Lightly edited for readability while preserving the speaker’s meaning and substantive statements.
Thank [music] you, Jesus. Lord, we just worship you. We thank you, God, that [music] you are a good father. We thank you, Lord, that you're faithful. Thank you, Lord. [music] Thank you, Jesus. [music] you. I [singing] love you, [music] Lord, for your mercy never [singing] fails me. [music] And all my days I've been held in [singing] your hand. I wake up [music] until I [singing] lay my head. Oh, I will sing [music] of the [singing] goodness of God. Let's sing that again. Thank you, Lord. I love you, [singing] Lord, for your mercy [singing] never fails me. [music] And all my days [singing] I've been held in your [music] hand. From the moment [singing] that I wake up until I lay my head. [music] Oh, I will sing of the goodness [singing] of God. Cuz all my life you [singing] have been faithful. [music] And all my life [singing] you have been so [music] so good. With every [singing] breath that I am, oh I [singing and music] will sing of the goodness of God. [music] I love [singing] your voice. You have led [singing] me through the fire. In darkest [music] nights, you are close [singing] like no other. [music] I've known [singing] you as a father. I've known you as a friend. [singing and music] Oh, and I have lived in the goodness of God. [music and singing] Thank you, Lord. Cuz all my life you [singing] have been [music] faithful. You've been faithful. All my [singing] life you have been so [music] so good. With every breath that I [singing] am able, oh, I will sing of the goodness [singing] of God. Your goodness, [music and singing] your goodness is running after running after me.
[music] Your [singing] goodness is running after running after me. With my life [singing] laid down, surrender it now. Give you everything. Your [singing and music] goodness is running after. It's running after me. [music] Thank you, Jesus. [singing] Cuz all my life you have been faithful. You've [singing] been faithful. And all my life you have been so [music] so good. And every breath that I am able, [music] oh I [singing] will sing of the goodness of God. Thank you, Jesus. [music] You know, not [singing] everybody has had a a wonderful father like Johnny said, but but Lord, [music and singing] you have been faithful. You've been a faithful father. And Lord, we can [music] look back on our life at all your faithfulness and your goodness. And Lord, we [singing and music] just praise you today, Lord. We thank you, God. We thank you, Lord, that you're a perfect father. [music] Let's sing that again. All my life [music] cuz all my [singing] life you have been faithful. [music] Yes, Lord. And all my life [singing] you have been so so good. With every breath that I [singing] am able. Oh, I will [music] sing of the goodness [singing] of God. [music] Oh, I will sing of the [singing] goodness of God. Oh, I will sing of the [music and singing] goodness of God. Thank you, Jesus. [music] Thank you, Lord. [music] Thank you. Thank you, Jesus. [music] Thank you. [music] Blessed be your holy name, Lord Jesus. Father in heaven, thank you Lord. [singing and music] Thank you for your goodness to us. Thank you for your mercies [music] Lord. [music] Thank you, Jesus. [music] You know, I had a good dad in life. I I just thank God that that he allowed me to have [music] a a good dad.
And dad [singing] didn't tell me he loved me a whole lot, but he did. [music] But the one thing about my dad, I knew that he loved me. And that's the thing that we can know about our father in heaven. We can know that he loves us. [music] He cares for us. And the things that concern us [music] concern him because he loves us. He loves us. [music] [music] Thank you Jesus. [music] [music] Thank you, Lord. [music] Let's just honor the presence of the Lord here to today, this [music and singing] morning. Let's just honor the Lord this morning. He's worthy of our honor. [music] He's worthy of our praise. I think we're going to do our fourth [music] song next. [music] This song is has been special to [music] me over the years because the Lord has kind of brought this song back to my mind and he's brought it back and back [music] and it talks about being in his presence. The Lord [music] has taught me. He's taught me the importance of his presence. [music] It's important to seek the Lord and to seek his presence and his power. It's important [music] because that's what he wants. That's what he desires. He desires us. [music] Thank you, Jesus. And we just want to be with our father this morning. [music] You know, [music] sometimes I just wanted to I wanted to be with my dad. I just wanted to be with dad [music] a lot of times. Most of the time, all the time, I just want to be with my father because he [music] knows best and he loves us. just want to be with our father this morning. [music] And he's worthy of a day. Yes. Amen.
And he's worthy of our heart. [music] And he's worthy of any little bit of amount of praise that [music] we decide to give him. [music] [music] In and out of situations [music] took a [singing] war at me. [music] All [singing] day long I struggle [music] with answers that I [singing] need. But when I come into his [music and singing] presence, all [singing] my questions become clean. [music] [singing] And for that sacred [music] moment, [singing] [music] no doubt can interfere [music] in [singing] the praise [music] [singing] of Jehovah, [music] God [singing and music] Almighty. Mighty Prince of [music and singing] Peace, Trles, [singing] [music] Hearts [singing] are [music] in [singing] the praising. [music] all the [singing] kings. Through [music] his love, the Lord provides [music] a place for us [singing] to [music] a place to [singing] find the answers. in the hour [singing] of distress. [music] No, there's [music and singing] never any reason for you [singing] to give up in despair. [music] Just slip [singing] away and breathe [music] his name. He [singing] will surely meet you. There
[music] in [singing] the praise [music] of [singing] Jehovah [music] God [singing] Almighty, [music] praise [music and singing] Peace. Trance [music and singing] [singing] [music] [singing] [music] of [music] the king. [singing] The king. in the presence of your [music] king. Yes. In [singing] the prison of [music] the king, [singing] Jesus. [music] Thank you, Jesus. That's so good. [singing and music] In the presence of Jehovah, troubles vanish. [music] Thank you, Lord. Hearts are mended. [music] When the father comes in the room, things can [music] be healed. Amen. [music] [music] Jesus. [music] Thank you Lord. We need you Jesus. [music] Holy Spirit, you are welcome here. Thank you Lord. [music] I'm caught [singing] up in your presence [music] and I [singing] just want to sit here at your feet. Caught [singing] up in this holy moment. And I never [singing] want to leave. Yes, [music] Lord. [singing] I'm not here for blessings.
[singing] [music] Jesus, you don't owe me anything. More [singing] than anything that you can do, I just want [singing] you. [music] And I'm [singing] sorry when I've just [music] gone through the motions. [singing] I'm sorry. When I just [music] sang another song. Take me back to where we started. I open up my heart [singing and music] to you. Yes, Lord. And I'm [singing and music] sorry when I've come with my agenda. And I'm sorry [music] when I forgot [singing] that you're enough. Take me back to where [music] we start. I open up [singing] my heart to you cuz I just want [singing] you. Nothing else, nothing else, nothing else [singing] will do. I just want you. [singing and music] Nothing else. Nothing [singing] else, nothing else will do. [singing] I just want you. Nothing [singing] else. [music] Nothing else. Nothing [singing] else will do. I just want you. Nothing [singing] else. Oh, nothing else. Nothing [singing] else will do. [music] Sing it to it. I just want you. Nothing else. [music and singing] Nothing else. [music and singing] Nothing else will do. [music] [music] When the music fades [singing] and all is stripped [music] away and I simply [singing] come [music] longing just to bring [singing] [music] something that's worth that will [singing] bless your [music] heart. I'll bring you [singing and music] more than a song. For a song in itself [music] is not what you have [singing] required.
Yes, Lord. [music] You search much deeper [singing] within through the way things appear. [singing and music] You're looking into my heart. I'm coming back to a heart of worship. [singing and music] It's all about you. It's all about you, Jesus. [singing and music] I'm sorry, Lord. It's all about you. [singing] It's all about you, Jesus. [music] I'm coming back to the [singing] heart of worship. It's all about you. It's all about [singing] you, Jesus. I'm sorry, Lord, for the [music and singing] thing I've made when it's all about you. It's all [singing] about you, Jesus. [music] Jesus. [singing] [music] Jesus. [music] Cuz I just want you. Nothing else. Nothing else. [singing and music] Nothing else will do. I just [singing] want [music] you. Nothing else. [music] No. Nothing else. Nothing else will [singing and music] do. Tell her I just want you. Nothing [singing] else. Nothing else. Nothing [singing] else will [music] do. I just want [singing] you. Nothing else. Nothing else. [music] [singing] nothing else will do. I want to go back to that first [music] verse and sing it again. Thank you, Lord. [music] Thank you, Lord. Cuz one place we need to be, Lord, is caught up in you. We're not going to [music] make it on our own. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Jesus. caught up in your [singing and music] presence. And I [singing] just want to sit here at your [music] feet. I'm caught [singing] up in this holy moment and I never [singing] want to leave. Is that true this morning? [music] Oh, I'm [singing] not here for blessings.
And Jesus, [singing] you don't owe me anything. And more [singing] than anything that you can do, I [singing] just want [music] you. Thank you, Lord. We just want you. me to him. Thank you, Lord. Sing that to [music] him this morning with all your heart. Let's sing that again. Start with that first verse again. Come on, y'all. Sing it to me this morning. I'm caught up in your presence. [singing] [music] And I [singing] just want to sit here at your feet. [music] I'm caught [singing] up in this holy moment [music] and I [singing] never want to leave. [music] Yes, Lord. No, [singing] I'm not here for blessings. And Jesus, [singing] you don't owe me anything. [music] And more than anything [singing] that you can do, [music] I just want [singing] you. I'm sorry. And [music and singing] I'm sorry when I've just gone through the motions. I'm [music and singing] sorry when I just sang another song. [music] Take me back [singing] to where we started. I open up [music] my heart to you. Let's meet it this morning. And I'm sorry [music] when I've [singing] come with my agenda. And I'm sorry [music] when I forgot [singing] that you're enough. Take me back to where [music] we started. I open [singing] up my heart to you [music] cuz I just want you. Yes. I just want you. [singing and music] Nothing else. Nothing [music] else. Nothing else will [singing] do. I just want you. Nothing [singing] else. [music] Nothing else. [singing] Nothing else will do. Are we [music] desperate? I just [singing] want you. Nothing else. Nothing else. Nothing else. [singing] [music] Nothing else will do. I just want you. [singing] Nothing else.
Nothing else. [singing] [music] Nothing else will do. [music] Yes, Lord. [music] Yes, Lord God. Lord, we want you, God. We want to hear [music] your voice, Lord. We want to be led by your spirit and not by our own thoughts, our own reasoning, our own emotions, our own ideas. We want to die to ourselves and hear your voice and [music] do your will. Lord, that's all you want from us. Do things your way and not our way. And Lord, you want that cuz you know that's best for us. That's how [music] things will work out the best they can work out. Lord, we trust that you know best in [music] every situation and that your plan is the best. Thank you, Jesus. So Lord, [music] really comes down to this. If we love you, we will follow you. We will walk with you. We will chase after you. Yes, [music] Lord to be where you are. [music] At the end of the day, that's all that matters. Yes. Lord, help us realize that. Yes, Lord. I pray this in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. You may be seated this morning. Lord, welcome everyone to Fire and Grace Church. Um, just so you know, I was working on Enoch part five, but the Lord just kind of went, "Nope, not today." So, I want you to get your Bibles out. I want you to turn to First John chapter 2. I mentioned this verse, this passage I should say last week, but the Lord brought it back to me as we were in worship there because today is June 21st. So, it was June 22nd of 1987 that I rededicated myself to the Lord fully, that I repented of my sin and I decided that I was going to do things God's way and not my way anymore. Uh, and that's when my life changed. That's when everything changed. That's when I got filled with the Holy Spirit. That's when the gifts and power of the spirit began to work through me. That's when God began to anoint me to lead other people to Jesus. And um I always go back to that because I I was thinking, you know, this this is 39 years.
That's not counting the year back in 79 that I got saved. And I kind of walked with the Lord as a young person for about a year. But the longer I do this and the older I get and after I've walked through the valley of the shadow of death a couple of times over the last few years, you began to realize that you better start figuring out what matters most. And really, to tell you the truth, none of us know how long we have here on this earth. Uh your last day could be today, could be tomorrow. Uh you never know. it can sneak up on you. And that's why this passage is one of the to me one of the scary passages as I'd say the scary verses. But I want to just dig into it a little bit today. Um let's go down to verse, this is 1 John 2 verse 15. And he says here, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him." Now, we like to talk about God is love and how God loves everybody. And that is true. But what is this talking about? See, God loves everybody, but that doesn't mean everybody lives in his house. It doesn't mean everybody that he loves is going to live in his house forever. Your decision should not be based on, oh, I know God loves me. That should never be the decision. The decision is, do I love him enough to want to live in his house under his rules? That's really what it comes down to. Do you love God enough to surrender and die to your will, your flesh, your thoughts, your reasoning, your way, and do it his way? When he says, "Love not the world." Here, it's interesting because it's the word agape. That word was only used for Christians who had the Holy Spirit in them. They are the only people in the world who have the Holy Spirit in them and gives them the ability to love the way God loves. Remember Jesus said the world would love it love its own. But that's a different kind of love. So he's really talking to Christians here, born again Christians. And he says, "Do not love this world, anything in this world system. Don't love the money. Don't love the pride. Don't love the lust. Don't love the fame, the fortune, the glitter, the glamour. Don't love these things. Love the Lord your God with what? All your heart, soul, mind, and strength. And love your neighbor as yourself.
So, if you don't have these, it doesn't matter. You know, here's the thing. I do a lot of studying and I've done a lot of studying over the years and I've read many books and I've written books and you know what Solomon came to he said all of that is a weariness to the flesh. Yeah, I get tired of it sometimes. And really a lot of Christians all they want is the next new thing. They just want to hear the next new deep thing. But Solomon said he had come to the conclusion of the whole matter. In Ecclesiastes 12, he said, "Fear God and keep his commandments." This is the whole duty of a man. But he's not talking about just this written word. You had people like the rich young ruler who said, "I've kept the commandments from my youth up." He at least he thought he had, right? Maybe he tried to. Maybe he was a good boy. But what did Jesus say to him? One thing you lack. One thing you lack. Go sell everything you have. Give it away. Give it to the poor. Come follow me. And what Jesus did was he put his finger on what he loved. And what he loved more than he loved the Lord. See, I think he loved the Lord. I think he wanted the Lord. I think he wanted to to be with the Lord. I think he wanted eternal life. I think he wanted the blessings of God, but he loved his possessions. He loved his material wealth. He loved how his life was, how it was going. He liked doing it his way. And what the Lord was saying is, you're going to have to turn loose of that and come and follow me in a life that's going to be uncertain where you're going to have to trust me for everything, not yourself. It's also here that this word love is not only the word, the Greek word agape, but it is a present tense Greek verb. Now, for those of you that go to this church or been through the school of ministry, you know a present tense Greek verb is what, Jordan? Ongoing continuous action taking place in the present. Ongoing continuous action taking place in the present. Jordan got it exactly right. So, he's saying too that this is a habitual this is the the choice of a habitual lifestyle. Can I just tell you right now, the majority of Christians even that I run into, that I counsel, that I see in the world, are still not dead to themselves. They still live for themselves. They still make decisions based on their own reasoning, their own wants, their own lust, their own desires. All of that
still fully alive. And that's what they love. And some of them, it's ministry. They love ministry. But guess what? You better be doing, if you're doing ministry, you better be doing exactly what the Lord said that and no more. You'll be doing stuff he didn't call you to do. And go, look at me, what I'm doing. No, the Lord don't care. You might be over here building a mega church. And he said, "I want you over here pastoring this little church about 15 people." No, but I can't do that. I can't turn loose of that, Lord. Well, maybe he wants you to turn loose of it. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. That's pretty strong. And when he says here, if any man, guess what that means? Saved or unsaved. That means any. Somebody say, what does any mean? It means any. That's right. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. Does that mean that is that saying the Lord doesn't love you? No. That's saying you don't love him. You don't love the father. Love of the father is not in you. Because love of your own way is in you. Love of your own lust is in you. Love of your own riches. Love of your own abilities. Love of your own intellect and reasoning. You know, I've always been one to study and look at what's going on in the world and try to figure it out. Listen to all kind of different news sources, try to figure out what's going on. But you know what? Even with that, I've realized that most of that stuff are they're just lies. is smok and mirrors. I don't know what to believe anymore, right? And even if I figure it all out just perfect, still vanity. Because even if I understand all mysteries and have all knowledge and all faith, faith that can move mountains and don't really love God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, it really doesn't matter. Doesn't matter how much you have figured out.
And then he tells us, he says, in case you didn't understand what's in the world, what he's talking about, the world's system, he says, for all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, that is the the desires of the carnal evil nature and the lust of the eyes, the things we see that are pleasurable to the eyes and the pride of life. Look at me. What I got? Oh, remember this. The sin of the Pharisees was not rejecting Jesus. That was the result of their sin. Their sin, it tells you in Matthew, all their works they did to be seen of men. So that means all their little pious righteous acts, all their tithing of even little mint leaves off the tree, every little thing they did, their felactories, their garments, their prayers in public, everything they did was to be seen of men because they wanted to be admired by others. That is the pride of life. That's the people that got to go have a new house and got to go buy a new Corvette and got to go, you know, we got to make sure we look like most of it's on credit, but we got to make sure we look like we're rich and famous until the bank comes and gets it all. But that pride of life is such nonsense, too. And let me tell you that pride of life is in the the ministry of churches. Now it's got to be look at what we got. Look at how many we got. Look at how much money we got. Look at this. Look at that. Look at ah. How much of that are you doing pastor to be seen of men? How much of that are you doing to be admired by others and looked up to and honored and praised by men? Then he tells you this. All of that that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life, all that is in there, it's not of the father, it's of the world. And the world, that system of lust and greed and pride, that whole system is going to pass away and the lust thereof. But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
Y'all hear that? Now, this doesn't sound like your basic Baptist message of just believe and you're justified once and for all. Really, I remember when I came back to Alabama from rededicating my life to Jesus, fighting Satanist for a whole year, demons and werewolves and everything else. And I remember coming back here hearing that crap. And I remember reading this during that time period going, "What are they thinking?" Because I see here that there better be something going on in your life that you're doing and it's called the will of God. What is the will of God? His desire, his plan, his way. But we got all these Christians that do it their way. They do their will, but they think just because they believe in Jesus that they're going to heaven no matter what. No. You don't go to heaven. You don't inherit eternal life. You don't you don't get anything unless you are walking with the one you want to be with forever. It's not about and two, it's not about this good work or that good work. It's about do you know him? Do you hear him? Do you obey him? Does he lead your life? for do you lead your life? See, this is the thing too about being an earthly father. An earthly father is sacrifice to take care of other people, to protect other people, to provide for other people, to care about some other people more than yourself. It's what it's supposed to be anyway. It's supposed to teach us. We supposed to we supposed to learn that that's what it's about. If I'm a dad, the best thing for my family is for me to do the will of God for my life for my family. You say, "Pastor, what is the will of God?" Well, first of all, it's right here. This tells you all that you need to know, right? This gives you the foundation. And out of that, the Holy Spirit, if you will pray and
seek him and fast and surrender yourself to him, he will show you the next step. Then the next step, right? This is what I've been doing for nearly 40 years. Not trying to build a mega church so I can say, "Look at how look at how wonderful Pastor Dean is now. I I love it if you like me, but if you don't, it doesn't change my life." Right? But see, I don't care about that. All I care to know is, am I doing the will of God? Am I in his steps, not mine? Is it his thoughts [snorts] and not my thoughts? Is it his way, not my way? Is it his reasons and not my reasons? Hold your spot there in First John and look [cough] [snorts and clears throat] Isaiah 65:2. You hear the voice of God here about his rebellious children. But he says this. He says, "I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people which walketh in a way that is not good after their own thoughts. And he was talking about of course the ancient Israelites at this point. They that just refuse. He said they are people that provoke me to anger continually to my face. Provoke God to anger. All these people in this world, they're so they're so sensitive. If a man dares get angry, oh, he's got an anger problem. Maybe you got a provoking problem. We got an old saying here in Alabama. Don't want none, don't start none. Right? Bible [clears throat] says, don't provoke the king to anger. Man's a king in his house. Women, don't provoke him. Children, don't provoke him. But when you keep poking the bear and you finally get the claws or you poke [snorts] the bull and get the horns, don't go off crying. Oh, and why am I bringing that? Cuz God, they provoke God to anger. Do you think
God chooses to be angry with us and punish us and discipline us because he likes it? No. He'd rather just have peace. He'd rather you just love him. He'd rather you just do it his way so you can be blessed. But he says, "My people walk in a way that is not good after their own thoughts." You know, I I can have thoughts, too. Doesn't mean they're good ones. I've had thoughts recently of wanting a Harley-Davidson. My wife says that's not a good thought. [laughter] And the Lord says, you know, probably not a good thought for you. I used to ride pretty good, but you know, I'm old now. I might get hurt. It's true. It's probably not a good thought. But see, I'm old enough too to know I don't need to do that anything like that unless God says it's okay for me to do something like you get what I'm saying. Again, that's my thought, not necessarily God's thought. I love playing football. When back in the day, I was a better though. I was a better baseball player than I was a football player. I could have pursued that. But when I was 19, the Lord said, "Your way's over. Your way is done." And I knew it. I knew just by the I guess the revelation of the Holy Spirit because I didn't even know the word real good then. But I just knew that all of my plans for college, for football, for whatever even even the even the career I was going to go after that was over with. Had no idea what it was going to be. The Lord just said what? Follow me, son. Follow me. And you know what's interesting is and and it's it's a it's a wonderful thing when this happens, but I I have people visit here, people online, people that go to our church, people that maybe I led to Jesus many years ago, and they'll tell me, "I'm so thankful you made those decisions to follow him because you helped me. You opened my eyes. God used you in my life. But see, God needs all of us to do it his way because that's the only way we're going to help anybody else. Because if we if we can't get that one simple example down, how you can't teach what you don't know, and you can't lead where you won't go.
I mean people can criticize me about all kind of stuff but they can't say I followed my own path the path I chose for myself because had I there would have been a lot of it would have been a lot easier starting churches planting churches from nothing that's one of the hardest things to do in the ministry But you do things God's way. And he says Jesus said, "My sheep will hear my voice and they will follow me." Y'all want to cut down some arguments in the family? If everybody surrendered to God and says, "Let's do it God's way." Guess what happens? A lot of arguments in right there because the wife can be mad. Well, that's your way. And then she I Well, it's just your way. But if we both go, you know what, let's pray and get God's way and do that. And if both of you want that more than your own way, guess what happens? Peace. Unity, right? Oh, don't shout me down. Amen. Got quiet in here. Quiet as the Episcopal Church before they break out the wine. [laughter] Go back to the first John. I want to read it again. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life is of the not of the father, but is of the world, and the world passes away, and the lust thereof. But he that y'all better hear me. Especially men, but there's women that got problems with it, too. But this lust of the eyes thing, you better get it crucified and under control and out of your life. You hear me? It is not the will of God for your life. And I can't even imagine if when I was 13, 14, 15, 16 years old that we had to access.
But you can't be a habitual pornography indulger and think that you are right with God. That's for somebody this morning. You got to take that sin as serious as if you got in your car one day or your truck and looked down and there was about three or four rattlesnakes in there. Because I guarantee you if you saw that, you'd be making the move out of that car, right? You wouldn't be trying to kiss one of them, love up on one of them, would you? Cuz they're going to bite you. You know why? Cuz they're a rattlesnake. See, if you don't hate sin and you don't if you don't understand that the sin is there, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, those things are there to try to kill you eternally, to destroy you, to separate you from God forever, to put you in eternal damnation. Once you realize, if you really look at those things that way, you will hate them. You will treat it as your enemy and you will fight it. But as long as you think, "Oh, I can just do this. I'm not that bad." As long as you keep thinking that and keep indulging yourself, you are lying to yourself. You are believing the lies of the devil. You want to know why we have so many pedophiles? Is because of pornography. You know, I was reading goodness, I was reading, studying, reading and rereading and going back through and even this even last night and this morning copy pasting the book of Enoch from like chapter 80 to 104. I'm going through over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. He's prophesying. Matter of fact, he prophesied Yeah, I'm going to show you this next time, but he prophesied the coming of Jesus. He prophesied the tribulation period. He prophesied the millennial reign. He prophesied uh the new Jerusalem. The He prophesi I mean, it's all there. uh the the 10 weeks prophecies that he prophesied I'll show you just it's just amazing right but over and over and over and over again he says don't be he's and he's talking to the righteous he says don't be sinners like the wicked don't be like them
choose righteousness do righteousness And you know, this is going to be to Mr. Frank who likes to try to correct me on Dodal Europe all the time. What they don't know is I don't comment, but I read the comments. Frank, you need to shut your mouth and learn something trying to correct me on what I taught last week on the parable of the marriage supper. because he's been taught wrong his life. So, he thinks he has the correct interpretation of it. But the problem is is that you've got to understand that there is the righteousness of Jesus Christ that he gives us at salvation. And then there is the righteousness of the saints that we must choose to walk out with our own free will. And those two have to match. And this is what he doesn't understand. The reason that that guy came into the marriage supper without the robe on, he was only there because he had been saved at one point. But see, because Mr. Frank got some kind of Baptist teaching or whatever Calvinist teaching in him, he's got to think, well, no, uh, you know, that was a sinner that came in. That was an unsaved person. No. Over and over again. In fact, even Enoch puts a difference between the sinners, the wicked, and those who are the apostates. An apostate is only is you can only be an apostate if you knew Jesus and left Jesus. And he even uses the term the apostates will be apostate. The apostates will be put with the sinners. Amen. Where the crevices and columns of fire are. But see, this is what the Bible says. Jesus called him friend because at one point he'd been a friend. Remember he said to he said this to his disciples. I call you not servants but friends cuz you've known everything from the beginning. What he call Judas when he came up to kiss him. Friend betray the son of man with a kiss. This is the same Judas that was anointed went out and healed the sick and cast out demons and then comes back and betrays the Lord. He was an apostate. You're not once saved always saved. No matter how you live, you better get that down in you. That's why we have passages like this in First John that says, "He that doeth the will of God abides forever." That's right.
And if you say, you know, the Bible says if we confess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, well, if you say Jesus is Lord, but you don't do what he says, then you're a liar. You're you you you're a fake. You're a hypocrite. You're a phony. Oh, g Lord, Lord, you Jesus, my Lord, Lord, Jesus, my Lord. Don't want to hear it. Want to see it. It's not what you do on Sunday, it's what you do the rest of the week. And here here it is. Strip away everything you do religiously speaking that's outward. what you do when nobody's looking. That's who you are. Somebody say, "Oh, amen or oh me." Sometimes it's amen and oh me, right? But, you know, I mean, there's been this past week, there's been several times I had just said, "Lord, you know, sometimes I just kind of chunk it all and just go, I I don't know anything, God. Am I really doing what you want me to do? Is there anything I've missed? Am I doing your will? 1:00:071 hour, 7 secondsI don't want to get in a place where I assume A lot of us do that, you know. Well, I 1:00:161 hour, 16 secondsgo to church and I tithe and I give and I do this and I do that and I do this and I pray and and you got your checklist 1:00:291 hour, 29 secondsand you think you know things that other people don't know. So that makes you feel pretty good about yourself. 1:00:371 hour, 37 secondsBut do you really know? What do you know? 1:00:471 hour, 47 secondsThere's people think they know this book. They don't know it at all. 1:00:511 hour, 51 secondsThere's people that absolutely think they have certain things figured out and they don't have them figured out at all. But they and they won't admit it. 1:01:041 hour, 1 minute, 4 secondsAnd the only reason the Lord's allowed me to figure out as much as I figured out over the years is because I keep asking him and admitting I don't know. 1:01:121 hour, 1 minute, 12 secondsI don't understand this. I don't get it. 1:01:151 hour, 1 minute, 15 secondsHelp me. Show me. Teach me. I don't I know I'm I'm blind in areas I don't see. Help me. 1:01:241 hour, 1 minute, 24 secondsShow me what I need to see. Show me what I don't know. Show me what I must know. 1:01:291 hour, 1 minute, 29 secondsOpen my eyes to behold wonderful things out of your word. As David prayed, as Paul prayed, give me the spirit of 1:01:371 hour, 1 minute, 37 secondswisdom and revelation that the eyes of my understanding would be enlightened that I might know the hope of your calling. Basically, so I can know your will. And guess what? You can't do God's will if you don't know it. 1:01:551 hour, 1 minute, 55 secondsAnd some of you, some of you, well, all of us at some point or another, we're going to have big decisions to make. 1:02:041 hour, 2 minutes, 4 secondsSome of you single people, some of you younger people, you're going to be deciding who you're going to marry. 1:02:081 hour, 2 minutes, 8 secondsYou're going to be deciding what career you're going to chase after or what job you want or what education you want. again. 1:02:171 hour, 2 minutes, 17 secondsDo you know what God is saying is the next step for your life? 1:02:251 hour, 2 minutes, 25 secondsAre you willing for all of your plans and desires 1:02:311 hour, 2 minutes, 31 secondsto be crucified on a cross behind you as you go on and walk with the Lord? 1:02:431 hour, 2 minutes, 43 secondsSee, this is why Paul used the the words in Corinthians. He said, "I die daily." 1:02:531 hour, 2 minutes, 53 secondsHe said, "The things that were gained to me, I counted loss for Christ. Yay, 1:02:581 hour, 2 minutes, 58 secondscountless I count all things but dung." It's all crap 1:03:061 hour, 3 minutes, 6 secondsif it's not what God wants me to do right here. 1:03:141 hour, 3 minutes, 14 secondsAnd that's why he said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling." What is the high calling? It's the will of God. 1:03:231 hour, 3 minutes, 23 secondsIt's the will of God for your life. And your life is going to be different than mine. I mean, there's certain standards that he has, moral 1:03:321 hour, 3 minutes, 32 secondsstandards that you got to live by, just like I have to live by. But your direction is not going to be the exact same as mine. 1:03:421 hour, 3 minutes, 42 secondsAnd like I've told people, there's nowhere in the Bible where it says, "Hey, Dean Odel, go to 1:03:491 hour, 3 minutes, 49 secondsthe Auburn Opalikica area in 2009 and start Fire and Grace Church." It's not in the book. 1:03:591 hour, 3 minutes, 59 secondsSo, how did I know to do that? 1:04:031 hour, 4 minutes, 3 secondsBecause I walked with God long enough to know the witness of his spirit and to 1:04:091 hour, 4 minutes, 9 secondshear that still small voice and to recognize when a vision is from him or a dream is from him. 1:04:221 hour, 4 minutes, 22 secondsAnd I learned how to take things I heard and put them on the back burner until let them simmer a while until the Lord confirmed them to me through different. 1:04:311 hour, 4 minutes, 31 secondsBut I learned to listen and follow. 1:04:381 hour, 4 minutes, 38 secondsThat's how you will know anything. 1:04:421 hour, 4 minutes, 42 secondsSome of you that are supposed to go to the our fire and grace school of ministry. 1:04:491 hour, 4 minutes, 49 secondsNowhere in here it says, "Hey dude 1:04:551 hour, 4 minutes, 55 seconds[laughter] 1:04:561 hour, 4 minutes, 56 secondsor dudet, go to fire and grace school of ministry next year." But that may be God's will for you. 1:05:051 hour, 5 minutes, 5 secondsHow are you going to know? 1:05:111 hour, 5 minutes, 11 secondsHow are you going to know? There's nowhere in the Bible that says for Kamari to marry destiny. Though Kamari 1:05:181 hour, 5 minutes, 18 secondshas a destiny before destiny, [laughter] 1:05:271 hour, 5 minutes, 27 secondsbut how do you know? Learning how to listen and wait and know. 1:05:361 hour, 5 minutes, 36 secondsNowhere it said Dean, Mary, Nancy in there, 1:05:431 hour, 5 minutes, 43 secondsbut we both knew the witness of the Holy Spirit and we heard the Lord speak to us and God confirmed it 1:05:521 hour, 5 minutes, 52 secondsthrough others and in many different ways. Again, those who walk in the spirit are also led by the spirit, right? 1:06:101 hour, 6 minutes, 10 secondsY'all know I've preached on this a lot, right? 1:06:161 hour, 6 minutes, 16 secondsSay, "Pastor Dean, why are you always harping on this?" Well, first of all, just so you know, the Lord completely changed what I was going to do today. 1:06:291 hour, 6 minutes, 29 secondsSo, obviously, he wanted me to harp on this again for somebody here today. And somebody watching somebody say doeth. 1:06:431 hour, 6 minutes, 43 secondsI love that. 1:06:461 hour, 6 minutes, 46 secondsEven in the old English doeth means to keep doeth. 1:07:031 hour, 7 minutes, 3 secondsThat's why they had those things in there like that. 1:07:101 hour, 7 minutes, 10 secondsHe that doeth the will of God abideth forever. 1:07:221 hour, 7 minutes, 22 secondsBut I thought we were justified by faith. 1:07:271 hour, 7 minutes, 27 secondsBut faith without works is dead being alone. 1:07:331 hour, 7 minutes, 33 secondsShow me your faith without your works cannot. You show me your faith by what you do. 1:07:421 hour, 7 minutes, 42 secondsRight. 1:07:471 hour, 7 minutes, 47 secondsIt's not even 12 y'all. Y'all getting off easy. 1:07:591 hour, 7 minutes, 59 secondsSurrendering to the will of God for your life will make you a better father. 1:08:031 hour, 8 minutes, 3 secondsIt'll make you a better mother. It'll make you a better son, a daughter. 1:08:101 hour, 8 minutes, 10 secondsIt'll make you a real Christian. 1:08:141 hour, 8 minutes, 14 secondsY'all want to know that's why we have so many fake Christians? 1:08:191 hour, 8 minutes, 19 secondsbecause they just run around doing what they want to do and then slapping the Christian stamp on themselves. 1:08:281 hour, 8 minutes, 28 secondsI'm Christian. Really? All right. 1:08:331 hour, 8 minutes, 33 secondsWhen's the last time you actually did something that you didn't want to do for him? When's the last time you gave up something? You lost something. You sacrificed something. 1:08:461 hour, 8 minutes, 46 secondsI've lost jobs, churches, homes, cars, friendships, relationships. 1:09:001 hour, 9 minutesDoes it cost you anything? 1:09:081 hour, 9 minutes, 8 secondsFamilies. families on this day, Father's Day, Mother's Day a few weeks ago, Thanksgiving coming. 1:09:191 hour, 9 minutes, 19 secondsFamilies are divided. Why? 1:09:221 hour, 9 minutes, 22 secondsCuz some in the family said, "I'm going to do the will of God." And others said, "I'm not." 1:09:351 hour, 9 minutes, 35 secondsThat's really what it comes down to. 1:09:381 hour, 9 minutes, 38 secondsJesus said, "Think not that I come to send peace on earth. I come not to send peace, but a sword. I'm come to set a man at variance with his f father 1:09:461 hour, 9 minutes, 46 secondsagainst son, mother against daughter." What separates the one who tries to do the will of God and the one who says, 1:09:541 hour, 9 minutes, 54 seconds"I'm not doing the will of God." Matter of both surrender to the will of God, then we're in agreement. We're in unity. We're going the same direction. 1:10:051 hour, 10 minutes, 5 secondsThere will be peace. There'll actually be something to talk about at Thanksgiving. 1:10:141 hour, 10 minutes, 14 secondsYou ever notice you get around lukewarm Christians that are doing their own will and you're trying to be on fire for Jesus and do his will. Y'all ain't got a thing in common. 1:10:311 hour, 10 minutes, 31 secondsIt's hard to have relationship with somebody's not going the same way you're going. 1:10:381 hour, 10 minutes, 38 secondsDoesn't mean they not different, but if we're going after the same thing, we're going to be talking about that. We're 1:10:451 hour, 10 minutes, 45 secondsgoing to be excited about that. I find from the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. I think somebody said that one time. [laughter] 1:10:571 hour, 10 minutes, 57 secondswhat your heart full of and loves and is doing and is all about. That's what's going to come out. 1:11:051 hour, 11 minutes, 5 secondsYou never talk about Jesus. You never talk about the word. You never talk about what God's saying to you and what what God's doing and what you're doing and how he's leading you to do this or 1:11:141 hour, 11 minutes, 14 secondsdo that. If that's never in your conversation, then it's not in your heart. 1:11:201 hour, 11 minutes, 20 secondsAnd if it's not in your heart, then something's wrong. 1:11:261 hour, 11 minutes, 26 secondsOne of the things that Charles Finny said about revival that you'll know a church is about to have revival when the 1:11:331 hour, 11 minutes, 33 secondsmajority of the church seeks out the deeper spiritual conversations among themselves. 1:11:401 hour, 11 minutes, 40 secondsAnd don't get me wrong, it's not wrong to talk about a soccer game or a football game or whatever. 1:11:451 hour, 11 minutes, 45 secondsI'm just saying though, if you never are excited about what God's doing in your life or what he has said to you or what he has shown you or what he his next 1:11:541 hour, 11 minutes, 54 secondsstep for you is and if that's if you're not talking about that, if you're not excited about that, if you're not full of that, it just reveals where you are. 1:12:071 hour, 12 minutes, 7 secondsIt's amazing how that works, is it? 1:12:121 hour, 12 minutes, 12 secondsYou get around Christian, all they can talk about is football. Something ain't right. 1:12:211 hour, 12 minutes, 21 secondsIf they don't ever talk about the word, they don't ever talk about Jesus. They don't ever talk about what God's doing. 1:12:281 hour, 12 minutes, 28 secondsAre they even excited about? 1:12:341 hour, 12 minutes, 34 secondsBoy, y'all got quiet here. It just got quieter and quieter, quieter. You say, "Pastor De, it's Father's Day. You should just talk about 1:12:431 hour, 12 minutes, 43 secondsnice stuff, fathers and stuff. 1:12:521 hour, 12 minutes, 52 secondsI did a little bit. 1:12:571 hour, 12 minutes, 57 secondsYou know, I just want you to understand what it really means to love your heavenly father. 1:13:051 hour, 13 minutes, 5 secondsAmen. 1:13:091 hour, 13 minutes, 9 secondsWe don't have to question whether he loves us or not, whether he has a better plan for us, whether he wants to provide for us, 1:13:171 hour, 13 minutes, 17 secondswhether he wants to help us. But we do have to find out ourselves. But do I love him? 1:13:271 hour, 13 minutes, 27 secondsI shared with you before, I have I have children, right? Actually, 1:13:381 hour, 13 minutes, 38 secondsAnd and I can tell you this, I love them all. 1:13:451 hour, 13 minutes, 45 secondsCried when they were born, overwhelmed with the miracle that they were and the joy 1:13:531 hour, 13 minutes, 53 secondsof having it. Is it's a love and it's a miracle that just is hard to explain. If you've 1:14:001 hour, 14 minutesnever experienced it, it's really nothing like it. 1:14:091 hour, 14 minutes, 9 secondsAnd even at this moment, I would do anything for any one of them to help them in a bad situation, go save 1:14:181 hour, 14 minutes, 18 secondsthem from trouble, but they choose 1:14:291 hour, 14 minutes, 29 secondswhat kind of relationship they want to have with me. And each one has to make that choice. 1:14:381 hour, 14 minutes, 38 secondsThey choose. I can't do that part for them. 1:14:431 hour, 14 minutes, 43 secondsThey choose how much time they want to spend with me. They choose whether they want to talk and learn or they want to, 1:14:521 hour, 14 minutes, 52 secondsyou know, respect, if they want to counsel or wisdom. They choose all of that. 1:15:051 hour, 15 minutes, 5 secondsAnd it's the same way with the Lord. 1:15:131 hour, 15 minutes, 13 secondsHe loves us all. He's got a wonderful plan for each of us. Doesn't mean an easy plan. I didn't say easy. 1:15:261 hour, 15 minutes, 26 secondsBut do we draw near to him? Do we want to be with him? Do we want to hear his 1:15:351 hour, 15 minutes, 35 secondscounsel? Do we want to hear the best way to do it? 1:15:431 hour, 15 minutes, 43 secondsWe got some hard-headed kids. Try to tell them I've actually like, you know, 1:15:531 hour, 15 minutes, 53 secondsI've broken this chair and fixed it 10 times, right? I could tell him how to fix the chair. 1:16:001 hour, 16 minutesNo, thank you. I do it myself. Okay. 1:16:061 hour, 16 minutes, 6 secondsAnd it only took me five times before I figured out how to do it the right way. Right. 1:16:111 hour, 16 minutes, 11 secondsHey, how about how about actually listening and going, you know, I know I have the 1:16:191 hour, 16 minutes, 19 secondsinternet, but mom and dad might know something. 1:16:361 hour, 16 minutes, 36 secondsYou know, that's why Jesus said in the Mary and Martha situation, there was much to be done, right? 1:16:471 hour, 16 minutes, 47 secondsAnd Martha was busy running around doing all she figured she had to do. And Mary said, 'You know, I've had enough of this. I'm going to go sit at Jesus' feet. 1:16:581 hour, 16 minutes, 58 secondsAnd what did Jesus say to them? Said, she has chosen that good part that will not be taken away from her. 1:17:101 hour, 17 minutes, 10 secondsAnd again, all that was was she made a choice. You know what? 1:17:151 hour, 17 minutes, 15 secondsThere's always going to be more dishes to do. There's always going to be more laundry. Laundry never ends. It's eternal. 1:17:261 hour, 17 minutes, 26 secondsBut she figured out that she wasn't always going to have Jesus Christ of Nazareth, God in the flesh, sitting in her house. 1:17:391 hour, 17 minutes, 39 secondsShe realized there was a moment there that she had to seize, right? 1:17:461 hour, 17 minutes, 46 secondsAnd sometimes you got to just set down everything else. 1:17:511 hour, 17 minutes, 51 secondsY'all, if y'all And can I just tell you this? I get so many calls, emails, needs d even here 1:18:011 hour, 18 minutes, 1 secondfrom all over. Thousands of people watch every week. 1:18:061 hour, 18 minutes, 6 secondsAnd some people get upset because I had called them back yet or I hadn't answered their email or I haven't we hadn't sat down and done a deliverance session. 1:18:151 hour, 18 minutes, 15 secondsBut let me just tell you, if I did all of that, that's all I would ever be able to do. 1:18:231 hour, 18 minutes, 23 secondsAnd sometimes I have to just go, I can't make that phone call. I cannot go 1:18:291 hour, 18 minutes, 29 secondscounsel another person today. I can't go help somebody again with, you know, the 1:18:371 hour, 18 minutes, 37 secondstheir toenail problem. What? I can't I can't I the chicken died. I can't go 1:18:431 hour, 18 minutes, 43 secondshave a funeral for the chicken because I got to go 1:18:561 hour, 18 minutes, 56 secondsand spend time with the Lord because I need him. 1:19:011 hour, 19 minutes, 1 secondI can't do anything. it it you know if if I don't go and spend time 1:19:081 hour, 19 minutes, 8 secondswith him then what begins to happen is everything I do will be out of my own 1:19:161 hour, 19 minutes, 16 secondsstrength and knowledge and ability and you don't want that as a Christian 1:19:241 hour, 19 minutes, 24 secondsyou want what you do to come from the power of the presence of almighty God and what was 1:19:331 hour, 19 minutes, 33 secondswhat was being illustrated to us when Moses was up on the mountain with God in his presence and he came down and his 1:19:401 hour, 19 minutes, 40 secondsface was glowing. When you hang out with him, he rubs off on you. 1:19:481 hour, 19 minutes, 48 secondsAnd trust you me, you need him rubbing off on you. [snorts] Amen. 1:19:561 hour, 19 minutes, 56 secondsAnd that's why you that's why you you hang out with him. That's why you should hang out with the right people. 1:20:021 hour, 20 minutes, 2 secondsYou hang out with the wrong people, that rubs off on you, too, right? Let's stand. 1:20:111 hour, 20 minutes, 11 secondsHappy Father's Day to you. 1:20:211 hour, 20 minutes, 21 secondsSee, every day should be Father's Day. 1:20:261 hour, 20 minutes, 26 secondsThis is the day that who hath made Every day is his. 1:20:371 hour, 20 minutes, 37 secondsGive him some time every day. Give him your life. Give him your plans. 1:20:451 hour, 20 minutes, 45 secondsGive him everything. Your belongings. Everything. Everything. 1:20:531 hour, 20 minutes, 53 secondsI promise you this, a Christian should be able to go look down like every 5, 10 years or so and go, I never saw this. 1:21:061 hour, 21 minutes, 6 secondsYou understand what I'm saying? Because the Lord hadn't told you yet, right? There's things he hadn't told you. There's things you have to go hear. 1:21:181 hour, 21 minutes, 18 secondsAnd by the time you follow those steps, either your surroundings or you or your relationships or your business 1:21:271 hour, 21 minutes, 27 secondsor whatever, a lot of things should look different because you have followed the will of God and therefore he's blessed it. He's 1:21:361 hour, 21 minutes, 36 secondspoured out upon it or he's changed your direction where it needed to be changed. 1:21:441 hour, 21 minutes, 44 secondsSee, for all you young people, listen to me. This is what it comes down to. This is what following Jesus about. Following Jesus is saying, 1:21:521 hour, 21 minutes, 52 seconds"I am going to hate sin. I'm going to repent, turn away from it. I'm going to ask the Lord to forgive me, but I'm going to walk with him. I'm going to 1:22:001 hour, 22 minutesspend time seeking him privately and reading the Bible and talking to him about it until I get filled with his 1:22:091 hour, 22 minutes, 9 secondsHoly Spirit until I hear his voice, until I know what it's like to be near God and have him near me. So then you can follow him. 1:22:181 hour, 22 minutes, 18 secondsYou got to get to you got to spend enough time putting some enough time in to get to know him so you know how to follow him. 1:22:281 hour, 22 minutes, 28 secondsBecause mom and daddy's salvation and their faith and their walk with God, that's not going to save you. Amen. That's right. 1:22:361 hour, 22 minutes, 36 secondsAnd if you keep running after this world, the lust of this world, and the pride of this world, and all of that out there, 1:22:431 hour, 22 minutes, 43 secondsyou're going to die in your sins and end up in hell for all eternity. 1:22:491 hour, 22 minutes, 49 secondsAnd you say, "Pastor, you shouldn't say that. You shouldn't scare people." Well, it's it's the same principle is if 1:22:571 hour, 22 minutes, 57 secondsyou go out here and get on a motorcycle and go 200 miles an hour down the interstate, you're probably going to end up a splot on the highway. 1:23:091 hour, 23 minutes, 9 secondsA stain is all you're going to be is left. 1:23:131 hour, 23 minutes, 13 secondsAnd you know what? When I had motorcycles and I got up to 110 one time and my started floating off the ground, 1:23:211 hour, 23 minutes, 21 secondsI thought, hm, this probably wouldn't be good if something went wrong right here. 1:23:281 hour, 23 minutes, 28 secondsI'd just be splattered all over this asphalt. So, guess what? I never did that again. Cuz you know what? I was afraid. 1:23:371 hour, 23 minutes, 37 secondsSo, I changed my behavior. It's why I'm still living. Okay. 1:23:471 hour, 23 minutes, 47 secondsExactly. 1:23:501 hour, 23 minutes, 50 secondsI would never go 110 again. I might get to 60 in about 2.5 seconds, but I wouldn't I wouldn't do 110. 1:24:011 hour, 24 minutes, 1 secondYou know, F-16 takes off at 190. It It actually takes off. So, I think I was starting to lift off. [laughter] 1:24:121 hour, 24 minutes, 12 secondsBut again, that's why you don't get too close to the edge of a building, you know, 10 stories up with no railing. 1:24:191 hour, 24 minutes, 19 secondsThat fear you feel is to keep you alive. 1:24:251 hour, 24 minutes, 25 secondsThe fear of God, the respect of God, the fear of an eternity separated from him 1:24:331 hour, 24 minutes, 33 secondsshould cause you to step away from the edge. Amen. 1:24:371 hour, 24 minutes, 37 secondsTo step away from the rattlesnakes of sin, to step away from whatever you need to step away from. So the fear of the Lord 1:24:461 hour, 24 minutes, 46 secondsis the beginning of wisdom. It is a good thing. 1:24:491 hour, 24 minutes, 49 secondsIt's not bad. And that's why the book of Jude by the Holy Spirit he said on some have compassion making a difference and 1:24:571 hour, 24 minutes, 57 secondsothers save with fear pulling them out of the fire hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. 1:25:051 hour, 25 minutes, 5 secondsHating even a garment that is spotted just specks of the flesh on. 1:25:171 hour, 25 minutes, 17 secondsAmen to that. Without spot or wrinkle, brother, without spot or wrinkle. Let's pray. 1:25:251 hour, 25 minutes, 25 secondsFather in heaven, we come before you today through the precious blood of Jesus. 1:25:311 hour, 25 minutes, 31 secondsThe blood, the sinless, spotless blood that made a way for us. That made a way for us to be forgiven. 1:25:391 hour, 25 minutes, 39 secondsThat made a way for us to be filled with your Holy Spirit. and made a way for us, Lord, to be able to even draw near to you. 1:25:501 hour, 25 minutes, 50 secondsBut that part is our choice. 1:25:541 hour, 25 minutes, 54 secondsIt's our choice whether to draw near to you or not. 1:25:581 hour, 25 minutes, 58 secondsAnd I pray that everyone in here today, everyone watching that maybe hadn't made that choice or maybe they've backed away. 1:26:081 hour, 26 minutes, 8 secondsMaybe they're on the road to being an apostate. That today they will repent of all sin. 1:26:171 hour, 26 minutes, 17 secondsThat they will turn away from it. They will ask you to wash and cleanse them. 1:26:241 hour, 26 minutes, 24 secondsand that they will surrender to your lordship, to your kingship, to you as God Almighty, 1:26:341 hour, 26 minutes, 34 secondsthat they will surrender and repent and turn from their own will, their own plans, their own desires, their own 1:26:411 hour, 26 minutes, 41 secondsagendas, and that they will do your will. 1:26:481 hour, 26 minutes, 48 secondsThey will become habitual doers of your will. they will hear your voice and be led by your spirit and follow your written word. 1:27:001 hour, 27 minutesI pray God that people will understand that this is imperative. 1:27:131 hour, 27 minutes, 13 secondsBeing a Christian is not just saying, "I'm a Christian." It's not just going down to an altar one time and or being 1:27:191 hour, 27 minutes, 19 secondsbaptized or saying, "I believe in Jesus and that he rose from the dead." No, it's 1:27:271 hour, 27 minutes, 27 secondsabout taking up our cross daily [clears throat] and following you, 1:27:351 hour, 27 minutes, 35 secondsLord. I pray that that revelation come into the hearts and minds of everyone that hears this message. We 1:27:441 hour, 27 minutes, 44 secondspray it in Jesus name. Amen. Amen. All right. Well, y'all know the drill. 1:27:521 hour, 27 minutes, 52 secondsHappy Father's Day to you out there. Hugs next before you leave. Pray for us. 1:27:581 hour, 27 minutes, 58 secondsAlso, let me give you a quick update on the building situation. 1:28:031 hour, 28 minutes, 3 secondsThe plans uh the architectural plans done, paid for um the mechanical, electrical, plumbing 1:28:121 hour, 28 minutes, 12 secondsplans done. Civil engineer, they're finishing up should be submitted by Friday. 1:28:211 hour, 28 minutes, 21 secondsFor the permits. So, somebody say, "Praise the Lord. 1:28:301 hour, 28 minutes, 30 seconds[applause] 1:28:311 hour, 28 minutes, 31 secondsYeah. And keep praying. 1:28:341 hour, 28 minutes, 34 secondsAll right. Well, we're going to sign off. God bless y'all. We got a little Y'all stay here for just a second. Don't go anywhere. 1:28:401 hour, 28 minutes, 40 secondsGod bless. Sync to video time