Christ Un-barred - Sunday Service - Strong, but still a baby

(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Thank you for waking us up this morning with the air in our lungs precious Father Hallelujah. Thank you, precious Father, Hallelujah. Happy way in this place. (upbeat music) We worship the God who was, we worship the God who is. We worship the God who never more will be. We open the prison doors, He parted the raging seas. Our God, He holds the victory. There's joy in the house of the Lord. There's joy in the house of the Lord to be. And we won't be quiet. We shout out your prayer. There's joy in the house of the Lord. Our God is surely in His hand. We won't be quiet. We shout out your prayer. I go to like I said to you. I go to like I said to you. We look like I do. I go to like I said to you. It is not that it's in the house. We look like I go to like I do. We look like I do. We look like I do. We look like I do. We look like I said to you.

We look like I said to you. [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [LAUGHTER] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING] [NON-ENGLISH SINGING]

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(singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (audience cheering) - Good morning, house of rest. Who's excited to be here? Let's praise Jesus. There is joy in this house today. There is joy in serving Jesus. If this is your first time, we're so glad you joined us. We're gonna jump right back into worship. Jesus is in this house. He's here for you. It is not by mistake that you're joining us today.

So open your hearts for the Lord. He's here. Pastor's gonna give a word and then we'll have dismissal. Thank you for joining us today. (gentle music) (singing in foreign language) ♪ A thousand generations fall down in one field ♪ ♪ Just seeing a song of ages to the land ♪ ♪ And all who've gone before us ♪ ♪ And all who we'll believe will sing a song of ages ♪ ♪ To the land ♪ ♪ Your name is the highest ♪ ♪ Your name is the greatest ♪ ♪ Your name stands above them all ♪ ♪ All roads and dominions all clouds ♪ ♪ And positions your name stands above them all ♪ ♪ And the angels cry ♪ ♪ Holy, our creation cries ♪ ♪ Holy, you are lifted high ♪ ♪ Holy, holy forever ♪ (gentle music) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language)

(singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) ♪ Give me hope ♪ ♪ Oh when I will be ♪ ♪ To let you love me ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ You can always be ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Always forever ♪ ♪ The times I've born to know me ♪ ♪ Has done it to know me ♪ ♪ So I'm gonna go the way ♪ ♪ Oh, me, he's, he's born ♪ ♪ Oh, this, he's named us ♪ ♪ You know, I'm ready ♪ ♪ So I'm gonna go the way ♪ ♪ Oh, me, he's the highest ♪ ♪ Your name is the greatest ♪ ♪ As your name stands above the mall ♪ ♪ All roads and a million tall paths ♪ ♪ And as it shines your name stands above the mall ♪ ♪ And angels cry ♪ Oh Oh Oh

Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here

It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here

It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here

It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here It's forever And then I'm in here ♪ We won't deny it, dear ♪ ♪ The jealous one of me I've been so ♪ ♪ When what what I've been ♪ ♪ When what what I've been ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ And I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ That I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ That I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ I've been told that, dear ♪ ♪ And it's not that I am told ♪

♪ That I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ That I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ That I am so right like you ♪ ♪ That I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ I'm so right like you ♪ ♪ Ooh, hallelujah ♪ ♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ He's us ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ He's us ♪ ♪ He's us ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ He's us ♪ ♪ Thank you Lord ♪ ♪ She ♪ ♪ Jesus, nothing like his name ♪ ♪ She, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ She, Jesus ♪ ♪ She, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ She, Jesus ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you, Jesus ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you, yeah ♪ ♪ We love you Lord ♪

♪ Yes, you, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you, Jesus, we love you Lord ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Yes, you ♪ ♪ All I want to do is see ♪ ♪ And think about you ♪ ♪ And think about you ♪ ♪ You have all of my attention ♪ ♪ I'm here to praise you ♪ ♪ I'm here to praise you ♪ ♪ That's why I like you ♪ ♪ That's why I like you ♪ ♪ Me and I were going low ♪ ♪ And when it's not that I had known ♪ ♪ There's no one like you ♪ ♪ That's why I like you ♪ ♪ You're all inside your face ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ You cut your down ♪ ♪ And you're still under ♪ ♪ I'm in love with you ♪ ♪ I'm in love with you ♪ ♪ And I think about your soul ♪ ♪ And I think about your soul ♪ ♪ And I think about it too ♪ ♪ And I think about it too ♪ ♪ And I think about it too ♪

♪ And I think about it too ♪ ♪ You ♪ ♪ Please tell me what I like to do ♪ She, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ She, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪

♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪

♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ He, he's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ Sometimes it's only thing we have in us ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ He, He's a horse in his name, it's me ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪ ♪ Jesus ♪

♪ Jesus ♪ Welcome to our Sunday service here at House of Peace. Welcome to our Sunday service here at House of Rest Church, where Jesus is the senior pastor. We believe there's a seat with your name on it, and we're so glad you chose to spend your Sunday morning with us. House of Rest Church was established in 2011, and by the grace of God, we're still going strong all in the name of Jesus. Here is our QR code. Your one-stop place for everything happening at House of Rest Church. You'll find our weekly schedule, upcoming events, giving information, times, baptism signups, and much more. You'll also find QR codes throughout the church in the lobby, in our different rooms, and even on many of the seats. of Rest. Every Wednesday at 6.45 p.m. we come together for worship, Bible study and prayer. And there's something for the next generation too. Our youth ministry, for students in 7th through 12th grade, meets at the same time, along with our young adults ministry, for ages 18 to 30. There's a place for everyone to connect, grow and build relationships. What's also available is bridges, our reentry ministry for men and women who have been released from incarceration. We understand that coming home can bring challenges and you don't have to walk through them alone. We want to partner with you as you acclimate back into society, grow in your relationship with Christ, develop practical life skills and become everything the Lord has called you

to be. Visit our website through the QR code and sign up for bridge. Someone from our team will contact you and help you get connected. And don't forget about our school online discipleship community. You can continue growing in your faith throughout the week with classes like learning to hear God's voice, church history and many more. We're continually adding new classes and resources, so make sure you check back often. At House of Rest Church, Sunday morning is just the beginning. There's a place for you to worship, learn, serve, grow and become everything God has called you to be. Thank you for joining us at House of Rest Church Modesto. We are a Grace International Church, part of a global family of more than 5,000 churches worldwide. Welcome home. Good morning again church. I'm Jennifer and it's such an honor and a privilege to come here and give you your weekly announcements, and the presence of Jesus is so rich in this house. Let's just give it up and tell him again how much we love him. Jesus, we thank you, we thank you for who you are in our lives. We thank you, Lord, that we can just come and openly praise you, Lord. Just give you the glory. Today immediately following service, we're going to have discipleship class number three. It's titled How To. So go check that out and find out how to, right? That happens right after service. It's in the PBLS class and we also, I don't know who here is not coming to women's discipleship, but you're really missing out. Let's give it up for who does come. Anyone here this week? Yeah, right, sisters?

Well, I'm here, I come, we got a couple here that's coming. Okay, I see a handful of ladies that have been coming, man, the nuggets that are being deposited, sister Gloria, I'm going to go ahead and call you out because you did such an amazing job leading Friday night, thank you, just learning so much and the sister hood and growing together in the relationships that are developing the time of fellowship that takes place. Really encourage you, our next time of gathering is on October 9th. It begins at 6.30. You're under no obligation whatsoever to bring anything, but your beautiful smile. But you're also welcome to bring a dish if you want to. Sometimes we bring stuff, there's always something to snack on. But more importantly, there's amazing fellowship with your sisters in Christ. So come out for that, it's every other Friday, our next one is October 9th at 6.30. So this week for our Wednesday gathering, everything's canceled. There will be no Bible study, youth or young adults this week because our leadership is going to be at the conference down south. So show up, but no one will be here, just everyone take note of that. Also, it's time for meet and greet. My favorite part of the service where we get to stand up, say hello to someone you don't know, go out of your way, make our newcomers feel welcome, hug your neighbors neck, brother Israel, hello. If you're tuning in on Panda, Edovo, Facebook, YouTube, everyone online, we're so glad that you're here, welcome. (crowd chattering) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (crowd chattering) (upbeat music) (crowd chattering) (upbeat music)

(crowd chattering) (upbeat music) (crowd chattering) (upbeat music) (crowd chattering) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) - Amen, those that are watching through their screens. God bless you. Thank you so much for being a part of this service. Appreciate each and every one of you, regardless of where you're watching it on Pando or YouTube or Facebook. Appreciate all of you for being here with us. Amen, good morning, everyone. - Good morning. - Good morning. - God bless you. Thank you for being here on this Sunday. Appreciate you. A lot of our people, we have that conference that we're going to immediately after service. So if I don't say, sit and talk with you afters 'cause I gotta get right on the freeway. And, but just a lot of our people already left. We have a combined service in case you're saying, why are we singing in English and Spanish? We have a combined service.

And, you know, I wanna thank Pastor Armando for bringing the Spanish congregation over here to be here and. (crowd applauding) If you hear him talking back there, he's not crazy. (crowd laughing) He's translating into a microphone so that way those that they can have earpieces. So that's what he's doing. Amen. So before we get into the the missions and offering and tithing, I first want to brother Johnny lost his mom a few days ago. And, you know, we got called and went to the hospital that night. You know, and a lot of you, whether you know or not, Johnny has been with us for a long time. Very, very long time. And, his mom was and is a firecracker for Jesus. Amen. (crowd applauding) That woman had no problem telling you how it was. You know, I mean, man, raising a boy like Johnny, she had to be tough. You know, but,

you know, the Lord has earned a beautiful, beautiful woman. But nevertheless, you know, we get left behind here in pain. So I wanted to take a few minutes. If you don't mind, can we pray for you and your wife, brother? If you can come up here. You know, I know that, you know, guys, our mothers is our first love. We have our wives, we have, but man, mom, mom is our first love. And all the years until you met Diana, it was just you and your mom for years. Just you, she raised you. She was just both of you. And I know that was your first love, man. I know you love your mom. Nobody here ever doubted that. You did everything for that lady, you know? But if can I call some people, if you guys feel, if you can just stand up, we're gonna extend your hand. If you want to come up here and put hands on Diana or Johnny, they really need the encouragement. And let's just bow our heads, Lord God,

in the name of Jesus, Lord. Lord, I don't know what they are feeling. I don't know what he is feeling, but I do know that you are the comforter. And you wouldn't be called the comforter unless you were here to comfort us. You also say in your word, Lord God, that you are the prince of peace, not the peace of this earth, but the peace is beyond this earth, Lord God. So I pray for peace over Johnny and Diana. I thank you so much, Lord God, for the woman of God that she is and was, Lord God, that she instilled in him the things of you, Lord. And I pray, Lord God, through these next few days, these next few weeks, these next few months, Lord God, that you comfort them, that you strengthen them, Lord. And you let them understand and know, Lord God, that she is in your presence, Lord. She is in your presence, God. And we thank you for that, Lord God, Because even though life is not gary, you, surrender to you, that you have a house of many mansions. Do not let your heart be troubled, says the Lord, because he built a house for her. And I just thank you, Lord. I pray for strength. I pray for encouragement. I pray for for Johnny. I know he's not feeling well ever since that happened in a stomach in the name of Jesus. We call forth healing in his body from the top of his head to the bottom of his feet in the name of Jesus by the fire of the Holy Spirit. And we just thank you, Lord. Bless this family. Be with this family. Talk to them in visions and dreams. Help us to be an encouragement, Lord. Help us to lift them up. Help us to be brothers and sisters in the body, Lord. God, as we're called to be as we group together to help them in any way

possible, Lord God, we thank you in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. I do know that they have a go fund me. You know, when she had a major surgery a few weeks ago, but obviously when you have surgery, you think it's going to be recovered and then you're going to, you know, so this was unexpected. So obviously in the time of now, it's really hard. It's hard, you know, and so they have a go fund me. We're going to do everything we can as far as offering the church so they don't have to, you know, go and spend money at a funeral parlor or whatever, you know, but we can only do so much. But the go fund me is there. They really do need all of our assistance, you know, and but thank you. Thank you so much for coming together and praying. Johnny, we love you. You already know that, Dan, and we love you, you know, and, you know, just continue to seek after the Lord because there's only one way to see her again. There's only one way, you know, and she's going to be there and, you know, the last thing I want to say is Jesus says that he will wipe away every tear and there will be no pain and no more sickness. And that's a promise for the Lord and the Lord doesn't lie. Amen. So as you know, we support missions here at House of Rest. Matter of fact, Pastor George is I'm jealous because he's actually preaching right now and at the church in Orange. And but we support missions guys. Grace International is almost 6,000 churches around the world, but these are the three we choose to support. How do we support them by $3? Your $3 gets split amongst each one in each quarter. We're able to give them the dollars and they add up, trust me, in their countries, it adds up. So whenever you do the envelope or tie or whatever, just make sure you allocate $3 toward missions. Also the offering and the tithing. You know, last last month, we said we were going to turn the ship. We were heading straight into an iceberg and I said the whole Titanic thing, are we going to sink and sing? Are we going to, and everybody said, let's do this and it started turning, it started turning. I just want to remind you that we need to keep turning. We need to keep turning. You know, this is the end of the month already. And here's the thing is that I love the fact that everybody pulled together because I didn't know where we were going to be last month. And everybody did their part and everybody, you know, just helped and it was amazing. But I want to say this is what we're not asking is for everyone to stretch themselves thin. But we're asking is every all of us do our part, all of us do our part, then we can continue to not hit the iceberg and continue to be a beacon of light in the city, continue to have a place for our children, our youth, and our young adults

continue to have a place of discipleship and whatever it is that we do here. You know, so I just want to thank you so much. There's different ways to give. I know on the back of the seats, there's QR codes. There's Usher ets with envelopes. If you need one, all you got to do is lift your hand. I'll give you one. Or if you have one already, they'll get it from you and drop it into the box there or you can drop it in yourself. And, or like I said, you can, there's ways to give online and through the different links on here. So let's bow our heads. Lord God, we thank you so much. We give you all honor, all glory. You are the senior pastor of this church. This pulpit belongs to you and only you. We pray for every single dollar that it just be multiplied, that we can have the provision we need, I pray, Lord God, not only for this church, but all churches in our area, in our city. Lord God, that all the sermons that are happening right now and worship that's happening right now and prayer that's happening right now, not only here, Lord God, but throughout this entire city. We thank you, Lord, in Jesus mighty, mighty name, amen. (gentle music) - Thank you, Lord. (gentle music) ♪ We am all healed ♪ ♪ We are not unified ♪ ♪ We are sisters ♪ ♪ And those are no sisters ♪ ♪ Then when they took you this gift of ♪ ♪ Our style are not chasing ♪ ♪ You'll count down me ♪ ♪ And live on that way ♪ ♪ You may be the single world ♪ ♪ You may be the single man ♪ ♪ God, amen ♪

♪ God, please stand for God ♪ ♪ I am the one who will come tight ♪ ♪ And love will have you ♪ ♪ In my eyes ♪ ♪ You and I will have you ♪ ♪ Don't ask me ♪ ♪ You and I will snipe me ♪ ♪ It was your father ♪ ♪ You ask a friend ♪ ♪ 'Cause I have you ♪ ♪ In the goodness of God ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ For my life you have been faithful ♪ ♪ For my life you have been so ♪ ♪ So good ♪ ♪ With every breath that I am made ♪ ♪ Oh, I will see you ♪ ♪ Of the goodness of God ♪ ♪ Your goodness is running after ♪ ♪ It's running after me ♪ ♪ Your goodness is running after ♪ ♪ It's running after me ♪ ♪ With my life laid down ♪ ♪ I surrender now ♪ ♪ I give you everything ♪ ♪ Your goodness is running after me ♪ ♪ With every breath I see you ♪ ♪ With every breath I am made ♪ ♪ With every breath I see you ♪ ♪ With every breath I am made ♪

♪ Oh, don't get sore ♪ ♪ If I'm dead no more ♪ ♪ I'll keep it going again ♪ ♪ If you never not see me ♪ ♪ With every breath I am made ♪ (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) (singing in foreign language) ♪ With my life you have laid down ♪ ♪ Yes you can ♪ ♪ All my life you have been so, so good ♪ ♪ With every breath that I am made ♪ ♪ Oh, I've been seen ♪ ♪ Of the goodness of God ♪ ♪ Oh, I've been seen ♪ ♪ Of the goodness of God ♪ ♪ Oh, I've been seen ♪ Thank you for your goodness gracious words. (mellow music) - Amen, Lord God, I thank you, Lord God, for this opportunity to share to your people. I pray, Lord God, that this comes out in a way that I received it. I thank you, let our hearts be open,

our minds be open to receive what it is that we're gonna hear to apply it to our life, Lord God, so we can grow and mature in you. In Jesus name, amen. All right. So once again, good morning. You guys have your Bibles? All right. If you have your Bible, look at somebody that don't kind of roll your eyes at them. Lift up your Bible. Say this is my Bible. It is God's word to me. My guide and my strength. I bring it ready to learn. I open it with faith in Jesus. I live it with courage. Without it, I grow weak. With it, I grow strong. Today I bring it, believe it, and obey it. In Jesus name, amen. All right. So, in those many of you know, we have our regional Grace International Conference. A group of us are going. Some have already went. I know Abraham went ahead of us. Felix left already. Oh yeah, Rachel and Adrian.

So, you know, just pray for us, traveling mercies as we leave after service. Today's message is called strong, but still a baby. I gotta say it was sarcasm. Strong, but still a baby. That's today's message, as you can see. That is Samson with a baby bottle. And he has a whole plate of meat, adult food on that table, but he chooses to be there angry and whining. And that's what we're gonna talk about. And maybe, just maybe, you're gonna say, "Oh man, I'm more like Samson than I realize." If we go to the book of Hebrews chapter 5, 12 through 14, Hebrews chapter 5, 12 to 14. Let me know when you have it. Hebrews chapter 5, 12 to 14. You know, when I grew up in churches, I didn't get saved 'til I was 32, but I grew up, my mom got saved when I was five, my dad when I was eight. So, church is a normal thing. And back then, there was no projectors, no screens, no tablets, no phones. I remember before microwaves, that's how old I am. Yeah, the first mic, yeah. I remember you had to make popcorn on those little plates with the foil, and the foil, remember that?

So, go way back. And back then, the pastor would have to wait for everyone to find the verse. And then somewhere along the line, I think, you know, with screens and projectors, and we put the screen on there, so people were like, why carry a Bible? Why have a Bible? You know, and I think it's important to have a word. It's important to have your own Bible. It's important to have something to mark on, to underline, to highlight. You know, and that's why we do that Bible declaration in the beginning, because it's just an encouragement to get a Bible and make it your own, and own it. You know, so that's why we do that, and that's why I don't mind waiting for people to find the verse, because I think it's important, because as a kid, my Sunday school, they would give candy to whoever could find verses faster, and I wanted that candy. I learned my Bible at a young age, So it's something important. Anyways, Hebrews chapter five verse 12 through 14 says this. It says, "For though by this time you ought to be teachers, "you need someone to teach you again, "the basic principles of the oracles of God. "You need milk, not solid food.

"For everyone who lives on milk is unskilled "in the word of righteousness since he's a child. "But solid food is for the mature. "For those who have their powers of discernment trained "by constant practice. "So you gotta have your powers of discernment trained "by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." What is that saying in a nutshell? It's saying that, you know, if you live off of milk, then you are unskilled. If a baby is drinking milk, he can't fix your car. She can't do this, because they're babies, they need milk. But he's saying, many of you ought to have been teachers already, but you're still on milk. Because solid food is for the mature. And unless, see, we want to reach maturity, there's nothing wrong with a kindergarten student that is having trouble issues and colors and alphabet and on, nothing's wrong with that. But if they're 10 years old and don't know those things, there's an issue. If they're 15, it's an issue. It's something that says, "Wow, you know, "something's going on here, I need to fix this." Because solid food is for the mature, because in order to be trained to distinguish good from evil, so in other words, if you're on milk always as a Christian, you will never learn good from evil. You'll be like a child, a baby that doesn't know. You know, growing older is not the same as growing up.

That's a hard lesson I had to learn. Growing older, just 'cause you're getting older, isn't the same that you've grown up? That's the problem with Samson here. He was growing older, wasn't the same as growing up. I remember my dad would tell us all the time, me and my brothers, he would say, "If all you do is hang around young..." I wonder if this is when we're teenagers, when we knew everything. "If all you do is hang around your friends "that are your age doing the same stuff, "you're never gonna learn nothing." He goes, "You need to learn to sit with men." He goes, "But not all men are wise. "They're just old." You know, so he said, "If all you're gonna do "is hang around with that, with just young guys, "you're never gonna learn nothing "because none of you know nothing." So another thing is that he taught us very young is that age doesn't mean wisdom. We're hearing that all the time. So this writer here in Hebrew is what's interesting is that he's not talking to new Christians. He's not talking to somebody that just got saved. He's not talking at a tent revival. He's talking to believers. Why don't we know that because he says in the beginning, you should have been teachers already.

So he's not writing to brand new Christians. Time has passed, but clearly the writer of Hebrews doesn't see maturity happening. He said, "You know, it was nice. "I came to the city and I came and people got saved "and it's awesome, but we're 10 years down the line "and you're still drinking milk. "You should have been teachers already "because without eating solid food, "you're not even gonna learn the good from the wrong "and then you're gonna teach other people. "And you're gonna teach them wrong. "You can attend church for years without maturing "in the Lord. "Boy, have I learned that one." And I speak to myself too. Doing this message and kind of looking at Samson, I'm just like, "Man, a couple of little things "reflect back on me and I didn't like it." So I had a tantrum, not just playing, but you know, you can be in church for years and not mature, you know the songs, you know the Christian lingo, you know the Bible stories. You know but your response in life is still like a child. So it's, and it's not necessarily that milk is bad. Milk is not bad. You start off with milk. You're born, you want milk. That's the only thing that can sustain you. You don't got no teeth. And there's nothing wrong with it. It actually nourishes you and builds your immune system and you grow to be healthy. Nothing wrong with milk because it's necessary when you're a baby. The problem is needing milk when you should have grown.

And that's an issue and that's a problem because in, look at that, that part in Hebrews where it says that solid food is for the mature. For those who have their powers of discernment, to have discernment, to be able to discern, to be able to have wisdom and looking at the situation and, and, and, or whatever is happening, have discernment, have wisdom. It kind of goes interchangeably and to have that discernment trained. So you need to train in it by constantly practicing. You're not going to get good at basketball unless you practice. You're not going to get good at, what's the fighting thing you do, I say? What? Jujitsu. He's always challenging me to a fight. That's messed up. He's practicing. Yeah, he showed up in the house with this ghee and he's like, come on, man. And then that song was playing. Everybody was kung fu fighting. No, but seriously, he's been doing it six months and it takes a lot of practice, right? A lot of practice. Your discernment is trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. You know, so, so maturity isn't just knowing more though. It's becoming someone who has learned to discern what it is that you're learning and practice what is right. Why do I say that? Because it's not just about learning. I know so many times people can memorize scripture, memorize all these things, but still they're spiritual babies. So obviously it's more than that. You know, and I couldn't help it because as I was writing this message, I was like, who is a good example of somebody who was incredibly strong but still had some growing up to do. Samson, this dude, this guy, you know, and as I was reading the book of judges and the story of Samson, if you don't know, I'm just kind of condensing and summarizing because I don't necessarily want to preach about his life. I just want to just pick on him for a little bit. But I think we want some backdrop and maybe, you know, to help us understand. So basically, his mother was visited by an angel and said that you're going to have a son and he's going to be used by God and called by God, but he has to be a Nazarite, a Nazarite vow, meaning he will never cut his hair. He will never touch strong drink. He won't, you know, take shots or nothing. And he won't. There's certain things he had to abstain from. And this angel appeared and sure enough, she told her husband and she got pregnant and had this little boy and she had all these hopes and promises because he was called to be used by God, you know. But he grew strong. The Bible says that that he grew so strong that nobody could defeat him. And he grew that way and his hair was long and that was the oath, that was the promise, that was the vow to God that as long as he didn't cut his hair, that he would have the strength of hundreds of men. And he grew that way and sharing

up his strength started to grow. But unfortunately, his strength grew faster than his maturity. So yes, he was, he was to be used by God. Yes, he had strength, but his mind wasn't strong. And so we go to this chapter as we're reading it and all of a sudden it's this promise to his mother's promise to his father and he grows up and he says he grew up strong in the Lord. And all of a sudden it jumps to him being an adult, you know. But before that it's interesting because he was chosen before he was even born. He was set apart for God. He was blessed by God and the Spirit of God stirred in him. And honestly, we can we can say, well, you know what, the God is no respecter of men. Obviously, the Bible says that he knew us before we were even conceived. Before your mom and dad saw, you got already knew your name. That's what the word of God says and the word of God doesn't lie. So he already chose you before birth. You weren't an accident. I don't care what anybody says. And it's like, you were chosen by birth and you were set apart for God. The Lord chose you because nobody is here on earth because God didn't have a calling on them. So you were chosen, so Samson was chosen, set apart, blessed by God and the Spirit of God stirred in him. And he grew up with that. He grew up with this hope and this promise that he was going to help deliver Israel from the Philistines. Now there's another thing. It's during that time of him being born, the nation of the Philistines oppressed Israel. They were lording over Israel and the Philistines worshiped another God

than the God of the Bible. And then it's interesting because when you read the story, it jumps to adulthood and it shows him basically just kind of walking through and he sees a woman that's a Philistine. They're sworn enemies. And the story jumps right into, he says, "Hey mom, dad, see that woman go get her for me. I want her." My son, she's a Philistine. There are so many beautiful women in Israel. And he says, "Yeah, but I like the way she looks." That's all he cared about. He actually says in the Bible, he says, "Oh, she was good to my eyes." He didn't care if she was a Philistine. He didn't care about the problems or the issues or another of that. Matter of fact, he says, "Get her for me for she is right in my eyes." See, that's a spiritual toddler. He had a great calling. God called him and chose him and his strength grew but his maturity didn't. And his attitude was, "I see it, I like it, I want it. Give it to me." Let me read that again so you can really clearly see this. Hold on. (audience laughing) I see it, I see it, I want it, I want it now.

Get it for me. We're laughing but there's some people that look like this right here right now. (audience laughing) I'm like, it might go on again. (audience laughing) I've been holding that for two weeks, guys. (audience laughing) I saw it, I bought it, I wanted it. And I tell my wife, I want that mask. Get it for me. Let's say names. See, a child will ask those things. You know, and a child says, "That's what I want." That probably looked funny, huh? I can't wait to watch the video. I feel like it looks like it's water though a little bit. (audience laughing) Where is he? Oh, man. Marcelo, oh, wait. That does look like Marcelo. (audience laughing) He's back there. He's all right, pastor, all right. (audience laughing) Looks like me. That's funny. So, he saw her, he wanted, and that was it. It didn't matter, it didn't matter about nothing.

There was no discernment, no wisdom, no nothing because somebody that would be mature would say, "What does God want for me?" What does God want? Hmm, is this wise to do this? Where would this lead to? To have some kind of, to project and say, "Okay, if I make this decision or that decision "with my family, with my wife, or in my business, "or in my career, or in ministry, whatever, "what does this lead to?" That is using wisdom, that's using discernment, or what will this cost? What will this cost me? See, that is maturity speaking. And he was not talking mature. I want her, and she lives good to me, and that's it. What does God want? And as we read the story, we see that desires something. He pursues it. Samson sees danger and he plays with it anyways. Like a child. Now, I'm talking about Samson, right? Because I hope you're not saying, is he? Are you talking about me, Pastor? Do you get angry and want to retaliate than your child? Are you easily offended and you react? Your child? Do you desire something and you just go after pursue it without even thinking of what it's gonna lead or what's gonna cost? Or do you see danger in something and you play with it anyways? Oh, I could drink a little bit. I can smoke a little bit. I can talk to her on messenger a little bit. It's not like I'm gonna meet her. You know it's dangerous. You know you shouldn't do it, but you play with anyways. You were a child. If we act this way, we are children. That's us. Sitting like that. I don't want to be that. Do you want to be that? And it kind of comes to a

point and as we read the story that and here's the thing that's interesting is well, well, Pastor, the Bible says that God was gonna use Samson. So maybe this is how he uses him. You know God has a calling on our life. It doesn't necessarily mean it's gonna go exactly the way. Okay, let me back up. King David was anointed king when he was like 17 years old. Samuel says you were the next king of Israel. You know it took him between 15 to 19 years to actually become king. Can you imagine if he had been anointed and chosen to be king right then and there? He didn't know what he was doing. Yes, the calling was on him. The anointing was now on him, but he had not yet matured yet to be able to handle the things that he had to handle. And a lot of times in ministry we come to the Lord, we get super excited, we get called and then we run with ministry, we run to do it, but maturity never caught up. So ends up we leave a wake of hurt people. And many times we hurt ourselves. Because we're leading the ministry, we're leading a church or leading a Bible study, but you get angry, you retaliate, you get offended and you quickly react. You're quick. They're on Facebook. What is that called? Passive aggressive? There's so much passive aggressive on Facebook. Everybody knows who you're talking about. And it gets to the point where these men surround him and he finds a jawbone of a donkey and he beats a thousand men. And it's interesting because in Judges chapter 15 verse 15, we can go there. Judges 15, 15. Let me know when you have it. All right. Judges chapter 15 verse 15. In my translation, it says donkey in some of yours, it might say a whole other colorful word. But I'm reading out of the ESV. So it says donkey. Judges 15, 15 says, and he found a fresh jawbone of a donkey. And he put out his hand and took it. And with it, he struck a thousand men. And Samson said with the jawbone of a donkey heaps upon heaps with the jawbone of a donkey have I struck down a thousand men. Verse 17, as soon as he had finished speaking, he threw away the jawbone out of his hand and that place was called Ramath Lehi. And he was very thirsty. And he called upon the Lord and said, you have granted this great salvation. uncircumcised and God split open the hollow place that is at lehi and water came out of it

and when he drank it his spirit returned and he revived so somebody would read this and they wait a second if he was so immature then why did God give him water how many of us go cleaning up after our kids everything they mess up they're still your kid you still got to do it so this is not a license that God said you know what samsung I just want you to go and act immature but because of his immaturity God had to keep coming and stepping in he's like man this guy I didn't tell you to fight a thousand people but since you are dying of thirst I better call some water to rise up because you're gonna die so God is always constantly saving us and a lot of times we get a mistake and say oh God got us out of it so we think like you know what what I did then was right no it's not it's just him cleaning up after us and this is this is what was happening here that this wasn't supposed to go down like this but constantly it's building up I want that woman I want this I want that there's another part of the story where he was actually going to get that woman he came across a lion and he the bible says that he tore that lion into pieces he killed it and he left it there and he didn't tell his mom or his dad and then he came back later on passing by there I don't know if it was days later weeks later and he noticed that bees made a hive inside of the carcass of the lion well one of his vows remember he ain't supposed to cut his hair he ain't supposed to drink strong drink he's not supposed to touch nothing dead oh but Samson says man that looks like some good honey and he goes and touches the carcass gets the honey out and actually gives it to his parents without telling them where he got it he was constantly what you're not supposed to do that's what he was doing you're not supposed to do these things you're not supposed to chase after those women that are worshiping other gods it seemed like everything he wasn't supposed to do that's what he was doing I don't know if that sounds like anybody here because you know a lot of times there are things that aren't right there are things that you know in your spirit and you do it anyways or we do it anyways let me throw we in there because we're all human in here and what's interesting about this story this is why I show this first of all he beat a thousand men but here's the thing is that he can defeat a thousand Philistines but he can't but he struggles to defeat his own impulses

he beat a thousand men but can't beat himself Samson could conquer an army but he didn't know how to conquer Samson we can go and preach and shout and wave flags and sing and worship and learn to pray and all this and that and help people and all these things I'll never forget the story angel remember um I might butcher it but I'll say it anyways angel had said when he first got saved he was like 18 or something he's like man I'm gonna reach the world for Jesus and then he realized how big the world was he's a man that's a big world you know what I'm just gonna reach Stockton I'm gonna reach Stockton for Jesus yeah yeah so and then he's like man I'm gonna reach Stockton but you made it your own I remember and and after a while a few months of that and and he was just Brent he just got married with Diana and I don't even know if you had kids yet and man and then he realized how old life was and he's like oh man Stockton's kind of hard to reach man Laura I'm gonna reach my family and then he's sitting there and going through ministry and life and a new marriage and then little angel comes and Justin comes and he comes to the point he's like God can you help me save me but this time angel had traveled to other cities and other nations preaching the gospel but you you heard his story his life was a wreck defeating thousands of demons couldn't defeat the one inside so what are we learning is is that we can be strong and immature [BLANK_AUDIO] You can be anointed and be immature. And you can be used by God and still have areas of your life where God is saying, man, it's time to grow up already. That's just real. You know, and as I was reading the story and reading, I'm like, how does that happen? And how is it that God uses people, broken people, shattered people? We know that David eventually, he slept with Bathsheba, who was his friend's wife, Uriah's wife. We see all these people in the Bible and all the mistakes that they made.

And you know, I brought this book up here, because I want to show you this example. This book is called God's Generals. Really good book. But if you've read it, I want to make sure you're reading it right. Because this book is, it's people that have had massive moves of the Holy Spirit, massive moves of ministry in the 1800s and 1900s, and each chapter is on a different person. And most people that read it, you get caught up in all the miracles and stuff. When I read it, I saw something different because it was very honest. It was very honest because it shared the triumphs and the victories of these men and women of God where powerful moves of God happened in the early 1900s and late 1800s, but also their mistakes because of immaturity, because of not knowing, because of not understanding, because many of them were strong, but they were immature in certain ways. They were gifted, but they're still immature in certain ways. They were anointed, but still immature in certain ways. They were used by God, but those parts of their life where they had to grow up. And if you're going to read it, which I suggest you do, don't just read it for the exciting things, read between the lines, because when I read this book, I'm just like, Lord, let me learn from their mistakes, because I really don't want to do them. Let me learn from their mistakes.

And it's a perfect example of what I mean. It's the whole Bible is sprinkled with men and women of God who are not perfect, and they serve the perfect God. But a lot of times, man, a lot of, okay, in Modesto, most people, I don't really run into people and tell them about Jesus, and they're like, I've never been a church. No, everybody's been a church. Matter of fact, most likely in Modesto, when you try to minister to somebody, nine out of 10, you hear them say, oh, I used to go to church. I used to do the church thing, but, and then they'll give you a reason why they don't anymore. You know what's sad is that it's not like they didn't want to love Jesus. It's not that they didn't want to serve God, but unfortunately, a lot of times they were surrounded by leaders that were very strong, but immature. They were gifted, but immature. They were anointed, but immature. They were being used by God, but there was things that didn't grow up. So now they're walking around church here. This is what's dangerous about this. And it's not just for leadership, it's the same thing with husbands or wives, and wives, if you're back and forth, and the Lord and not, and the Lord,

what are you showing your children? You're teaching them the same thing. Husbands, the same thing, and you're on fire for God, and then you're not. You're on fire for God, and then you're not. What are you teaching your wife? And pretty soon, whether they say to your face or not, you become a joke. You become a joke to your family. I don't want that for us. It shouldn't be that way. And what ends up happening is, and then Satan will use that to make you second guess yourself. But the fact is that God did call you to be strong. He did call you to be gifted. He did anoint you. He does want to use you. But we need to mature so it matches. In first Corinthians chapter three, ,first Corinthians chapter three. (silence) writes he says but I brothers could not address you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh as infants in Christ he's saying it right there just like Hebrew said it because I can't even talk to you in a spiritual way it's like you know how you had a certain slang on the streets right Lydia you probably had slang in Oakland I almost would love for five minutes for me to go back and actually you do love not spiritual melt though talking all that Oakland slang and then Paul says I couldn't address you spiritual people but as people the flesh he was man I can't even talk to you about the things of God because you're still down here that's what he's saying I can't even he was I thought I was

talking to some Christians he says verse 2 he says I fed you with milk not solid food for you are not ready for it and even now you are not yet ready for you are still in the flesh for while there is jealousy and strife among you are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way you know it's interesting to but the city of Corinth was out of all of the cities that Paul would write letters to current man the spirit of God was moving they had tongues they had healing demons are being casted out prophetic words would be just just thrown out there I mean there was massive ministry happening the gifts were operating the spirit of God was moving and Paul was like man I thought I was talking to some mature Christians but you guys are still in the flesh and he goes how do I know that because you guys there's a bunch of jealousy and arguing and strife amongst you you guys are still in milk what is going on here you know so a lot of times we we we might judge a place of worship according to the size of the parking lot oh this is a big old church or this is a little tiny church and then you judge based on it oh these must be this little church must be a bunch of little Christian babies and you go in there and there are just some powerhouses in there and sometimes you go to a big church and see the opposite not always so same thing we want to judge things by how big they are and they're still babies and Paul and Paul makes this this this thing he just like why with with the spirit of God moving in your congregation moving in the city of Corinth why is there jealousy and strife and division and then what's interesting my thing I want to talk about is that if there's a bunch of jealousy here if there's a bunch of strife strife means arguing you know talking about each other this and that and if there's division then Paul is saying that's a sign of immaturity and you're still drinking milk so we can't confuse our gift with our growth God using me doesn't mean God has finished growing me let me say that again just because God is using you doesn't mean he has finished growing you we're still the Bible says that that we need to for the renewing of the mind we need to mature mind we need to grow up you know when we get when we got saved whenever that was however that was

wherever it was we surrendered our life to the Lord immediately I mean we're like Lord I give you my all I give you everything and you meant it but there's still needs to be renewing of the mind just because you got saved didn't make you the perfect dad I get a test of that one just because you got saved doesn't mean you're a perfect mother it's not from one day to the next doesn't make you perfect son a perfect daughter a perfect brother sister a perfect husband a perfect wife see sometimes we have those expectations we get married and then we get you get saved together and then And then you start throwing at it, "I thought you got saved." Well, I thought you got saved. (audience laughing) But the fact is is you're still immature. So even though you're saved, you were made strong. The mind is still a child. It doesn't go on that way. It doesn't happen that way. So how can we be this gifted and respond like that? How is it that we're walking in the gifts and still respond like that? How can we be saved that long and every correction we get all angry and offended? This is a 15th church you've been in the last year because somewhere along the line somebody offends you. Just quit and grow up. You know the whole universe revolves around God, not us. Sometimes we need to remember that. How can every single disagreement become an offense to you or to us?

How can every single disappointment we go into a tantrum? That's immaturity. How is it that God can bring us this far? 'Cause some of you, some of you, I know your stories. I know your life. God has brought you a long way and we're still responding to life the way we used to. What is that? But the sermon is called Strong but Still a Baby. It's not called, look how immature we are. The title might be that, Strong but Still a Baby. But this is what I want to get to is that the message is God is calling us to grow and growth is possible. It's not about hearing this message and saying, "Well, I guess I'm an immature little baby." No, this is about recognizing it and changing it. And this is another thing that I want to talk about is that guys, I have seen so many ministries grow before maturity sets in. I thank God, this is a weird thing to thank God for but I thank God I did six years in prison when I was saved because if David, I know me, you know me when I get my ideas or something, I want to run on it tomorrow. And when I got saved, I was ready to preach the next day. And my gosh, the Lord's like, nope, you're gonna be in the incubator for six years because you're gonna go out and mess things up.

I got saved and I'm just like, I thought the prison doors, an angel's gonna show up and open the prison doors and let me out and I was like, angel story, preach the gospel to the world. And man, the Lord is like, nope, six more years. And I probably pouted and complained to God probably every day of the six years from being honest with you. But now I look back and I said, Lord, thank you 'cause I would have just messed this whole thing up. I already messed things up and I did six. Imagine if I would have got out right there and just ran with it, I would have started the church open the church. Who knows what would have happened? I don't even wanna think about it. So I have seen so many ministries grow and then they grow fast like a weed. Weeds grow fast, you cut them one day and next to you show up three days later, you look at your yard and you're like, where'd all these weeds come from all over? Because there's no maturity, there's no nothing, they just grow fast, there's no strength or nothing. Compared to a tree, a tree will take years. But when it grows and a storm comes, it ain't going anywhere. So we wanna be like trees, we don't wanna be like weeds. And we want to be able to be strong.

And sometimes we need to be like King David and even though we're called and anointed to do something, it's like, okay Lord, now I need to mature myself so I can catch up with what is going on in the spiritual sense. Let me grow up and let me learn. It's almost funny. You Christian or nothing because I was we're all spiritual babies we can't make fun of babies all of us are babies before but I remember pastors looking at me and I really I didn't know what that look was until I give it now man pastor man God is calling me to do this and calling me to do that wow man amen you know and I'm just listening I'm listening I was like hey what'd you get saved he was over last week man but yeah and I remember I remember getting out after six years and I would go to pastors I would go to church services I didn't know where God wanted me so I would just visit churches and I made a beeline to the pastor right after service and oh my name is David Roach I just got out of prison to six years in federal prison I got saved and man God is gonna use me and I'm gonna open a church in Modesto and I'm gonna just go and in the pastor would give me that look right and it wasn't a look of putting me down it was a look of slowdown because they understood that sometimes you've got to go through some storms sometimes you got to mature in the things of the Lord sometimes you have to set things aside you know there's this when my wife makes bread I don't know I just eat it I don't know how to make it what's that thing you put to the side and it has to rise or something yeah you have to put it to the side what happens if you don't I never it's dense it won't be good and then I won't be happy so if you don't let it sit to the side and you just make it they won't be right it'll be black yeah so there's nothing wrong guys to allow yourself to mature even Paul the Bible says that when he got saved everybody is scared of him because he's going around killing Christians the Bible says that he went away for three

years and got taught by the Lord and then he came back a powerhouse you know so sometimes there's nothing wrong in allowing that moment and maturity to happen you know so I have the story of this friend of mine he's out of state he lives in another state and he told me this and blew me away see some of you believe in and some of you don't when you're prayed over and you fall over okay my friend was in ministry and he began to be used by the Lord but he was a young Christian but the Lord used him powerfully he was laying hands on the sick people getting healed he ended up going he went to England Puerto Rico he went to other countries he went all the United States and he people would get healed in front of the camera off camera it was just amazing but he was immature and he realized that anytime he would pray for people the moment he put his hand on their head boom they went down well I don't think he was ready for it but his own admission because he was telling me this was years after he was telling me he's like you know David he goes I don't I don't lay hands on I don't put my hand on people's heads anymore I was like why and he told me the story he was man everybody I will touch boom they go down they go down they go down he was in one time he was I was in service he was in the pastor was having an altar call the altar call was full of people they weren't facing me he was I was sitting in the Rose the people were facing the pastor he was and I go to my wife he was and I said watch he was every person I point to they're gonna fall so he's nobody can say well they're just he's just moving him or he's making him fall you know I mean like you know sometimes I'm sure this happens I'm sure people acted out because they feel weird in front of the church and the pastor goes like this you feel like better fall you know I mean I don't know but he made a point and everybody's facing that way and he's sitting with his wife and he was in the name of Jesus boom and that person would fall and they didn't even see that's how much the power of God moved in him you know after that night he got convicted because he realized he was doing it for him even though the power and the strength was there that is an immature thing hey check this out look what I can do see he reached a crossroads he he

What are we gonna do here? How are we gonna do this thing? Because either I'm gonna stay a spiritual baby and create other spiritual babies, or I'm gonna mature out of this and kind of harness this gift that God has given me so I can use this for his kingdom, not for my own kingdom. And he could have made a choice and said, look at why, look at what I can do. And all of a sudden it becomes his big old ministry. And here's the problem, right? Is that now on the flip side, other people that were seeing him do this, he was very spiritually immature. He admitted he was very spiritually mature and a lot of things happened that hurt him. He's still in ministry, praise God. But he went through a lot of pain, a lot of things that this transpired. But the people watching, people equate that gift or any gift. And we equate that anointing and don't realize that person is spiritually immature. I guess what I'm trying to say is this, I have seen, I'm not saying every time, but a lot of times when you see these operations like this many times, it is somebody that is immature using a powerful gift in order to elevate themselves.

And they have made that choice and say, this is a crossroads, what do I want? Do I wanna glorify God or do I wanna glorify me? And they go in a way because you know what? That attracts the people. And then you know what happens? You end up with a bunch of people that are hurt later. A lot of people that are spiritually hurt because now because this person hasn't grown to be mature, they haven't matured themselves in a word of God. So everything is about the gifts and nothing's about the word. And you end up growing a whole bunch of people that don't know their word and they're just chasing after the gifts. In Philippians chapter one. Philippians chapter one, verse 15. Philippians chapter one, verse 15. It says this, and I wanted to throw this in there because this is something else that's a little kind of a footnote to what I'm talking about, but I felt it important enough to say. Philippians one 15 says this, he says, "Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will." Paul's there, so Paul is establishing that some people that preach, they do it out of the righteousness of God. Some do it out of envy, some do it out of rivalry. So not everybody that's preaching is doing it for the right reasons. This is what he's saying, but look what he says.

He says the latter would do it out of love. Knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel, those that are doing it for the love or for good will of God, they're doing it right. Verse 17, "The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition." Not sincerely, but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment because Paul was in prison and he had these other leaders and they were going around and preaching the gospel, they didn't even care about the gospel, they didn't care about the people, all they cared about was taking Paul's church away from him. And Paul was like, listen, this person is preaching for the wrong reasons and this person is preaching for the right reasons, but this is interesting what Paul comes up with. And verse 18, he says, "What then?" Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaiming and that a rejoice. In other words, Paul is saying, you know what, this guy's doing it for the wrong reason? This guy's doing it for the right reason, but you know what, praise God that both sides are hearing the gospel. So this is what I mean by that. Somebody can be completely spiritually immature, they're proclaiming truth, but they in their own life, they can defeat a thousand demons, but they can't defeat the things inside of them, but the gospel's still being preached.

I'm saying this because we need to have discernment, we need to understand that no matter what you're listening to an evangelist, a TV evangelist, a podcast or a pastor or whatever it is, you know, a lot of times the things that they are saying is true. And this disguise, this has always been something that's important to me. I've quoted this over and over. I've always said, Lord, I want to be in a sense the way Paul says. He says, follow me as I follow Christ. Follow me as I follow Christ. And my prayer has never been, well maybe when I was a baby and a Christian, I want to be, you know, the eloquent preacher and this and that, but pastoring 15 years now, saved 22 years for the last decade or so. My prayer is not to give amazing sermons or nothing. My prayer has always been, Lord, let me be a man that I can tell other men. Hey, let me be an example. Follow me as I follow Christ. Because what good is it if Paul is saying, this guy preaches out of his own reasons and this guy's preaches and, but everybody gets saved. What good is it? If I go to hell, I want to preach to people that I'm a spend eternity with. Why don't I want to preach to people, get you guys into heaven, but I'm immature and drinking milk and I never grow in the things I need to grow in and I go the other way. I don't want that to happen. I don't want that to happen to any of us. So it's time to put away childish things like it says in 1 Corinthians 13, 11, we talked about it, I believe last week where Paul says this, he was, when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reason like a child, wait, wait, here's the part. I can't read it. I spoke like a child.

I thought like a child. I reason like a child. Go ahead, babe, pick the picture. Let me know when you got the picture. Family dollar. Your kids want a Halloween thing? Get on this one. Yeah, you can see, if you can't read my letters, be like, we don't celebrate Halloween, but I will buy you one because that's what you're acting like. So notice something real quick as we're kind of landing this plane. Paul says when I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reason like a child, but when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. Notice the progression of Paul saying he was first, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reason like a child, but see, spiritual maturity starts changing that. It changes and say, you know what, I don't want to be a child anymore. I want to be a man or if you're a woman, I don't want to be a girl, I want to be a woman, I don't want to be a boy, I want to be a man. So I need to listen to the way I talk because notice he says, I spoke like a child. So obviously in the way you talk, I want to think, how do I think, how do I process, what happens to me, how do I respond to people when I'm hurt, how do I receive correction, how do I handle disappointment, how do I treat people who disagree with me? And I want, this is the part that really got me. He says, I gave up my childish ways. I read that a thousand times and I never hit me like it did last night. Let me read it again. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reason like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways, did God do something there, did he do something? He did, it's not like he got saved and God magically removed every childish thing out of your life. If you're throwing adult tantrums and you get saved, tomorrow you're going to have adult

tantrums. You're going to get offended at every single thing, get mad at every single thing. Paul chose, he says, I gave up my childish ways. I gave them up. Remember the, we read Hebrews and it says maturity comes through practice. It's something we have to practice. There's a lot of things that I had to grow up from in my marriage. There's a lot of things, uncomfortable conversations we've had because wives love to point out everything And the worst part is most of the time they're right. I just don't want to hear it, so this comes out of me. And it goes vice versa because she ain't perfect. There's things she's had to learn too. What'd you do back there? There's things where-- you know what I'm saying? There's a time and place because in the middle of a disagreement, I don't try to tell what you're doing wrong because that's just going to cause no dinner. I'm thinking ahead. See, that's maturity, thinking ahead. If I had this argument today, what's it going to be like at 7 p.m. tonight? Because I'm going to be hungry. So you wait till after you eat dinner. [LAUGHTER] Eventually, we have to put away our childish ways, guys. We have to. And God isn't calling you out because he's finished with you. He's calling you up because there's more in you. There is more inside of you that you don't even realize and you don't even know.

There are things he used to get offended over. Those things shouldn't offend you anymore. There are battles that you used to lose, that you shouldn't keep on losing anymore. There are reactions of the way you used to react that should belong to an earlier version of who you were, not who you are today. There are things that were understandable. Yeah, when you first came to Christ, but by this time, you should be grown out of it. You have been through too much. You have been through too much. You have learned too much. God has shown you too much. Church, it's time for solid food. It's time for solid food. What childish thing is God asking you to put away? You might be asking that right now. And I don't know that. But I'll tell you what, don't be sitting here thinking like, oh, I know what my spouse needs to put away. I know what she needs to put away. I know what he needs to put away. No, I'm asking you, what is God asking you, me, to put away today? Now, or not with somebody else in church, some of you are looking at the person across the building right now. You're like, I hope they're listening. No, you, us, me.

What is God asking me? Say me, is it my offense, my temper, my need to always be right, my jealousy, or my impulsiveness, or my bitterness, or my need, I want everybody to agree with me, or I get mad, or my inability to even receive correction, or I want that mentality. You know, guys, pastoring this church, I'm going to be really brutally honest with you, is a lot of times I don't know how to be with some people. Because there's times and moments of ministry where I have seen an issue and I address it, thinking they're ready for correction, thinking they're ready to receive some wisdom or whatever, and they leave the church. So then I get to the point where I'm like, I'm not going to say nothing. And you know what happens? They come, and they'll tell people, and it gets back to my ears like Pastor doesn't care, because he doesn't say nothing. I'm like, so I say something and you leave. I don't say something you think I don't care. We need to put away childish things. I don't want to just grow older in Christ. I want to grow up in Christ. You know, Samson did everything he did, and he paid the cost. He did everything he wasn't supposed to do. And finally, he told his wife how his strength was

in his hair, and she had his hair cut, and she had men come in and arrest him, and they tied him up, and he had no more strength. All of his strength was gone. And the Bible says that they plucked his eyes out, and they threw him into a dungeon. And all that stuff of touching carcasses and women he was supposed to and doing this and doing that, all of that. Yes, you know, God had a calling on him. God had a-- And it cost him his eyes and it cost him his freedom And then he came to the realization That he messed up And one day they had a big old feast, the Philistines, there was 3,000 of them on the roof of this building or a temple, whatever And they said, hey bring out bring out Samson The big guy And they bring him out. He's blinded and chains And he's begging God Lord, I know you you had a plan for me and I messed up And he says give me strength one more time and I will make this right And he asked a little boy to put him by the pillars and if you know the story, the Bible says that God granted him strength one more time And he pushed those pillars apart and the whole thing toppled and many people fell and it was a great victory for Israel But at what cost? I was locked up with this young man And he would weep and weep and weep all the time when we would preach. We will take turns preaching every night and He was always crying And I remember telling the brother are you okay? I mean, I know that the the word of God moves you but are you okay? And and he would preach and it didn't make sense until he preached this message about never backsliding And he says brothers he was how many of you this is your first time serving the Lord You've never left the Lord you're serving him my hand went up. I said I've served him since you know, whatever time

And he started weeping and he says don't ever leave God And then he explained he says I had given my life to the Lord God was using me God was using me in my church I was a leader in my church. He was I would go out and evangelize He was in God would just use me powerfully and I would weep and I would worship and I would help this sing I would help singing worship and and I just couldn't help it if the name of Jesus and tears had just come falling and I saw so many things he goes but Summer along the line I went off track He was and I did something I wasn't supposed to do And that one time I messed up that one time I did something I got caught And they gave me 20 years And And he says You know why I cry all the time And I said is it because the presence of God is it because he says no He was I'm crying because Number one It took that one mistake And now I have 20 years I have to serve He was 20 years David I'm on year one 20 years Of my life because of one mistake because I turned away from the Lord and I wanted to do something else for one night He was but that's not why I cry he was I cry because I don't feel him anymore He was I would hear his name and I would weep and he is and I see you guys moving I hear you preach pastor David and and I can tell that that that that that that that that that you feel it inside of your bones He was and I'm not crying because of his presence I'm crying because I don't feel his presence anymore and man. I just want to feel him one more time And it made me think of Samson in the prison Say lord everything you gave me and I misused it the calling and anointing you gave me and I misused it Lord, let me feel your strength one more time It's all stand You know we um

I Think this speaks to many of us in many different ways and and before we end this service Can we just make a promise to God and say Lord I'm gonna I'm gonna do better Whatever it is whatever God is conveying you of and I want you to come up front as a worship team Worships, and I'm just gonna ask you to come up here spend time with God Just come on the altars open right now and just say Lord that the childish ways end today It ends today I don't want to be on milk. I want to be on on food altars open As in assurance Jesus is mine He's been my foreman in the fire time after time Born of his feet washed in his blood and when he did for me on Calvary was more than enough I trust in God I say you're the one who will never fail He will never fail I trust in God I say you're the one who will never fail He will never fail I say you're the one who will never fail I say you're the one who will never fail I say you're the one who will never fail I say you're the one who will never fail I say you're the one who will never fail He asked me God to hold I go down to his soul He ain't the one who will never fail And he's the one who will never fail

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Thank you so much, no Bible study Wednesday, and pray for us who'll be driving to Southern California right now. God bless. (congregation applauding) (applause) [BLANK_AUDIO]