IT'S NOT JUST FOR FOREVER

Good morning, family, how we doing today? It's good to see y'all, would you stand with us if you're joining us in the room or online, let's get ready to worship, praise our God who is worthy of it, he's in the room today, he's with you at home, so come on, let's sing praises to him. Come on, hey, let's get our hands together. Oh, we praise you. As we praise, he moves, he's just perspective, so come on, let's give him the honor he deserves today, hey. Oh yeah, we praise you, Jesus, you're worthy. Come on, let's sing, let praise be a weapon. We sing, come on. Your name in the dark and it changes everything. We sing with all we are and we claim your victory. Oh, let it rise. Let praise arise. Yes, yes, come on, sing it. We'll see you break down every wall. We'll watch the giants fall. For fear cannot survive when we praise you. The God of breakthrough's on our side. Forever lift him high. With all creation cry, God, we praise you. Oh, we praise you. Oh, let praise, come on. Let praise be the song that calms the raging sea. Let faith be the song that calms the storm inside of me. Oh, let it rise. Come on, sing that out.

Let faith arise. We'll see you break, come on, hey. We'll see you break down every wall. We'll watch the giants fall. For fear cannot survive when we praise you. The God of breakthrough's on our side. Forever lift him high. With all creation cry, God, we praise you. Oh, we praise you. Oh, come on, let's declare it together. This is what living looks like. This is what living looks like. This is what freedom feels like. This is what heaven sounds like. We praise you. We praise you. This is what living looks like. This is what freedom feels like. This is what heaven sounds like. We praise you. Come on, sing it again. This is what living looks like. This is what freedom feels like. This is what heaven sounds like. We praise you. Lift your voice. Oh, yeah. This is what living looks like. This is what freedom feels like. This is what heaven sounds like.

We praise you. We praise you. We'll see you break down every wall. Hey! We'll watch the giants fall. For we cannot survive without you. The God. The God of breakthroughs on our side. Forever lift Him high. With all creation cry, God, we praise you. We'll see you break. Come on. We'll see you break down every wall. We'll watch the giants fall. For you cannot survive when we praise you. The God of breakthroughs on our side. Forever lift Him high. With all creation cry, God, we praise you. We praise you. We praise you. We praise you. We praise you. Oh, yeah. Come on. You came ready to praise Him today. We're not done yet. We're going to continue to give Him our praise because He's worthy of it. Whatever we're dealing with, our weapon today is our praise. It shifts perspective.

It shifts the room. It stirs up faith. And so we're not going to just end this song here. We're going to keep continuing praising. him because he's worthy of it amen come on can we do that together we can't hold back our praise let's listen to our voice I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise come on I gotta let it out sing I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise come on praise the king of kings this morning I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise tell him he's worthy I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise I gotta let it out I can't hold back my praise my praise this is what living looks like this is what freedom feels like this is what heaven sounds like this is what heaven sounds like we praise you we praise you this is what living

looks like this is what freedom feels like this is what heaven sounds like we praise you we praise we'll see you break down every wall we'll watch the giants fall for fear cannot survive when we praise you the god of breakthrough's on our side forever we lift him high with all creation cry god we praise you oh yes we praise you come on we lift up our shout we praise you jesus amen amen that's a good song to declare together as we remind our spirit our souls that our god is worthy of praise we believe that when we gather together today that he is here and so we want to make our voices loud and clear

declaring that he is good that he is faithful so yeah sometimes we have to remind our souls of that amen and so today as we gather we give worship and honor to a king that is alive so we sing and we worship the name of jesus because as he died on that cross he carried our sin our shame, our hurt, our pain all of it so we respond to jesus in worship and praise and thanksgiving for that but he didn't just die he resurrected and he is alive and he is continuing to work and so we believe this morning as we gather in his presence that he continues to bring healing that he continues to bring hope that he continues to bring peace that he restores minds, that he restores relationships and so we believe for that today not for an outcome we don't worship for an outcome, we worship because of who god is

knowing truly and believing that he can work that he can move and so today as we continue to sing, as we continue to worship our god who is in the room I want to encourage you if you sing one word in this next song I encourage you to sing the word jesus because in that name is all of the hope and the healing and the peace that you need this morning, in that name transforms our perspective, in that name is everything that we need so as we sing this song, knowing and trusting and believing, let's calm our hearts calm our minds and rest in his presence this morning as we sing this name, so come on let's worship let's give him the honor and the attention that he deserves today, come on I will draw near through all of the pain cause I know you're here and I've seen you move how only you do

god you are faithful, your promises are true lord we are here we're ready for you so come on like you In your presence there is freedom, you have broken every chain. In your presence there is healing, you call bones to life again. Jesus Jesus Your name is higher, my one desire So I will lift my voice and sing Jesus Oh, you alone are worthy I've seen you move, how only you do God, you are faithful, your promises are true Lord, we are here, we're ready for you So come move like you do In your presence In your presence there is freedom, you have broken every chain In your presence there is healing, you call bones to life again Jesus So much power in your name Jesus Your name is higher, my one desire So I will lift my voice and sing Jesus Oh, yes You'll never suffer worse, Jesus

You have won the battle, yes You have won it all, so I will never stop I will never stop, I will never stop Chasing your glory, telling your story I will never stop, I will never stop Chasing your glory, telling your story I will never stop, I will never stop Chasing your glory, telling your story I will never stop, I will never stop Chasing your glory, telling the story of Jesus Telling the story of Jesus Jesus Your name is higher, my one desire So I will raise my voice and sing Jesus Jesus Jesus So much power in the name of Jesus Oh yes, for who you are We give it all to you There's something so powerful about that name, the name of Jesus. You know, Pastor Steve and the team, they wrote that last year during the pandemic. And I didn't, I didn't know when we started singing it, that it was something that they wrote during a time of tremendous pressure, of isolation. I told Pastor Steve a few weeks ago, as we were preparing for the service, that I just really believe that God's going to use this song to bring hope and healing to so many in our church familia. Here's why. It's not because our team wrote it. It's because it's all about the name of Jesus.

That name, there's healing in that name. There's forgiveness in that name. There's future in that name. There's hope in the name of Jesus. I know some of us were excited, we're, we're excited to hear some good news, to be a part of some good news, but some of us, it's heavy today. I want to encourage you that through the name of Jesus, the person, the Holy Spirit who's here with us right now, our burdens can be lifted. Hope can fill our hearts and we can become new today. So I want to prepare our hearts to receive from him today. This is not the words of a man, it's not the production of a church, it's the presence of God according to his word. And so let's just, let's lean towards him right now in prayer and ask him to speak to us. Lord, do what you want to do in this place. Meet our needs. Fill us. Give us hope. Lord, help us today to be all that you want us to be, Lord. Lord, I pray that, that you would just fix our mind on you. Lord, I know that there's significant burdens for some of us here today. I know that it was a miracle for us simply to get up and to make our way here, Lord. And in your presence, Father, in your presence there is hope, in your presence there's joy. And so God, I just pray that you would meet us and that you would do what you want to do in this place, that you would speak to our hearts, that you would encourage us so we can go out and bring hope and healing and good news to this broken world. Only you can do it. And it's in the name of Jesus that all things are possible. So we pray all these things in your name. And all my church familia said, amen.

Come on church, let's give him praise. Let's celebrate his goodness. Let's celebrate how hopeful it is to be in his presence. Why don't you turn to a few people, tell them there's good news today. There's good news in this house today, amen. I believe there's some good news. You may have a seat. Welcome, welcome to the local church, the perfect place for imperfect people. I'm Eric, I'm one of the pastors here and we're continuing this teaching series we started last week called Good News because there's so much bad news. When you scroll on social media, when you turn on the tube, there's so much bad news and so we want to focus on what's good. We want to celebrate the good news. We want to create some good news. We want to equip people to share this good news. And last week we talked about the greatest good news, the good news, the gospel of Jesus. And we find a very simple summary in John 3, 16. And it says it's for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son that whoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. Here's what that means. Those of us who've received the free gift of salvation found in Jesus, it means our sins are forgiven. It means we have a new life, we have a new future, we have a new hope, we have a family forever in this place called heaven. And nothing, nothing will ever be able to separate us from this love that God has for us. In the book of Revelation, it gives us a beautiful picture of what heaven will look like. And I think a lot of us, we have this idea in our minds that we're going to be floating in the clouds and wearing diapers and have wings and playing harps the entire time. But look what the book of Revelation says in chapter 21, starting in verse 1. John says, I saw a new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had

passed away and the sea was no more. And then I saw a holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. I shared this last week but a few weeks ago I performed a wedding ceremony. My wife, she was a matron of honor and so she was dressed up to the nines and she was walking down the aisle before the bride and I started getting choked up. because we've been married 13 years and I haven't seen my wife you know walk down an aisle in 13 years and my eyes start tearing up I'm like no no hold it together Eric you're very emotional but hold it right now because it's not your wedding all right don't ruin it and then I look to the groom and man Buddy was a pro he was holding back the tears like like like he was just a damn like just holding it all back you could see it in his face his jaw was shaking his eyes were strained I asked him after I said dude why didn't you cry everyone can cry at a wedding he said dude if I would have cried I would have ruined the wedding it would've been 15 minutes I would have had the sub subs like I would not have been able to hold my composer I'm like it's okay it's okay and what this is this is a picture of this beautiful promise of something that that we desire that we've wanted and now it's finally here and it's greater than anything that we could have ever hoped for it continues on in verse 3 it says I heard a loud voice from the throne saying behold the dwelling place of God is with man he will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will be with them as their gods we get to be in the presence of God forever and I know his presence is here right now but a lot of us because we feel like we can't feel him or we don't sense it that he must be distant but he's making a promise that we get to be and experience all of his goodness all of his joy all of his love forever but then it continues in verse 4 it says he will wipe away every tear from their eyes and death shall be no more neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore for the former things have passed away and he was seated on the throne said behold I am making all things new also he said write this down write this down these words are trustworthy and

true the promise that we get is that when we die it's not the end in fact it's merely the beginning of a new life a new forever life in the presence of with his peace in our hearts last Sunday we got to celebrate 21 people receiving that free gift of salvation right here at the local church 21 precious souls to God that are now part of his family forever and get to experience forever in this home called heaven and this year so far 228 people have surrendered and receive this free gift of salvation in Jesus and that's good news right I can't wait to see what God continues to do but but in this series we just didn't want to share what the good news was and help us to share that goodness we wanted to celebrate some good news like we did last week and so with your permission or with not cuz I'm still gonna do we're gonna celebrate today I want to share some more good news can we do that hey Gabriella we are celebrating your father being five years free of cancer Raquel gave us some good news last week she says I finally found some Christian friends a Christian community in my school and we're celebrating we know how difficult school can get Ben Ben on the camera back there Ben just got his license that's probably good news for mom and dad as well Carlos and Wendy you don't have to drive around anymore Ben we're celebrating with you we're celebrating with Sulin who her and her family they finally moved into their own place they're three kids together that they moved into their own place we're celebrating this incredible milestone we're celebrating Carmen and Christopher who Christopher is now feeling better after he had a major open-heart surgery a few weeks ago he's now back at work and able to be present we're celebrating with you guys and Zach we're celebrating with you as well he's been praying for his sister in Jacksonville for such a long time and she finally came back to church and says she wants to have a relationship with Jesus we just want to celebrate this goodness we have a good news booth out there it's not a confession booth for all my Catholic brothers and sisters I am NOT father Eric that is not a confession booth I won't be back there with you it's a good news booth and we just want to hear of the good that God is doing

and we want to celebrate that we want to shout that out and so on your way out today don't worry there's a fan there's some AC in there as well we just want to hear what God is doing your life but but also in our hope was that that we'd be able to create some good news as well we know it's been a difficult season for many people this church included you know as as people have been out of work and people been looking for jobs you know it's taken a toll on on the resources of the church as well but we know the greatest way to steward is to give back to God And so we just decide we want to bless some people we want to create some good news and and with your permission Can I can I do that again today? Hey Last service we were able to bless two single moms with six months of groceries To help lessen that burden to help give them just some some grace over the next six months And and we're also able to give away a laptop to someone who who's looking to start their own business And so we want to do the same thing in this service Crystal Santiago, where you at? Come up here crystal Come up crystal Crystal Last year she followed her dream She finally started her own business. She took a big step of faith and started her own business and God sees God knows God cares that your laptop is crappy. And so we just wanted to bless you with one We love you crystal you matter to God you matter Hey this service we also want to give away three scholarships to some college students And so the first one She has been such a blessing to our church Specifically the children of the staff members of our church and she's been paying for college on her own And we just want to bless her. So Hannah, where are you at? There you are Hannah Hey, we know college is expenses and you're working so hard and you're serving so much and so we want to bless you with a $1,500 scholarship for you to do whatever you need Love you love the way you love our kiddos

A Second one is to someone who's near and dear to me and my wife We've seen this young man grow up to become such a godly young man, and he's been saving up to get a car And working and going to college and doing football practices And so we kind of just wanted to help the burden with saving up for a car Jacques. Where you at Jacques Graham? Jacques come up here, man We want to bless you with a $1,500 scholarship for you to use it for whatever you need We're so grateful for the man of God that you've become Just feel so good. Hey, we got one more This awesome intern in our student ministry paying for college on our own doing things on our own and Jasmine, where you at? I Want you to know that you're not alone That God sees God knows God cares and so because of the goodness of our God and the generosity of a church to me that Jasmine We want to bless you with a another $1,500 scholarship for you to use it on whatever you need It's not an ugly cry, it's a beautiful cry I Love that I love that we can do that. Thank you Church Familia for your continued generosity, you know Six months ago when we started thinking about what this series could mean not just Celebrating the good news and all this bad news, but creating some good news of blessing some people We were just it was so hard for us to hold back all our excitement We had to wait six months and about six weeks ago We started we started praying and and and looking for needs God Give us eyes to see how can we help some people and one of the families that we were prepared to To celebrate and to bless today has been so near and dear to us In fact, we've been praying for them over the past eight months as a Church Familia But unfortunately this past Monday We got some bad news that Melissa Squadrito She graduated and went on to see our King and our Savior Jesus

And one hand it man it really sucks But the other hand we know it's good news because we're confident That when she closed her eyes and reopened them she heard those words well done good faithful servant And so we weren't planning on sharing bad news today But we do want to focus on the good news and so we've changed our our plans We know as we're preparing and Leon and Mia and Sophia as you guys are preparing for a celebration of your mom's life and all that she meant to so many here. You're gonna have your hands full, and we wanna take away some of that burden, so we wanna bless this Quadrito family over the next two weeks with delivery services for dinner so they don't have to worry about that. But more than that, Melissa, she was a labor and delivery nurse, and she was part of celebrating so many birthdays right here in this church. And we wanted to do something that would honor her, to honor her gift, her legacy of her championing women and being there. I mean, even in the darkest season of her life, she still had hope. She still used her platform to let people know that Jesus saves. And so today to honor her, we're gonna give a $1,000 donation to Hope Women's Center so that other women who don't know how they're gonna make it and how they're gonna give birth will have the support, the supplies, the community that they need.

And we just wanted to do that to honor our dear friend. And again we... You know, I love God's word because it's full of good news. Cover to cover, it's about the greatest news that we have a home forever and we have a father who loves us. But it's also real about the bad news. You know, I know 2020, even some of you, 2021, I can't believe it's nearly over, but maybe this year has been heavy and hard on you as well. And even sharing over the past two weeks as we're blessing families and meeting needs. I know for some of us, it's hard for us to celebrate. It's hard for us to be excited when someone else is getting something, but I'm not, because maybe for some of us in here, there's been such a heaviness upon us and we've been stuck in a dark place called depression. And depression is a pandemic as well. Over 300 million people in the world suffer with depression. One out of every nine human beings are on some sort of antidepressant. And one out of every five in America have been on antidepressants at some point in life. In fact, the antidepressant industry has blew up over 300% in the past five years and there's no sign of it slowing down and that's bad news. Depression, it affects so many people.

It doesn't discriminate. Young, old, men, women, doesn't matter your background. I wanna bring some attention to that as we talk about the good news, because there's good news for those of us who are struggling, who are suffering, who are battling with depression. And we wanna bring attention to that. I think that it's still a problem today because there's this big stigma with depression and anxiety and mental health. We hide it, especially on social media. While we show all the perfect pictures of our life and how everything's going well and look at the growth and look how good everyone is and look how well put together I am, but for so many people, deep inside their heart, they're hurting and they cover it. They put a mask over their face, not just their mouth and their nose because they're trying to hide something. There's a stigma with mental health and I wanna bring some awareness to it and I wanna break it down so that we can have hope and freedom today. And I think one of the reasons why there's a stigma and one of the reasons why we hide it is because we don't see it for as significant as it is. You know, if we have a heart issue, we'll go to the doctor,

he'll prescribe some medicine for our heart and we tell people about, hey, I got some new heart medicine, I'm doing really well now, but we hide when we have a mental health issue because we feel like people will think less of us and you must be broken and you must be fragile, especially in the church. I think one of the reasons why there's still a stigma and we try to hide it, even in a place that we like to call the perfect place for imperfect people is because a lot of times, we give these pathetic responses that are religious to people who are suffering. We say, if you just would've prayed more, if you just would've read more Bible, you would've come to church more often. If you would have just had more faith, you wouldn't be going through this And so today I want to set the record straight, and I want to be very clear about what I'm saying If you are struggling with depression you are not less spiritual Being sick is not a sin and what you struggle with does not define Who you are He does 2nd Corinthians 5 17 Says that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person The old life is gone behold a new life has begun That's who God says that we are and I know some of you may not feel that way right now, and that's okay But He wants you to grow

He wants to get better all of us We all struggle with something all of us were carrying something today because all of us are imperfect all of us have mess up all Of us have have some sort of baggage, but the good news is that we can be free The good news is that we can be free today I titled today's teaching that's not just about forever the good news is not just about forever It's not just for forever. It's it's for right now. It's not just about heaven We got this beautiful picture of heaven where there's no more hurt. There's there's no more pain There's no more tears, but this good news is not just for then it's for here and now today You are a new creation We can be free And Jesus shows us the way God's word it Has the answer to so many of life's issues Definitely all the significant ones and this This idea of anxiety depression and ideation We get a clear picture in God's Word as well Listen to what Hebrews says in Hebrews 4 15. It says for we don't have a high priest who is unable to Sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who listen in every respect Has been tempted as we are yet without sin For those of you who are struggling with depression today. I want you to know that God knows and he cares and He loves you and He has shown us a way Through it he has shown us a way that we can overcome and so I want you to write this big idea down I want you to hear because some of you you may be shocked write this down Jesus battled depression and Defeated its power Want you to hear that?

Jesus battled Depression now, I didn't say he suffered with depression There is a difference to suffer with something means to give into it I need you to understand that that first feeling is not a sin That first feeling is a sign that something is off Something is wrong and what we do with that has the power to either set us free or to get us stuck Jesus Battled depression, but he defeated its power and I'm believing that today we can be free Today is personal for me. I Don't want to see my church familia Struggle and suffer with depression any longer today. We can be free Matthew 26 36 it says then Jesus went to a place called Gethsemane He said to his disciples Sit here while I go over there and pray and taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee He began to be sorrowful and troubled and then he said to them listen to this My soul is very Sorrowful even to death Remain here and watch with me now last week. We talked about this good news, but this good news was not free It's free for us if we receive it, but it cost Jesus so much This was literally the weight of the world the sin of the world past present and future upon him and Not only was he gonna pay for it spiritually. He was gonna pay for it physically He was about to endure Not not a lethal injection not a firing squad where you know, it's over really quick He was about to endure brutal Roman punishments and he He knew it, and it was heavy. But Jesus shows us the way out. It was heavy upon him, but he gives us away. And I know some of us, probably all of us, we've never experienced torture, right?

But for many of us, many of us who are silent inside, I think we know what it's like to feel pressure. Why? See, people who struggle and suffer and have gone through depression, one of the common things that we hear is that it feels like pent-up pressure. You're just always uncomfortable. There's this anxiety that something, you don't know what is gonna come. And why that happens is because we push things down. When we're not feeling well, we push it down. It's okay, I'm just pushing through it. When we're angry, we push it down. When we're sad, we push it down. When something happens in our life, you know what, I can get through this, I'm strong, and we push it down. And we keep on pushing down all of this until the pressure builds up. And what eventually will happen? We'll explode. Sometimes we explode on people we love. Sometimes we say things that we know are hurtful just to get it off of our chest. Sometimes we explode inside. We break down. We have a moment, or a series of moments where we have no control. And I wanna make this clear.

I'm not a mental health professional. I'm a pastor. But I'm grateful that God uses both, amen? So today, I just wanna give one thing. I just wanna share one next step. That the word of God prescribes, that will help us relieve this pressure that psychologists agree is a way that we can relieve this pressure. Because if we don't learn to manage this pressure inside of us, it will be poison to our health and to our emotions. And so here's the big idea. Write this down. Everyone needs someone that they can confide in without fear of condemnation. Everyone, every single person in here. We all need at least one person that we can confide in without fear of condemnation. What I'm talking about is talking. We all need someone we can talk to. Because what happens when we don't talk, when we keep it in, the pressure builds up. Psychologists call this rehearsing and pushing down and rehearsing and pushing down all these negative emotions. They call it ruminating. And we get this word from cows, because cows do that, they ruminate. What that means is they eat grass,

they chew it, they swallow it, they spit it back up, they chew the cud, they swallow it, they spit it back up. They continue to do this. And I know it sounds disgusting, but for humans, it's far worse. We hear something, we feel something, we push it down, but no, no, we don't digest it, we don't let it go through us, we spit it back up, and now it's more disgusting, but we continue to chew on it. And then we push it down again, and then it comes back up, and we allow ourselves to repeat these negative emotions, these negative thoughts, and we ruminate, and we go through all of these thoughts over and over and over again. And it's killing people. Depression is the number one health concern in America today, because we ruminate, because we rehearse and we recite all the negativity. It builds pressure up. And Jesus understood pressure. Jesus had the weight of the world, the sin of the world on his shoulders, but he didn't give up. Jesus didn't ruminate, he released. Jesus didn't keep it to himself, he gave it to God. He released all of that pressure. Matthew 26, 36 again.

Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, sit here while I go over there to pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to be sorrowful and troubled. First of all, you need to see that Jesus gave us the example that we can't go through this alone, even from the very beginning. God the Father, God the Son, God the Spirit in relationship. It's an example for us that we need other people. He brought his friends along to pray with him. You know, death isn't the worst punishment. Prison isn't the worst punishment. The worst punishment that we could experience is solitary confinement. You ask any prisoner who's gone through it, they would much rather their life end than being stuck in a dark room with no one to talk to except yourself. And a lot of us, when we are in our own personal solitary confinement that we place ourselves in because we're ruminating our enemy Satan, he uses it to speak lies to us. To make us believe things like, you're the only one who's experiencing this. No one will understand what you're going through when you tell people they're going to look down upon you. Your life is not worth living. Don't believe those lies. Don't recite them. Don't ruminate. Release them. Jesus, he brought some friends along, but I want you to hear this, okay? He didn't just bring friends along. He shared his soul with them. He was honest and transparent with them.

Then he said to them, my soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch with me. He was honest. He opened up to his friends. Now, I cannot comprehend how God can be fully God and fully man all at the same time. I can't. It's just one of those things that I don't think we'll fully understand here in eternity. How can you be 100% of everything, but yet he was fully God and he was fully man and he fully experienced sorrow. I don't understand how the one who holds everything in his hands like it's nothing felt the weight of what was about to happen. But again, he didn't ruminate. He released. He brought some friends. He was open with them. And when he prayed, he didn't say, take me home. Father, take me home. Can you end this now? No, he didn't say, take me home. He said, use me here. Not my will, but yours be done. This is important for someone today. I want you to understand this and write this down. The way out of our earthly problems isn't going to heaven. It's getting help while we're here. I can't wait to get to heaven, but if I'm honest with you, there have been times, even as a pastor where I wanted to be there now, there've been dark seasons of my life where I didn't want to do this anymore. I didn't want to experience the pressure. I didn't want to have to pastor you guys.

I didn't want to hear everything and all the bad news. But until I sought intentional help, until I had someone that I could speak to without fear of, I can't be the pastor anymore, I was stuck. But here I am on the other side, and here's so many of us, we've gone through it. And what has been the overwhelming help, community, communication. The head doctor at the University of Oregon's medical department, he said this. He said that a morning with a friend and some coffee can bring far more healing to your life than all day long in the doctor's office. This is a secular medical professional who understands how important community and communication is. We all need someone. We all need someone that we can be honest with, someone we can share with, someone we can talk to. And this is why familia happens here. See, a lot of us, we know people, we bump shoulders with people here, but we're not honest with them. Even those of us who are in connect groups. We realize we can't do life alone, so we come together, but we stay quiet because, you know, they don't want to hear what I have to say, and I don't want to share my problems. Everyone seems kind of holy, and they seem like they have it all together, so I'm just going to keep it to myself. No, that's a lie from the enemy. Look around this room. Look around right now. If you've made some mistakes, if you've got some burdens, if you've got some issues, can you raise your hand? Wow, would you look at that? 98% of the people here are honest. Today, we have the opportunity to get to know some connect groups and to get plugged in to find a community that will fight for

us, not with us, that will celebrate when something special happens in our life, when we get the promotion, when we found the new place, when we give birth and will mourn with us when things get heavy and the news seems bad. What God's word has been showing us is what mental health professionals understand as well, that we all need someone. We all need community. We all need connectedness, but I want you to hear this. I'm not trying to over spiritualized. This is supernatural spiritual truth. Don't ever stop talking to God. Ever. Some of you think that God is mad at you. He's not mad at you. You think he knows everything you've done. He knows the darkest secret in your heart. He knows the darkest thought in your mind, and he loves you the same. This is good news. And the good news continues, not just for forever, but for today. He wants to get you help. He wants to grow you. So never stop talking to him. Listen to what happens with Jesus. Verse 24, verse 45. Then he came to his disciples and said to them, sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand. Oh, I'm sorry. Let me go back to verse 39.

A little farther, he fell on his face and prayed, saying, my father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will. In verse 42, again, the second time he continued to pray, he went and prayed. My father, if this cannot pass as I drink it, your will be done. Verse 44, and leaving them again, he went and prayed for a third time, saying the same words. Sometimes we're in a dark season of our life. All we feel that we can say is just the same words, and that's okay. Save me. Help me, God. Help me. I need help. I need hope. But God will take even those simple prayers to meet you where you're at and to pull you up out of it. See, Jesus continued to pray. Jesus continued to use the same words. And then look what happened. Verse 45. Now, then he came to his disciples and said to them, sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand. The son of man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going. See, my betrayer is at hand. When Jesus continued to surrender to his father's will in prayer, his strength grew.

When he continued to be in connection and relationship and surrender, God, your will be done. Your will be done. Your will be done. His strength grew when I was in my dark moment. And I continued to talk to God, even though I didn't want to. When I continue to give it to him and give it to him and give it to him. And even though it took a lot longer than I thought it might take, and even though it was a whole lot more difficult than I thought I could carry on my own, when I gave it to him, there came a moment where he gave me strength, where I could just get up and say, you know what? I'm good. God has given me hope where I could stand here today in front of this church for me that I love and say that now I can lead out of my pain. I can lead out of my depression that I felt. That's the key. See, mental health experts are finally getting it. But again, God's word, it meets all of our needs. And from the very beginning, God said, it's not good for man to be alone. And what God's word has prescribed from the beginning, experts are finally beginning to understand today that when we live with a purpose greater than ourselves, when we live with our eyes, not just focus on what we don't have or who we aren't, but we steward what God has given us and we give it away like we've given away today. That's where hope rises.

Write this final big idea down. God will get you through what you're going through to be able to help others get through what they're going through. God will get you through what. you're going through. See, the good news is not that God gets us out of everything. The good news is that we'll feel happy all the time. If you're around a Christian who all they speak is niceties and they're smiling all the time, they're lying. Jesus says, in this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I've overcome the world and I am with you. That's the good news. Not that he gets us out of everything. Not that he keeps us from experiencing pain, but that he's with us, even in the valley of the shadow of death. And we don't have to fear, because he's near. And even if you're still in the valley of the shadow of death, even if you're still in your darkness, even if you are still depressed, if you would just reach out your hand to help somebody, both will find healing in that moment. I'm gonna ask our worship team to come out and lead us in this song. And my prayer is that,

that for those of you who feel a weight, those of you who feel that your life doesn't matter, those who are believing the lie of our enemy, that we'd be better off without you, that you would find hope and freedom today. Because we need you. Somebody needs your pain. Somebody needs your progress. But we need you. We need your story. Your family needs you. Your kids need you. I know it's hard, but life is worth the living because he lives. So as our worship team, Pastor Steve and Janelle lead us in this song. I just want you to receive it for yourself. I want you to hear the still small voice of God speak to you and whisper to you that you are loved, that you are not alone, and that today you can be found. Mm. Mm. Mm. Mm. ♪ Have you ever felt like nobody was there? ♪ ♪ Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere? ♪ ♪ Have you ever felt like you could disappear? ♪ ♪ Like you could fall and no one would hear? ♪ ♪ Well, let that lonely feeling wash away. ♪

♪ Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay. ♪ ♪ Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand. ♪ ♪ You can reach, reach out your hand. ♪ ♪ And oh, someone will come running. ♪ ♪ And I know they'll take you home. ♪ ♪ Even when the dark comes crashing through. ♪ ♪ When you need a friend to carry you. ♪ ♪ When you're broken on the ground. ♪ ♪ You will be found. So let the sun come streaming in. ♪ ♪ Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again. ♪ ♪ Lift your head and look around. ♪ ♪ You will be found. ♪ ♪ You will be found. ♪ ♪ You will be found. ♪ ♪ You will be found. ♪ ♪ You will be found. ♪ Psalm 34, 17. The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted. He rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to rescue each and every time. He's here. He loves you. You can find hope today. He's here. He loves you. He's here. He loves you. We'll be found. Out of the shadows. The mooring is breaking. And all is new.

All is new. It's filling up the empty. And suddenly I see. That all is new. All is new. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not alone. You are not. You are not alone. You know when the dark comes crashing through. When you need someone to carry you. When you're broken on the ground. You will be found. So when the sun comes streaming in. You'll reach up and you'll rise again. If you only look around. You will be found. You will be found. You will be found. You will be found. You will be found. You will be found. That's the hope. That we have in the good news of Jesus. That he's with us. He's here. It's not just for forever.

It's for you today. I want to take some time to pray. I realize that some of you, you may feel overwhelmed. Some of you may feel you got to talk to somebody. We're going to have an opportunity to pray. Some of our pastors. Some of our counselors here. But we have a God who hears. Who knows. Who loves. Who's present. So I just want to pray right now. And seek his presence. And seek his face and his hope and his healing. Father, thank you. Thank you, Jesus. That we can reach out. That you lift us up and that you carry us. That we can find a home and a family. In this church and in other churches in our community. That our struggles matter. That our sickness matters. But you make a way. Even where there seems to be no way, Jesus. You can make a way, Lord. And so I pray right now for hope to rise up in this place. I pray for courage for my church family, Lord. That they would take the next step of asking for help. That they would not just seek solitude. Or to regurgitate and ruminate all the memories in their mind.

But today, God. Many men and women, sons and daughters. Would take their next step and seek help. Because we know that's where we find you. That's where we find the hope that we need. We need that's where we find the healing for our broken hearts God and whether you used miraculous or whether you use medication We don't care about the method. We know that you make a way So we're surrendering to that right now Lord I want to pray for all those who are struggling with depression Jesus you would give them hope and healing I want to pray for those those children who have walked away from home God I pray for the the hearts of those parents that they would know that That you are holding on to them that you love their children far more than they could ever imagine I want to pray for me and Sophia and Leon as they go through these next several weeks wondering how they're gonna live their life without Melissa I'm just so grateful that you have a plan and that plan includes your people praying Celebrating giving and loving them for all those who are struggling with cancer Cheese that you would meet their needs Give them hope give them peace. We pray for supernatural healing in Jesus name And for every other need listed in this place every financial spiritual relational We turn to you Help us Help us Lord We need you We thank you Use us Lord to change this world By the good news that you've instilled in us I pray that as we walk out these doors Lord though the world may bombard us with bad news after bad news We would know in our hearts that you are with us always even until the end of the age and we wouldn't hold that to ourselves

We would give this good news away. Thank you that you use us. We trust you. We surrender we follow We pray all these things in your name and all the people of God said Amen