WEBVTT 00:00:07.040 --> 00:00:08.320 Good morning. 00:00:08.800 --> 00:00:10.560 How's everybody doing this morning? 00:00:11.119 --> 00:00:18.239 It's always a pleasure and an honor to stand before God's people to share the good news of Jesus Christ. 00:00:18.399 --> 00:00:23.760 I'm grateful that uh Pastor Russ um and the team has allowed me the opportunity to come back again. 00:00:23.920 --> 00:00:28.960 I said earlier I must have done a pretty okay job for me to come back. 00:00:29.039 --> 00:00:35.039 And I guess as he was kind of looking at the bench, that third string, let me throw uh Richard Bumpers in. 00:00:35.119 --> 00:00:36.399 And but I'm grateful. 00:00:36.479 --> 00:00:40.799 And I'm always uh uh happy to be amongst family. 00:00:40.960 --> 00:00:47.520 I don't I don't consider myself, my wife and I have have been coming here and and and worshiping with you guys and sharing. 00:00:47.679 --> 00:00:55.520 I don't consider us visitors, I consider us just family because we're a body of believers united together through the blood of Jesus Christ. 00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:56.159 Amen. 00:00:56.719 --> 00:00:57.359 Amen. 00:00:57.520 --> 00:01:07.040 So I'm excited that we're uh getting ready to kind of end the uh the summer, a series that you guys have been in called Blessed. 00:01:07.519 --> 00:01:13.519 And so this morning I'm focused on sharing your story. 00:01:13.760 --> 00:01:26.640 And so I hope that through this time of the sermon series, it has challenged you, it has encouraged you, and that also has motivated you to do and to take the next step of being a blessing to your neighbors. 00:01:26.799 --> 00:01:52.079 If you have your Bibles, if you will turn with me to um Acts chapter 22, it's gonna be a very short passage of scripture, and um what I'm gonna do is this morning is I'm not gonna prolong the reading, but I want to focus in on one particular two particular passage of scriptures that I hope I'm able to build upon that will allow us to kind of understand what it means to share your testimony. 00:01:52.239 --> 00:02:01.200 Again, um if you have your Bibles, if you would turn with me to Acts chapter 22, and I'm gonna read verses 14 and 15 in your hearing. 00:02:01.359 --> 00:02:11.759 Again, that's Acts chapter 22, verses 14 and 15, and we're gonna work through chapter 22, but we're gonna do it in pieces. 00:02:11.840 --> 00:02:14.319 But I want to read this in your hearing this morning. 00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:28.960 And he, Ananias, said, The God of your father appointed you to know his will, to see the righteous one, and to hear a voice from his mouth. 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:41.680 For you will be my witnesses, for you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and heard. 00:02:42.639 --> 00:03:07.360 I I want to parallel that scripture with a very familiar passage scripture that many of us probably are are familiar with, and that's coming out of Acts chapter 1, verse 8, where Jesus says, and you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, that you will be my witnesses of me in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and to the other ends of the earth. 00:03:07.680 --> 00:03:21.120 Father, I pray this morning that you will allow our hearts to hear, to receive, to be open to what it is that you're going to say to us today. 00:03:21.360 --> 00:03:23.599 It is in Jesus' name that I do pray. 00:03:23.759 --> 00:03:25.199 And all of God children said. 00:03:25.919 --> 00:03:26.479 Amen. 00:03:26.639 --> 00:03:31.919 Well, this morning, my my goal uh for this message is not to be complicated. 00:03:32.159 --> 00:03:43.919 Um, but as we circle around to this to the end of the blessed series, uh, this morning I want us to take a look at how Paul shared his testimony in the scriptures. 00:03:44.159 --> 00:03:53.520 And not only how he shared his testimony, but how his personal interaction, his personal engagement with Jesus changed his life radically. 00:03:53.759 --> 00:04:06.879 This morning we'll focus on the power of the gospel and give practical tools of how to share your testimony with others that you come in contact with. 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:13.759 One of the things I recognize is that one of the strongest things that we have is our testimony. 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:25.519 One of the strongest things, tools that we have as it pertains to the Word of God and to our faith is our testimony. 00:04:25.839 --> 00:04:28.959 Now, many of us have various testimonies. 00:04:29.360 --> 00:04:37.439 Many of you may not have the horrific transformational testimony that others have had. 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:41.680 Maybe your life may be different. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:51.199 Maybe you gave your life to Christ when you were six or seven at an early age, and maybe you didn't come to Christ until you were in your later teens or twenties or thirties or forties. 00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:56.800 But regardless of when you came to Christ, you still have a testimony. 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:04.959 The thing that's so interesting that that that causes us from not sharing our testimony is fear. 00:05:06.160 --> 00:05:27.839 Fear that our testimony, number one, may not be strong enough, may not be powerful enough, or our testimony may not be crafted enough, it may not be interesting enough, but regardless of what your testimony is, it is your personal engagement, your personal encounter of what Jesus did in your life. 00:05:29.680 --> 00:05:33.120 That is not to be belittled whatsoever. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:47.600 But as we look at Scripture, we recognize that everyone who has encountered Jesus for themselves don't mind sharing what he's done in his or her life. 00:05:48.800 --> 00:05:55.120 Many of you here all have a testimony. 00:05:56.879 --> 00:06:06.560 The question is, are you willing to share your testimony when given the opportunity? 00:06:07.199 --> 00:06:13.439 Our testimony speaks to our experience of what has personally happened to us. 00:06:13.759 --> 00:06:21.360 It is our own account of your personal experience of how you personally engage Jesus for the first time. 00:06:21.680 --> 00:06:50.639 In 1 Peter 3 and 15, it says this, but sanctify the Lord in your heart and always be ready to give a defense or to give a reason to everyone who asks you a reason for your hope that is in you with meekness and with fear. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:07:00.800 It is our responsibility to share when someone asks you, why do you believe? 00:07:00.959 --> 00:07:02.879 Why do you have so much faith? 00:07:04.639 --> 00:07:06.560 Why are you not fearful? 00:07:07.040 --> 00:07:08.560 Why does that not bother you? 00:07:08.720 --> 00:07:16.480 That is an opportunity for us to begin sharing our hope for what Jesus has done for us. 00:07:16.720 --> 00:07:18.480 Yes, do I get scared? 00:07:18.720 --> 00:07:20.079 Absolutely. 00:07:20.639 --> 00:07:25.519 But understand that greater is He that's in me than He that's in the world. 00:07:25.680 --> 00:07:34.959 I am not going to fear certain things that I can't control because my faith overshadows my fear. 00:07:36.480 --> 00:07:45.120 So the reason why I'm hopeful in regards to what I'm dealing with is because my hope is secure in Jesus Christ alone. 00:07:46.560 --> 00:07:48.959 It doesn't have to be long, it doesn't have to be drawn out. 00:07:49.120 --> 00:07:57.040 When someone asks you why, the answer should be readily available for you at that moment. 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:57.519 Why? 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.519 Because you have personally had an encounter with Jesus for yourself. 00:08:02.480 --> 00:08:04.720 All of our stories are different. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:06.480 I understand it. 00:08:07.120 --> 00:08:12.879 Many of us come from different cultures, different backgrounds, different upbringing. 00:08:14.319 --> 00:08:18.879 Some of us come from the school of hard knocks. 00:08:20.959 --> 00:08:23.120 Some of us come just from school. 00:08:25.279 --> 00:08:31.199 But regardless of where you've come from, you didn't get here by yourself. 00:08:32.639 --> 00:08:42.639 You're here because God ordered your steps to be at this place at this particular time. 00:08:44.080 --> 00:09:02.240 Well, here in chapter 22, Paul is sharing firsthand his testimony of how he came to encounter Jesus, which is known as the Damascus Road Experience. 00:09:02.960 --> 00:09:07.600 Paul's testimony in this chapter can be broken down into three parts. 00:09:07.840 --> 00:09:11.679 Number one, his life before he met Christ. 00:09:12.960 --> 00:09:19.519 What happened, number two, when he met Christ, and how Christ began to work in his life is number three. 00:09:20.240 --> 00:09:22.960 His life before he met Christ. 00:09:23.759 --> 00:09:40.720 If you want to go back and read, if you look at Acts chapter 22, verses 1 through 3, he goes on and says that he was brought up in verse in verse 1, it says, brothers and fathers, hear the defense that I now make before you. 00:09:41.120 --> 00:09:48.720 And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even more quiet. 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:59.120 Now that passage may not make a whole lot of sense to you right now, but I guarantee you in just a few minutes it'll make perfectly good sense. 00:09:59.919 --> 00:10:04.720 Paul was speaking a language to people that understood him. 00:10:06.720 --> 00:10:10.159 He was speaking to the Jewish culture. 00:10:12.240 --> 00:10:17.360 The reason why they understood him was because he was familiar with them. 00:10:18.399 --> 00:10:23.679 And because he was familiar with them and they were familiar with him and the language, they trusted him. 00:10:24.720 --> 00:10:26.639 Let me add this as a note. 00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:34.639 There's a language that each and every one of us speak that someone else will understand. 00:10:37.039 --> 00:10:44.159 There's an experience that you've gone through in your life that nobody else can share and understand your experience. 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:52.000 But when you share your experience with that one person or that group of people, they will understand, they will understand your language. 00:10:53.600 --> 00:10:54.080 Why? 00:10:54.399 --> 00:10:56.960 Because you've been where they are. 00:10:58.559 --> 00:11:02.320 You've experienced what they're experiencing right now. 00:11:04.399 --> 00:11:18.159 That they can see the residue, they can see the hurt, the pain of where you were, and now they can see the faith and the hope and the reason for your belief in Jesus Christ now because of where you were then. 00:11:19.279 --> 00:11:24.320 They understand you more so than they can experience and understand me. 00:11:25.600 --> 00:11:38.879 God wants to use your language, your story, your testimony to craft, to help, to open, to shed light to someone who may not understand anything else of the gospel. 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:45.840 It's so interesting that Russ and Nathan are excellent, and Pat are excellent communicators. 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:48.720 People come to church. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:51.519 You all come to church, you understand them. 00:11:52.320 --> 00:11:56.799 But there are people that will come to church that may not understand a word they're saying. 00:11:57.120 --> 00:11:57.440 Why? 00:11:57.600 --> 00:12:01.759 Because they're not familiar with gospelese, Christianese. 00:12:04.480 --> 00:12:12.799 But you have an understanding of a language of people that are hurting. 00:12:13.840 --> 00:12:17.679 They need to have the gospel shared with them. 00:12:18.399 --> 00:12:25.759 Whether it's at your job, whether it's in your neighborhood, whether it's in your family, the gospel still needs to be shared. 00:12:26.480 --> 00:12:28.480 People understand your perspective. 00:12:28.559 --> 00:12:29.360 They relate to you. 00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:31.759 They can identify with your story. 00:12:33.039 --> 00:12:50.879 Paul goes on and says, I was born a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, and brought up in the city and educated at the feet of Gamelel, according to the strict manners of the law, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. 00:12:52.159 --> 00:12:54.080 He understood where they are. 00:12:55.039 --> 00:12:58.480 He understood where the religious people were. 00:13:00.320 --> 00:13:04.480 But Paul wasn't sent for the religious people. 00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:13.120 He was sent for the lost people that nobody else wanted to deal with. 00:13:17.200 --> 00:13:22.080 Now, those days we understand that people understood the reputation of Paul. 00:13:22.960 --> 00:13:26.559 They knew that he was a persecutor of the Christians. 00:13:27.039 --> 00:13:37.759 They knew that he was a bad boy, that he was committed to doing what he knew and what he thought was right in his heart and in his mind. 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:44.320 He thought that killing the Christians was the right thing to do. 00:13:45.200 --> 00:13:52.799 So on his road to Damascus, he was committed to fulfilling what he knew was right. 00:13:55.519 --> 00:14:04.960 But all of us travel a road that seems right, but sometimes can lead to a road of destruction. 00:14:06.799 --> 00:14:16.879 As Paul was walking, riding, traveling on the Damascus road, the Bible says that now it happened. 00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:18.639 Paul speaks to this. 00:14:18.720 --> 00:14:19.919 He says, Now it happened. 00:14:20.000 --> 00:14:34.639 As I journeyed and came near Damascus at about noon, suddenly a great light from heaven shone around me, and I fell on the ground and heard a voice saying to me, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 00:14:34.799 --> 00:14:38.000 So I answered, Who are you, Lord? 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:45.840 And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting. 00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:58.720 Just imagine a life being suddenly interrupted by Jesus. 00:15:00.320 --> 00:15:11.120 You're going about what you perceive to be the good thing to do, and the person whom you are persecuting begins to speak to you. 00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:22.480 I don't know about how you feel about the voice of God speaking to you audibly through songs, through messages, through interactions, but let me just tell you this. 00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:24.399 He speaks. 00:15:27.440 --> 00:15:31.440 The question is, are you willing to listen? 00:15:35.279 --> 00:15:37.919 God has a way of getting our attention. 00:15:38.559 --> 00:15:43.440 He has a very, very interesting way of getting our attention. 00:15:43.840 --> 00:15:49.440 One of the quickest ways God gets our attention is by stopping what we're doing by disrupting our plans. 00:15:50.879 --> 00:15:56.559 He gets our attention by stopping what we're doing and disrupting our plans. 00:15:56.799 --> 00:16:08.399 I don't know about you, but there are things that I plan ministerially that I think that is right, and God will interrupt what I think I plan for his will and for his purpose. 00:16:08.799 --> 00:16:12.320 That is not according to his will, but is according to mine. 00:16:12.559 --> 00:16:18.000 God will interrupt your plans for his purpose. 00:16:18.559 --> 00:16:27.200 God also gets our attention through the voice that we probably don't expect to hear. 00:16:29.519 --> 00:16:40.240 He speaks to us through people, as I said, through songs, through messages that we probably ordinarily would not imagine God would speak to us. 00:16:40.399 --> 00:16:45.679 He gets our attention whether we wanted him to get our attention or not. 00:16:46.480 --> 00:16:52.879 Sometimes God will use extreme circumstances and situations to get our attention. 00:16:53.679 --> 00:17:00.480 In this case, God used all of the following, and Paul had a come to Jesus moment. 00:17:03.759 --> 00:17:09.759 I don't know about you, but I remember my come to Jesus moment. 00:17:11.039 --> 00:17:22.160 I remember my Come to Jesus moment in 1994 on the campus of Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. 00:17:23.440 --> 00:17:28.160 Where I grew up in a Christian household. 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:33.920 Mother and father both love the Lord, brought me up according to the will of God. 00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:39.039 Every Sunday it seemed like I was in church forever. 00:17:43.119 --> 00:17:50.400 Went to the Christian school, had to learn Bible verses, and got graded on it. 00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.319 Now, what in the world? 00:17:54.480 --> 00:18:07.920 But it wasn't until I got older and began to wander away from what I knew to be right and started doing things and going on a path that I sought for myself. 00:18:08.799 --> 00:18:16.559 And I remember walking past a tree with a group of people that was surrounded this tree praying. 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:28.559 Now I've walked past him a few other times, but at this moment God interrupted what I was doing and caused me to see what he was wanting me to be a part of. 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:36.000 God drew me into that circle in that point where I recognized that I needed to come back home. 00:18:37.599 --> 00:18:40.480 It was at that moment that my life was radically changed. 00:18:40.640 --> 00:18:43.599 That was an experience that I did not expect. 00:18:45.119 --> 00:18:51.200 Many of you can identify with moments that you encountered Jesus that you did not expect. 00:18:52.319 --> 00:18:54.480 And people need to hear that. 00:18:55.440 --> 00:19:03.039 That it wasn't planned, you didn't grow up being the Christian child that got it all right. 00:19:03.359 --> 00:19:15.680 Because even if you were saved and gave your life to Christ at six or seven in vacation Bible school, you were still saved from something that God prevented you from experiencing. 00:19:16.880 --> 00:19:26.559 And because of your relationship and your desire to follow Him, you were committed to being a child that represented a relationship with Him. 00:19:26.640 --> 00:19:28.880 And so people need to hear that. 00:19:29.920 --> 00:19:35.519 But even though you still traveled a pretty good road, you still had troubles. 00:19:38.160 --> 00:19:46.240 Paul wanted them to know that, yes, I grew up with the best education. 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:49.200 I grew up a Jew. 00:19:50.720 --> 00:19:56.160 I grew up with all means of necessity at my fingertips. 00:19:57.680 --> 00:20:01.759 But yet I still wasn't doing what God wanted me to do. 00:20:02.960 --> 00:20:10.799 As Paul encountered this, the Masses Road experience where he had to come to Jesus, meaning Paul's life was radically changed. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:24.799 Because Paul experienced going from being a person who was independent to being a person that was dependent on someone else to carry him from one place to another because he couldn't see. 00:20:27.200 --> 00:20:31.119 Not only that, but Paul experienced a sense of brokenness. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:39.039 Paul was in charge most of his life. 00:20:40.559 --> 00:20:41.519 We can identify that. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:44.559 We typically want to be in control of our lives. 00:20:46.720 --> 00:20:57.279 But at some point, we have to allow the Lord to have control. 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:12.799 We have to literally, spiritually, not figuratively, take our hands off the wheel and say, Father, Lord Jesus, take control. 00:21:16.319 --> 00:21:20.400 Paul did not totally understand what was going on. 00:21:21.839 --> 00:21:25.279 But Paul totally surrendered. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:33.039 In Paul's brokenness, he also surrendered and he said, So what should I do? 00:21:34.559 --> 00:21:38.799 When we surrender our lives to Jesus, we give up our will for his will. 00:21:39.200 --> 00:21:46.799 We give up our life desire for what he desires in our lives, and we give up our plans for his purpose. 00:21:47.519 --> 00:21:49.200 Let me say that again. 00:21:49.519 --> 00:21:58.079 When we surrender to Jesus, we will give up our will for his will. 00:22:00.240 --> 00:22:06.160 Give up our life desire for the desire of what he has out of our lives. 00:22:07.440 --> 00:22:10.480 And we give up our plans for his purpose. 00:22:12.240 --> 00:22:15.039 Paul's life was radically changed. 00:22:15.839 --> 00:22:19.599 What do you want me to do? 00:22:26.000 --> 00:22:39.200 In Acts chapter twenty-two, in verses fourteen to twenty one, God makes it clear through the voice of Ananias. 00:22:40.960 --> 00:22:47.759 And he says, The God of your fathers appointed you to know his will. 00:22:49.920 --> 00:22:54.880 To see the righteous one and to hear a voice from his mouth. 00:22:58.079 --> 00:23:06.880 For you will be a witness for him to everyone of what you have seen and what you have heard. 00:23:10.000 --> 00:23:15.279 He told him what God desires for him to do. 00:23:16.720 --> 00:23:27.200 I believe Ananias was speaking to Paul then, and his words still live today. 00:23:28.480 --> 00:23:30.640 That speaks to us today. 00:23:32.640 --> 00:23:39.200 What does God desire for you and I to do? 00:23:40.000 --> 00:23:41.440 To know his will. 00:23:43.519 --> 00:23:47.519 To see the righteous one and to hear a voice from his mouth. 00:23:49.119 --> 00:24:00.799 And most importantly, for us to be a witness of him to everyone of what you have heard and what you've seen. 00:24:02.480 --> 00:24:05.759 There's a lot of things you can debate about the Bible. 00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:10.319 Denominationally, there's differences. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:12.640 Philosophically, there are differences. 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:25.759 But when you talk about your testimony and what the Lord has done for you, no one can debate how God healed you. 00:24:27.599 --> 00:24:33.920 No one can debate about how God rescued you and snatched you out of places of darkness. 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:44.079 No one can argue with your experience and how the Lord spoke to you in the middle of the night about his love for you. 00:24:44.559 --> 00:24:54.799 No one can dispute your tears of how you felt the presence of the Lord at that moment at that weirdest place in your car. 00:24:54.960 --> 00:24:57.039 No one can dispute that. 00:24:58.559 --> 00:25:00.559 Because it's your testimony. 00:25:02.079 --> 00:25:13.839 And the reason why no one can dispute that is because God wants you to use your experience to share with someone else who is skeptical about him. 00:25:16.000 --> 00:25:31.119 Because again, your language, your interaction, your engagement can speak to people far greater, far wider, and more importantly and more powerful than anybody else can ever do because God is giving you your story. 00:25:33.519 --> 00:25:42.079 Paul was not afraid to share what Jesus had done in his life. 00:25:49.440 --> 00:25:54.799 When we have a come to Jesus moment, our lives will never be the same. 00:25:56.400 --> 00:25:58.720 Here's a true fact. 00:26:01.279 --> 00:26:03.599 We can truly encounter Christ. 00:26:04.400 --> 00:26:08.640 We can't truly encounter Christ and not be changed. 00:26:08.799 --> 00:26:13.599 Our soul has longed for reconciliation with God. 00:26:14.240 --> 00:26:16.799 And only Jesus can prove this. 00:26:19.839 --> 00:26:30.079 When we come into contact and encounter Jesus for ourselves, our lives can't be the same. 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:37.200 First Timothy 2, four, Paul reminds us this. 00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:45.039 God desires that all men be saved and come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:26:49.680 --> 00:26:55.519 God desires all men to be saved and come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:26:57.839 --> 00:27:02.079 That's not done simply through a Sunday morning experience. 00:27:03.599 --> 00:27:18.960 That's done through an everyday engagement of God using you and the power of your testimony to share with someone else the amazing love story that will never end. 00:27:22.640 --> 00:27:24.480 But here's what it takes. 00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:30.160 It takes us to be bold. 00:27:32.720 --> 00:27:35.200 It takes us to have courage. 00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:38.400 Takes us to have faith. 00:27:41.839 --> 00:27:44.880 Bold, courage, and faith. 00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:48.400 We have to be bold. 00:27:50.400 --> 00:27:53.519 And knowing that my story doesn't have to be powerful. 00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:55.680 It just has to be personal. 00:27:57.680 --> 00:28:03.119 I don't have to have the drug story, I don't have to have the alcoholic story, I don't have to have the divorce story, I don't have to have the drug story. 00:28:03.200 --> 00:28:05.279 All I have to have is a personal story. 00:28:06.319 --> 00:28:08.640 That's what makes it powerful. 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:16.240 Because when you begin to share what the Lord has done for you, the author breathes on it. 00:28:18.319 --> 00:28:22.720 And when he breathes on it, it becomes powerful in itself. 00:28:25.599 --> 00:28:42.799 But we have to be willing to open up our mouths to our friends, our family, and our neighbors and share about what Jesus has done for us. 00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:52.400 This morning, there are two things I want to highlight. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:59.279 There's no spiritual testimony without an interaction with the Savior. 00:29:03.200 --> 00:29:10.880 I'm not going to take for granted that all of us sitting in here have a relationship with Jesus because I don't know what your story is. 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:14.480 But I do know this. 00:29:15.039 --> 00:29:27.039 1 Timothy 2.4 says, but God desires that all men be saved and come into the knowledge of Jesus Christ. 00:29:28.400 --> 00:29:32.480 Today is your opportunity. 00:29:33.599 --> 00:29:40.640 Regardless of what your story is, regardless of what your background is, regardless of what you've been through, God wants to use you. 00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:47.519 The mess that you've been in, the mess that you've come out of, is a mess for his glory. 00:29:50.240 --> 00:29:56.880 God will exchange your beauty for ashes. 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:04.240 We just have to totally surrender ourselves. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:11.359 Not our will, but let his will be done in our lives. 00:30:13.680 --> 00:30:18.880 Again, we have to take our hands off the wheel and allow him to have control. 00:30:21.119 --> 00:30:25.200 Not our plan, but his purpose. 00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:40.079 If you're here this morning and you have heard the message before and have been waiting to respond, well, today is the opportunity for you to respond. 00:30:42.079 --> 00:30:48.559 By totally surrendering your life to Jesus and saying, Lord, I want to be a, I want to be right. 00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:51.279 I want to get it right. 00:30:51.759 --> 00:30:55.039 I may not be perfect, but you are. 00:30:56.640 --> 00:31:00.559 I don't know my plans for my life, but you do. 00:31:05.519 --> 00:31:15.279 I want to be used by you, but I'm scared, but I'm putting my faith in you today and asking you to order my steps. 00:31:17.359 --> 00:31:26.480 The same way that you touch Paul and he had a Damascus Road experience, it's the same way that God wants to touch your life. 00:31:29.680 --> 00:31:43.599 Secondly, if your testimony has gone cold, today is an opportunity to light it up again. 00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:47.039 To set it on fire. 00:31:50.240 --> 00:31:52.079 God wants to use you. 00:31:53.119 --> 00:31:56.640 You're not too old and you're not too young. 00:31:59.920 --> 00:32:03.599 He wants to set us on fire again. 00:32:06.799 --> 00:32:12.559 If you're here this morning, and we're gonna we're gonna we're gonna have a time of prayer. 00:32:13.119 --> 00:32:18.559 Very short, very brief, but we're still gonna allow the Holy Spirit to move. 00:32:19.200 --> 00:32:34.400 If you're here this morning and you have not surrendered your life to Christ by inviting him into your life to be the Lord and Savior, your Lord and Savior, today is your opportunity. 00:32:34.559 --> 00:32:40.079 It don't matter how old you are, what people thought, what you've been doing, this is between you and God. 00:32:41.119 --> 00:32:43.359 We have nothing to do with it. 00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:52.240 If that's you, I want you to come and I'm gonna be here, and we I want to pray with you. 00:32:55.119 --> 00:33:20.640 And secondly, if your testimony has gone cold, I would invite you to come around here and to pray as a point of surrender, of saying, Lord, set me on fire again to use me and to use my testimony to share with those who are lost. 00:33:21.920 --> 00:33:30.000 As scripture says, if anyone asks, always be ready to give a reason for the hope of your faith. 00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:34.319 At Scripture, that's not me. 00:33:34.960 --> 00:33:39.759 If that's you and any of those, I would invite you to come. 00:33:41.200 --> 00:33:42.480 I would invite you to come. 00:33:42.640 --> 00:33:48.000 So, so what why while while we're here, would you just bow your heads? 00:33:48.880 --> 00:33:50.799 Would you bow your heads? 00:33:52.400 --> 00:33:58.319 And if any of those calls are for you, I I would invite you to just move out from where you are. 00:33:58.640 --> 00:34:13.440 This is not a ploy, but I invite you to come and just be around here, and someone's going to be here to pray with us. 00:34:14.559 --> 00:34:21.280 No one has to know, it's between you and the Lord. 00:34:25.119 --> 00:34:27.840 The altar is open.