RACHEL SPEAKING
Holy Spirit, come. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. I'm so excited. The Lord is so good. Lord, you are so good. Heavenly father, we come to you tonight. So ecstatic, like literally excited, hungry for your word. Hungry for your hungry because we felt your presence before, Lord. We want that every time. We long for that. It's so exciting, Lord. When I don't think I have it in me, you show up. You prepare us. If we allow you to do your work, Lord, you prepare us. There's no limits to what you can do, Lord. You are powerful. You are an Almighty God. Lord, you are alive. Thank you for your gifts. Thank you for your beauty of this world, Lord. Thank you for your timing. Thank you for your faithfulness. Thank you for this joy that can only come from the Lord. Thank you, Jesus, for who you are. Thank you, Jesus, for your plan. Thank you, Jesus, for your purpose of all just one wanting your children to know who you are. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for the freedom, for the free will that we have, the ability to have an intimate relationship with you, to just know who God is, but know you, know how you speak, know how to listen to you, Lord.
Bring us close to you tonight, Lord. Clear our hearts. Open our minds. Let us be active listeners to tonight, Lord. Let us be open to encourage one another, Lord. Let us not compare, Lord. Let us not forget that this is all for your glory, Lord. This is none of my doing. This is none of my brothers and sisters doing, Lord. Thank you for always sending the right people. Thank you, Lord, for always sending the right people. Thank you, Lord, for preparing our hearts. So intricately, we are chosen. Glory to God. Amen. Jesus, I'm so grateful and I'm so excited. I love Patty and Arlen and Ramihachi and Malk and Loretta. Oh, there's my girl Loretta. And Lorna and Sharon and Lord, I lift Connie and Rob and Ellie. I lift your children to you, Lord. Thank you for this time to come together to worship your word. Thank you for the words that you will put in me, Lord. Speak through me, Lord. I'm just a vessel. Use me, Lord. Thank you for the faith that you've put in me. Thank you for the faith that you're building in all of us, Lord. Let's let us allow you to work in our hearts.
In all this we pray in Jesus name, we pray, Amen and Amen. Amen and Amen. Amen and Amen. Amen. Amen. He's such a faithful God. Every time, Lord, every time. If we just keep going, keep following his lead, he will make it happen. He will make it happen. Lord, you always make it happen. Oh, there's no way that it's going to be that strong of a Holy Spirit tonight. This has just been too... I'm not there. My mind isn't like all this and that. He does it every time. I just have to do my part and show up. Lord, it's best when he's in front. Thank you, Lord, for the disciplines that you're putting in me, instilling in me that I'll have for a lifetime, like taking notes of things that the Lord puts on my heart. Preparing for this worship, clearing my heart before God. What does it mean to have a clean, clear heart before God? It means having undivided loyalty to God, period. Loving him above all else. This love comes from a clean heart that has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Took me a long time to learn that.
And that's fine. The Lord has different paths for all of us. I'm just glad I got to the place where I allowed him to do it, to transform my heart. I'm grateful for the people that he put in my life and that I was hungry for the Word and that I learned. He will transform. He will make all things new. He will make all things new. He loves to make the dead things come alive. We know this. We can look in the Bible and there's 12 essential verses that I found that speak of the heart. How can our heart be pure if we are sinful? Mark 7:21 to 23, the answer is that God cleanses our hearts when we repent and turn to him. Amen. When we turn from our old sinful ways, when we're really... And this, I believe, is so essential to the growth. The real growth is facing the things in ourselves that most people don't want to look at. I really believe that that's... God wants us to look at things inside of us and then allow him to change it. We have to recognize it and give it to him and lay it at his feet like the song.
I lay it and lay it all at his feet and leave it there. Lord, I hate this way of my judgmental thinking. Every time it comes and that it's certain, you have to lay it at his feet and give it to him. You have to look at it. You have to face it. God, God will change you. God will take it away. He will. And it's amazing how he does it in his perfect timing. And you'll look back and you won't even know specifically when, but he will lift it. That's our God. But you're so intertwined in the love that you don't even notice. That's why it's so important to look back on all that he has done, all that he is doing. Like I said, I like to keep the space to six and not have any... Because if I start to wiggle around the time, then I'll always do that. I show up at six and Lord, I hope that this is always led by the Holy Spirit and he always fills me up just in time. Even on days that I think that I'm going to fall short. It's not of my own doing.
So until God leads me in a different direction, I hope it's not just one time it stops, Lord. The Holy Spirit, I would never want to lose this, Lord. Thank you for this. But until he tells me to move or change directions, I'm still here. I want to learn and grow with you guys, Lord. Thank you for bringing these connections to my life. I'm grateful. We had a couple of really great discussions this week that I'm so grateful that I was able to take part in. Our loving God, he knows when we need that love and he provides it. He will provide it. He will show you. Just lean the whole way in. The whole way in. Let him change your heart because we come to him with the clean heart. Amen. That's why I believe the way that works for me is the lifestyle way where it's just constant communication with him. And Lord knows me best and you best. So he probably knew that I needed right now to be working in a job where it's also very spirit led and people love that name, Jesus. If you know God, if you know this love I'm talking about, you have something to share.
Everybody needs to hear that. Right where you are today. If you don't have money, you have time, but you have something to give. And like I said, I felt like it was really hot and humid and smoky here today. And it was just hot. And the Lord still said, Go get it. Go step outside before you leave the space. Instead of having anxious thoughts, because sometimes they'll absolutely come. And then the Lord's like, Remember, this is you and me. You know those moments where you're just so frantic, whether it's a job interview or something nerve wrecking, and you just... God taps you and just reminds you that it's you and him? Let me remind you that it's you and God. If there's things you need to be removed, say it to him. Give it to him. And the ones that are hard to let go of, keep praying for strength to be able to let go. There's nothing that we hide from God. There's nothing that we keep from you. So if we have anything in our heart that's causing any area of us to harden, it's causing a wedge between us and God. And we talked about last week how that shame and guilt will sweep you up out of nowhere.
Not out of nowhere, but after one and then another and then another moment, then next thing you know, you're acting on your desires versus about a clean heart. And we know having a clean heart means having an undivided, we always hear that word, undivided loyalty to God. And I love to remind myself, and if I don't, that's me saying that I don't think God knows best. It means an undivided loyalty to God, knowing that he will do it, asking, yes, ask you for your brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for you. But you have to be believing in it, that he will do it, believing in him and who he is. This love comes from a clean heart that has been transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. I'll share there again. I've been a Christian. I've been loving this God for a long time. Praise the Lord. Thank you, God. But it wasn't until a couple of, heck, maybe not even two years ago that I really understood the meaning of the Holy Spirit transforming your heart. I look at so many of these spaces and I'm like, Thank you, God, because so many of you had a big part in that.
Let me tell you that. And that's the beauty in this because a lot of us, I'm looking at Laredo, a lot of us have this strong Holy Spirit living in us, and it's alive. We celebrate that with the Lord. But there's so much to be learned from one another and sharing how he's moving in our lives so we can learn more about who he is through pulling out our Bibles and really going back to the...How did I read this today? It's going back to...Going back to...Oh, familiar places, familiar passages, but finding a fresh word in them. We go back and a lot of times we're looking at same books in the Bible or whatever it may be, but it's God always provides a fresh word in these familiar passages. Isn't it beautiful? Amen. It's exciting to learn how we look at this and see our own growth and how God delivers these fresh words through his word, through his truth. This makes all the worries of my day and the heat and the smoke. Here in this Bible, I'm surrounded by furniture, but for whatever reason, I'm on my knees on my floor with my Bible on my coffee table.
I was praising the Lord. I did a little loop on my bike before and just marvel at his world. Look at the little children playing outside. When I say learn to listen to God, learn to know his patterns. I'm glad, again, thank you, Lord, for putting these on my heart. But one specific instance is, and I know this is God is if I'm in a slump, but I'm pushing myself and I'm doing my workout anyways, and it's beautiful, it's gorgeous. And then something God will have a way. Something exciting will happen and it'll cause a jolt. And not a jolt, I don't know how to say the right words, but something will happen like a deer super close or a fox coming out and just staring or just something from God's creation that just wakes me up. And this is why I love being in nature because I get so close to God in nature and I love how he works. If we pay attention if we pay attention for making the time, I make it a point to leave my headphones at home. That time with him is the best. Greg shared with us yesterday, and I hear a lot of you say the same, and I say this too, waking up, that first thought, that's why I read the Psalms before I go to bed.
It's something that's just now it's a habit. And it'll get me to other places in the Bible. But going to sleep with that in my mind instead of I would fall asleep with the TV on just for the background noise. Now I have my fan and I have the Word and I'm going to bed and resting. Just looking back on the simple things like how sweet my sleep is, praise God. Some of us struggle with sleeping. Looking on at the fact that you can speak, that you can see, that you can hear. I know a lot of you in here, I think a lot of us have at least one person that we feel wanted by or cared for by. We all have Jesus, but I'm looking at you and I know at least I care about a lot of you here. So I know. But there's people who don't have this that. Take the time to thank God for the gifts. I heard something great the other day. What if all you woke up to tomorrow were the things that you were grateful for today? What have you thanked God for today? Not asked him for.
What have you praised him for today? I thanked him for that short little loop around the block because I'm like, God, thank you, Lord. This is exactly where you want me to be, where you want my mind to be. It's set on you. And as we were all in another space last night...I need to just sip water. We were in a space last night and it was so lovely because one of the sisters just shared that I had a space tonight. And it was all a group that I don't see anybody that would...I don't even know the right words, but it feels so good to know that those types of things... And I mean that I appreciate you guys so much, but those types of things don't affect me emotionally as much anymore. It's every everything that I do on these things is for the Lord, is for God, for the things that come, for what comes from preparing for this, for what comes from opening my heart and letting him lead, what comes from surrendering my way to his way, what comes from just the preparation. Oh, big surprise. It consistently keeps me close to God and my focus on just one day a week.
Praise God. How can you show up in your community in the smallest way, which can have the biggest impact? Share God's joy. Do people look at you and know that you have that joy of Jesus, of the Lord? I'm finally going to read those verses before we go into this 12 essential verses about a clean heart. Psalm 24, three to four, Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and clean and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 73:1 Truly God is good to Israel to those who are pure in heart.
Ezequiel 11:19 And I will give them one heart and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.
Ezequiel 36: 25 to 27 I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be cleaned from all your uncleanliness. And from all your idol s, I will cleanse you and I will give you a new heart and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Matthew 5 blessed are the pure in heart for they shall see God. Hallelujah.
Acts 15:9 And he made no distinction between us and them, having cleansed their hearts by faith.
1 Timothy 1:5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.
2 Timothy 2,:22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near with the true heart and full assurance of faith, with our heart sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
1 Peter 1:22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love. Love one another earnestly from a pure heart. Lord, remove every self righteous, selfish way in me. Have your way in me, Lord. Draw near to God and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners and purify your hearts, you double minded. That's James for eight.
Purify our hearts, Lord. Purify our hearts. It's so important. And that's just a reminder for myself, too, to continue to do the work, lay it at his feet. The things that we pick up, I need to look at those things, too, because they come out in our words and our actions and our attitudes at work, at home, in our relationships. Lord, purify my heart. Let me have the ability to give these things, lay them at your feet more immediately and leave them there. Having an undivided loyalty to God. Okay. So I wanted to read tonight...First, I want to read this cute story that I found, and then we're going to dive into James. Okay. John got back his history exam, and for the third time, he got a D minus. He looked over at his friend Terry, who had a big smile on his face. Terry had an A. John made up his mind he was going to learn all about what Terry did in order to get an A. He noticed during recess before a quiz, Terry would take his notes and look over them while others were playing.
He found out that Terry took home his history book, The Two Nights Before a History Test. He talked with Terry's sister and she told him that Terry did not watch TV the night before a history test, but spent two hours going over and over the chapter again and again. He also discovered that Terry gave himself his own practice test before the real test. John learned all about Terry's secret to getting As on history tests. John was now equally lipped with the knowledge to go from being a D minus student to an A plus. With this newly acquired knowledge, John approached the next history test in the same way as he had the past test, with the exception that now he knew Terry's secret. When the grades came back, John looked over at Terry, and sure enough, Terry was smiling. When the teacher handed John his paper, John too was smiling until he saw he once again had a D minus. What went wrong simply learning about Terry's study habits was not enough. If he did not apply those same study habits to his own life, they would be of little use to him. Now, in this simple story, we can all see that knowledge alone can be a helpful thing to have, but knowledge without application does not produce a whole lot of positive results.
A spiritually mature church is one in which people voluntarily and eagerly move from being church members to being disciples of Jesus Christ. Amen. Again, I didn't understand what that meant until more recently, and I've been walking with the Lord for a long time. It is going to take disciples to move our church from where it is today to where God is going. Amen. Church members versus a disciple, and that's harsh. I don't know if I like that, but a lot of people when they're thinking of that they have that bad experience or they can't stand Christians, usually it's safe to say, yeah, they're thinking of the church member. But it's so true, eagerly voluntarily moving from being church members to disciples of Christ. I look around that at work all the time. The volunteers that come, it's so beautiful. This one woman took all of this time, hand crafting this beautiful, very detailed handmade jewelry for all of the women to enjoy. And it was in loving memory of her father, who we had a big part in his...My ministry had a big part in his life. And just left them there needing no recognition, no applause, just simply doing something, honoring God, honoring who he is.
When nobody s looking, do people see that in you? How do people feel when they walk away from a conversation with you? Are you actively listening or are you just talking about yourself? And are we actively listening when we're participating in these spaces? And praise God for the recordings, because then when I'm able to go back and listen to recordings, it's like I can notice where my mind was absent because I'm thinking about what I was going to say. Do you understand? It's like being willing to look at those things and give them to God. I don't want to gossip. I don't want to be judgmental. I want to be somebody that shows up on time. I want to be somebody that people can count on. If I say I'll be there, I'll be there. Praise God for the wonderful Holy Spirit last night. Praise God. Praise God. But being honest in every area of our life, like no white lies, like Kim said, no white lies. It doesn't feel right anymore, right? It shouldn't. It shouldn't. I can't even take extra Sharpies from work or anything. You know what I mean? Even if it's something that's acceptable, it's like...
It's not worth it. There's no short cuts. It's not worth it. Lord, help me to be fair. Help me to not have favoritism towards people. Help me to not be judgmental. We also talked about reminding ourselves to ask. You do not have because you have not asked. Ask. Lord, help us to ask. Even when we don't know what we're seeking, you do. Praise God. Thank the Lord that he knows our minds, our thoughts before we think them, and our hearts. Praise God. Now all I have to do is do the work between him and I and make the time between all of the busyness of my life, make the time to dedicate to him. And if not, that's fine. He's still faithful. Yes, he blesses and has faithful favor on the faithful because they have ears to hear and hearts to receive. And that's who he is. So of course, he's going to overflow. I want the overflow. Yes, you're still living. If you're living in sinful ways, he still loves you. He's patient. He's very patient. But when you're in that place when you're being not the church member or not the Christians that turn people off, but you're being the disciple of Jesus Christ.
I believe this is the power of our God because I was scared. Not scared, but I don't want to become more involved in the community, things revolving around the church because I was thinking of the church just like people that don't know God yet. And that's sad. But what I'm trying to say is God already knows that I have those fears of being tied in with...You know what I mean? But in some way, along the way, he lifted that for me. And I don't mind. And again, I don't want this to sound boastful in any ways. In all humility, I say, he will give you the voice holdness and faith. And he will calm your emotions to where you just continue to see sew and reap. And it becomes that lifestyle that James said. That's what works best for me, guys. It is. And God knows, man, I tried to do it my own way for so long, so hard headed. And I'm sorry, Lord. And the Lord laughs because, I mean, God knows I don't want to say paying for it, but yeah, Lord. I wish I wouldn't have wasted as much time as I did trying to do things my own way.
But at the same time, Lord, I regret nothing because I'm that grateful for where my faith is today. He needed to do all those things to prepare me for whatever he has prepared for me. Bring on the trials because I know the goodness that comes after that. But like I said, the lifestyle thing works for me. God knows that. But when I take time to look and thank God and look at the blessings specifically and give thanks to the Lord because he's so deserving of that, I don't want to be restricted by...My health, physical health, my mental health is important to me. So exercise and eating healthy is part of my life. It's a part of my lifestyle. What did that mean? It meant that I had to learn to find healthy foods that I like. I learned that I saw more results when I was more disciplined, especially when I was running more in my 20s and I was doing run races and stuff. But I had to find something that I enjoyed. Oh, nature and the Lord. I love spending time and disconnecting that way. Same thing with where God has me right now.
I am fully making sure I'm in his will every single day. And what does that look like? For me, what works is the lifestyle. God knows I need structure. And if I would have continued, I thought I was where it was as good as it would get with God. Don't ever think that. And don't ever think that something is just because you're in it, it's forever. Know that good things and bad things, all things shall pass. This could just be a season. If I think back to some of those dark seasons, it was only the Lord that carried me through. But I'm here to tell you, if you're in one of those, it passes. Cling to the Lord, I'm telling you. It's not a fancy prayer. It's just going to the Lord. One of the most intimate nights I ever spent was a sleepless night just saying over and over, hold me, Lord. Hold me, Lord. Hold me, Lord. Hold me, Lord. Just hoping for the night or hoping for the night to end. The darkness will end. His mercies are new every morning. Sorry, I went off there. But the point of this is, is like, let it become a lifestyle where.
And maybe you need to fit in physical...Maybe you need to focus more on your physical health. Make it a priority that every Tuesday and Wednesday and Friday morning before working, when you get up before it's laid out, like, I'm going to do this walk and I'm going to listen to my Bible app. So start with little habits like that. And yes, when we're studying, when we're in the Word, spending that time with the Lord, I truly believe in no distractions. But I also know what works best for me and what works best for me is having it constantly on in a way. When I say that, I mean, it's on in my car, it's on when I'm working out. I don't know when that happened. It's on my TV if I have that on in the background. My notebook is open, my Bibles are open. Everything is in reach. I just keep it surrounding me. But the joy that comes in it is from the relationship. And once you experience that, there's no going back to just regular church, regular religion. And you want that because you felt that and you know that's real.
Let me remind you how good our God is. Let me remind you how spiritless and lifeless I felt a couple hours ago. Again. And then the enemy wanted to try to come trickle in and on my way home and say, see, you're not even in the right mindset to do this. Now you have people shifting their plans and da da da da and now people are...No, that's not of God. Know how to hear from God. Know how to listen to God. That's so important. How are you going to have an intimate relationship if you don't know how to hear God? And if you haven't experienced that yet, just keep taking the time. Whatever works for you, if you're a person that needs to make a habit, do it and have no negotiables. All right. Praise God. Praise God. Praise God. But I love that little story, isn't it? So true because I think that's the perfect...I love analogies, but I think that's the perfect comparison because this kid was really trying to understand how this kid was acing his test. To the point he even reached out to his sister to find out what he was doing at home when he couldn't see him.
He had it down the path. He knew what to do before the test. If he would have followed that that, we would follow the directions of the Lord. But that's a different topic. But you can have all that knowledge, not apply it. So just because he knew all of that, he went to the test the same way that he did the other three times he went in. We're all guilty of that. We know how to do it, how to do it right, but we don't do it. We know the best thing for us is to avoid screens before bed, avoid sugar, avoid highly processed foods, avoid negative talk. We could go on and on and on. Exercise 30 to 40 minutes a day. We do. I mean, we know what to do, but we don't do it. We know how to get close to the Lord. It's all of faith. We're believers in Jesus. It's not of works. That's another late lesson learned where I truly... And I believe, I know this comes from because I was more in the Word. This was the time where I met a lot of you lovely people, and we were in the Word.
You guys pushed me and encouraged me and just sowed that seed of just that. And that hunger grew. And it's beautiful. Now I lost my train of thought, but it wasn't of my own doing. I love all of you guys. It wasn't you guys, though. It was God getting me in his Word, setting the platform, sending the right people. Another beautiful thing I learned from Kim. I'll never forget my year this year, last year, where that was the big prayer of that year in my life was for God to send the right people. And again, Kim could have told me that, that that really worked for her. And I could have said, Wow, it really worked for her. I could really use that right now. That's good. I know that. I know how to do it. And I could even see say the prayer. But if I don't believe it, I'm not coming to a God that I know, that I'm seeking to know, or that I'm willing to believe in. But if us, especially us, the ones that know the power of the Lord and have experienced his goodness, when you think about it, shame on us.
I can never pray for enough patience or to help me with patience. Knowing a blessing given too soon is not a blessing at all. Another late lesson learned. But it's true. God's not going to bless you with a brand new condo and car. If you can't even keep up with the payments and the maintenance of the junker that you have now. That was the example that I heard for them. And it's so true. Are you taking care of your responsibilities in front of you today? Are you asking God for something that you haven't even proven yourself to be ready for? Is he up there thinking, Is she really thinking of this when...Of course, God, that's not. But that obviously was my...But seriously, that's how it must feel. Is that really where my focus is? So bring me back to the Word. Bring me back to his Word. That sermon is so important. So important. But again, in his perfect timing, Oh, man. If you allow him to do it, he will restore life in you that you swore was dead in you. He really will. And don't even, of course, how would we know how to pray for it?
But we go to him and we stay close to him because I don't want to miss a thing. Help me to continue to pour out to God, but help me to praise him. No matter what the circumstances when I'm in that doll, that day that we all have those days to turn to him, not to have the day be based on how we're feeling. Speaking life in these things, another one that I've learned from you guys, but speaking these things, praising God for the things that he's doing. Or for example, the real thing that I was thinking of when I was thinking of speaking life into it is you're not tired. I'm not tired. I'm capable. I'm God. God's child. He will supply everything that I need. Another there, I need to call myself out on that one. Who am I to...This is so embarrassing to say. I don't even want to say it, but it was a blessing that I was able to go on an outing with the activities person today. And it was fun to see the residents out and about. And one of the things that came up was I was talking in a way about, Hey, it's so hard for me to say this.
Who am I to where did that Debbie Downer comment come from? And see, I gave it to the Lord as soon as it happened. That's why, praise God, it just came to me. Before I'd still be playing in my head that stupid comment, shame. Like, exhausting. Give it to the Lord. He's my judge. Give it to the Lord. He's the one that's capable of changing you. I promise the more that you do that, the more you take it to him, the more willing you are to look at it. And then you see how gracious and patient he is. And then that just gives you more encouragement. For me, it encourages me more. Then there that's where that pleasing comes from. A gain, where did that come from? Love, that authentic love that comes from. When did that happen? When the Holy Spirit was coming in and changing your heart. When did did that go away when the Holy Spirit came in and was changing your heart? And why does that not give me anxiety anymore? Because the Holy Spirit came in and changed your heart. Why am I so much more productive? Because you finally faced the thing that you knew the Lord wanted you to lay at his feet and you laid it at his feet.
It's all God. It's all his doing. Take the time to look at how he's lined all this up. And if you're not there yet, let this be encouragement to you that it just takes one decision to turn it over to him. Now I understand how there's people that never believed. And then when you have nothing and it's like, all right, that's all and you then God reveals all the things that were sown in you that you didn't even realize. That's our God. You don't even know what you have living inside of you. Let him work. And I say this to remind myself, I don't want to get too comfortable. I always want to be stood up. Just like the Lord shakes me up sometimes when I'm in that mood and out in nature where I should be enjoying and beaming with a smile, well, if something's subtle, shake my system up. I want that to be alive in my faith, too. Stir it up. Yes. Someone that out of nowhere that you wouldn't expect says something so boldly in Christ, and you're like, Wow. And then that starts something new. Let that be plentiful in our lives, Lord.
I'm so grateful to see not only on this space, but in my church and Bible studies and people that have kids that are raising them to love the Lord, it's so cool to be able to watch and to be able to see it now as an adult. It makes sense why it works. Makes makes sense why God wants us to come to him with childlike feet. It makes sense who he is when you listen to Lorna's little Charlie, doesn't it? If you haven't heard that little boy, the first time I heard him, I was like, Is this? But then you remember, of course. So exciting to think of that little boy 's future because that's proof, that's God. You can't train a God to have that love for the Lord. Train a kid, did I say that correctly? You can't train a kid to have that authentic...He was having church, he was praising the Lord and reminding us of some of the simplest, most simple promises that we have to stand on, praise God. For some reason, when it comes out of the sweet, innocent little child, it just sounds so like, how could we not?
Of course, everything's going to be okay. He is the beginning and the end. He's working all things for our good. James. No, I'm not calling James. I don't know if you see him. I see you, James. I want to say hi to everybody. God bless you all. I love you, Daisy and Brandon and Kim. Oh, see, you changed your picture. Betty, I've been praying for you. It's good to see you. Betty and there's Tiff, love you, Tiff. Kelsey, Arlyn, Lord is so good. Billy, love you, brother. Romoha, she milk. God bless you, brother. Laredo, love you, sister. James, Lorna, Sean, Sharon, Greg, Connie, Rob. Thank you, Lord. Sam, so good to see you brother. Love you. Joe Boy, Man, well...I'm so glad I took the time to look down. The Word of God is truth. I'm going to make sure I'm following all of you guys. God is so good. Thank you, Lord. And if you don't know, I mean, there's a lot of good people in here. I just feel like this was, oh, Lord, the Lord is so good. The Lord is so good. I'm so excited to open up the space.
All right, let's read a little bit of James. Lord guide us as we read your word. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord, for your word. Count it all joy, my rather than when you meet various trials, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all men generously and without reproaching, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that a double minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord. And praise God. I've seen so much growth in a brother. I love when you see the growth in people's prayers and just how they're speaking. And you know that that's the Lord. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
Driven and tossed by the wind. That was me in my 20s, but I claimed to be just like a traveling free spirit. Yuck. But let him ask in faith with no doubting, for he who doubts like the wave of the sea. I'm really picturing this. I'm sorry, guys. That is driven and tossed by the wind. No foundation, nothing. Just going and just going with the storm. For that person must not suppose that a double minded man, unstable in all his ways, will receive anything from the Lord. Again, there's that unclean heart. That's double minded man. God knows our hearts. God knows our intentions. Isn't that crazy to think that people see people with strong faith and they're like, oh, this person can get...I think that's what some people think. This person can get my prayer answered. God. I don't even wish it would be that easy. That just doesn't even make sense. For that let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass, he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass its flowers fall and its beauty perishes.
Will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits? I think of that. I think of that. I And that must have something. I've always been fascinated with old people. My great grandmother had such a peace tour, and now I know that that came from the Lord. But just so peaceful and graceful. That's the Lord. That's having certainty and undivided loyalty and knowing. And we talked about that. We have a promise that we'll never walk this life alone. And we have eternity to look forward to. And we have a God to transition us. He'll be an earthly father or an earthly heavenly father. And then the heavenly father and eternity. These are the things that, like little Charlie, make sounds so...What is there to be sad about? Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation and the rich in his humiliation, because like the flower of the grass, he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass. Its flowers fall and its beauty perishes. Will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits? Think about how fast life goes. And that really is your drive.
I don't want to get to the end of life and think, did I love people with the Lord's love? Did I live in his will? I'm talking like, there's no reason to turn back now. There's no reason to continue walking this walk with the Lord. Is there? The sad thing that when you think about it, the reality of it is that the things that tear us away from this is, guess what it is? It's usually people, right? Meeting the wrong person. That was a lesson for me when I speak of giving it to the Lord. We know the things the Lord wants us to lay at his feet. But a lot of times those things reveal how much time they take away from our focus on the Lord. I do. And then it really makes you aware of how important it is, the people you surround yourself with. It's really important. God makes that clear because once the Holy Spirit comes in and changes your heart, it's not even appealing anymore. The people, the things, they're not appealing anymore. It's not that you're better than anyone or that you don't want to be. It's just how those sins don't feel right anymore.
Those white lies don't feel right anymore. It's not who you are anymore. Born again, made for all health. You will make all things new, restore things you thought were lost for good. I don't want a hard heart by the time at the end of this life. I want to have that peace and joy from the Lord. Having no fear and death has no grip on us. We know this. God's working all things for good. We talked about that. There's nothing left out of that for those who are called according to his purpose, who love him. So I love that verse because I'm like, check, check. Okay, it has to be in his will. Your heart has to be right for the Lord. Have confidence in those things. Blessed is the man who endures trials. For when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God. For God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
Then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it's full grown, brings forth death. We act on our desires on one thing, and then we let that person into our life, and then next thing you're letting that sin slide, and then you're exposed to that desire and then you're...Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good endowment and every perfect gift is from above. Amen. Coming down from the Father of Lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of His own will, He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a first fruits of his creatures. Know this, my beloved brethren, let every man be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God. Therefore, put away all filthiness and growth of wickedness and receive with meekness the implanted word which is able to save your souls. And we should be meditating on these verses clearly and reading it a lot more slowly. But I love to just...This is what the Lord revealed to me me to share. Last week we were in Ephesians.
This week we're in James. I just love to get us pulled and have everything be pulled back to the Word. And if it speaks something to you, glory to God. But active listening, what is that? Active listening for me is I have my Bible out, I'm taking notes, I'm highlighting things, I'm dating things, so I can, again, go back and just read the familiar passages but have something fresh because it's like, Wow, I remember that 2014, that December, that was horrible. Look, there's a teardrop. This is like a test. So it's just another way to just praise God and remember. I look at this and I have the pastor and where it was. And it takes me back to remembering that sermon and why. And then that helps me to remember where I was in that season. And then that helps me give praise to how far I've come or just letting God reveal these things, taking the time in his word, taking the time to have a pure heart before you go into it, that you have a place where you can have active, just active listening. You're engaged in it. And we don't have to worry about the spirit thing because I'm telling you time and time again when I know, really, Lord, I don't have it in me, the Lord, yes, you do, because it's not of your doing, it's of his.
And how many times do we say just takes getting physically just starting to read the Word, and then it starts. That's the power of the Holy Spirit, right? You just get started and then you're so glad and then you can't believe it. You almost didn't do that. Just have it opened. Just keep it open. That's why I have so many of these Bibles. I like collecting them. Why not have them out and open so I can just take a glance if I'm walking around on the phone or something? Why not have them open to something and look as I'm passing through? But take the time to spend the time in his words so he can reveal these things. I remember the first time I shared with Kim, I was like, Oh, my Lord. Another thing I didn't understand when they say the words come to life when you have the Holy Spirit in you. And it's like, you know, and then you think back to all those times you read these sayings or heard these things be said before, and you just like, it just sounded like another cliché. And then you're fully experiencing it.
And then this was another, I say fun, but it was, yeah, it was fun when the Lord would reveal things that weren't meant to be distractions. Do you know what I mean? And that's how I also know that I'm fully engaged and I'm being... Because the Lord won't especially if you're reading it with the believers in a space like this. He won't. God is in the God of confusion or contradiction or division. So that's something that helps me and something that, yes, is fun learning. God will reveal the things that aren't meant to be dissected, or at least for me. So again, that goes back to our intimate walk with the Lord and obeying and Tiff shared this again, being disciplined, that when the Lord pulls you to take time aside, that you actually that you listen to it. Okay, so I'm going to continue reading. But be doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if any one is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in the mirror. And I have to share this too, because it seems so ridiculous to us that people honestly go through the motions and put all the energy to being the Church member.
When you're missing all of the goodness of God's, you're missing all the good stuff by not having the relationship. If you would just do it authentically, and that's why I think it's probably important to not be consumed by what others think. But that's another story. But be rooted in him. Don't go to church looking to be filled. Be filled going into church. Don't go to church looking for the Holy Spirit to come into you. Go with the Holy Spirit resting upon you. That was another not so fun lesson when the Lord was like, You want all these churches to be filling you up. Don't you think I've filled you up a lot recently? How about you go and pour? And then it's like, God showed me clearly I can't play the knee. You can't pull that with God. I can't do that. Yes, you can. You're not 22 anymore, Rachel. Yes, you can do it. And I can't save anything else otherwise because he's proven to do it time and time again. So then that's fine. God should be your friend It should be this. It shouldn't be something that scares you or turns you away because you think it's going to be too much work.
It should be your friend. I never want to fall out of this with God. It's so good. It's not easy. And there's unknowns, but I don't know. It doesn't make sense, does it, guys? But it's enough. And whatever it took to get us to that place of realizing he's enough, it changes everything. And then when you experience it, it changes everything. It changes everything. And praise the Lord for having spaces like this so other people can help. It's a beautiful thing. For if anyone is a hearer of the Word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in the mirror, for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseverance, but he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty and perseverance, I don't know, guys, being no here and that forgets, but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing. If anyone thinks he is religious and does not riddle his tongue but deceives his heart, this man religion is vain. Religion that is pure and undefiled before God and the Father is this to visit orphans and widows in their affliction and to keep oneself on their side of others.
Be doers, share this love that I so freely gave to you. This isn't about you. Yes, I'm proud of you, but I want you to serve and help spread this love that's like that is the Lord's love. My brethren, show no partiality as you hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. For if a man with gold rings and in fine clothing comes into your assembly and a poor man in shabby clothing also comes in and you pay attention to the one who wears the fine clothing and say, Have a seat here, please, while you say to the poor man, Stand there or sit at my feet, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? Listen, my beloved brethren, has not God chosen those who are poor in the world to be rich in faith and hears of the kingdom, which he has promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor man. It is not the rich who have oppressed you. Is it not they who drag you into court? Is it.
Not they who bless me that honorable name by which you are called? This is 14, what does it profit, my brother? And if a man says he has faith but has not worked, can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, Go in peace, be warmed and filled without giving things needed for the body, what does it profit? Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead. But someone will say, You have faith and I have works. Show me your faith apart from your works and I, by my works, will show you my faith. And here, thank you, Lord, for taking us to this place. We know that it's by faith that we're saved, right? And this is a conversation that can...I don't know. I'm not a debater. No, I'm just not. I don't have to have the final...I don't know the best way to put it. I'm not a debater. But again, I think it's something that distracts us. I think there's constructive ways of reading together. And those things are obvious. I'm not an expert on this stuff either, but all I know is that we know that it comes from faith.
And we know that if we're just hearers, we're like that kid that learned how to ask the test and just did it the same way he knew how to do it. We know that serving others and walking in his will, all these things bring us closer to him. But it's all about the faith. My eyes watering. So let me see, the last part I wanted to read. One, I was almost, okay, 1:21. Was not Abraham our father, justified by works when you offered his son Isaac upon the altar? You see that faith was active along with his work and faith was completed by works. And this scripture was fulfilled, which says Abraham believed God and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. And he was called the friend of God. You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rehab the harlot justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way. For as the body, apart from the Spirit, is dead, so faith, apart from the work, is dead. For whatever reason I wrote to read that.
And the word planted in you was James 1:21, I wanted to read, and that was just 1:21. Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? I'm going to have to look at that. Hold on. Oh, I see. The essence of wisdom is to allow God's worth giving word to fill and guide our lives. Amen. Where's the James introduces...This is what I wanted to read. They say the perfect law of freedom in the royal law. James introduces the perfect law of freedom as another way of describing the word of truth. In verse 18, the royal law in 2:18, for James God's laws the word and the rule of Israel's Messiah Jesus the Lord. Anyone who looks to this law and not only hears it, but also does it will be blessed. And so it's the same thing. Are we actively asking God, going to him for prayer, believing in faith that it's already done? Sorry, guys, my eyes are really watering. Hold on. I just want to make sure I give me a second. I know what it was. I had sunscreen on, and then I rubbed my eyes.
It's true. I just hope that I hope that...Sometimes I think that everybody understands this concept as clearly as all of us do. I just want to make sure... I don't think I was very clear on that. And I know my brothers that are teachers can speak to this, but one of the key verses in James is 2:18, How can you show me your faith if you don't have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds. 2:18. At first glance, this verse seems to contradict Romans 3:28, we are made right with God through faith and not by obeying the law. However, if you look deeper, it shows that the teachings of James and Paul are not at odds. While it is true that our good deeds can never earn salvation, true faith always results in a changed life and good deed. It's the same thing. You can't get around the true faith, the allowing the Holy Spirit to come in and change your heart. The true faith of seeking him and knowing how and taking the time to learn how to hear God and building that consistency in your life.
Persisting through your first storm with the Lord. That's life changing. If you just allow these things to happen. Paul speaks against those who try to be saved by deeds instead of true faith. James speaks against those who confuse mere intellectual asset with true faith. After all, even demons know who Jesus is, but they don't obey him. Amen. True faith involves the commitment of your whole self to God. Period. Isn't that the truth? It is the truth. We can't run away from that truth. It's the full commitment. Will we still be blessed? Will we still be loved? Absolutely. But yeah, we can't earn our salvation. But yeah, the truth transforms us, isn't it? It's true. It transforms our conduct, our thoughts, I have to say, if our life remains unchanged, you must have been a pretty solid person. You know what I mean? You must have been pretty straight edge because I believe it really changes your life. It did for me. It continues to for me. Faith brings us salvation. Act of obedience demonstrates that our faith is joined genuinely. But beyond all of that, guys, the goodness of the closeness with him, again, that presence is what I want to experience, that closeness, that it's resting upon me.
I have that joy. I walk it. I don't have to go to church to get filled. But I also have to protect that. What keeps that? What keeps that consistency? Well, I have to have the boundaries with all the things that no longer serve this person who God is making me to be. Praise God, he changes you so that those aren't as appealing in time. But we have to be so patient. You have to be so patient. Again, that delayed gratification in a world where we're so aroused by these instant, so fast moving, everything in hurry. But it's always worth it. Take the time. Allow God to change it. Take the time to look at it. Do the work. You're going to have to do it later. If you don't take care of your health now, you're going to have to take care of it later. I really want to open up the space. I praise God for this group of people, and I hope the Lord has it on your hearts to share because there's so many of you I want to hear from. I'm just grateful for who God is. I really am.
I'm grateful for His Word. Jesus, thank you so much for bringing us all together, Lord. Your goodness is so good. Your word is true, Lord. Help us to continue to just humbly grow with one another. Lord, it's nothing. We can't compare paths. Lord, you're working in each of us so differently. Lord, our needs are different. Our wills, our paths are different. Lord, but we know one thing that you have a specific will for each one of your children, Lord, and that we believe you are and we know you are working all things for our good, for our good Lord. I just ask that you'd be with everyone in the space, Lord. They don't yet know who you are, that distance is building between the conversation. I just ask that you come into their hearts tonight, Lord. I just ask that you let them feel your presence, that they're encouraged by hearing people who are just like them who just want to know this God more. Lord, I just ask that you continue to grow that love for who he is and allow us to share it with one another. Lord, help us to feel comfortable.
Help us to know that we have something that people want to hear. And I just hope everyone knows how loved and grateful I am for each and every one. Lord, how loved they are by you, most importantly, Lord, cover our homes. You lift Rob's sister who's going through cancer and treatments. Lord, I lift his niece and the baby. Lord, as they're probably still in the hospital. Lord, I lift Darcy and her family to you. Lord, ask you to cover that home and all of the plans and preparations of all the things to come. Lord, cover Darcy and her family. Lord, we rest assured that her daughter is in eternity with you. Lord, thank you for your faithfulness and what you're doing in Gill's life, Lord, and Paget's life, and Jane, and Sookie, and Jess, Lord. I left Kim, and I left Daisy, and Patty to you, Lord. I left Brian and Jilly. I left Betty, and I left Kels and Arlen. I left our brother Billy to you, Lord. I left Phanuel, our brother, and Mahashri to you, Lord. I left our sister Laredo to you, Lord, and James, Lord, and his family. I left Lorna to you, Lord, and her husband and little Charlie, Lord.
I lift Sean and Sharon to you, Lord. I lift our good and strong brother Greg to you, Lord. I lift our sweet sister Connie to you, Lord. God bless. We lift our sweet sister Christy to you, Lord. Cover her, Lord. And we lift, of course, Rob and Jen, Eman and Joe boy and Brian, Okawah and Redeemed, Jay and the Mason, Jasmine, Lord, all of your children, that's our Jesus. That's our Jesus. That's you, Lord. I hope we continue to just spread this love and just continue to share and let people know that all you long for is for your children to know who you are, Lord. Thank you for everything as we open this space. Thank you for continuing to protect us and fill it with the Holy Spirit. In Jesus name, we pray, Amen. Glory to God. I want to hear from...I think you guys are continuing to study in the Word, but I don't want this to be rushed, guys. I just want us to all enjoy this time. It's so good to see all of you. If anything spoke to your heart, I would just love... Hold on, before I accept these speakers, I just want you guys to know how much...
First of all, I want you to know how dark of a season I was in last year at this time and what God is capable of. It's good to see you, Justin. So know that, again, my life isn't perfect. This joy and this enthusiasm, it's nothing I can whip up. It's from the Lord. That's how good he is. And I just believe in his goodness. Hold tight to that. Once you experience that presence of God, am I right? There's no going back. That's what we're hungry for. That's why I truly believe I don't want to... But there's a lot of good people in this space tonight, and I'm not just saying that. I'm not being fluffy, even though you guys know I love you. I really do. But there's a lot of people in here that know the Lord. You know they know them and you can hear it in the way they talk about him. You can hear it in the way that they pray. You can hear it in the way that they talk to other people. It's just I'm grateful to be in a space with all of you. You have no idea.
I'm so blessed and grateful, Lord. I'm grateful that the Lord knows just what we need. I really do. I wouldn't have been able to pray up what my life is today because I wouldn't have thought this is what I needed. I thought you would have told me that. I would have thought that was too much church. That was too much God. What do you mean it's going to be in my work? You guys, I'm doing this because I love it. And you guys have become friends and encouragers. And I care. And that's again, thank the Lord that he changes us and gives us that love. And it takes time. But look at the people that you almost wouldn't have given a chance for. I know there's some of them. There's some for me. We can't just love the ones that are easy to love. We have to love our enemies, too. But it does make my heart feel really good, Lord, to look around and see these spaces and know you guys are just going step at a time, loving the Lord and looking to his light. So that's really comforting. I'm excited to fellowship.
So ask for a mic if you guys want to speak. Anything that you have on James, anything that you have on something that's hard that if it's in the process of forgiving somebody and it seems impossible, you just need hope, or if you want to share something from James or something you've been reading, something the Lord has done in your life this week or whatever it may be, let's just keep it focused on God.