WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:02.799 This last week I was getting home. 00:00:02.879 --> 00:00:05.440 I was pulling into the driveway. 00:00:05.599 --> 00:00:15.359 I noticed that my wife's car was in there, and I was on the phone talking with somebody and I was texting and I was busy for the end of the day. 00:00:15.519 --> 00:00:21.679 And I came walking up the sidewalk and into the door and I walked into the living room. 00:00:22.160 --> 00:00:28.079 I knew that Emily, my wife, had left to go pick up the kids, and I walked into the living room and there was the car seat. 00:00:28.239 --> 00:00:30.320 I was like, that's strange. 00:00:30.480 --> 00:00:33.039 How's she picking up the kids without the car seat? 00:00:33.280 --> 00:00:37.119 And so I ran the corner and all of a sudden there was Emily. 00:00:37.200 --> 00:00:40.000 And I was like, whoa, hey, what are you doing here? 00:00:40.079 --> 00:00:42.159 And I'm thinking, did the car break down? 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:43.439 Is somebody boring the car? 00:00:43.520 --> 00:00:45.520 Like, all this stuff is going through my mind. 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.920 And I asked Emily, I said, Where's your car? 00:00:50.240 --> 00:00:53.280 And she said, it's out in the driveway. 00:00:55.200 --> 00:00:57.039 I was like, no, it's not. 00:00:57.600 --> 00:00:58.560 A follow with her. 00:00:58.640 --> 00:00:59.439 No, it's not. 00:00:59.679 --> 00:01:01.439 She's like, look out the window. 00:01:01.679 --> 00:01:08.159 And I looked out the window, and her whole car was sitting right there in the driveway. 00:01:11.280 --> 00:01:13.040 Completely distracted. 00:01:14.079 --> 00:01:15.760 Completely distracted. 00:01:17.200 --> 00:01:19.439 Total lack of awareness. 00:01:21.040 --> 00:01:22.480 You ever distracted? 00:01:24.159 --> 00:01:46.000 You ever have a lack of awareness because there's so much busyness, there's so much it's filling your mind, there's so much that's filling your life and the calendar, all the to-do lists, that you're looking down and not aware of what's going on? 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:53.439 How about not being aware of what's going on inside of you? 00:01:56.560 --> 00:02:06.319 Not only just not being aware or in it observing your surroundings and what's happening in life, but are you aware of what's happening in your heart? 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:20.400 Are you aware of what's happening in your relationships and the demands and the challenges in your relationship with God? 00:02:21.120 --> 00:02:32.000 We jumped into this series last week, Rhythms, talking about rhythms as we begin this new year and those rhythms that are actually going to renew us in our life. 00:02:32.319 --> 00:02:48.159 And we taught last week and started about talking about evaluating where we were at, to take a serious and real inventory on our life because we believe that our life has meaning. 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:51.759 That we're meant for something. 00:02:52.800 --> 00:02:56.879 And asking ourselves the question: who am I meant to be? 00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.280 And what am I meant to do? 00:03:00.560 --> 00:03:18.240 And evaluating where we are in our life and what we're meant to be, and what we're meant to do with our time, and taking an honest inventory, an honest evaluation of where we are. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:27.759 An awareness of what's going on in your life, in your heart, and what people are experiencing in you. 00:03:30.080 --> 00:03:31.439 An awareness. 00:03:32.000 --> 00:03:35.680 Taking an appraisal, taking an assessment of where we are. 00:03:35.840 --> 00:03:46.960 And we ended last week by looking at and challenging ourselves to ask these few questions, which were this. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:51.520 Who do you want to become this year? 00:03:52.479 --> 00:03:54.879 What do I need to leave behind? 00:03:56.000 --> 00:03:59.439 Where are my values in conflict with my reality? 00:04:00.240 --> 00:04:04.560 Which voices should have a larger platform in my life? 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:08.879 Which voices should minimize or eliminate? 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:15.680 What dream, risk, or bold move will I finally act on? 00:04:18.639 --> 00:04:25.199 And I want to ask this question today. 00:04:29.439 --> 00:04:36.000 What obstacles are in the way of your closeness with God? 00:04:40.720 --> 00:04:43.839 So one of those questions was, what do I need to leave behind? 00:04:45.759 --> 00:04:49.920 What needs to be left back in 2022? 00:04:51.360 --> 00:04:59.360 And what starting this brand new year, this new fresh start, what needs to be left back there? 00:04:59.519 --> 00:05:02.720 Close the door on it and not go back. 00:05:06.480 --> 00:05:13.680 See, the reason why we're even taking this honest inventory because each one of us, we want to have a successful life. 00:05:15.040 --> 00:05:16.879 We want to be successful. 00:05:18.079 --> 00:05:50.319 Now, success, normally we think about success when you think about business or think about some goal, but success is also in our relationships, our marriage, our parenting, our home, our finances, those parts of our life that we want to succeed in, but most of all, succeed in our relationship with Jesus. 00:05:51.839 --> 00:05:53.759 So, what's the obstacle? 00:05:54.000 --> 00:05:55.439 What's in the way? 00:05:56.800 --> 00:06:15.839 And I'm saying that to say this when we think about the success and the long-term goal, our walk and our relationship with Jesus is not about some future goal, some way down the line, future goal, but instead an everyday faithfulness. 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:21.360 The word tells us that one day we're going to stand in front of God. 00:06:21.439 --> 00:06:39.439 And when we do, if we have walked with Him and been a follower of Jesus, saved by His blood and His grace, that God will look at us and He will say, Come in. 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:46.240 Well done, my good and faithful servant. 00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:52.639 Not about some future goal, but of faithfulness of here and today. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:06:59.759 And so, this question that we ask of ourselves is what obstacles are in the way with our closeness with God? 00:07:03.600 --> 00:07:12.319 When Jesus' ministry began, John the Baptist, his cousin, was leading the way and preparing the way for Jesus, and John was baptizing people. 00:07:12.480 --> 00:07:28.000 And then Jesus began to baptize people, and the followers of John came to John and said, Hey, John, have you noticed that Jesus is baptizing more people than you are? 00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:32.560 Like Jesus has got more followers than you do now. 00:07:33.439 --> 00:07:34.959 You know what John said? 00:07:35.199 --> 00:07:41.920 He looked at them and he said, This, he must increase and I must decrease. 00:07:44.959 --> 00:07:48.480 He must increase and I must decrease. 00:07:50.160 --> 00:07:51.839 What obstacles? 00:07:52.560 --> 00:07:56.560 What is it in your life that needs to decrease? 00:07:57.040 --> 00:08:06.800 What aspect of you and your outlook needs to decrease so that God can increase and your closeness with him can flourish. 00:08:11.759 --> 00:08:19.519 A couple chapters later in John chapter 5, we have a story of Jesus where he meets a man. 00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:29.279 Where he meets him is in this place called the pools of Bethesda, right outside of the temple gates, the five porticos, you walk out, and there's this pool of Bethesda. 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:32.480 I've seen it before, I've been there, I've been to Israel, and I've seen this place. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:33.919 You can still see it today. 00:08:34.159 --> 00:08:42.639 These giant open, uh, open areas and compartments where there are these different pools. 00:08:43.120 --> 00:08:59.600 And what was rumored and believed at the time is that the pools of Bethesda, that every once in a while they would bubble and start swirling, and there was a rumor that if you were sick, that the the the waters, if you got in them, that you would it would heal you. 00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:02.799 There was rumors that it was angels that were stirring the water. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:04.879 Now we don't know if not, but we know this. 00:09:05.039 --> 00:09:12.960 They believed that, and there were a lot of people who were hanging around those pools with hope to be healed. 00:09:15.600 --> 00:09:24.320 Jesus crosses the plain and heads over to these pools, and he sees a man. 00:09:25.120 --> 00:09:35.519 A man who has been sick, has been infirmed, has been disabled for 38 years. 00:09:37.600 --> 00:09:42.080 That's 13,870 days, if you were wondering. 00:09:43.600 --> 00:09:44.799 A long time. 00:09:48.000 --> 00:09:54.159 And he's sitting there next to the pools, and Jesus speaks to him. 00:09:55.200 --> 00:10:01.919 In verse 5, when Jesus saw him, he knew that he had been ill for a long time. 00:10:02.639 --> 00:10:06.639 He asked him, Would you like to get well? 00:10:07.919 --> 00:10:12.159 Isn't that a funny question to ask somebody who's been sick for 38 years? 00:10:12.639 --> 00:10:14.799 Wouldn't that seem obvious? 00:10:15.120 --> 00:10:16.720 But look at what he responded. 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:26.879 He said, I can't, sir, the sick man said, for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. 00:10:27.120 --> 00:10:30.720 Someone else always gets there ahead of me. 00:10:30.960 --> 00:10:33.440 Jesus says, Do you want to get well? 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:39.200 This person who's been sick for 38 years and he can't even give him a yes or no. 00:10:39.679 --> 00:10:41.440 He gives him an excuse. 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:59.919 He's been stuck and sick and in this place for so long that when the Savior comes along and asks him, do you want to be healed? 00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:01.840 Do you want to be well? 00:11:02.080 --> 00:11:04.639 Do you want to have your life changed? 00:11:04.960 --> 00:11:09.440 He can't even say yes because he's distracted by his excuse. 00:11:13.200 --> 00:11:14.720 He's distracted. 00:11:17.360 --> 00:11:24.799 By everything else that's going on, Jesus has mercy on him. 00:11:27.039 --> 00:11:31.360 And in verse 8, Jesus told him, Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk. 00:11:32.480 --> 00:11:34.879 Instantly the man was healed. 00:11:35.440 --> 00:11:38.960 He rolled up his sleeping mat and began to walk. 00:11:39.600 --> 00:11:43.919 But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, so the Jewish leaders objected. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:47.519 We talked about these Jewish leaders last week, these Pharisees. 00:11:49.679 --> 00:11:53.759 They said to the man who was cured, You can't work on the Sabbath. 00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.639 The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat. 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:05.360 But he replied, The man who healed me told me, pick up your mat and walk. 00:12:06.799 --> 00:12:09.440 Who said such a thing as that? 00:12:09.679 --> 00:12:10.879 They demanded. 00:12:14.159 --> 00:12:19.440 The man didn't know, for Jesus had disappeared into the crowd. 00:12:19.840 --> 00:12:29.759 But afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and told him, Now you're well, so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you. 00:12:30.000 --> 00:12:35.120 And then the man went and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who healed him. 00:12:35.679 --> 00:12:37.279 Jesus heals this man. 00:12:37.519 --> 00:12:45.120 And I love this story because Jesus heals this man and he immediately goes to the temple. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:49.679 He immediately goes to worship. 00:12:50.559 --> 00:12:54.480 He's been sick, has been infirmed for 38 years. 00:12:54.879 --> 00:12:57.279 Jesus heals him, he stands up. 00:12:58.399 --> 00:13:05.600 This, I feel like this story would not be half as good if he had just like gone to go get lunch. 00:13:10.000 --> 00:13:11.759 God and put it in application. 00:13:12.000 --> 00:13:13.039 Start working. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:17.039 But he chose to go to the temple. 00:13:18.480 --> 00:13:36.720 But he was met by a group of people, the Pharisees, these religious leaders, these religious lawyers, so to speak, that basically what they had done is they had taken God's law, the Jewish tradition, all the laws that were in the tradition, for instance, like that you should rest on the Sabbath. 00:13:37.039 --> 00:13:56.559 God gave the Sabbath day, the seventh day, to his people for them to rest and dedicate to rest, just as he dedicated the seventh day of creation to rest, this rhythm of renewal that he gave to the Jewish people, so that they would be reminded that God was not a slave driver like the people in Egypt who had once enslaved them. 00:13:56.799 --> 00:14:00.000 But instead he gave them a day that they would be able to rest. 00:14:00.399 --> 00:14:06.559 But that wasn't enough for the Pharisees, for the religious people, for the people with all the answers and the religious spirit. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:09.919 What they did was they took this rule of you shouldn't work on the Sabbath. 00:14:10.000 --> 00:14:11.759 The Sabbath should be a time of rest. 00:14:11.840 --> 00:14:17.519 And they started to put offense of all these other little man-made laws around that law. 00:14:17.679 --> 00:14:19.759 Like you can't carry your mat. 00:14:23.360 --> 00:14:40.480 So this man has just been healed after 38 years, and these so-called religious people, instead of celebrating the healing that he's just experienced, they said, Well, you can't carry your mat. 00:14:41.600 --> 00:14:43.120 It's a Sabbath day. 00:14:47.600 --> 00:14:50.799 Completely distracted. 00:14:53.279 --> 00:15:06.639 You know, we can be distracted by sin, traps, temptations of the enemy, the things that we kind of all think about. 00:15:09.200 --> 00:15:18.960 Lust of the flesh and eyes of passions, things that we know that are not holy and not of God, that so oftentimes that we find ourselves doing. 00:15:19.200 --> 00:15:26.480 But we can also be trapped and we can also be enslaved by a religious spirit as well. 00:15:30.559 --> 00:15:32.879 Thinking that we're better than everybody. 00:15:34.960 --> 00:15:37.200 Thinking that our way is the right way. 00:15:38.240 --> 00:15:41.440 Thinking that we have all the answers. 00:15:42.720 --> 00:15:43.679 I know this. 00:15:47.200 --> 00:15:50.240 Jesus is the only one who is the way. 00:15:50.960 --> 00:15:52.480 The truth and the life. 00:15:54.879 --> 00:15:58.480 And I know in this place today, there are some of us. 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:07.919 There are multiple people in the room today who have overcome drug addiction in this house. 00:16:09.200 --> 00:16:19.679 There are also people in the room who've overcome a judgmental and look down your nose spirit at people. 00:16:21.360 --> 00:16:22.799 But you know what else I know? 00:16:23.039 --> 00:16:26.480 I also know that there are some people in the room today that are not free. 00:16:29.440 --> 00:16:31.600 That have not been fully healed. 00:16:33.919 --> 00:16:43.600 They're like this man in John chapter 5 who is sitting right next to the one who can heal him. 00:16:46.720 --> 00:16:52.159 And Jesus is asking us, do you want to be well? 00:16:52.720 --> 00:16:55.120 And we can't give him a straight answer. 00:16:58.879 --> 00:17:07.119 I think that that's in part some of us, all of us, in one way or another. 00:17:07.519 --> 00:17:12.319 And it goes back to my question of what is it this year that you need to leave behind? 00:17:14.880 --> 00:17:18.720 What is it this year that you need to eliminate? 00:17:19.920 --> 00:17:24.799 Is there a voice in your life that you need to eliminate? 00:17:25.440 --> 00:17:28.000 It's not consistent with scripture? 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:37.599 Someone who is that acts like they have all the answers, but it's not actually consistent with God's word. 00:17:40.799 --> 00:17:54.079 And this is what I'm getting at is that I know for all of us across the room, we all have some distractions, some things in our life that are obstacles to our closeness with God. 00:18:08.880 --> 00:18:11.200 No man's stronger than his prayer life. 00:18:14.880 --> 00:18:21.839 There's a richness and a wholeness and a goodness that comes. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:33.680 When we eliminate the distractions in our life so that we can have wholeness and have closeness with the God of the universe. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:37.599 How's your prayer life going? 00:18:41.519 --> 00:18:45.119 Are you spending more time on a phone? 00:18:46.079 --> 00:18:53.839 Social media checked in here than you are in your prayer life. 00:18:55.119 --> 00:18:55.759 In the word? 00:18:56.559 --> 00:18:59.039 I know that's the vast majority of us. 00:19:05.119 --> 00:19:06.240 That we're looking at our phones. 00:19:06.319 --> 00:19:10.720 They say that some people, the average person touches their phone some 2,000 times a day. 00:19:14.160 --> 00:19:16.559 And this is just like our normal life now. 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:17.920 It's 2022. 00:19:19.920 --> 00:19:33.279 But it makes me wonder if there's something for you to do to take a step closer and to eliminate some obstacles between you and God so that you can have a richness and closeness with Him. 00:19:36.720 --> 00:19:40.160 Do you need to fast from social media for a while? 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:43.599 This new year? 00:19:44.079 --> 00:19:50.480 Do you need to deactivate some accounts and some voices? 00:19:51.839 --> 00:19:54.960 Because it's getting in the way of your closeness with God? 00:19:57.519 --> 00:20:03.519 Is there a friend that you have who continues to draw you back into that sin? 00:20:06.000 --> 00:20:19.759 That you need to kind of reassess and say, alright, is this the best thing for my relationship with God and my closeness with the Lord to be continuing to do this with this person or be drawn into this? 00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:22.640 Is there something I need to leave behind? 00:20:24.640 --> 00:20:26.079 In 2023. 00:20:33.920 --> 00:20:50.880 One of the things in this passage that kind of blows my mind the most is in verse 14, Jesus finds him in the temple. 00:20:52.960 --> 00:21:00.880 And he tells him, Now you're well, so stop sinning, or something even worse may happen to you. 00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:07.039 I'm like, the guy was sick for 38 years. 00:21:08.319 --> 00:21:10.960 Couldn't walk, couldn't go anywhere. 00:21:11.279 --> 00:21:12.640 Jesus, like, what? 00:21:12.880 --> 00:21:13.279 Really? 00:21:13.359 --> 00:21:15.920 Like, what worse are you talking about? 00:21:16.720 --> 00:21:18.960 What worse are you talking about? 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.359 And he's talking about the loss of soul. 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:31.119 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world and to lose his very soul? 00:21:31.200 --> 00:21:33.039 That's what the scripture says. 00:21:34.000 --> 00:21:37.359 Jesus tells him, hey, stop sinning. 00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:41.599 He said the same thing to the adulterous woman who was caught in adultery. 00:21:41.680 --> 00:21:45.440 He said, He said, Woman, I do not condemn you. 00:21:46.559 --> 00:21:47.839 Your sins have been forgiven. 00:21:48.000 --> 00:21:49.119 Go and sin no more. 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:54.559 Jesus looked at people and told them, Go and sin no more. 00:21:56.160 --> 00:21:57.039 Stop sinning. 00:22:00.640 --> 00:22:04.319 How is it possible for us to completely rid our life of sin? 00:22:06.559 --> 00:22:08.400 Not on this side of heaven. 00:22:09.839 --> 00:22:11.599 Not on this side of heaven. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:22.960 But we can get closer and walk in holiness and closer to the Lord, and we can become more like Jesus today than we were yesterday. 00:22:24.880 --> 00:22:36.880 If we're focused on our closeness and walking with God, eliminating distractions, eliminating obstacles that we can walk alongside our Father. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.160 But I know this. 00:22:39.599 --> 00:22:47.680 That change, that heart change, it starts up here in renewing of your mind and your belief. 00:22:56.160 --> 00:22:57.839 Romans 12, too. 00:22:58.319 --> 00:23:03.039 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by what? 00:23:03.440 --> 00:23:05.279 The renewing of your mind. 00:23:06.160 --> 00:23:10.160 Then you'll be able to test and approve what God's will is. 00:23:10.319 --> 00:23:13.759 It's good, pleasing, and perfect will. 00:23:14.240 --> 00:23:16.000 And so I will tell you this. 00:23:16.640 --> 00:23:20.240 The stop of sin is the start of renewal. 00:23:23.359 --> 00:23:29.839 The stop of sin in your life is the start of renewal in your life. 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:32.559 A revival of the soul. 00:23:33.279 --> 00:23:34.559 A renewing. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:36.079 A transformation. 00:23:39.200 --> 00:23:41.519 A transforming power of God. 00:23:44.160 --> 00:23:46.000 You know, it's the beginning of the year. 00:23:47.839 --> 00:23:53.920 And so the first day of the year on January 1st, Emily and I got a treadmill. 00:23:55.920 --> 00:23:57.599 We got a treadmill. 00:23:58.960 --> 00:23:59.599 I don't know. 00:23:59.680 --> 00:24:01.440 Uh thankfully we didn't have to pay for it. 00:24:01.519 --> 00:24:02.160 It was given to us. 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:04.799 We've been barring it for a time, but we got the treadmill. 00:24:07.759 --> 00:24:10.000 We actually didn't have some space in our basement. 00:24:10.160 --> 00:24:12.640 I don't know about your basement or your storage area. 00:24:12.799 --> 00:24:17.200 For me, it's like 50% stuff we're used and 50% just stuff, right? 00:24:19.119 --> 00:24:27.839 So we cleared out a room in the basement, cleared out all the stuff and the junk. 00:24:28.160 --> 00:24:30.799 We put this treadmill down in the basement. 00:24:32.160 --> 00:24:33.920 Because we're going to get healthy. 00:24:35.039 --> 00:24:39.519 New year, on that diet, on that workout plan. 00:24:42.240 --> 00:24:44.000 Cleared out all that junk. 00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:46.720 Got the treadmill. 00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:50.400 But you know, we're missing one thing. 00:24:52.559 --> 00:24:54.000 Anyone know what this is? 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:00.799 This is the safety key, is what it's called. 00:25:01.839 --> 00:25:05.519 And we just got this from uh Amazon yesterday. 00:25:06.960 --> 00:25:22.319 So we had this giant treadmill in our basement, and for the last few days, it's literally been sitting there because we hadn't had the safety key, because you have to have the safety key plugged into the treadmill for it to go. 00:25:22.559 --> 00:25:23.680 You clip it on your shirt. 00:25:23.839 --> 00:25:32.720 For those of you who've never walked on a treadmill, you clip it on your shirt so that if you fall down, then it pulls it out and stops and it doesn't shoot you into the wall. 00:25:34.720 --> 00:25:36.240 There's a safety key. 00:25:40.559 --> 00:25:50.720 In the same way, we can eliminate and clear out a bunch of stuff in our life with intentions to get happy. 00:25:50.880 --> 00:25:58.960 But if you don't have the key, that's Jesus, you're not gonna get very far. 00:26:00.880 --> 00:26:02.559 You're not gonna get very far. 00:26:04.480 --> 00:26:06.000 You gotta have the key. 00:26:06.960 --> 00:26:10.160 You gotta have the key, which is Jesus. 00:26:11.680 --> 00:26:15.839 You may be looking at me today saying, you know, force, there's things in my life, and you know what? 00:26:15.920 --> 00:26:19.279 I've tried so hard to kick this habit. 00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:22.559 I've tried so hard to stop this specific sin. 00:26:22.640 --> 00:26:30.240 I've tried so hard, and what I'm telling you, it may be time for you to stop trying so hard and let God do the work. 00:26:32.160 --> 00:27:27.279 You're trying to do it on your own, and there's something in your life that you know that needs to be eliminated, that Satan is knocking at your door, and coming after you, and continually tempting you, and continually eating your lunch and wrecking your relationships, and it's time for you to start talking back and telling the devil where to go, to look at him and say, I'm an overcomer in the authority of the name of Jesus, by the power of shed blood, leave, leave my marriage, leave my relationships, leave my finances, leave my children alone. 00:27:29.519 --> 00:27:32.880 I am the righteousness of God in Christ. 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:38.160 I am a chosen child of the one true King, Jesus. 00:27:43.119 --> 00:27:49.920 I am saved by the blood of the Lamb. 00:27:52.160 --> 00:27:55.920 Leave me alone. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:07.200 It's a starting place of eliminating the obstacles to your closeness to God. 00:28:08.720 --> 00:28:26.480 But it doesn't just stop with clearing the room or good intentions of putting the treadmill, but it takes you having the key and walking with the King, Jesus, so that you'd have closeness with him. 00:28:28.720 --> 00:28:31.599 You know it's so difficult to do it on your own. 00:28:36.240 --> 00:28:41.519 You know that being a Christian is not a solo sport, but it's a team adventure. 00:28:44.720 --> 00:28:50.000 That's why you need people in your life who can walk alongside you. 00:28:50.240 --> 00:28:53.599 That's why small groups are kicking off this week. 00:28:53.839 --> 00:28:56.480 Come on, come on. 00:28:56.640 --> 00:28:58.640 Small groups are kicking off this week. 00:28:58.880 --> 00:29:01.119 And some of y'all have been hesitant. 00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:02.960 What do they even do there? 00:29:03.039 --> 00:29:04.720 I'm not gonna go to somebody's house. 00:29:05.039 --> 00:29:06.240 It's weird. 00:29:06.640 --> 00:29:08.559 What if I don't like the food? 00:29:09.359 --> 00:29:10.480 I got a crazy kid. 00:29:10.559 --> 00:29:12.000 Like, they don't want that. 00:29:12.480 --> 00:29:13.680 What am I gonna say? 00:29:14.319 --> 00:29:15.839 I don't got anything to say. 00:29:16.079 --> 00:29:17.680 What if they call on me? 00:29:18.640 --> 00:29:20.079 What if somebody asks me to pray? 00:29:20.160 --> 00:29:21.680 Oh my goodness, I'll die. 00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:26.480 People already do all that. 00:29:26.880 --> 00:29:42.960 Those in the room who are laughing know because those circles that we have each week are not a place of judgment, but a journeying with Jesus and walking alongside of each other and praying for each other and encouraging each other. 00:29:43.359 --> 00:29:50.000 And so you may be hit, may you may have been hesitant to take a step to plug in. 00:29:50.960 --> 00:29:52.400 Can I encourage you? 00:29:52.720 --> 00:30:08.319 You need other believers who can walk with you and help to encourage you so that you can overcome by the power, the strong power, mighty power of Jesus, by shed blood on the cross. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:24.880 And by the love that's shared by other believers in genuine Christian community walking together, on this journey together, I want to take a second to celebrate. 00:30:25.200 --> 00:30:33.359 We got some uh small group leaders in the house who have dedicated their time and their heart to lead and disciple our people. 00:30:33.519 --> 00:30:36.880 And would you join me in a round of applause? 00:30:37.039 --> 00:30:40.000 I want them just to stand real quick so we can celebrate those. 00:30:40.160 --> 00:30:44.160 If you're a small group leader in the house, will you stand up right now and we can celebrate you? 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:54.160 And there's more. 00:30:55.759 --> 00:31:11.920 But I'm thankful, I'm thankful for the work of God in and through our lives, our church, people who stand up and say, Yeah, I'll walk with you to see God, see something powerful in you. 00:31:12.960 --> 00:31:14.799 I'm believing in faith. 00:31:16.480 --> 00:31:19.519 I'm believing that we're going to a new height. 00:31:20.319 --> 00:31:22.720 I'm believing that we're gonna have a revival of the soul. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:28.319 I'm believing that we're going to be renewed in Christ this new year. 00:31:30.000 --> 00:31:32.319 But it starts with an honest evaluation of yourself. 00:31:32.480 --> 00:31:38.319 It starts with eliminating the obstacles to your closeness with God. 00:31:42.079 --> 00:31:43.920 It'll lead us into our next week. 00:31:46.319 --> 00:31:57.359 But I want to pray specifically now for each one of us in the room, for your relationship with the Lord, for what God's doing in you, and for anyone who needs to begin the journey. 00:31:57.440 --> 00:31:59.039 So would you bow your head and pray with me now? 00:31:59.200 --> 00:32:01.200 Father, all across this room. 00:32:01.519 --> 00:32:05.519 I pray right now, the body of our church. 00:32:07.680 --> 00:32:17.759 God, there's some that are in our midst right now who are entrapped and struggling in sin that they feel like they cannot break out of. 00:32:18.480 --> 00:32:23.519 God, I pray, Lord, that you would stop the lies of the enemy in their mind. 00:32:24.720 --> 00:32:35.839 That they wouldn't be held back by excuses, shame, challenges. 00:32:36.400 --> 00:32:43.119 But instead, God, that they would give you a firm yes to wanting to be healed and well. 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:52.000 Father, I pray across the room right now, Lord, for each one of us has shared this word. 00:32:52.079 --> 00:32:56.960 God, you you put on people's hearts and minds what they need to leave behind. 00:32:58.079 --> 00:33:00.960 What they need to leave behind in 2022. 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:15.680 God, I pray that you would give them the strength, not in their own power, but in your power, God, to ask for your forgiveness and ask for you to change them. 00:33:16.559 --> 00:33:21.440 To change their heart, to change their mind, to change their attitudes, to change their habits. 00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:24.799 They come from you. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:33.279 Father, I pray all across the room today, Lord, for anybody who's in the room today, and God, they have not been freed. 00:33:33.440 --> 00:33:38.079 They've not been healed because they haven't begun a relationship with you, Jesus. 00:33:38.240 --> 00:34:00.480 They've not believed in the shed blood of the cross, in the sacrifice, that you died in their place 2,000 years ago, so that they would not perish and be apart from you, but God, they would be close to you now and into eternity in heaven, not separated from you. 00:34:00.960 --> 00:34:10.320 Father, all across the room right now, God, I pray if there's anybody in this place that has not followed you, who's not asked for your salvation, but they would do it today. 00:34:12.800 --> 00:34:17.519 We begin today, this very minute, that they would pray, Jesus, save me. 00:34:18.159 --> 00:34:19.760 I believe that you're the Son of God. 00:34:20.079 --> 00:34:21.760 Pray in your mind and heart. 00:34:22.559 --> 00:34:25.360 I believe that you died on the cross for me. 00:34:26.880 --> 00:34:37.199 Forgive me, change me, so that I can be in heaven one day with you. 00:34:38.960 --> 00:34:43.360 I give you my life, as you gave your life for mine. 00:34:45.280 --> 00:34:47.039 Thank you for saving me. 00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:49.119 In Jesus' name. 00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:50.079 Amen. 00:34:51.599 --> 00:35:00.239 If you pray that prayer today for the first time, there's a step for you to take to begin following your relationship with Jesus. 00:35:00.320 --> 00:35:01.760 That step is baptism. 00:35:02.639 --> 00:35:04.480 That's happening here in a couple of weeks. 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:10.400 Maybe that decision is what you need to do to take the next step for you to begin your relationship with Jesus. 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:18.559 I'm gonna invite you now to stand together as we close in worship and lift up to the Lord.