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
Broken World, Whole Hearts (September 14, 2025)
The broken state of our world can leave us feeling frightened, angry, and unsure how to respond as Christians. When violence erupts around us—from political shootings to random acts of aggression—our natural instinct often leans toward vengeance or retribution. But what if the problem isn't about politics or individuals at all?
This powerful message confronts us with a challenging truth: our collective crisis isn't about disagreement—it's about heart posture. We've cultivated hearts prepared for hate rather than love. When we focus on revenge, we're no longer focusing on Christ. The Scripture is clear that vengeance belongs to God alone, yet how often do we find ourselves seeking to right wrongs through our own means?
Jesus directly addressed the Old Testament teaching of "an eye for an eye" by challenging us to "turn the other cheek" instead. This isn't weakness—it's faith in action. Like Joseph, who told the brothers who sold him into slavery, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good," we're called to trust God's redemptive power even in our darkest moments. Every person—even those who deeply disagree with us—has value in God's kingdom.
The practical application is straightforward but profound: pray instead of plot, forgive instead of festering in resentment, and trust God's timing while shining His light in darkness. When we argue with people, the kingdom loses, because they see Christ through our actions. Our responsibility isn't to convince the world they're wrong, but to love Jesus and love our neighbors.
As we move forward in an increasingly fractured world, let's commit to checking our heart posture daily. Are we cultivating hearts of vengeance or hearts of Christ-like love? The choice we make doesn't just affect us—it shapes how the world sees Jesus through us.
may be seated. We're going to let the kids head back, the small children head back to nursery. There is no kids class today, so just nursery. Apparently there aren't many. So I had committed to a four-week series on the Holy Trinity and today was supposed to be the completion of that series. But in light of the world this past week two weeks I had decided that I was going to shift from that plan, and that's the one thing that I appreciate about the anointing that we move in and that we don't fixate. I appreciate about the anointing that we move in and that we don't fixate ourselves on things being an exact way.
Speaker 1:And I just wanna ask a question this morning, and this is an honest question how many of you are just scared for the way that the world is today? Right, we look around and we realize how much hate and how much chaos has taken over this world, and I wanna share with you today some of the things that the Lord revealed to me this week. And for those of you who follow me on social media, you know I don't get political on social media. I don't believe that I have a place in that arena because I am ignorant to many of the things that happen in the world. I have an opinion, amen. I have an opinion, and I will tell you this, this is my opinion of the past week that we have experienced. This is not a problem with a political party. This isn't a problem with individuals. This is a problem with all of our hearts. This is a heart posture problem Today, yesterday, tomorrow. This is not about hate for one another. It's about hearts that are prepared for hate and cultivated for hate and not cultivated for love and the love of Jesus Christ, amen. And here's why I say that, and this is what we're going to talk about today. Many of us were affected by the week just in such a way, and I want to just again, not meant to be overtly political, so please forgive me if you take it that way. It was not. This is not the intention.
Speaker 1:I was driving home from an appointment and on my way home my wife had called me and she said do you know who Charlie Kirk is? And I said absolutely know who Charlie Kirk is. She said he was shot today and I said really I had no idea. And she said yes, and so I could not stop looking at my phone to see if he had died. Now, it wasn't because I wanted him dead, it wasn't because I wanted him alive, it was because my mind was fixed on what was happening in the world, right, and my problem was I didn't know how to feel. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know where to go. The only thing that I could do was pray. Lord, whatever it is you're going to do, do it good, right, like, make it big. Lord, allow us to see your goodness in this.
Speaker 1:And I remember refreshing my phone, and the headline was that he had died and my heart was broken, not because some political figure had died, but because he left behind a wife and children, that somebody would be so selfish that they felt like to silence opposition, that they should take a life. And I thought, lord, why? Lord, help me understand. And he said they've been doing it since the beginning. They've been doing it. He said what happened to me? I'm telling the truth and the only thing that they can do to silence the truth is to eliminate that opposition. And I thought, lord, I know that you are good and I know that all good things come from you and, father, I know that this is not of your doing, but I know that you're going to make it good. And he said to me stop thinking about one man. And I said Lord, what do you mean? And he said I want you to just think about the world that you live in.
Speaker 1:And so I started to just look and you guys saw that there was a refugee stabbed to death on a bus. At the same time that Charlie Kirk was shot. There was a school shooting that injured two children, right? Did you know? Not last weekend a school shooting that injured two children, right? Did you know? Not last weekend, not the weekend that we're in? The weekend before there was a shooting in the flats in Cleveland and six people were injured.
Speaker 1:Did you hear about the dead body they found in New Philadelphia Church? Are you hearing what I'm saying to you? The world is a dangerous place. This is not a problem with us disliking one another. It's our heart posture. We can't disagree with somebody without attempting to eliminate that disagreement. Listen, a lot of you won't agree with what I say today. I'm okay with that. I was talking to somebody last night. They said how do you think your message is going to go? Because we were talking about it? And I said I don't care as long as it is the word of God and as long as it is the truth, I am happy with what I deliver. Amen.
Speaker 1:And I know that some of you are very political and some of you are not political at all. This isn't about politics, this is about spiritual wellbeing, this is about the hearts of each and every one of us. And you know, I'll tell you that as I looked and as I watched, I realized the problem isn't just with the world anymore. The problem is with the church. And here's the reason. I watched friends of mine, christians, people who I know believe in God of mine Christians, people who I know believe in God, talk about the shooter of Charlie Kirk as if he was not a human being. Shoot him in the street, hang him on television so we can watch. Is that what the heart of Christ really is, church? Is that what God wants us to do? Now? Listen, every one of us. We immediately we go back into the book of Leviticus and we wanna talk about an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Right, I want you to really read that passage of scripture and I want you to really ask God what were you saying? Because it's clear what he was saying.
Speaker 1:Punishment was to be swift and just and fair. Amen, it was not about revenge, it was not about vengeance. It was actually a limitation, because if you were to jab somebody's eye out, they couldn't shoot you for it, they couldn't kill you for it. Right, it was a limitation, not an exaggeration. The problem is is the church today? We're right about everything? Amen, at least we think we are. And because we think we are, we think that our decisions and our actions are more just than that of the world. But let me tell you something they are not. When you are living for the world, when you are talking and making decisions based on the way that the world would treat a person, you are not living for God, you are not seeking the heart of Christ. Amen. Now I know some of you are sitting in here going. That was me. He's probably talking about me. I probably am, because if I saw it, I thought it, I thought how could someone's heart be so dark? I have never wished death upon anyone ever, and I say that because I don't want God knowing, I don't want God seeing that I don't understand his will or his purpose. Amen.
Speaker 1:How many of us have sat around thinking this is none of my notes. We haven't touched anything in my notes yet. Church, how many of us have thought I'm going to get this person back for whatever it is that they've done to me? It's flesh right. I told you just weeks ago. I thought that I'm sitting there thinking how do I get that? Listen, just as a matter of fact, I was on a phone call with some friends on Friday night and we were plotting, we were scheming. I had formed my posse, right and it was. We were gonna do this thing and it was gonna rock everybody's and I thought it's fun, it sounds fun, it would be funny. But man, that is not the heart of Christ. That is not the heart of Christ. That is not the heart of Christ. Maybe you've thought those things, but you never said it out loud. It's a natural way to feel, but just because it's natural does not mean that it's godly. Amen Does not mean that it's godly.
Speaker 1:We're gonna start in Romans 12, 19. It says dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the scripture says I will take revenge. I will pay them back, says the Lord. Vengeance is mine. Thus saith the Lord. What does that mean that means vengeance is his.
Speaker 1:When your heart is focused on revenge, it is not focused on God, amen, you are not looking to Christ. If all you're doing is focusing on how do I get people back for the wrong that they've done in my life? And I wanna tell you, the worst part about this is oh Lord, have mercy. We have lost all moral compass, right? So we think that when somebody has done something wrong to us, that we have no moral obligation to Christ, the church, the family of God. We have no obligation to them. We have obligation to the world to pay retribution to somebody who has done us wrong. Amen, that's not how that works. Clearly, dear friends, never take revenge.
Speaker 1:If we're reading this scripture and we know that the scripture is true, how many of us know that the scripture is true, that this is the word of God, that the scripture is true? How many of us know that the scripture is true that this is the word of God, that everything that is in here is written through divine appointment, in relationship with the Holy Spirit, amen. Okay, if that is the truth, then how do we look at revenge and get excited about it? Never take revenge. Leave this to the righteous anger of God. Here's the truth. We are not built to carry the weight of vengeance. We aren't, because what happens to us? We become consumed by it. And what happens to our heart? It becomes hateful. What happens to our mind? It becomes so focused on destroying another person, another blood-bought child of the Almighty Amen. We get so focused on that that we cannot focus on Christ. Jesus.
Speaker 1:Now, this is a really simple transition to talking about the thief on the cross, amen. There were two thieves hanging on either side of Jesus and one of them said Lord, remember me when you enter into your kingdom, right? And the other said if he were the Messiah, he could get himself down Right. Now we're arguing about whether or not Jesus is between us. Can I ask you a question? When the world has turned dark, what should our decision be? Believe in the Messiah, amen.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you a secret. If we come here every week for our entire lives and we die and we find out that we were all wrong, guess what? We're all just dead. But if the people outside die and find out that we were right, they spend eternity in hell. I'm willing to take the risk I'm not a gambler because I don't know when to stop right, but this is something I'm willing to roll the dice on because I believe everything that I read in here. It's not I believe it because I'm too ignorant to do the homework myself. I believe this because God has spoken to me and said that it is true, right.
Speaker 1:If you haven't had that revelation, my question to you is have you really sought the Lord? Have you really sought the Lord? There are people who will sit here and I listen to Pastor Michael every Sunday and then I go home and I don't look at my Bible and I don't think about God the rest of the week. I'm going to tell you something you are not in relationship with Jesus right now. You are not in relationship with Jesus right now and I need you to understand the importance, because the world is a scary, scary place.
Speaker 1:If Jesus chose to take you home today, what is your level of confidence that you are entering into the kingdom of heaven? Amen? It's a scary question to ask yourself, but really evaluate it. Has the Lord spoken to you and told you to do something that you have chosen not to listen to? Has the Lord spoken to you, clearly told you to do something that you have chosen not to listen to. Has the Lord spoken to you clearly and said I need you to move, stop, do whatever. And you've chosen not to listen.
Speaker 1:My question is are you living in the will of God? Amen, I can tell you this. If your heart's desire today is revenge, or vengeance, or the righting of a wrong, I promise you this. You have lost the focus on Christ and centered your focus on the world. We have to trust in the Lord in all things. Amen. Now, what does that mean for us? That means every good thing we know comes from him. Every bad thing we know he will turn for good. Amen. Now, how many of us you can raise your hands for this trust God with our sins. We know that he is going to correct them, that he is going to put us where we need to be. Amen, hallelujah. Thank you, jesus.
Speaker 1:Now let me ask you another question how many of you trust the Lord with the sins of other people? That is like half, probably less than half. Do you know why? Because we cannot think that those people are deserving of the same grace and mercy that we are deserving of. We have somehow justified ourselves in the eyes of God that I am worthy of his forgiveness, but nobody else is, especially if you don't agree with me, amen. So we look at people who are different than us and we condemn them to hell in our heads because we don't know them. The problem is is they are blood-bought children of the Almighty, whether you like it or not, whether you like it or not. Now they have a choice it's walk in that glory, walk in that grace, walk in that forgiveness or not. Now I might get myself in trouble. We might get kicked out of here today. Okay, I don't know, I'm just saying this is not a we. She says you're getting kicked out. I'm coming back next week.
Speaker 1:So many of us are focused on being, oh Lord, umbrella of grace. Okay, hear my voice, understand my heart. Okay, so many of us are focused on pro-life right, we shouldn't abort babies. That's pro-life right. Amen, hallelujah. But how many of us are okay with the death penalty? Because you're not pro-life, you're pro-birth right? Because here's the thing this guy just shot Charlie Kirk. That's a terrible thing for somebody to do, but isn't it worse for him to have to live his life knowing and let's hope that he finds Jesus and that he gets to get into heaven like the thief on the cross. Listen, that to me is worth more than watching him hang in the streets. Amen, I want glory for the kingdom. I don't want us to just get something that makes us feel good. I want the kingdom of God to expand, because the church believes that he is good in all things. Amen.
Speaker 1:Now listen, you guys aren't getting excited, and I'm okay with that, because maybe you're not excited because you don't agree with me. I don't care. Do you know why I don't care? Because God does not want his children to die without knowing him. That is not his desire. It never has been. And let me ask you something. Let me ask you something If you died today and didn't know God, he said depart from me, for I never knew you. That would be devastating, amen. How would you wish that on somebody else, ever, ever. I don't care if it is your worst enemy. I don't care if this person has wronged you to the end.
Speaker 1:My wife said to me the other day. She said if you saw that person referring to somebody in our personal life, she said, you would be able to be cordial. It's a gift that I have. It's not necessarily always a good thing, but there are people that I dislike, that I can still be cordial with right Because I know that if God is moving in their life, if he is moving, truly moving in my life, I don't have to worry about the negative things that have happened in that relationship, because God is going to handle them. If I focus on the revenge, if I focus on the negative thing, guess what's going to happen? I'm going to reap what I sow. I am going to reap what I sow, and if I am sowing discord in relationships, if I am sowing hate, if I am spewing all of the negative things that the world would want me to spew, then I'm going to receive those things. Can I tell you that when God moved in my life and he said we're going to move you from this season into this season, I said I don't understand. Can I tell you that since we have done that, this church has grown exponentially? And it's because I wasn't focused here, right? He knew he had to make a change. I didn't like the change, right? I still don't necessarily love the change, but I know that he is doing something better and I cannot fault the other people for what happened.
Speaker 1:I have to look at myself. I have to look at my heart. I have to look at myself. I have to look at my heart. I have to look at my decisions. I have to go. God, if it was me, help me fix it. God, if it was me, help me fix it. God, if it wasn't me, give me peace, give me comfort. Lord, settle my heart, ease my mind.
Speaker 1:We're going to go to Leviticus 2420, and this is this passage of Scripture that I started on. Well, here's my problem, and I'm blaming Roger for this. He gave me a half-frozen water, so I can't even drink it it. I drink it and the ice cube pops out and hits me in the nose. It's about 90% frozen. Leviticus 24 20,. It says a fracture for a fracture, an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Whatever anyone does to injure another person must be paid back in kind. We often read that and say well, if you've murdered somebody, you should be killed yourself.
Speaker 1:Right Now I'm going to ask another question how many of you are familiar with the book of Leviticus? The book of Leviticus, it's a lot of rules, right. It's a lot of stuff that we can't do. We can do, we shouldn't do. We should do right. What's one of the things we shouldn't do.
Speaker 1:In the book of Leviticus it's my favorite one to talk about. Eat pork Now, by show of hands. How many of you like bacon? How about sausage? How about pork chops? Right, we love pork. If about sausage, how about pork chops? Right, we love pork.
Speaker 1:If the book of Leviticus tells us we can't do it and we do it, it is because it is because Jesus came not to abolish but to fulfill the scripture. Right, so all of the prophecy he came to fulfill, he tells us that there is no unclean animal. Jesus goes through all of this with us and can I tell you, jesus also addresses this passage of scripture. Did you know that? Let me show you. I'm going to bring it. It's Matthew 5, 38 and 39. Here it is.
Speaker 1:You've heard the law that says and the punishment must match the injury. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. Now, wait a second, go back one. He actually addresses the scripture directly. Amen, all right, but I say who's? I turn to your neighbor and say God, say it louder. So God said do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also, and this goes on to say how many times? Seven times 70. Now, he wasn't giving you an exact number. What he was saying was there is no limit to the number of times that you are going to forgive the person who has wronged you. Now, for every person who has posted that passage of scripture on social media, I want to say nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, because guess what? That tells me that you are looking to win an argument with the world and you cherry picked scripture in order to justify the hate that is in your heart. Amen, and I am telling you now that if you want to walk it with Christ, that hate has got to go. Amen, because Jesus, his own words, he tells us do not resist an evil person. If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. Amen, hallelujah, hallelujah. When Jesus was preaching the scripture, he was telling so many things about having come to fulfill and all of the prophecies and all of the laws that were made, and I really think that our hearts get so focused.
Speaker 1:Listen, most of you won't even read the Old Testament, right, right. Most of you won't even open your Bible to the Old Testament. When you open your Bible to do a Bible, and most of you, if you go buy a Bible study that you do every morning, it doesn't even touch on the Old Testament anymore. Right, it's because we're afraid of it, but then we'll use it against other people. We don't even understand it. Right, I'll tell you. And even the book of Revelation, right, so many of us there are a few of you that I love to talk to about the book of Revelation because you know so much about it. But the book of Revelation does it scare the pants off of you. Amen, hallelujah, thank you.
Speaker 1:I read it and I'm excited for what God is going to do, but I read it and I'm like I don't know if I want to be around for some of this stuff. Right, there's a lot going on, and I read the Old Testament and I think the same thing. Jesus, thank you for never having put me through any of that, right, thank you for never having me put having put me through any of that. But the problem is this Today we read that scripture, we chase down scripture in the Old Testament because we want to make the world feel bad for their actions or justify our actions. My actions should only be justified through the heart of Christ, right. So when I'm thinking and I'm wanting to do something, I should be able to ask myself you remember those 90s bracelets we all wore, wwjd what would Jesus do? What would Jesus do If Jesus were standing here today? What would he do? Would he want us to wish harm on other people in our lives? He would expect us to give them grace. He would expect us to show them mercy. He would expect us to show them mercy. The world is not built for that, but the body of Christ is who we have to learn to trust God, even when it hurts.
Speaker 1:I said to somebody I was having a meeting with somebody and she told me that she has a close coworker who is going through a battle with cancer and it was very unexpected and it's been very, very hard for them. And she asked me. She said have you ever, like, gone through anything where, like it's been challenging emotionally? And I said, yeah, as a matter of fact, I have. I said but here's the thing when I hit the bottom of that valley, when I'm looking around in that valley, I say to myself this is the view I'm going to enjoy from the hilltop Right. See, when I get out of this valley and I get to the top of that mountain, I'm going to be looking at that valley and that is going to be a beautiful, beautiful view, because I know that even in that valley that God is good. He know that even in that valley that God is good. He didn't send me to that valley to punish me. He didn't. He sent me there to grow me greater, to put me to the next mountaintop. But see, our problem is is we're so focused on the fact that we've landed in a valley that we can't enjoy the view that waiting is a special place to be. I am in a, I'm still in a season of waiting and I don't understand it. I'm like God, I've done everything and he's like right, you have, but I didn't ask you to do that. I asked you to wait and you're not listening right. See when you. I think that's the third time. I fired him today, poor Roger.
Speaker 1:Somebody said Psalms 37.7. It says be still in the presence of the Lord and wait patiently for him to act. Are you hearing me? Are you hearing me? Wait patiently for him to act. Don't worry about evil people who prosper or fret about the wicked schemes. Listen, why are we worried about the wicked in the world when we should be focused on the goodness of God. Amen. Listen, the world is gonna consume us.
Speaker 1:But my wife said this to me the other day and church, I need you to hear this. Okay, I don't know if this was her original thought or if she saw this somewhere. She certainly told me, but I can't remember. Our bodies are not equipped. They were not built, they were not designed to watch somebody get shot in the neck and bleed out and to scroll up to the next video being two little kittens playing in a basket. Because what have we done to ourselves? We've desensitized ourselves to what life actually means. Amen.
Speaker 1:When somebody seeks out those videos, like I, just I remember when I was a kid there was a website and I'm not gonna talk real long about it, but there are many of us who have probably seen it that showed like autopsy photos of famous people. Right, I thought that was the coolest thing in the world back then. There was a picture of John Kennedy laying on the table while they were doing the. That's disgusting, see, and the older that I've got and the more mature in Christ that I have become, the more I realize I don't need that in my life, because I'm looking at a life taken tragically and thinking, man, this is pretty cool.
Speaker 1:Can I just say that there are some of us sitting in the room who are still doing it, that we're looking at life as if it doesn't have value in the kingdom of God. We're treating it as if it is disposable. You are not disposable to God, and if you are not disposable to God, neither is the person who disagrees with you. None of us in the kingdom of God are disposable. Some of us get older. Kingdom of God are disposable. Some of us get older and we start to think, man, there's nothing left for me to do and I'm not useful in this and I'm not useful in that. Let me tell you something there is use for you in the kingdom of God. The older that you get, the more wisdom that you have. Your gifting in that season is imparting that wisdom on those who don't yet have it. Amen.
Speaker 1:And the challenge is is you have to have the confidence to believe that you can do it right. You should not be sharing with somebody oh, that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard that person. You shouldn't talk to that person. They're stupid. It might be true. They might not be the person that you should be confiding in, or you should be, but you should be able to say, hey, listen, I'm sure that person's heart is in the right place, but let me tell you what the word of God says. But let me tell you what the word of God says. You know, they may think that that person is stupid, but the Bible tells us that we are all gifted in our own areas.
Speaker 1:Right, listen, you don't come to me for financial advice. Spend the money, I don't care. Right, buy the shoes, pastor Holly, go for it. I don't. Do. You know why, though? Because I don't see your checkbook, right, you know what I do see. You know what I do see. I do see your salvation, and because of that, I never want to see a single person in this building in the world, and not in the kingdom. You know, I have a standard when it comes to being quote unquote on staff here, and I say quote unquote. If you are in a leadership role, that means, if you come to the platform to sing for worship and many of you have proof of this I have an agreement that you sign with me, and that agreement says that you don't drink, and if you're going to go out and go to a bar with a friend, maybe not even drink. You're not posting that on social media, do you know why? Because the people of this church and the people outside of they don't know whether you're actually drinking or not. Right, there is a standard to uphold. When you work with me in ministry, I expect you to uphold that standard, and the reason I expect it is because if I'm not gonna do it, I don't think you should be doing it. If it is not in the will of God, we should not be seeking it out. Amen. If it is not in the will of God, we should not be seeking it out. Amen.
Speaker 1:Now, I think oftentimes we get so attached to the idea of always doing things exactly how we're supposed to that we don't ever take a risk when we're fellowshipping with other people. Right Now, most of us will have gone to barbecues this summer where somebody has offered us a drink right. Hopefully, most of us have us a drink right. Hopefully most of us have turned them down right Now. My question to you is this if they are so willingly open to offering you alcohol, are you equally as willing to offering them? Jesus? See, my point is is. I think that we have to do it right. I have to invite you to church so Pastor Michael can deliver a message, right? No, sheep, begot sheep. You guys should be going out.
Speaker 1:We had 102 people in this building last week. There wasn't anywhere to sit last week. How many is here today? Roger, 75. I guess 60. I was in the 60s is what I assumed today would be. Here's the thing. I was in the 60s is what I assume today would be. Here's the thing. God is doing something in this building, right, there's no doubt about that. The problem is the sheep are not going out to greet the sheep. The sheep are not going to find the sheep. There are people in this world who need Jesus right now. Right. So there's this push.
Speaker 1:I can't remember I heard it on the radio If it's this Sunday or next Sunday, but one of them is national go back to church Sunday. Is that next Sunday? Next Sunday, okay, and today, like Sid posted, like hey, I'm hearing there's a lot of people going back to church for the first time. There's always a seat next to me in organic church, right, listen, that's what the heart should be. That's where we should be.
Speaker 1:Every single day is dragging people into the body of Christ, kicking and screaming, because I remember the first time I was here it was kicking and screaming. Dave, the first time he was there was kicking and screaming, maybe even a little hungover, I don't know. Dave, right, like that's life. It's true, we go kicking and screaming, but then, when we find relationship with Jesus, we realize the heart that we had for the world is dead and gone. The heart that we have for Jesus is alive and well, and now we can change the world. Listen, I prayed this morning that, lord, allow us to change the world. Allow the body of Christ to change the world, and this is where I announced that I am running for president in 2028. I'm kidding. My wife told me she'd leave me. I don't blame her. I'd probably leave me too.
Speaker 1:What I'm saying, though, is that we have to start to infiltrate some of those places where Jesus has not been allowed Right. If you have the opportunity to volunteer in some of those places where Jesus has not been allowed right, if you have the opportunity to volunteer in your child's school, please go and volunteer right? I saw that some schools have room grandmas. How cool is that? Huh, it's cool, do you do it. That's what I'm talking about, because guess what those kids need? They need people with a solid foundation in Jesus Christ to surround. Now, you might not get to pray with them, but guess what you can be kind and sweet and I will tell you that there are so many kids who don't get that same thing at home. That's why my kids like to go to their grandparents' house. They don't get that from me at home. I don't know why they're looking at me like that. Okay, what did I just preach? I don't remember. Was that Psalms 37? All right, all right.
Speaker 1:Okay, think about Joseph in the book of Genesis. His brothers sold him into slavery. That's messed up. Can you imagine, can you? Your brothers hated you so bad because your dad liked you best. In my house, it would have been my sister. We would have sold into slavery because my dad liked her best. That's okay. That's not the case anymore. I win, kidding, kidding. If she listens to this podcast, she's really going to get me for that one. Joseph never sought revenge. When he finally had the power to punish them, he didn't do it. He used that power for good. Amen. Genesis 50, 20.
Speaker 1:This is that portion. It says you intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people. Amen, you meant for me to die because of your jealousy of me, and when you sold me into slavery, god said I will appoint you to a position of power so that you can help many. Amen.
Speaker 1:When we are raised up in Christ, when the body can come together, we are feeding people every week that we don't even know right. Easter egg hunt that we have every year, that I swear every year we're not doing again because it is so stressful. Do you realize that people find our church because of that? When the body comes together, god lifts us up to a position where we can do good for our community. Amen, and that is what we should be focused on. We need to stop considering all of the bad things and start focusing on the good things, the bigger picture. When we hand it over to God, we're allowing his light to do the work. Amen, not my light, his light. Listen. Some people walk in here and they're fixated on every word that I said. And there are some people who sit in here and they're like is that guy still yakking on, right? Why is his voice so whiny? Right, there are some people in the building that have said that Listen, I make that joke a lot and I want to tell you guys something.
Speaker 1:When she said it the first time I was like ouch. And then I was like I can kind of hear it when I listen to the podcast, so I get it. John won five. That's okay, don. I was never offended by it. My heart was never offended. It wasn't it really? Because when she said it we were live on the podcast and I laughed. And then I thought about it and I was like Ouch, kind of sings a little and, like I said, then I listened to the podcast. I was like I ouch, it kind of sings a little and, like I said, then I listened to the podcast. I was like I hear it, I get it. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never extinguish it. Understand this that when the light of Christ shines in our community, the death and the destruction of the community can never extinguish that light. Amen, listen, I have been prayerful about what is next for our church.
Speaker 1:I have been prayerful about what God is asking us to do, and I know that God is asking us to get outside of these four walls. I know it, but my thing is is I'm still arguing with him a little bit, right, because I'm like God, I hear you, I believe you, but I need to understand something. God, what is it that you want me to do? You say out of the four walls, but what does that mean? And he keeps saying the same thing and I'm like I don't want to do that. Can I tell you what? It is Something that we've tried before Several times. We've tried it and it doesn't always just take off, because we don't get the people to volunteer. Not who said that? Hit you with my shoe. Yeah, I won't fight you. Steph, steph makes me nervous. Yeah, easton says he could beat Stephanie.
Speaker 1:Can I tell you Nursing home ministry. And let me tell you why. Do you know that when Alyssa and I have always considered our Elvis shows inside of a nursing home part of this ministry? Because when we go there, we love on those people, we sing Elvis gospel songs, we make sure that they understand that we are believers. Amen.
Speaker 1:We talk about it all the time and we know that that is part of it, but I know that we are not supporting the people who are stuck in nursing homes in our community the way that we should be. Right, sometimes they just need somebody to just go and love on them, to sit and talk. Listen, some of you people just like to yammer on right, do you know there are people at the nursing home that would love to listen to you? Right, listen, we don't all like the same things. Right, I can go and sit and talk about music to some of these people. I'm sure each of us have our own thing that we enjoy doing. That is where our hearts are supposed to be right now. Okay, guys, you hear that. So we're not there yet.
Speaker 1:I'm still rationalizing it, trying to figure out how does it work, but that's my job. But just understand that someday that's where we're going to be. That might mean that on a Sunday afternoon we're visiting a nursing home to have church. That might mean on a Saturday evening we're visiting a nursing home just to visit. That might mean this winter we're singing Christmas carols in nursing home hallways. Right Now, listen, none of that stuff sound exciting to me, but I know that's what we're called to do and when we do it it will be exciting that God will do something great Amen, okay, sorry, for 30 years.
Speaker 1:And it's not always successful because you can't get the people to rally behind the idea, right? So you go by yourself and you are one person trying to do everything it is impossible to do, and that's why we're going to do this, and I believe that that's what we're going to do next. Okay, and then, after that happens, you want to hear the next one. Are you ready? Listen, god's already started planting all this stuff. Folks, the next thing that we're going to do, are you ready? Well, no, listen, only because I got a little bit of PTSD with that. I've been there. I'm not interested in going back. I'm afraid if I get there, they'll keep me, and so, no, no, I believe that the next thing that we will do is we will have a transportation ministry and we will be able to pick those people up and bring them to this building on Sunday morning. I don't know why, but I actually had a conversation with my dad. I'm like, hey, when you're ready to sell your van, hit me up, because wouldn't it be nice if we could get other people into the building? The kids? You know what I mean. Like that's the idea. And okay, stop it, michael, you're getting ahead of yourself.
Speaker 1:Lord Jesus, lord Jesus, trusting in all things includes forgiveness, amen. Trusting the Lord doesn't mean we excuse sin, but it does mean that we forgive the sinner Ephesians 4, 31 and 32. Is that right? It says get rid of all the bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words and slander, as well as the types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another just as God, through Christ, has forgiven you. Listen. At the end of the day, our responsibility is to trust God in all things and love our neighbors as Christ loved the church. Amen.
Speaker 1:Now I need you to understand what the church is. The church is not just this building. The church is not just several buildings. The church is the body of Christ. Right, this church, this body, should be going out to love Jesus, or to love the world just as Jesus loves us, amen. We should be going out to treat the world just as Jesus has treated us with grace and mercy, forgiving them of their wrongdoings, amen. That is not easy to do, but that's what we need to be focused on Trust him to deal with it. Forgiveness is not weakness, it's faith, it is faith in Jesus Christ.
Speaker 1:So how do we live all of this out, what? That was the very first one. Air high five, good job. Pray instead of plot right. When your heart is done wrong by people around you, pray about it, lord. Clear up this pain and this distraction, lord. Whatever it is that I'm feeling, I want this. I want to lay this at the foot of the cross instead of sitting there going. Well, I'll tell you what I'll do to get them back.
Speaker 1:All right, tina, can I share the story about your? I think it was your niece, your cousin, your, okay, her niece. She had a run-in with somebody and she was angry at them, and so you know what she did. She took a knife and went out to slash their tires. What was her husband? Okay. And when she went to slice the tires, the knife slid in her hand and cut her hand all up. Well, three ligaments. That's disgusting, right. Vengeance is mine. Thus saith the Lord. Yes, but guess what? When we choose to be vengeful ourselves, we usually pay for it. Amen.
Speaker 1:Pray instead of plot. Release the frustration, the anger, the hurt, instead of looking for revenge. Forgive instead of festering. Now, I don't mean, uncle, fester right. What I mean is instead of allowing those things to live inside of you for so long that you just, every time you see that person, you want to just sock them in the face, right? You guys know people like that, like, oh, if that, if they would right. Instead of doing that, learn to forgive them. Trust God's timing and shine his light in the darkness, amen.
Speaker 1:That seems like a lot of work, seems like a lot of rules, but here's the thing when you are in relationship with God, almighty, all of those things become natural. All of those things become natural. So I'm telling you that if you're doing any of the adverse of these things, I need you to check your heart, because the problem with the world today is heart posture. The problem with the world today is heart posture. This week, we're going to go out into the world and it is still going to be broken. It is still going to be full of hate. Amen. Will you turn on the prayer music for me, please?
Speaker 1:And I want you guys, as a call to action when we go out into the world this week, I want you to look at those things and I want you to just remind yourself that it is not your responsibility to get revenge, amen. It is not your responsibility to convince the world that they are wrong. It is your responsibility to love Jesus and love your neighbor. Don't argue with people. You don't win. The only thing that happens when you are arguing with people is a loss to the kingdom, because they look at you as if you are Jesus and, because of the things that you say, they believe that that's what Jesus would say. Jesus was sinless. Jesus was blameless. Jesus was God. We are not God. We don't decide what happens.
Speaker 1:Amen, pray for the world. Pray for your neighbors. Pray for your neighbors, pray for your friends, pray for our community. Pray that God would move in a mighty way and that salvation would just roll through this community. Amen that we might see an explosion of all of the churches in the Twin City area, in all of Tuscarawas County, in all of the state, of all of the churches in the Twin City area, in all of Tuscarawas County, in all of the state, in all of the nation. There are pockets of just revival happening all over the world right now and we need to be excited about that, because that means the kingdom is growing. Amen, let's pray together.
Speaker 1:Father, I thank you and I praise you for the posture of the hearts of every person in this room, father, man, child, woman, lord, whoever it may be, I pray that their hearts are prepared for the world that we are walking into.
Speaker 1:That we may be able to tell people about Jesus at a rate that is second to none. That, father, when the world attempts to distract us, that we can turn and fix our eyes upon you, lord, that we would be able to be excited about the good things that you do and less about the bad things that are happening in the world. Father, I pray for all of the families who have been affected this past two weeks. Father and Lord, there have been so many more, but just the ones that we've touched on this morning. Father, just allow them to allow those families to be whole and complete. Allow them to find peace and comfort in you, father, god, not in the world, but in you. Father, I thank you for moving on the hearts of our people, the hearts of your people, lord, that we would continue to seek you and to find you. I give you praise, honor and glory in the mighty name of Jesus, and the church says amen.