Engedi Church | August 23, 2026

Hey, hey, good morning, everybody. Stand to your feet, if you could. Stand to your feet. So good to see you today. I wonder if anybody in the house is glad to be in church today. Is anybody glad to be in the house of God, with the people of God? I wanted to start today with a call to worship. Did anybody grow up in a church that you started with a call to worship? Somebody got up there. Yeah, a few of us did. And I was thinking about preparing for this day, and Psalm 47 came to mind. Here's what the psalmist says in verse 1. He says, clap your hands, all you nations. I wonder if we could practice that today. Could you give Jesus a good clap today? Clap your hands, all you nations. And then after he says to clap your hands, he says, shout to God with cries of joy. I want to practice this differently. Look at this. We're going to split the room right here. All these people to my left, you're on one group. All right, all these people here to my right, you're on the other group. The psalmist says, shout to God with cries of joy. Everybody on this side of the room, could you give God a good shout this morning

as we start worship? Let's go. That's pretty good. Everybody on my right, could you give God a good shout this morning? I think I'm feeling a do-over from the first side here. I think we're feeling. I said, everybody on this side, could you give Jesus a good shout? There we go. So he calls for the clapping of hands, and he calls for shouting. And I read this psalm, and I thought to myself, why is the psalmist encouraging the people of God to get so rowdy in church? I mean, doesn't he understand it's supposed to be like a library in here, all quiet and hushed and mild-mannered? I mean, what's he doing? And he gives his reason for these calls in verse 2. He says, for the Lord most high is awesome. Everybody say awesome. The great king over all the earth. God has ascended amid shouts of joy. And I thought about those words, God has ascended amid shouts of joy. Here is the psalmist calling the people of God to clap and shout, because God has ascended. And yet the psalmist is writing this text 1,000 years before the time of Jesus Christ.

You see, when I read that word ascended, I read something more. When I read that word ascended, I think of the Lord Jesus ascended on the cross. When I read that word ascended, I think of Jesus dying on the cross for my sins, suffering scourge and shame and mockery and belittling. I think of the ugliness of my heart. I think of the blackness of my sins put on Jesus on the cross. I think of the spear in his side, where blood and water flowed out, confirming he had died for the forgiveness of sins. He had died to defeat the devil. He had died that sins would be no more and that the power of death would be once and for all defeated. That's what I read when I read the word ascended. And can I tell you, it does not stop there. Because not only when I say God has ascended do I think of Jesus on the cross. I think of his resurrection. And then I think of the 40 days that passed after his resurrection, when he was teaching and building into the people. And then I think where the text says that Jesus, after his resurrection, he ascended to the right hand of the Father, where Jesus descends and where Jesus sits today. And even right now is interceding

for the people of God. Even right now is interceding for each one who would call upon his name. That's what I think of when I say Jesus ascended. And so it strikes me, church, if the psalmist had reason to clap and if the psalmist had reason to shout, can I tell you as Jesus people, we've got even more. We've got even more reason to clap. We've got even more reason to shout. But just so I know, he's lifted up. We know he's ascended. And then I love these closing words, verse 6. Sing praises to God. Sing praises. Sing praises to our King. Sing praises. For God is the King of all the earth. Sing to him a psalm of praise. Is there anyone in the house who's ready to sing to our God a psalm of praise? Is there anyone in our house who's ready? Ready to raise your voice and make a great sound of praise to Jesus. Oh, let's sing to Him, Church. ♪ I was with God, but now I see ♪ ♪ I was headed for hell until You rescued me ♪ ♪ I was stuck in my shame, but now I've been set free ♪ ♪ Now heaven's my hope for all eternity ♪ ♪ I was with God, but now I see ♪ ♪ I believe in Jesus' name ♪ ♪ I believe He died to save me ♪

♪ On the cross, He cleared my name ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ I believe on that third day ♪ ♪ That He walked right out of the grave ♪ ♪ Full of life within my grace ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ I was headed for hell until You rescued me ♪ ♪ I was stuck in my shame, but now I've been set free ♪ ♪ Now heaven's my hope for all eternity ♪ ♪ I once was blind, but now I see ♪ ♪ I believe in Jesus' name ♪ ♪ I believe He died to save me ♪ ♪ On the cross, He cleared my name ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ Isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ All the wounds I've been through, it'll cross me ♪ ♪ Because He did it, not dead, but dead on me ♪ ♪ And He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Don't you see, I'm giving up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Say hallelujah to the man on the metal cross ♪ ♪ Because he didn't know the dead, but He paid it all for me ♪ ♪ And He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Say hallelujah to the man on the metal cross ♪ ♪ Because he didn't know the dead, but He paid it all for me ♪ ♪ And He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪

♪ Now I'm getting up, hallelujah to the man on the metal cross ♪ ♪ Because he didn't know the dead, but He paid it all for me ♪ ♪ And He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Now I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I was headed for heaven till He rescued me ♪ ♪ I was stuck in my chains, but now I've been set free ♪ ♪ Now heaven's my home for all eternity ♪ ♪ I once was blind, but now I see ♪ ♪ I was headed for hell until He rescued me ♪ ♪ I was stuck in my chains, but now I've been set free ♪ ♪ Now heaven's my home for all eternity ♪ ♪ Oh, I once was blind, but now I see ♪ ♪ Hallelujah to the man on the metal cross ♪ ♪ Because he didn't know the dead, but He paid it all for me ♪ ♪ Then He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ Hallelujah to the man on the metal cross ♪ ♪ Because he didn't know the dead, but He paid it all for me ♪ ♪ Then He rolled away the stone, now I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ ♪ I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up, I'm getting up ♪ Will we sing that again? ♪ I believe in Jesus' name, I believe He died to save me ♪ ♪ On the cross He cleared my name, isn't that amazing grace? ♪ ♪ I believe on that third day, that He walked right out the grave ♪ ♪ Full of life within, oh grace, isn't that amazing? ♪ Give Him praise for His blessing.

♪ There's a miracle in store, you're all who will believe ♪ ♪ If you ask it in His name, receive ♪ ♪ As He promised at His hell, He was faithful unto death ♪ ♪ Let the wolves be marks of heaven ♪ ♪ That He rose, He reigned, defeated deathly ♪ ♪ Let Him reign, His crown, His name, His resurrection change ♪ ♪ Oh, His salvation, we're saving here and now, thank You Lord ♪ ♪ Oh, we're saving here and now, thank You Lord ♪ ♪ I've seen a moment You can change ♪ ♪ You can walk right out Yourself ♪ ♪ And it's finished, watch what God can do ♪ ♪ I've seen the lion hear His roar ♪ ♪ Let the gospel be proclaimed ♪ ♪ Oh, the King of heaven, He will be praised ♪ ♪ As He rose, He reigned, defeated deathly ♪ ♪ Let Him reign, His crown, His name, His resurrection change ♪ ♪ As He rose, He reigned, defeated deathly ♪ ♪ As He rose, He reigned, defeated deathly ♪ ♪ His resurrection change, His resurrection change ♪ ♪ Yeah, oh, we thank You Lord ♪ ♪ Come on, begin to thank Him in this place ♪ ♪ Thank Him for His mercy, that is new every day ♪ ♪ We thank Him for the resurrection, yeah ♪ ♪ So come on, with the gospel, we sing, thank You, we sing ♪ ♪ Thank You, Jesus, thank You for Your name ♪ ♪ Your name above all names, oh, thank You, Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your grace, the never-ending grace ♪ ♪ We thank You, Lord, thank You, Jesus, thank You, Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your name, the name above all names, oh, thank You, thank You, Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your grace, the never-ending grace ♪

♪ Cause He rose, He reigned, defeated deathly ♪ ♪ Defeated the grave, His power, His grace, His resurrection sang ♪ ♪ Thank You, Jesus, thank You for Your name ♪ ♪ Your name above all names, oh, thank You, Jesus, thank You, thank You ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your grace, the never-ending grace, oh, thank You, Lord ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your name, the name above all names, oh, thank You, thank You, thank You, Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your grace, the never-ending grace, oh, thank You, thank You, thank You, Jesus ♪ ♪ Thank You for Your grace, Lord ♪ ♪ You would save us all ♪ We sing He rose. ♪ He rose, He reigns ♪ ♪ He defeated death and reigns ♪ ♪ His power, His name, His reigns ♪ ♪ Resurrection is safe ♪ ♪ In a moment, You can change ♪ ♪ You can walk right out Yourself ♪ ♪ It is finished, watch what God can do ♪ ♪ It's our God reigns ♪ ♪ It's our God reigns ♪ ♪ Forever His kingdom reigns ♪ ♪ Our God reigns ♪ ♪ Our God reigns ♪ ♪ Forever His kingdom reigns ♪ We lift that up this morning, sing. ♪ Our God reigns ♪ ♪ Our God reigns ♪ ♪ Forever Your kingdom reigns ♪ ♪ Whoa, it's our God reigns ♪ ♪ It's our God reigns ♪ ♪ Forever Your kingdom reigns ♪

♪ It's our God reigns ♪ ♪ For Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Yours is the power ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen ♪ ♪ And Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen, we sing ♪ ♪ Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Yours is the power ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen ♪ ♪ Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Oh, Yours is the power ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen ♪ ♪ Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Yours is the power ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen ♪ ♪ Yours is the kingdom ♪ ♪ Yours is the power ♪ ♪ Yours is the glory forever, amen ♪ ♪ Yes, our God is ♪ ♪ Forever your kingdom reigns ♪ ♪ Yes, our God reigns ♪ ♪ Yes, our God reigns ♪ ♪ Forever your kingdom reigns ♪ ♪ Your kingdom reigns ♪ ♪ Our God reigns ♪ ♪ Thank you Jesus for reigning ♪ ♪ You reign over our minds, over this world ♪ Thank you Jesus. Come on, the spirit of God is in this room right now. I don't wanna be sensitive to this.

The Lord put this in my heart, and I share this with the nine, but I wanna, it's a little different. I feel like it maybe needs to be a heart of repentance in the room. You know, the Lord brought me to this passage a couple months ago. My family and I were going through a lot of health things and it's been a year of health for the Rosados. And with the Lord... brought me to john 12 and it's the famous passage of scripture where mary is pouring expensive perfume on jesus's feet and she's on her knees and she's giving god glory and praise and i read that and if i'm just being really honest i said lord it's really easy to praise you when you have a miracle see the context of that scripture is that mary's brother lazarus was raised from the dead and they were honestly all gathering celebrating jesus remembering what he just did and jesus brought me to john 11 and it's the passage right before and the bible says that while mary was still waiting for jesus to meet her she wasn't aware that he was going to raise her brother back from the dead unaware of the miracle that was to come the bible says that when she found out that jesus was in the town the bible says that she ran to jesus and she got on her knees before the lord and the bible teaches us that jesus was deeply moved and i believe that jesus was deeply moved because jesus knows all things and he knows that very later on that mary the same posture she had of giving god glory and thanks for the miracle is the same posture she had when she was broken and low it was on her knees before the lord and

maybe you came in here asking the lord for a miracle saying god i need you to show my life in this way but i want to remind you that even though you should have faith for the miracle your posture of worship shouldn't change although you're waiting for the lord to move in your life the posture of how you praise god shouldn't change and so if you're in the room maybe you're not able to do this maybe you have to put your faith in jesus and i'm going to say that maybe you could observe this moment but all across the room can we posture ourselves like mary did getting at our knees before the lord so come on all across the room if you're willing lord this is our posture right here we humble ourselves and give you the reference that you so deserve jesus the reference that you so deserve father thank you lord bless his savior even when i don't understand jesus because it's all about you i bless his savior i know that you're for me jesus i don't feel like when i don't feel like thank you come on if you know it to be true you need to stand up and sing this together say you're in it with me you're working through me you're fighting for me god is not against me you're working through me you're fighting for me god the savior And I used to fight on my own, but never again

And I have a power that's greater Than all of the enemy's lies And I know the truth of the gospel That you're on my side You're on my side Yeah You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me God is not against me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me God is not against me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me God is not against me God is not against me I can count on you Lord In every season Even when God with us When a clearing day comes And this is not my fight You are my defence You are my light And this is my confidence

You are by my side You call me friend You hold my life And this is my confidence This is not my fight You are my defence You hold my life And this is my confidence You are by my side You call me friend You hold my life This is my confidence You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me God is not against me You're in it with me You're working through me You're fighting for me God is not against me This is not my fight You are my defense You hold my life This is my confidence

You are by my side You hold me real You hold my life This is my confidence This is not my fight You are my defense You hold my life This is my confidence You are by my side You hold me real You hold my life This is my confidence Thank You Lord Thank You God Thank You God is not against me Yeah Thank You Lord Thank You Lord God is not against me Come on, come on, come on, come on Let's praise Him Let's praise Him Thank You Lord Thank You Lord Did you hear those words he just sang? Man, I like that song You know, sometimes we talk to people, I talk to people like You know, Jesus, is He really the only way? I mean, Christianity, all these religions

I mean, they're pretty much the same, right? Give or take And I'm like No, no No, because there's no other religion There's no other book that religion follows That describes a God like that Who isn't just somewhere up there, out there Distant, deity, aloof and unconcerned or uninvolved The Bible is the only religious book, if you will That describes its God as someone who is personal Up close, intimately acquainted with all of our ways And doesn't just say, I hope you figure it out And good luck and here's some help No, no, no, no, no The God of Scripture is the one but who stepped into time and space and grabbed us, walked with us, carried us, and fought for us when we didn't even know what we needed ourselves. It's so good. Oh man. Something happens when we gather in a place like this and we sing a song like that is some of us need to hear it and be reminded, it is so true. I'm walking through some middle school hall and I feel like I'm all alone and I remember he's walking with me. There's all these voices in your head of you could be, you should be, if you do this, you fit in,

and the Holy Spirit is like, no, no, no, no, he's with you and you, come on. So God, we thank you. You're so good. You're so good. And I pray specifically, I'm just gonna pray for you middle schoolers stick your hands in the air if you would, as you go back to school and there's all these stupid lies that spin in the hallways and spin in your own head and you may hear from all types of places, but may you hear the voice of the one walking with you through those halls, speaking to you, strengthening you, empowering you, reminding you of who you are. May he connect you with friends that you don't even know you're gonna have yet, but people that you can walk in those halls and gather in spaces to talk about his name. And in that, may there be light that begins to explode into cafeterias and the hallways and locker rooms because of what God is doing in and among you. And for the rest of us, may that be true wherever we find ourselves as well. And in Jesus' name, everybody said, amen. Is that good? All right, you may be seated. Middle schoolers, rock it out. We have a map.

My name is Gerald. I'm part of the teaching team here and glad you're here. Welcome. Welcome also to other locations in Getty Espanol and Getty Grand Rapids and just people listening in online from all across the planet. May today be the day that God speaks to us here and now what we need to hear for our next step. Amen. I know we just kind of prayed. Kind of, we just prayed, but would you say these words with me out loud? I'll go short and slow. Just repeat these after me. God, as we look into your word, I open my heart, open my ears and speak to me today. In Jesus' name, everybody said. What I get to do for part of my full-time ministry, I ain't gonna lie, I love my job, is I get to travel quite a bit to places like Egypt and Jordan, Israel, Turkey, Greece, places where the Bible happened. And we go there with groups of people and kind of open up the Bible in location. And we're pointing out places as they're mentioned. And, you know, always before long, somebody is like, man, to see where it happened, like that changes everything.

But then somebody will take it a step further. It's like, what if we were there? I'm like, I don't know if I wanna be there. There's a battle going out down there. Up here, looking down there, that'd be cool. Or you get around the Sea of Galilee and you're in a boat and you're like, what would it have been like to be in a boat in a storm and Jesus there asleep and just to like see him? Like that'd be swell. And then at times I've taken it a step further. Maybe you have too. Like, man, wouldn't it, like, what if Jesus showed up? Like, I don't know, for a week or a day or an afternoon in your life, right? And he just like walked around with you. And so you're like, I don't know what I should do today. Is it this way or that way? And you're like, Jesus, what do you think? Or you're struggling and Jesus is there. You got a question. Like, you can't find a Bible reference. You're in a Bible study and somebody quotes a scripture and they ask a question and you don't know the answer. Hey, Jesus, where's that at? You know, and he could like pull you in. Like, that'd be pretty awesome to just like be with him. And what's fascinating in the gospels, the disciples had that for three and a half years. They're walking with him, he's teaching, he's talking.

He's in like, hey, you go do it. And then like, we'll talk about how it went down with you doing it. And there's this whole, like, he's with them, coaching them, teaching them, guiding them, counseling them, you know, and you're like, man, I could go for some of that in my life. And they had that. And that's awesome. And there came a point though, where Jesus knew, I'm not gonna be with them much longer. And he's gonna get them together in what we call the upper room. It's a room. And actually for the gospel of John, like there's really more ink, if you will, dedicated to what's gonna happen there than maybe anything else in John other than maybe the whole crucifixion scene. And it shows up in John 13, 14, 15, 16. Four chapters is one conversation. And it's Jesus with his disciples. I'm getting ready to leave, and they don't know I'm getting ready to leave, so I'm going to tell them some things. But he says something fascinating that I think is fascinating for them, but maybe has more bearing for you and I than we typically give merit to. John chapter 16, verse 7, Jesus says this, but very truly, I tell you, it is for your good that I'm going away. And you have to imagine, in the room, they're like, I don't know. This is chapter 16.

He started this conversation in chapter 14. He spent chapter 13 with them. But even in chapter 13, he's like, hey, I'm going to die. And they're like, nah, he's just kidding. He doesn't mean like real death. It's metaphor. It's metaphor for something. You know, in chapter 16, he's like, no, I'm not kidding. I'm leaving. And they're like, aye. And 15, he, you know, talks about something. 16, he comes back to, he's like, no, I'm leaving. But then he says this, it's to your good, to some translations, but it's to your benefit, to your profit. It literally means it's advantageous for you that I'm not with you. And they're about as mystified as you and I probably would have been in that room. And then Jesus gives clarity to what he means. He continues in verse 7, unless I go away, the advocate will not come to you. But if I go away, I will send him to you. And Jesus is like, it's good for me being with you, but I don't know if you guys noticed, like maybe it's just speaking to the 12, like I wasn't always with you, 12. You know how I pulled away Peter, James, and John from time to time, and you guys talked about us while we were gone because you thought you should have been one of those three. They had those kinds of conversations. You know that? Jesus would give this whole sermon on serving, and he goes and gets a latte or whatever. And the disciples are like, hey, when he's gone, I think I'm in charge. And Jesus comes back, hey, what are you guys talking about? And they're like, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Then they had this whole end.

And Jesus is like, you know, I was with you, and then I was with you, and then I spent more time with him, John, maybe because he's the youngest. And he's like, but I can only be in one place at one time, and as good as that is, it's better that I go, and there's something that's better, but the something's not really a thing. It's a person. He says, I'm going to send him to you, and he gives him a name. Your Bible translates it, and some translate it, the Advocate, the Advocate, it's the Holy Spirit. John 14, verses 16 and 17, part of this, Jesus has already introduced this idea, but he's having to repeat it because they're like, whoo-hoo, they just ain't getting it. But prior, he had said this, in the context I'm leaving, and I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to help. And there's three words, Advocate to help. It's in the original language, it's one word, and that one word is essentially the same as the one word that shows up in John 16, seven, Advocate, so he's talking about the same thing. I'm going to leave, the Father's going to send an Advocate to help you, and he will be with you forever. Like, Jesus is like, I'm with you, but I'm with you, and then I'm with you, and I'm with you, and I'm kind of with you, but I was more with him than with you during that time. He's like, no, I'm sending another one, and he'll be with you all forever. And then he clarifies, just in case they're like, what are you talking about, boss? Verse 17, the Spirit of truth, the world cannot accept him because it neither sees him nor knows him, but you know him, for he lives with you, in other words, he's like, you've kind of seen, you've seen that wind blowing, you didn't know exactly what it was, but you knew something was happening. He's been with us, you know that, you didn't fully know that and understand that, but he's been with you, you know it, but he will be in you, he will be in you. In other words, if we're summarized, you can just put it like this, the Christian life is not God at a distance, right?

That's religion, and lots of religions, like, that's a good religion, you have a God that's out there and knows you and is somewhat, that's a good religion, but that's not, that's not the best, the best is what I would call the way of following Jesus, and that is God not just with us, but it's God within us. No other, no other, no other faith states that claim. The Christian life is not God at a distance, it's God with us and in us, and so Jesus, he's trying to find language to communicate to the disciples as well as us, like, what does that even mean? And he uses, the Greek word is parakletos, and it gets translated advocate here. In the one sense, it's a legal term, it's a legal term. I don't know if you've ever been to court, I'm sure it's a great story. I've been to court, story for another day. And teenage years, you know, they go by so quick. But an advocate is somebody, you've seen TV, you know how it happens, there's a defense attorney and there we are, and then there's the prosecutor and their whole job is to catch you in your words and whether you did it or didn't do it, guilty or not guilty, they don't really care. Their paycheck's on the line and they wanna prove you did it, whether you did it or not, and so they're trying to catch you in these words and if you say it this way and answer this way, though you are being sincere and true, it could be caught you, and you're just like, ah! And then the advocate, the counselor sometimes, we would say, be like, I got it, and they would answer. And what Jesus is saying is you're gonna find yourselves in situations in life that are way above your pay grade and you're not gonna know the right answer

and that advocate, he's gonna do something you can't do on yourself. The advocate, it's in a legal term, but it's in that context of you're in a courtroom and there's a prosecutor and attorney, the Bible calls it the accuser of the brethren, we just call it Satan. And there's these voices, voice, that we hear that would like to speak to us in a way that causes us to shut down and shut in and if you, you know, I've talked to men before that started following Jesus when they were like 40 and they're just, I'm so, I'm such an idiot. I'm like, you're here, you just gave your life to Jesus last week, but I know, but all week I've been thinking, if I'd only done this when I was 20, before my marriage broke down, before this, before this, before this, before this, before this, if I'd only done, you just made the best decision of your life and all week the devil's been telling you, you're an idiot, you should've done it back then. And it's like, and the advocate's like, don't worry about that. You made a decision last week which was the best decision of your life and I'm gonna go back and I'll work on the past, but what you need to do is you just do the next right thing, do the next right thing, do the next right thing and you follow Jesus that way and I'm gonna go work into your past, but the enemy would love you to say,

it's too late. I don't know, you heard that voice? I've heard that voice. I'm a dad, I got three kids, oldest is 23. There's been occasion or a thousand where I look back at prior season, I mean, I wish I'd have had tutorial before I went into that. I did the best I could, but I could have done better. I mean, I hope I didn't mess them up, all right? It's just, I'm not lying. This isn't like antics of sermon. I've had seasons where I'm like, I wish I could have coped and that's the accuser. Yeah. Could I have done it better? Sure, should I have done it better? Maybe, but regardless, regardless, regardless, the ploy of the enemy is to stick me in a place and keep me from moving forward and what Jesus is saying is the advocate, he comes into that place and he begins to speak truth for what your next step is, the advocate, the advocate. Paul would add it like this maybe or Jesus did in John 14, 26 says, but the advocate, the spirit whom the father will send in my name, what it says, he'll teach you. He'll teach you all things and will remind you of everything I've said. He's adding to this idea that there's no, I got it, bro.

I got it. You just be quiet. I got it, I got it. But then there's the element of like, the Holy Spirit's gonna, you ever read the Bible and you're like, I ain't got no idea what that means. Join the club, join the party. I remember like for me, I had friends, they come home with an A-minus and their parents are like, what were you thinking? I come home with all C's and my parents are praising the Lord, like, good job, Gerald, good job, you did it. You did it. I'm like, I know, I tried real hard. My point is academics might not have been my strong suit in high school. I never read a book in high school. When I grew up, Cliff Notes, you go to a bookstore, that was this place that sold books, you went into and all the way in the back, because in the back, nobody wants them, they have like, you're reading Shakespeare and they got a little yellow book, you've seen these Cliff Notes, and it's just the Cliff Notes. It's the summary of Hamlet, whatever. And I'd buy the Cliff Notes and I wouldn't even read those. I mean, some of you, you just chat. That's the equivalent of Cliff Notes today, chat. That'd been easy because then it could have like,

talked to me and read it to me, but what's my point? I don't really know anymore. No, my point is like, I remember I was 18 years old and I began following Jesus and I went into my dorm room. It was a Sunday night, that happened, nine o'clock, walking across campus, University of North Carolina. That next morning, Monday, I looked down at my bookshelf and I got a Bible somebody had given me about a week and a half earlier. And I only took it because I didn't want to offend my roommate who, his friend, was the one peddling these Bibles on campus. from InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. I took one, threw it in the bookshelf. Little did I know, week and a half later, God was gonna ambush me that Monday morning. I'm like, huh, I guess I think I'm gonna read that book. And I pick it up, I went downstairs in the lobby, and somehow, nobody told, I just ended up in the Gospel of John, just started reading. And I don't know how to say this, it probably won't give you goosebumps, but I understood it. I was like, you gotta be, this is, wow, amazing. And I believe what that was is the Holy Spirit, God's like, hey, Holy Spirit, Gabriel, Michael, and Snoopy won't do on this one. That boy needs some help. Like, go, and the Holy Spirit just teaches us, and he still does that with all of us in Scripture.

But not just the Bible, he knows a lot of stuff about everything. And Jesus, like, the Holy Spirit's gonna teach you, the Holy Spirit, more than that, he's gonna remind you of some things. He'll remind you of what I said, because there's gonna be some seasons in your life that you're gonna have a hard time believing what I said about you was true, but the Holy Spirit's gonna remind you of what I said. Paul will echo this in Romans 8, verse 16, he says it like this, the Spirit himself, the Spirit himself, testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. It's like, he's gonna teach you, but then there's those moments, like the one I alluded to as a dad, where the Holy Spirit steps in, and it's like, no, no, no, no, no. Like, yeah, yeah, I know, I know, I know. But here's what I see. I've talked to people in pastoral counseling over the years, and they'll just, like, these are the thoughts I have, I'm not this, I'm not this, I'm not this, I'm this, never gonna be this, can't be this. And we'll dig a little where that came from, who they heard that from, who told them that from, and what message of this world was projecting, and like, this is what I believe to be true about myself, and the end product is how I'm currently living,

and we'll be like, well, what's the Bible say, and well, the Bible says this, but it doesn't matter if the Bible's true, if they believe this is true, this is what is controlling them, and there's this whole process of, like, this is what I believe, this is what you say, I don't believe that, but I wanna believe that, to the point of Holy Spirit saying, no, no, no, no, this is a lie, this is truth, and it's reminding us of who we are. The Holy Spirit, he reminds us of who Jesus is, that's a big deal, but also, he's reminding us of who we are in Jesus, and we all need that, and it's not just like, I had a bad day, and showed up late for the meeting, and got it all wrong, the boss says I'm a loser, it's also those days where you got it all right, sure lucky to have me around here, and the Holy Spirit's like, yeah, you're not that good, bro. The Holy Spirit reminds us, no, no, no, you are what you are because of the grace of God, and so at times, the Holy Spirit's like, yeah, no, get back in there, and play ball, and at times, the Holy Spirit's like, you just rest, and be, swallow that pride. The Holy Spirit's reminding us of who we are, that's the role of the Holy Spirit, maybe you could put it like this, the Holy Spirit reminds us what is true about Jesus,

and who we are in him. This word paraclete, it means literally, it's a compound word, it just means to come alongside, and to speak, or to come alongside, and to call out to them. One of the images you could say is you're a soldier, you're in a battle, you're surrounded, and you're like, oh, snapped on everything, and you can only fight in one direction, but then somebody else comes up behind you, and you're back to back, and they're just like, look, you focus on that, I'm gonna focus on this, and together, they come alongside you, and they help fill in the vulnerability, they help fill in the weakness, they help you see what you could not otherwise see, and perhaps that's an image, too, of what Jesus is saying, it's like, yeah, you gotta show up, and you gotta do your part, but in and of yourself, you're insufficient, but the Holy Spirit is going to work with you supernaturally. And you're like, I don't know that I ever sensed the Holy Spirit, like, I got your back, bro, just because you haven't sensed it doesn't mean he's not there. The whole premise, in part, of the spiritual life, it's an invitation to be aware of what's already true. That's what time and time again, you see Paul's prayers, there's people like, for example, in Ephesians 1, he's like, I pray that the eyes of your heart will be enlightened so you know

the hope of his calling within you, the hope of his calling's in you, but the people in this little city of Ephesus are like, woo-hoo, they're clueless to it, and Paul's like, man, I just wish you could see yourselves the way he sees you, that'd be good, and they don't get it, so he comes back again in chapter three, book of Ephesians, and he's like, I just wish you'd know the height, the depth, the width, and the total fat understanding of God's love for you, and how big it is, and how great it is, like, it's true, but you don't know it's true, and the Holy Spirit's job is to help. help you and I know it's true. So if you're here like, I ain't know that I've ever experienced that, then our next prayer is like, I want some of that. Help me see. Help me to become aware of that. Maybe a good summary statement. The Holy Spirit, and we sang about it, the Holy Spirit is God with us in the fight. He's not just up there, out there, like, let's see how they do. This isn't like, you know, the Iliad or the Odyssey and the gods are there, let's see what they do. Have you seen that movie?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. Holy Spirit's like, in there. Active. Participating. Helping. Helping, like, some translations use this word comforter. Like, I don't know, it'd be the only time I talk about the word comforter in my house. It's a blanket I put on the bed. I'm grateful for that in West Michigan in the winter, but like, I'm going out to battle. Like, I'm not grabbing my blanket. I mean, maybe when I was four. So if I didn't have a blanket when I was four, I had a monkey. Don't judge me, I had a monkey. I called it Guy-Guy. I don't know why, but I did. And I had a monkey I took with me everywhere. That was like my mom, you get it. He's with us. Blanket, comforter. No, in the original context, it's not like, oh, I'm gonna comfort you. No, it's like shock absorbers for your soul would be a better description of comfort. It's, you gotta carve comforts because you got good shocks. You hit a bump and it's like,

they're absorbing the shocks from the road and the potholes. And that's what Jesus is saying is that the Holy Spirit, the potholes of life, the Holy Spirit's like, no, it's comfort. It's helping you to keep on going when everything else seems disarray. Comforter, comforter, comforter. At times, the comforter is like, no, no, no, no, get back in there. It's just not true about you. I know you feel like a poser. You know, I have a close friend. Recently, we were at a deal and they were running the deal and they were doing awesome, awesome, awesome. And right before the event happened, they came up to me and they're like, Gerald, I do not feel like I should be here. I feel like I'm a poser, a faker, an imposter. I'm like, you got it. Get back in there. You got everything you need to do this. And that's the Holy Spirit in our life. Maybe you don't have those thoughts. Maybe you're just not aware you have those thoughts. Sometimes we have those thoughts, don't know that we have those thoughts, and spend so much of our life on the bench. And the Holy Spirit at times is like,

do you realize what you're thinking? It's keeping you on the bench. Comforter, comforter. Paul adds this word of help, Romans 8, 26. Paul says it like this, in the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Love that. Not the Spirit helps you because you begged for it. Not the Spirit helps you because you showed God you really wanted it. Not the Spirit helped you because I'm trying to figure it out, boss. No, the Spirit helps you in your weakness. And I don't know what you think about the word help. It's just four letters. You add an S, I guess we have five letters. And we think about help sometimes the way, like when my little guy, he's a big guy, bigger than me now, but I didn't say much, I get it. But when he was like four, I'd be like, hey, buddy, you wanna go mow the grass? And he's like, yeah, I'm gonna help daddy. And he got his little Tonka toy, plastic, you know, lawnmower deal, and I'm cranking up and we're going, and he's behind me. We both know like he ain't doing nothing, right? But he helped me. We go inside, mama, mama, look, little man helped get my Popsicle.

He's my helper, right? But he didn't help. He really slowed me down and got in the way. He was just being honest. And he has the joy of the father to involve him. And it's the joy of our father to involve us. And friends, you got more than a Tonka toy, plastic, lawnmower, you're supposed to be pulling around. He actually wants you to saddle up, crank it up and mow with him. But help isn't that concept of help. And language I find fascinating. And I remember the first time I came across this verse, I'm like, helps, what's that mean? And you look it up and I don't say this to impress us, but you might impress your granny if you share this with her. The little word help in the original language is four words, four big, like soon anti-labonomy. Like it's a whole mouthful of words. And we just get help and we think, oh, he's just gonna help you. But this word and the Greek word, it literally means like, you're not just like from a distance. It speaks of intimacy and up-closeness and personalness that sleeves are rolled and sweats going down and fingers are in the dirt. It's up-close personal with you. That's just the prefix of the word.

And the later in a word, it's this grab hold of with force, seize is a word. In some settings, it speaks of like deer hunting. You hunters, I don't know who you are. I'm not. judge me but like you're OCD in the best possible way but you've got everything laid out and all this and all this tactical and that's a word. Paul's like the Holy Spirit he's got tactics and he's up close and personal and he's intentional force with seize grabbing together with you against that which coming against you and he's like the spirit helps you in your weakness I love it I love it and I'm aware maybe you are too like that's true whether we're aware of it or not it's the grace of God that even though we didn't ask even though we were weak and didn't know we were weak and didn't know we were needing help or even ask for help he still shows up and helps in the life of the believer and that's the role of the spirit weakness I had this experience between but the middle of my high school year which I wasn't following Jesus to the beginning of my freshman year of college where I can count at least that I'm aware of three times I should have died not like could have died no like I'm riding my bicycle got hit by a tree service truck launched in the air probably 30 feet without a helmet severed artery my arm and I'm here talking about it like I should have died could have died people in the hospital like how didn't he die and I was aware that thank you Jesus I'm alive right I'm aware you know my granny's like the Lord spared you yes he did but my sophomore year so one year later that happened between my freshman year and my sophomore year summer that that accident my freshman my sophomore year summer I'm in so that I grew up in North Carolina going to school in North Carolina I'm in Texas at a conference and it's an evening service me and some my friends I'm walking into the service and there's a guy walking with a group of people walking out and as I'm walking by I hear this hey you he's like stops me right as we go here I'm at say yeah you never met this guy never seen this guy he said as I saw you coming towards me the Holy Spirit told me something about you nothing like detail and he says no the Holy Spirit told me that over the past year and a half the devil has tried to kill you at least three times and you are alive and what God wants you to know is that he saved you because he has a purpose for your life I'm like and and I don't know if anybody's ever come up to you says I got a word from the Lord I'm always a little bit like yeah go ahead

but on the inside I'm like and and I put my poker face on I didn't let him know I'd you know got scars I could show him but I'm like okay two years later I'm in Indiana now Saturday morning in a church service I'm sitting on this side of the room minding my own business I'm 23 years old and middle of the sermon this guy who's from California I grew up in North Carolina my stories happened in North Carolina I'm now in Indiana and the guy from California is preaching he's like you no no no you stand up and I stand up and he begins to tell me some things about my past like he didn't go into all the details fortunately my mom wasn't there to hear but he said enough that I'm like one of those type deals and then he says this God wants you to know that the devil tried to kill you no less than three times he might have my attention and he says but God wants you to know that he was there with you and he has rescued you because he has a plan for your life and don't miss the point the story is less about what's that plan it's more about I probably was aware I was grateful that God was there but but for whatever reason a little slow remember God wanted me to know to make sure that I didn't miss like no no no no no no no I was helping you even when you didn't know you needed help and friends you may not have had somebody stop you at 7-eleven or Target or Walmart or in a church service to pull out some details of your life but rest assured he has been there and some of your unknown moments no less and helped you in your weaknesses that you didn't know you had and you didn't know he was but he did and I'm grateful for that I would be more aware of it don't you I love what Paul says he in the same way he helps us in our weaknesses and then verse 26 he says we do not know what we ought to pray for like he helps you when you're weak and you don't know about it it. And then he helps you when you're weak and you don't even know what to pray about it. You ever been there? It's like, Lord Jesus, thank you for these kids, but today I want to kill one of them. And you're like, what do I pray? I don't know what to pray. I don't know how to pray. I mean, do I pray about me? Do I pray about them? Do I pray about, I mean, do I pray for, like, I don't even know what, like, they're sick and they're dying. Do I pray for this? Do I pray for this? Like, they're at the end of their wits and like, God hates divorce, but I think he probably hates their marriage just as much. Like, how do I pray? And what Paul says is, you have weaknesses you don't know about, but then you have weaknesses that you do know about. And in those weaknesses that you don't even know about, like, you don't even know how to pray. Look, look, look at what he says in verse 26. It continues, for the spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

And I don't know fully theologically all that's packed into this. Some equate it that, you know, there's just this praying in an unknown language or praying in the spirit or it's just wordless groan. Maybe part of, maybe it is that as well, but maybe part of it is just this, a mom or a dad or a grandma, and you're overwhelmed and you're over, and you're just like, and the Holy Spirit's like, okay, they know, they need me now. They didn't know what to pray, but I'm going to grab onto that. And by the time it gets to the father, it's going to be this full articulate prayer to the father of what they need. I like that. I like that. You're like, Jesus. And the Holy Spirit takes that wordless groaning and he's just like, father, they need this. They need this. They need this. They need this. They don't know how to pray. They don't know what to pray, but they're groaning. And we're just going to take that. He did that for the Israelites. Remember that? They're in bondage. They didn't, should we pray to get out of here? They're just groaning. It says they're groaning. They're crying out. They're not, it doesn't say they're crying out to God. They're not asking for deliverance. They're just groaning. And it's like the spirit heard that groan and took it to the father. And it's like, Hey, why don't you do something about that? Let's send somebody to set them free. It's that groaning, that wordless prayer. The Holy Spirit sent Moses and delivered them and split the water, which is a picture of salvation that you and I were our sin. We were deep in the heap and we didn't know which way was up and our souls, whether we realize or not begin groaning. And the Holy Spirit's like, they're ready. They're ready. They're ready. Father, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I, can I now show them and lead them and inspire them and reveal to them who you are, Jesus. And the father's like, do it, do it. You had that happen. You may not have been aware of it. Maybe you hit rock bottom. Maybe you, everything's up and to the right. And even up into the right, the Holy Spirit's like, there's so much more. And you're like, Holy smokes. Who knew? It's the Holy Spirit. It's the Holy Spirit. One more verse and then we'll talk like, so what? Who cares? I love this verse in second Corinthians 13, 14. It's easy to miss. Paul is, he's just saying goodbye. It's his sayonara, his sincerely it's till next time. But in the first century, ancient letter, letter writing style, they would, they would speak a blessing, right? So it's easy to miss. He's not teaching, but in it's something to be taught. Second Corinthians 13, 14, Paul says this, may the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yeah, we know about that. It's a gift of God. Don't mention both. He came, he died, he bled, he put in a grave, he rose again. That's God. That's, that's, that's the grace of the Lord Jesus, the love of God. That's

why the grace came for God so loved the world. He sent his son. We get all that. We talk about that. We give thanks for that as we should. And he says, the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Fellowship. I don't know what you grew up in. I grew up in a church out in the country. We had a fellowship hall down in the basement and that place stunk. I get smelled and we're going to the fellowship hall for a potluck. That meant bad coffee and bad cookies, right? But it's that word fellowship hall, it comes from the Bible. The word in other places it's used like participation or partnership. Like Luke chapter five talks about Peter and Andrew, they're fishermen. James and John, they're brothers, they're fishermen. And it says the four of them, plus James and John's daddy, and probably some others, they're partners. They're partners. They got a business. It's a little fishing enterprise. Let's see a galley. They're partners. They're sharing boats. They're sharing nets. They're sharing fish. They're sharing income. They're, they're shared life together. And this word will then get used to the early church in Acts two that they shared everything they had in common. You got a need, I got x-ray. You got a need, I got surplus. You got a need, they got it. And they're just sharing life together. And what Paul says, like you got it in a business sense. You got it in a partner sense. He goes, now, now that's the Holy Spirit. He's not just with you. He's in you and, and he's going to share life with you. He's going to go through life with you. It's going to be this partnership of your part. You're going to walk with him day in and day out as you would Peter, John, James, Andrew, as you would interact and partner like the Holy Spirit is going to lead you. It's beautiful. But don't miss the first word, may. May the love of God, may the grace, may the communion of the Holy Spirit, may it be with you or maybe it may be but you're

unaware of it. I think that's more the case. That he is with us. And part of the spiritual journey is us growing in our awareness of God with us in the daily. That's in part what 21 days is about, 21 days to awakening. It's this idea that, yeah, I love God. I love God. I love God. I go to church on Sundays. I give. I love God. I'm involved. I serve. I'm on fire. Things just aren't quite as hot on fire, passionately in there, got this going after it as they always were. You been there? I don't know about you but I can show up and sing the songs, raise my hands, clap my hands, get on my knees and still be thinking about, man, do I want thin crust or deep dish?

I can be talking about God's in there with me and yet all the while holding on, what the heck am I going to do with this, not believing that he's in there with me, going to do something else? May! May you know he's with you. It's a prayer but I can theologically believe everything we've said thus far but functionally live as if none of it's true. And so 21 days in part, it's, no, I want to remind myself of what's true but more than that, I want to lean in maybe in deeper ways than I've ever leaned in before. So we do daily devotional about the great people because sometimes, I don't know about you, I just need, how do they do it? That sounds good but like 1600s, there's a guy by the name of Nicholas Herman, he's a cook and spends most of his days washing dishes and chopping

the celery and all the while he begins to wonder is there more to life, is there more to life? And he doesn't mean like do I get a better job, he means, no, is there more fulfillment I can experience in this job? And so he goes to God but he realized he could go hours, even most of the day at times without talking to God or being aware of how God was with him or being cognizant of everything we've said about the Holy Spirit's role, part and function in our life. He says, so I set out to do something that I'd start an activity and I'd just be like God, this task, be it slicing tomatoes or whatever, like thank you for my ability to do this. He says, and I just began chopping but I was trying to keep like God, thank you. And he says, and then I'd start thinking about something else. And he goes, I just come back. And then I finished that task. He's like, I just simply said

Jesus, thank you. I thank you that you're here. I thank you that you're with me. And then you go to the next task and you'd have a conversation and he's like, I began praying every conversation I had like God, help me to be present, help me to be attentive, help me to listen, help me to hear what's being said, help me to hear what's not being said, help me to hear what you're saying about what's not being said, about what's being said so that I can speak life and breath and encourage me. And he goes, then I find myself in a conversation. I'm like, man, this person really annoys me so I wish I'd be quiet because I want to go do something else. He said, then I'd bring myself back. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This time, this place, this person. And he wrote in his journal

about this a number of letters he's writing to friends and he's talking about the struggle that he's had. And he says, early on, I failed miserably. But he writes. He says, the more I did it though, the more it became second nature. The more I found myself, though I wasn't always saying things to God in my mind and with my words, but I just, I sensed, like, he's with me. I don't know how to explain it. It sounds mystical, I know, but he's like, he's with me. And we could write that off and be like, well, he was special, but he's just an ordinary guy. By the end of his life, we know him as Brother Lawrence. He put all those letters together. You can buy the book on Amazon. It's called Practicing the Presence of God. But he's not the only one. You could fast forward to the

1800s. There's a peasant in Russia. We didn't know his name. We just have his journal of him trying to just, how do I stay connected to God? Paul says, pray continually. He's like, is he kidding me? And he's like, no, I think he is, but maybe it's something deeper than what I thought. And this little book, it's called The Way of a Pilgrim. I love the Russian translation. It's called The Candid Tales of a Wanderer on His Way Back to His Spiritual Father. It's just so beautiful. It's just stories of him trying, how do I stay in tune with God? And I think that's the invitation to spiritual life. Like, I'm praying for a miracle. I'm praying for a breakthrough. I'm praying for deliverance. I pray when we gather for three days and four days. The fourth day, the Holy Spirit shows up, Holy Spirit breaks out, we then break out

and West Michigan is wrecked for the good for it. Like every house gets healed, every home gets delivered, every sick person gets healed, like that is a good prayer to pray. And you should pray that, and you should pray that. But as you read through the stories of Scripture and you read through the stories of history, like those breakout moments happen with usually ordinary, rudimentary, mundane people just walking through their schedule with this intentionality to, I wanna be attuned to God, I wanna be attuned to God in the little and the unknown and the simple place so that God, when he says go, they step forward and when they step forward, Holy Spirit's like, bam! And often we want the, without the. And consequently, some of us stop way short because I could never do that, I could never do that, God never asked you to, what he asked you to do, what you could do, I'm slicing tomatoes. Help me, I'm in a conversation with a person, help me, focus here, now, help me to listen to what you're saying, who can't do that? I don't know, I'm a little ADD, yeah, aren't we all? But you can do that, and it's as we learn to walk with him in the daily, we become attuned to those little nudges that when that detour comes, pooh, and there's no mistake at that moment, where it came from.

Few things, just as we close, I think Brother Lawrence, his story is so good, those are examples of what you and I could do, so don't miss the practicality in the storytelling. But just a few little things, in addition, I've tried to do, and maybe you can come up with your own ways, but probably the last 25 years, I've tried to do this nearly every day. Is before I grab my phone, I mean, turn the alarm off, but before I do anything else on my phone or get out of bed, I just lay there and I pray these four little simple lines. God, today's yours. Simple, I know. Today, I'm yours. Today, Holy Spirit, lead me, guide me, direct me, convict me, empower me, but just be with me, let's do something. And then the fourth little part of it is, and I'll try to follow. It's the morning prayer, there's other prayers I could pray with that and et cetera, et cetera. End of the day, it's four same prayers. There's other prayers and things I may do at the end of the day, but I'm gonna come back to these four, I said today was yours, was it? And times God's like, good start. No, you picked it up pretty quick on your own after that one. Did a lot of good stuff, but you weren't aware of me

in any of it. What do you do? You're like, sorry, let's do better tomorrow, Lord. At times, I pray, so today was yours, was it? I asked you to lead me, guide me, did you? At times, he's like, yeah, remember that conversation? And they threw out a clue and I prompted you and you leaned into that clue and then it led to that and then you prayed and like, whew, pow, whew. And you're like, yeah, that was so awesome, thank you. At times, it's like, hey, remember that? There was a clue, you were in a hurry. That was clue, that was my prompt and you missed it. And you're like, tomorrow. It's two short prayers, end of the day, you probably got better ones, but for me, what it's done is the prayer is not just the beginning of the day, end of the day, the hope is, the hope is, the hope is that those connection points through the day become more frequent. I've done something for about 17 years when I brush my teeth. I don't tell many people about this, but I do brush my teeth twice a day. And here's the practice, when I brush my teeth, during that time, I'm gonna pray for somebody I work with. And here's what happens without fail. As soon as I grab that toothpaste and put it on the toothbrush somebody's name comes to mind that I work with. And at that time, is that you, Lord,

thou spirit of the universe? No, you just pray for that person and I pray whatever comes to mind for that person for that two minutes. And I know what some of you are thinking, well, good job, big boy, you prayed for somebody two minutes. No, I brush my teeth twice a day, thank you very much. Four minutes. But here's the deal, here's the deal. It's four minutes, I wasn't praying for them before. It's an activity that's mundane. And most of you are looking at the mirror, thinking about something else while you're looking in the mirror. It's two times of my day that now it's connecting me and directing me back to God. And A, I hope that prayer does something, but as Albert Haas says, part of the goal of prayer isn't just that I pray more, but I'm prayerful. So that there's this ongoing communion with God and prayer is a part of that. It's an ongoing communion with God. And maybe there's a hundred practices we could do. It's not adding more to my day, but it's trying to live more of my day with the God who's already there. So I'm gonna pray for us. God, as we go, I pray, man, would you infuse us with creativity? We've heard the stories of...

Brother Lawrence and there's others, but you're inviting us into this life with you. You're inviting us into the awareness of a God who is with us, who walks with us, who talks with us, who leads us, convicts us, corrects us, empowers us, challenges us, encourages us, sends us to do stuff. May we become more aware of your activity in our life and may we create, for lack of a better word, triggers throughout our day to connect with you. While your eyes are still closed, maybe you're here and you've never made a decision publicly or even cognitively to follow Jesus. What we've described, that's the life he's inviting us into in part, a life with God. But that life with God starts with acknowledging my life currently is without God and I need Christ in my life. He made a way to remove all sin on the cross so that I could live with him but then have the Holy Spirit in me. I'm just gonna count to three. It's a simple process we often do around here, just helps the introverts in the room to say, should I respond, should I respond, when should I respond? When I get to three, that's when you respond. You're gonna lift your hand. It's just a way, one, of saying, God, I thank you that you did what I couldn't do. You helped me in ways that I didn't even know

that I needed it. Two, you sent your son to die so that when I put my trust in him, I can live a life that's full of life and resurrection because of what you did. Three, if that's you, I'm just gonna invite you, raise your hand. It's just a way of saying to God, I want to begin following you and I want to experience your spirit leading me every day in my life. So God, those that have hands raised and those who are even contemplated, we say again, thank you for doing what we could not do. We place our trust in you and what happened on the cross and we choose to follow you. May you, by your spirit, help us to take the next 150,000 steps after you. And everybody said, amen. Can we give a big shout out for those who made a decision? Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. If you're here in the room and you raised your hand or even you wish you'd have raised your hand, we've got some friends that have Bibles

and have books and how you take your next steps. They're gonna make their way through the aisles. You could get their attention. There's a little card in there. If you could fill that out. Pastor Brian, send you a message. As we wrap up today, let's maybe stand together if we could, respond to Jesus in a way that reminds us of who he is in our life. ♪ You hold my life, this is my confidence ♪ ♪ You're not my fight, you're my defense ♪ ♪ You hold my life, this is my confidence ♪ ♪ You're by my side, you hold me breathed ♪ ♪ You hold my life, this is my confidence ♪ ♪ You're in it with me, working through me ♪ ♪ Fighting for me, God is not against me ♪ ♪ You're in it with me, working through me ♪ ♪ Fighting for me, God is not against me ♪ ♪ You're in it with me, you're in it with me ♪ ♪ You're working through me, working through me ♪ ♪ You're fighting for me, God is not against me ♪ ♪ You're in it with me, you're in it with me ♪ ♪ You're working through me, fighting for me ♪ ♪ God is not against me ♪