Made For More

>> Hello, men and women. Such an honor and a blessing to be able to speak to you guys again from right here in McKinney, Texas at Life Fellowship Church through the PANDO app and the facilities that you're at. What an amazing blessing to have that tablet, man. My name is Logan Williams. My TDC number is 1490218. I have four numbers after that. Round and round and round the system here in Texas. I know a lot of you are watching from other states, but man, like it's the same, right? It's easy to come back once you've been in the system and it's so hard, man. Like we really, really have to be intentional and put all of our energy and focus on trying to live this life, this spiritual life, getting all in with God. Because the deck is just so stacked against us, man. I didn't have the PANDO app when I was in prison. I wish I did. Probably would have done my time a little bit different. I was the guy that would just go to church, check the boxes, and then just keep on living. However, I wanted to live while I was in prison. Telling myself, hey, when I get out, I know I'm going to, what to do. I'll read the word when I get out. But while I'm in here, man, this prison sucks. I just want to get through this. So I'm going to continue to do the hustling and the gambling and engaging in whatever you got while I'm in there. But when I get out, I'll do this. That never worked for me. I never walked out of prison and then just walked it out. I fell every single time and thank God, man, he came after me.

I was in a nasty hotel room, August 11th, 2021. Had enough drugs to stay high for about a year, surrounded by crazy. Man, God just invaded my heart and just called me up out of that room, said, man, I got a plan for you, Logan. And I need you to just get up and leave this room and I got you and he did. And I never, ever thought that I would be working at a church or speaking to inmates or anything like that. And I want to encourage you with that. I want you to have in your heart that perhaps God has a plan for you. That you have no idea what's coming, man. The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. It says that in Romans 11, 29. So I want you to, if you're a born again believer, ask the Lord, man, what's your plan, what's your vision, what's my purpose? What would you have me be? How will I enlarge your kingdom and make much of your name? Because guys, there's nothing better than that. Being in the lane that God created you to be in, that's where true fulfillment, true joy will truly come from. And when we don't have that, we're going to seek that in other things, like everything else but God. And most of those things land me right back in prison. That's why I was came back four times. Tell your friends and family, they can download the same Pando app on their phone. They can watch the same messages, all the stuff that you get. And y'all can talk about it. You can do this walk together, even though you're behind bars. When you see them in visitation, when you talk to them on the phone, when you write them letters, y'all can talk about this stuff. And this is so important because God never intended us to do this walk alone.

Thank God I have good, faithful friends, man, in my life. God, fearing were the same like-minded friends that will call my butt out. They will. I got people in my life that have permission to walk my butt. Literally, if I'm acting up and I'm not listening, cuz I need it, man. We can't see certain things about our life. I use this analogy all the time. If this bottle is my life, all I can see is this side of it. And this side of it, it says nutrition facts. And there's zero calories and there's one milligram of sodium. And this is all I can see. I have no idea on the other side, there's a giant watermelon piece. And so if this is my life and I'm looking at it, I need someone on this side, looking in, telling me, hey man, there's a watermelon piece over here. Hey man, you can't see it, but you're being selfish right now. You can't see it, but pride is welling up in you Logan. You can't see it, but you've got entitlement, man. And you need to look at that, pray about that, confess that, get that in the open. We gotta have that in our lives, man. We have to because we just can't see. I got a mentor that says it all the time. I can't see my own ears. So I need those people in my life. And if you don't have that in your life, pray for that. There's someone on that unit that you can walk with. Say, God, bring that person into my path because it's so and so, so important. So interesting today, I was going to read and talk about And we're having a hard time getting all this stuff on and I was just up here and I'm over here Killing time and I'm reading This other thing and the Lord's just like I want you to not read that which is what I planned and I want you to read this

So I'm gonna speak this over you guys. Okay, but but first of all, this is only true if you're a born-again believer If you're not a born-again believer, this is not true about you But it can be Romans 10 says anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord Jesus will be saved If you've never done that man, it's just that simple You don't have to repeat a prayer after someone you can just cry out to him in your own language Those are the prayers those are the cries that he's gonna hear anyway The legit ones the the real ones when you're in your bunk at night man when it's just you and him Man talk to him He wants a relationship with you so bad Talk to him verse 43 Isaiah Starting in verse one it says this but now oh Jacob listen to the Lord who created you And okay, this is what God wants me to tell you because I was gonna tell you this other thing But he wants me to read this thing. Okay, so that's important to know He downloaded it on my heart as I he messed up the computers and he messed up everything in here So you could hear this because I wouldn't have done that I wouldn't have seen that and I wouldn't have done that But now oh Jacob listen to the Lord who created you oh Israel the one who formed you says do not be afraid for I have ransomed you I've Called you by name you are mine Man just even as I read that now man. I just felt this warmth come over me like it's so comforting to know That we're his man that when he looks down from heaven He doesn't see dope fiend Logan who used to just shoot dope and run crazy on the streets. He doesn't see Logan the thief that would just hit licks on anybody just to get some more dope He doesn't even see pastor Logan when he looks down He says he sees the blood of his son on my life, and he's like he's mine. She's mine That's what he's saying right here, man. I've called you by name You are mine when you go through deep waters. I will be with you When you go through rivers of difficulty you will not drown When you walk through the fire of oppression you will not be burned the flames will not consume you I Know you guys are going through this on a daily basis. I

Mean we go through it out here, but it's nothing like Being behind the wire. I know man. There's nothing like it But my God is saying I'm with you like these are words. This is God's word that when you're in that valley You need to speak and declare it over your life You're not gonna drown in the rivers. You're not gonna be burned in the fire for I am the Lord your God the holy one of Israel your Savior I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom. I gave Ethiopia and seba in your place Others were given in exchange for you says God. This is God's word I Traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me You are honored and I love you. This is what God says about us man. I Have spiritual mentors in my life that tell me things man nuggets that I take with me and early on one of them said this He said Logan you don't have to have this whole thing memorized. You don't have to be this great theologian But you need to have a scripture that you can declare and fight with when the enemies coming against you when life looms large When you're going through the fire and man, this is a good one. Isaiah 43. That was verses one through four Man write it down. I used to write these key Key verses when I was locked up down on on the back like cardboard piece of the of the note The little notepads that you can buy on commissary, you know that cardboard piece that's because it's durable And I could just I just throw it under my mattress and I pull it out and just read these key scriptures man over my life It's so valuable the just declaring God's word over your life man That he loves you. You're precious to him And that and that even though you may be going through the fire You're not going to get burned and I can tell you from experience that the fires that I went through The things that God got me through while I was going through it man Yeah, there's doubt there's anxiety man. Is this how's this gonna pan out? I wish that things were different? But he got me through that, and he got me through that, and God got me through this, and he got me through this. And so not only do I have this confidence that the next thing he's gonna get me through, but I see that, man, he used all that to forge me, to mold me, to prune me, so that I can be better,

I could better enlarge his kingdom and make much of his name. And I can see now that I wouldn't even be the person that I am today, if I hadn't have gone through this and all the things that he got me through. So, man, I want you to be encouraged today. Man, God has a plan for your life, and he is with you right now, and you're precious to him. He traded lives for yours. He traded his own son's life for your life. He said, man, he looked down on you, man, even on your worst day, when you were doing whatever you were doing, and you didn't care about God, and maybe you even hated God. He still said, man, that's my beloved, and he's worthy of dying for. She's worthy of dying for it. Guys, we gotta get this out of our head as information and in our hearts as revelation, because this kind of stuff changes things. This changes the environment. And I'm just so grateful and so glad that the computers messed up, and I was able to read this, man, I want y'all to go read this and meditate on it. Isaiah 43, one through four. And then just keep reading, man. You'll get to verse 15 through 20, which is what I was gonna read. It's just so rich, so rich. So I just wanna encourage y'all.

We love you here at Life Fellowship Church, you're part of our church family. When y'all show up here on a Sunday, man, you're treated like royalty. You get introduced to everybody, we get you coffee, we get you whatever you need, I'll sit with you, man. So even if you don't live in the Metroplex, if you're anywhere near here on a Sunday, man, come, stop in. When you get out, man, call the church, ask for Logan Williams, and just tell them, I just got out of prison and I need to speak to Pastor Logan. And they will run that message to my desk, and we'll connect, we'll connect, bro. I love you guys, man. I love what God is doing. I love what God is doing behind the prisons. That's just amazing thing to be a part of, and I couldn't have said that six years ago. So let me pray for you, Father, we love you so much. And I just thank you for all the men and the women that are watching right now, God, the ones of your after, the ones you've left 99 to chase after. They wouldn't have clicked on this video today if you weren't after them. And so God, I pray that if anyone doesn't know you, man, that they would be saved today by the power of your Holy Spirit, that they would call on your name and see John 3.16, that you loved the world so much that you gave.

You went first, you gave your only son. You bankrupted heaven, you gave it all. So anyone who believes in him would never perish, but have eternal life, and that they would call on your name to be saved. That it's just that simple, just believing that simple gospel truth and confessing it out loud. God, I just pray that. I pray that you would bless their families while they're gone, that you would be a provider for their children, for their wives, for their parents, for their elderly grandmothers and grandfathers, those people that we worry so much about when we're incarcerated because we have absolutely no control. And if something happens to them, we can't go see them. And oftentimes we don't even know, God, I pray against that anxiety that wells up in those moments. And I pray that you would let them know that you have their families in the palm of your hand. And God, I pray that you would meet them right where they're at, that they would read these verses and that they would get a better understanding of how much you love them, that love that passes knowledge, man, that love that changes things, that changes the environment. God, I pray that you would raise up some environment changers right now that are watching this video and the places that they're at, that revival would just sweep across the facilities,

the departments of corrections all across America. And God, that you would have your way. Man, we give you all the praise and glory and we love you so much in Jesus' name, amen. Amen, guys, I just have one more question. Who's house? God's house. Let's give him some praise. (gentle music) (upbeat music) ♪ Good morning, good morning ♪ ♪ Good morning, good morning, my fellowship family ♪ ♪ Come on, come on, come on, come on, come on, come on ♪ ♪ Stand up on our feet and get ready to worship Jesus ♪ ♪ Come on, let us know where he is ♪ ♪ Yeah, yeah ♪ ♪ Whoa ♪ ♪ Look out ♪ ♪ I'm crazy in the valley ♪ ♪ I'm crazy on the mountain ♪ ♪ I'm crazy when I'm sharp ♪ ♪ I'm crazy when I'm down ♪ ♪ Yes I am ♪ ♪ Oh I'm crazy when I know that ♪ ♪ I'm crazy when I'm around you ♪ ♪ 'Cause praise is the one ♪ ♪ My enemy's drowning in awe ♪ ♪ And as long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to pray ♪ ♪ Oh my soul ♪

♪ I'm gonna pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ I'm crazy when I'm feeling ♪ ♪ And I'm raised when I don't ♪ ♪ I'm raised 'cause I know ♪ ♪ I'm raised as I know ♪ ♪ You're still in control ♪ ♪ Oh my praise is the one ♪ ♪ My praise is the one ♪ ♪ It's more than a sound ♪ ♪ It's more than a sound ♪ ♪ Oh my praise is the sound ♪ ♪ That bridge here it goes down ♪ ♪ And as long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ As long as I'm breathing ♪ ♪ I've got a reason to pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh my soul ♪ ♪ I'm gonna pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ How could I be feeling silent ♪ ♪ I'm gonna pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh my soul ♪ ♪ Come on, how many others ♪ ♪ We gotta read this with praise ♪

♪ Jesus in the room this morning ♪ ♪ Oh we gotta read this and bless you ♪ ♪ Oh Lord ♪ ♪ Oh Lord ♪ ♪ Come on, let's take it out like this ♪ ♪ My praise 'cause you're sorry ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're right ♪ ♪ My praise 'cause you're rose ♪ ♪ And defeated the grave ♪ ♪ My praise 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪ ♪ And praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Oh I pray 'cause you're sorry ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're right ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're lost ♪ ♪ Oh I pray 'cause you're faithful ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're true ♪ ♪ I pray 'cause there's nobody ♪ ♪ I pray 'cause you're sorry ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're right ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're rose ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're free ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're free ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're right ♪ ♪ I pray 'cause there's nobody greater ♪ ♪ I pray 'cause there's nobody greater ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're right ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're wrong ♪ ♪ There's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause you're faithful ♪

♪ I pray 'cause you're true ♪ ♪ Praise 'cause there's nobody greater than you ♪ ♪ Oh I pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh my soul I wear a brand ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ Oh my soul ♪ ♪ I'm gonna pray ♪ ♪ The Lord ♪ ♪ Oh I'm gonna pray ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ ♪ 'Cause I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪

♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ My God is alive ♪ ♪ And I won't be quiet ♪ ♪ Praise the Lord ♪ (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music)

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(upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) Get a bed, praise the Lord Anybody have a praise on their lips this morning? Come on, say, come on, my soul Oh, don't shake it, shine it Don't blow your soul 'Cause you got a love you I got a love you So get a bed, praise the Lord Come on, say, come on, my soul Oh, don't shake it, shine it Come on, say, come on, in the midst of your soul It's time to love love Get a bed, praise Come on, say, come on, my soul Oh, don't shake it, shine it 'Cause you got a love and it's time Get a bed, praise the Lord Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah Oh, don't shake it, shine it Oh, don't shake it, shine it Oh, I will bless the Lord at all times I will bless the Lord at all times And the praise will continue to leave me on my lips Bless the Lord on my soul And let all our men do within me bless this holy man Come on, bless the Lord

Bless the Lord Let the Lord lift up your voice and bless the Lord Let the Lord, bless the Lord Hold up through my hands Please, you'll get me 'Cause all that I have is mine Oh, yeah And I know much, not much But hope nothing else fit for again Except for a hard CD Oh, I'll sing that one more time, say So I'll throw up my hands And praise you again and again and again 'Cause all that I have is mine Oh, yeah And I know much, not much But hope nothing else fit for again Except for a hard CD Oh, I'll sing that one more time I'll sing that one more time I'll sing that one more time Bless the name of my hands I'll sing that one more time I'll sing that one more time Oh, I'll sing that one more time But your love has saved The same Your constant grace Remains the cornerstone And things that we thought were done

Are breathing in love again You cause your sign too Straight into your sign For all that you've done, we will For all our love, this will be Our anthem song Jesus, we love you Oh, while we love you You are the one I'll hold the door ♪ The homeless I found there ♪ ♪ Oh, the orphans now have ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ And all that was lost at ♪ ♪ Found this place in you ♪ ♪ Oh, hallelujah ♪ ♪ And you lived our weary ♪ ♪ You made us strong instead ♪ ♪ You took these rising ♪ ♪ You made us beautiful ♪ ♪ For all that you've done ♪ ♪ We will pour out our love ♪ ♪ This will be our end of song ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Oh, how we love you ♪ ♪ You are the one ♪ ♪ Our life is over ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Oh well, oh well ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are, you are the one ♪ ♪ Oh well, it's the dawn ♪

♪ Oh well, it's the dawn ♪ ♪ Oh well, it's the dawn ♪ ♪ Oh well, it's the dawn ♪ ♪ Oh how we adore you ♪ ♪ We adore you love ♪ ♪ 'Cause no one like you Jesus ♪ ♪ You're so good, you're so good God ♪ ♪ We thank you ♪ ♪ We pour it all out today ♪ ♪ We pour it out out out just begun ♪ ♪ So you're a citizen ♪ ♪ So you sing ♪ ♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Go it out on the beat of Jesus ♪ ♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Go it out on the moon ♪ ♪ Sing our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Pour it out on the beat of Jesus ♪ ♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ We pour it all out ♪ ♪ We pour it all out ♪ ♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Pour it out on the beat of Jesus ♪ ♪ We give it all out to our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Pour it out on the beat of Jesus ♪

♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ Our devotion ♪ ♪ Pour it out on the beat of Jesus ♪ ♪ Our affection ♪ ♪ We pour it all out ♪ ♪ Give it all to Jesus ♪ ♪ We love you ♪ ♪ Oh, I love you ♪ ♪ Give it all to our heart ♪ ♪ My heart's a glory ♪ ♪ Jesus we love you ♪ ♪ Oh, I love you ♪ ♪ You are, You are the one ♪ ♪ Oh, I love you ♪ ♪ Oh, I love you ♪ ♪ My heart's a glory ♪ (upbeat music) ♪ I'm the door ♪ ♪ It's all yours ♪ ♪ We adore you ♪ ♪ We worship you Jesus ♪ ♪ So good, so good, so good ♪ ♪ Jesus, so good ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Oh how we love you ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are the one alone ♪ ♪ Our hearts adore you ♪ ♪ Jesus, we love you ♪ ♪ Oh how we love you ♪ ♪ 'Cause you are the one alone ♪

♪ Our hearts adore you ♪ ♪ We love you Jesus ♪ ♪ We love you Jesus ♪ ♪ We love you all ♪ ♪ So good ♪ So Jesus, we thank you this morning as we worship you. We thank you for who you are and for what you've done for you to the Lord. We cannot thank you enough. We pour out all of our worship on you this morning because we love you and we thank you. We give you all of the honor and all of the glory and all of the power. It's all yours. We love you and we praise you this morning. And Jesus, my name we pray, amen, amen, amen, amen. Well thank you all for worshiping with us. You can all take your seats and turn your tensions to the screen. Last night, Hurricane Isaias made landfall as a Category 2 storm, bringing with it flooding and wind speeds of more than 100 miles per hour. It left many with nowhere to turn. Today more than 900,000 people find themselves without power. Trees are blocking roads. Power lines are down throughout neighborhoods. High wind ripped roofs from buildings and homes. Families are trying to find a path forward after this storm uprooted their lives. Today is the first day of a recovery that will take weeks. But Convoy of Hope will be here every step of the way. Families begin to process this damage. Convoy of Hope is distributing urgent relief supplies. We are focused on helping the most vulnerable areas. Long after the news media has moved on, we will be here to make sure people are seen

that they get the help that they need and that they know there is hope. Well, good morning, Live Fellowship Church. Gosh, it's so awesome worshiping with you guys. Man, the Holy Spirit is just thinking this place today, isn't he? Well, welcome. If this is your first time here, we want to say welcome home and we mean that. And if you are new, could you just text the word new to 51010 and someone will reach out to you, connect with you, and show you where you can get plugged in here at Live Fellowship Church. Hey, this morning, I want to just encourage you guys with a little bit of my story. Many of you that know me, you know that for decades, I struggled with drug addiction and crime and darkness and sexual sin. And it just led me to down some dark roads. It put me in some dark places. And on August 11th of 2021, man, the Holy Spirit just invaded my life. He just invaded this room I was in, this crew with crazy all around me. He began to speak to my heart. And he began to say, Logan, man, I have a plan for you. And if you want to stop, man, if you just get up and leave this room, I've got you. And I just, I believed him, I heard him, I believed him. He led me to a sober living home. I remember my first morning, I woke up, I was spending time with the Lord. I was so grateful to be there. And he was like, Logan, you're not all in. And I was like, and he began to speak to me. And he said, man, I want you to lay down sexual sin. You see, I wasn't married to my husband. a path of destruction and I love her and I want you to stop that and the second thing that he said which was equally as important to him was I want you to honor the tithe and I was like honor the tithe and he said two things he said Logan I don't just want 90%

of you I want all of you and the second thing that he said I'll never forget and maybe someone in this room needs to hear this this morning he said Logan imagine what your life could be like if you just got all the way in with God one time because you've never done that just get all in one time so I was like well okay I mean I had a job I was I was actually cleaning houses with a lady from the church like half a day for 60 dollars that was about all I could handle in that season of my life and I was like okay God what's up you want me to give you six dollars and he's like yes I want you to give me the first six dollars because you see when we when we honor him with the tithe we're we're saying God you're first we're saying God I trust you because I don't know about you but money can very easily become an idol in my life if I'm not careful and guys that grieves the heart of God and so when we honor him with that we're saying no no God you are on the throne of my life God you are on the throne of my heart God you are on the throne of my finances not my bank account not that number on a screen that I just get so obsessed with sometimes but you are on the throne and so Jessalyn and I we talked and we prayed and we'd laid down sexual sin and we decided right then we said we're going to honor him with the tithe lying in the sand this is non-negotiable this is who we're going to be and I can tell you guys that our lives have taken off like a rocket ship since that since that's getting all in moment that we had and yeah we've had some moments we've had some circumstances we've had some financial situations there's been moments that I've looked at her and said babe I don't know what we're going to do but I can tell you that God has come through every single time in our story he always comes through in our story and Proverbs 3 verse 9 says this says honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your crops then your barns will be filled to overflowing God this is this is a promise that we can stand on because we are so blessed in the in the city we live in in the country that we live in and I just know that God wants to bless us so that we can be a blessing to others and we just saw a video of some brothers and sisters who are in need of a blessing that just like that many of them have been wiped out like they don't have anything they don't know where to turn and one of our partners convoy of hope who we partner with is boots on the ground right now cleaning up the wreckage helping those people in need and so I want to encourage you guys this morning let's let's step up for them let's stand in the gap and let's let's step up and help convoy of hope help those people in need and so I'll just challenge you this morning what could your life be like if you just got all the way in with him one time let's pray father we love you and we

thank you we thank you for just all of the blessings that you give us that oftentimes we we just take for granted here in Collin County Texas the land of just abundance God we don't take that for granted we we want to say thank you right now God I just pray that you would show us man you're a heart for people that you would show us God that that that what we do today can make an impact in people's lives that can bring hope into people's lives to bring encouragement and can bring impossible situations to turn around in other people's lives and father I just pray that you would receive these gifts that we give today as an act of worship God that you would take them and multiply them to enlarge your kingdom and make much of your name God I just want to lift up people in my heart that maybe aren't that are struggling maybe some small business owners who who their business is struggling God would you bless them God would you bless a single parents who maybe don't know where their next rent payment is going to come from God would you touch them God would you touch the the elderly who are on a fixed income and inflation just keeps eroding away their their purchasing power God would you just stand in for them would you just be that father for them God would you bless the inmates that are stepping out of the gates today or tomorrow or this week and have no idea where their provision is going to come from God would you be that perfect father to them God would you just hear our prayers today we just give you all the praise and glory and we just invite you in to this message today God that your word would go out and not return void God that that would land on fertile soil God that you would bring the increase and that we would know you better today and God if there's anyone in here Amen. Amen. Prepare your hearts for the message. [Music] [Music] Hey, everybody. Good to see you today. I'm so glad that you're here. Thank you for joining with us at Life Fellowship and for those of you watching online, we are so glad you're tuning in also and for everyone at the Department of Corrections. We welcome you and let's give it up for all of those who are watching through the camera today. Come on, Life Fellowship. [Applause] Welcome to this 1145 experience.

And man, what a great time of worship we've already had. And thank you for considering giving generously to Convoyth Hope. You can do that through our website. You can scan that QR code. Also, you can go old school. There's an envelope on the seatback pocket and you can just put a gift in there and drop it in the giving container on your way out. We hope you will consider doing that. Convoyth Hope is an incredible partner that is just making a difference around the world, literally. But in these kinds of crisis times, they do a great job on the ground serving people. So thankful for that. Also, we have this impact and stewardship report available again today. We gave it out last week, but this is kind of a 12 month snapshot of Life Fellowship, the ministry impact, but also the financial impact that you've made. So we want to give you that report. You can stop by one of the tables on the way out and pick that up. We hope you will do that. All right. Take your Bibles. You know Pad, your iPad. Whatever you're taking notes on, I hope you will. Lean in with me and we're going to go to Ephesians chapter 2. And this is a passage that is about change. Somebody say change. And how Jesus changes everything from old to new. And when He does that, I want to show you, we're going to land on one verse in just a little while, and that verse is going to show us that we were made for a purpose or we are changed for a purpose. And so the title of the message is, and you might be able to guess because you've seen

all these light blue t-shirts around here today that says made for more. So the title is made for more, and we're going to get through this Ephesians chapter 2. And I hope the Holy Spirit will just deal with all of our hearts. Let me ask you a question. How many of you've ever been a part of a home renovation project or maybe your small business or just some sort of a renovation project? Wave your hand at me right now. All right. So many of you have, I'm not a renovation guy myself as far as doing it myself. DIY is not me, not at all. But I've been a part of a lot of those from a church renovation and oversee. I want to be the manager, okay? I want to oversee it. I want to kind of say, okay, we need to do this, do this. So I can sit in my head, but put a hammer in my hand, that's not a good thing at all. So it's the planning and then the demo and all the remodel stuff that goes on and then the framing and the new walls goes in and you start saying, wow, this is starting to take shape. This is really looking great. And I think all of us love seeing those kind of renovations happen. That's probably why so many people love HGTV. You see a house that goes for, well, it goes from something like this to this, all right? So that house on this left is not very good, but then you look what happens when, I guess they just painted it. I mean, it changed dramatically. Or then you get one that's this bad and it goes to this. Now, I don't think that's the same house. I don't know, that's pretty crazy right there. But how many of you know that renovation is a good thing? And some of us take it as far as to our own physical bodies. And maybe sometimes some of you guys have a dad bod, you know, me too.

But then I'm thinking, you know, I wonder if we could see a before picture of Pastor Logan. Wouldn't you like to see a before picture of Pastor Logan? I'm sorry, I don't have one. I don't have one today. I wish I did, but I told him earlier, maybe we could get it on social media this week. And you could tune in and see that. How many of you would like to see a before picture with hair right here? So yeah, maybe that's going to happen too, I'm not sure. But there's something about transformation. I kind of went the opposite direction on the transformation on the hair thing. But there's something about transformation stories that inspire us. And some transformations go from bad to good, from good to better. But in Ephesians 2, Paul showcases what is possible when God gets it. Jackson, God gets involved in lives, and I know you're watching him do that. And he transforms people from where they are to where he wants them to be. Let's get ready, we're gonna walk through verses one through 10 of Ephesians two, and then we're gonna land on verse 10 and talk about how transformation in Christ reveals something. It reveals what we were created for, and I'm gonna say it this way, we are transformed in Christ Jesus to be made for more. We're made for more. All right, Ephesians two, verse one, let's read it. Here we go. And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you formally walked according

to the age of this world, and according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience. Among them, we also once lived in the lust of our flesh, doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, some may say, but God, being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, made us alive together with Christ, by grace you have been saved. Verse six, and he raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. So that in the coming ages, he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand or long ago, so that we should walk in them, so that we should walk in them. The word transformation in the Greek is metamorphoo, metamorphoo, the same word we use for metamorphos. Metamorphoo is not something that you do, it's something that God does. It's like a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly. There's nothing that that caterpillar does

to transform itself into a butterfly, other than it yields, it surrenders to the process. The biblical word for this is regeneration, being transformed, spiritually transformed, from spiritual death to new life. This is what Paul wants us to grasp here in Ephesians chapter two, from old to new. And how do we go from old to new by faith? We surrender to Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit. We surrender to the process and it begins with regeneration. And as we look back at this passage closely for Paul's audience in Ephesus, it seems like this is what he wanted them to know. This is what he wanted them to know. That the good news is only really good when the bad news is really bad. Let's let that hit us for a moment. The good news is only really good when the bad news is really bad. And I think sometimes, if I could just admit, and I could say we pastors can do people and do the church and injustice and disservice by avoiding talking about the bad news. And honestly, I think the modern church has done a really good job of avoiding the bad news. And that's not good. Here's why, because good news is only really good when the bad news is really bad. For instance, for me example. If you're financially set

and you get a surprise check in the mail, now that's always nice, but you know, it's something maybe you didn't necessarily have to have. So you're not jumping with joy because you got the surprise check. I mean, it was nice, but you weren't desperate. But if you've ever been down next to nothing, with nothing in reserves, I'm talking about the day you went looking for coins in the sofa. Or you start thinking about, should we sell the sofa? I mean, we've got to make this utility payment. We got to make the rent. We got to get some food on the table. How many of you know then that's bad news, but then you get a surprise check in the mail. And for that person, how many of you know, that's really good news. In fact, they might be jumping up and down. They might say, look what God has done. Look at this. Why? Because the situation was so bad. Are you with me? I mean, early in our marriage, Cindy and I can remember the times when we would go out to the mailbox praying on our way, just praying that God, that you would somehow provide something surprising today to help meet the need.

Is there anybody that had any kind of thing like that in their past like we have? See, the Bible tells us that we were all born sinners. It's bad, lost without God. And Paul launches out here in verses one, two, and three to show just how desperate, just how hopeless humanity is without God's intervention. Ephesians two, one through three says it this way, and you were dead, dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formally walked. Verse three says, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. Death and wrath, that's bad news. We don't hear a lot about death and wrath, but we need to. And you've probably noticed there's not much that we can do about death and wrath. And Paul reminds the church at Ephesus that we were enslaved by it. We were trapped by it, by nature, by the sin nature in us. We were children of wrath. In other words, sin when it is finished. James says, sin when it's finished brings forth death, by nature, the sin nature takes us to a place of death and wrath. And without Christ, we have no power to even turn it around or change it. That's really bad news, if you're visiting with us, take a deep breath 'cause it's gonna get better in just a minute, all right, so just be patient. So Paul goes on to show us three ways that this plays out.

In verses one through three. He tells us that we were enslaved by sin because of three things. Watch this, the world, the devil, and the flesh. Some theologians call this the unholy trinity. Paul tells us in verse two of Ephesians, he says in chapter two, he says, in which you formally walked according to the age of this world. And he was talking to the church at Ephesus, he could also be talking to the church at life fellowship. He could be talking to the church today, in which you formally walked according to the age of this world. Paul meant before Christ, we walked in the ways of the world. Somebody say world. The world means everything outside of God. We were walking in the culture and walking in the ways of the world. I like what author and theologian David F. Wells said, he said, worldliness is that which makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Worldliness is that which makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange. Hello, 2026. Hello, you don't have to go very far outside of these doors and that's exactly what you see and you will hear and what you will feel. We live in a very worldly culture and we as Christ followers can be drawn into it so, so easily by simply making ourselves available

to whatever it is the culture or the world is offering. Which means, can I just tell you like it, TI is? Which means we need spiritual discernment today more than ever. Am I right? We need discernment with what we do. We need discernment with where we go. We need discernment with our entertainment choices. Say preach, pastor. We need to discernment with our movie choices. Even this, we need discernment with the modesty, how we dress. Got a little bit quieter right there, but that's all right. When we leave the house, are we dressed in a manner that honors God, that doesn't lead others into lust? Again, this is a very worldly culture. Just walking through the airport the other day, I mean, some people don't wear enough clothes to make leggings for a jackrabbit. I mean, it's just unbelievable. And that's the airport. I mean, what was it like at the beach this summer, or the pool? What were they, not much? It doesn't matter if the dress is stylish or culturally acceptable. Remember, worldliness makes sin look normal and righteousness look strange. We live in a very worldly culture. The point is this, the world has a way.

The world has a way about it. It has a value system associated with it. And that value system is alien to God. Are you still with me? It gets better, stay with me. But God's way is whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely of good report. If there be any virtue, be any praise, think on these things, do these things. So the Apostle Paul in these first three verses are talking about the world, but also he mentions the devil and the flesh, or there are enemy and the flesh. He says this in verse two and three, and according to the prince of the power of the heir, the spirit, that's our enemy, the devil. lived in the lust of our flesh. So there you have the devil and the flesh doing the desires of the flesh and of the mind. Let me say it loud and clear, make it very clear I'm going to put it up on the screen because I want it to be crystal clear. Our enemy the devil, watch this, is a real spiritual being whose objective is to deceive you by playing to your disordered desires which is the flesh that are then normalized in a sinful society which is the world. I'm telling you the truth and when the Bible talks about the flesh it's usually referring to the sinful nature. That's what Paul's referring to here but let me say it right now because this is where we're heading. You were made for more, you were made for more than that. You were made to live as a vessel of honor to God. You were made to live to live holy before the Lord. You were made to live for more, to be more made for more. You were made to be free and so were our unsaved families and extended families and friends and colleagues, business colleagues. They were also made for more. We were created to be instruments of worship to a holy

God. Revelation says this, "We're the O Lord, to receive all glory and all honor and all power, for thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure." They are and they were created. All things, all people, all of us from wherever you're from, all people, from the place that you were born beyond. All people were created as an instruments of worship for God's pleasure. Which means to follow Christ and to serve Christ is to identify with Christ and to become more like Jesus. So I like to say it this way. I want you to break this down for you. I like to say it this way that we as followers of Jesus learn, we must learn to be with Jesus, to become like Jesus, to do what Jesus did. All three, be with Jesus enables us to become like Jesus. And as we become like Jesus, we're like Jesus when we're doing what Jesus did. Yeah, write that down. I see so have you typed and taken pictures, whatever. Be with Jesus, become like Jesus, do with Jesus. Be with Jesus is simply that quiet time, that church time, that worship time, that time that even today you're saying, "You know what? We're gonna set Sunday morning aside as a family. We're gonna go. We're gonna be with Jesus. We're gonna be at the body of Christ. We're gonna go and we're gonna sit and worship and stand and worship and we're gonna hear the word and we're going to let this be a Jesus moment, a moment in our week. Wonderful. Be with Jesus, but also carry that over to Monday morning and do the same thing, but maybe a little different in your quiet time in your chair and just be with Jesus. And maybe you have a devotional plan or a Bible reading plan. That's wonderful. Maybe you're just sitting quiet and you're asking, "Holy Spirit, speak to me Jesus. I want to commune with you. I want to worship you. I want to be with you." And it's nothing you're doing except you're just being with Jesus. Maybe you take one verse of Scripture and just go over and over it and just let the Holy Spirit speak to you out of that word. Be with Jesus. And what's happening, you're becoming like Jesus. The Holy Spirit is working in you. There's a biblical term called sanctification that's happening as you are spending time with Jesus over and over again, spending time in His presence. Sanctification is a progressive work of God's grace that's changing us into the image of Christ. How many of you want that happening in

your life? I want to be more like Him. I want to be changed into His image and it happens, the Bible says, from glory to glory, from one dimension of God to the next by His Spirit. So that, so that I can do what Jesus did. Be with Jesus. Become like Jesus to do what Jesus did. Listen, that matters. That matters so much because if not, we just go out and we're part of the world and then we come in and get our little dose of Jesus on Sunday and then we go back into the world and we're more like the world than we are like Jesus. Thank you, Jackson. Yes, so we need to be with Jesus more than just these few minutes on Sunday, but we need to be with Jesus who are becoming like Jesus so that when we are in the world, we are not out the world, but we're different. We don't look like the world, we don't sound like the world, we don't act like the world, we don't do what the world does, we do what Jesus does, but it matters. Sometimes we don't respond that way. We all still deal with this sin nature that we have to continue to crucify daily. That's why Paul said, "I died daily." In fact, it's a regular, a regular prayer moment for me. I won't say every day, but I will say many, many days in my quiet time, I'm just saying I'm crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, but not I, but Christ lives in me. The life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Today, I died of the flesh and I rise to live for the glory of Jesus. That's a great prayer moment for you. Galatians chapter 2, verse 20, write it down, memorize it, pray it out loud. Why do I need that, because of this unholy trifecta that's coming at me every day? The world, the devil, and the flesh that I'm still dealing with. But when I crucify the flesh, I can overcome the flesh. Now that whole thing, the world, the devil, and the flesh, that's the bad news. But there's good news. No, no, it's great news I want to give you today.

So in verse 4 comes two of the sweetest, most beautiful words in all of scripture. I want everybody to say it with me right here. The first two words of Ephesians chapter 2, verse 4, if you're watching online, you're in the department for corrections, wherever you are right now, get ready to say it with me. Ready? Read. But God. Say it again. But God. But God being rich in mercy because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, watch this, made us alive together with Christ. He but God. We were dead in our trespassing sin. We were on a, we had a one-way ticket to wrath. But God. He interrupted all of that. He interrupted all of that by sending his sinless son, our Savior, the Lord Jesus, to be our Lord and to die on a cruel, ugly cross for my sin and to rise again on the third day and live so that I could follow him, to be with him, to become like him, to do what he does. That is great news. That is great news. And he raised us up and seated us together in the heavenly places in Christ. And God did all of that out of his great love for us, not because of anything we could do ourselves. In fact, we couldn't do anything ourselves. In fact, verse eight and nine says it this way, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast."

Let's leave it up there for a moment. Let's just say it out loud together again. If you're watching online with us, say it out loud with me right now. Ready? Set nine, read, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and it is not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works, so that no one should boast, not because of our works or our good looks, not because of our track record, not because of the initials before our name, not because of our bank account or investment accounts or anything. There's literally nothing that we could do to be in right standing with God. Everything could be thrown at the spiritual problem of death and judgment except a Savior, except one named Jesus. And he alone is the only thing that makes all things end well by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Are we there? Everybody got that? Jesus is what makes bad news become great news, and he is the answer. Now we land on verse 10, we're going to spend the remaining of our minutes together with verse 10, which is a call I think to those who have received His grace and mercy. So this is a call to us. For all of those who have said, "Yes, Jesus, your Lord and Savior of my life, I've been transformed by grace through faith for more," I've been made for more. Verse 10, look what it says, "For we are His workmanship." We are His workmanship. Let me just interrupt it right there and say that word "workmanship" also means masterpiece. Some translations say we are His masterpiece. The Greek word is "powima" or that's where we get our word poem. I love the picture for we are His poem. We are His beautiful poem that He is writing. We are His masterpiece, man. or you might think about where you're at right now,

and you're like, I do not see a masterpiece. But he's changing you, he's preparing you, he's riding your life, and he wants it to be for his glory and praise, and he's saying, no, you're my workmanship. Formerly, you were dead and walked in trespasses and sins, but now, but God. But now, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, so that we should walk in them. Not that we might walk in them, like what it says, but we should walk in them. And I'll just say it this way, that we should walk in them for the sake of others, for the sake of others. Paul says, we're not saved by good works, but we're saved for good works. I like to say it this way, we are saved to serve. Say this, not with me, but after me. I'm saved to serve. Touch your name and say, you're saved to serve. To do good works so that you should walk in them. Now, when I see you should walk in them, or I should walk in them, I don't look at that as an optional thing for me to do. No, I should walk in these good works. And that just means that, what's my next step? So I can walk in the things that I was created to do. The world makes everything feel optional. I mean, we want options. Just as pastors, we want people to register

and sign up for things and events, and we've found over the years that people don't want to sign up early. Because they don't want to minimize their options. Something else might come up. So I get that. I try to keep all my options open, too. We love our options. The blessing of the United States of abundance is that there's so many options. I mean, where are you going to go? Where are you going to have lunch today? I haven't even signed yet. I'm going to get in the car and drive down the street until I find something I like. I've got so many options. Burger King did not help us with their ad campaign 50 years ago, and it's still popular today. Have it your way. You know, just have it your way. Do whatever you want. But how many of you know the Word of God does not make everything optional? That was pretty good right there, Pastor Dave. Amen, amen. The Word of God does not make everything optional. It says that we should walk in good works. Do this in other words, do this. Yes, do this. Now, our job description as pastors,

and I want to say this of what we should do is spelled out to us clearly in Ephesians 4. I want to show you this. Our staff knows this. We met a couple of weeks ago, we talked about this, that we're saved to serve. Yes, we know we're saved to serve, just like all of us are. But pastors also have an added responsibility. And I want to walk this out, and I want to model this, but we all have an added responsibility. It says this in Ephesians 4, verse 11. He gave some to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers for the equipping of the saints, for the work of service, and for the building up of the body of Christ. The pastors are servants too, but we are also the equippers. That's why we're doing what we're doing today. That's why we're teaching. That's why we have groups and ministries where we can help equip people. And why is that so important? Why do we need to do that? Because of the world and the devil and the flesh. We need to be strong in the Lord. We need to be equipped to serve. And so a local church, watch this, a local church that preaches the gospel and equips people to serve. That church is the hope of a community

that can know that their lives can be transformed as well, to see people transformed from death to life and to step into their purpose. That's our purpose. Jesus saved us for that. Jesus created, we've been created in Christ Jesus for that. We've been given spiritual gifts for that. We're made for more. Before I close, I wanna give you an acronym. I love this acronym, S-H-A-P-E. And the S stands for spiritual gifts. So I believe that we're all shaped by God. We all, God has a desire and a purpose that we're created for. And we are shaped, we've been given a God given shape and the S is spiritual gifts. I'm gonna show you in first Peter 14 in just a moment. We've all been given spiritual gifts. We all have been given a heart, a passion towards certain things. The A is abilities. We all have specific unique giftings and abilities. The P is the personality that God has given you. You have a different personality, most likely, brings us together. There's different personalities on the road that you're sitting on, very different personalities, but for their different purposes and different reasons. And then the E has to do with experiences. I like to say this about experience. God never wastes an experience. Even the good and the bad experience. God will take those bad experiences. You know, Logan, Pastor Logan is in prisons today because of bad experiences. He takes those experiences of our past. He says, okay, I'm going to use that to impact others for the kingdom of God.

We're shaped by God to serve God. First Peter 4 and 10. Here it is. God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. First Peter 4, 10 out of the new living translation. I love that. He's given each of us a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. So use them to serve one another. When the Scripture says everyone has a spiritual gift, follow me here. I'm saying there is a God-given grace, a spiritual gift, an empowerment that you have. In fact, it's on everyone's life to serve God. And I believe we are meant to serve in our local church or to serve in kingdom ministry in some way. I believe we've all been given a gift to serve. There's a grace, a God-given shape, that sometimes you just have to discover. We have a class called Growth Track and in that class, one of the things we focus on is helping you discover your spiritual gift so that you can use your God-given shape to serve. And we'll help you find a way to do that. Here's the reality. We have ministry needs here at Life Fellowship. In fact, we have ministry needs, volunteer roles that are not filled at this time just because there's not people to fill them. Now here's another reality. We have enough people here at Life Fellowship that I believe love Jesus and serve Jesus, probably to fill all those roles times four or five or six. That's the reality. And so there is a call to us who have been changed from old to new, from darkness to light to say, "Lord, I want to be used in my God-given gifts. I am your work, I'm your masterpiece. I'm created in Christ Jesus for this very specific thing to do good works for the kingdom of God." We're made for more. I have a personal goal today, actually over the next few weeks. And I just thought, you know what? If we could add 50 people as a servant leader in our church that would just begin to serve and find a place to serve, you say, "Well, I don't even know what I would do." Listen, I'm going to show you in just a moment. There's so many opportunities. And then I thought, you know what, 50, that's not enough. There's at least 100 people in our church that are not currently serving in some specific role, but they could be. They could use their God-given talent and gift and help advance ministry here at Life Fellowship. But then I felt convicted that I was still limiting what God wants to do here, because I believe all of us who have been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit, being changed into the image of Christ, to follow Him, to serve Him. So I went from 50 to 100, now I'm thinking, no, everybody, everybody needs to find their God-given gift and begin to release that and deploy that for the kingdom of God. Everyone is shaped to serve. In fact, I'm telling you what the need is right now, okay? Is it okay? Can I tell you the need? I've had people before

say, "Pastor Dave, whenever there's a need in the church, just tell us. Just tell us." And then I tell them what the need is. They're like, "I don't want to hear about that. I'm telling you what the need is. The need is we need people to serve in specific areas of ministry this morning, just this morning. I just noticed it. We had a paid staff member on a camera right here. You know, a camera role here at Life Fellowship. It's not for paid staff members. They're here as equipments. They're here to be available to you, to serve you in different ways on Sunday, not to hold a camera. There's lots of people in this room today that could hold cameras. There's lots of people here today. You say, "Well, I'm not good on a camera. Yes, you are, you use one every day." Come on, smile at me. I'm done with the bad news. I'm giving you good news now. Yes, yes. There's so many people that could do that. I don't even like kids." No, absolutely not. We don't want you with kids if you don't like kids. You say, "You're trying to give me to serve at the front door? I don't-- I just don't have a happy face." No, I don't want people without happy faces at the front door. But there is a place for you, too. A place where nobody can see you, no, I'm just kidding. I want you to take a look at this. We just put on a spreadsheet. All these different roles of ministry here. At Life Fellowship, from our baptism and the growth track classes to creative, all the different areas of creative guest experiences from connection center, hospitality, parking, usher captain, all these different things. That's just a few of them. Look at all this. This is for youth and kids. This is kids and nursery and elementary kids, north country. What else?

My goodness. Life groups, prayer groups, prison ministry. North Campus, load in and load out. Listen, people set up and tear down every week at North Campus. And then there's production. There's the cameras, audio, lighting. Some of you have that in your background. And then there's the music area, worship. All the different areas that are available and are needed. And by the way, times three, all of those are times three. And what we find is-- and that's just the volunteer stuff. A church like this only happens when people know that they are saved to serve. In fact, some of you love life fellowship. I love life fellowship. But the only reason you love life fellowship is because of all the people that serve. That's what makes this happen. So I want to invite you today to say, "Lord, can you use me?" Some of you think, "Well, well, first of all, I don't think the Lord can use me 'cause I'm not very talented. I'm not very gifted. I don't even know how to do any of that. Listen, we're the equipers. We're going to take care of that. In fact, I will guarantee in the first or second or third week you will own it. A lot of this stuff does not take incredible,

incredible weeks and weeks and months and months of development. It takes a willing heart. The kiss says, "Pastor, I'm willing and I'm available." There's some lies that the enemy tries to tell us. "I'm not good enough." Or the lie that says, "I'm not needed." Listen, I totally dispelled that lie that you are needed. And then there's the lie that says, "I just don't have enough time." He's whispering that already in the years. "I don't have time for that, I don't have time." Listen, here's what I know. We all have time for what we value. And I can't think of anything that has more value than things that has eternal value. And what we're doing here at Live Fellowship or what local churches are doing all over the city has eternal value. So I want to encourage you and invest just a little bit of your time in what has eternal value. Because here's what I want. When I stand before the Lord on that great day, I want him to say, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." You gave it all you had. That's my heart. And that's my heart for you as well. We're not here just to fill ministry roles. Listen, that's part of it.

But here's another big part of it. I'm saying this for you, for your benefit. You need this. There is nothing more fulfilling in all of life than to do what God has called you to do. And when you do what God's called you to do, man, it's so joyful and so fulfilling. And I know many of you already know that. Maybe, maybe you've served before and you got out and you took a break, it's time to jump back in. It's time to say, "Okay, I'm gonna find my spot." Here's the ask. We've got people in the blue t-shirts out in the lobby this morning on your way out. Feel free to just talk with one. And say, "Hey, what are some roles? "We're some of the areas of need." And we'll just figure it out. Call us, email this week. Let us know, because you know what? You've been taken from old to new, from dark to light. There's been a work that's done in your heart. It's not just for your salvation, but it's also for others. And we're gonna help others come to know Jesus because of what you do. Would you just bow your hearts with me? In fact, why you do that? Take your hands and just put them out like this. Just kind of put your hands out. That just simply says, "Lord, I'm surrendered.

"I'm available." Whisper something to me in today, Holy Spirit. I'm available to you. I make my time available. I make my gifts available. You gave me the gifts that I have, Lord. So I just give them back to you. I make my time available, even though my life feels very, very busy and very, very crowded. Show me how I can carve out time. And I can give that time back to you. Would you show us? Would you call us? Would you guide us into that place that's gonna be so fulfilling for us? Holy Spirit, would you just speak to us today? Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. good and bad of where they've been, and how you can use those experiences for the sake of others. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. As you continue to keep your heads about for a moment, I wonder if you're here today, and you don't have a relationship with Jesus, but you want to. In fact, we were talking about sin, and death, and wrath, and you just heard all that bad news, and you don't want to be a part of any of that,

and I don't want that for you. I want you to be saved, safe, free from danger, to have an eternal life, an eternal hope of eternal life. But not only that, to have joy today and hope for tomorrow, that comes through a relationship with Jesus Christ. So I'm just gonna ask you, as we have our heads bowed, we're gonna pray. I'm gonna ask you, just pray this out loud with me, just pray a prayer, a simple prayer, but a faith-filled prayer, or you can pray it quietly. But let's just pray a simple prayer like this. Dear Lord Jesus, I give you my life. I surrender to you. I'm tired of trying to do it my own way. I can see that it's leading me a place I don't want to go. It's leading me towards death and destruction. But today, I want to be saved. I want to be freed from the danger of that, but also want to be available to serve others. So Lord, I pray that you would free me today of sin, cleanse me, wash me of all of my sin. I repent. I turn from that and I turn to you. Jesus, I believe you died on the cross for me. Just tell him, I believe that. I believe you rose again on the third day. And today I receive you as my Lord is Savior. Or maybe you're committing yourself again. You've done it before, but today you need to make a brand new commitment.

I give my life to you, my heart to you today, Jesus. Thank you for giving me a brand new heart and a brand new start. And I believe you are my Lord and Savior. And I am saved in Jesus' name we pray. And everybody said a big amen. Come on, put your hands together and thank the Lord Jesus. Thank you, Lord Jesus. You are made for more. Go out and talk to somebody in the lobby today. God bless you. - Amen. Thank you, Pastor Dave for that amazing message. Guys, if you just prayed that prayer, you just gave your life to the Lord, man. Scripture says heaven is celebrating right now. And we wanna celebrate with you. If you could just text the word Jesus to 510, man, we wanna reach out to you again, come alongside you. Guys, we're never meant to do this walk alone. We wanna do it with you. And I got good news 'cause next weekend we're having baptisms. If that's you or if God has laid it on your heart for any reason to get baptized, it would be an honor for us to do that with you. Next weekend right here. Growth track, Pastor Dave mentioned growth track. If you'd like to get connected with that and discover your spiritual gifts and learn about us and what our beliefs and values are,

just text the word growth track to 510. And we will get you going on the growth track. Guys, I've just been meditating all morning on that word, masterpiece, that we're his masterpiece. That just implies like, if you think of an artist, like he's taken time, he's being detailed in his masterpiece, like that shape that we have is just so unique that God wants to use you, man. And I'm telling you, there is nothing better than being used by God than just being in that lane and knowing, man, wow, God just used me in that thing. God just used me. And I've tried everything the world has to offer. Nothing compares to it, guys. And we so want you to experience that here with us. So if you could just rise to your feet, I'd like to invite the prayer teams down. Guys, we wanna pray for you. We wanna pray for you. We wanna pray for you. No matter what's going on, maybe you just, you wanna step out, but you don't have that willing heart or maybe you've got some fear. You've been listening to the lies of the enemy. Man, come down and get some prayer. Those chains get broken or anything that's going on in your life. We wanna be able to pray for you. We're available right here. Please come up.

Don't be shy. I'd tell this to the inmates all the time. Don't be shy. Come on down and get some prayer. We so believe in the power of prayer. So as we go, let me bless you. The Lord bless you and keep you. Let the Lord Blake his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord, turn his face towards you and give you peace. In Jesus name, amen and amen. Have a wonderful Sunday, everybody. (upbeat music) (gentle music) [MUSIC PLAYING]