor to weakness, and staying weak isn't the goal, being weak isn't inherently noble. 00:12:20.559 --> 00:12:30.480 But what I love about the gospel is it says that in your times of weakness, that's actually an opportunity for God's power to be made perfect in you. 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:45.440 In other words, even when you feel least worthy, even when you feel like there's no light at the end of the tunnel, even when this beautiful thing called hope that the human soul was designed to be anchored in, even when hope seems to be uh distant from you. 00:12:45.600 --> 00:12:54.000 What I love about the God we serve and the gospel that we preach is that it's a gospel that says, bring me your weakness, bring bring it to me with honesty. 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:58.799 Don't bring it with any shame, don't bring it with any guilt, don't bring it with any embarrassment. 00:12:58.879 --> 00:13:02.879 You're human, you're made of dust and you're made of breath, right? 00:13:02.960 --> 00:13:09.360 There's gonna be beauty on this side of heaven, there's gonna be a brokenness on this side of heaven that we all experience. 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:16.480 And so I think a healthy church, the church we want to be, is a church that says, hey, the goal isn't weakness. 00:13:16.559 --> 00:13:30.240 We're not here to overly celebrate that you're in a season of weakness or difficulty, but we are here to give you really good news, which is listen, this is always an opportunity for God to do something exciting and powerful and meaningful in and through that weakness. 00:13:30.480 --> 00:13:40.000 And you walk out stronger, you walk out wholer, you walk out more mature in your walk with God, and you have a testimony to go along with it that's gonna help a lot of other people. 00:13:40.159 --> 00:13:47.440 And so, to everyone who walked in today, man, and you're just your numbers have been called right now, and this is a difficult season, today is for you. 00:13:47.600 --> 00:13:48.399 Today is about you. 00:13:48.559 --> 00:13:53.360 We're gonna make sure that you are seen, we're gonna make sure that you are known, we're gonna make sure that you are taken care of. 00:13:53.440 --> 00:14:01.120 Because if I read my Bible right, this is what the early church did daily, not once a week. 00:14:01.200 --> 00:14:05.600 They did this daily, they took incredible, impeccable care of each other. 00:14:05.840 --> 00:14:09.679 And it's 2026 now, and the way church goes, it looks different. 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:11.919 There's much larger crowds, and that's a good thing. 00:14:12.080 --> 00:14:22.480 Jesus wanted more and more people to come to know him, but it's harder to uh stay anchored in some of the essentials of the early church when numbers get this big and rooms get this big. 00:14:22.559 --> 00:14:28.720 It's intimacy that is attacked, an intimacy that we have to try and work intentionally for. 00:14:28.879 --> 00:14:32.159 And so this Sunday we're doing it a little different than normal. 00:14:32.399 --> 00:14:46.320 And I hope this becomes a tradition where a few times throughout the year on Sundays, when when uh us as a team and when God's putting it on my heart as a pastor that we need to stop and we need to have a Sunday like this, that we're gonna listen to that voice and we're just gonna stop. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:50.159 And this is a uh a Sunday of ministry for each other. 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:54.000 This isn't them just singing and ministering to you as you sing back. 00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:59.840 This isn't me or someone else getting up here and ministering to you in God's word, which is such an important thing as well. 00:15:00.000 --> 00:15:04.480 We're never gonna quit doing that, but this is a day where we minister one to another. 00:15:04.879 --> 00:15:16.000 And one of the templates that I get, uh there's many in the New Testament, but my vision behind moments like these comes from one of our first pastors and one of the great twelve apostles. 00:15:16.159 --> 00:15:16.960 His name was James. 00:15:17.120 --> 00:15:19.360 He's a brother of Jesus, and he wrote this. 00:15:19.519 --> 00:15:25.840 He says in James chapter 5, starting in verse 13, he says, Is any one of you in here today in trouble? 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:28.240 And then he says this. 00:15:29.039 --> 00:15:30.240 Then let's pray. 00:15:31.039 --> 00:15:32.000 I love this one. 00:15:32.159 --> 00:15:34.320 Is any one of you in here today happy? 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.039 Then let's sing songs of praise. 00:15:37.279 --> 00:15:39.840 We've already gotten started on that, and we're not done. 00:15:40.080 --> 00:15:41.279 He goes on to say this. 00:15:41.360 --> 00:15:42.480 This is this is huge. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:44.879 Is anyone among you sick? 00:15:45.279 --> 00:15:59.360 Let them call on the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, and the Lord will raise them up. 00:15:59.679 --> 00:16:03.279 If any of you have sinned, and guess what? 00:16:03.840 --> 00:16:05.519 Everyone raise your hand real quick. 00:16:06.080 --> 00:16:07.200 Okay, there we go. 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:07.759 Okay? 00:16:08.320 --> 00:16:11.840 If any one of you has sinned, they shall be forgiven. 00:16:12.080 --> 00:16:17.679 Therefore, as a church, confess your sins to each other. 00:16:18.000 --> 00:16:23.440 You're like, and listen to this. 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:27.200 Pray for each other, minister to each other. 00:16:28.080 --> 00:16:28.559 Why? 00:16:28.799 --> 00:16:30.799 So that you may find healing. 00:16:31.360 --> 00:16:33.200 And then it ends with this encouragement. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:37.519 The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:41.279 And can I tell you some really good news about the gospel? 00:16:41.840 --> 00:17:03.039 The finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, in our place, for us, when we by faith receive that Jesus died, was buried, he descended to the dead, and three days later he rose again, and then he ascended into heaven and is now sitting at the right hand of the throne of God the Father, and he will come again someday to judge the living and the dead. 00:17:03.200 --> 00:17:12.720 When we believe in the finished, final work of Jesus, the Bible says this you are then given Jesus' righteousness in place of yours. 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:14.319 Isn't that amazing? 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:19.039 One Old Testament prophet said, Your best day of righteousness is still like filthy rags. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:25.839 And Jesus comes and says, No, I'm about to, I'm gonna use a big word here, I'm about to impugn on you. 00:17:26.640 --> 00:17:27.680 My righteousness. 00:17:38.720 --> 00:17:46.000 That is what you are, not because of your works, not because of your performance, not because of how good of a week or a month or a year you've had. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:59.440 It is solely the finished work of Christ and Christ alone and faith in Christ alone, which means when it says the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective, you know what that means? 00:17:59.680 --> 00:18:02.000 You as a believer in Jesus qualify. 00:18:02.319 --> 00:18:08.559 We're gonna pray today as we do that, along with singing prayers and worshiping God and praising God. 00:18:08.720 --> 00:18:10.160 We're gonna pray for our church today. 00:18:10.240 --> 00:18:13.759 We're gonna minister one to another today, and it's gonna be beautiful. 00:18:13.839 --> 00:18:18.720 And all God asks us in terms of participation is that we would meet him with a few things. 00:18:18.880 --> 00:18:20.640 Number one, expectancy. 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:24.400 God loves when his kids expect God to move. 00:18:24.640 --> 00:18:32.240 God loves when his kids have expectancy that God can say to a mountain, be ye cast into the sea, and it is. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:36.880 Jesus said, What's impossible with man is possible with God. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:49.200 Jesus knew that we would all have different degrees of believing those kind of truths because of the different places we are in life, and so he said, if you even come to church with just a mustard seed of faith, you'll be amazed what is possible. 00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:51.599 So we're gonna borrow faith from each other today. 00:18:52.000 --> 00:19:02.559 Those of you who life is going good right now, you're in that fun season of the roller coaster, and things are just working out, and the a multitude of areas in your life are prospering right now. 00:19:02.799 --> 00:19:07.680 Can I just say, uh, according to scripture, but also from my heart, we just celebrate that with you. 00:19:07.839 --> 00:19:11.680 No jealousy in this room, we're not having it, no envy in this room, we're not having it. 00:19:11.839 --> 00:19:13.839 We just celebrate that season with you. 00:19:14.079 --> 00:19:17.759 Be happy, be happy, don't apologize. 00:19:17.920 --> 00:19:18.720 Number two is this. 00:19:18.880 --> 00:19:23.039 Please, if that's you right now, don't look over your shoulder the whole time going, when's it gonna drop? 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.160 When's the bad stuff? 00:19:24.240 --> 00:19:24.720 You ever do that? 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:26.160 You ever I do that sometimes. 00:19:26.720 --> 00:19:31.519 God, like, no, James, the the guy who just wrote what I read, you know what he says in an earlier chapter? 00:19:31.680 --> 00:19:36.240 He says, Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:40.480 It's his honor when he bestows on us good and beautiful and perfect things. 00:19:40.559 --> 00:19:43.359 So if life's going good, just embrace it today. 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:45.359 Sing songs of praise from your heart. 00:19:45.519 --> 00:19:56.640 Give God the glory, give God the gratitude, and then the second thing, if that's you right now, I always say this is it's never apologize for your blessings unless you don't share them. 00:19:57.440 --> 00:20:08.079 And so if you come in here full of energy and gratitude and life is going good, your job in these next few minutes is to share some of that faith with people who walk in and don't have a whole lot of it. 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:10.240 So we're gonna pray for people who are in trouble. 00:20:10.319 --> 00:20:14.960 We're gonna pray for people who are sick today in body and mind and in spirit. 00:20:15.119 --> 00:20:20.720 We're gonna pray and sing songs of praise for all of us today who are just feeling happy. 00:20:20.880 --> 00:20:21.119 Why? 00:20:21.279 --> 00:20:23.039 Because I want to be the church. 00:20:23.759 --> 00:20:26.720 I don't want to play church, I don't want to just go through the motions. 00:20:26.799 --> 00:20:34.000 I know we live in, I'm a Texas guy now, it's been two years, and I know Texas is like the gold part of the buckle on the Bible belt, you know. 00:20:34.240 --> 00:20:36.240 I came from Colorado, though, y'all. 00:20:36.480 --> 00:20:38.480 There's it's the back part of the belt. 00:20:38.559 --> 00:20:39.839 That's not cool at all. 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:42.960 Like, Christianity is different and weird there, right? 00:20:43.039 --> 00:20:47.839 I loved it, but but I am not coming to the Bible belt to play church. 00:20:48.480 --> 00:20:50.640 I didn't move me and my family here to play church. 00:20:50.799 --> 00:20:52.400 I came because I believe in this place. 00:20:52.559 --> 00:20:54.400 I came because the Spirit of God is here. 00:20:54.640 --> 00:20:56.799 I came because people of faith are here. 00:20:56.960 --> 00:21:01.279 I came because people of generosity and kindness are in this room amongst us right now. 00:21:01.440 --> 00:21:09.599 I believe in this place, I love this place, but I will not accept anything more than allowing God to do what only He can do. 00:21:09.759 --> 00:21:11.279 And we just need His power today. 00:21:11.359 --> 00:21:12.079 Amen, right? 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:13.119 Like, don't you think that? 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:13.680 Okay. 00:21:15.680 --> 00:21:17.920 So here's what we're gonna do first. 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:21.440 We're gonna pray for a specific group of people because of the time of year it is. 00:21:21.599 --> 00:21:46.960 Uh, if you're in here and you are uh a teacher at any level, you're a professor, you're a teacher, um uh you're uh in early, early childhood preschool education, if you're an administrator at any one of those schools or universities, if you're working in facilities at these schools, maybe you're a janitor, maybe you work on the the food or the teen lunch lady, if that's part of what you do. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:22:04.319 Um if you're a counselor, which is such an important thing at any of our schools, uh if you do homeschool with your kids, then I'm gonna have you along with everyone else I mentioned stand up, both parents, because you're all of You're the administrator, the lunch lady, you're the teacher, you're the coach. 00:22:04.720 --> 00:22:14.000 If you're a coach, this is such my life as a high schooler wouldn't have been everything it was supposed to be without a couple of coaches. 00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:16.640 They made such an incredible difference in my life. 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:21.359 I have some coaches coaching my sons right now, and they are unbelievable. 00:22:21.519 --> 00:22:27.119 And I can watch them doing some things in my kids' life that is helping me be a better father and a better parent. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:31.920 So if you're any one of those people, we're gonna pray over this school year, 26, 27. 00:22:32.079 --> 00:22:39.359 We believe it's gonna be uh cheesy Christian term here coming, but a banner year in the school systems, whether at home, whether private, or whether public. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:40.480 Would you guys stand right now? 00:22:40.559 --> 00:22:41.279 We want to honor you. 00:22:41.359 --> 00:22:42.799 Stand up, be proud. 00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:44.319 Come on, be proud. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:45.359 Look at this. 00:22:50.480 --> 00:22:52.559 Come on, let's keep it going for them. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:56.000 They take care of our family, they take care of our kids. 00:22:56.400 --> 00:22:57.279 It's beautiful. 00:22:57.440 --> 00:22:57.920 Thank you. 00:22:58.079 --> 00:22:58.480 Thank you. 00:22:58.640 --> 00:22:59.200 Thank you. 00:22:59.519 --> 00:23:00.720 Stay standing. 00:23:01.119 --> 00:23:02.559 Don't be shy. 00:23:03.759 --> 00:23:04.720 So let's do this. 00:23:05.359 --> 00:23:07.200 They need to borrow a bunch of faith from us. 00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:12.160 Come on, if you think it's crazy your house, imagine putting 22 of them in the same room, right? 00:23:13.440 --> 00:23:21.839 Like, like it's it's crazy, but you guys do such good work, and and God didn't just call you to be educators, he called you to be ministers as you educate. 00:23:22.319 --> 00:23:25.279 Um your job is bigger than maybe you walked in today knowing. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:36.000 You have an opportunity to be the light of Christ to a bunch of kids and young adults that uh have a lot of stuff going on at home that very few people besides you guys will be privy to. 00:23:36.319 --> 00:23:41.920 And you have an opportunity to be a surrogate mom or a surrogate father or a surrogate uncle or an aunt to them. 00:23:42.079 --> 00:23:51.200 You have an opportunity to expend some of your own hard-earned energy and go the extra mile with certain kids that God wants to put in your path. 00:23:51.359 --> 00:24:00.640 Divinely God is going to divinely put some children and some young adults in all of your classrooms and all of your paths because he knows what they're not getting at home. 00:24:00.799 --> 00:24:08.240 There's gonna be a spirit that you bring and you recognizing those kids that you are gonna give to them, and it's gonna make an incredible difference. 00:24:12.319 --> 00:24:14.079 So come on, let's put our faith together. 00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:24.480 Jesus, we lift up these awesome educators, we lift up these uh coaches, these administrators, these counselors, these teachers, we lift up every parent that's homeschooling their children, God. 00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:32.319 I ask for uh resource this year like never before, God, practical resource in their classrooms, spiritual resource, God. 00:24:32.400 --> 00:24:41.440 I ask for the resource of uh energy that they've never had uh before, like they're gonna have this year, to go the long haul, God, to see it through, Lord. 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:44.240 I pray for a year of encouragement for educators. 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:49.759 I pray, Lord, uh, that you in the name of Jesus would use more of our taxes to raise their salaries. 00:24:49.839 --> 00:24:50.960 Can I get an amen? 00:24:51.119 --> 00:24:53.759 Because they deserve it in the name of Jesus. 00:24:54.079 --> 00:25:09.440 God, I pray that you would open doors uh and give them divine favor with the students and with the uh parents, God, that it would be a year of less complaining and more honoring, more encouraging, more uh laboring together with the parents instead of working against them, God. 00:25:09.599 --> 00:25:15.279 We pray in the name of Jesus for protection over every single school that is represented here. 00:25:15.440 --> 00:25:25.039 Angels, we ask that you would surround those schools and minister and protect those kids, protect those teachers from any type of violence, from any type of assaults, God. 00:25:25.200 --> 00:25:34.400 May this be a year where gun tragedies in schools, the statistics go down and down and down in the name of Jesus that there would be a hedge of protection. 00:25:34.640 --> 00:25:37.519 God, we call out to you because it's bigger than us. 00:25:37.680 --> 00:25:40.640 We call out to you because we're desperate for your intervention. 00:25:40.880 --> 00:25:44.880 We call out to you because all of this is bigger than just our human efforts. 00:25:44.960 --> 00:25:58.400 And so I ask God for divinely inspired grace, kindness, mercy, protection, and resource over all of these beautiful people in our church that are helping our community uh be so much stronger. 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:01.759 And may we do it all, Jesus, for your glory and for your name. 00:26:01.839 --> 00:26:02.160 We pray. 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:04.079 And everyone said, Amen. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:05.599 Keep standing, teachers. 00:26:05.759 --> 00:26:07.039 Come stand with the rest of them. 00:26:07.200 --> 00:26:08.319 Let's worship some more. 00:26:08.400 --> 00:26:09.200 Come on. 00:27:56.000 --> 00:28:03.039 I've got just one with my arm stretched one. 00:28:05.279 --> 00:28:07.119 How will I say? 00:29:05.680 --> 00:29:26.000 Oh come on, Marcel, don't you get shy on me, lift up your song, because you've got a lion inside of Get up and raise the Lord Oh come on, Marceau. 00:29:26.480 --> 00:29:30.640 Oh, don't you get shy on me, lift up your song? 00:29:31.200 --> 00:29:35.519 Cause you've got a lion inside of the start. 00:29:36.079 --> 00:29:38.960 Get out of there and praise the law. 00:31:48.559 --> 00:31:51.920 Our eyes are on you, our attention is on you, Jesus. 00:31:54.079 --> 00:31:57.759 Thank you for your Holy Spirit, God would you continue to fill this place. 00:31:58.960 --> 00:32:02.720 God help us fill this moment and fill our hearts with gratitude. 00:33:27.920 --> 00:33:38.240 So if you be forgiven, then if you be forgiven, then sing the song forever to the land. 00:33:44.559 --> 00:33:51.039 If you bear hit the day, then sing the song forever to the land. 00:33:52.000 --> 00:34:18.719 Oh my god, day the soul, and the day just cracked it. 00:37:14.960 --> 00:37:16.000 Stay standing. 00:37:16.159 --> 00:37:18.559 Uh there's a reverence in here that is precious. 00:37:18.719 --> 00:37:19.760 I can feel it. 00:37:20.079 --> 00:37:31.440 Um, and uh I just can't imagine when God's in the presence of genuine reverence for who he is for the name of his son Jesus Christ. 00:37:31.599 --> 00:37:33.840 I just feel like he's ready to move. 00:37:34.800 --> 00:37:41.119 And um, yeah, I just feel people revering the holiness of God right now in their own way. 00:37:41.199 --> 00:37:41.679 I can feel it. 00:37:41.920 --> 00:37:43.039 I know I felt it, man. 00:37:43.119 --> 00:38:03.119 I just was picturing God and Jesus to his right, whatever that looks like up there, and I just picturing I just had a picture of the honor and thanking them for creating us and for working with us and redeeming God's redemption and reconciliation and forgiveness and kindness and mercy. 00:38:06.079 --> 00:38:20.480 And uh I wanted to say specifically right now that every person in this room that is constantly are currently battling addiction because it's more people than we think. 00:38:21.440 --> 00:38:23.760 Come on, can we let's be honest in church? 00:38:24.079 --> 00:38:25.039 We're all addicts. 00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:29.119 It's a spectrum issue, not a are you one or are you not? 00:38:29.519 --> 00:38:30.719 It's a spectrum issue. 00:38:31.599 --> 00:38:40.480 Some people are real high on the spectrum of addiction right now, and it feels like an unbeatable monster that they have to face every morning that they get up. 00:38:40.880 --> 00:38:53.440 And there's good news, there's a bunch of people in this room, if that's you, who are on the other side of seeing defeat over that monster, who have been clean and sober for weeks, for months, for years, some people for decades. 00:38:53.679 --> 00:39:00.000 There's sobriety in this room, and it's not because they were more special than the the worst of addicts in this room right now. 00:39:00.159 --> 00:39:06.480 It's because uh their their heart to be free got met with the one who could free them. 00:39:06.960 --> 00:39:10.880 And they're just living testimonies that if God did it for them, he can do it for you. 00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:18.559 And so if you came in here today and you've just accepted this part of your life is is just who I am, in the name of Jesus. 00:39:18.719 --> 00:39:21.599 May you walk out of these doors never accepting that. 00:39:21.679 --> 00:39:23.360 It's not just who you are. 00:39:23.599 --> 00:39:24.480 We serve the God. 00:39:24.559 --> 00:39:26.800 I read it this morning, Isaiah 61. 00:39:26.880 --> 00:39:29.599 It's this great prophecy about what Jesus would come and do. 00:39:29.679 --> 00:39:39.840 And Isaiah writes this help me, I don't have my Bible on me, but says the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, Jesus, because God has anointed me, Jesus, to preach good news to the poor. 00:39:40.079 --> 00:39:44.000 He sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom. 00:39:44.159 --> 00:39:55.440 Listen to this, if you're struggling with addiction, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of our Lord's favor and the day of the vengeance of our God. 00:39:55.519 --> 00:40:01.199 Listen to this, to provide for those grieving in Zion and to comfort those who mourn. 00:40:01.360 --> 00:40:12.320 If you walked in here grieving anything, loss, grieving your addiction, grieving the consequences of addiction, grieving the fallout that comes relationally with addiction, if that's you. 00:40:12.480 --> 00:40:24.320 He came to not punish you, he came to provide for you if you're grieving in Zion, to comfort all of us in whatever way we come in here mourning today, any kind of loss to comfort those who mourn. 00:40:24.400 --> 00:40:29.440 Uh, to give them, I love this, listen, to trade out the oil of gladness. 00:40:30.239 --> 00:40:36.159 And listen to this: he came to give you today a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. 00:40:36.960 --> 00:40:38.480 And then he goes on to say, why? 00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:40.079 Why would you do this, Jesus? 00:40:40.320 --> 00:40:47.920 And it says, so that we may become oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 00:40:48.239 --> 00:40:51.280 You are the righteousness of Jesus. 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:53.119 He takes your struggle serious. 00:40:53.360 --> 00:40:56.800 It's not just addiction, but I felt that one specifically on my heart. 00:40:56.880 --> 00:40:59.039 I know there's people in here, and I don't want to miss it. 00:40:59.199 --> 00:41:02.880 I want you to know at River Point Church, you are seen, you are loved. 00:41:03.039 --> 00:41:07.119 You're not a second-class citizen in the kingdom of God because of this battle. 00:41:07.199 --> 00:41:11.039 Uh, you're no uh uh worse than anyone else in this room. 00:41:11.199 --> 00:41:13.039 God loves you unconditionally. 00:41:13.360 --> 00:41:18.719 God loves you for who He's uh created you to be before the addiction got in the way. 00:41:18.880 --> 00:41:20.159 Uh we are here to love you. 00:41:20.320 --> 00:41:23.039 We are not here to judge you, we are here to offer you support. 00:41:23.199 --> 00:41:39.440 We are here to pray for you, we are here to see you right where you're at, and we're also here to hold you accountable that you don't give up in this, but that we are gonna fight for you and we are gonna fight with you because uh all of us left to our own devices could find ourselves in your exact spot right now. 00:41:39.599 --> 00:41:44.639 So if right now addiction isn't the big theme of your life, can we let them borrow some faith? 00:41:44.800 --> 00:41:47.840 I'm not gonna make them raise a hand or acknowledge themselves. 00:41:47.920 --> 00:41:49.679 Um, they don't need that right now. 00:41:49.840 --> 00:41:55.119 But in the name of Jesus, we pray for every single person struggling with addiction right now. 00:41:55.280 --> 00:42:04.719 We pray that, Jesus, you would break the chains that have formed around them that are holding them back from running their course, from running their race. 00:42:05.039 --> 00:42:10.079 Jesus, addiction gets big and it feels overwhelming and it feels bigger than us. 00:42:10.159 --> 00:42:15.840 And so everyone who came in so heavy and overwhelmed and wanting to give up, would you please lighten them? 00:42:16.000 --> 00:42:22.239 Jesus, you said, Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest for your souls. 00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:24.400 Take my yoke, you said it's easy. 00:42:24.480 --> 00:42:26.159 Take my burden, it's light. 00:42:26.239 --> 00:42:32.880 God, I pray today burdens are removed, addictions are uh healed and fixed in the name of Jesus. 00:42:32.960 --> 00:42:34.239 I'm praying for miracles. 00:42:34.320 --> 00:42:39.760 We're believing, God, that you can do uh what we can't do in our own human resource, God. 00:42:39.920 --> 00:42:47.760 And so, in your kindness, Lord, and in your spirit, whoever these people are right now, God, wash over them right now with the love of Jesus. 00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:54.000 Start, God, by showing them how loved they are, how valued they are, how much purpose they have, Father God. 00:42:54.239 --> 00:43:04.719 Lord, teach us as humans how to best uh treat them, how to best work with them, how to best help them, God, in their time of need, so that we can be ministers in your name and on your behalf. 00:43:04.960 --> 00:43:13.840 God, we are believing for miracles today, so we pray over this specifically, and we pray it all in the matchless, healing, delivering name of Jesus Christ. 00:43:13.920 --> 00:43:16.239 And everyone said, Amen. 00:43:16.639 --> 00:43:19.119 You guys can be seated for a minute. 00:43:22.159 --> 00:43:24.719 So we're about to pray for two different groups. 00:43:24.880 --> 00:43:27.840 We're about to pray for people, as James said, who are in trouble, right? 00:43:27.920 --> 00:43:30.320 If any one of you is in trouble, pray. 00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:32.480 And then we're gonna pray for people who are sick. 00:43:32.639 --> 00:43:42.480 James said, if any one of you is sick, you should call on the elders of the church and they will anoint your head with oil, and the prayer that's offered in faith will heal the sick person and make them well. 00:43:42.559 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