Will You Do What God is Asking of You? - JJ Vasquez

- What is up, journey church online? - Happy Sunday, you're here. - Welcome in, ladies and gentlemen, kids and boys of all ages, we are so excited that you are in the House of the Lord today. Okay, yes. - I know how you feelin'. - I feel great, I feel pumped, I'm ready for today. - That's good. - And you look good too. - It's amazing today, you look amazing, Tink. You put on your best stuff for the Lord, okay? - That's right, I love it. - You make the effort. - Yes, absolutely. So if you guys haven't gotten, I haven't gotten a pleasure to meet you guys yet in person. My name is Chantel and I get the absolute joy to be in the House of the Lord today. - Okay. - And my name is Annette and I'm honored to be Ms. Chantel's co-host today. - Oh my gosh, look at us, we are doing the Lord's work and we are excited to be here. - So good. - And if you haven't gotten, if you haven't feelin' that joy, like you gotta come on, we're tryin' to send it to you so you guys can get prepared. - No matter where you're at.

- That's right. - Here on the online team, we're here for you. - That's right. And the Lord, okay, 'cause we make it Jesus accessible, amen? - To everyone. - That's right. Now, tell us, Chant, where are you guys watching from? - Yes, 'cause you know, you told me, you even made me even realize that we are global. - Yes. - All over here. - We're here in Orlando, Florida. - Right now. - But in our Chant, we've noticed that there's everyone all around the country and we'd love to see where you're watching in from, where you're tuning in from, so drop it in the chat so that we can shout you out. And so you could probably connect with those in your area that are watching as well. - Yeah, that's so good. Now, another amazing thing I'm so excited about is that guys, we are doing something new. Every third Sunday, moving forward with our new vision here on Journey, we're gonna be actually taking place a communion. - Yes. - Only communion. Only communion. - So we, if you guys, we would like to prep you guys so you can get the elements, get some juice,

get some crackers, get some bread, because there is gonna be a moment later where we're gonna be able to go in with Pastor Crystal, where you guys don't get to see her budge, but she's amazing and she will be leading us in communion. So just a little tidbit. So if you guys can get that one. - Get prepped for that, you know, just the representation of the body and the blood of Christ. - Amen, yeah. Now, if you guys haven't, and if you just got here and you haven't been watching this series, it is okay. If you haven't watched it, you could go back on our YouTube and watch it after talk, that's right. But we've been doing a series called Can You See It? - So Pastor JJ has been giving us so many different words, so many different gems every single week. And last week, my goodness, so good. What did you get from it? - So last week, can you hear it? He had a lot of amazing points. One of my biggest things in this series in general is the fact that he gave us a notebook and in that notebook, there's devotion, there's scriptures. And if you are interested in getting the PDF so that you can have that as well, put it in the chat and we'll get that over to you. I'm not a note taker, but I feel like it is really encouraging me and helping me to really grasp what he's talking to us about this week.

- So good. And another thing that's been helping me with this series is actually practically utilizing the things that we're learning in this series in real life at work, in friendships and friendships, all the things, right? And just seeing how because of the fact that we may look at the Lord and think that he is limitless, he's not. Like the Lord has, he's unlimited in so many different ways. And because we have limitations on ourselves doesn't mean that we need to limit the Lord. And that's the main thing I've been getting away with from him. So all right, guys, I hope you're excited. We're about to go see- - Yes, okay, ready for an amazing service today. - That's right. - And again, don't forget your communion. - Right. And Javon, if you don't mind, get a set up for worship. Thanks, guys. - We'll see you soon. - Emily, how are we doing today? Happy Sunday. It's a great Sunday, only not because I'm here, but you are here as well. You are awake, you are alive, and just feeling the Holy Spirit. Now, I wanna take you on this journey with us before the real journey starts. It's where we're talking about Isaiah 3021.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, this is the way, walk in it. And it's so powerful 'cause it kind of just talks about what we're going through right now, but discernment, can you see it? And lastly, Pastor JJ just brought in a fire word. Can you hear it? It really is something. Now, let's imagine this. You've ever felt like a touch on the shoulder, a voice that called your name, and there was nobody there. It could be Jesus. It could be Jesus calling to you because you could know that his voice is real, his voice is alive. Now, don't get it twisted, don't get it discerned because the enemy is out there trying to lie to us, trying to make us believe that there is false God, trying to lead us astray, but knowing that Jesus is real, believing that he is walking with it. So understand that don't get God twisted, that if you hear a voice and it's leading you down the right path, he is going to walk with you. He is willing to go all the way with you, and that's just what's real. Family, let's pray. Father God, thank you for what you're doing in our life.

Thank you for being there, holding our hands, being by our sides, knowing that you are a good father, knowing that you can walk with us and talk with us and be with us and let us be in your word, and know more about who you are, how you can help us, how we can be there for you, Father. You love us unconditionally, and that's what we ask for for all our lives. Jesus, watch over our friends, watch over our family, watch over our heart posture, that we don't break and don't discern. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. Family, let's get into word, and that's worship. See you guys. - Welcome home, dirty church! Come on, let's put our hands together 'cause we serve a good God. ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ I see this mountain right in front of me ♪ ♪ The water's rising in the blue ♪ ♪ My knees, I will never fear ♪ ♪ God, I know you hear ♪ ♪ I hear the sound of all my enemies ♪ ♪ The souls are higher than I thought they'd be ♪ ♪ No, I don't understand ♪ ♪ God, I lift my head ♪ ♪ I won't wait 'til the battle is over ♪ ♪ And I won't wait 'til the victory is won ♪ ♪ You never fail when I call on your name ♪

♪ I'll praise you now, I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ Let's go ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Now this mountain's moving right in front of me ♪ ♪ Oh, the water's falling there beneath my feet ♪ ♪ I will not believe ♪ ♪ God is on the way ♪ ♪ I will not believe ♪ ♪ God is on the way ♪ ♪ I will wait till the battle is over ♪ ♪ I will wait till the victory is won ♪ ♪ You never fail when I call on your name ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ This is my worship in the waiting ♪ ♪ This is my breakthrough in the breaking ♪ ♪ This is my shout before the shaking ♪ ♪ And I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ This is my faith within the fighting ♪ ♪ This is my cry within the crushing ♪ ♪ This is my faith within the fighting ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪

♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I will wait ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I will wait till the battle is over ♪ ♪ I'll wait till the victory is won ♪ ♪ You never fail ♪ ♪ When I call on your name ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll wait till the battle is over ♪ ♪ I'll wait till the victory is won ♪ ♪ You never fail ♪ ♪ When I call on your name ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ I'll praise you now ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ You've got to praise it before you break your own ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ When we give them all the praise ♪ ♪ We give you all the glory of the honor Lord ♪ ♪ We thank you for your presence ♪

♪ Your hair in this room ♪ ♪ And Church we have the opportunity ♪ ♪ The honor to respond ♪ ♪ To respond to that presence ♪ ♪ To respond to His love ♪ ♪ That lets us come in just as we are ♪ ♪ We don't have to pretend ♪ ♪ We don't have to be anyone else ♪ ♪ We thank you Jesus ♪ (gentle piano music) ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ I love you ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ I need you ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the heavens ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the earth ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to bow down ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ Beautiful ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the heavens ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the earth ♪ ♪ I worship you forever and ever ♪ ♪ I worship you forever and ever ♪ ♪ To my lungs run out of breath ♪ ♪ And then even after death ♪ ♪ I'll be singing you with a song ♪ ♪ With all the heaven worship you forever ♪ ♪ And ever ♪ ♪ I worship all my days ♪ ♪ Come on, bring that song only you can sing ♪

♪ Here we go ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ Oh, when I go ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ I need you ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the heavens ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the earth ♪ ♪ Here is where I come ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to bow down ♪ ♪ Here is where I come to say ♪ ♪ Your beauty is all ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the earth ♪ ♪ Who is like the Lord in all the earth ♪ ♪ Our worship you forever ♪ ♪ And ever ♪ ♪ Our worship you forever ♪ ♪ And ever ♪ ♪ To my last man out of breath ♪ ♪ And many even after death ♪ ♪ I'll be singing you with a song ♪ ♪ With all the heaven worship you forever ♪ ♪ And ever ♪ ♪ Our worship all my days ♪ ♪ All my days ♪ ♪ I don't need anything ♪ ♪ I couldn't ask for more ♪ ♪ If I sing your face ♪ ♪ I've got all I want ♪ ♪ You'll put me at your feet ♪ ♪ And to the whole world ♪

♪ You know we're only ♪ ♪ In my father's house ♪ ♪ And I don't need anything ♪ ♪ I couldn't ask for more ♪ ♪ More and more ♪ ♪ Can I ask for more ♪ ♪ I have not ♪ ♪ I have not ♪ ♪ I have not ♪ ♪ So part me at your feet ♪ ♪ And to the whole world ♪ ♪ Down ♪ ♪ You know it ♪ ♪ I've got all the way to find it ♪ ♪ In my father's house ♪ ♪ I don't need anything ♪ ♪ I couldn't ask for more ♪ ♪ If I sing your face ♪ ♪ I've got all I want ♪ ♪ So part me at your feet ♪ ♪ And to the whole world ♪ ♪ Down ♪ ♪ 'Cause you know where I'll be ♪ ♪ In my father's house ♪ ♪ In my father's house ♪ [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music]

[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] I remember her night last year, Pastor Liz. Okay, she, oh my gosh, powerhouse.

Love you, Pastor Liz. Thank you for all that you do. But it was such a good word. So you definitely wanna be in the building. And another thing with what I love about journey churches is that there's so many testimonies, so many different stories. And with that even being said, one of our very own Stephanie, she's on our online team, she shared her testimony with us. She was letting us know that she had lost her dad, as a teenager, and she kinda lost her way. And ultimately before her dad had passed, her dad had told her mom that he wants them to follow Jesus. And even though she heard it, she knew it, she didn't quite follow immediately. She was still living a life of, you know, drinking and partying and just doing things that didn't align with what the Lord had for her. But ultimately, she did end up finding journey church through her boyfriend, but he couldn't convince her to come and person. So she ended up going online. So with her being online, she decided to join a team, and also that led her to getting baptized. At Daytona Beach July 18th and made a declaration out loud that she is in love with the Lord, and this is who she is going to serve. So with that being said, this is why journey churches with your generosity,

things like this are able to be possible, and without you, it couldn't be. So scan that QR code below if you wanna go ahead and join us in generosity for stories like this. - So glad to hear her story. It's very inspiring, very inspiring. Finally, I wanna get our online community ready. We're gonna be taking Holy Communion. So like we mentioned earlier, the representation of the body and the blood of Christ, go ahead and eat drink, cracker, bread, so that we can get together. We're gonna be turning it over to Pastor Crystal. She's such a blessing here. - Yes, so we're gonna do that. And while you guys get prepared and we're excited, and we will see you guys soon after service. See you soon. Thank you. - We just put it in his hands. Well, church, we're gonna take a special moment together today as a church family, and remember the life and sacrifice of our Lord, Jesus Christ, through Holy Communion. And so on your way in, you had an opportunity to receive the elements that look just like this. And if you haven't, that's okay. Go ahead and raise your hand right where you are, and our amazing team will make sure

that they get these elements into your hand. If you're watching online, there is time. So go ahead and get your elements ready to go as well as we go into this holy moment together. Scripture is actually very clear about a couple of things when it comes to Holy Communion. Scripture tells us first, who Communion is for? We learn that Communion is for those that have professed Jesus to be the Lord and Savior of their life. And we recognize that that might not be everyone in the room today, and that's okay. We are so glad that you are at Journey Church today. And my prayer today is as you observe that God would begin to stir something in your heart, that God would begin to move and speak to you in a way that only he can. Another thing that Scripture reminds us of is actually through the Apostle Paul's words in 1 Corinthians, where he reminds the church that every time we go to Holy Communion, we ought to examine our heart. And so I want to give us an opportunity as a church family to do just that. If there's any sin or struggle or anything standing in the way in your relationship with God, anything today that you need to surrender before the Lord, I want to give you a few moments to do just that, to confess to our Lord, knowing that when you confess to God

that you are received with grace and love. So let's just take a few moments to reflect and confess to our God. Amen. Amen. Praise God. The book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 11, the Apostle Paul writes these words and he says, "The Lord Jesus on the night that he was betrayed, "he took the bread." And when he had given thanks, he broke it and he said, "This is my body, which is for you. "Do this in remembrance of me. "I want to invite you to take the bread. "And as you do, I want you to remember. "Remember the body of Christ, "the body that was broken so that today "you don't have to be broken. "The body of Christ that willingly went to the cross for you And scripture continues and he says, "In the same way, after supper, he took the cup." And he said, "This is the cup. This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this whenever you drink and remembrance of me for whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." So Church, I want to invite you to remember. Remember the sacrifice of Jesus, that because of his blood that poured from his side, today you can live in right relationship with God. There is power in the blood of Jesus. So come on in gratitude. Let's partake of the juice together. Thank you, Jesus. Come on, would you just have a moment of gratitude before the Lord? Would you just thank God for his sacrifice on the cross? Would you just tell him, God, if it hadn't been for you, if it hadn't been for your blood, if it hadn't been for your body that went to the cross for me?

God, where would I be? We are so grateful today, Jesus. We are so grateful, God, for the message of the cross. We're so grateful, Jesus. We thank you. Come on, Church, in your own words, would you just thank the Lord? And I'm going to invite you to stand to your feet as we go back into a moment of worship, with that in our mind, with that held in our heart, that heart of gratitude, thanking God for the type of Savior that he is. And so, God, we worship you, we praise you, and we thank you today. Come on, Church, let's worship. Amen. Come on, let's welcome all of our locations joining us for worship today. Come on, with that same heart posture. Let's just lift our hands where we are. We just say thank you, Jesus. We thank you for your sacrifice, Lord. In this moment, we allow our worship to be the sacrifice to you. You don't need it, Lord, but you are worthy of it all. We thank you, Jesus. You're now waiting to see what I turn out to be. You take me just as I am, promise to bore me in your hand. You don't hold back your love till I prove I'm enough. Though I can always see how I know you're working in me now. All you want is all of me laying down my pride, surrendering my life. You don't need anything. I'm over in my life, a living sacrifice. Nothing more I can do. So I'm waiting on you, all that I hold in my hand. More than enough in your blood, all you want is all of me laying down my pride, surrendering my life. You don't need anything. You don't need anything. I'm over in my life, a living sacrifice. All you want is all me. Is all of me laying down my pride, surrendering my life. You don't need anything. I'm over in my life, a living sacrifice. I surrender all the way to you, Jesus. I am in all you, Lord. Oh, and out of the grave into the light, He made a way, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. Oh, and take up my cross, give up my crown, no matter the cause, lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. Oh, and out of the grave into the light, He made a way, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. And take up my crown, give up my crown, no matter the cause, lay it all down at the feet of Jesus. Oh, and out of the grave into the light, He made a way, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. Oh, and out of the grave into the light, He made a way, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. And then He made a way, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. It's all you want, it's all made, I know you want, it's all made. And I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave,

I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I found my life at the feet of Jesus. I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave, I'm on the grave. Come on, we lay down our lives for Jesus today. Come in a church, it's not easy, it's just a sacrifice, we have to get dressed and get ready on a day that typically there's no work, there's rest, some of us drive from far to be here, not to mention those of us that have little ones, that's like a whole wrestling match in the morning, getting your kids out of bed. I think even the whole process of coming to church is theological because even in getting here, listen, it's a sacrifice. Just in getting here, I'm on a mission to have us rethink church, and I think one of the things I want us to rethink is that we come into this place to receive something. But I don't know that that's always all together true, I think church is as healthy as when you come in here to give something. That's why it's on Sunday, historically speaking, Sunday was the Sabbath day, it was a day where you didn't go to work, which means you didn't earn money, you didn't get an income, and you were telling the Lord, "Lord, I'm giving you this day, I'm giving you my heart, I'm giving you my life." When we come in here on Sunday mornings, guys, I know we got needs, but here's what we've got to come in with a mindset, "Lord, I lay down my life, I lay down my worries, I lay down my..." living sacrifice I know I'm breathing but I'm bleeding I'm laying it at your feet Jesus take my worship take my praise take my attention take my focus take my heart Lord I get it I'll give it all to you ♪ I live in my life ♪ ♪ I live in sacrifice ♪ ♪ So you are ♪ ♪ He's on me ♪ ♪ He lays down my heart ♪ ♪ He's on me ♪ ♪ He lays down my heart ♪ ♪ He's on me ♪ ♪ He's on me ♪ ♪ He's on me ♪ ♪ He lays down my heart ♪ ♪ I live in sacrifice ♪ ♪ Come on, extend your hands towards heaven ♪ ♪ Father, we lift up your name ♪ ♪ We lay down our lives ♪ ♪ God, we give you glory today ♪

♪ We're coming up together ♪ ♪ To lift up the name of Jesus ♪ ♪ Nobody like you ♪ ♪ We thank you ♪ ♪ Regardless of what happens ♪ ♪ Or what happens this week ♪ ♪ Today we come ♪ ♪ To declare that God is good ♪ ♪ He's faithful ♪ ♪ He's worthy ♪ ♪ Of all of our praise ♪ ♪ And all of our worship ♪ ♪ And all of our adoration ♪ ♪ And all of our songs ♪ ♪ And all of our giving ♪ ♪ And all of our focus ♪ ♪ We thank you, Jesus ♪ ♪ We love you, Lord ♪ ♪ In your name we pray ♪ ♪ Amen ♪ ♪ Come on, if you believe it one more time ♪ ♪ Where you give a lot of hang ♪ ♪ Have a praise ♪ ♪ I honestly believe in the Scripture ♪ ♪ Where Jesus said it is better ♪ ♪ To give than to receive ♪ ♪ I think He's talking about worship ♪ I think it's talking about something in us that has been missing, something empty in us that has been feeling empty, it actually gets filled when we take on a disposition of praise, a disposition of worship to the Lord. Amen.

Amen. All right. Well, before we take a seat, I want you to find three people that you did not drive to church with today. Give them my high five and tell them I came to give. Come on. Three people, I came to give. I came to give. Amen. Well, who's excited to be in the house of God today? Amen. Me too. Me too. Well, my name is JJ, and alongside my wife Liz, we have the honor and privilege of serving Journey Church as its lead pastors, and if you didn't know that, that probably means you are a first-time guest. And we're so glad you chose to be with us and our church family today. If you're looking for a home church, live no further. We think you walked into it, not only because you're surrounded by the presence of God, which is who you felt while you were singing there just a second ago, but also because you are surrounded by some of the most amazing, honest, open and transparent people in awe of Central Florida. Journey Church, will you prove me right by putting your hands together and welcoming all of our first-time guests one more time? Come on, keep it going for Journey Church Online. What's up, Journey Church Online? Keep it going for Journey East Orlando, meeting at University High School. Also Journey Kissimmee, meeting at Gateway High School. And finally, help me welcome all of those who are currently incarcerated, watching from jails and prison cells throughout the United States. We came to that. We're so glad that you're here. Before we get into the message, I just want to highlight a couple of things, and the first is next weekend. Next weekend is culture conference, everybody. Culture conference. So, if you are a teenager, if you are a college age, young adult, if somebody keeps asking me, like, when is that? We had to put a number on it, because some of you are like 50-year-old young adults, and so, I think our number is 29, I think, is our number. And so, after that, you just got to drop the word young, okay?

And you're just in adults, all right? And so, if you are that, we'd love for you to come. Also, if you have kids, or if you have a college-aged kid, or I would love to invite them, I think it's important for our children to have encounters with God. And they're going to be in an environment where they're surely going to be available to them. There's no rush. They're going to be worshiped. They're just going to be delivering the word. It's going to be breakouts. I'll be speaking. I'll be speaking. We bring out some of the best speakers in the country that are going to be pouring in to these kids. And so, invite them. There is a registration that is on the QR code below me, and we'd love to have you. All of our campuses will be meeting here at our firm park location. And secondly, we are in week four of a series. We are calling, "Can you see it?" That's right. 74 in your book. Also, I just found out that we have some extra copies at week four. So week four is the first week that I say this. If you lost your book, you could go grab it. We got more now, okay? You can go grab your book in the lobby. You want you to follow along with us, not just for taking message notes, but there's also daily devotionals throughout the week that you can be following along. There are testimonies throughout this book and there are small places for small group discussion.

And so I think it's a great tool to have as we're going on a journey for these last six weeks, weeks, weeks when you finish. And we are headed somewhere, which is the next thing I want to just highlight. And that is next Sunday. Somebody say next Sunday. Yes, next Sunday is pledge Sunday. And the Sunday after that, vision Sunday, vision offering Sunday. And if you are just joining us for this sermon here and you are a first time guest, this doesn't apply to you. But if you haven't been a journey for a while, but you still call us home, we turned 10 this year. And four weeks ago, we started dreaming about what the next 10 years of our church would look like. And we said that we would launch a campus every year for the next three years that we would renovate our youth and kids facilities here in Fern Park so that we can double our kids base and triple our youth space. We talked about taking all of our portable locations in East Orlando and in University High School and Gateway High School in Kissimmee and bringing them into permanent locations. And all of that has a price tag for that. That's 18.2 million dollars. And so if you are a guest today, you're not a part of that. But if you call the church home,

that is something that we're believing God is going to do. And so next Sunday will be pledge Sunday where you are invited to make a pledge above and beyond our regular ties and offerings for the next 36 months. So it's something that I'm believing to give God at some point either over time or in one shot over the next 36 months. And I don't want to make it an emotional moment. I don't want to feel like a manipulative moment. And so this is why if you want to, you can take one of these on the way out and just be praying about it. We want you to be praying about this gift and asking the Lord what you should do. And then as you do whatever the Lord tells you, I love that I've been able to answer questions throughout this, can you see it, campaign? Some people have been asking me why Pastor JJ, are we doing this? And I saw him three things, number one, because the next generation matters. The next generation matters. And over 60% of the money that we're raising is going straight into youth and kids facilities here at Fern Park that are going to serve all of our teenagers and kids at all of our campuses. I mentioned it before, but we're going to have, what is the sound? Oh, take your time, man.

Take your time. (congregation laughing) Don't rush. You get, we're going to have better wheelchair access ramps than we're going to have. Yeah, no, our kids' faces are crazy crowded. And so we believe in the next generation. Also, listen, we believe in launching campuses because the local church, in order for the local church to be effective, it has to be local. And I'm grateful that we're here at Fern Park and almost every seat is filled and that's amazing and this is big, but Jesus did not die on a cross to create an event center. Jesus died on the cross to birth a church that has to be in a community to make a difference in that community. And we want to see more communities have healthy churches in them. And lastly, because I've been hearing from people over and over again, that they've hit the lid in their faith, the lid in what they believe God can do. And that's what this series has been about. Can you see it? It's about lifting that lid. And that's why on Vision Sunday, we'll make that first gift towards that pledge.

And we're just believing that this is going to be a tool in your hands to increase your faith. We've been talking about in this series one sentence, one sentence to summarize it, if you've just been joining us. And this is what we're preaching about last four weeks and we'll be preaching about for the next three. What if we actually believed what God decreed and followed where God leads? I think we would see what God sees. We would see what God sees. And God sees a lot more for your life than you do. And so I want to talk about that. What God decreed section said, you can open up to book page 73 in your book. And if you have a Bible, you can open up to the book of James chapter two, verse 14. It goes like this. If you don't have it, you can follow along on the screen. James two, 14. What good is it dear brothers and sisters? If you say you have faith, but don't show it by your actions, can that kind of faith save anyone? Verse 15 and 16. Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing and you say goodbye, have a good day, I'm praying for you. What good does that do? Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless.

The last three weeks, we've been really on a faith journey. Number one, we talked about can you see it? And it was about stirring your faith. And then we wanted you to actually believe and we wanted to stir your trust. And then last week, we talked about hearing the voice of God so that you can take that next step. And listen, once God makes the vision clear in your life, once God makes your heart clear in your life, and you can actually believe him, actually trust him, once God makes the next step clear in your life, that next step that you need to take, there's only one question left that we need to answer. And the question is not, can you see it? Can you hear it? Will you trust it? Here's the next question and it is the title of today's sermon. The next question is, will you do it? It's the only question that's left. Will you do it? Because at some point, the rubber has to meet the road. At some point, your faith has to take action. It has to grow legs. I want to speak today on the topic of obedience. Someone say obedience. Yeah, now when I say obedience, your eyes rolled. Not physically, but spiritually, I felt it. Because you're like, oh, well, that's just another Sunday. Because all Sunday is, all church is, if you need the church, it's somebody telling a bunch of people a list of things

that they should not do. I think when we talk about obedience, that tends to be the category that our mind gets gravitated towards. There are things that are bad and we should not do those bad things and that is obedience. But obedience actually falls into two categories. It is referenced in scripture and it was first identified by a 13th century theologian named St. Thomas Aquinas. And St. Thomas Aquinas, he recognized in scripture that sin actually takes two forms. And the first category of sin, or obedience, right, is the sin of commission. Sins of commission. And sins of commission are things that God tells us not to do and we do. Sins of commission. Things God tells us not to do and we do, like stealing or murder or lying. And I need you to know this because there are a lot of people who are new to church that whenever God asks you not to do something, he's asking you not to do something for your benefit. What is sin? It carries a lot of different definitions, but the literal translation is missing the mark. But here is really what sin is. Sin is anything that harms you or harms others. So when God asks you not to do something, he's saying this is going to harm you if you do it.

If you've ever had a kid or you've ever seen a kid and a parent interacts, sometimes the parent is asking things to not do, that the kid doesn't understand at the time. It even fights back if a little kid grabs a fork or a knife, the parent sees the fork and the knife and pulls the fork and the knife out of the baby's hands. And then how does the baby respond once the parent pulls the fork and the knife out of the baby's hands? They start throwing a fit. They start crying because the baby saw something shiny, but the father saw something sharp. See, when you start DMing somebody who ain't your wife, you're probably doing that because you see something shiny. But God sees something sharp and that will harm you and that will harm your children and that will harm your spouse and that will harm your career and that will harm your relationship with God. Every time God tells you to not do something, I promise you, it might look fun. There are painful consequences on the other side of that. Just got to trust him. Now that's the first category. The second category that's taking time as Aquinas pointed out, we're not sins of commission, but sins of omission. Now sins of omission are just a little bit different. There are things that God asks us to do and we don't. And the crazy thing is that these are a little different than the sins of commission, but actually a lot alike because he's asking us to do them for the same reason

he asks us not to do things. Because if we don't do these things, we will harm ourselves or we will harm others. Again, I'm going to bring back the illustration of a parent and their kid. Any time a parent tells a kid to go take a bath, oh my gosh, you would imagine, you would have thought that the parent said and now we're going to cut off an arm and that kid will throw a fit and that kid will be upset. I don't want to take a bath. And we're like, no, no, you don't understand. I want you to take a bath so that you can be clean so that you don't get sick and die. When the parent sends a kid to bed, oh my gosh, bedtime, oh my good. Bedtime is like you would think we were sending them to death. So is the fight, I don't want to go to sleep. You just don't want me to stay up and watch TV. You just don't want me to stay up and see the clock change. I fight with my kids every new day. Telling you right now, it's nothing happens. Just go to sleep. Well, you don't just want me, no, I want you to grow. I want you to, I want your muscles to repair. I want you to develop, I'm asking you to do this thing so that you do not harm yourself or you do not harm others. Does that make sense? Listen, sins of co-mission will keep you in the worst version of yourself.

But sins of omission will keep you from the best version of yourself. The best version of you is on the other side of obedience. The happiest version of you. The strongest version of you. The most fulfilled version of you. The most purpose-filled version of you. The most loving version of you. It's on the other side of obedience. And so this is the question that we're talking about. This is the angle of obedience that I'm coming at today. And I've got one question for you today that I need you to reflect on. And this is not for your neighbor. Tell your neighbor, say neighbor. This question is for me. 'Cause I know how we'd be in church. We'd be nudging. But this is for you. I'm gonna look into this camera right here and I need you to listen to me. Is there anything God is asking you to do today that you're not doing? - Yeah. - Yeah. - I'll wait. And before you answer, you need to know that the sin of omission actually looks three different ways. 'Cause I think at first we would go, we would go, no, no, there's nothing God

has asked me to do that I'm not doing. But before you say that, I think you need to see that there are different forms that the sin of omission takes. Here's the first form that the sin of omission takes. And I think it's the one that we all think, but it's not the most common. And that is direct disobedience. Direct disobedience. This is like most evident in the story of Jonah. If you're familiar in the book of Jonah, God tells the prophet Jonah to go preach the word in the city of Nineveh. And then Jonah literally gets on a boat and goes to the city of Tarsus, which is the city that is on the complete opposite side of the compass as Nineveh. That is direct disobedience. I'm not doing it, I'm going the other way. I remember when my parents brought me to Florida, I do not wanna go kicking and screaming. I did not wanna go. I was upset because I was, I had friends that I had developed my whole life. I had a girlfriend. And I was really, funnily enough, I really was upset at God because they said God told them. And so I was upset at God. And I was like, well God, I don't wanna go. And I remember looking at the Lord

in my room one night in an apartment in Brandon, Florida, praying. And this son of the Lord, you know what, fine God. You brought me to Florida, but you messed up. And I'm not gonna serve you anymore 'cause you messed up my life. I remember telling Jesus this. I said, I know that you're real. I know that without you, I go to hell, I choose that 'cause you're not fair. You're not fair, I don't want you. And so I prayed that prayer and then I went to bed. And I can't tell you, I've shared this story before, if it was a dream or if it was real. But that night I'm in my bed and this paralysis comes over me and middle of the night I wake up, I can't move, my body starts to, I think it was a dream, but I don't know. My body starts to levitate off my bed, comes off my bed, and it starts going under my bed, like getting pushed under my bed. And I can't go from my mom, I can't go from my dad. So I just, the only thing I could say is Jesus. When I say Jesus, I wake up from my dream, I'm on the floor, the sheets are on the floor. And I just felt the Holy Spirit minister to me. He said, you thought life was hard with me. Wait till you see life without me. (audience cheering)

And I just said in that moment, I said, I said, I said, you're not even anything that I said. I'm so sorry, like I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it, I love it. Come back, Jesus, I'm sorry. (audience laughing) And I told him, well, I said, fine, I'll serve you. I said, but I'm not doing ministry. I'll serve you, but I'm not leading anymore. I'll serve you, but I'm not preaching anymore. And this is the deal, this is what we'll do. See, it's hard to have straight direct disobedience with God, just once the Holy Spirit moves inside of you, it's hard, you can't completely negate his word. So instead of negating him, you start negotiating with him. (audience cheering) And this is the second level of the sin of omission. It's not direct disobedience, it's partial obedience. It's partial obedience. Partial obedience, you'll find in scripture in the story of Saul and Samuel. When the prophet Samuel comes to the prophet Saul, he says, the Lord says it's time to wipe out the Amelikites. And so Saul goes, okay, so I'm gonna wipe out the evil Amelikites, he says all of them. He comes back, but he comes back with the king because the king is the trophy. He wanted to show off to his friends that the king is now subject to King Saul.

And so he comes back with the king, Samuel comes up to Saul and he says, hey man, why didn't you obey God? And then Saul looks at Samuel and he goes, I did, I wiped out the Amelikites. And then Samuel looks at Saul and he goes, so then what is the king doing standing next to you? He said, but I did 99% of everything that the Lord asked. And here's what Saul had to find out that day, ready? I sure wish you did. My wife has taught me this. My wife has taught me a lot about obedience. And I made it in the best way. The Bible says submit one to another, you know? And so she's taught me a lot about obedience, like the dishes. I'll use dishes for the next two examples. My wife wants somebody to do the dishes right when we're earlier in our marriage and I would wash them and I would dry them and let them air dry, but then I wouldn't put them away. And she would come home and she would be like, Kate, you didn't do the dishes. You said you were gonna do dishes. I said, I did do the dishes, excuse me. Can you not see? They are washed and they are dry. And she's like, but she didn't put them away. And I was like, but do I get credit? No, no, not get credit for washing and drying. And I just, I just wanted partial credit

and it does not work like that. Are you with me? It does not work, you don't get partial credit for reporting some of your income on your taxes. That's actually a crime. You don't get partial credit for forgiving someone, but then bringing up what they did every time you see them. You don't get partial credit for half-truths. What was you doing in the bathroom so long? I was on my phone. That's not what we're asking. I didn't lie, I was on my phone. That's not what we're asking. Partial obedience, be careful. Then there is the next category is delayed obedience. Delayed obedience, this is also a dishwashing story, but delayed obedience would be an example of like when Moses, when God told Moses, go tell Pharaoh to let my people go. And Moses was like, well, I started negotiating and waiting and trying to delay God. Again, I remember one time this person has asked me to do the dishes and she went off to like a her night or her store or something like that. And I turned on the TV and started watching the game and it was like three hours later she came in and she said, what happened to the dishes? You said, you were gonna wash the dishes. And I looked back and I said, I am.

She said, but it's been three hours. I was like, there's still time on the clock, baby. There's still time on the clock. I said, I'm gonna wash the dishes. I will wash the dishes. And then she gave me the uppercut. She said, but when? And I don't know, I don't know. I don't know. Would I have ever washed those dishes? The world will never know. The world will never know. I know I wanted to. I know that it was a good thing to do. I know that I had said that I would do it. I know that I was planning to do it, but I started wrestling with the fact why didn't I wash them right away? And I don't think I was being malicious. I don't think I was being mean. I don't know that I was being lazy, but I know this was just a start in my mind. Like, if I don't wash them, I don't know. I don't know. I'm careful to admit this in front of my wife because I don't think that it was me, but I also know the heart is deceitfully wicked above all else. So maybe there was a part of me that was like, if I just leave them, maybe it would be like, she never asked.

If I just leave them, maybe the dishes will do themselves. And honestly, I think we take that disposition with God. I think God asks us to do something. We're like, maybe if I just don't do it, he'll forget, or maybe if I just leave it, he'll do it himself, or find someone else to do the thing that he's asking me to do. All of that is sin. All of that is disobedience. And today I want to help you step into, and step into the thing that God is asking you to do. And to do that, we have to first figure out why you don't do it, why we don't do it. And I think it's because we're afraid. And we're afraid we have some excuses like Moses with the Lord. And there are four fears, four excuses that we give the Lord. Whenever God wants to use us, whenever God says do something, we see this in Exodus chapter three with Moses and God. He's given excuses on his delayed obedience, on his partial obedience. First excuses in Exodus three, 11, he goes, who am I? This is the fear of inadequacy. Who am I? This is when God says I need you to start a small group in your house, and your answer to the Lord is, but I don't know enough Bible verses. This is when God says I need you to be a mentor to a younger person, and your reply is,

how can I help someone else get their life together if my life is not even together? And God is looking at you today and just saying, God didn't ask, listen, if you were able, he asked if you were available. He never asked you if you could do it. He asked you if you would do it. It is so silly to look at God and tell him what he can't do with you. That would be like, I know this is a really silly illustration and it won't take long, but I just need to see how, you can't do anything with me. I want you to imagine that you are clay, and you are clay, and you are in the potter has you, and the potter is like, I wanna use you, and you're like, oh Lord, but I'm just mud. Oh Lord, but I'm broken. Oh Lord, but I'm dirty. Oh Lord, but I'm just dirt Lord God, I'm nothing. And God is like, I know, that's why I picked you, because I can mold you, and I can form you, and I can build you, and I can change you, and I can use you, and I can transform you. You keep showing God all the reasons why he can't use you, and God's like, but that's exactly why I want to use you. You have no idea the tool that trauma can be in the hands of God, the tool that inadequacy can be, in the hands of God, the tool that sin, or a testimony, or addiction can be in the hands of God. Like come on, like he's the potter.

Don't tell the potter what he can or cannot do, if he called you, he can use you. The second excuse, we give the Lord the second fear. Exodus chapter three, verse 13 is, what shall I say? This is what Moses told the Lord, what shall I say? And this is the fear of the unknown. This is when God tells you, it's time to have that tough conversation with that friend, and then you tell the Lord, well, I would have it, I just don't know how this conversation is gonna turn out, so I don't wanna do that. It's when God tells you, it's time for a career change. And you're like, oof, I would change careers, Lord, but I won't know how I'm going to pay my bills. And we're arguing with God, we want all the information. God, show us what, the future. I will do it if you show me the future, and here's what I need to know about God. God will give you enough information to take the next step, but not so much information so that you can take control. - So good, so good, so good. - Did you catch that? He will give you enough information to take the next step, but he knows he can't show you everything, 'cause if he shows you everything, quite frankly, you'll mess it up. If he showed you everything, if he showed you the end, here's how it would go. One of two things would happen.

Either you would look at the end and you would go, mm-mm, no thank you, I don't wanna go there. Or he would show you the end, and you'd wanna go there so bad that you'd find a shortcut to get there, and bypass all of the things that he was using to build character inside of you that was gonna sustain you in the season. And you got there. (audience applauds) Here's the third excuse that Moses gave the Lord, what if they don't believe me? And this is the fear of rejection, or if you grew up in church, you might've heard this term before, the fear of man, fear of man. This is like, there's someone in a relationship today, and God has told you, hey, it's time to start sending. It's time to start setting holy, pure, godly boundaries between you and this person, and you need to tell them that you're setting boundaries in this relationship, and here's your response to God, Lord, but if I do that, they'll leave me. Come on, fear of rejection. Lord, I wanna start posting about Jesus more on my Instagram, but if I do that, I'm afraid of the comments, I'm afraid I'm not this client, I'm afraid of, it's this fear of what will they say,

what will they do, and listen to me, you can't care more about their response than you do his approval. You can't. (audience applauds) Here is something I learned recently that's important for you to know, and the first part I knew, but the second part I've learned recently, the first part you haven't heard this before, God loves you and his love for you will never change. Like, there's nothing you can do to make God love you more, and there's nothing you can do to make God love you less. His love for you is amazing. Ready, but his pleasure, the pleasure that he takes in you can change, and that's a big difference. I love my kids. There is nothing that my kids can do that will make my kids love me less. You understand? There's nothing they can say, there's nothing they can do, there's nothing they can break, they can win the Nobel Prize, I'm not gonna love them more. I'm gonna, my love for them never changes, but how many parents consist of the fact that sometimes kids do things that please us, and sometimes they do things that make us sad.

Our love for them never changes, but the pleasure that we receive in them, depending on their actions, can change. So here's what I've learned about God. I know that he can love me anymore, but I wanna spend every day bringing him pleasure. I want every action to please him. I want every thought to please him, every conversation to please him. So when I'm out here, I'm not thinking about how to please people. I'm thinking about how to please God. I wanna please God. I wanna bring pleasure to my father. Pleasure to my father. And here is the last excuse that Moses gives the people. He said, "Lord, please send someone else." Please send someone else. And here's what he's really saying. This is the fear of success. You know what Moses thought? Moses said, "Lord, if you send me to deliver these people, "these slaves who are God's people from Egypt, "and they actually get out, "I'm gonna have to walk with them "in the wilderness for 40 years." So he's like, "I'm afraid this might work out." And I think there's a lot of fear in that. I think there are people. I have family members who have told me,

I don't wanna give my life to Jesus. I said, "Why?" They said, "Because I know he'll change my life." Are you, did you catch that? They go, "I'm afraid of this thing actually working, "and my life changing as a result." There's someone in the room right now who is dating and you've been dating for a long time and you're starting to hear the Lord and he's like, "Hey, it's time to get that ring. "It's time to pop that question. "It's time to commit." And you're like, "Because I think this is the one." And you know what? You've been praying for this person your whole life, but now you actually got hit with the reality. Oh my God, what if they are the one? That means I gotta lock it down. This is the one person I'm gonna spend the rest of my life with. It's crazy when we get the things we prayed for. So it's like we weren't ready. So here's the question I gotta ask you and be honest, are you afraid God won't use you? Are you afraid that he will? There are people in the room that they got us calling you to leadership. He said, "God, he said you're a leader "and you're gonna know about, "I don't want the responsibility of leadership."

And it's like, "Oh, don't be afraid. "Don't be afraid. "Well, how do I not be afraid? "I'm gonna give you how to obey God fully. "How to overcome those fears? "How do I obey God fully? "How do I step into, remember, "the best version of myself, right? "'Cause I don't want the cynical mission "to keep me from fulfilling my potential. "I don't want the cynical mission "to keep me from enjoying my calling. "I don't want the cynical mission "to keep me from everything that God has to me. "A mission to keep me from everything "that God has to me. "So how do I do it? "Here's how you can obey God fully. "Ready number one, fear God more. "Fear God more. "Proverbs chapter nine, verse 10 says, "'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. "'The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. "'I used to share this story when I was a youth pastor "'to my youth and I guess it stuck with them "'cause I recently heard one of my youth "'preach the same story last Sunday." And I was like, "Oh, they remembered." And I was really trying to fix something that I heard when I was a kid.

'Cause when I was a kid, my youth passed a lot to me. When I was a kid, my youth pastor told me that when I get to heaven that there will be a screen. And that there will be a bunch of VHS tapes. And that the VHS tapes will be labeled every year of my life. And then when I get there, that God was gonna play every year of my life and show all of my sins to everybody who was in heaven. And that don't mean for a loop. 'Cause I was like, but in 2002, I told my mom that I went to a party and I don't know, and she did not, I don't want her to see what happened in 2002. And that messed me up for years. And then I came across this Bible verse that said, "He threw my sins as far as the east is from the west." Which taught me in that moment that I don't know that there are tapes up there. But if they are, the moment I gave my life to Jesus, every tape was burned, every image was erased. Everything I ever did, the ever disappointed God on my parents, it was gone. I wasn't scared of that anymore. But then I read about this thing in the book of Revelations. I read about this thing in the gospel. It's called the Great White Thrown Judgment. Now, if you've never heard this before, this is where believers, we get into heaven, but before we get into heaven,

we stand before God and give an account for our life. And I'll have a fear. This is my greatest fear. That's where my greatest fear is. This is it. Then I get to heaven and there'll be a screen. But playing on the screen won't be all the things that I did that I wish I didn't do. Playing on the screen will be all the things I was supposed to do. And never did 'cause I was afraid. That would break my heart to know that I did not make the most of every moment that I had here on this earth. To start seeing campuses we were supposed to start, or books that we were supposed to write, kids that we were supposed to adopt, songs that we were supposed to produce, buildings we were supposed to purchase. That would break my heart. Hospitals we were supposed to help fund the bill. That would break my heart. You ought to fear more than any consequence, the consequence of not being all that God has caused you to be. That would be your highest fear. The fear of the Lord. Here's the second thing. If you want to be able to step in a full obedience, you got to believe that God is for you. Believe that God is for you. He is on your side.

He wants to see you win. Everything that he's asking for you is for you. John chapter 14 verse 15 says, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." That means that the best way to sin less is to love God more. But do you know how the best way to love God more is? To reflect on how much God loves you. Bye bye. He loved me first. And when you understand that God loves you, you understand that He would never ask anything of you that is not for you. I think most of the times we hesitate on the will of God is 'cause we think that God is trying to take something from us. We say, Lord, if I give sacrificially the way that you're asking me to give, there'll be nothing left for my family. Lord, if I forgive that person like you're asking me to do, I'm gonna get hurt again. I remember when it was time for me to have my confession moment with my wife in our marriage. It was time for me to confess that I wasn't the husband that she thought I was. And I remember getting ready for that conversation. And I remember all the thoughts saying, God, if I begin to confess, I'm gonna lose my family. I'm gonna lose my church. I'm gonna lose my ministry. I'm gonna lose my calling.

I'm gonna lose my kids. I'm gonna lose my wife. I don't know that I can do this. And I just felt the Holy Spirit speak to me, and he goes, JJ, are you happy? I said, no, Lord, I'm not happy right now. He goes, yeah, I'm not trying to take your kids, take your ministry, take your church, take your wife. I'm trying to give you freedom. I'm trying to give you joy. I'm trying to give you peace. I'm trying to give you integrity. I'm trying to give you purity. I'm trying to give you holiness. Listen to me, you wanna write this down? God isn't trying to take something good from me. He's trying to lead me towards something better. Anytime God asks you for something, it's not because he's trying to take, it's 'cause he's trying to lead. You do something greater than the thing that was in your hand. And here's the last one, and I'll, oh, this is two more. It's important. Identify the lie. You gotta identify the lie. Spiritual warfare is not the sith versus the Jedi. I think some people think the devil is out there with electricity, and then Jesus on the other side

with the blue lightsaber, and it's like, that is spiritual warfare. That is not a great picture of spiritual warfare 'cause that would put God and the devil on equal playing field. The dark side of the light side, no, that's not it. Spiritual warfare, real spiritual warfare, ready? It's when a lie meets the truth. And victory is determined by what you believe. So does God send, does the devil send demons to torment us? Absolutely. But the way that the devil torments us is with lies. And the way that you find freedom and deliverance is to truth found in the Word of God. And so anytime God wants to call you to something, the devil will come with lies to keep you where you are. Like, I'm not qualified to do this. I know God, you're calling me, but I'm not qualified. That's a lie. I don't know that's a lie because the qualification is the call. So if God called you, you've been qualified. I don't have what it takes, what it takes is the call. You will fail at everything you are not called to do, but when you are called to do something, you cannot fail. You've been qualified. You've been qualified. The lies come to our ears, but you got to stop them before they get to our heart. Here's what 2 Corinthians 10.5 says, "We take every thought captive to what? To obey?

I can't obey if I'm letting the lies get from my head into my heart. I got to stop it right here, right here, before it gets in my heart." I wrote it like this. Listen, refuse to entertain the thought that explains why you shouldn't obey God. The devil is a good lawyer. He's a good debater. He will bring up A, B, C, 1A, 2B, 3C. He'll bring out graphics and illustrations in your brain to make the argument for why stepping out in faith and obedience to God is a bad idea, refuse to entertain it. If God said it, you do it. Here's the last one, and I wish I had a better final point to leave you on. Something more inspirational, but it's just the truth. Here's the last thing you got to do if you want to step out and follow God, ready? You just do it, afraid. You do it, afraid. Thanks for all those points, Pastor JJ. I'm still afraid to do what God told me to do. Awesome, do it, afraid. Psalms 56-3, "Whenever I am afraid," the Psalmist said, "I will trust in you." I love that the Psalms are honest. The author of the Psalms is never trying to pretend like he's something that he's not.

He's saying, "Hey, I'm afraid. "I'm afraid this isn't going to work out. "I'm nervous of what God is asking, ready, "and I'm going to do it anyway. "I'm going to trust in you anyway." I preached my very first Sunday sermon, some of you know I've shared at 12 years old. My pastor asked me to preach on a Sunday. I can't even remember who he translated for me. He might have been, he was translating for me. Hi, my mom in the front, I'm gonna say something. I was so nervous. I was so scared. My dad is translating for me. My mom is in the front row. These adults are looking at me. That was back in the day when the pastor was sitting like on a throne behind you, like on the church, and like, and I just, my pastor, when the throne was behind me, he was just, and I'm just like, you can't have great theology when you're 12, you know? I know I'm gonna say something's dumb, and I'm just so much fresher and so much fear. That was 12. I have been preaching the gospel now for 28 years. I turned 40 last year for 28 years, so I've been preaching. (audience applauding) And I met with our college recently, and one of our college students asked me,

I said, "Pastor, at what point, how old do you have to get "where you stop being afraid when you preach?" I said, "I'll tell you when I get there." 'Cause I'm 40 years old, and I still get afraid when I preach still to this day, and I have been doing it afraid for 28 years. When this church started 10 years ago, my wife and I had to raise $150,000 to start our very first service. You go, "Wornin' $50,000." That's like a house payment or something. Yeah, we had to buy pianos, we had to buy speakers, we had to pay rent, we had to buy instruments, we had to buy video screens, we had to buy projectors, we had to buy screens, we had to buy kids for the kids' ministry stuff, $150,000. Half of that came from our home that we sold, and with $150,000 left my job, can I tell you, I was afraid, so afraid. And here we are 10 years later, trying to raise $18.2 million for three campuses, for kids' space, for youth space, for launch locations. And can I be honest with you? I'm afraid. I'm afraid, but I've just learned. I can't wait to not be afraid to obey God. I gotta be obedient. You gotta be scared and obedient, Nervous and obedient. Worried and obedient.

Uncertain and obedient. Inadequate and obedient. Broken and obedient. Confused and obedient. Doubtful and obedient. Exhausted and obedient. Frustrated and obedient. Guilty and obedient. Hesitant and obedient. Lonely and obedient. Misunderstood and obedient. Overwhelmed and obedient. Paralysed and obedient. Questioning and obedient. Rejected and obedient. Listen, like Jesus was. Would you stand all over this room as we close right now? Worried and obedient. Scared and obedient. Rejected and obedient. Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane. Father, if there's any way for me not to carry this cross. There's any way out, Lord, can I? Is there any way? No, there's no other way. Then I'll be obedient. On the cross, my God, my God, why would you forsake me? God, why did you leave me? Did you abandon me? I'm scared.

I'm doubtful. And I'm obedient. Bible says at any moment he could have hopped off that cross. That 10,000 legions of angels could have came as an assistance. But he was obedient. Are you ready? Run to death. Does it get exhausting? Does it get tiring? It's following God. It gets absolutely-- and so I'm going to be exhausted and tired. And obedient. Just going to follow the Lord. Amen? Would you bow your head and close your eyes for a moment? God has been speaking to you throughout this. Can you see it serious? There's been something that he's been asking you to step into. Something that he's asked you to shift. Something that he's asked you to change. And it's scary, because if you actually said yes to that, it's going to cost some pretty scary, some pretty big, some pretty-- and God is just saying, hey, will you be obedient? Will you be just be obedient? I got the rest. I can't tell you the future. You'll mess it up. Just be obedient. I'm going to give you the words to say when the time comes. Just be obedient.

Of course you don't have all the skills. If I use somebody to have all the skills, they'd get all the credit. But I had to use the foolish of the world so that I could get the glory. Be obedient. I want to give you a second between you and the Lord. Would you just tell him if you feel it, yes, Lord? Whatever you tell me to say, I'll say. Will you tell me to go? I'll go. And I'm not going to go halfway. I'm not going to be partially obedient. No, no, I'm going to go all the way. And when you tell me to do it, I'm going to do it now. Or hope you forget no no I'm stepping all the way in for that what you've called me while God is working on all of our hearts There's a particular person in this room who does not have a relationship with Jesus Christ You were invited by a friend you wouldn't even identify yourself as a Christian Maybe by culture, but definitely not by relationship with Jesus Want you to know that today was orchestrated by God to get you in his presence so that you could be obedient and come to him The greatest sin you can ever commit in life hear me an all sins are equal But I'm gonna say this the greatest sin and you could ever come in life is not coming to Jesus It is a sin of omission When Jesus calls you and you say no I'm staying where I am don't commit that sin today come home to Jesus All over this room and all over our campuses that's you on the count of three would you raise your right hand saying? I need to come home to Jesus today all over this room one two three right hands high come on You heard the voice of the Lord come come to Jesus come to Jesus. I see your hand. I see your hand I see your hand. I see your hand. I see your hand. I know that there's hands of all locations

Everyone pray this prayer Allah. Everyone say father God. I Hear you Lord, and I'm coming and I'm coming all the way and I'm coming right away With all of my sin and all of my shame and all of my pain I come to you Jesus. I declare you my Lord and my Savior and receive all of your love All of your presence all of your direction fear. This is something that's just gonna hold you back Just use that to motivate you even further. It's amazing guys I'm so grateful to be able to be here with you this Sunday, and I hope you guys have the right heart posture Just keep following Jesus. We're gonna take it up in the studio, but my name is Jevon I'm glad to be one of your hosts today See you guys later So much Jevon and again if you just made that decision to follow Christ You're so excited for you to be along on this walk with you So scan that QR code below if you just made that decision. It's probably one of the best decisions you could possibly make Now what amazing message and with that being said there's a couple things that you guys can see connected number one is joint Our online community you can scan that QR code below Where you can get connected with everything that we're doing and then also We have our YouTube channel, please subscribe to you could also we've been in the sermon series You can catch up on everything that we've been doing. Yeah, you could also stay tuned for our after-talk Yes after talk where you can find more about the series the message and other, you know Past sermons with pastor JJ and just an inside look But guys we're so glad that you tuned in today that you stayed to watch the series and even at the end of this message And we are so excited that you guys were able to get the word of God today and with that being said, we are going to see you next Sunday Thank you (upbeat music)