Rise Up | Moxy

A broken wall can feel like a broken promise, and that’s exactly where Nehemiah’s story hits home. We lean into the moment he hears Jerusalem is in trouble and shame, and we ask the same question many of us carry: what do you do when your faith is real but your circumstances look like ruins? 

We walk through Nehemiah’s response step by step: grief that turns into fasting and prayer, repentance that takes ownership, and the quiet strength of serving with excellence even in a hard place. As cupbearer to King Artaxerxes, Nehemiah has influence, but he also has risk and responsibility. Then comes the “big ask” for permission, protection, resources, and materials to rebuild, and we talk about how obedience and alignment with God can lead to favor you could never manufacture. 

From there, the rebuild gets gritty. The work moves forward while enemies threaten, and the picture becomes unforgettable: building with a trowel in one hand and a sword in the other. We connect that to spiritual warfare, perseverance, and the kind of courage that protects families and futures. We also make room for a clear gospel moment, celebrating the freedom and forgiveness found at the cross and the hope we have because Jesus is risen. 

If you’re ready to stop living stuck and start living brave, press play, share this with a friend who needs endurance, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s next. After you listen, what “wall” is God asking you to rebuild?

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Transcript

Moxie Means Rising Up

Jason Brown 0:00

Do you have the moxie to live for Christ? Amen. Well, God bless you. We're so thankful as we continue in our Moxie series, talking about what it means to be those that live with courage, with nerve, with determination, with grit, with the tenacity, something to keep on going and living our life after Christ. How many people would say amen to that? Today, our theme that we're talking about and looking at is rise up for the Lord. We're looking to the person of Nehemiah, and we took a look at him last year as we went through and we're talking about some of the prophets and talking about that timeline of what God was doing and restoring his people back in our series build. You know, Nehemiah was, he was part of those that during that era when they had been stolen away from the promised land, and the children of Israel were now in Persia and they were now in captivity. They were now away from what they understood. Last week we talked about Nebuchadnezzar and how his power, as he stole all of those people off their land, he took the best and the brightest of those who had been stolen, and he takes them to himself and he rises them up. And we talked about what that looked like with Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego, and that whole process of what it meant for them to be those to stand for the Lord. Today we're picking up in this story with a new king. Now, timeline has moved on, those things have passed by. New kings are on the scene. And this king, because I'm a professional pronunciator of ancient kings, I put it all for us phonetically here. So say it with me. Artaxerxes. Say it with me. Artaxerxes. Exactly. You learned at least one thing. Praise the Lord. So King Artaxerxes is there, and he is, he has is his throne, and he's reigning there, and you see, just as like those before him, he's the power of his day. And you hear this note that comes back from the promised land, this message that's coming to those who are in captivity, to those that are serving in Persia, and the word of God comes to them there. And you know what? You guys already know, man, in the Bible, the children of Israel, they're always doing good. They're super consistent. No, it's bad news. It's bad news. And the bad news is, as they figured, you know, because they'd already been conquered and no one had gone back, nothing positive had happened. And now the city, the grandeur, the power that they had known in their day, the promise that had been fulfilled in David and Solomon, all those things are destroyed. And so it's it's something terrible because for those who are following God, even as they're in Persia, their identity starts to be shaken. Of Lord, I know you said that you have this promise that you would restore us back, but it doesn't seem like I'm being restored back. And I don't know if you've ever been in a season like that where the the circumstances around you, they shake you in your identity in God because it doesn't feel like maybe He's on your side. But friends, I can tell you this, despite the way you feel in your circumstances, God is for you and God is very much with you in your place of circumstance. And so you are not alone in that process. Today we're gonna talk about and see an example of exactly what that looks like. If you have your Bible, your tablet, your phone, we're looking here, starting in Nehemiah 1 and in verse 3. And they said to me, meeting those the messengers, the remnant there in the providence who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down and its gates are destroyed by fire. Now, as Nehemiah hears this, he's heartbroken because it's something that he knows is the strength of the city, the power of it was its walls and it was its gates, it was protecting those inside. If it has no walls, it has no gates, it means the city is lost. And it means that everything that they had hoped that people were rebuilding or moving towards, all of that is lost as well. And so Nehemiah, though he is in a place of prestige, he actually it says here, he talks about what happens, but he actually starts to get moved in his heart. He's heartbroken for what is going on. And friends, I think this is the thing. Sometimes God will break your heart to motivate you to take action after something. You know, whenever you see a story like Alexis and you're like, man, I want all these kids in France that don't know Jesus, I want them to know Jesus. I want them to know God. And you know what? It breaks my heart that they don't know God. So now I'm motivated to do something about it. These kids in our community right here, you know, I want them in Cash and to know Jesus. I'm gonna go serve at Mercy House so that they can know Jesus. You know, here amongst our children that come here to church, that, you know, I want them to know Jesus. I maybe didn't have an experience where I got to know them when I was young. I want them to know Jesus from the time they're young. I'm gonna go serve with my life down there and help our kids right here. See, sometimes it's the heartbroken thing that makes us take action towards God. And it says he did that very thing. He says, as soon as I heard it, as soon as I heard the words, I sat down and wept and mourned for days. And I continued fasting and praying before the God of heaven. And see, Nehemiah took on something that others of us we don't do very well, is that he took the blame for someone else upon himself. And what he did is he said, No, Lord, I know that it wasn't my generation that did it, but our people have turned their hearts away from you. So, Lord, I repent of what our people have done. Lord, I repent of the brokenness in our people of what how we have pushed away from you. We know that your judgment against us is just, for you are a just and holy God, and I understand. And Lord, I'm so very sorry that we broke your heart. Wow. You know, there's something about that whenever you say to the Lord, Lord, I know what my family heritage has done, I know what the what the ethics of our family is, I know what the brokenness of our family is, and Lord, I ask that you would forgive us for what we've done and how we have broken your heart. Lord, I in my family and from my generation, Lord, I say no more, and I'm gonna break this stuff off of my life and off of my family's life going forward. It's not moving forward in generations. And when we take that type of stance, we take that kind of fortitude, that kind of moxie to stand for the things of God, then it will break our heart in a way that we can take action. And I don't mean woe is me. I mean no, there's something of a fire, of a hunger, of a stirring by God that He's telling you, go do something with what I'm giving you. I'm not giving you these emotions just so you're heartbroken and that you wallow in self-pity. No, I'm giving you this so it motivates you to take action to get out of your comfort zone. And it picks up here in scripture and continues. It says Nehemiah 1, 11, and he comes here and he's listening, he's talking to the Lord. He says, Oh Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of your servant, and to the prayer of your servants who delight to fear your name. And give success to your servant today, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. Now I was cupbearer for the king. What he's telling is what he's praying to the Lord is, Lord, I know that you were the God who has all the power and all the ability to do everything. So, Lord, I'm asking you that you would move on the king's heart because I feel motivated to do something about it. Friends, he was challenged. He had the moxie to rise up for the Lord and to share what the Lord had put on his heart. Say, rise up, rise up. And so when we see that, it starts to change everything. It's our narrative as Christ followers. It's the reason the cross is so powerful, is because the cross frees us of all of our brokenness and shame from the past. The cross breaks off all of that imprisonment to all of those things that would otherwise drag us down to hell. It overcomes the impossible because Christ overcame the impossible for us. And he has done it on our behalf. We don't have to be those that live in fear, as we've been talking about, of the unknown. No, we can trust God that even though we are out of control, he is in control. And so we can trust him, we can place our faith and trust in Jesus because he is the only answer for us. And so, friends, in your circumstance, in your situation, with your friends, with your family, that you too would be challenged by the Holy Spirit to rise up for the Lord, to share your testimony of what God is doing, to trust him as you walk through the difficult circumstances was prayed by Josiah today that we can trust him in the midst of everything that's happening. We can rise up for the Lord. Now we're talking about Moxie as a theme, and we're so thankful to be able to come together and worship here at Cornerstone. If we haven't met, my name is Jay. It's a blessing to be with you today and to be able to share and worship together the Lord. You know, one of the things that motivates us here is that we understand that none of us have arrived anywhere. All of us are still following after Jesus. All of us are still in need of a savior. None of us is perfect starting right here. All of us need him. We want to be more like Jesus. Say with me be more like Jesus. It's why we love God, it's why we make disciples, it's why we reach the world. Today, we get to sign up for a new semester of life groups. We have a hand for those that are serving in life groups. Here at Cornerstone, we do three semesters a year of these life groups. And so we already had our spring semester. Now we're going to what we consider summer. It already feels like summer outside, right? So it's summer. I don't care what they say, it's been summer. We could start our summer thing like in February. Be fine. Don't worry about it. No boat after Easter, we typically do our summer semester. It'll run usually for two months. So we'll do eight weeks of life groups. And it's going to start this week. We're going to have the opportunity for you to sign up outside after this service. You can do that through the app. If you have the app, you can do that through the QR code and join with us. We have three types of groups. You can get involved in a connect group, which is building relationship with someone. You can get involved in a grow group, which is going in a book or Bible study to go deeper with God. Or you can get involved in a serve group, which is using your talents and abilities for the Lord. So that's our serve teams that happen, it's Mercy House, it's other things as we serve out in the community. But let me challenge you in this that you wouldn't sit back, but that you would be motivated to get involved and to grow one step closer to God in this season ahead. How many people know what I'm saying? We have to take the action steps. So let me encourage you to get involved. You know, life groups is an opportunity for us to build community that we can't do in this forum. Even saying hello to each other as we come and go from service, it's not enough. It's that building together, walking life together intentionally that helps us to build a real friendship. And you know, most of the people, the reason they stop connecting at a place is because they didn't find a friend. So, friends, we want to be those that extend our lives and have add one more friend. And if you're someone seeking that, then seek it. Get involved, be a part of what's happening. Because man, I would hate for you to come and want to have a friend and never take that last step to build a relationship. So let me encourage you to get involved in life groups, take that step, grow in your relationship with God and build a relationship with those around us. Amen. Now we've been talking about Moxie, and we started out that with Moses. We talked about all his potential and how he threw it away, but then God called him back to alignment with the thing that he had called him to do. And then Moses was had to be someone to face the fear. Say it with me. Face the fear. We said that Moses was asking the Lord, Who are you? And he says, Tell them that I am the I am. He is the all-encompassing God, our creator God, the I am. Joshua, he takes over the helm from Moses. And we talked about just as Moses was that someone who had to face the fear in front of uh Pharaoh, in front of the Red Sea, in front of all the obstacles that came, so too Joshua was called to be strong and courageous. And we talked about as he went into the promised land and they crossed over into the Jordan, he he set up these stones and prayed and made a monument to God, saying, Lord, I'm gonna align with you. And as the angel comes to challenge him and gives him direction, he in obedience follows what the Lord says. And the Lord says to walk and to march and to worship. And then on the seventh day, they saw God intervene on their behalf. And he said, Listen, zip it, shut your mouth until the time comes for you to shout to the Lord. And all of us are learning the lesson that we need to shut our mouth and listen to God more. Starting right here. And we're called to be those that praise the Lord. Last week we talked about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. We talked about how they were challenged with something where they were called to bow down. And they said to the king, they said, King, we will never bow down and worship this golden statue or any other God, because we belong to him. And in doing so, that they're called to do is to stand for the Lord. Whenever culture around us tells us to bow down to these other gods or other things to live for, we don't do that. We stand for the Lord. Stay with me. Stand for the Lord. Today we continue in that story with Nehemiah. And in doing so, we looked at the scripture here in Nehemiah 2, verse 17. It says, I told them of the good hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also the words of the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for the good work. Lord, today, as we are those that come to you, we ask, Lord, that you would speak to us by your Spirit. Lord, you'd breathe upon it, make a Rhema alive, and challenge us. Lord, that we would be those that rise up for you and live with Moxie. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. And the church says, Amen. Now, rise up for the Lord. In talking about having Moxie, I think Nehemiah fits the bill very well. He's someone who has ascended in his place. He's someone who's obviously been anointed to do what he's doing. It says that he is the cupbearer of the king. Now he ends up being a leader and he ends up being someone who has to grow into this place, but God starts him out with this special favor that is from him. That special favor is that he is someone who has favor with the king, and he's the one who is the cupbearer. Now, the cupbearer is an important thing because the king has to trust you every day for every meal. Because you're the one that takes the first sip of the cup, so that if there's poison in the cup, you die first. But also, as someone who's been enslaved for a long time, the Lord he's trusting you that you don't kill him to get even for what happened with the people. And if he had been short-sighted, if he had been angry, if he had been politically motivated, maybe Nehemiah, this would have been the end of the story, and there never would have been a rebuilt Jerusalem because Nehemiah would have wanted to get even and he would have put a little bit of je ne sais quoi inside the cup, and there goes the king. And and everybody like, oh, he got one for us. No, did he? Or did he just bankrupt the whole future of what God really had in store? See, sometimes when we think short-sighted, I've been guilty of it. When we think short-sighted, then we don't understand what God is doing and how he is working his way through the situation. Now I love this as well. It says that he's someone that served the king with excellence. He served the king and that he didn't have a woe is me, oh, I'm enslaved face on all the time. He had a positive countenance. And the reason we know this is because it starts to talk about his countenance here in the very beginning of chapter two, and it says that the king was like, Hey, what's going on with your face, man? And it picks up here in scripture and we get to read it together. It says, I said to the king, let the king live forever, which is a good statement to say whenever you're talking to the king. Why should not my face be sad when the city, the place of my father's graves, lies in ruins and its gates have been destroyed by fire? Now, you gotta remember this is a place that belongs to this king. He is still ruling over it from afar. So by saying something like this and bringing it up to him, you could be like, Hey, um, I'm not excited about what hat what's going on in my hometown that you just that your people destroyed and continue to rule. And and and you you could imagine how the king might take that as a slight. I mean, we have you know, it it if we have many people who rule across the world, we talk about it often, how we pray for them because we want them to be led by the Spirit of God and not their own ambition. We want them to lead by the Spirit of God and nothing else. And the Lord gives him favor as he starts to bring up this thing that breaks his heart. And it says the king started to listen to Nehemiah as he started to share all that was happening. It continues in verse 17. He said to them, You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall together, we may should no longer suffer derision. Now, this is a crazy thing because what he's asking of the king, what he's asking in this situation as it comes to here, is he's asking the king, Lord, could you please allow me to go and do something about it? But also, I'm really gonna need you to give me some permission so I can travel there without everybody killing me. And then when I get there, I really, really would appreciate if you gave me the authority to do something about it with the people that are governing for you. And also, I'm super broke since I work for you, and so I'm gonna need like you to give me some money to do the project. And also, there's not a lot of woods where that place is at, so we're gonna need cedar from Lebanon, which is really far away. And could you also get that for us, please? This guy is really doing the ask. You know what I'm talking about? You ever had like one of your kids walk in and you're like, Mom, dad, hey, um I just wonder if I can go somewhere. You're like, okay, uh, where do you want to go? Um, Australia? You're like, what? Um, but I'm gonna need you to pay for it with my friend group. You're like, I'm sorry? What did you say? You guys get it? And so it's the big ask, but here's the thing: the Lord gives him favor, and the king says yes. And so the king starts to write this power, he starts to give over the power to Nehemiah, he starts to give him these rights that say that he can go and do what he says. Not just that, but he sends the letter to the Cedars of Lebanon to see these guys, to give them the wood and the other things they're gonna need to build back the gates and do all the things. God gives him authority because he's in alignment with the will of God. And so there's something about being obedient to God in the will of God, alignment with God that brings the blessing of God upon us. And so it can encourage us that though it seems impossible, though it seems ludicrous, that we can be those that rise up for the Lord, take courage, and that we are strong to follow after God. Now, if we were in Jerusalem this morning, we might see it like this with some like traffic driving around some of these big city walls, and it's pretty established, it's an amazing thing. So we're not talking about a small project. This isn't a DIY over a long weekend at your house. This is substantial work with lots and lots of people needed. And so as he goes to the place, he starts to walk around and see what's going on, and he understands that this place is in shambles. And in doing so, he starts to talk to the leaders that were there in Nehemiah 2.17. It picks up and he says that he's talking to those that are in that are in places of prestige in the community. He says, I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also by the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthen their hands for the good work. See, I love that because sometimes our testimony about what God has done for us encourages others to have courage as well. And so they get to spark by your courage, by your moxie, they they get a piece of that moxie, they start to believe for big things as well. And so they start to say, okay, well, let's do something about it. Let's rise up and do something about it. Let's rise up for the Lord. Say it with me. Rise up for the Lord. It continues, and so through this story, it says, So they built the wall. And each person took a section and they built this gate or they built this area and they started to restore the wall until the wall started to be about halfway there. Now, all the while that this is happening, there are people outside who are not excited about Nehemiah's ambitions. They don't want the walls to go up because that would keep them out from coming and taking everything. So they want him to fail. And so, all the while, while they're working, there are people that are starting to cause a threat, and they're starting to become saying threats against them and saying that they're gonna come and they're gonna do something about it, and all the while they're working, all the while they have to have courage to go out the next day and do it. How many people know that there's a real Adversary of our soul that's out there that doesn't want us to flourish either, that doesn't want us to build our family up either, that doesn't want us to make those steps after Christ and to make that foundation of what he wants us to do. There's a real adversary against your soul, friends. And let me tell you this: that God is greater than any that would come against us. Says we are already, already champions. We are already victorious. We are more than conquerors, says Romans, than him, in him who empowers us to do so. And so we walk in that alignment, and so did Nehemiah. And so Nehemiah here, as it says in Nehemiah 4, 8 and 9, it says, and they all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause confusion in it. And we prayed to our God and set a guard of protection against them day and night. So not just were they willing to do the hard work, but they were also willing to fight for something that was important to them. And so they put a hand, they put a sword in their hand and they would shift, they would move off in shifts, some protecting, some working, some protecting, some working. And it said that they would have a trowel and they would have a sword and they'd be ready for whatever was coming, but they weren't gonna stop because someone made threats. And friends, someone needs to hear that today, that you have to understand and remember why you're fighting for this. Nehemiah, in the midst of this, he gives him encouragement. He says, I look and I rose and I said to the nobles, to the officials, and to the rest of the people, do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes. Friends, we're called to remember why we fight in the spirit, why we fast, why we pray, why we do good works, why we face the animosity of the adversary, because we know we are victorious, he is greater, we are gonna be those that rise up for the Lord. We're gonna remember what he has done for us. And it says they did that very thing, and it says in Nehemiah 4:17, they who were building the wall, those who carried burdens were loaded in such a way that each labored and worked with one hand on his weapon, and they worked with the other, as we said. They worked with a tenacity that they would not give up. A grit that said, I'm not gonna give in, even though it's difficult. And friends, when they did, the work became finished. And they finished the gates, and they finished the wall, and they kept out everyone that would otherwise try to come against them because they had a tenacity to see it through until it's done. Man, I felt so sparked by the Spirit last night to tell someone today, under the sound of my voice, do not give up until it's finished. Do not give up until it's finished. Here's the amazing thing. I love this so much. Nehemiah 7, 6. The word goes out to the peoples that have been strewn across all these places that there is now a wall back in the city, and they're called to return back home to the city to go exactly what the Lord has said is that I will bring you back, I will restore you back. And listen to this, it even ties to the story of what we heard before. And those were the people of the providence who came up out of the captivity of those exiles from Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, and carried into exile. They returned to Jerusalem and Judea, each to his town. Friends, the promises that Daniel and his friends were holding on to were fulfilled in the moxie of Nehemiah and his colleagues, as they were the ones that made a place for them to return. God is not done with the story until he's done. God is not done with your story until he's done. Not till you're done, until he is done. So we can have the courage, we can have the moxie, the tenacity to rise up for the Lord. Say it with me. Rise up for the Lord. We're reminded that our moxie very much is empowered by our obedience and alignment with the Lord. That away from it, that we will falter, like all those given evidence in this book that we cherish so much. As we read the Holy Scripture, we're reminded again and again that it's about obedience and alignment with God, that we will find the tenacity to see it through. In our own power, we'll fall short. But in him, he is more than enough for us. Friends, we're called to have the moxie to face the fear. We're called to have moxie that in the midst of the circumstances we praise the Lord and see him tumble and fall, the very walls in front of us that are movable. That we are called to be those that whenever the culture tells us to bow down for other things, no, we're gonna stand for the Lord. And if we are those who've been knocked down and have been seen oppressed, no, we're called to rise up for the Lord and to stand for him. Friends, what it means is to be those that believe in Christ and to live it as an example to those around us. That the cross that they see is the one that we bear every day as we walk in alignment with the Savior. That we have the moxie to live for him. Friends, he is our protection, he is our provision. In him we find our purpose, and there is no one else like him. He is the one true God, and we worship him with everything we have, that we would have the moxie to live for him. Today we have an opportunity as we come and prepare our hearts to come to this altar. We have an opportunity for those who have never made a commitment to Jesus. Today is your opportunity to do so. To invite them into your heart and life. Recently, in just the last few weeks, we got to baptize people in water. They had made a decision to follow Jesus by faith. They say, Jesus, I believe you are who you say you are, and I want to invite you into my heart and life. I want to start a new relationship with you. Lord, I understand it's only by faith you have done everything for me. I can't earn my way in, I can't buy my way in, that's not possible. What do I, as a broken person, have to offer a holy God except my heart? And that's what he asks of us, that we give our hearts to him and that we ask for forgiveness of our sin. Friends, that's why the power of the cross is so pivotal for us as Christ followers, because the cross is the power of freedom and forgiveness, because the cross is where Jesus took all of our sin and all of our shame and all of our mistakes. He took it upon himself, and as he died upon the cross, all of those things are dead as well. But I have great news is that Jesus did not stay dead, but he is risen. And so our hope is not in a dead deity, it's not in a statue, it's not in a concept of something. No, it's in a person named Jesus Christ. And so, whenever we say to the Lord, Lord, I believe you are who you say you are, we're in alignment with what Paul writes to the church at Rome. He says this, because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Friends, today is your opportunity to say yes to God, to invite him into your heart and life wherever you are. I'm gonna ask if you're here in the room, if you just stand to your feet right where you're at and bow your heads as Christians are praying. Friends, if you're online wherever you are, take a moment for what God wants to do in your circumstances today. Or maybe you have made a decision in the past, but you haven't been living for him. Today is an opportunity to recommit your life to him. If that's you in this moment right now, and you like to make a decision to follow Jesus today and invite him into your heart and life, you just raise your hand right where you're at, if you're here in this room. Just raise your hand right up where so you can see it, so I can agree with you in prayer today. Thank you, Lord. See the hand in here. Others, thank you, Lord. People make a decision for Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Friends online as well. Wherever you are, we agree with you. I'm gonna ask if everyone would if they pray this prayer out loud after me. Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you. In Christ's name I pray. Amen. Amen. Friends, we rejoice that those who made a decision to follow Jesus today. Praise the Lord. Hey, if that was you, take a moment, take a snap of this QR code you see on our side screens or online and and follow that. Let it be a resource to you to live for God. We want to see you not do this life alone, but be a part of us in community. Today, we've heard this challenge for us to rise up for the Lord, to live with Moxie. And during this song, I want to give you an opportunity to come forward to make an altar with God. Maybe you're someone you just need more of the Lord's presence. Maybe you need his wisdom for provision in your life or circumstance. Maybe you just need him to mend a relationship. Whatever it is you're going through, you can come to him. He is available here for you today. And we're just going to agree with you in prayer today as you come for more of God in your circumstances. Lord, we thank you so much for your word. We thank you, Lord, how you speak to us and give such a great example in Nehemiah to have courage. Lord, to step out from a place of comfort, from a place of prestige. Lord, to go and do something about what he was heartbroken about. Lord, I thank you for giving them the courage, giving them the strength, the tenacity, this to pursue after you and see it be complete. Lord, in the same way, Lord, that we would be those to continue to work until things are finished, to continue to do the work good work you've called us to. Lord, as we come to your altar today, we do so, asking for an impartation of your spirit. Pour yourself out upon us, we pray. We pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

SPEAKER_00 33:11

As you head out, you will see tables outside of the building. We encourage you to sign up for life groups. Do one, two, five, whatever you can do. But do one. At least jump into one. We'd love to see you grow in your walk with the Lord.

Jason Brown 33:24

And remember, we're challenging each person to be someone who leads another person to Jesus this year. So take that into account as you're praying over your week, as you're praying over your colleagues and your enemies at work, as you pray over your colleagues and everyone that you're around, that the Lord would use you to bring someone to Christ. Amen? Before we go, I want to pray this blessing over us. The Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people. Well, you would empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. Pray this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen. Amen. Know this. We love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.