REWIND
The podcast "REWIND" features a collection of past sermons from Organic Church. Each episode takes listeners on a journey through the teachings and messages delivered during previous worship services. The content is a retrospective look at the spiritual guidance and insights shared by Pastor Michael and visiting guests!
Listeners can expect to revisit powerful sermons, meaningful scriptures, and impactful messages that have been shared in the past. The podcast aims to provide a convenient and accessible way for the church community and new audiences to engage with the timeless wisdom and spiritual teachings presented during earlier sermons.
Whether it's a reflection on a particular theme, a series of teachings, or a selection of sermons covering various topics, "REWIND" offers an opportunity for individuals to deepen their understanding of the faith and find inspiration in the timeless messages.
The podcast may also include commentary or reflections on the historical context of each sermon and how it continues to resonate with the present-day congregation.
REWIND
Victim Theology (February 2, 2025)
After experiencing a personal crisis, I found myself clinging to the power of faith, and this episode might just reveal the strength you didn't know you had. Discover how the biblical stories of David and Goliath, alongside teachings from 1 Corinthians and Joshua, can inspire us to overcome life's challenges with courage and unwavering belief. We also touch on the significance of unity and prayer in today's divided world, highlighting how compassion and community support are crucial during times of tragedy.
As we recount the tumultuous journey of David—from his anointing as king to his moral struggles and ultimate repentance—we delve into the deep lessons of forgiveness and spiritual integrity. Through humor and personal anecdotes, we illustrate how David's faith helped him face his giants, literally and figuratively. Reflecting on Psalm 51, we emphasize the importance of seeking forgiveness from God and being the first to admit wrongdoing, reminding us that true strength lies in humility and repentance.
In a world full of distractions and material pursuits, we challenge ourselves and our listeners to confront spiritual complacency head-on. By rejecting the victim mentality and embracing spiritual growth, we can align our lives with God's truth and purpose. This episode invites you to prepare for communion through introspection and to contribute to the vibrancy of our community by committing to active participation and generous giving. Join us on this transformative journey towards spiritual and personal empowerment.
reminder. I don't remember the ages, but Alyssa will tell you if you're not supposed to be back there. No, no pressure, no pressure. Who has nursery today? Bye Dawn, hey, see me after church so we can make sure you get communion. Okay, let's open our Bibles.
Speaker 1:We're going to start in the word this morning 1 Corinthians 15, 57. 1 Corinthians 15, 57. It says but thank God, he gave us victory over sin and death through our Lord, jesus Christ. Amen, that's it. Thank you. Can we get a little excited, the fact that we have victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ? I'm excited about that. Amen, there is victory in Jesus, my Savior forever.
Speaker 1:You guys are lame. I'm going to tell you something. I'm going to tell you something. If this message doesn't wake you up today, you got to reevaluate your life, okay, because if you were here last week, like, this place was on fire last week, right, like it was, I was a little bit afraid. Last week, when I left, I was like I'm going to get mugged in the parking lot because I've offended some people, right, but I'm okay with that anymore. Right, I told you, this year we're going to be honest with one another, right, we're going to tell each other the truth. That's what we're going to do. I'm going to do that with you today, okay, all right, all right, what you don't know victory in Jesus. Roger, teach this man something, roger knows it.
Speaker 1:Listen, I get excited when I think about Jesus. I get excited when I think about Jesus. I get excited when I think about salvation. I get excited when I think about heaven. Amen, I get excited when I think about Jesus. But here's the problem. Then I start to think about the world and my excitement turns to worry. My excitement turns to frustration. My excitement turns to anticipation. My excitement turns to anticipation.
Speaker 1:Right, listen, my heart broke when I saw that plane crash in DC. Right, absolute tragedy, absolute tragedy. My heart hurt for the lives that were cut short. My heart hurt for those who were having to deal with the grief of that loss. Did any of us just like, have this desire to just make it all better? Right, like there was something in us that, just if I, whatever I could do to make it better, I wanted to do that. Right, all I could do was pray, but I felt like that was good enough, because I know that God can do all things. Right, but I didn't know what else to do so. I just prayed for those people. I prayed for the lives that were lost. I prayed for those who were dealing with the grief. I prayed for those who were going to be talked poorly about after the fact. Amen, because it didn't matter. So here's my problem. I've done it in just about all situations. I'm going to tell on myself for a second.
Speaker 1:Have you guys ever seen that one little kid that's like crying and just like he needs a little extra attention? You just want to go give him a hug. What your kid? Yeah, yeah, that's all he does is cry, but not whenever Ashley's holding him. It's fine, right? No, listen, we were at a basketball game yesterday and there's this little boy on the team who just he really just struggles to fit in Right. He to fit in right. He's just different and it's not a bad thing, but he loves the sport of basketball, okay, he gets upset when the other team doesn't pass him the ball and then he cries and I just want to hug him and tell him it's okay, buddy, right Now. I'm not like that with kids normally, but when there's a kid crying like if I see somebody's kid crying because they dropped their ice cream cone, I'll buy them a new ice cream cone, right? I can't help it. It's just who I am, because I don't like to see that happen Now. I like to see my kids cry when they get whooped for doing. No, I'm just kidding, I'm kidding, kidding.
Speaker 1:There is something about tragedy that used to unite people for a common good Amen. Think about 9-11. After 9-11, we were all Americans. Right, it didn't matter what color you were, it didn't matter what kind of church you attend. We were all just Americans and what we wanted to see was unity in our country. Right, I long for the time that we can be Americans fighting for Americans again. Right, when we can desire good things for our brothers and sisters who live in this country. But the problem is we don't really care about that in this moment Because the world has conditioned us to dislike people who are different from ourselves.
Speaker 1:Okay, if we know that there is victory and salvation through Jesus Christ, what more do we have to worry about? And salvation through Jesus Christ, what more do we have to worry about? What more do we need to worry about If he will clothe the lilies in beauty and splendor? Why do we care about what we're wearing Now? You care about what I'm wearing because it would be uncomfortable, right, but that came from sin. If Adam and Eve hadn't fallen into sin, nakedness wouldn't be something we would be shameful of, we wouldn't be worried about it. But here we are, alas, in the world that we're living in, amen, and we've got to deal with it. But we know that there is victory in Jesus. There is victory in Jesus. There is not victory in showing up for church on Sunday. There is victory in Jesus, amen.
Speaker 1:Okay, joshua 1.9. It says this is my command Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord, your God, is with you wherever you go. I have nothing to fear because God is riding with me. Right, when I'm feeling lost or confused or broken or hurt or down, I know that God's got this, amen. It's not easy to tell the flesh that, but the word tells me I don't have to worry about it. And so I'm not going to worry about it. Because if I do, what good am I doing myself? I'm drinking poison waiting to die. Can't figure out why I'm sick it's because I don't pray. Can't figure out why I'm broken because I don't pray Right Amen out why I'm broken Because I don't pray. Right, amen, okay. Proverbs 21, 31. There is a point to all of this and we are going to get there at some point today. The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but victory belongs to the Lord. Who does it belong to the Lord? Turn to your neighbor and say victory belongs to the Lord, amen, amen. I'm excited. I'm excited. Romans 8, 37.
Speaker 1:No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. No, it's not even just victory, it's overwhelming. Have you ever won something so big that you're just like that wasn't even fair? Right, just won something so big, it's not even fair. Let me just tell you about when I like to win Monopoly. I like to win Monopoly with all my properties on mortgage and a fat stack of cash. Right, I want this to not just be a victory. I want this to be an overwhelming victory. I want to be making it rain at the end of that game and just rubbing it in everyone's face. I'm a sore winner. I'm a sore loser. Folks, it's just the way it is. Okay, you ever play dodgeball with me. You know that my team has to win and if it doesn't win, I'm going to cheat to win. All right. What Did you cheat to win? Is that what you just said? Oh, you haven't played dodgeball with me yet. Oh, dude, you got to. You got to. Oh, it's fun. It's fun stuff, all right.
Speaker 1:Philippians 4.13. Everybody knows this one, for I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength, hallelujah. You know, I was excited that this was not intentional when I put that passage in my scripture. That was one of Florence's favorite passages of scripture, so I was excited to get to use it this morning because I just, every time I step into the pulpit, I just like God just used me, used me, used me, and every time I think about that, I think, man, she was so much smarter than me and she knew so much more than I did and it drove me crazy. But God bless her either way, because she made me do all of this. So here we are right. All right.
Speaker 1:My question is this Do we actually believe it? I was weak. I said do we believe that we can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength? I said do we believe that we can do all things through Christ, who gives us strength? That's still weak guys. Here's the reason that I knew it was going to be weak. Do you know why? I knew it was going to be weak. Do you know why? Anybody know why?
Speaker 1:Because the church has fallen asleep. We don't want to be woken from our slumber. We would rather be sleeping and saying, yeah, god can do all things. He's a good god. He does all of the things that the bible tells us he can do. If he was healing people back then, he can do it now. Jesus Christ. The same yesterday, today and forever. Long after we are dead and gone, he will still be healing people, amen. Listen, we are not precursors to what God will do. God will continue to do long after each and every one of us are dead and gone. God was moving before we were born. He will continue to move long after each and every one of us are dead. And I am excited about that, because the only hope we have for the next generation is Jesus, the only hope that we are living in a post-church generation.
Speaker 1:We're living in a generation that doesn't feel like they need to go to church. We're living in a generation that feels like they don't have to believe in God. We're living in a generation that thinks that God is just somebody we like to talk about. Can I tell you, I know he's real. How many of you have experienced him in your own lives? Let me tell you something God is real. You can't convince me he's not. I've seen the ocean, I've seen the skies. If you can convince me that there is not divine creation, just in the world that we live in, I'm asking what are you looking at? What are you looking at? Because how, how do birds figure out how to fly right? How did the water know where to stop? We can't explain. Oh well, the moon has this gravitational pull that happens. I'm not saying the science isn't real, but you tell me that wasn't divine creation. You're going to try to tell me that God didn't design it that way. The fact that we can stick to the earth is a miracle all on its own right, because some of us are so full of air we should be able to float anyway. Right, hallelujah, that one's me. Right there. Amen, thank you, jesus. Thank you, jesus, all right.
Speaker 1:I want to talk about David today. I want to talk about David who was anointed to be king, and the David that fell into sin, and I want to talk about his sin before we talk about anything else. Okay, all right. Does anybody know what led to David's fall? What led to David's fall? Adultery yes, bathsheba. David had an affair with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah and a member of David's fighting force. That's dirty pull, right. Then David had Uriah murdered to cover up the affair. That's going to great lengths, right? You don't want to admit that you've done something wrong. You just start killing people. David chose to stay home in Jerusalem instead of leading his army into battle, and he was consumed by lust. But does anybody know how David responded to that sin? He repented and expressed his sorrow. You can read it in Psalm 51.
Speaker 1:David ran to God for forgiveness, understanding that only God could restore him. Let me ask you a question. Do you think that when he was restored in the eyes of God, he was restored in the eyes of the world? No, do you know how many people I restored in the eyes of God? He was restored in the eyes of the world. No. Do you know how many people I have that look at me and go oh, you're that guy. Yeah, everybody in this church. Oh, that guy. How many of you have people that look at you that way? Oh, you did that. Oh, you did that. God doesn't see that. But just because I'm made right in the eyes of my heavenly father does not mean I am made right in the eyes of the world. But I have learned that the eyes of the world only want to see me through my wrongdoing. The eyes of the world want to see me fail and see me struggle. They definitely don't want to see me prosper in the name of Jesus. But it's not because they don't like me, it's because they don't know forgiveness from Jesus Christ. If the world understood how forgiving God had been for them, then they would find it a whole lot easier to forgive other people, wouldn't they?
Speaker 1:How many of you like to say I'm sorry? Dale's like I say I'm sorry all the time. He's just used to it. Connie's got him conditioned. He knows he has to say sorry, otherwise he has to sleep on the back porch. We don't like to say it because saying I'm sorry admits wrongdoing or fault and in our eyes we're practically perfect. Like we know, maybe deep down inside somewhere, that we've made some mistakes, but we don't like to talk about it. I'm going to tell you that I realize that if I am the first one to say I'm sorry, I'm winning and I don't mean I'm winning the fight, I mean my soul is getting right with Jesus. Right, if I can say you know what, I screwed up on that one, I'm sorry. If I can go to my wife and tell her hey, I made a bad decision and I'm sorry for that. My wife is going to be a lot more forgiving than if we hold on to it for 10 days and then I finally say, well, I wasn't entirely wrong. Right, men, we've been there. Right Ladies, probably been there too. Us men just aren't smart enough to figure it out. We just let it slide. All right.
Speaker 1:But I want to talk about David and Goliath for a moment. We all know the story. David shows up to bring rations to his brothers, offers King Saul to go out and kill the giant. King Saul reluctantly agrees, gives David his battle armor and David says no and then goes out on the battlefield to kill Goliath. Now I picture David putting on this armor. That's way too big for him. You ever seen like a kid trying to wear their dad's shoes and the t-shirt and they look all funny looking. That's how I picture David looking. And he goes I can't wear this out there, I'm not used to it. So he takes it all back off and he heads out to the battlefield. And every time I think about David doing that, getting himself ready, mentally, emotionally, preparing himself for that. He knows God's going to go before him, but there's still got to be some nerve, right. Like I get nervous coming up here some Sunday morning, but David just stops and he yells I'm coming out, close your eyes. Turn to your neighbor and say I'm coming out, close your eyes, lord, forgive me. Okay, alright, get your Bibles out. People get your Bibles out.
Speaker 1:1 Samuel, chapter 17. 1 Samuel, chapter 17. 1 Samuel, chapter 17. We're going to start at verse 41. Quit throwing stuff on the floor.
Speaker 1:Goliath walked out toward David with his shield bearer ahead of him, sneering in contempt at the ruddy-faced boy. Am I a dog? He roared at David that you come at me with a stick. David carried his staff. Right. That you come at me with a stick. And he cursed David by the names of his gods Come over here, I'll give your flesh to the birds and wild animals. Goliath yelled.
Speaker 1:Goliath's a big man, bigger than Marcus. That's a big man, right, marcus, stand up, come here. Come here, hustle. You don't work for the government, come on, look at this. I'm 6'1". How tall are you? 6'6"? That's a big dude, right, goliath was bigger than Marcus. Thank you, marcus. How tall are you? Six, six, that's a big dude. Right, goliath was bigger than Marcus. Thank you, marcus. Like I'm talking ducking through doorways, right, big guy. And he says to David, a puny little guy, I'm going to feed you to the birds and the wild animals.
Speaker 1:Now I'm just thinking, as David, I'd probably want to go home, right, because he knows what Goliath looks like. He's seen him when he met his brothers on the battlefield to bring them their rations. He knew what Goliath looked like, but he did not know that he was ultimate. God spoke to him and told him here we go, right. I don't know that. I'm quite confident enough in my belief in what God will do to step out in front of a giant right. It's kind of like stepping out in front of a school bus. God's going to stop his school bus, right? He's just going to say I don't think so, like that's just dumb decision-making, right. But here's David saying he's going to do it.
Speaker 1:David responded to the Philistine you come at me with sword, spear and javelin, but I come at you, come to you in the name of the Lord of heaven's armies, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied Today, the Lord will conquer you and I will kill you and cut off your head and I will give the dead bodies of your men to the birds and the wild animals. The whole world will know that there is a God in Israel, hallelujah. And everyone assembled here will know that the Lord rescued his people, but not with sword and spear. This is the Lord's battle. He will give you to us. He will give you to us.
Speaker 1:As Goliath moved closer to attack David, quickly ran out to meet him. We don't do anything quickly, specifically what the Lord tells us Amen. Now we know what happens David one shot hits Goliath, kills him and what's he do? Cuts his head off with his own sword. Yes, god delivered Goliath to David.
Speaker 1:Now we're not experiencing Goliath today, but do each of us have our own giants Physical illness, mental health, struggles hanging on to unforgiveness, whatever it may be. We've all got something that we're dealing with in our lives right, and your struggle may seem small to me, but it may be something that you really have a hard time living with, have a hard time dealing with, have a hard time getting over. Amen, amen, because I don't know your struggles, I don't live them. We're all individuals, we are all different, but we have victory in Jesus. God is still delivering Goliath today, just as he was back when David was taking care of him. Amen.
Speaker 1:But here is the problem. This is where we're going to start to offend some people. All right, are you ready? Today's church has adopted a victim theology, I didn't say a victim mentality, a victim theology, because see, here's what we want to teach you now. We want to teach you that all of your problems are because of your haters, the people you don't like, the people who don't like you, or the devil. But can I promise you something? Sometimes you are your own worst enemy. Sometimes you are your own worst enemy. Sometimes you are your own worst enemy. And what are you doing about it? Complaining. Who are you complaining? To the people who will agree with you? And when they agree with you, what happens? You continue to complain and the next thing you know, you're not reading your word, you're not believing that God can deliver you from that evil spirit or whatever it is that's happening.
Speaker 1:Listen, how many of us are broke? Right, like broke, don't feel good, right. But let me tell you something you ain't broke just because you're broke. There are things happening in your life that make you broke Right Now. Sometimes it is the devil, sometimes it's God, sometimes it's you. Most times it's you, right?
Speaker 1:Listen, my wife thinks we're gonna go on a cruise this year. You know what that means I can't spend any money. You know what that means. We ain't going on a cruise. I mean, it's just not in the cards. But I know that if that's something that we want to do, I have to make different life choices. See, I can't blame my job. I can't blame the people around me. I can't blame my life because I'm broke. I'm broke because I choose to be broke. I'm broke because I like to spend money on things that I don't need. Right, how many of us buy stuff we don't need literally every day?
Speaker 1:Tina, how much does your coat cost you? For McDonald's every day? $1.07, but that's because she uses her mobile app. It costs me $1.80 because I don't like to use the mobile app and then go through the drive-thru I do. I got mad. I was like how McDonald's going to charge me $1.80 for a Coke when it's $1 on the app? That just doesn't even seem fair, right, but what did I say? If I would use the app, I could save 80 cents. But guess what I won't do? I won't use the app. So whose problem is it? Thank you, it's still McDonald's problem.
Speaker 1:Yeah, but I'm just saying that if I don't choose to make better decisions, then I'm always going to live with the things that are happening in my life. They will never go away just because I feel like God should do something about it. How many times has God opened a window and you've closed it? How many times has God opened the door? You get to the end, you're like never mind and pull it shut. And when you pull that one shut, he opens another one. And guess what you do? You close that one too.
Speaker 1:God says I want you to do X and you're like not today. God says I want you to do X and you say I can't afford it. Let me tell you something when God is moving in your life, you can't afford not to. You can't afford not to because when you tell him, no, that's going somewhere else. The work still has to get done. I can't tell you how many times God has said Michael, I need you to do X and I'm like I ain't going to do that today. And then, while I'm standing there, something else happens and he's like Michael, I really need you to do, and when I finally give into him, there's a blessing poured out beyond compare. Now I don't mean that he, like it, doesn't start to rain hundred dollar bills over me when I do something kind or something that God has called me to do. Sometimes I get home and my wife says something to me that just would like okay, this is a big one, I got a. I'm a worrier. I like to plan. Okay, the other day I got a.
Speaker 1:Anybody else get informed delivery on their mail. Like you get an email with what's coming in your mail that day. Anybody else do that, don't? It's horrifying. You always know ahead of time when you're getting a bill. It's the worst feeling in the world, like it's bad enough that the bill is coming.
Speaker 1:Now I know I got on my app one morning. I looked and I had a letter from the IRS coming. Unsolicited mail from the IRS ain't never good, right, it ain't ever good. I have never had the IRS mail me a birthday card. I ain't never had them mail me a Christmas card. Anytime they send me a piece of mail. They want money, right. So I get the letter. I see it coming.
Speaker 1:I go to the post office 8 o'clock when they open, right. I open my PO box. There ain't nothing in there. I go back home. I go back at 10. I go back at noon, I go back at 3. I go back at 5. That letter didn't show up and I'm like Lord, I don't know what you're trying to teach me, but I don't like it.
Speaker 1:Next day, 8 am guess where I'm at Post office. I open that PO box and there's that letter. Now I am stressed for 24 straight hours, knowing that letter is going to come. Okay, stomachs in knots because I'm just like what are we going to do? The IRS? They don't send you a letter because you owe them 20 bucks, right, it's usually a large amount of money. I open up mailbox, I go in. I had to pick up a couple of packages. When I say a couple of packages, it was like 14. It was just a few. Yeah, this is the money problem. I open the letter while the lady is there and I'm joking with her about unsolicited mail, and I open it up and all it is is a tax statement telling me that they paid me interest on withholding from the previous year.
Speaker 1:But what did I do to myself for 24 straight hours? That's a choice, folks. That is a decision that I made because I believe that God is good and he can do all things, but I still allow myself to live in the world and to worry about things that don't matter Best. Husband Jarvi has a great saying, and I've adopted this If it can be fixed with money, it's not really a problem, right, because I might not have enough to fix it today, but someday, right, eventually, we'll figure this out. Problems come when somebody passes away. That can't be fixed with money, right. Problems come when the world starts to fall apart around you. Those things that cannot be fixed by money, those are real problems. Anything that can be fixed by money is an inconvenience, right, but we're so attached to the money that we have that that's all we worry about, right? Okay, all right, all right.
Speaker 1:Victim theology See, it's the church trying to teach that we have to blame the enemy for every bad thing that happens in our lives. But sometimes, if we would just stop and reevaluate, we would realize that sometimes we are the problem, right? Listen, I'm the problem in my wife's life a lot, a lot. And my wife will say to me hey, you can't blame anybody else for that bad decision, it was yours and yours alone. I don't like to hear that, but when I hear it, I have to do something with it. It has to create change in my life.
Speaker 1:When Jesus tells you stop doing that, when God says you shouldn't be going there anymore, and you keep going there and hanging out with those people and acting the way you're acting, he ain't going to give you any favor because you're operating outside of the spirit. Listen, god is good and he wants to do all of the good things. Listen, when you stop showing up for church, when you don't tithe, when you don't pray, you don't talk to God, what do you expect? You expect to show up here on Sunday, have me preach at you for an hour, right? You hear what I'm saying, and then you go home and do nothing with it, right?
Speaker 1:Listen, I, every week, I have to pray and talk to God. I have to ask God for forgiveness. I'm living the same life that each and every one of you are living. I know, though, that I have to go home and make a change when I'm asking God for forgiveness. I'm not just asking God for forgiveness, just to say the words. I want meaningful change in my life.
Speaker 1:Do you know how hard that is life? Do you know how hard that is? It's awful Because when you realize the things that you love are taking place, of your relationship with Christ, you really have to learn what you have to give up. I don't like that, right. I like having fun things. I like the newest iPhone every time it comes out, but when I buy those things I can't give freely. How many of us are just giving freely? I love to be able to bless people. I love to be able to bless the world around me. Listen, the cupboard of hope blesses a ton of people every month. Now it might not feel like a lot, but if you met some of those people, you would know it's a lot. That means a lot to them. I want to be able to continue to do those things, but if I continue to act the way that I'm acting, I will never be able to do that.
Speaker 1:Now, here's the thing I know I'm preaching right now and everybody's sitting here listening. Ain't nobody making life changes right now, because they're going. I'll think about this when I get home. Right, I'll reevaluate my life. When I get home, you ain't gonna. You know why you aren't gonna? Because you want to blame somebody else for your problems. Listen, I know that God is good and he can take anything and make it for his good.
Speaker 1:But today you have to make a choice. Are you going to follow Jesus? Are you going to hold on to the world? Are you going to follow Jesus? Are you going to hold on to the world? Are you going to follow Jesus, or are you going to allow the world to shape what is important to you? All right, we want to come to church, wave some flags, roll around on the floor, hang from the chandeliers, handle some snakes. You know any of the fun Pentecostal things. Hang from the chandeliers, handle some snakes. You know any of the fun Pentecostal things. Me too, me too, you won't have to worry about it. We bring snakes in this place. I'm out, count me out. But we want to do all of the things that you come to. Just raise your hands and praise and worship and, oh, I just love the praise and worship set this morning.
Speaker 1:That song spoke to me. That song may have spoke to you, but Jesus needs to speak to you. Jesus needs to speak. Here's the thing. I can ask any one of you to quote scripture and most of you will go, uh, right, Now most of you can get John 3, 16. Can anybody do it? I know Joe can do it. Thank you For God so loved the world. Okay, so we can get there. Right, we know some of it, but if I ask you to sing the words to Jaira, I bet everybody in this building be singing all them words. Right, why is that? Why is that? Because we believe that music is ministry and it is not. Music does not make who God is. Some fleshly person wrote that song to make you cry. Some fleshly person wrote that song so that you would raise your hands in church on Sunday morning. They did not write that song just simply so that you would know who Jesus is.
Speaker 1:Listen, some of the songs you guys listen to. They're theologically sound. Some of the stuff you listen to, you listen to the words. You're like, no, that's not what that scripture says. That's not what it says at all. But we love it because we believe that it connects us with God. Do you know what connects you with God? Prayer? Do you know what connects you with God, the word. And I'm telling you that when the church decides to repent of its sins amen, hallelujah, thank you Jesus. Pray to God and read the word meaningful change will come. But you cannot make change in your life if all you do is show up to church on Sunday morning.
Speaker 1:The Bible tells us we're supposed to tithe. I'm just going to share this. My counsel already knows this, but for six months we ran tithe somewhere in the close to $10,000 range, six months straight. Now I didn't go back any further than that for six months. Last month we were just over $6,000. What happened? Christmas? But that was January. I would have given you that in December, but I won't give you that in January. We've never seen a December at $10,000. We were over $10,000 in December for that very reason. What happened? Look at the attendance. The attendance dropped. We got lazy after the holiday season.
Speaker 1:I'm going to give rather than tithe. I don't understand. I don't need to give. The church is fine, everything's fine, right. Let me tell you something the church will never be fine If we continue to pour out into the community. The church will never be fine. We will always have the money to keep the building open, we'll never have the money to go further.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you something I've always believed. I've always believed and I know that this is true. I know that God has spoken this to me that we will eventually plant a church. What that looks like, I don't know Whether that's to plant a pastor in the Cambridge church, whether that's to open a church in Holmes County, I don't know. But I believe that God is going to multiply this body Right.
Speaker 1:Here's the scary part. You look at the numbers and you realize if God can multiply this, he can do literally anything, because these people I don't know if they get it or not. That didn't feel good, did it? But it's true, because when I look at the numbers and I look and I try to figure out, like God, what is it that you want me to do today? And he says you just have to tell them. You just have to tell them get off your hands. You see everybody's sitting in the pew on their hands right now. I don't want to give, I don't want to serve, I don't want to do. I want to just sit here and let you tell me what I should do so I can go home and not do it. I want to be able to go home and pretend like I'm hearing it, but I'm not doing anything with it. Listen, financial Peace University. We're going to start tonight.
Speaker 1:It is not going to matter if every person in this building comes. If you don't try to make a change in your life, it's not going to matter. You will do nothing if you don't make meaningful change in your life. We are not victims, we are victors. There is victory in Jesus, amen. There is victory in the name of Jesus. That means that I am already whole and complete. I have everything that I will need in life. Anything above being alive is a gift that I should be able to give back abundantly. Amen.
Speaker 1:Why do you think I put? Listen, some of you guys. You call me and you want me to pour into you, and then you don't do anything with the information I give you and I think, man, I just beat my head against the wall, right? What's the point? Why do you call me? Why do you ask me for advice? Why do you call my wife and ask my wife, why do you, and then do nothing with it? Let me tell you why Because you want them to agree with you and complain with you. Thank you, chris, it's true, right, and listen, we're all guilty. I'm guilty of it. Listen, I got. Oh, I just love. I love when the Holy Spirit moves, because I tell you guys stories I would never tell anybody.
Speaker 1:I was at work the other day and I sat down for a meeting with my owners and they said some things to me that just crushed me on the inside they weren't bad, but it was just one of those like oh, that didn't feel good and my one owner goes. See, this is good, it's like therapy. And I thought to myself, yeah, maybe for you, right, that doesn't feel good to me. So I left and I processed it and I went back and I said and this is me being very honest with you, because I feel like you have to hear it I said to them I'm committed to my own success, I'm committed to the success of the organization and I am committed to your success. How many of us can say that to our friends and family? I am committed to my own success. I want to do the best for me. I am committed to the success of the kingdom of God and I am committed to your success in the kingdom. I want you to thrive in the kingdom. Therefore, I'm okay with you saying hard things to me and I'm okay with having to say hard things to you. We don't want that because the church wants a victim theology. We want to blame the devil for everything. We'll just stomp him back to the pits of hell. Let me tell you, you can do that, but some listen.
Speaker 1:I had this vision this morning in the prayer room. I didn't share it. I don't know if I should share it now, but I'm gonna. Okay, this is what I had. I was anytime. I do this stuff. God, I'm telling you like Holly needs to get here quick because we're gonna get in trouble. So I was standing in the prayer room and we were. I don't remember what song was on, but we were praying and I had this vision and our entire sanctuary was full.
Speaker 1:But just as the sanctuary started to fill up and everybody started to come in and sit down and I didn't notice any faces so I want to be clear that I am not speaking about any specific people in this room as the people started to come in and the seats started to this space right, and we're getting close. We're getting close. But that the ground started to shake. And as the ground started to shake, it started to open up, and what was opening up was hell. And there were some people that fell in immediately. There were some people that were climbing the walls trying to get away from it, and then there was Holly standing in the front going what are you guys afraid of? I'm not going to hell, because Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. I know that I'm not going to hell. And so she's standing in the front row and she's looking at you guys like everybody's lost their minds, everybody's trying to get out of here, and she says no, not today. Now can I tell you there are some of us sitting in this room that will not make it to heaven. I hope it's not you.
Speaker 1:I hope that each and every one of you are right with Christ and that you have abandoned the victim mentality, the victim theology, and you have embraced being a victor in the mighty name of Jesus. A victor in the mighty name of Jesus. If I can do all things through Christ, who gives me strength, then what do I have to worry about? Christ has given me the strength to be victorious. That means that when somebody makes me mad, I have the strength to keep my mouth shut. That means when something bad happens in my life, I have the strength to look for the good. I don't have to constantly live in the negative world that we are conditioned to be part of. I'm not going to do it anymore. I'm not going to do it because I don't want you to fall into it. See, culture comes from the top down, and if Jesus is our Lord and Savior and all good things come from him, then for me, good things should come From you. Good things should come because you are leading people who don't know jesus right.
Speaker 1:And when you walk around with that victim theology, well, I'm just I. I I can't get this spirit of religion out of myself. Listen, yes, you can, because you can do all things through christ, who gives you strength. Listen, I don't have to sit in a pew and be all worked up over what somebody said, or oh, I didn't get this and so-and-so did. It doesn't matter, your time has not yet come. You are in a season of waiting. Listen, I embrace this. I'm looking forward to a season of waiting. I'm looking forward to a season of waiting. I want God to say to me rest, because when he does, I'm going to take all the naps, like three, four, five hour naps, because I need a season of rest. But here's the thing just because I need it, I want it, doesn't mean I'm going to get it. I might do this for another 10 years before God says it's time to rest, right, and even then he might say rest means you're going to let somebody else preach on Sunday, but you'll be back next week, right? There is a difference in what we want versus what God knows we need, and I am looking forward to him meeting my needs versus him meeting my wants. Amen.
Speaker 1:Today the church wakes up, hallelujah. We were in the prayer room. We had this oh man, it was crazy in there this morning. Right, all right, we're all going crazy. And I said we're going to carry this to the sanctuary. The minute I stopped praying, everybody shuts up, it gets quiet and I'm like well, that lasted a long time, it's still going right, like that spirit of excitement still flowing.
Speaker 1:Guys, do you get excited about Jesus? Do you get excited about the word of God? Listen, if you are excited, then you need to be excitable. You need to be able to tell people about who Jesus is and what's happening in your life. Listen, I love to brag about God. When somebody last Sunday I probably got up, 50 people that ah, great message, great message. And you know what I said to every one of them that wasn't me, that was God. I don't even know if I showed up last Sunday. I know I was in the building, but I know that God was moving through me. Whatever happened last Sunday was anointed beyond anything that we have seen in a long time.
Speaker 1:But let me tell you, we can't live on just that. We have to be willing to hear the truth. We have to be willing to bend and reshape our lives so that the move of God can continue to take place. Get out of your own way. Get out of your own way, stop tripping over. Listen, if David can kill Goliath because he went out in the name of the Lord, you can do anything in this world in the name of the Lord. You can do anything. Pick up your cross.
Speaker 1:You know the devil thinks the church is weak because we've just come to do all of the things that we've talked about doing. We've just showed up to fellowship and hear the word, but we go out doing the exact same things. But it won't be until we decide to repent, pray and read the word that we will have meaningful change in our lives. Amen, I believe that for each and every one of us. I believe that each and every one of us are going to wake up and we're going to get a hold of what the gospel really means to our lives and we're going to run with it and we're going to prove to the world that God is still on the throne, just as David did when he cut off the head of Goliath. He stepped out, believing that God would do it, and when he said it, god is going to have victory, not David, not the Israelites. God will have victory. I believe that for our community today, amen, amen. Let's pray together.
Speaker 1:Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, I thank you and I praise you for just continuing to pour out your blessings. Father, I pray that the word that was spoken today just rests in the hearts of the people who heard it. Father, allow us to just abandon the victim theology. Allow us to inspect our lives and realize that sometimes we are the problem, that it's us. Father, god, that we are standing in your way, our decisions, our fleshly decisions, stop you from operating the way that we know that you can. Father, I just thank you for the blessings that you pour out in this house, for the blessings that you pour out on your people. I pray that you continue to move in mighty ways. We give you praise, honor and glory in the mighty name of Jesus, amen.
Speaker 1:We're going to do communion really quickly. Just again as a reminder communion in our building does not require membership. Everybody is welcome. The only thing that I ask we'll take a minute beforehand that you just stop and just think about where you're at in life and make sure that you're in good standing with Jesus, that your heart is clean and pure, that you're not holding on to unforgiveness or hate or hurt or any of those things, because the Bible tells us that it is worse to take communion under those false pretenses than it is to simply not take communion. I will promise you this If you choose to sit in your seat and not take communion, nobody in this building is going to judge you. I will probably think more of you sitting in your seat and saying I need to figure myself out first. So I just want to. Pastor Roger, where are you at? Will you come up and help me with communion this morning? We'll start at this end. If you guys want to make your way up, I gotcha.