Alright. Good morning. OK how many of you
have never heard me before? Yes! I love that
with all my heart. I really do. Jesus, I just thank You
for Your goodness Your mercy
Your grace I thank You just
You are just awesome all around. Jesus. Yes God thank You. Amen. Alright. Well, I have been a
Christian for 12 years. I am excited about that. I have been. I was a drug addict for 22. I thought I was excited
about that. I didn't know that you
could be excited about this. For 34 years of my life
no one told me about Jesus. No one approached me
out there in public no one told me God loved me
no one told me God had a plan for me
everybody was really concerned about
going to a building and doing nothing with it. Alright. Let's start out there
letÕs start out on the right foot. Because the right foot
is doing something with what you have. The wrong foot is
keeping it in and a basket on your head. You can go to church
your whole life and no one even know
that you are a Christian. That's not OK. I love the idea of
small groups because that sounds like the
book of Acts. Because they went
house to house. It's really important. Not just because of loneliness
but because you get to fellowship with each other. And then when you see why
you are created and you see why you are on the earth
you get to actually walk with clean hands and
a pure heart and then you can actually
have real fellowship with one another. See fellowship with one
another only comes when we walk in the light
as He is in the light. I can't fellowship with you
if I am not walking... (am I allowed to walk
wherever? We're good? Alright! Sometimes I can't
but I can today. Alright.) So if I am not walking
in the light and I am not walking
pure in my heart then I can't really have
you around me because you are going to know
the real me. But if I keep my distance
from you I can maybe
hold off people from knowing
who I really am. That's not Christianity. Christianity is giving
yourself 100% completely. Don't sing the song
"I surrender all" unless you really do. This isn't a hard gospel
it just requires all that you are. God is not asking you
for anything that's really hard
actually He is asking you to give up something you
were never created to be in the first place. Because God didn't
create you for you He created you for Him. But if we don't see
why we are on the earth why we are created
then we'll always trying to do, to be,
always trying to we will try and do
something else in order to be right with God. There is nothing that you
can do to be anymore right with God
than what Jesus did to make you right with God. I can't do anything
to be more loved by God. There is nothing you can do
there is nothing you have to do to earn it. Jesus paid a price for you
to become it, not to earn it. You can't perform to be
more accepted by God. I promise. The only way for this thing
to really work is you have to believe that
what Jesus did is enough to make you right with God. That's really good right there. It is, because performance
is what we come out of. Performance is actually
what we are still in in the world
because you are only as good as your last football. You know you are only as
good as your last touchdown. You are only as good as
your last home run. You are only as good as... Do you understand what
I am saying? You are only as good as
your last project. You are only as good as
your last test. You are only as good
as your last this. You are only as good
as your last tour you did. But in the Gospel it is
not about that. Although works are
by product of the reality of the grace of God that
is on your life. Because one day you
will stand before God you won't be judged by
the grace of God you will be judged by
your works. Wait a minute I thought
you said itÕs not about works. It is. It is about being
in order to do. If I don't understand
who I am then I can't then I can't
be who God has created me to be. It is all about being
right with God. Are you guys awake? You can't do anything
to be more loved by God but you cannot believe
the basic Gospel and not believe you are
loved by God. You can actually come
into the Kingdom get born again
pray a prayer and not know what
you have prayed and given your life to
and you think that an altar call
you saying "Yes" to Jesus is where it stops
and that is not where it stops that is where it starts. Being born again is essential
to unlock your potential. When I ask HIm to
come into my life I don't just give Him
a part of me and say "I am holding this back." There is a lot of people
not smiling right now. I am free from you. Because I love you and I
don't want anything from you to make my life OK. My life is fine because of
what He created me to be but I won't water it down
this Word or water down this conviction
of what it means to be a Christian
because I am convicted. I am convicted. The love of God
convicts me and it also compels me. I am convicted because
I am in love with God. The Holy Spirit, Jesus said
when the Holy Spirit comes He is going to do three things. He is going to convict
the world of sin. He is going to convict the
world of righteousness. Are you guys with me? Let's go there. It is always good to talk
about red letters because you can't get out of it. Not that you want to. I am just saying. Let's go to John 16. Thanks. Oh my gosh
we should just read John 14, 15 and 16
because it is just amazing. It is totally amazing
I have lived in here probably more than. Gosh I can't
we will never get out of here. Oh my gosh. OK I will just try to handle
this little bit here in John 16
because this is all red letters it is just all amazing
it is so amazing it is talking about the Helper
when the Helper comes the Spirit of Truth comes
proceeds from the Father he is talking about in John 16
in verse... Is that the Lord? It's the keyboard behind me. Thank you Jesus
it helps it go down easier. So in Chapter 16:5 it says
But now I am going to Him who sent Me;
and none of you asks Me, ÔWhere are You going?Õ
But because I have said these things to you,
sorrow has filled your heart. But I tell you the truth,
it is to your advantage that I go away;
for if I do not go away, the Helper will not
come to you; but if I go,
I will send Him to you. And He, when He comes,
will convict the world concerning sin and
righteousness and judgment And then he defines it
he says concerning sin,
because they do not believe in Me;
and concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father
and you no longer see Me; and concerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been judged. I have many more things
to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when He, the Spirit of truth,
comes, He will guide you into all the truth;
for He will not speak on His own initiative,
but whatever He hears, He will speak;
and He will disclose to you what is to come. He will glorify Me,
for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the
Father has are Mine; therefore I said that
He takes of Mine and will disclose
it to you. Do you know why
He is called the Helper? Because He knew you
couldn't do this thing on your own. But if you don't
need His help you will try to
and you will spin your wheels
and you will live in guilt and shame
and condemnation as the Holy Spirit
is the only one that makes this thing
alive and real. The Holy Spirit makes
the Word of God alive sharp and active
sharper than any two-edged sword
living and powerful divides your soul
from your spirit. The Holy Spirit has
to make a separation between your mind
your will, your emotions and your spirit man. I meet an overwhelmingly
and alarmingly amount of Christians
that never get into the Word themselves
and they trust their Pastor to take them to God. That is not OK
and the reason why people do that
is because when they get in here they don't
understand what they are reading
but without the Helper you will never get it. Jesus said it is going
to be better for you that I go away
if I don't go He won't come
I mean he is talking to the disciples that are
seeing miracles every day it is the most ridiculous
life ever. I mean can you imagine
Jesus going to a beach saying Listen guys we are
going to hang out we are going to chill
we are going to have a vacation
I know you guys are tired I know, just relax
just let's go. Alright. Phew thank you
somebody had to call it. And then you go there
and you see multitude upon multitude
of people and the disciples are like
Oh no! Jesus is moved
with compassion you know who moved
Him with compassion? The Helper. Jesus did what He did
not as God He did what He did
as a man in right relationship with God. He was fully God
and fully man but in order for Him
to accomplish what He needed to
and the life that He was born through the virgin Mary
on this earth to accomplish He had to do it as a man
not as God because God made
covenant with Himself and man
and said you have these laws to obey. 613 laws and 10 commandments
in order for you to be right with me. So Jesus had to come
and He had to humble Himself and become a bond servant
and had to be tempted at all points
yet without sin. So Jesus did not
do that as God He had to do that
as a man one made in God’s image. This is a huge deal. Huge deal. It's actually the Gospel. There are so many
people who say well that's Jesus
I mean, obviously dude I mean
but He didn't do it as God He did it as a man
that is why He was born Son of Man. Son of God but Son of Man
Son of Man because He had to walk out the whole law
all of it 613 laws and 10 commandments
without missing one. And in order for you
to be right with God you have to be holy
you have to live holy every day without
missing one law without missing
one commandment because if you miss one
James 2:10 says you have transgressed them all. In other words your
whole life is awash no matter how good
you want to be you are always
falling short. Always. That is why it is really
good for people like me that were a
drug addict for 22 years and atheist and
hated Christians. Hurt people
people are dead because of my life
I destroyed peopleÕs lives I lived with my girlfriend
for nine years had a seven-and-a-half-year-old
daughter told her I would kill her if she
ever left me for seven-and-a-half-years. And then I get saved
and people come up to me and tell me
"Man the reason why you love so much because of
how much you have been forgiven man. It's awesome"
and it sounds good and what you do is
justify yourself to live without love because
you haven't been forgiven like I was. How many times have
you heard somebody's testimony and go
"Man I wish I had a testimony like yours man. It's awesome." Do you know how many
people I have heard say "I wish I was a drug addict
man, gee. Listen to your life man." No you don't. See if you realised that
whether you obey 613 laws and fell short on
one commandment or you obeyed
it doesn't matter. See whether your
whole life was awash and you disobeyed
every commandment every day purposely
or you missed one you transgressed them all. Because God's standard
is holiness and perfection. So in God's eyes whether
you miss one or all of them you missed them all. Period. Here is a dilemma
if I don't understand what right standing means
and I don't understand what forgiveness means
what I will live with is this regret
this guilt, this shame this condemnation. When you get born again
guilt, shame and condemnation is supposed to be
kicked to the curb and out the window. You are never supposed
to have that thing gripping you again
but unfortunately because we don't know the
shepherds voice we listen to the stranger. The stranger says well remember
when you were seven and this happened to you
you are never going to get free from that. Yet someone gets
born again when they are 28 years old or
25 years old everything up until that point
is washed by the blood but because we come
to Jesus it says
Come to me all of you who are weary
Matthew 11:28 Come to me all of
you who are weary and burdened down by life
Come to me and I will give you rest. People come to Jesus
but then they neglect the latter half here
because the latter half and now
take My yoke upon you and learn from Me
for I am meek and lowly and gentle. Learn from Me
for My yoke is easy and My burden is light. Learn from Me
and you will find rest for your soul. That is where it is
right there. So we come to Jesus and
we have this momentary "Yes God please forgive me." He forgives us
and then we fail to learn from Him so we
can't stay there. So people get born again
when they are 15 years old and have this amazing
experience with God and then at 53 years old
they are living with guilt, shame and
condemnation and they are trusting their pastor
to take them to God instead of opening the
book that life is in and realising the Holy Spirit
wants to teach you and train you. It is our instruction manual
on how to live. I love the power of God
I love miracles I love seeing healing and
I love to prophesy I love it all
I love it but the thing that I love the most
is being right with God. Everyday. I am right with God
everyday. Like He loves me
He loves me He loves me
He loves me. Everyday. I wake up in love with God
I wake up loved by God everyday. Nobody can take it away
because nobody else gave me that
and if nobody can take away His love nobody
can reject me because nobody has
accepted me except my Father. So if I walk into a
restaurant and I am going to talk to a waiter
about Jesus and she starts shutting me down
and she is just mean she didn't reject me
I am still accepted I am still sitting
there accepted. What can you do to
take away what you didn't give me. How can a husband
take away what they never gave you. How can a wife take away
what they never gave you. How can a child that
backslides and runs away how can that child
cause your salvation to be in question. When you wake up
in the morning did you wake up on
the wrong side of the bed? The only reason that you
probably woke up on the wrong side of the bed
is because you thought your pillow was God
when you went to sleep. Because the day was bad
you had a hard time at work you had a hard time yesterday
everything went wrong. So when you hit the bed
it's Oh my God thank you Jesus
the day is over and you fluff
your pillow lay down
then you wake up but you have to leave
that pillow in the morning. It all has to start again. What are you
going to do? Snooze. Then you wake up
look in the mirror and you are not thankful
for what you have you are not thankful
for who you are because you fail to
see your created value. I am not speaking
some weird Gospel I am talking the truth. You have to wake up
there is no wrong side of the bed
the bed is the same. You know Sunday is
amazing but Monday is coming. Do you know that there
that the Sabbath and the day of rest and
do you know that every day is supposed
to be a day of rest. Do you know that
when you come to Jesus you cease from your
works in order to obtain salvation and you live
from salvation salvation works itself out
with fear and trembling but you live from a
place of being right with God
you don't have to do to be you be and then you do
and doing is the by product of being
when the miraculous is concerned and
when it comes to praying for people
sometime people think that their more right with God
because they had healing flow through their life
but let's never forget that the disciples had
healing flow through their life and they
weren't even saved. The disciples were
praying for the sick they weren't even
born again they couldn't of been until Jesus was
crucified and resurrected yet Jesus gave the
disciples power and they lived as orphans with power
and wanted to blow up cities. Who's the greatest? Hey! Who's the greatest? Hey Ssshh. Who Lord? He must be last
He who is last must be first must be last
What? Who's the greatest now. I mean they got it really
messed up. They were trying to
one up each other. They were always trying
to look the best. Who is going to sit
at your right hand and your left? Come on Lord. Peter, well Lord like
you are amazing you are amazing. First time Peter meets Jesus
it's like come on let's go fish. Like dude I have been
fishing all night. Back off. I am the fisherman
you are not. I have been raised
on the water. It's true. Come on let's
just go out. Whatever. They go out
Jesus like throw your nets all. What! Help me guys. He falls to his knees. Get away from me Lord
I am a sinful man. What happened? The goodness of God. It hit Peter. God's goodness
but even when you live as an orphan
God's goodness will come and unless you realise
that you are a son or a daughter
you won't remain in repentance. But the Holy Spirit
He said when I send the Holy Spirit
when the Holy Spirit comes if He doesn't come
I mean if I don't go He won't come
when I go I am going to send Him
and the presence of Me that hangs with you that
you like so much so much that Peter said
no one is taking you from me dude. Nobody. Come on Jesus. I am going to die soon. Peter, no you are not. Not on my watch. Forget it. Get behind me satan. Come on I thought we
were buddies. Get behind me satan. Your mind
is full of the things of man instead of the things
of God. It's a hard thing. Come on Jesus
just a couple of minutes earlier. Who do men say
that I am? Some say this and
some say that. John the Baptist, Jeremiah
one of the prophets a lot of people are saying
a lot of things some say you are the healer
some say that you are nice some say that you are mean
some say that you are good some say that you are bad
some say that you are in control
some say that you are out of control
I really don't know but lots of people are
saying a lot of things. Yes but who do you
guys say I am I have been hanging with you. You are the Christ. Whoa Simon. You didn't come up
with that one yourself. Flesh and blood didn't
reveal that to you but the Father did
and upon this rock I am going to
build my church and the gates of hell
will not prevail against it. It is what He said. Simon is like
ÒDo you see that! I am the man!Ó
Serious. They were always competing. Competition is for orphans. It is not about competing
it is not about who has the biggest church
who has the biggest ministry who has the best ministry
who has the most people it is not about that
it is about Jesus man. It is about Jesus. It is not about that. It is not about who can
quote the most scriptures it is about Jesus. Besides what does it matter
who quotes scriptures that you haven't become
become them you are supposed to
become the Word not just quote the Word. It is not about how many
scriptures you can memorise it's what you can
walk out man. Jesus said don't be just
a hearer but be a doer. I wish he would have said
don't be just a quoter. Now I am not making
light of the Word I am making the most
of the Word because what you hear is the Word. But man when I first got saved
and I went to Teen Challenge these people would
when I am in this programme they are holding up
index cards you have got to
remember a scripture they turn it away
and my mind would just be gone
I would be like. Whoa, what was that! Because I would forget
I burned my brain 22 years of smoking
an ounce of weed a week. I fried my brain. Like it was gone. History. Memorisation skills
Zero. None. Not happening. I really needed a helper. Don't you think that
the helper would be good for you. Why is He called
the Comforter? Because He knew that
you were required to be uncomfortable. When you are amidst
in a situation and itÕs dark in there
what do you need? You need the Comforter. You need the Comforter
to know that you are the light of the world. Without the Comforter
you have a basket on your head. You are a 007 Christian. You don't want to
share your faith. Why? Because you don't
even know what your faith is. You think that you got
born again so that one day Jesus can
get you out of here. That is not the
way it is. Jesus did not say
pray a prayer to escape. He didn't even tell you
to pray for a rapture He didn't tell you
to pray for Him to get you out of here. I hear people say
ÒThe Lord is coming back soon are you ready?Ó
Well my question is like are you more
concerned about Him coming back
to get you out of here or are you more
concerned about you doing something
with it when He is here when you're here. He didn't say pray some
prayer and disappear. He didn't say pray
for the rapture so you can be rescued. The rapture is not a
rescue mission anyway itÕs a pick up
for a wedding date for a bride that has
made herself ready. I know a lot of people
that are not ready yet for praying for God
to get you out of here is saying I can't
help the world my boss is a jerk
my family is mean I can't pay my bills
I don't know what to do Jesus every day is
getting worse and worse and worse
look the signs of the times people are lovers
of themselves and not lovers of God
the very fact that you are praying that way
means that you love yourself more than
you love God. Why? Me, me, me
get me out of here help me God
help, what do I do? Me. I am not saying
that life is easy it's not
life is set up to kill you satan wants you dead
he wants you extinguished he wants you silent
so he does everything he can to squeeze you
and to mould you and to shape you like the world
but God says don't be conformed
don't be moulded but the world but be
ye transformed by the renewing of your mind
so that you can prove Gods will. Well how can you know
the will of God? The Bible says you are
supposed to prove it. Yes but you can't
God is sovereign you can't know Gods will. Well you are wrong. Read the Bible I promise
that God says don't be unwise but know
the will of the Lord in every circumstance you
are required to know His will. Why that is just blasphemy. No that is biblically. That is not blasphemy. That is what God says. If you want to know
what the will of God is look at Jesus's life. He was the will of
God walking, talking He never did anything
unless it was Gods will He never said anything
unless it was Gods will. Ever, He was so
yielded to God. He said the food that
I have when he is talking to the woman
the Samaritan women at the well
you ever heard the story. He said the food that
I have is to do the will of Him who sent Me. I have come down
not to do My will but to do My Fathers will. He was so yielded to
the will of God so if I want to know
what Gods will is look at Jesus's life. But looking at Jesus's life
through someone else preaching the Gospel
and never ever looking at Jesus's life
through the life that He paid a price for
yours looking into the Gospel
and seeing who He created you to be
will always leave you short
and without having the Holy Spirit to convict
the world of sin of righteousness and
of judgement He says of sin
the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin
because I am going to go and be with the Father. They don't believe in Me
of sin because they just don't believe in Me. Of righteousness
because I am going to be with My Dad. And of judgement because
the ruler of this world is judged. Of sin because they
don't believe in Me. Now we are Christians
if youÕre not you should be
it's a lot more fun. Of sin because they
don't believe in Me so when we come
to Jesus we are convicted
of our sin and we realise that
there is no way for me to get to a Holy God
and Jesus paid a price for me to come. He shamed the
principalities publicly. Made a public spectacle
says if they had known it they never would of
done it but they did and Jesus pays a price
to make me right with God. He pays a price for me
to be forgiven of 613 laws and 10 commandments
that I missed. Regardless of whether you
think you did or not God's standard is holiness
so if you didn't walk perfect all of your life you have
missed it. So it means
radical sinner horrible, twisted. The Pharisees used to say
if this man if He knew what kind of
a sinner this woman was He wouldn't even talk to her. Self-righteousness is one of
the most dangerous things out there. Thinking that you are better
than somebody else because you have lived a
pretty good life. All have sinned and all
have fallen short with the Glory of God. Equally, all have
fallen short equally. All of us have been
equally forgiven but not all of us
have believed that we have been forgiven. How do we know that? Guilt, shame and
condemnation living in something that
God says is finished yet continuing
and thinking that it is still there. It's a lie from the past
trying to get you to turn around and look. It's called rear view
Christianity. Looking in a rear view
mirror remembering something that God
says He forgot. I meet more Christians
that are condemned guilty and ashamed
than Christians that are on fire and believe
the Gospel and I am not proclaiming
or pointing the finger I am not telling you
that this shoe is yours because if the shoe fits
that I am talking about kick it off it isn't your shoe. You are supposed to be
shod with the Gospel of peace
how can you have peace if you still think about
things that God forgot and how can you ever
get the things present if you keep thinking
about things that are past. How can you even
believe the love of God if we keep thinking
about things that God forgave and forgot. It says it. I am fully persuaded
that neither angels nor principalities
nor powers nor life, nor death
nor things present nor things to come
nor any other created thing will be able to separate
me from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus. What does that mean? That means this
angels, principalities, powers life, death
things present notice your past isn't in there
angels, principalities, powers life, death
things present it goes right past your past. Why? Because with the cross
with the blood of Jesus What can wash away my sin? We know that song but
do we believe it? What can make
me whole again? Nothing but the
blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow
that makes me white as snow
No other fountain I know Nothing but the
blood of Jesus. There is nothing
but the blood of Jesus there is nothing
the whole Bible is about this Messiah
this One to come the One that was going
to make me right with God. The Old Testament was
what you had to do to be right with God. You couldn't. So Jesus came and did it
so that you could be right with God. The New Testament
is who you are because of what He did. When you see what
He did and you see who you are
you will never try to do to be
ever again you will just stand
in the mirror look and behold as
in a mirror with unveiled face
the Glory of the Lord and be transformed
into the original image that God created
you to be in the beginning as
if you never ate the tree. Justified means
just as if I'd never sinned. Just as if I'd never
missed the mark. Ever, when I look in
the mirror I see a man that never sinned. Well that's blasphemy. No that's Bible. When I look in the
mirror I see a Father that forgave me
and washed my past away washed it away
because when I live with that I am not
condemned because of who I was. I am not regretting
somebody that was blinded and couldn't see
but if I was blind and now I see
and I was dead and now I live
but if I was in darkness but now I am in light
if I was lost but now I am found. It's not an in between. It's was lost and now found
was blind now see was dead now alive
it's not an in between we can't have a grey area
this isn't a place to hang out it's where
the devil lives. Look on the floor
it's a devil. Look. Just kidding. I am just kidding. Sorry. It was just perfect for
what I was sharing. Because the devil
is a roach he is a bug
he is a creep. If God translated you
from darkness to light why do you think
the Bible says that pastors and apostles
and prophets and teachers and evangelists
are for the equipping of the saints. Doesn't say the
equipping of the sinners. If He translated you
and forgave you of all your sin
I am not promoting some false grace doctrine. Weird grace is that
hey God will forgive me I can just sin and do
whatever I want. That's not grace. That's the devil. God doesn't say
get saved and keep living the same. Well God likes me
just the way I am. That's true. It's true, He does
He loves you just the way you are
but He doesn't expect you to stay that way. There should be a
difference between your life then and
your life now and if not it's because
you havenÕt dived into the Word and found out
what God says about you. It's true. How can you get
through life and how can this
creation function if you don't even read the
instruction manual. And how can you read
the instruction manual and don't know
the instructor. He is the author and
finisher of our faith. The Holy Spirit
wrote that Word all scripture is
God breathed and inspired by God
for approve for correction
for admonishment. It's all for training
and righteousness that Word
training and right standing with God. It's the truth
but if you don't understand what it means to be
right with God you will live wrong
with God. Jesus who knew
no sin became sin. God reconciled us
back to Him. Now He has given us
the same ministry of reconciliation. That ministry of reconciliation
is the ministry of righteousness. Condemnation,
guilt, shame all that stuff came
through the law because there was
no way for you to do it. You couldn't. Moses was given the
ministry of condemnation engraved on stones
and it had glory. Why? Because God
is glorious. God is Holy. Moses was given
that ministry but it says but we
have been given ministry of righteousness which
has much more glory not engraved on stones
but engraved on tablets of flesh that is of the heart. So the ministry that we have
condemnation isn't a part of it
conviction is. When you live with
the Holy Spirit you live with relationship with
the Holy Spirit what happens is you start
to get convicted of things that you shouldn't do
but the Holy Spirit is so good He creates
this thing inside of you called the Fear of the Lord. It's the beginning
of wisdom. He cleanses your
conscience from dead works
because the blood of Jesus cleanses
our conscience from dead works
in order to serve God. Guilt, shame and
condemnation are in the conscience
but when the blood of Jesus hits the interior. Boom! And washes
this thing clean there is nothing left
in here for you to be forgiven of it's all finished. So that is the
beginning and that is the foundation
that is the revelation of Christ. Christ in you the
hope of glory. Realising that Jesus
paid such a high price for you
because you are worth it. If you donÕt see this
you will look at the cross like it is
the revelation of your sin
but the cross is the revealing of your value. If you see how valuable
you are to the Father you are not just a
worm in the dirt satan is. He was cursed to
crawl on his belly all the days of his life
not you. But satan loves to
whisper to people you are worthless. If you are worthless
then why did heaven pay such a high price
for you? What you are saying
is Jesus was worthless. You could never say that
consciously you could never say
He was worthless yet that was the price
that heaven paid to get you back. Heaven went bankrupt
to purchase you because God thought
that you were worth it. He wanted His family back. How exciting is this
the Gospel is external and it keeps on going
and going and going and going. Imagine if these truths were
in your soul when you woke up every morning
believing this. Oh my gosh your life
would change. In a moment
In an instant. Just bang. Done. Whoa! What was I thinking? Exactly, get that thing
off of you and believe the truth. Having been justified
by faith Romans 5:1 having been
justified by faith. Justified what is that? Just as if I never ate the tree. Just as if I never missed it. How clean does the
blood of Jesus make you? Some or all. Then what is the issue
not believing the all. Well it can't be that easy! You're wrong. You want it the hard way
try to obey 613 laws and 10 commandments
every day of your life not missing one
walk the tightrope and see how far you make it. You won't make it far. Yet with Jesus coming and
forgiving us or our sin you wake up and you
don't have to sin. Well yes you do as soon
as you hit the floor. You're wrong. Can you brush your teeth
without sinning? Could you go to breakfast
take your breakfast take one and eat a bowl
of cereal without sinning? Don't look at the newspaper. You already did. I am just kidding. No but it puts your soul
in a place where you don't need it
if you think the news is something that you
need every morning you are deceived. Well I need to catch up
on what's going on. Why don't you find out
what is going on in the Word and what God thinks about you
why don't you read the Good News
the Gospel of salvation the Good News
and why don't you keep the Good News before you
and have your mind set on things above
and not beneath. You start your day off
with CNN you start your day off with the news
you start your day off with Dr. Phil
you start your day off with all these different things
and you think they are necessary for you to
get through life but really it is just a habit. It's a bad habit. We are coming home
from work we're tired
we go get a shower we go and
our food is being prepared whatever
we sit there we're preparing our food
sit there in front of the TV we watch this
we watch that because it's just
gets our day I like my show
yet we wonder where God is
when catastrophe hits and when tragedy hits. If you are not filling
your mind with truth you will just believe a lie. This isn't for parents, kids
this is for kids this isn't just for
your kids, parents this is for you. I have a five-year-old
and a ten-year-old, girls 19-year-old girl
we just adopted a little boy that was born to a mama
that was addicted to heroin for 20 years. She has been on
Methadone now for a few years to get
free from heroine now she is free from
heroine but she is addicted to methadone
because methadone isn't designed for you to break
free from it methadone is designed
to keep you hooked forever and that baby is born
on FatherÕs Day addicted and I am in the hospital
because we are adopting him and in 72 hours he's
going through withdrawal needing methadone
a baby. What are you going to do? Read the news? No sir. Yes but how do you
know what is going on? I read the Book. It's getting worse. It's true. Great trials and great
tribulations all the time everywhere you look. But who are you? When... That's right we are the
light of the world but when catastrophe hits
where are you in peopleÕs lives? Do they look to you
for answers? Or do they look to
their newspaper to find the same bad news again. It's not OK man. We are hope. Why? Because Christ in us
is the hope of glory. You are an ambassador
of hope. You carry hope. You carry truth. You carry the Holy Ghost. Christ in you
the hope of Glory but Christ coming
out of you is that hope being manifested
everywhere you go. This is a big deal man. I didn't come here
just to prove a point. I believe this Gospel. I have been free for 12 years
from guilt, shame and condemnation. I have been right with God
I woke up right with God for 12 years straight. Right with God
October 24. Right with God. Right with God. There is no wrong
with me in God I am right with God. It keeps me from ever
wanting to eat the tree. The first Adam
God told him don't eat the tree
the last Adam God paid a price to come
and live inside to keep you from ever wanting
to eat the tree. In that hospital
when that baby was born they brought him over to us
we held little Azariah to be able to hold my baby
my son looking into his eyes
knowing that he is not a mistake
knowing that he is the plan of God. Lots of people think
they are mistakes you are deceived
you are not a mistake all life comes from God
I don't care how you are here if you are here it is
because God said "Yes." If you are here it is
because Jesus said "Yes." All life comes from God. God ordained you before
the world was even here. Before the foundation
of the world He thought about you. That is amazing. How could it be? Because He said. He thought about me. He knew I was going
to be twisted for 22 years
He knew I was going off the rails
He knew I was going to hurt people
and be hurt by people He knew it
yet it pleased God to bruise His Son. We get this picture
like God was really sad when Jesus was hanging
on that tree. He wasn't sad. Jesus didn't come to live
He came to die. He came to die so that
I might live. That is really the truth. He loves us. Paid such a price. So we are in our room
with our little boy we get transferred into
this unit it's the NT unit it's the
addiction unit. I am in a hospital
where 3 to 4 out of ten babies are born
addicted to heroin. You think. Where? Here in America. The land of the free. Look at these babies
in the unit. There are 18 of them
when we move in. (Wail) All over the hall. Screaming. What do you do? Read the news? You better have the Gospel. You better have Jesus in there. We have a mama that is in
this is her second baby she is free from heroine
but she has been on methadone for about
I think 6 years. She can't get off. Every time she tries to
get off she gets sicker than ever
because methadone is very addictive. I don't want to do
this no more and I come in and
the nurses are there. ÒHey honey how are
you doing?Ó ÒI am OK how are you.Ó
They don't know who I am. They don't know
we are adopting. I look like I am just... I tell the nurse that day
"Do you know Jesus loves you." "Oh yes thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you." and she walks away. I said "No, no, no you didn't
hear me. I really am telling you
Jesus loves you." "OK, OK. Well thank you. Alright." And walks out again. Frustrated with me. Why? Because that's a baby
she doesn't know it's not our physical baby. Lots of boyfriends and girlfriends
and husbands and wives are in there that are totally
addicted to drugs. Still using needles
because they can't get free. So I told this nurse I said
"Do you know I was a drug addict for 22 years." I said "No, no, no. We are adopting." "What?" "Yes Jesus came into
my life" and I told her my testimony. "Well that's, that's amazing. Well I am glad that worked
for you." "What are you talking about
worked for me? Jesus is
for everybody." "Well, each to his own." "Oh no, no, no." You see now I am trapped
in a unit with 18 babies and their parents
I am not going to sit there and go ssshhh
don't share the Gospel. I am possessed. I just start walking in the rooms
"Hey how are you guys doing?" "OK." "Hey you have got to do me
a favour, you have got to let me pray for your baby. I believe that Jesus wants
to help your baby." "What? OK well we don't
know who you are." "I understand that. I am a Christian, I love Jesus
with all my heart we are adopting
I was a drug addict for 22 years
I was right where you're at and I promise there is
freedom for you." "OK well, we are busy
right now." Baby is screaming. "Let me just pray for
your baby." We pray for the baby. "He loves you guys." "What did you do!" "Nothing. I love you guys. Bless you. I will be
over here." So I go over to my room
that nurse comes back I say "Hey I notice
you are walking funny you have really bad knees. Your right knee is really bad." "Yes well you know
it comes with the territory." "Hold on one second
I need to pray for you." "Oh I am busy." "I understand but just
hold on." I said "You are caring
for all these babies and no one is caring
about you." I said "and God cares
for you." I pray for her and Jesus
gives her brand new knees. "OK but I didn't want
anything from you. God loves you OK. I hope you have
a great day and I will see you in a little bit
you are my nurse." "OK." And she tells "I don't
know who this man is that is in there
but he prayed for my knees he's praying for
these people what do we do?" It's an epidemic. What do we do? There is hope in a
room over there. What do we do? Bring hope over here
to this room. OK "Hey guys how
are you doing?" Everyday. All day. I go in at 10 in the morning
be in there until 4.30 in the afternoon
holding my boy praying over him
they have to give him methadone and
there is a cycle once you go in there
you have to stay there until the methadone
is weaned down it's the way the rules are
there is no way out of it. You can't just take
your baby out. So he has got to
get through them I have to sit there
and watch my boy get methadone. That bothers me. But Jesus is bigger than that. So I just keep touching
the nurses touching babies
and touching mommas there is a mom that
is in her room beautiful, amazing mom
wants to be free from methadone
she has had one baby in there
this is her second baby and these nurses know her. She is in the second time
they dealt with her first baby
now second baby name is Stacy
her little boys name is Zander. She has been in there
for a long-time man. Some babies have been
in there for 80 days. Long time. Screaming. Not getting free
with nobody giving them hope
because they are kind of not allowed to
because there is separation of church
and state this is a hospital and
the nurseÕs kind of don't know what they can do out loud
but somebody that doesn't work there needs to be
the instigator. So I am going to be
the instigator I am going to be
the antagonist I am going in there. I am going in there
to bring the Gospel. But if I didn't believe
that I was right with God how could I? And if I was still ashamed
because I didn't believe that I was forgiven. How could I? And if I don't read
the Word and know what real hope is and real
truth is and know that God wants to heal,
deliver, set free. If I don't know what
that Word saved means I might think it means
just pray a prayer and get to heaven. And I am like praying
for Jesus to rescue me out of here
and I might live like hell until I get there. Save doesn't mean
just get to heaven saved means
to be healed, delivered protected and made whole
to be kept safe from harm. It's a word called Òsozo.Ó
To be saved means to be healed
to be delivered to be set free
to be made whole to be kept safe from harm. We can't just teach it
out there we need to look up and find out
what those words mean. It's a Greek word
when we put it into American we put it into
the new English and we put it into
New King James or the King James
I have people that still fight about that stuff. You can't read ÒThe MessageÓ
you have to read the King James
the King James is the only version. Listen. No, no, no
that's not true it's Greek and Hebrew
go back to the original and read the long version. Read every word for
what it was there is like
10 or 11 adjectives adverbs to describe
one word in every scripture that
you read. So if you really want
to find out what it means read the whole thing
together and find out. Say OK I am going to take
one of these versions. Be careful not to fight
over which version. It's about Jesus. It's about the Holy Spirit. Let's bring it back to
the simple Gospel. He is good. That's right. He really is. So that lady Stacy
is in the room with us and I start sharing
"Honey this isn't who you are." "Well I know but..." "No there is no buts
now listen to me." And I shared the Gospel
the Good News these girls are in
and out of jail just all that stuff. "No you have value honey. You don't understand
this is who God says you are." And I share my testimony. Stacy probably heard my
testimony 50 times because different moms
would come into the room. I remember one day
there was a nurse who was getting agitated with me
because I am praying for people. So this lady comes
into the room "Come pray for my baby. He is not breathing right. Please help me." She is crying and the
nurse goes "No you are not allowed to go." Another nurse
"Oh that's alright honey." I went out in the hallway
and said "I can pray right here, right now
right here." So we prayed for her baby
she went down into the room and her baby was
completely fine. Listen to me
this is ridiculously crazy. I got brought into the main
office with the head nurse because she
was from a denomination that didn't believe that
this was for today. I was like an antichrist
false prophet guy not that
that is what she has been taught
her whole life. The denomination that
she is from teaches that this is not for today
and gifts are from the devil. She doesn't know
she is just ignorant. Ignorant not dumb. Ignorant not understanding. Do you understand what
I am saying. I am not being
I am not saying anything bad. When we get in there
she is like "These women think
you're Jesus and you're not." And I go "You're right
but we are "Christ"ians." I said "The Bible says
to be an imitator of God and here we are
imitators of God." "OK." And I said "Can I just
share where I come from?" And I did and got through
the whole thing shared my heart with her
for an hour I said "Can I just pray with you?" She said "OK." I said "Come on letÕs pray. Father we just thank You."
and we are just praying and she prays
and we are praying together. It's awesome. I said "Father I thank You for
the left side of her neck that You would heal her
right now God. In Jesus name
brand new neck God. All that pain that goes
into her shoulder and her trapped in the side of
her neck. In Jesus name
be healed right now. Amen." She goes
"How do you know about my neck?" I said "Jesus." She goes "That's impossible." I said "Well check your neck." She goes "Oh my God
it is gone!" I said "What do you think
of that?" She goes "I... I... Keep
praying for these babies." I said "Awesome." I said "It's so nice to
meet you. I will see you
every day." Know what is crazy? We are in there for 3 weeks. I am in there for 20 days
shorter than it's just like
the minimum time. It's amazing. And when I left there
her daughter she told me her daughter
is kind of she has a spine like
just a scoliosis all twisted back
she never told me she knew I was praying
she was the one working at the front desk
she goes "Before you leave can you pray for my daughter?Ó
I said "Sure." So she sent for her and I
to the daughter I said "Come on you know your
mom sold you out right!" I said "You are in
pain constantly." She said "Yes." "I want to just pray
for your back." "OK if you want to." And we did. Didn't God just make
her back heal completely. Right there. She didn't even believe. Yet Jesus. Guys what are you waiting for? This isn't just for an evangelist
or pastor or an apostle or a prophet or teacher
this is for believers. It's a believer priesthood
for a royal generation or a chosen generation
a royal priesthood. Royal. Royal. Royalty. Chosen. Picked by God. Hand-picked by God
regardless whether you believe it or not. I promise. OK it's 10.33 I messed up
big time. Listen yes, I know I can't
because there's another service coming in
and I just looked and saw it. I see one clock that
says zero and another that says 10.33. Sorry. Look I love you guys
I appreciate you guys. If you can hang around
hang around we're going to do
another service I don't know how to end
because I am past my time so let's just do this. Jesus
I thank You for truth I thank You for grace
Father I thank You. Oh we're doing tonight too
God I thank You in the name of Jesus. We do want to pray
for the sick tonight I can't right now because
of the time but we are going to
and I apologise. So Father I thank You
in the name of Jesus God for grace
for everyone here I thank You God.
in Jesus precious name. Amen.
