Hillsong Church - Brian Houston

we're so glad that you're with us in the room or across the screens so first two is awake music of splendor arise my soul and sing his praises I will awaken the dawn with worship and greeting the daybreak with my songs of light church this morning you're ready to sing okay the front rows ready church up the back you encourage you no matter what's happened this week we can have confidence that worship changes thing [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] but we're not done with just getting started Church hands up [Music] to the [Music] we see [Music] can you feel [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] Ct [Applause] ah [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] father we run into your carts this morning full of praise full of Thanksgiving for all that you have done for us we remind ourselves this morning that every breath we breathe would be for your glory Jesus we fix her eyes we fix her hearts on you [Music] we worship you and everything [Music] oh god you lose morning evening I [Music] [Music] pour out in praise to Jesus [Music] we were pieces the speed see my heart [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] how great is the one breeze locked into dry bones heaven [Music] blaster just [Music] roasted [Music] ha [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Church to someone into the jams [Music] but you just soak in his love this morning we breathe in [Music] Singh [Laughter] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] we see that together [Music] [Music] [Music] and I'm Church would you let your hands it's [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] come on Ches I should praise to him thank you Jesus beep welcome to Hillsong Church a special welcome to everyone who's joined online and through the screens it's very great morning in church this morning we're just about to dedicate some babies this morning and children but before we do can we pray can we pray together as a church family the great spirit of faith in the meeting this morning a great expectation for God to move not only in ailments but in our loved one and our family so can you put your hand towards these prayer requests blessed with faith in our heart extend reach out to God and believe for him to have his way so father we thank you for every single one of these needs father we thank you for every one of these opportunities for you to move and I ask in Jesus name whether you were set in motion healing we're healing but we play the you steady motion breakthrough with breakthroughs needed father I pray father forever impossible of situations whether you would be a miracle-working supernatural god to every single person please and father we take in advance for in Jesus name John what time do we sing this together mr. Cleary [Applause] [Music] [Music] such a sense of receptivity in the service this morning I want some somebody praising Guardian this morning for their connector it it was a wave if you're in a connect group now put your hand down give us a wave of your connect group leader go why don't we appreciate all the connect group leaders in the service this morning sortie thanking god for starting a new course somebody praising God for this sale and purchase of land someone thank you God for provision somebody praising God for a successful semester at Hillsong College give us a wave of you're a student this morning 9 a.m. as I said a big welcome to Hillsong Church this morning why don't you take a few seconds as everyone who's getting their children dedicated this morning come to the platform what do you say hello greet somebody this morning [Music] all those parents whose children have been dedicated you're welcome to come forward now come right on up come straight on up here if your baby's being dedicated that's it your baby's been dedicated you're welcome to come right up here with Bobby and I [Music] big-big welcome to Hillsong Church come on grandma grandpa Pop's whatever come up close fantastic [Music] there are all these beautiful families I have you listening with us big welcome we love having visitors in our church makes every Sunday fresh and new having new people around a little all these beautiful families Wow well I love seeing people make a commitment to dedicate their children to the Lord it's a great commitment to make and you're really seeing that this child is maybe the best gift God has ever given us but we're committed to giving them back to the Lord and really believing her back to the Lord and really believing then to see God take their lives and save them and fill them with the Holy Spirit and use them to the glory of God it's fantastic so all sorts of people here staff members and all sorts of people we've got really cool names you got an Oscar and Nora and Noah and Israel and a man named oh no they've that yeah they're the babies I knew that people ask you joy fear right there man in Judah and Wesley brown right there Israel canal through Yahveh gonna be right there Shirley fantastic so far the word of knowledge is working well Noah Christopher palace in' all right there it's obvious till you do with these Photon how cool how could you see so no I said the tie and the pants almost met your jacket in your your jeans as well pretty fantastic and where did I get up to Norah gray Cox right here right there fantastic we're gonna dedicate these children to the Lord I knew you guys this sat down but I think we need to stand to the Caesar families who are making a choice to honor God with their children we're gonna believe for God's hand to be on their lives all the way through the life so father we thank you in Jesus name for each of these families and each of these children and we don't take dedication lightly father we see it as a great opportunity for us to give God the glory and for the gift of life and Lord in Jesus name I pray for each one of these children I pray father for Israel I pray Lord your hand to be on him Lord I believe you're going to use him in a great way he will know Christ as Savior you use his parents father in his life and father I believe he will serve God and that you will bring greatness to him a man of faith a man of your spirit in Jesus name Lord I dedicate this beautiful Noah to you Lord as we do dedicate them to you we thank you for such a wonderful gift filled with creativity food with the all that God has designed him for and for God has designed them to do so father I pray for these parents that I know godly wisdom and the raising of their children that you'll cause their family to be strong and that their son will bring them great joy in the name of Jesus we pray for Nora we thank you for this beautiful little girl there beautiful little gift and in Jesus name I dedicate her to you and I thank you Father for parents who love God and we believe in Jesus name that we're gonna see you use this little girl Norah gray Cox in such a great way and father right now I dedicate Oskar to you thank you for in Lord Jesus thank God for what's on his life thank you for his parents thank you for their faithfulness and their commitment to you and I dedicate them to you and lord I pray in the days to come he will be a fighter when it comes to the kingdom of God he'll take down armies when it comes to the devil's domain and that he will be a man who will be strong and do great exploits just like the Word of God says and we thank you for and I pray amen in Judah Wesley brown thank you Father in Jesus name for this beautiful beautiful children each and every single one of them have your way in their lives I pray as we dedicate them to you and we thank God for them and I thank God for these parents in the name of Jesus Christ amen amen amen there you go amen okay one little Oscar was totally listening to their prophetic word over him and all these children say congratulations families and we love you our pastors who are behind have a gift for you I am first Bible certificate and I'm if you're here visiting friends or family um you're welcome to church and you're welcome to come have refreshments after the service and the Western four yeah amen we love it give them one more hand guys family you guys can be seated [Applause] [Music] dedicated [Music] we're blessed with some of the great families in our church and in more recent times a great man called dam Cody Smith has become what we call steward stewardship past it in our church what does the stewardship pastor do he teaches stewardship so in other words helps people were steward in finances teachers budgeting and he's group building programs running programs families in our church will be able to be a part of and really help us when it comes to finances and being financially strong and financially healthy so that's all part of what then does but he also works for the kingdom builders and the extension of that is a great guy you're gonna be blessed you're gonna come and share with us around out giving and so if you'd like to prepare for that already and if you can do two things at once give Dan a big welcome as he comes thank you Pastor Brian good morning Church hope you're doing great this morning it's past what I mentioned I am gonna have the privilege of sharing around the offering this morning it's a great privilege - you guys are incredibly generous and hey I want to tell you something I I learnt a phrase in Hindi recently the language of Hindi now don't be too impressed because I'm probably about to butcher it but this is how the the phrase actually I'm not even gonna say it but what the phrase means is I'm not gonna say it it means a handful of rice now that sounds a bit random but I believe this principle can change your life if you understand it you see in the state of India the state of Missouri there was a group of people about 100 years ago there was only a very small group of Christians in this particular state misery is in fact the poorest state in India and this small group of Christians had an incredible passion to see the work of God through their local church expand and been just a small group and been making less than a dollar a day they they were thinking about what can we do and they came up with this principle it was called a handful of rice where every time they would cook a meal they would take the first handful of rice which was their staple diet they would take a handful of rice and put it in a jar now collectors throughout the week and take it to their local church on the weekend and proceeds would be sold sold and go towards the work of the church and what's incredible is that over time this principle became a bedrock became a foundation in the faith as a church grew over there going from a handful of Christians a century ago when the census was taken in 2011 in India it um it said in the in India as a whole nation only 2.3 percent of that nation were Christians yet in the state of misery over 95 percent were Church attending Bible believing Christ's followers and reminded me of of Paul's second letter to the Corinthians when he wrote in 2nd Corinthians 9 verse 11 he said you'll be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion and through us your generosity will result in Thanksgiving for God how great church that we can be reminded when it comes to putting God first in our finances that we don't need to draw back or even rest on our laurels but we can do so much more knowing there's a world out there that needs so that needs the gospel knowing there's people out there that then need the good news that Jesus Christ brings so with that in mind that so let's bring our firstfruits this morning let me pray for your church father I thank you so much for the opportunity that we have to bring our first to put you first in our finances and Lord that when we do so whether we can do so with an attitude not of what we don't have but what we do have and lord I thank you that you take what we do and you do a great work Lord that more people would come to know you that we'd see your church expand but we would see your name may glorious in our nation Jesus your mighty name never unsaid together amen well our incredible hosts are gonna serve us and as they do please turn your attention to the screen and check out everything that's coming up [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] God's sake [Music] [Applause] well well Wow so much coming up and how awesome does Christmas look Christmas Spectacular that was clips from last year's spectacular this year they're taking it a step forward and who would want to miss that so it's a little ways out yet but this is a good time to start thinking about Christmas and every location kept us everywhere and being a part of that spectacular bringing family friends colleagues anyone you can because it's such a beautiful powerful night and I know they've got big plans for this year and so as of now tickets are on site for so long line at shirts whatever and get an early because they do fill out they do believe in this room here which is big but it will pack out for every single session that we have so get in nice and early and make sure you don't miss out and again can I say let's bring friends sisterhood Tuesday night men's event Friday night get into me the men's events not just an event event is not descriptive enough it's like an occasion so I got happening it's it's like a move of God it's like a festival without the drugs it's there's everything and we're gonna believe truly for the men of that church to rally here in New South Wales and in Melbourne that's happening at 7:30 in Queensland which is on Wednesday night it's happening at 7 o'clock but we want to give everyone time to get here and time to be here bring buddies bring friends bring sons bring father's bring anyone you can let's pack the place help with men there's going to be a whole lot of fun outside and all sorts opportunities to connect outside of the room but a move the Holy Spirit on the inside I'm looking forward to inputting into men speaking men's business and of course faster Charles Neiman is also going to be here it's the week of his 70th birthday and he's gonna be here putting into our men so overall it's gonna be great and Bobby has got great plans for sisterhood so all of these different things that are coming up I pray that we all lean in and realize that God's up to something pretty special and you can be a part of it in Jesus now welcome to every location every campus Church of the air livestream Online Campus different places around the world who connect into here on Sundays sometimes just in homes so many different ways we're talking to people right now that's pretty powerful and we are turning to the Word of God here cometh the word amen you guys could be seated please yourself help yourself look after yourself be good to yourself indulge yourself suit yourself what is it that is so good about yourself that you would want to dress it up in a suit rather than suit yourself what we need to do is understand the importance of crucifying self you see your worst enemy I've been speaking about you and your worst enemy and your worst enemy is clearly not you but maybe your worst enemy is yourself cuz self will always try to sabotage what Christ wants to do in you and the great hope we have in life as believers in Jesus Christ is that Christ is in us and in us he is the hope of glory Galatians 2 verse 20 Paul said I am crucified with Christ so he's saying I'm dead I'm crucified with Christ then he says and he's still talking so something's still alive then he says it's no longer either live spart but Christ that lives in me and the life they don't now live that's what I really want to be speaking into the life that you now live the life that you now live the vet that that part of you that God created that part of you that Jesus Saves that part of you that's filled with the spirit that part of you that has a god-given future and a god-given hope that part of you that is the vessel fit for God's ears that part of you that Christ wants to dwell in and so paul he says it's no longer either lives but Christ that lives in me and the life that I now live new life I live it in the flesh so in other words it's my normal everyday life but I live it by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave himself for me and that's really what I am talking about you and your worst enemy and this message right now is called to miss the big miss the big miss anyone old enough to remember Maxwell Smart anyone old enough to remember Get Smart my favorite TV show back in the day missed it by that much you know what I'm talking about that's Maxwell Smart and the way he lived his life missed it by that much do you think when it comes to the things of God you want to miss it by that much because self will always cause us to miss the mark by self I mean ego myself I mean the unredeemed flesh myself I mean the part of you that would try to self-sabotage which literally would try to sabotage Christ in you and the purposes of Christ in you the Bible talks a lot about self control it's one of the fruit of the Spirit love joy peace etc and self-control but there's other places as well the Bible talks about self-control and yet so often our self is out of control it's ruling our emotions it's controlling our spirit it's choosing our actions self is out of control I wonder if you're controlling yourself or whether yourself is controlling your attitudes mentality spirit that comes from self choices that come from self thinking our spirit that comes from self we will always miss the mark so father I pray in Jesus name that this message will continue to speak life into people who know the wonder and the power that Jesus Christ lives in us and that Christ in us is the hope of glory that we are crucified with Christ and that Lord we now live a different life in us because of you Jesus and our faith in you so we pray the self can be crucified can be killed in Jesus name so you can live in us yeah do you think about all the areas the self will always miss the mark I mean anything you can attach self add-on to as a prefix you put self there and it will never ever produce what Christ can do so whether it's righteousness whether a satisfaction whether it's confidence self righteous self satisfied self you will always miss the mark every time you see it is impossible to be self righteous the Bible says there is none righteous no not one helper purpose for Jesus was because it's impossible for self to be righteous we can't be right to sit around strength we're told your righteousness my righteousness it's like filthy rags just worth throwing out stinking filthy rags there is none righteous Jesus he is our righteousness we can only ever be complete in him when people try to be self righteous they become judgmental they that they've thought of spiritual pride look at me look at me look at my spirituality I'm so much better than other less spiritual people they become selective in their in their sight selective blindness in other words it tends to be one rule for you and a different rule for everybody else you had a lot of grace for yourself and only house judgment for everybody else self and righteousness should never even appear in the same sentence you'll always miss out on righteousness if we try to do it through our selves and it is thus and by the way here's a scripture about a self-righteous man a Pharisee and listen to what it says Luke 18 verse 9 Jesus is talking to those who listen to it told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else so he's speaking to people who have a whole lot of confidence in their own righteousness and are talking more about that story in just a moment it's the same with self-satisfied just the very nature of self it'll never be satisfied always wants feeding feed me feed me feed me when it comes to my ego you could flatter me and my ego would get a little hit it'll be good slander he's different than encouragement you can flatter me and get my little ego a boost but believe me by next week I'm gonna need another boost if it's gonna be self that I get all of my esteem from it's like addicts and addicts says I'll just have one but all one or doers cause you to crave more some more cause you to need more and that's the whole thing it's impossible to be satisfied by yourself self satisfied is satisfaction something that can only come from above it's proverbs 14 verse 14 it says the backslider in heart will be filled with with his own ways but a good man will be satisfied from above true satisfaction I can't get no satisfaction sorry I thought it was I forgot it was Sunday morning I I'm sorry now you can't you can't cuz satisfaction ultimately only comes from above so when it comes to self satisfaction you're all we just gonna miss the self confidence I think true confidence can only come from the absence of self why cuz self is where insecurity comes from self-consciousness self carries so much that works against godly confidence and so don't try to attach self to anything they can only come out of Christ in you can only come out of your relationship with God you see that's what human nature tends to do we really almost idolize self just find my true self my inner self why don't you find Christ in you its Christ in you this the hope of glory it's Christ in you then it's your great hope when it comes to not missing the mark but really being up for all that God has got for you you thrive in the presence of God self thrives in the absence of God you are filled with limitless potential self is just filled with limits you're a candidate for God's very best the self will always miss the mark so on that let me tell you the story that I began to read about people who had great confidence in their own righteousness it's Luke 18 verses 10 to 14 and it says this there were two men I call it the tale of two sinners one was a religious man the other one was a financial shock the one was a Pharisee the other a tax collector and so it's called the parable maybe the Pharisee and the tax collector knows those tax collectors that's what they were they were dodgy they were financial shocks and the religious man they're both sinners and sinners just said so not ones not a better sinner and the other one a worse sinner now they both sin as the turn of two sinners it says two men went up to the temple to pray one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself one translation literally says something like before himself and by himself I don't even know how that's possible but what I do know is it means itself was right on the center of his prayer and listen to it it's repugnant God I thank you that I'm not like other men extortioners unjust adulterers or even as this tax collector I fast twice a week I give tithes of all that I possess and the tax collectors standing afar off would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast note that he beat his breast saying God be merciful to me a sinner I tell you this man went down to the house justified but the other one missed the mark he went to the house justified rather than the other for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and He Who humbles himself will be exalted you know they were both breast beaters the scripture talks about the tax collector the fact that he beat his breast as he cried out to God for mercy and I could imagine him just desperate desperate so aware of his own sinfulness I think that breastfeeding would look something like this oh that hurt I made a cowboy the others more like this look at me look at me look at all that hurts too so they were both one was justified the other was not one was full of himself he missed out the other was full of repentance awareness it needs Christ in him and he was justified just as if I had never said he found all the Christ help for him there so often people just miss out you can't receive anything that's God's through itself because self has to be crucified so that you can live in Jesus name whether it's God's will whether it's God's best whether it's God's grace whether it's God's glory has goodness hey whatever it is if whatever it is it's impossible to attain it so tough you will always miss the mark if self is going to be what tries to take hold self will always sabotage what Christ has got for you you take God's will God's will is an adventure it's a journey and like any journey it has its highs and lows but the scripture talks about the mystery of his will though this great eternal will and God's will for your own life if we just don't know it's a mystery and I'll tell you there are highs than there are lows and if you could think that 36 years ago here in Baulkham Hills a little then outpost suburb on the very edge of Sydney and then it was just fields all around and I'm knocking on doors of schools toy Headmaster's about could we rent a hall to start a church a church would call Hills Christian Life Center soon became Hillsong Church do you think I can see you just don't know it's an adventure what an adventure serving God but you know so many people a sabotage they sabotaged even the will of God for their life because of self I love the fact that Jesus said not my will but yours be done I want to know yours I know what my will this is not about my will it's about your will in my life God's will is such an adventure but we are willful we allowed ourselves to be full of will fullness and the result of a sir you miss the mark when it comes to the will of God man I don't want to miss the mark at all when it comes to God's best by God's best I'm thinking that God's promises and you know the scripture says all the promise of God in Christ is yes and amen for all the promises of God in him in who in Jesus are yes and in him amen so again all the great eternal promises but I think also God's specific promise in your life when I was younger especially people had promise boxes there's probably people here still have a promise boxes I have a pretty little box and you know 'pn and out that there'd be tightly wound little pieces of paper and they're kind of like a fortune cookie and you pull one a out and yet open it and it would be a Bible verse and if you didn't like that promise you could just wind it up again and put it back in and find a better promise find one that really suited you you know there's got to be a better one there somewhere but the whole thing is when it comes to God's promise it's a constant it's a comet constant if it comes to God's will in your life the answer is yes the answer is amen let it be if that's where it comes to the promises and God does give us personal promises and you know self will try to sabotage those as well I believe Bobby in my life is the fruit of a young boy a young man's promise from God I do I mean knowing what was ahead for me I didn't God did I think God knew what I needed it just like he knows what you need and he could not have given me a more faithful loving encouraging humble insightful prophetic creative that I say Jesus loving Jesus loving incredible wife incredible mother incredible grandmother just incredible literally a promise from God and if there's one thing that wouldn't even now or any time have sabotaged this great promise from God it's name itself its name itself and while I'm here I've got to tell you tonight we're doing something awesome because what we're doing is Bobby and I gonna get candid and we're gonna talk about life about love about marriage and people are gonna ask us some questions and we just want to put into families young people older people marriages just life in general and talk about some of the I think should be a really cool night but also really believe the Holy Spirit's gonna move the worship will be incredible all those elements as well answer the prayer answer to a promise right here wonder what promises God has given you because you hold on to those promises and never never let self get in the way of the promises God has for you man thank God for is great and eternal promise God's grace you know we like wisdom self Lex wisdom self Lex wisdom soap makes foolish decisions makes mistakes self forgets right into your attitude and so again in your attitude you get filled with self and no one needs to fall short of the grace of God or the glory of God it was designed for your weakness it was designed for your lag and that's why I think living selfless it's got to be more than just empty nothingness I think the opposite the self his name is Jesus it's not just well I'm gonna be selfless and there I'm empty I'm just gonna be like a man who's starving no no it's not that it's like now Christ is in me what's in me is so much more powerful so much greater that's why the hope for the life that's ahead of me is just so incredible so so incredible it's powerful it really is so what are you missing out on you know sometimes in life you just fall a little bit short my goal of school was to be good at something and I thought I'd tried gymnastics my little sister my little sister had these badges she could wear to school every day that she had earned almost like a bronze medal in gymnastics and then there was a little silver bar and then a gold bar and they were so impressive and I wanted I wanted so much to be good at gymnastics I could impress people look I used to steal her medal then we're to score my bronze my silver my gold but it was totally counterfeit and my PE teacher called me out on it as well he knew that hey Bryan that wasn't you he knew well the thing is one time I went for my bronze medal there's a whole lot of kids we had to do all the different all the different routines all the different parts of it so what is a there's a bench and the bar and the ropes and the floor exercises and the balance beam and so on well afterwards all the kids that missed out I wasn't the only one the teacher went around and says oh oh look just on the beat you just got to improve on them on the beam or you just got to improve a bit on the bench it's going to improve a bit on the bench but but when it got to me the teacher said Brian yeah just a little below on everything true story that's why the pasta true story just mister by that much missed it by that much I wonder what you're missing because self needs to be crucified do you know sin the Greek word is hamartia or hamari oh and what does it mean it means to mr. mark it means to fall short that is sin and I'm convinced that self is just sin in motion it really is of sin as a noun then self is the verb self carries out sins dirty deeds that's exactly what happens and so don't underestimate self of what it's going to be crucified because it comes from your sin nature ego not everything about ego is bad when it's redeemed but I'll tell you and unredeemed ego that's all it is it's just your sin nature in action the emotion and so if we see the link between sin and self then we will see the need I'm gonna die to self I gotta get this be crucified like the book of Colossians chapter 3 says for you are dead it's not talking about you that Jesus created that God created them that Jesus fills no not that you yourself and so all right think about that Jenna the Bible talks about just the different elements of this world and they're described in three things lust of the flesh lust of the eyes the pride of life as first John chapter 2 verse 16 have a look at it with me it says for all that is in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not at a far the bitters of the world you can bring self down to those three things you know original sin original temptation back in the garden with Adam and Eve it was built around those three things what does the scripture say says he looked at the tree and it was good for food lest of the flesh and it was pleasant to the eyes lust of the eyes and it was desirable to make one wise the pride of life you take it now to Jesus temptation in the desert same three elements lust of the flesh lust of the eyes pride of life one of the devils save you can turn those stones into bread Wow lust of the flesh you've been fasting forty days in the wilderness do you not think that freshly baked hot bread just straight out of the tree tray still steaming melt-in-your-mouth bread who wouldn't appeal to the flesh it's the lust of the flesh and then the devil kept trying to take Jesus up to high places elevate him so he takes him up to the top of a very high mountain says look around all the kingdoms of the world all of them could be yours if you'd bear down and worship Me Jesus of course went straight to the word because he knew that's where his strength was and so it's the lust of the eyes see all the kingdoms in the world they could all be yours and then he takes them up to the pinnacle of the temple right in the heart in Jerusalem in the very center of town he takes them to the top to the heights he says imagine if you could jump down and when you landed land on two feet and not even need to do a stunt doubles tumble people would be mighty impressed the pride of life same things and you know I think self when it comes to our flesh when it comes to our eyes now when it comes to impressing pride of life same things still exist but I really want to read it in the message because I think it really brings it down to what's really being said and it's I want I have I want it some first John chapter 2 verse 15 to 17 so don't love the world's ways don't love the world's goods love of the world squeezes out love for the father practically everything that goes on in the world want in your own way lust of the flesh wanting everything for yourself lust of the eyes wanting to appear important pride of life has nothing to do with the father it just isolates you from him the world in all it's one team one team one team is on the way out but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity one team one team one team what is it want in your own way one in your own way the lust of the flesh wanting your own way whoever it was who's somebody did it my wife Frank Sinatra whoever they did seriously limited potential because God's Way is so much better so much higher so much more powerful than your way and yet we want like little children we want our own way I want to do it my way we're gonna come around to doing it my way and your way will always live at you and then what was the next one wanting everything for yourself do you know this last week Bobby my wife put on a baby shower off the Laura our daughter because her baby's coming in around two weeks time so they had a baby shower all the friends came around Laura's friends and so I wasn't welcome and Laura's husband Peter talking about who wasn't welcome so Peter says hey he's going around to a friend's place around the corner and they were gonna cook up some meat and he invited me to come so I said sure so we jump in the car we go round there and Jack their six-year-old son is there and so they cooked up in the wood fire wood fire oven and the most amazing piece of meat it was incredible and then they did they did what dads do they got ubereats for the kids [Music] Pizza I've never ever ordered ubereats in my life why because I wouldn't have a clue how to do it but they got pizza well there's what happens the pizza arrives beautiful big fresh piping hot pizza the other kids were distracted except for Jack my grandson so he takes the first slice has a giant bite from it but flows it back on the plate upside down gets the next piece takes a giant bite from it just throws it back on the plate upside-down when around the entire pizza while the other kids help weren't even there yet and took a giant bite out of every single piece of pizza but then just neatly put it back into the proper format no just dumped it on the plate until the pizza was entirely ruined by the time the other kids worked out that there was even pizza there but he's a kid that's what kids do I'm sure it would never have happened if his mother was there but he is the splitting image of his father and so kids do that we're not kids when I became a man I put away childish things and that's why if we want to live by self then we're gonna want everything for ourselves we're gonna want everything our way and we were even gonna want to look important man that was a spirit of those super apostles that Paul called and 2 Corinthians 10 first well we said we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves for their measure listen to self self selves we did not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who measure themselves because they they measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves amongst themselves are not wise we however will not boast beyond measure but within the sphere that God has appointed us and you know something that self self self salves passing yourself compared yourself coming to me and yourself measuring yourself that that's the spirit that I pray none of us will ever want to rule our world because the self wants to impress and that's why sadly a whole lot of people on social media are so messed up by it because they so want to impress and they look and they think my life just not that impressive and my followers aren't that impressive and etc etc so as such a trap for younger people listen to Luke 18 the story the test collector and the Pharisee listen to Luke 18 verse 14 and the message Jesus come into this tax man not the other went home made right with God if you walk around with your nose in the air you're going to end up on your face but if you content to simply yourself be yourself you will become more than yourself if you're content to simply be yourself you'll become more than yourself in other words self will always miss the mark hopefully you're getting the point by now and an amazing that so much of what the devil tries to do to promote self and a kid has to be rule by herself are the very things that are in your future anyway I mean anything about Jesus turn this stone into bread Jesus is bread he said I am the bread of life the devil was tempting it was something which is as inheritance as a son of God as God and say says come upon this man at all all of these kingdoms they'll be all yours they are Jorge's he's the king of kings and Lord of lords he rules and reigns from heaven above not only are the kingdoms of Earth his but also the kingdom of heaven hey the devil's trying to tempt him with something so that he's self tries to claim what comes simply for you and I've with Christ in us let's go to the top of the pinnacle and imagine if you could jump off and be on her that would definitely impress people but that's who God is he's the god of the impossible all things are possible nothing is impossible that is Jesus he's a God of the supernatural and so do you see what I'm saying and the same happens with us I think sometimes we look at what we all miss out on by dying to self anything oh I'm gonna miss this and my my experience of God's faithfulness as to watch how God just beautifully brings the fair you know when Bobby no got married a conversation when we were engaged we're excited about the food but a conversation was always around serving Jesus maybe one day pastor in a church and probably never owned in our own home and we were up for it we're up for that how mean it wasn't gonna be about serving God the Avenger seemed so much more important Farrah's life goes on and hopefully with some longevity and some wisdom and and some wise decisions and you know the blessing and the grace of God we're so blessed with the home that we have and that's just God when I went to Bible College I thought to myself I meant never travel no one ever goes to Bible College to get rich it doesn't really happen Bible College and rich it's like an oxymoron they're two different things you got a Bible College and you get poor that's just the fact all the students here said I told you say and so and so travel looked totally out of the question and you're always you know ahead of travel luster the sense always as a kid dreamed of traveling to faraway places well you know I look at my life now and of course travel is the last thing I need more of you talk about exceeding abundant and above anything you could ask or think you talk about honestly you talking about pressed down shaken together running over over well I add into your bosom what by laying down self and going to Bible College it looked like I the say no to is something that's a blessing in our lives almost all - that's blessing visiting third world developing world first world countries most continents except the ones I don't want to go to like Alaska which is completely Robert's domain yeah when I was a kid a teenager I was on the youth committee at our church but the first time I ever got invited on to any kind of leadership role but one Sunday afternoon summer Sunday's in Wellington were very few and farther apart and where I lived in Lower Hutt there was really only one Beach to go to that's called daze Bay anyone know where days bay is anyone yeah yes it's a few that do yeah it's not overly impressive but all my friends were going there on a Sunday afternoon and I had to go to a youth committee meeting and I really did have attitude I'm not gonna you know everyone's having fun at the beach and I gotta go to a youth committee man a fellow the Holy Spirit spoke to me don't get distracted a fellow the Holy Spirit spoke to me and says you say you want to serve me you say when a pastor at church Sunday will never be yours you know I counted a cost right there and died to self right there and Sunday's who wouldn't know it the blessing that would come from devoting my Sunday's to Christ even now reaching people around the entire globe through television and lime stream and online campus and all the other ways we connect with people seen service after service with great crowds of people in church and throughout the entire Lent and the same thing happening around the entire God who wouldn't know what would it come out of their Sunday all I'm saying is if you lay down self you're never gonna come second by putting God first it's just a reality it's just the truth self will always cause us to miss the MA and God's will God's promise God's best God's grace God's goodness as glory there's so much that God has for you I already said it's not all just wonder wonder wonder there's highs and lows in serving God thought oh hell is it worth it it is so worth it in Jesus name can you say Amen I'm gonna pray that we can all stay together for the last few moments of the service so you don't distract other people but we're gonna stand together we're gonna lean in and I'm going to believe that God is going to do some good things and just these last few minutes amen so let me ask you in your life what areas is self trying to sabotage the idea of Christ in you where is self trying to accomplish what only Christ in you can accomplish I wonder what you are missing because self ego is having its way I wonder what it is you can lay the inners and decide I'm laying this at the feet of Jesus oh I know what that is you know what I want to do I want I want to take a moment I want to give people you know those areas where your self is sabotaging you and you want to lay at the feet of Jesus because after all we're talking about being crucified with Christ so laid at the foot of the cross and leave it there and say God as I identify with your crucifixion believing I'm crucified with Christ I'm also identifying with your resurrection the life that I now live the life that I now live in the flesh by faith in the Son of God that's what's gonna rule my life it's the life that I now live Christ I mean so all over the room everywhere every location where we can you can't always do it in every location people are you know you want to lay areas of self at the foot of the cross and say I don't want to carry this in my life any longer I want to crucify self so that Christ can live in me I'm gonna ask you to step out from where you are come stand in the front here we'll make sure this the stage gets moving real quick there plenty of room for people same everywhere where we can we'll only take a few minutes we won't take a long time on this but I'm going to believe right now that change has come into people's lives come on let's start worshiping and you start coming as well in Jesus name Amen [Music] Church leaned in and let Cygnus together but you started yesterday don't be too embarrassed to come [Music] you can with the pain of Jesus Krita keep looking forward as the stage effects just sing it see you with faith in you huh [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] god bless you beautiful people beautiful people up here you know I painted a picture would you get that picture in your mind of the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ where Jesus is crucified Paul said I am crucified with Christ it's no longer I that lives for Christ is now living in me the life is coming from Jesus and so I want you to take areas of self where you feel self as sabotaging Christ in you and see it in your own eye on just put it there at the cross let's put it there that maybe it will far more than one area of self you want to lay down but just lay it down lay it down wherever you guys are same thing lay it down lay it down [Music] such a beautiful big family in church this morning the family of God Owen if we're all just put our hands towards these people let's pray for them a lot I just thank you in Jesus name the Christ in us is our hope of glory I thank you in Jesus name that it's Christ that lives in us lord help us to know the power of being crucified with Christ understanding is no longer my self that lives but it's Christ that lives in me help us Lord to begin to see their strength is in Jesus not in ourselves that ourselves will always cause us to miss the mark when it comes to what God has for us of us Lord to be people of transformation people who understand get a revelation of Jesus then their lives build a home owner read dreams read who Jesus's father fighters come against so when a represents that's an antichrist and I pray in Jesus name the Christ who is Allah Christ who is our Lord and Savior will truly enabled us to live in victory to be Victor's the to step up India will then T of promise into your very best father penny of glory of God Monsieur grace [Music] so beautiful so beautiful if you guys don't mind us stopping still here for one moment and if any of our pastors want to put your arm around someone and pray with them you're welcome both I just want to talk to everybody across our entire church everyone who's part of our service this morning and one actually the same question I love to ask every week and that is have you made a conscious choice you personally made a conscious choice for Jesus Christ have you encountered God in a personal way you see he loves you he is for you he is on your side and the Bible says if you're lost Jesus and dear life he will come in and you'll live in you he'll come and you'll live in you life will change radically at that moment barber says if you'll confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ that'll go on the screen in a moment and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead you shall be saved in other words will be transformation will be a new day maybe you've never made that kind of conscious decision maybe you've never had that God encounter where you know that you know that something changed I believe today is that day for people I really do believe this is the day and that today many people can know what it is danger into faith in Christ to know what it is to for Christ to live in you so there's no longer than you that you that lives all the mistakes and the failures but it's Christ living in you that's where your hope is so it's just a minute I'm gonna count to three and on three I can ask every single person everywhere and every location it says Brian please include me in your prayer and the prayer is gonna be that Jesus will come fill your life to know what it is to be born again to have a brand new start then you truly will make that conscious choice for Jesus so when I count to three in a moment I'll ask you to raise your hand and I'll tell you right now there's gonna be a whole lot of hands across all of our church you're not gonna be the only one and then I want to pray big prayer with everybody whose hand is raised and across our church family and I'm going to believe today will be a day of salvation maybe it's some time you prayed a prayer like that but somewhere along the way you lost your way and it's not as though God moved he said I'll never leave you nor forsake you he's the constant he's the constant he really is I've never seen where Jesus unsaved anybody but we make our choices and you can be making life choices grow cold in your heart just stand engaged in things again according you love alienated dislocated from the center of God's will what a beautiful day to turn from backsliding and make your peace and come back to Jesus at the center get right with God and come right back to living your life with Christ in you the hope the hope of glory in Jesus name so can we have every eye closed everywhere every location every person and prayer and if you say Brian when you pray for people to make that choice for Jesus when you pray for people to encounter God in a personal way which include me in that prayer I would love to and so all those people when I count to three you raise your hand in the air so Brian please include me in that prayer now I'm gonna believe there'll be a whole lot of hands I'm gonna pray that big prayer with this big church family and today people are making decisions for Christ to get right with them see ready for that ready to raise your hand on three if that's you here we go one two three lift them up right now lift them high beautiful beautiful I love it I can see hands around this room being raised I wonder who else will make that choice for Jesus lifted high lift a bold lifted high so good to see there are other locations as well you raise your hand God can see you God can see or I can't potentially but God can anyone else quick before we move on and pray you raise your hand Joe and all those whose hands are raised and why don't we give these people a great big congratu thank God thank God for each and every single one of them and together as a big church family let's pray this prayer out loud together if you raise your hand you pray this to God the rest of us are gonna pray right along with you so here we go everyone pray these words dear Jesus this is the moment I surrender ownership of my life to the Lord Jesus Christ because of you Jesus from this moment I'm a child of God a new creation a follower of Jesus Christ thank you for your love and grace thank you for your forgiveness and mercy I am a believer jesus is alive in me amen amen come on give them the biggest congratulations for such a great decision and every one of you who raised your hand we want to give you a Bible as a gift it's a New Testament Bible it's a gif from Hillsong Church I pray not only will you take this as a mark of the choice you made today and as a gift from our church but the truly you'll let this book start framing your life especially the words of Jesus it's incredible so life-giving and I believe now Christ in you that's the hope that's the hope right there so give them one more congratulations and thank God thank God amen any couple of things couple of things thanks for being brave enough to come up here by the way all you guys and wherever else you over one more thing tonight we also got a big water baptismal service so if you've never been baptized with water it's obedience to Christ it's the next step after salvation is to let your old nature go down in that water and come up identify them with Jesus why don't you put your name and you can do so outside and they in the foyers forever you guys are puts the name in and you find out what you got to do to be baptized tonight as well it's just going to be a big revival night and Bobby and I going to talk about life and love and marriage and all that good stuff and so looking forward to have you had a good morning in church are you glad you came are you glad you came I'm sure glad you came so father I thank you that you bless people and you keep them that your face is shining upon them yeah their God and glory and grace that we can look to you even in a darkest hour and know that you're there for us father we just believe in Jesus name in the weeks that are ahead of us that we're gonna see you on our side moving father even before we knew it bringing answers to prayer bringing the breakthrough Lord well in the voices that are demonic and negative and allowing the Word of God to be a portion father I just thank you for breakthroughs that are coming and it's all because of Jesus and we give you all the praise and all the glory in your mighty name amen [Applause] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] tonight [Music]

Channel: Hillsong Church

Views: 21,813

Rating: 4.8563538 out of 5

Keywords: jesus, hillsong, praise, worship, Brian Houston

Id: 6pm6uBCrK_k

Length: 89min 19sec (5359 seconds)

Published: Sat Nov 09 2019