Enseñanza en Equipo

How are we doing, Church by the Glades? My name is Cassidy, and I have the honor and the privilege of being the first communicator. It's my job to warm you up a little bit, and I thought about sharing three things about me. The first thing I'm going to share with you is that I'm one of the directors of life groups here at the Church. My name is Connecting People, and I'm on a mission to love people. The second thing about me is that I'm super risky. God gave me short legs, but He gave me this mouth to have, but He gave me a personality of 6'5". The third thing about me is that this year I dedicated myself to reading the Bible chronologically, and right now I'm in Deuteronomy. And well, one of two things I'm going to tell you is that we're going to start there, but before we get there, I'm going to take you on a journey of what I've done so far. Tell me it's okay to do it. In Genesis, it's such a good start in the history of creation. And then you get to Exodus, and you see the glory of God being taught. People are frozen. And when you get to the end of Exodus and Numbers, it's when you want to hit the wall with your head. Because the Israelites are as incredible as Spirit Airlines, okay? And then Numbers is just a bunch of numbers, but the glory to God. I got to Deuteronomy, and it's been fantastic reading. But before I give you some context about what has happened so far, the people of Israel were free from the captivity they had in Egypt, and they were set free by God. And God had promised them a land that flowed in milk and honey. And when they were set free, this journey was supposed to take 11 days, but it took two years to get to the edge of the promised land. But in these two years, the glory of God was being taught. God opened up the Red Sea. God spoke Mani and Kuel from heaven. God produced water from a rock,

and it appeared during the day like a cloud, and at night like a pillar of fire. And He convinced the Israelites that He had consistently promised them a land that they had not yet reached, but that would give them great benefits. And that He had gone before them to prepare them to give it to them. And when they reached the edge of the region, they sent spies to this land, and the twelve returned and said, Wow, it's incredible. It's like God said. It's full of milk and honey. But then it happened that 10 of the 12 said, But the people in that land are very large. The people in that land are very numerous. For some reason, the Israelites just forgot that they didn't get there, or they got rid of Egypt. By the power of God, they thought it was for themselves, and they didn't understand how they had gotten to where they were, and they had put their safety in their own strength. And in that, they left behind God's promise, and they had to turn around for another 38 years. And then he said in Deuteronomy, Remember how the Lord your God guided you through the desert for those 40 years, humiliating you and putting you to the test to prove your character and to know whether or not you obeyed His commandments. Really, no one in this room has seen an opportunity from God, and because of their insecurities, they have not gone to receive it. That God has given you something, God is going to equip you to do it. No one in this side of the room has ever let their insecurities stop them from doing what God has called them to do.

Sometimes a season in the desert is a season to remember you, is a season to refine you. Maybe God has not given you what is in your heart, because He knows that if He gives it to you at this moment, your heart is not ready. And you are going to be just like the Israelites. And that is why maybe you need to strengthen yourself, maybe you need to read more Bible, maybe you need to make a commitment to the Church, or maybe you need to join a group of life, because you need your foundation to be so firm that when the giants are so great, you know that it is your God who is going to defeat them. But Church, when? Not if, it is when you make a commitment. Do me a favor. I need you to do it with strength, because sometimes we are convinced that if God gives us a call, our emotions have to be there. No, you have to check your emotions. It doesn't matter if you are afraid and you are terrified, you have to do it with God's security, because it is not confidence in what you can do, but in what God is going to do for you. When the problem is in front of you, when your giants are in front of you, you know that God has called you to do it and He is going to equip you to overcome them. Do it with fear, but with confidence in your God. Oh, I beat the clock, the six minutes I had. So I'm excited and I have to announce our next communicator, Pastor Stan. Come on, baby. Good morning, Church by the Glade. How are you today? It's a pleasure to see you. I want to give a quick shout out to my volunteers in this service. Thank you for doing everything you do.

I don't have a lot of time for sexy translations, so I'm going to jump right into it. Quickly, the word of the day is for someone who came into this house tired or worried. This is for anyone who is carrying something very heavy on their shoulders or on their heart. There is someone here that Jesus wants to interact with, because you are looking for something holistic to rest and peace in your heart. Jesus has said these words in the book of Matthew, chapter 11, and they are beautiful. Listen. Come to me, all of you who are tired and overwhelmed, and I will give you rest. Carry my yoke and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul, because my yoke is light and my burden is light. When I get an opportunity to speak in the word of God, I love to use it as a chance to speak to myself, because I also need it. Okay? When I have a moment of Jesus for you, it's because I need it. For me, these words were paramount for me in a season that was going on. You have met my wife. She runs the CBG part for kids. Her name is Karen. She has been here. It's been a long time. And then, okay, here's the photo. The girl that I'm holding is four years old. This is Serena, our oldest daughter. Oh, a problem. The second one that I'm holding, my wife, is Ileana. She's two years old. When Ileana, when I was three weeks old, we found out that she had a genetic disease. The goal of this disease is to slow down the growth of the tissues,

the bones, and the muscles. And the doctors called us and said, we have to go to the hospital immediately, run tests, and do tests, because whether it's active or not, it determines if she's going to survive the next few months. When we received this call, it was like we were hit by a truck. We got there, and for the next year, these hospitals and specialists punctured, looked, and examined. And this was a season for my wife and for me, difficult. A side note. I love this church. I work here. And I'm rich in spirit. But when it comes to finances, no, and when all these visits from doctors and hospitals, it was a little, well, more than a little problem. It was a very difficult season for my wife and for me, and my wife crying all the time, and me trying to be strong. And then I got here to my office, here in the church, and that's usually where I got in trouble. And maybe you're thinking, wow, Stan, why are you still going to this God that allows these things to happen in your life? And I'll tell you this, for me anyway, I prefer to run to God with an open wound than to run out of Him with a scar. I believe that's the difference between living like a healer and living like a scar. So when Jesus says these amazing words in Matthew, in the midst of Galilee,

in the midst of believers and unbelievers, he's offering an invitation to peace. He's offering peace. And the only qualifying factor for this God to be there for you is unity in my struggles. And Jesus said, it doesn't matter what you're doing, losing sleep at night. whatever the weight that is on your shoulders, whatever is stressing you, whatever is spoiling your dreams, come to me, give it to me, give it to me so that I can bear it. And I, in my proximity, you will find peace. And then he doubles down, he doubles down and he talks about a yoke. The yoke is a tool that is used to dig. And the key to an effective yoke is that this has to be able to make the two oxen work in the same way. If one feels very tired, the other recovers the load. This makes the yoke. And when you are in the yoke, Jesus is with you. He will never be overburdened and he will carry all the load that you cannot carry on the yoke. And so humbly puts on himself, when he ties you to that yoke, read his word. He says, as you attend the church, as you congregate, as you learn the concept of character, you will see that his humble steps become your next steps. He will take that step. He will not leave. He is locked in with this yoke. This has to be to remind you that you need to tighten.

And for some, to remind them how good God is. He is still here and he is tied to you by that yoke. My daughter still has that gene. Thank God she is dormant. But it takes constant visits and checks. But I think God, when he knew that I was approaching him, and I put everything at his feet, and I took his word, and I decided to tighten with him by my side, and he locked it. And he has healed my heart. Thank you very much. Please help me welcome the next speaker. How are you? Great work. Great work. My name is Marissa. Listen, to all of you outside at 11.30, I am happy that you are here because it is actually 10.30 in the morning. This time change is driving me crazy. My daughter and my husband, they are still very lost with this time change. I only have six minutes, so I'm going to jump to the word. Matthew 5, from 13 to 16. It says, You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, how can it be salted again? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown and trampled by people. You are the light of the world. A city on top of a hill cannot be hidden.

Nor does a lamp turn on to cover it with a drawer. Rather, it is put on the shelf to illuminate all those who are at home. So let the light of your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works, and praise the Father who is in heaven. Oh, we have here fall lovers. No, I know there are people who love salt. Who likes salt in the enclosure? Lisa, for example, really loves salt. I know there are people who collect salt. There are thousands of types of salt. My favorite is the pink Himalayan. I only know that it looks good on my table. And that is my personal favorite. And Jesus says, You are the salt of the earth. But what is salt? Salt is used for many things. But when it comes to cooking, it is used to give flavor and preserve food. So why does Jesus say that you are the salt of the earth? Because you are called to give flavor at all times. You are called to be the salt in the lives of those around you. Your actions, your motivations. All these things are salt. You are the salt of the earth. Now, what does that look like in my daily life? Well, it means that you are the person who brings love and celebrates the lives of those around you. It doesn't mean that you are simply up there for someone as they are walking through a valley of shadows. Maybe it is just measuring your word.

The Bible actually tells us to measure our words. And you know that when it comes to cooking, who knows that you have to measure the salt because it can make or break the meal that you are preparing. And your words matter. How you talk to people, it matters. How you talk about people, it matters. And especially when they are not around you in the same room. My words, my actions, not going to make a huge impact, not going to change much. I'm not going to make you say what I've learned about salt. Salt isn't seen, but it's tasted. Salt isn't praised, but it's purposeful. Jesus has called us to be the salt of the earth. I've learned in my life that I can only control the tribulations that I confront, but I'm the keeper of my salt. Can I choose to be salty or not? Can I choose to be more flavorful or not? Tell your neighbor, you are salty. So, obviously, the good kind of salt. He then goes on to say that you are the light of the world. And it's important to know that our light is simply a reflection of the light of the world, and that's the light of Christ. And how do we do it? Our compassion, our joy, our gentleness, our resting face. Listen, I'm speaking to myself because I have a killer voice. My face can be a reflection of life. But it's a reflection. And nobody praises the reflection of something. People praise the one who produces the light. But it's not to praise you.

It's to praise the one who illuminates your face. And you reflect it to glorify God in everything that you do. And it's not about being in the light in the moment. It's not about paying attention to me in the moment. No, it's that you reflect the light and you point to the one who produces it, which is Jesus. When your kids are frustrated, I have a two-year-old daughter, I understand. But you respond with patience, gentleness, and love. When your boss is getting under your skin, but you're slow to aim. And you're measuring your words. When your co-workers or your boss is coming at you a certain way, but you respond with patience, forgiveness, and love, and grace. These are all how we reflect Jesus, the light of the world. Tell your neighbor, you are the light. Let their words be a reflection of your character. Let their love be reflected through your actions. Because people should ask you, hey, how and why are you on this journey? Thank you so much, CBG. You are the salt, CBG. You are the light. But this next communicator, you already know him, you love him, Pastor Lucas Gomez. Thank you so much, Melissa. Let's give a round of applause for those last three communicators. For those of you who don't know who I am, my name is Lucas. And as you say, I'm the worship pastor here at the church. I've been a pastor here at the church for 14 years. Wow, it's crazy to say it out loud. Any quick questions? Does anyone here drive a truck? A pickup truck? A truck? Come on, raise your hand.

These people need to be your friends. You always want to know someone who owns a truck. You don't know who your real friends are because they don't know who owns you. My wife and I, we bought a bunch of tiles. And I called the guy who owns the truck. And I had 30 seconds on the phone. He was like, so what? And I said, hey, how are you? He said, what do you need? I said, I need you to lend me your truck. And we're loading the back of the truck. And we're downloading it. And as I go to the truck, it goes down, it goes down, it goes to the ground. And when we were driving, I said, hey, there's a lot of weight. Can you drive it? When you feel like you're driving, are you nervous? He said, no, not nervous at all. It's what the truck is supposed to do. And he said, the truck actually drives better when it's loaded. And I said, that surprised me. I said, that can't be true, right? And he said, no, the rear tires get better traction on the ground. The truck gets a little better. It swerves a little less. It drives straighter. The truck drives better when it's loaded. It turns out, you drive a little straighter, you swerve a little less to the side. And that's what happens when we confront our responsibilities, not when we don't. It would be easier to drive the truck with nothing in the back. But it turns out, you are a truck too.

You were made to carry something. You have a calling from God in your life. And some people, when they receive that calling from God, the first reaction is not to embrace that responsibility. It's to avoid that responsibility. but Moses had a stutter, but God used the name of Joseph to save his family, but he was abused by his own family. God used the name Abraham, but everybody thought he was old. God used the name Elijah, but he was depressed. The Bible says he was suicidal, but God used him in a mighty way. God used the name Lazarus, and he was dead. Listen, if God can use you, do you think it's possible that God can use you? When the call is coming, are you going to embrace responsibility, or are you going to put it aside? Listen, you've been called to carry it. Now, in chapter 6 of Judges, God calls Gideon, and he's afraid, and he has low self-esteem. But look at what it says. When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, The Lord is with you, brave warrior. I just described him to you. I told you he was alone, and he was afraid. But when God calls him, he says, brave warrior. And Gideon's reply is so real that he says, God, if you're with me, why is all this happening to me? He actually just says to God, you abandoned me. And the angel continues speaking in chapter 6, and he says, The Lord turned to him and said, Go with the strength that you have, and save Israel out of the hands of Madian. Am I not the one who sends you? Forgive me, my Lord, Gideon replied. But how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family. God called Gideon, a brave warrior. Gideon responded, saying, I am the weakest and I am the least.

When God calls you to do something, maybe you're not aligned the way you see yourself and the way God sees you. Gideon said, I am the least and I am the weakest. And God said to him, you're a brave warrior. There had to be a choice. Who is he going to believe? When God says you're something, but you think you're something else. I'm going to tell you something. God is always right. And you have to convince yourself of that. You are not what people say you are. You are not who your parents say you are. You're not who your ex says you are. You're not who your therapist says you are. You're not who your coach or your teachers say you are. You're not even who you think you are. You are what God says you are. And Gideon said, I am the weakest and I am the least. I'm willing to bet. That's not the first time Gideon said that about himself. I'm probably willing to bet that Gideon was listening to that at some point. At some point, it became his identity. I don't know who told Gideon that, that he was the weakest and he was the least. But I do know who told him, you are a brave warrior. And the choice at that point was, who are you going to believe? It's time for us to start acting like we believe in what God is telling us. If you're not intentional in understanding what God is saying you are, you will end up becoming what people say you are. But how? How can you believe God when he speaks to us?

How can we act like the people God has called us to do if we don't know what he says? That's why we need to read the word. That's why the church is the minimum you need to do. Sometimes you come, sometimes you don't. You don't need this information to know who God says you are. Your church has to be a holy habit. Sometimes you're carrying the guilt and shame of other things that have happened and you can't let go of them. The Bible says there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Every sin you've ever committed has been forgiven by the cross. Christ died for your sins. So if you're here today and you don't feel loved or valued, let God create and listen. God loved so much the world that he gave his son so that those who believe in him may have eternal life. If you think you're not going to finish the season you're confronting, maybe you're dealing with a devastating situation. Jesus said, jump down to 16. In this world you will have tribulation, but take heart because I have overcome the world. Now the choice is yours. Who are you going to believe? I'm going to believe and I hope that my prayer is that when you leave this place you're inspired. Like the other communicators said, I don't want you to leave this church and go away and all these words go away. No, make a decision. I don't want you to leave the church because it says no one says this about you. But I would challenge you to do this. There's a lot of people in this room who really need prayer in a major way. When I pray in this room, there are people in front of you who are warriors of prayer. They want to go with you.

They want to pray for what's going on in your life. When I say amen, I want you to come to the front of the table. We'll see you next week at church, by the way. God, thank you so much. Thank you, Lord, for the truth of your word. We adore you, Lord, because we are not what people say we are. Let us let go of what people say we are. Do not let us believe the lies in our own minds. If we do not believe in you, and we adore you in the name of Jesus.