LXM XIII
LXM XIII Preached on 2/11/2025
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56:17
Summary
A collective call to move from self-centered living to a life of sacrifice, emphasizing that God uses our most uncomfortable trials and dry seasons to produce a harvest of righteousness and powerful testimonies.
Key points
- •Change is a process of 'metamorphosis' that requires shifting from a self-centered life to one of sacrifice and surrender to God's purpose.
- •Seasons of discomfort or 'dry land' (Genesis 1:9) are often purposeful environments where God fosters growth and plants 'flowers in the valley.'
- •A 'Cruified Life' involves daily self-denial, letting go of personal agendas, and recognizing that true life is found only after losing oneself for Christ's sake.
- •Personal trials are designated to become public testimonies; these stories act as spiritual weapons to disarm the enemy and encourage future generations.
- •Renewal of the mind requires intentional habits-such as prayer journaling, priming your environment for holiness, and seeking godly accountability.
Scripture
Sacrifice
Change
Surrender drug
Identity
Testimony
Life application
Identify one area of your life where you are resisting discomfort and consciously 'lay it down' this week by prioritizing God's instruction over your own schedule or comfort. Ask at least one person for accountability in a specific spiritual goal you wish to achieve.
Reflection questions
- What 'dry land' or uncomfortable season are you currently in, and how might God be calling it 'good'?
- Is there a specific dream or plan you have been holding onto that God is asking you to sacrifice for His higher purpose?
- How can your past trials serve as a weapon or a tool to help someone else in your community today?
- In what ways are you 'spiritually starving' your spirit, and what practical steps can you take to feed on the Word this week?
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Full transcript
0:00over to our LMA Crystal who's going to
0:00be opening for
0:02[Applause]
0:05them praise the Lord
0:09everyone good
0:10evening you all look wonderful
0:13tonight I'm going to get out of the way
0:16just have a little bit of a word to
0:18speak but tonight we have the honor of
0:21hearing alexm 13 for their last message
0:24um as a group but not their last message
0:27ever right because the Lord is not done
0:31with you guys um this is just the
0:34launching pad praise God and we will be
0:37transitioning into our new class and
0:39we're so excited for what the Lord is
0:41going to do and has already done through
0:43you for you to get to this point but uh
0:46alexm 13 will be speaking tonight on the
0:49courage to change for God from self to
0:53sacrifice
0:57and the word that the Lord keeps giving
1:00me is
1:03love because love in its simplest
1:07form
1:08is I care about you more than
1:17me Matthew 22: 37-40 say
1:23Jesus said unto him Thou shalt love the
1:26Lord thy God with all thy heart and with
1:28all thy soul and with all thy mind and
1:30this is an answer to a Pharisee asking
1:33what the greatest commandment of all
1:36is he said love the Lord thy God with
1:39all of your heart with all of your soul
1:42and with all of your mind and another
1:43version says with all of your strength
1:45the fact that Jesus talked about all
1:48four parts of that means that there are
1:50times that you can love with just your
1:53mind or with just your heart or with
1:56just your strength you know what I'm
1:57saying that there's only parts of you
1:59that are loving and for those of you
2:01that are parents I'm not a parent but
2:04I'm a teacher and I will just tell you
2:06that being a parent I don't know how you
2:08guys do it and that is a blessing of the
2:11Lord that is love operating through you
2:13let me tell you something sometimes you
2:15love your kids with all of your strength
2:18but maybe your mind is not there because
2:19you haven't even brushed your teeth yet
2:22you know what I'm
2:24saying but the Lord has called us to to
2:28love him with all of those things and
2:30then he says this is the first and great
2:32commandment in verse 39 listen to this
2:35this is the kicker because it's not good
2:37enough just to love
2:39God oh look got quiet that means that
2:41means it
2:42[Laughter]
2:44hit the second is like unto this Thou
2:47shalt love thy neighbor as thyself right
2:51and there there's a little clause in
2:52there you have to learn to love yourself
2:55and if you don't know how to love
2:56yourself ask the Lord and He will teach
2:58you and that will be another message for
2:59another day
3:02but we're called to love thy neighbor as
3:05thyselves and on these two Commandments
3:07hang all the
3:09law and the prophets so everything
3:12that's in the Bible can be summed up in
3:14love the Lord yes and then love others
3:17and it doesn't say love your friend or
3:19your kid or your mom or your dad it says
3:22love
3:24others and in one of the versions it
3:26says love their neighbor as they self
3:28and neighbor just means the closest
3:29person next to
3:30you so at your house it might be your
3:33spouse that rhymed but at Publix it
3:37might be that lady that smells weird
3:40that the Lord keeps putting in your
3:41heart to go talk to every time you go to
3:43Publix you see her
3:45there right and you're like Lord why do
3:48I always think about this one lady that
3:50smells weird at Publix and I always see
3:52her uh maybe you're supposed to say hi
3:54to
3:56her maybe that lady needs a
4:00friend
4:01maybe just maybe the Lord has been
4:04placing that person on your heart
4:07because your
4:10story can change their life because it's
4:14his story
4:15right in
4:19you John 151 12-13 says this is this is
4:22my commandment that you love one another
4:23as I have loved
4:28you he teaches us to love because we
4:31love because he loves us right that's
4:34how he teaches
4:36us verse 13 says greater love hath no
4:39man than this that a man lay down his
4:42life for his friends if you want to
4:44learn how to love lay yourself down what
4:47does that mean how do you do that how do
4:50you lay yourself down
4:52and lay down here literally means to put
4:55to the side in the Greek or it means to
4:57no longer carry you're not carrying
5:00yourself anymore do you know why because
5:02in 1 Peter 5:7 it says cast all your
5:04care upon him for he cares for
5:07you so when your life becom because
5:10you're like okay Crystal but you don't
5:12understand my name is Crystal if you
5:13don't know me hi nice to meet you you
5:15might be saying okay Crystal but you
5:16don't understand when I go to Publix I
5:18only have five minutes to go in and get
5:20what I need and leave I'm just doing a
5:22get pickup order I'm just at Starbucks
5:23and I got to go somewhere
5:25else lay yourself down if the Lord has
5:29placed something on your heart don't you
5:31think that he's going to make a way for
5:33everything that comes after
5:35it if the Lord has asked you to stop
5:38your
5:39schedule don't you think that everything
5:43else that comes after in your schedule
5:45the Lord's going to provide for that
5:49too cuz God doesn't contradict himself
5:54so how do you change from self to
5:58sacrifice you lay yourself down and
6:01that's not a onetime thing that is not a
6:04one time thing that is every single day
6:09and then a bunch of times during the
6:13day because every single day I have to
6:16tell myself it's not about
6:19you and then I say it like five more
6:22times during the day and I'm smiling but
6:25I'm I'm serious and I'm not smiling when
6:27I say
6:34it I'm going to end with this and we're
6:37going to introduce our group because I
6:38want to get out of the
6:41way we cannot
6:43truly say that we love God or truly say
6:48that we love our neighbor and put
6:50ourselves first
6:58if the
6:59Lord is calling you to do something even
7:03if it's something
7:07small stop trying to figure out how it's
7:10supposed to work
7:14out I didn't have this in my verse Isaac
7:17but I just want to share this one this
7:18is Hebrews 11 And1 and I can't get over
7:21this says now Faith is the substance of
7:24things hoped for the evidence of things
7:26not seen and I learned this this Sunday
7:29in the
7:30booth and that is in Spanish it says it
7:33doesn't say it here not in this version
7:36oh man it
7:38says faith is the substance of things
7:40hoped for and for the evidence of Things
7:43Not Seen It says La
7:45conviction which is the conviction of
7:48things that are not seen and I don't
7:50know why and you can asked Maria as my
7:53witness I sat there and I was like the
7:57convic the
7:59conviction the conviction it's a convict
8:03like I couldn't stop like I literally I
8:04don't know what Ethan preached for like
8:06five minutes because I just kept the
8:08conviction the conviction because that
8:11is like the most quoted verse one of the
8:13top 10 most quoted verses in the Bible
8:15but it finally made sense to me Faith is
8:18a
8:19conviction it's a persuasion no no no
8:22what God Said is true God God is Not
8:24highlighting this person for no reason
8:26God is not asking me to wake up for no
8:28reason it's the conviction I don't see
8:30it but I know in my heart that it's
8:33true and that's how we
8:36change amongst other ways from yourself
8:41to sacrifice and so tonight I have the
8:44honor and the privilege of introducing
8:47Valeria Aguilera Gabriela Fernandez Olga
8:50Lopez Chelsea and ciso and Elana kones
8:55and if you can please join me in praying
8:57for them but I'm going to tell you right
9:00now they
9:02pray they're not coming unprepared the
9:04Lord has been working in them so more
9:07than just praying for
9:09them I want to pray for our
9:13ears our
9:15hearts and that whatever the Lord wants
9:18to do in this service we're not on a
9:21Time con Min we're not on a a whatever
9:25the Lord wants to do in this altar
9:26whatever the Lord is telling you to do
9:28we're going to be obedient to it and
9:30he's breaking up that ground in us that
9:32we can receive the word the Rama in our
9:36spirit so if you can join me in prayer
9:39thank you Jesus for this day thank you
9:41Lord for this group God that you have
9:43placed in front of us thank you Lord for
9:45your word that it is true and for the
9:49conviction Lord God that we have in our
9:51hearts in our minds God that you are the
9:54god that you say that you are that your
9:56word has not changed it has not failed
9:59but that you Lord God are the same
10:01yesterday today and forever more Lord
10:04God and more importantly Lord
10:08Jesus more
10:09importantly than anything we do here
10:12tonight Lord we want you we want your
10:15will by the authority of the name of
10:17Jesus and the power of your name I bind
10:20anything that would become contrary to
10:22what you want to do in this place God I
10:25loose oh Lord God your angels in this
10:27place to minister God the way you would
10:28have it to be done I loose oh Lord God
10:31Liberty Lord Jesus in this place truth
10:34peace oh Lord God faith in this house
10:36Lord God that we would receive oh Lord
10:39what you are trying to do in this place
10:40that we would be open and obedient Lord
10:43God to live a life God that is not about
10:45us but it is about you and your glory
10:48and your kingdom oh Lord God thank you
10:51Jesus I plead your blood over these
10:53speakers tonight let your word flow
10:56through them let them be mouthpieces for
10:59whatever you want to do and let our ears
11:01be ready to hear and to be doers of the
11:04word and not just hearers only in Jesus
11:09[Applause]
11:16name praise the Lord Church praise the
11:19lord it's good to be here tonight and I
11:21want to thank you all for being here
11:23supporting us throughout all our classes
11:26and I want to start off in the beginning
11:29and we're going to start reading Genesis
11:311 verses 9 and
11:3410 then God said let the waters under
11:37the heavens be gathered together into
11:39one place and let the dry land appear
11:42and it was so I want you to pay
11:44attention to the word dry land because
11:47before this point the Earth was covered
11:49by the
11:49waters and God called the Dryland Earth
11:53and the Gathering Together of the waters
11:54he called the seeds and God saw that it
11:57was good and now I want I I know that
12:01all of us here have experienced moments
12:03in our lives where we have been through
12:04a dry season of Our Lives where we we
12:08were covered before we were comfortable
12:10we were safe we were secure and all of
12:13the sudden a change happened it could be
12:15a a tragedy even or a change in work or
12:18we changed places we moved and all the
12:21all of the sudden we find ourselves dry
12:23we are like Lord I've never been this
12:25uncomfortable before I never I never
12:27felt this way before but God had it all
12:31in mind and he called it good so the
12:34situations that you are going through
12:36today that you don't know that you may
12:38feel like it's Monday every day that's
12:40okay because God has a purpose for it
12:42and it's a good purpose and we know that
12:46Jeremiah 2911 says that God uh for the I
12:51know the thoughts that I think towards
12:52you says the Lord thoughts of peace and
12:55not of evil to give you a future and
12:57hope and that is the god that we serve
12:59and he's the same God yesterday today
13:01and forever more I know many of us love
13:05to read the Bible and we love to see how
13:07God redeemed every single situation for
13:10good we read Ruth and how she lost her
13:13her husband we hear Naomi how she lost
13:15her son her husband and everything and
13:17God redeemed it and is that's the same
13:20God that we serve today today so
13:22whatever situation that we experience
13:24God is going to redeem and you might be
13:27wondering how come she's talking about
13:28this is we're talking about like
13:29sacrificing ourselves for the Lord why
13:32is she saying things that are out of our
13:34control because Mo many times in life
13:37God will bring that change in us through
13:39situations out of our control sometimes
13:41it's not even us that we're like oh yeah
13:43God I'm going to lay myself down on the
13:45altar sometimes we go through situations
13:46that are like Lord the only response to
13:49this situation that I can have right now
13:51is Lay myself down in the altar is
13:53Believe in Your Truth is send in faith
13:57and let my mind be transformed by the
13:59ren through your
14:01[Applause]
14:04word and now I invite you guys to read
14:07again Genesis and we're going to go to
14:09verse 11 Genesis chapter 1 verse 11 then
14:12God said let the Earth be bring forth
14:15grass the herb that yields seed and the
14:17fruit tree that yields fruit according
14:19to its kind whose seed is in itself self
14:22on the earth and it was so this is very
14:25important because often times we
14:28experience that uncomfortableness we
14:30experience that disruption and it's
14:32until later that we can see how God is
14:34turning around that for good we start
14:36seeing life in those dry places in our
14:39life things that weren't there before
14:41and the Earth brought forth grass the
14:43herb that yield its seed according to
14:45its kind and the tree that yields fruit
14:48who seed in itself according to His Kind
14:50kind and God saw that it was good again
14:54God saw that it was good the things that
14:56we don't like in our lives and we go
14:58through God has a purpose for them God
15:00sees that it's going to be good later on
15:03and when we do get to experience that
15:05and see that it helps our faith in the
15:08future because we know that this life is
15:10not always a straight line it's more
15:12like a roller coaster we go up and down
15:14up and down but we know that when we
15:16find ourselves in the valley we know
15:18that there's going to be a mountain but
15:19even in the valley in the valley of
15:21vision is we we get to experience the
15:24love of God and it's a crazy thing that
15:27I learned the other day but flowers
15:29actually cannot grow in the mountain so
15:31it's in the valley of Our Lives that we
15:33get to see the flowers that God is
15:34planting in Us in the midst of it and we
15:37get a new vision that will help us for
15:40all of our
15:41lives and this this analogy that I used
15:45about the Earth we actually experienced
15:47it before because if we read Psalms 139
15:51starting at verse
15:5314 I will praise you for I am fearfully
15:56and wonderfully made marvelous are your
15:58works and that my soul knows very
16:01well my frame was not hidden from you
16:04when I was made in secret and skillfully
16:07wrought in the lowest parts of the earth
16:10your eyes saw my substance being yet un
16:12form and in your book they all were
16:14written the day is fashion for me as yet
16:18there were none of them God has all of
16:20our days planned in advance
16:21even the ones that we don't like and we
16:24were very very comfortable when we when
16:26we were in our mother's womb and if we
16:28can see a picture um this was us pretty
16:32much we were covered unseen unmovable
16:36unshakable but you know we all had to
16:38come to life and fulfill our purpose and
16:41it was very uncomfortable we all cried
16:44we hated it nobody ever got mad at a
16:46baby that cried because we know it's
16:48normal so in our life sometimes if you
16:50do have to cry
16:51have some Grace CU God has some Grace
16:53with you
16:55too
16:57amen and later on we grow and we learn
17:00skills and we actually see how God works
17:03in Us and how we start bearing fruit we
17:06become adults we learn an occupation an
17:09occupation we make the world a better
17:11place we grow into who God made us to be
17:14and the same happens in baptism when
17:16we're born again we don't know anything
17:18we have to learn step by step we have to
17:20get milk then you start growing and it's
17:23a process but God has a purpose for
17:26every single one of us today and I want
17:28to encourage you if you are currently
17:30hidden and you're very comfortable don't
17:32worry God is going to make a way for you
17:33you're going to be uncomfortable soon if
17:36you're uncomfortable don't worry God has
17:38a purpose for you if you're bearing
17:40fruit don't worry cuz you're going to
17:42see how people are going to start being
17:44blessed around you by you don't look for
17:46the blessing you are the blessing you
17:49are God's workmanship and if if you need
17:51some mercy and Grace don't worry because
17:53we all need it and we all needed it at
17:55some point so what are the things that
17:57you have right now what are the gifts
18:00talents what is the love that God placed
18:02in you to be a blessing to your
18:03community to our church to your
18:05neighbors today I invite you to think
18:08about that this rest of the
18:14week praise the Lord Church praise the
18:17Lord I'm not sure how I'm supposed to
18:19follow that but let's get to
18:22it I want to take the next few minutes
18:24and talk about a Crucified Life now you
18:29may be asking what does it mean to live
18:32a Crucified Life what does it take to go
18:35from self-centeredness to sacrifice well
18:39Galatians 2:20 States for I have been
18:41crucified with Christ and I no longer
18:44live but Christ who lives in
18:47me a Crucified Life is a life surrender
18:50to God
18:51where one's self-centeredness is
18:53replaced with the willingness to change
18:56for sacrifice and for God's purpose in
18:58our life now some may get discouraged
19:01and think that it is a great loss to
19:03live a Crucified Life but if you think
19:05about it it's actually quite the
19:07opposite a Crucified Life leads a way to
19:11a resurrected life you can't have first
19:14a Crucified Life without H without being
19:17resurrected from it
19:22but to live a Crucified Life one must
19:24first recognize that there is a call to
19:27self-denial Jesus tells us in Matthew
19:3016:24 if anyone desires to come after me
19:34let him deny himself take up his cross
19:38and follow
19:39me the world teaches us today to live
19:42for ourselves and to follow after our
19:44own desires but God is calling us to
19:46something different okay denying
19:49ourselves requires for us to give up our
19:53desires and ask God God what is it that
19:56you want to do what is your purpose for
19:58my life and when we do we start to
20:01realize that we are actually walking in
20:04his
20:06will Matthew 6:19 says do not store for
20:10yourself Treasures on Earth where moth
20:13and rust destroy and we thieves break in
20:16and steal but store your Treasures up in
20:19heaven where moth and rust do not
20:21destroy where thieves do not break in
20:23and steal for where your treasure is
20:25there your heart will also
20:28be denying yourself isn't just denying
20:31the physical Pleasures it also takes for
20:34you to deny your will and your pride and
20:36saying Lord it is not about me it is
20:39about you Lord let your will be done and
20:42when we do that we start to realize that
20:45we are walking in his will
20:49[Applause]
20:51now Jesus life is the ultimate example
20:54of a Crucified Life of a life of
20:57sacrifice in first John 3:16 we are
21:00reminded by this we know love because he
21:03laid down his life for us and we must
21:06lay down ours for our Brethren a
21:09Crucified Life is a life of sacrifice
21:13sometimes we need to lay down our agenda
21:15we need to lay down our comfort and
21:17sometimes even our own dreams for the
21:19sake of the Gospel but in this we find
21:22true Joy because we are no longer living
21:24for ourselves but we are living for
21:26something
21:28[Applause]
21:31greater Matthew 16:25 says for whosoever
21:35desires to save his life will lose it
21:38but whoever loses his life for my sake
21:40shall find
21:43it the Lord for very long time asked me
21:47to let go of something but I didn't
21:50because because I felt comfortable
21:52because I felt somewhat at peace at
21:55least I thought I
21:57did and I never thought I could let go
22:00of it on my own but I sought the Lord
22:02and He honored it and he showed up in my
22:05situation and he helped me let go of
22:08something that I never thought I could
22:10let go of on my own when I was weak he
22:13was strong so I want to encourage
22:16someone today if there's anything that
22:18the Lord is asking you to let go you
22:20don't have have to do it alone seek Him
22:23and He will deliver you from
22:24[Applause]
22:31it and
22:33lastly to live a Crucified Life a life
22:36of sacrifice you must walk in the spirit
22:40that's good Galatians 5:116 says I say
22:43then walk in the spirit and you shall
22:46not fulfill the lust of the flesh well
22:49how do you walk in the spirit
22:51through daily prayer through feeding the
22:55spirit in the word of God are you
22:57spiritually starving or are you feeding
23:00on the word of God Walk In Love and
23:03forgiveness control your tongue are you
23:06bringing someone up or are you tearing
23:08them down Worship in spirit and in truth
23:11walk by faith and not by sight are you
23:13trusting God even when you don't see the
23:15outcome and lastly don't be led on by
23:18your emotions but by his spirit
23:21you can't be full of yourself and be
23:23filled of his Spirit you must first be
23:26emptied to be
23:29filled but the most beautiful part of it
23:31all is that when you choose a life of
23:34sacrifice it doesn't only impacts you
23:37but it impacts those around you and you
23:39may not ever know it but I want to
23:42remind someone that it is not a burden
23:44but it is a privilege to do so so the
23:47call today is easy deny yourself take
23:50take up your cross and follow him and
23:53when you do so you start to live a life
23:55more abundantly more than you could have
23:58ever thought or
24:01[Applause]
24:12imagine these are beautiful things that
24:14have been spoken already let's just take
24:16a
24:17minute and pray thank you Jesus for your
24:21love thank you Jesus for your mercy and
24:23your grace oh God I pray that you would
24:25help us Lord to deny oursel help us to
24:27be comfortable or uncomfortable Lord and
24:30help us to trust you and walk in faith
24:32Jesus
24:35Hallelujah as you can probably already
24:37tell our topic tonight is the courage to
24:40change for God and more specifically I
24:44want to talk about the courage to
24:46change our perspective on trials they
24:50can be lessons that you may go through
24:53over and over again until you until you
24:56finally learn it like me or they can be
24:59trials that forming that are forming
25:01into
25:02testimonies and with any change comes
25:06fear and uncertainty the perfect example
25:09is in preparing in preparing for our
25:11service today I'm sure we've changed our
25:13our our talking points four to five to
25:16six times and we probably rehearsed it
25:19156 times
25:21but it's because it's scary and it's
25:24nerve-wracking and it's uncertain
25:28but it it just brings me back to has
25:31anybody thought about the things that we
25:35used to question when we were younger as
25:37a child the things that we were
25:38uncertain about as a child that that
25:40made us a little bit uncomfortable The
25:42Growing
25:43Pains so that was just a trial run
25:48because this is the real deal when you
25:50become an adult and you have to start
25:53adulting with adulting comes bills and
25:57finding a career and going to college
26:00and starting relationships and ending
26:03relationships
26:05and
26:09inflation because we know the price of
26:11eggs is
26:14real but with change comes
26:17growth and in different seasons in our
26:19life we go through different stages we
26:21learn different things and if you've
26:23been around here long enough you've
26:24heard pastors say make a plan and work
26:26your
26:28plan and I remember doing this many
26:30years ago and anybody that knows me
26:33knows that I'm a planner I love Todo
26:34list and checklist and binders and all
26:38that good stuff and a bag of chips
26:39Doritos specifically if you're
26:43offering but I remember contemplating a
26:46question that's most often asked many
26:49times in our life and we say God what is
26:51our purpose in my moment in that in that
26:53moment in my life I wasn't asking God I
26:55was just talking to myself and I was
26:57saying what is my
26:58purpose and so I was started thinking
27:01about what are the things that I like
27:03and I dislike what are my strengths and
27:05my weaknesses what are my passions what
27:07am I passionate about and I started um I
27:10made a five-year binder and it had like
27:1325 tabs and like 10 to 15 subcategories
27:16within those tabs and I had my whole
27:18life planned out for the next 5 years
27:20everything what I was doing down to the
27:22smallest detail to the semesters of the
27:24classes that I was taking in school so
27:26that I can graduate with my PhD by the
27:28time I was 30 that didn't end up
27:32happening
27:35but logically speaking when I was when I
27:38was thinking about making my plan and of
27:41this
27:42binder and putting together okay my
27:45desires and my talents and my passions
27:48that's what equals my purpose in life
27:51but if we are not careful we can get
27:55caught up so much planning our life that
27:57we don't leave room for God to give us
28:00the increase because 1 plus 1 equals 2
28:03logically speaking yes my passions and
28:05my talents does equal a
28:07purpose in a sense but God is saying
28:10it's incomplete because I'm the one who
28:12gives you the increase I'm the one who
28:13takes you to the next
28:15level and so I went to a stage in my
28:18life after that stage passed and I had
28:21my daughter and I started um learning
28:23how to be a mother I'm still learning
28:26and you know trying to figure out how am
28:29I going to wake up at 3 o'clock 5
28:31o'clock six o'clock and still go to work
28:33on time the next day and I would shut
28:36off like 10 alarms in the morning and
28:39plan breakfast lunch and dinner bring my
28:40daughter to
28:41school pick her up from school and
28:45then think about okay I need to go to
28:48the grocery store I need to get some
28:49dish soap I need to get some toilet
28:50paper I need to get some paper towels
28:52and the
28:55eggs and um and I would get stuck in
28:59this daily routine over and over and
29:01over again every day was the same
29:03routine breakfast lunch dinner school
29:04church school all this over and over
29:08again and if we're not careful in this
29:10stage of our life we can get caught up
29:12looking at only
29:14this and so in the first stage in my
29:16life I was so caught up planning and I
29:19didn't give God room to give the
29:20increase
29:21and in the second stage of my life I got
29:22so caught up looking at what was right
29:24in front of me that I couldn't see
29:25anything
29:26else in Ephesians chap 6:2 it says for
29:30we do not wrestle against flesh and
29:31blood but against principalities powers
29:33and rulers of Darkness of this
29:35age and yes the devil does want to keep
29:38us in darkness he wants to keep us
29:40clouded and not looking at anything else
29:42around us or distracted distraction is
29:45one of the biggest weapons of the enemy
29:48but in Matthew 5:16 it says says let
29:50your light so shine before men that they
29:52may see your good works and glorify your
29:55father in
29:56Heaven so there is a light in the
29:59darkness so the final stage I'm going to
30:01talk about is when I was living in St
30:04Cloud Florida and I came home one day to
30:06a letter on the door and it was the
30:07landlord posting a letter saying you
30:09have to be out in 60 days we're going to
30:10get rid of the house we're going to sell
30:12it and that was that and then I had not
30:16Days Later lost my job of 5 years I had
30:18been living in the house for 10 years
30:21and I had no job no house and a
30:242-year-old so didn't know how that was
30:26going to work but it finally hit me in
30:28that moment I was like you know
30:30what seek ye first the kingdom of God
30:32and all his
30:34righteousness acknowledge me in all of
30:36your ways and I will direct your
30:38path God is not going to direct a parked
30:41car you have to get in the car and you
30:44have to start driving and you have to go
30:46and God will show us the way
30:51in Genesis CH 12 it says God says to
30:53Abraham get out of your country from
30:55your family from your father's house to
30:57a land that I will show you so many
31:01times we get caught up and we start
31:02thinking God show me the way and I'll go
31:04I'm a willing vessel God show me the way
31:07but God says that's not how I work
31:09daughter I work you go and I will show
31:11you the
31:13way he's doing things that we can't see
31:16all the time they're puzzle pieces we're
31:18all here for a reason for a purpose like
31:20it's been spoken about already we have
31:22teachers and preachers and
31:24intercedes and we are all here for a
31:27reason to encourage one
31:28another it's in these trials that we go
31:31through that form into
31:33testimonies that's what where that's
31:35where our testimonies come from is
31:36through these trials that's right and
31:38your testimony is not your own I can
31:40look around this congregation right now
31:42and I don't know everybody's story but I
31:44do know a few people's story and one
31:46story that comes to mind is Nicholas age
31:48when she was in a coma and her mom had
31:50to lay her hair over her daughter not
31:52knowing if she was going to wake up or
31:53not she didn't know what the future
31:55holds but she prayed and she trusted in
31:57God and look what God did she's here
32:00married with three
32:01kids look at
32:05God when we share a testimony sister
32:08Lage came to church she shared the
32:09testimony with us and I've shared it
32:11with I don't know how many other people
32:13and those people have probably shared it
32:14with other people our testimony is not
32:17our own we are given our testimony to
32:19give to somebody else so that they can
32:21have the weapons to get over that trial
32:23to get through that trial so that they
32:25can have that our testimonies disarm the
32:30enemy so when my daughter grows up and I
32:32start telling her the lessons that I've
32:33learned the trials that have turned into
32:35testimonies she's going to have the
32:37exact weapons that she can use to get
32:39through
32:40that in Revelations 12:11 it says and
32:43they overcame him by the blood of the
32:45lamb and the word of their testimony
32:48Psalms 145 5:4 says one generation shall
32:52praise your Works to another and shall
32:54declare your Mighty
32:55acts Genesis 5020 says but as for you
32:59you meant evil against me but God meant
33:02it for
33:04good in order to bring about as it is
33:07this day to save many people alive we
33:10are here for such a time as
33:13this everybody has their
33:16purpose and it is the perfect will of
33:18God for us to just walk in and say God
33:20who do you want me to talk to today what
33:23do you want them to say to me open up my
33:25heart God so I can receive your word let
33:27me be sensitive to your spirit God let
33:29me lay down myself let me lay down my
33:32plans for the day let me lay down my
33:34routines for the day because it's not
33:35important when it comes to you Jesus I
33:37want my testimony who wants their
33:39testimony to be used as a weapon against
33:41the
33:41enemy
33:44Hallelujah the very number of hairs on
33:48your head is numbered nobody in here
33:50knows the number of hairs on my head as
33:52as long as you guys have known me but
33:54God does he created us he knows our
33:56desires he knows our passions he knows
33:58our likes our dislikes he knows what
34:00we're good at he knows what we're
34:02anointed for because he gave it to us so
34:05my past present and future I don't want
34:07to give the enemy any room it's for God
34:10it's for God's glory it's a weapon how
34:13many want to use our testimony as a
34:15weapon against the enemy and pass it to
34:17somebody else
34:19[Applause]
34:31praise the Lord Church
34:37the and be not yet conformed to the
34:39pattern therefore I urge you brothers
34:42and sisters in view of God's mercy to
34:45offer your bodies as a Living Sacrifice
34:51holy and pleasing to God this is your
34:53true and proper
34:56worship and be not conformed to the
34:59pattern of this world but be transformed
35:02by the renewing of your mind amen that
35:05you may prove what is good and
35:07acceptable and perfect will of God
35:11Amen you and I we were Beggars thirsty
35:15hungry lost and desperate for change
35:18Beyond a pocket change by a showah hands
35:21who remembers hearing God's sacrificial
35:24love for the very first time the gospel
35:27amen who remembers being on top of
35:31mountain of transformative resurrection
35:34power flowing through your veins as you
35:37experience God's
35:39grace I too recall being on that
35:42mountain peak like a butterfly we are
35:45called to experience a
35:47metamorphic moment in the Lord yeah
35:51however isn't it frustrating how through
35:53the years for whatever the reason may be
35:56in our walk with God we experience a
35:58spiritual Plateau
36:01yes we become stagnant we get stuck in
36:05the mud and the muck and we get we
36:07cannot get past the funk I can
36:10confidently say I have been
36:13there but on the same token Philippians
36:171:6 says being confident of this that he
36:22who began a good work in you will carry
36:25it to completion until the day of the
36:27Lord Jesus Christ
36:29Hallelujah church God is not done with
36:32us yet son of man can these bones live
36:38Hallelujah it is evident that we are
36:40called Hallelujah to have the courage
36:43for change to change for God to proceed
36:47on the path from self to sacri sacrifice
36:51amen we become living
36:55sacrifices and that is why a changed
36:59life a saved and changed life is the
37:01most beautiful praise song the Lord will
37:03ever
37:05hear change is not a one-time event it
37:08is a process that requires upkeep it is
37:12about the circumcision of the heart
37:15Galatians 2:20 says I have been
37:18crucified with life with Christ and I no
37:21longer live but Christ lives in me the
37:24life I now live in the body I live by
37:27faith from the Son of God who loved me
37:29and gave himself for me
37:33amen hallelujah praise the Lord the big
37:36question is here what does this process
37:39of transformation look like we often
37:42hear we need to change change is good
37:44change for the Lord right but how how we
37:47need the weapons we need the tools right
37:49the Lord has given us strategies in the
37:51Bible that let me tell you something the
37:53world has kind of Taken taken that into
37:55their possession but it's really it's
37:58biblical it's biblical based
38:00amen so this process looks like an
38:04epiphany a personal revelation it all
38:06starts with a deep and internal
38:07realization of I need and I want to
38:10change it moves on to a self assessment
38:13where we ask ourselves why do I want to
38:16change what is the reason what is the
38:18motive what is the purpose for might
38:20change that's very important because it
38:22will fall right in addition to asking
38:26yourself why you have to ask yourself
38:28what what is it that I have reserved
38:31from the Lord that require surrendering
38:34amen and it requires active repentance
38:38and active repentance goes beyond the
38:40inner workings of her contrite heart the
38:43silence working of Soul it goes It goes
38:45beyond that it morphs into a verbal and
38:48a written admittance in a call to action
38:51and casting our cares upon the Lord
38:54casting our burdens upon Him is equally
38:56as important because in doing so in
38:59doing so you can make room for the
39:00promises that God has for you in store
39:04amen like sister Gabby said you can't
39:06fill a you can't fill a cup that's full
39:08already it needs to be empty amen it
39:10requires change and transform and
39:13transformation pardon me requires
39:15unlearning and relearning deprogramming
39:18and programming with tr truth through
39:20the word of God Amen it requires
39:24visualization which is the essence of
39:26faith can you see can you hear can you
39:28taste can you smell Can You Feel the
39:30person who God is calling you to be amen
39:33hallelujah painting a vivid image in
39:36your mind of that person of you on that
39:39ongoing transformation process right
39:42Hallelujah it requires intentional
39:44effort and structured planning that
39:47Foster habits such as prayer and fasting
39:50time right time management for the Lord
39:53is important it's not just for the
39:54corporate world Amen it requires those
39:57things a a a prayer Journal whatever you
39:59decide to use to get closer to God and
40:02we need to Prime our environment if you
40:04want to lose if you want to go to the
40:06gym have your gym bag ready right for
40:08the for for the very next day if you
40:10want to read more scripture have your
40:11Bible set up in a beautiful place where
40:13it is visible to you amen don't put it
40:16in your drawer don't let it collect dust
40:18priming your environment and sometimes
40:20even leaving your environment amen
40:22Joseph left Piper's house he literally
40:25ran away from Temptation Daniel couldn't
40:28move himself from Babylon so he created
40:30an altar he he primed his environment to
40:33live a holy life for the Lord hallelujah
40:36however like sister Chelsea says we
40:38can't get stuck on these things all the
40:40time you know structured planning right
40:42it's it's so important we need to have
40:44the flexibility to make these
40:46adjustments to fine-tune our methods and
40:49to let the Holy Ghost work however God
40:52does not want us to be ignorant he wants
40:54us to to have oursel together and then
40:56he says you know what where you can
40:58anymore I can step away because I'm
41:01coming through
41:03Hallelujah furthermore accountability
41:06and keeping good company around you
41:09we're speaking about sacrifices
41:11sometimes you have to sacrifice The
41:13Company You Keep in order to change amen
41:17and in addition to that accountability
41:19if you decide that you want to be
41:22accountable to someone amen I'll tell
41:25you something accountability may serve
41:27you as a hedge of protection a mirror a
41:31reflection a wall a lamentation and a
41:34good old word of affirmation Hallelujah
41:36and a rod of Correction as
41:39well so keeping good company is
41:42important um in Spanish there's this
41:44quote that
41:47says meaning tell me who you who you
41:49hang
41:51with and I'll tell you who you are right
41:54so choose your circle look at Daniel
41:57shadra mishek and abeto we're his
41:59friends right and last but not least
42:02practice gratitude right because
42:05gratitude is the
42:07antithesis of jealousy bitterness
42:10anxiety pride and so much more gratitude
42:14like sister Valia was saying allows you
42:17to see the lessons that God is teaching
42:19you in the spiritual Plateau yes we
42:21don't want to remain in that state
42:23forever however we want to embrace what
42:26God is teaching us there so say thank
42:28you God in this Tri and tribulation
42:30hallelujah praise God praise the Lord
42:33God is
42:35good this sounds like a lot of
42:38discomfort right this sounds like a lot
42:40of pain even to have to do all these
42:43things right to lay your life down is
42:45not a passive process where you just
42:48stand here and say God change me right
42:51no we have to participate we are
42:53co-participants with Christ Christ chose
42:56men to work through we are the hands and
42:59the feet of Jesus and if you think and
43:01I'm not saying that we shouldn't do it
43:03Ultra calls are intrinsically important
43:06to this process but that is not all that
43:08is only a minute part of it amen it has
43:10to be a daily thing a dying to self so
43:14yes like I was saying it seems
43:15uncomfortable right well guess what no
43:18matter what path you choose in or out of
43:21Christ it is going to hurt it is going
43:23to be painful and we are going to suffer
43:26so choose your heart amen Hebrews
43:311211 from the NIV no discipline seems
43:35Pleasant at the time but painful but
43:38here's the cat Shaw is not all doom and
43:40gloom It also says later on however it
43:44produces a harvest of righteousness and
43:46peace for those who have been trained or
43:49change or transformed by it Hallelujah
43:53so choose your heart 2 Corinthians
43:57chapter 7 verse 10 says Godly sorrow
44:00brings repentance that leads to
44:03Salvation and leaves no regret and
44:07worldly sorrow brings what guys death
44:11amen so choose your
44:15heart my fellow saints of
44:18God sacrifice is not it's not only about
44:22what you're giving up it's not only
44:23about what you're losing it is also
44:26about what you're stepping into
44:28Hallelujah and what you're stepping into
44:31is about turning your history into his
44:35story amen because last time I checked
44:37he is the author and finisher of our
44:40faith
44:42Hallelujah Lord let my life be an altar
44:46light up my lungs with your praise thank
44:49you
44:57Jesus praise the Lord Church praise the
45:00Lord I just want to start out by saying
45:02um thank you to brother e Ethan Elms for
45:06kind of prefacing my message because he
45:08used a lot of the exact same scripture
45:10and a lot of the exact same things I'm
45:12going to be saying in here so mine's
45:14just basically going to be a refresher
45:16of what Ethan said so if you weren't
45:18there on Sunday you can now get it on
45:21Tuesday all right the courage to change
45:24starts with shifting from a
45:26self-centered life to one that puts God
45:28and others
45:29first courage in this instance involves
45:33the bravery and strength required to
45:35undergo a
45:37transformation this may involve shifting
45:39our values our mindset our beliefs and
45:42even shifting away from relationships
45:45that would leave us from God's grace
45:48that would remove move us from his will
45:50on our life change can be difficult no
45:54one said it was going to be
45:56easy it can involve us to get away from
46:00those things that were comfortable or
46:01that were
46:02familiar that our flesh was used to our
46:06flesh doesn't want to get rid of the
46:07things of this world that's what brings
46:08us brings us pleasure but our spirit
46:11that's not what feeds us as they said
46:13before the word feeds us not the
46:17world and when we have to let go of
46:19those things and it's difficult that's
46:22where sacrifice comes
46:24in now sacrifice is the act of giving up
46:27something valuable in return for a
46:30greater
46:31purpose and we have the most perfect
46:34greatest example ever Jesus dying on the
46:37cross for
46:40us God did not call us to come to him
46:43perfect or already cleaned up that's
46:45what he wants to do he wants to make our
46:47path straight he didn't call us to
46:49already fixed ourselves to come before
46:51him right as I said in a previous
46:53message and as pastor says God does not
46:56call the qualified he qualifies the
47:00called God is the ultimate healer and
47:02whatever we are going through he can
47:04turn it around for our good whatever
47:07obstacles or situations we may be facing
47:09he will overcome it for us all we have
47:11to do as they said before is to lead be
47:14obedient be a follower of God
47:19in order to make a change for God we
47:22need to deepen our relationship with him
47:24by prayer fast fasting and studying his
47:27word Hebrews 4:12 States for the word of
47:31God is quick and powerful and sharper
47:34than any two-edged sword piercing even
47:36to the dividing aunder of Soul and
47:39Spirit and of the joints and Marrow and
47:42is a discerner of the thoughts and
47:44intents of the
47:46heart in order to start making the steps
47:49to change for God we need to
47:52repent repent to repent or repentance is
47:55turning away from sin and asking God for
47:59forgiveness but it is one thing when we
48:01just say God I'm sorry I'm not going to
48:03do this again I want to change if we go
48:06back to our same routine if we keep
48:08doing the same things over and over and
48:10over again and we never make that change
48:12our sorry and our the Forgiveness we're
48:14looking for means
48:17nothing God wants us to renew our mind
48:20he wants to renew our thought process
48:22and change our way of
48:24thinking Romans 122 says do not conform
48:28to the pattern of this world but be
48:30transformed by the renewing of your mind
48:33then and only then will you be able to
48:36test and prove what God's will is his
48:39good pleasing and absolutely perfect
48:42will even though in the time it may not
48:44seem that it is perfect like we said
48:46before it is perfect he already numbered
48:49your days he knows what's going on
48:50already you just have to
48:54[Applause]
48:56follow it is all in God's
48:59timing like I said he already has it
49:02planned he already knows what's going to
49:04happen just put your trust in
49:07him in January we elex suers had to
49:10create a mission statement and then
49:13write a 3 to five page paper about that
49:15mission
49:16statement now I find this extremely
49:19difficult because number one I am
49:22terrible at writing papers and number
49:25two how am I supposed to write a mission
49:28statement that's about your values what
49:30your purpose is what your goals in life
49:32are if I have no clue where to even
49:35start to this day I still question what
49:38God's purpose for me is and that's okay
49:40because he is still leading me and
49:42guiding me and talking to me just as I
49:44sure he is with all of us we are never
49:47100% sure what God wants us to do
49:49because again we don't know what God's
49:52plan for us is he only knows and again
49:55we just have to be obedient and trust in
49:59him and
50:01sometimes I start to think on my own and
50:04I try to do my own things because
50:07sometimes I either don't hear God
50:09speaking to me I don't want to believe
50:11that hey that's what he wants me to do
50:13CU sometimes it is uncomfortable and it
50:15is painful and it is UN we don't want to
50:17leave that familiarity that we had
50:20before so then I go and I do my own
50:23thing I try to figure things out on my
50:25own I try to go into open doors that are
50:28actually
50:30locked and it proves to me even though I
50:33already know that it's not my will that
50:35should be done but his
50:40alone and for me even though I know to
50:44trust in his will I tell everybody and
50:47even myself that you know you know don't
50:49worry about it whatever's going on it's
50:51all part of his plan it's part of his
50:53will for us it's in God's hands don't
50:54worry about it you know just go to bed
50:56just eat a snack you know don't worry
50:58about it it's not that big of a deal you
51:01know whatever whatever you're going
51:02through God has it all figured
51:05out and then I go home and I sit on my
51:09bed and I'm overwhelmed with fear and
51:11anxiety and stress how am I going to
51:14make this work out for myself how am I
51:16supposed to turn this around for my good
51:18there are never enough hours in a day or
51:20days in a week or months in a year to do
51:23what I need to do to turn it around for
51:25my
51:26good if I just had a little bit more
51:29time I could do this if I just saw this
51:33person more then I could reach out to
51:35them then I could be a
51:37disciple but I thank God every day that
51:40he does not work on my timing God
51:42operates completely outside of time if
51:45he worked on my timing nothing would
51:47ever get done
51:51second Peter 3:8 says but beloved do not
51:55forget this one thing that with the Lord
51:58one day is as a thousand years and as a
52:00thousand years as one day and I don't
52:03know about you but that brings peace and
52:05comfort to me knowing that whatever I'm
52:07going through in my day and my week
52:10however I was feeling that day whatever
52:12I have to manage on my plate whatever I
52:14feel is overwhelming me it is just but a
52:16moment and God is looking at me saying
52:18saying oh There She Goes Again stressed
52:20about something I've already brought her
52:22through There She Goes Again worrying
52:24about something that I've already told
52:26her don't worry about it look at my
52:28child don't worry I have already worked
52:30this out for your
52:32good Hallelujah
52:37Jesus and when we go through those
52:39situations where we feel like we are
52:41overwhelmed and we're not strong enough
52:44or that we have so many things on our
52:46plate reading his word and empowers us
52:49and motivates
52:51us Psalms 119: 105 reminds us Thy word
52:55is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto
52:57my
52:58path the world can feel like there's so
53:01many pressures around us that our plate
53:04there's too many things to do as Chelsea
53:05said I have to take my kids to school oh
53:07not me but I have to do school I have
53:11work I have things to do I have to go
53:12get groceries it's I'm not strong enough
53:15to do all of this Philippians 4:13
53:18reminds us I can do all things through
53:20Christ who strengthens
53:25me it takes courage to live for God the
53:29enemy will try to knock us down and
53:31fight us every single day but we can use
53:34his word to fight the enemy cuz we are
53:37not strong enough on our own God's word
53:41is a guide and a map to anything that we
53:43may
53:45encounter when the world feels like the
53:48pressures are too strong and that we are
53:50not strong enough to do anything on our
53:53own we don't have to God reminds us in
53:56the Book of Joshua to be strong and
53:58courageous to not be afraid or
54:00discouraged because the Lord our God is
54:03with us wherever we go
54:08[Applause]
54:15[Music]
54:21praise the Lord everybody why don't we
54:23stand right
54:24now and let's gather around this
54:28front because the Lord is wanting to
54:31change each and every one of
54:34us the scripture said if we were perfect
54:37we would have no need of a
54:40savior and there's a lot of broken and
54:42hurting people not just in this place
54:45tonight but in this
54:47world and the Lord is working on each
54:50and every one of us so that we can reach
54:53those that also are outside of these
54:56walls so as we gather around this front
54:58I pray that we find a place to pray for
55:01a few moments let's find a place to
55:03allow the Lord to work on our hearts and
55:06work on our spirits and work on our
55:08souls right now because Lord Jesus I am
55:12an imperfect vessel God I am an
55:15imperfect person God with flaws with
55:18with in with shortcomings oh god with
55:21insecurities oh Lord Jesus and I need
55:24you ohmighty God to make a way in me
55:28Jesus outside oh Lord Jesus of the
55:31things that I I I'm trying to control
55:34God I can set those things aside Lord
55:37because I know that I cannot do it
55:40without you Jesus I need my God I need
55:44the one who formed me and shaped me and
55:47built me and put me into the fire and I
55:50need the one who can change and shift my
55:53heart and change and shift my life to
55:57make a change in my heart come on let's
55:59gather around this front let's worship
56:02praise the Lord right
56:04[Music]
56:06now conform
56:09it to your to yours oh