Truth Moments: Episode 17

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ Welcome back. True moments. How's it poppin'? Yeah, yeah. How's it poppin'? How's it poppin'? How's it poppin'? How's it poppin'? By the time they see this one, they'll have just watched the last one that's gonna get uploaded at the same time. Okay. Bow, bow, bow. They're gonna have two. Bow, bow, bow. I'm gonna edit them both this morning and then just put them both on there. Bang, bang. Bang, bang. You got something in the chamber. That's it. It's like that hat. Look at that hat. We didn't plan these hats. Bro. But we are two dads. Two dads.

And we're all gang. Dad gang. We gotta be careful reppin' gangs. Yeah, but... What if our video got flagged because we said gang? These two white boys in there with these gangs. Like, oh, they're talkin' gangs, huh? We're politickin'. How many kids... How many do we got in our gang? I've got three and you've got four. That's a gang of seven. That is a gang. We could almost have, like, a sports team. Yeah. Yeah. No, we could have a basketball team. That would be very good. Could you imagine? Oh, this is like Bella playin' center. Bad space jam. She's playin' center down there. She's like... Oh, man. That's only funny if you know these kids, but anyways. We are excited, man. We are back. Good job, man.

And we're really encouraged by the momentum. We're encouraged by what God's doin'. We're encouraged to be here and to be able to just use this time to have some holy conversations, to get in there and teach. And, man, I'm gonna tell you, man, you're on fire with the sermons. They are hittin'. They have been, man. And it's... Now I think every time that you're gonna preach something expository, it's like, well, how long do you think you're gonna live in the book of Acts? It's like, you don't get very far, but that's fine, you know? I had a calendar. I did a calendar that was like 42 weeks, right? And I just kind of generated something to kind of lay out a... Oh, okay, okay. You think you're gonna abide by that? Oh, my gosh, no. No way. I already blew it out of the water. I'm just gonna use it to break up the sections like for sermon series. You know what I'm saying? Like chapter three, we start a new series,

and I'm like, you know, so now, I mean, bro, we ain't even got... We're getting ready to get into this week where the believers devoted themselves to the teaching, to the breaking of bread, to the, you know what I'm saying? That's an iconic... Absolutely. For discipleship, bro, like that talks about... Every church wants to say that they model themselves after. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? That's a... After the book of... After the church in Acts. We're an Acts 2 church. Yeah, yeah. You know what I mean? Yeah, well, and a lot of them... I mean, you've got such a swing, bro. I mean, one, you know, you'll have a megachurch pastor that despises the megachurch now. Yeah. And then they leave the megachurch and talk about house churches and how that's the book of Acts model. And it's like, it's all the Acts model. You know, it's like the large churches

like we just looked at last week or yesterday. Peter's first sermon, could you imagine that preaching? I remember my first sermon. Mm-hmm. I don't think one person got saved. You know? I mean, let alone 3,000, bro. Yeah, straight up. I mean, I was in this small rural church, you know. Oh, that's where you preached? Yeah, yeah. Oh, they let you preach before you left over there? Oh, yeah, I preached numerous times. Oh, did you? Yeah, that was where I got my feet wet. Oh, okay. Oh, man, I can only imagine that. Oh, dude, it was... I got better because they liked me, I think. I don't know that they liked my preaching. Right, right. But I think they liked me, you know. But yeah, I mean, I was down there trying to tell prison stories and street stories to people that knew nothing but farming and stuff like that. I've been eating biscuits and gravy on every Saturday morning for the last 40 years.

It was rough. It was rough. I mean, I don't even think a cow in the town got saved when I was preaching, you know. But Peter preaches his first sermon and 3,000 people get saved. You know, and so then they start talking about the model of discipleship, you know, and so it's pretty cool, but that's what we're doing. One of our first grow group questions here, and we really hope that these are helping you guys out. We hope that this is encouraging some holy conversations, and we really are open to your feedback. We'd love to hear back from you and see, just really sharing some victories. When I say feedback, I'm not really looking for you to, I'm not looking for you to change our model here, but I'm looking for, to share and celebrate some victories with you guys. I'd love to do that. We just, on Sunday, we just had all the grow group leaders, I had them in a classroom, and the fire that was lit, I know, man, they were excited, and they got to just share about the goodness, and that's basically what I told them, you know, after they shared, as I said, you know, this is discipleship, this is what it's about. Like, if you're out of this, if you're not doing this, you're not, you're missing out on 90% of what God is trying to do in your life.

If you're out of context with other believers, and you're not trying to walk through this thing with them, and watch them grow, because that's where the growth happens, is the growth doesn't happen so much in my life to where I can see it all the time. The growth's happening in other people, and they're like, and I'm seeing it in them, and I'm like, man, God's good, look at their life. But then they're saying that about me, you know what I mean? And I'm like, well, I didn't see that, but thanks for acknowledging that, and now I'm like, God's good too, and it's just a reciprocating thing. There's no hierarchy in it, it's just a give and take, you know, pushing and pulling, so. Yeah, well, I mean, I say that as, you know, discipleship happens in the context of community. So, I mean, anytime you get around some other believers, especially some believers that may have been a little bit further along than you, that's why you strategically kind of pick who's going to, you know, lead the groups right now, and then as people get around them, I mean, you're gonna reproduce what you are, you know? And so, it's pretty cool to just be able to see and hear, you know, what's happening, and I see people signing up and stuff, you know, still, that's kind of cool, you know. So, Peter, it says, first one of them goes, Peter pointed people.

Peter pointed people. Peter piped a pickled pepper. Pepper, oh, pepper. Peter pepper. Peter piper picked a pickled pepper. Pickled pepper. Pickled pepper, yeah. Peter, he pointed people back to scripture when they were confused, and when life gets difficult, what are you usually tempted to trust more, your feelings, or other people's opinions, or God's word? So, I like that question there. I hope it's more open-ended, not just a, when you answer these questions, if it gives you things like that, like your feelings or, the proper response would be like, your God's word and why, or your feelings and why, right? Yeah, how is God's word impacting my life, and why do I? You know, because one of the things I emphasized, well, I didn't really emphasize, but I said, was that sometimes in our walk is what we do is we're looking for validation, and we're wanting to make a decision, and it ends up being something to where we're looking for somebody to co-sign a bad decision that we're making, and I mean, especially from our background, I mean, we can be incarcerated, or I mean, we could be incarcerated

and justify a relationship that we shouldn't even be in, because we feel like it's good, even though we know in the back of our minds, homegirl ain't got a chance when we hit the brick. Yeah. You know? So, one thing that you said in Sunday in your sermon was that, you know, everything in Scripture, Scripture, it's already talking about the future, man. You already know what's coming, because Scripture's already laid out that foundation for you, and so it's there so that you're educated in it, you have knowledge of it, and you're prepared of it, right? You have to be prepared for what's coming next. If we're living our life by the seat of our pants, and we're just riding there, and we're white-knuckling our sobriety, we're white-knuckling these things, and we're just focused on, oh, what's next, oh, what's next? Well, God tells us what's next. He says it in his word, what's next. He tells us that there are storms, and that there are trials, and that there are tribulations. He says that's what's next. He also says that there, he shows a layout. Who is a fool and who is wise right you want to know what's what's foolish read read about the fools You want to know how to be wise read about the wise Yeah, you know I mean if you want to know about if you want to get excited about money and excited about clothes Read and dig in to that poor King of Solomon read his last book that he wrote in Ecclesiastes as a depressed man the saddest book in the Bible. Yeah, read that of what he patience

Read some of that all these things are in there. There's no surprises. That's the biggest thing so the confusion can be X'd out Because there's there's no surprises in God's Word. It's all laid out in the foundation Yeah, one of the things I said is you want to know if you want to if you want to interpret the season that you're going Through this is basically what I said this isn't what I said, but you know if you want to interpret the season You're going through Go back to Scripture. Yeah, you know go back to Scripture because you know Peter is pointing out to him Joel to they wanted to know what was happening with with with the Holy Spirit so he takes him to Joel to and Then he tries to reemphasize who Jesus is because that's who they need in their life You know as a relationship with Jesus, so he reemphasizes who Jesus is through Psalm 16 with David speaking of Jesus and then he points out Which I thought was interesting that he is the Lord and the Messiah And it's because you know it's easy to seek a Savior, but it's hard to serve a Lord Yeah, you know it's it's oftentimes. We that we want a Savior We want delivered from our situations, but we don't want to serve him as Lord It don't it requires a lot more of us Personally intentionally To serve a Lord at more than it does to celebrate a Savior Yeah, you know it's easy to celebrate a Savior. It's hard to serve the Lord sometimes You know and that's that's one of the things is you know I was reading I was reading and Mark yesterday Well and today, but when I was reading in Mark yesterday. I can't remember what the passage was um It was like mark three or four Whatever it was in there. I don't remember but in the fire Bible it said in the notes it talked about Dang, what was it? Anyways, it was kind of talking about discipleship and what it meant You know to do something and it started talking about the church's responsibility What discipleship meant if somebody was to surrender their life to the Lord that it wasn't just this oh?

It was the parable of the sower. That's what it was so I was talking about the seed on different soils that was that was planted and one of them it talked about you know where the where the seed is planted and and It's on rocky soil and the enemy comes in but it talked about how the church's Responsibility is to do the best to try to prepare the soil for the seed right with the people so basically discipleship like we were talking about right and You know it says one of the responsibilities is to not preach salvation as just this is not the wording but to not preach salvation as just an easy task because It is easy to receive salvation But it cost to live in discipleship because so here's what they said they said brothers. What should we do? What should we do why because the Word of God pierced him, but here's the thing about that This is what when I was reflecting on on everything it pierced them in that moment Yeah, and that moment it pierced them and in that moment. They asked. What should we do? Yeah? But it does not describe. What happened later on yeah, and that that later on That's the difference between Serving God and and serving Jesus as Lord that later on because in that moment. It's very easy. It's very And if you're in a spot where that happens to you You're great You're in a great spot because there's points upon my life where that would not have happened But I was so far from God that no word was gonna pierce my heart But if you have gotten conditioned and God's been working on you And you've been at least a submissive enough to wear it to the point where a word can pierce your heart You're in a good spot right you're in a great spot. How actually in the moment that you hear it, right? In the moment and you're hearing a word and it convicts your heart to that point you're in a good spot You're in a good spot, and that's a great thing, but how are you responding and however though? What is next after that moment is gone? What it went after that piercing is gone It's like it came in and made an incision and then and then the it was pulled out And then how do you respond? What do you do after after that? How did you walk through those times because it's like?

We're experiencing that through our discipleship and in our homes and these things, and men, it doesn't matter how long a man has been in prison. It matters no long, and this is what I've learned, this is what I've observed, because I've observed men been out for 30 days and I've observed men come out for 30 years. Through my observation, and some could be watching right now, oh, how are you gonna say that? No, I'm telling you, man. Because why, because we've sat back and we've witnessed it for years. It doesn't matter how long a man is in, inside. It's like a man that's sitting on a beach and he's looking at a current, and he's just watching the current go by. It doesn't matter if he's been sitting there for 30 days and he's just having a vacation, or he's been stuck like Tom Hanks, all cast away, stranded for years. It don't matter. The moment that he steps out and puts his feet in that current or that water, it's gonna move him. We've seen it so fast, in weeks of time. You forget about all that. It's just a memory to you. It's no longer what's driving you. The time cannot be something that drives you and propels you.

What has to drive you and propel you is the continuing asking of brothers, what should we do? Continually, bro. Not just coming out and saying, I'm excited about church. I'm excited about discipleship. The words pierce my heart. When I got out, what should I do, brother? And then we tell you what we should do, or a godly man instruct you what you should do. That's great, but it's the continual asking of brother. What should we do? I'm never gonna get to a place with you as my pastor that I will ever get to a place where I think, man, I should just make all decisions on my own. Never, never. I will always be humble enough to know that man, God has placed men around my life, and I will continuously confine in them, and I will continuously ask my brother, what should I do? There are things that in my life now that I've grown enough to where I can make decisions. I'm not saying somebody needs to cobble and baby pat your butt with powdered powder. Paul says it's time to eat meat and quit being spiritual babes. But here's what's happening is in the two weeks time, in the three weeks time, in the month time, the question of brother, what should we do is no longer now. Because we've got it figured out.

That's true, that's true. And that's why I almost titled this message the illusion of control. Because so often, that's why I used the illustration up front about being a controlling person, because I wanted to paint this picture of the illusion of control, because that's what happens. After so long, we think, oh, we got this whip. It ain't as bad as we thought. And then as soon as we think that, you're in dangerous territory, bro. Because, I mean, I believe personally you should never get to a place in life, I don't care if you're 60 years in to your salvation, you should always have somebody that is further along than you investing in your life, bro. Absolutely, absolutely. What should I do? Yeah, there should always be a bro, what should I do, Chris? I intentionally have phone calls, Zoom calls, whatever, with people scheduled in, just say, hey, here's the scalpel. What do you see in my life that I could change? I'll give them the raw in situations that people criticize me about on Facebook, that slander me in private messages, whatever the case may be. I'll give them the details and say, hey, what could I do different? Where could I be a better man of God,

right, wrong, or indifferent? Whether I'm right or wrong, you know what I mean? Where could I be different? And sometimes it's like, no, I don't wanna do that. So another thing that just popped in my head then, so if you're in the joint right now, and you're looking around at every other person in gray or khaki or whatever it is you wear, tan or white, shout out to them Texas boys in the white, it's very prideful to look around and say, you can't tell me anything because of what you're wearing too, right? There is definitely some men of God, no doubt, dude. No doubt, there are some men of God in your pottery, on your compound. Some of the best men of God I found, bro. You know what I mean? And so it's like, that seems like a commonality though, is that they, you know, it's like, you know, oh, you know. We're in the same place, bro, you can't tell me nothing. Exactly, you know what I mean? I'm learning, you're learning from us on the Pando. We're going through some teaching and doing some preaching and doing those things. That is great, but there has to be a physical person. Yeah, there needs to be some sharpening in there. There definitely is. And if you're, here's this for you right now. If you haven't opened your mind to that, there's something that should make you.

Brother, what should we do? Yeah. How can we do that? That should open your heart up a little bit and say, man, maybe I need to open my eyes up and maybe I need to take a look around. Maybe I need to do some self-inventory and maybe I need to see if I've got a little bit of pride in myself that wouldn't allow myself to say, brother, what should I do to another man that has a sentence less than me even, right? I've been down 12 and he's only been down four. Yeah. And all of a sudden this institutionalized math is playing in our head that's blocking us from any spiritual relationship because of this institutionalized thing where we categorize people. Because that in there, that's all we're doing. We're walking around and everyone's getting a jacket. That's how life goes. You're weird. You're all right. You know what I mean? Everyone's getting a jacket. It's impossible to do that. You're walking around and everyone has a jacket, whether it's a good jacket or a bad jacket. You've clothed everyone you've seen. That's how it is.

And I personally walked that same life and I had to start to remove some of those thoughts because I mean, I'm reading in Matthew right now because I'm taking my helper through the gospel, okay? And so God laid it on my heart and said, hey, you're teaching this young man. He's 20 years old. He's from Wyandotte and he never, never left the hood, okay? He only eats street tacos, right? Dad, not from here, but a good kid, but grew up around, you know, just doesn't know anything. And I talked to him about Jesus and these things and I came to a realization. I'm like, dude's never heard the gospel, bro. Never, like never heard it. And so I asked him one day, do you know the gospel of Jesus Christ, bro? And he's like, no, I don't. You know, I said, okay, great. And then so every day now on our way to a job, we're listening and it takes us a while to get through a chapter because I'll interject and do it. And so the gospel of Matthew starts off very, very simple, but it starts with the birth and it goes on. And anyways, but one of the first things that happened after the Holy Spirit come, the baptism and then the fasting and the tempting of Jesus in the 40 days and 40 nights, after that, it just, bam, right into the Sermon on the Mount, right into red letters of just bang, bang, bang.

And that's where we're at right now with red letters. And yesterday that was the biggest, one of the red letters is the speck that is in your eye. You know what I mean? Or the speck that's in your brother's eye with a log in your own, you were sitting there focused on. And so that is how you can break through the wall of that discipleship within the context of your community right now, right? Is by breaking down the log that is in your own eye, removing it, not worrying about the speck in your brother's and opening your heart up to being in community with them. One of the relationships I had the last time I was incarcerated was Bishop Luther Baker. It was a brother that I was locked up with. He was a pastor, bro, for like 15, 20 years. Something happened, I don't even remember what it was that happened, but something happened with his kids and after a long, long time, dude relapsed. And he said he got to a place where he was snorting powder before he went out and preached. And it just got to a place where, but that doesn't null and void all the years that he served the Lord either. Now, when it comes to salvation and eternity and all that, we ain't even gonna debate that doctrine, but at this point he had repented and given his life back to the Lord and all that knowledge that he had, dude, I just would sit and absorb from him.

You know what I mean? Yeah, I'm like, dude, invest in me. I knew nothing. You weren't worried about the speck in his eye. No, and I was like homeboy you work with, bro. I was like, just teach me something. He'd talk and it'd be like he was speaking in tongues and he was really just talking about the Bible. I was like, what are you talking about, dude? I had no idea. But just to be able to get it was pretty cool and so. But you know. Because, dude, the gospel teaching, it is so foreign, dude. It really is. I mean, Catherine and I, my wife and I have been talking recently just because she's the worship leader and song selection makes a difference even in our congregation because our people, you know, and it's funny because we were sitting there talking about like the songs that she chooses and stuff and, you know, in some churches that are a little more like have people that are further along and then. you know, um, you know, they could sing different songs and go back. Yeah, different kind of songs, you know, and, and I was, you know, as, as we were sitting there, Addie, my youngest daughter is sitting on my lap, and she started singing washed in the blood and washed, washed by the water, but washed in the blood of it, you know, hallelujah, washed in the water. And as I was sitting there thinking, I was like, to this point, exactly. I was like, Babe, like this. I was like, imagine if you was one of the people that walked in our church that had never heard the gospel.

And we're sitting here talking about being washed in blood. Yeah. Yeah. No, I get it. Hey, it's the gospel. It is the gospel. I know how freaking creepy I know. So we have to strategically even think about stuff like that. Because like, I don't want to close off an opportunity to minister to you. Yeah. Because you're like, what kind of freaking cult? Yeah. Am I a part of like, they're gonna wash me in blood? Like, it is serious. I mean, it's crazy Christian life. From an outsider's perspective. That's it's very easy to look at say, who's crazy? Who's not right? Yeah, that's what Paul says is like, if I'm crazy, good. Yeah, yeah. Well, and that's the thing is because you know, these people are probably thinking that and Peter says, let me take you back to King David. Yeah, let me take you back to somebody that you know, yeah, that you respect that you guys read his Psalms daily. Yeah, you guys read the scriptures daily. Let me take you back to him. Let me point out to you in Scripture that this is who David was talking about. And it lines up. And instantly, that's what Scripture does, whether we understand it or not, whether we believe that we can be washed in blood or not. If you have, that's the good thing about growth groups, even and growth track is we have the moment to sit down and say, what are you talking about? Here's what it means to be washed in the blood. Like, you know, that's because it's like, you're not, you know, you're not able to bombard pastor after service while we're preaching. Some people try, but it tries to happen. But that's not where that happens. It's in the it's in those, those these holy conversations where that that holy curiosity, you should have a holy curiosity about the Word of God. You should have a holy curiosity. You should want to learn. That's why I'm in Bible college. That's why you've done all of this. I have a holy curiosity. I want to continue to learn. I want to ask questions. Why? To because my curiosity is driven by holiness, not because it is driven by objectivity, or it is driven with a scalpel. I'm not trying to critique anything. I am truly curious, because when I picked up this Word of God, when I was sitting there in the prison cell, I picked it up. And I said, and I said to myself, I will believe everything that is in this thing. And I want to come to understand it. But I'm not I didn't I didn't come to debate it. I didn't come to pick it apart. I came to know the truth of it. And the truth of it only. That's it. Yeah. Yeah. He says, Dear brothers, think about this, after he talks about David presenting that Jesus is who David was talking about, he says, think about it. And, and after it, he says, So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, this one whom you crucified to be both Lord, and Messiah.

And it just, man, it's just like, you know, if you really truly want, I remember when I very first got saved. It was I was in Clay County Detention Center. And I had experienced a moment on the side of the highway strung out on crack cocaine. And there was a couple pastors that pulled up on me, yada, yada, I'm not even going to tell that story. But and I went to Clay County a few months after that moment, and my celly would go to Bible study every whatever night. And he came back one night, and I remember we were laying in the bunk. And I was on a boat. And, and he we were laying there one night after light lights out. And he said, Hey, Sally, I was like, What's up? He said, Do you believe in God? I was like, No. And then I was like, Well, hold on, man, there was this, there was this one time and I told him about this whole experience that I had. I mean, it was a pretty intense experience. And, dude, I remember that night, I got so profusely sick. I mean, it was like, I mean, you want to talk about deliverance. It was really kind of like deliverance kind of stuff. I got so profusely sick. I'd never confessed to Jesus as my Lord at this point, you know. And that night, when I told him, I was like, Well, actually, yeah, I think I do believe in God, man. And here's why. And I confessed with my heart or with my mouth. and I believed in my heart in that moment. And I didn't do no repeat after me prayer, but that night, dude, I got so ill, bro. I mean, it was like I had food poisoning. I'd never prayed a day in my life, not one time. I had heard these pastors pray over me. That was the only time I'd ever even heard prayer. And so I prayed, every time I would wake up, I would hold my stomach, dude, it would hurt so bad. And I just remember all I could pray is God get this evil out of me. And I would have, like I had food poisoning. It was coming out of every end, right? And it happened like five or six times that day, or that night.

And I remember waking up the next morning, and dude, it was like I was light as a feather. It was like I'd never been sick before. And I had this hunger to digest the word of God. Wow, that's good. And I remember looking- Hard to even imagine that. It really is. But it happened, you know? And I was in that, in Clay County, and I remember finding this free on the inside Bible. And I would try to go to the back where it kind of has like a glossary, you know? And I would find words that I could go look up in the scripture, kind of trying to work it like a concordance, but I didn't even know what a concordance was at that time. And I would go back because I wanted answers to my life. I wanted to know why was what happening was happening? Why was the relationships that had failed in my life, why were they failing? Yeah, I just wanted- You were confused. But I knew in that instant, bro, that this was the answer to all things in life. And I just needed to go to it and find the answers. And I would just encourage you today, like if you're struggling with where you're at in life, get in the word of God until you find a solution, until you find an answer,

because there is one in there, bro. This is thousands of pages that have every answer to life. And they're all over. You can find one in every book. Well, the Old Testament isn't applicable. Bull crap. It is very applicable, you know? I mean, people called Noah crazy, but he had faith that was bigger than anybody else. He didn't have the Holy Spirit to encourage him. He had reality to believe that God was who he said he was, and I'm gonna do what he told me to do. I mean, there are stories all throughout it. And I just encourage you to get in there and find it, and apply it, and walk it out. And then don't let anybody shake that faith, man. Just be, you know, I mean, there's... That's good. There's a lot of meat and potatoes there. A lot, a lot. So we're hoping that you guys are using this format. Again, the PDF is good. Is it good with it? Have you seen it? Yeah, it's good. I'm gonna upload it for these two that's getting ready to go so you guys will have... So you'll have a file with those questions, and so be using that. There's a whole guide in there to it for discussion.

So be using that, be having these holy conversations. We're excited to be here with you, and we pray that this would actually resonate, and it would saturate your heart and your mind. And so God, we thank you, Lord, for who you are, and we thank you for your faithfulness, and we thank you for the gift that you've given us. And that gift is your word, God. It is instruction, and it is pure, and it is holy, and we thank you, Jesus, for it. We thank you for who you are, God, and we pray that our words would not just fall on ears that are not hearing, that they would actually fall on ears that would hear, and it would pierce their heart, God, and that in that piercing, they would turn to you, and as they say, God, what should I do? And they would turn to their brother, and they would say, brother, what should I do? And then they would respond to that answer, God, whatever that answer was. And then the next time that that came up, they would ask that same question, and that same question would never get dull in their life, God, I pray that in the name of Jesus. That question would never be run out, it would be dull, God. They would not become too prideful and take control back in our life. Help us stay submissive, Lord, to you, and never believe that you have taken us

to a place where we do not need you, God, because that is never how it will happen, God, and that we will always need you. We depend on you, Lord. You are good, and you are faithful. We pray blessings over every eyes and ears that's watching. In Jesus' mighty name, we love you guys. Amen. Bless y'all.