Standing at life's many crossroads, we often find ourselves asking, "What's the next step?" In the flurry of celebration that comes with achievements like graduation, there's a quieter, more introspective side to these milestones. Today, we explore the joy and the jitters that accompany these pivotal moments, and how faith can guide us in making those crucial decisions. I open up about witnessing my children's own steps forward, the pride of their academic progress, and the universal challenge of 'adulting' that follows. It's a candid discussion on the importance of not just compartmentalizing faith but weaving it into the fabric of our daily lives, seeking a direction that's more meaningful than any decision-making tool can offer.
As humans, we're acutely aware of our limitations; age and experience bring that into sharp relief. Yet, in this episode, we contrast our finite nature with the infinite strength and spirit of God. I share insights on how aligning our lives with His will can lead to a life lived with intention and purpose. The journey through scriptural narratives isn't just about recounting the past; it's about connecting with the transformative power of Jesus's sacrifice, which opened a direct line to God's presence for us all. This is an invitation to step into a closer relationship with the Divine and discover how it can anchor our lives.
Finally, I reflect on my personal path from small acts of service to taking on larger roles within the church, including becoming a youth pastor and the contemplation of church planting. This serves as a testament to the Holy Spirit's ability to empower and guide us into our divine assignments. We share a prayer of blessing, hoping to impart peace and empowerment for living out love in every interaction. Join us for an episode that promises to inspire and perhaps redefine how you approach empowerment through faith.
Cornerstone https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/
Follow Jesus https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-jesus
Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-groups
Standing at life's many crossroads, we often find ourselves asking, "What's the next step?" In the flurry of celebration that comes with achievements like graduation, there's a quieter, more introspective side to these milestones. Today, we explore the joy and the jitters that accompany these pivotal moments, and how faith can guide us in making those crucial decisions. I open up about witnessing my children's own steps forward, the pride of their academic progress, and the universal challenge of 'adulting' that follows. It's a candid discussion on the importance of not just compartmentalizing faith but weaving it into the fabric of our daily lives, seeking a direction that's more meaningful than any decision-making tool can offer.
As humans, we're acutely aware of our limitations; age and experience bring that into sharp relief. Yet, in this episode, we contrast our finite nature with the infinite strength and spirit of God. I share insights on how aligning our lives with His will can lead to a life lived with intention and purpose. The journey through scriptural narratives isn't just about recounting the past; it's about connecting with the transformative power of Jesus's sacrifice, which opened a direct line to God's presence for us all. This is an invitation to step into a closer relationship with the Divine and discover how it can anchor our lives.
Finally, I reflect on my personal path from small acts of service to taking on larger roles within the church, including becoming a youth pastor and the contemplation of church planting. This serves as a testament to the Holy Spirit's ability to empower and guide us into our divine assignments. We share a prayer of blessing, hoping to impart peace and empowerment for living out love in every interaction. Join us for an episode that promises to inspire and perhaps redefine how you approach empowerment through faith.
Cornerstone https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/
Follow Jesus https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/follow-jesus
Life Groups https://www.cornerstoneaz.org/life-groups
Here's our question for us today what do I do next? How many people have asked that question in their life many, many times? And that's what we're talking about today is this idea of jumping off. What do I do next? You know this season of graduation it's such an amazing one because it's a milestone moment. Right, everyone throws their hats in there. How many people remember throwing your hat in the air and then trying to find your hat again? It did not work. Even if you spent hours glittering the top, someone stole your hat.
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I'm sorry for you, but it's one of these things that it's an amazing moment, that celebration of all the hard work and all that you've accomplished. I know for our grads today and for others that have had those kind of milestones maybe it's a graduation like this, maybe it's a skill set that you learned and mastered, got a certification, maybe it's going through school in this way or some other kind of milestone. That's been a celebration point. But it's a powerful thing to have those indicators. I know this. Last week we had the Sea Kids graduation and we're so thankful for Sea Kids and for all that they do. Give a hand for Miss Deb and the team at Sea Kids. I love all our families. They are a blessing, and being apart it was the most adorable thing, you guys, it was so amazing. And you know, I started seeing all the little ones I remember when they started the program, some of them. I start, like, you know, projecting, thinking about my kids when they were little like that, and I was like and then you take the deep breath and you're like, oh, yes, yes, it's very good, yes, very good. I didn't cry, you were crying Whatever. So the idea is that we get to celebrate and it's pretty amazing, you know, these celebration of these moments and we had one in our life. We have another one in our life with Amelia going into junior high, from elementary school, and Shiloh going into high school. And I looked at her on that day and I was like you're so grown, you know it's like she's a woman, she's a young woman, she's doing these things and I'm so, so proud of her and thinking about all these milestones getting to be a part of a lot of graduations and every graduate is pumped up right. They're so excited because in their mind they're thinking, celebrating about no more homework, praise the Lord. And then I talked to some of our college graduates. They're like I'm already in grad school. I'm like I'm so proud of you. That is crazy, you know what I mean. Because, like it's just homework, homework, but it's an amazing thing because it's a milestone. Because, like it's just homework, homework, but it's an amazing thing because it's a milestone moment.
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You know it's hard because in our culture we're not very good at milestone moments. We, you know in the day, back in the day, and we read in scripture where there would be something monumental that happened, and so they would take and they would set up some stones, make an altar and have a time of celebrating for the Lord, or they would make a marker that indicates it. Now what we get is a piece of paper. You try not to lose Anybody else, everybody else like ever taken it down from somewhere and you're like, where did I put that? It's super important and it's hard because we think about it, you know, and making decisions is difficult and that's one of the hardest parts about going from a graduate into adulting.
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I was talking to some of my younger friends this past week and a half and we were talking about adulting and how difficult adulting is. I was talking to them. I was like what percentage of sponsored by your parents. Are you? Are you full sponsorship? Do you have the name on the shirt, every shirt? You know it's like you're a professional soccer player. You know it's like mom and dad on the shirt, every shirt. I mean I wish I was sponsored. I was like remember whenever they paid for your car insurance you guys remember, do you remember? And I'm like, can we go back? Yeah, it's one of those things that you're like, you start to to have these, you know, more adult moments, and it's a good thing because we all need to grow up.
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What does it say in scripture? You don't want to be spoon fed this milk, right? You want to grow up. What does it say in scripture? You don't want to be spoon-fed this milk, right? You want to grow up, have, grow in your faith, grow in who you are as a person, be able to handle some things on your own two feet.
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And that is a difficult process Because it goes to that question of what do I do next? And when we come to this making a decision thing, we realize that as we get into our adult life, it's even more and more complex because we're not quite sure what the next step is. And so, friends, that's one of the hardest things, because so often, man, we might come on a Sunday and reach out to God and be like Lord. I want more of you in my life, and then we might turn right around on a Monday and, at work, pay zero attention to where God's trying to direct you in your workplace or in your school, or in your community or whatever you're doing. See, we ask for parts of our life, but we need to ask for everything we're doing.
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What do I do next? And we can't just put it on a flow chart, you can't just SWOT analysis. You know strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats, and you're underlying, you're drawing a diagram and you're doing the annexation of Puerto Rico. Hail Mary, you know what I'm talking about. You're like, well, if I do this and if I buy Bitcoin and Doge at this percentage, then I can retire.
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You're like, no, how about? This is a novel idea. Ask God what you're supposed to do next. I'm going to try it again. Ask God what you're supposed to do next. And see, this is a novel idea. I know it's so profound, I'm telling it to you multiple times, but it's one of those things that if we're serious about it, then we'll be those that stop and ask and pray and fast and pray before we make the big decision. How many people have ever made that mistake? After You're like, already made the decision, not liking the results, and then you're like can I fast and pray my way out of this? Now I'm going to fast and pray and ask God why it's not working the way I wanted it to work. He's like did you ask me before you went over there? No, no, you didn't, and so you're trying to get the answer you want to hear. Instead, god's giving you the answer you need to hear.
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Man, the amens are raining in. I could just feel it. I knew. I knew, man, I knew you know, when you're prepping a sermon and you're like this is gonna be man, it's gonna be a banger, it's gonna be so good, I could feel it. They're encouraging, yeah. So here's what I know, and I know it out of my own life, because, as I was talking about that, you know we're having this thing. I'm like, man, these people really need to listen to this sermon. It has nothing to do with me and my own personal life at all. Praise God, I don't feel convicted at all. You know, sharing this sermon. I get deep amens out of that. Thanks, it's true.
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The thing is, it applies to us. I'm talking to us about this. What do I do next? Here's the thing, friends. On Pentecost Sunday, let me challenge you with this that you would be filled with the Spirit of God. Be filled with the Spirit of God. You want direction in your life, you want guidance in your steps. Be filled with the Holy Spirit of God. Don't just wait for those big moments, those big opportunities. How about every day, in every decision we're making, every interaction with someone? If we're full of the Spirit of God, then they encounter the version of us full of the Spirit of God versus the version of us not full of the Spirit of God. How many people know what I'm talking about? You need the Spirit of God to drive in traffic in Phoenix. Be filled with the Spirit of God. I'm not joking. Be filled with the Spirit of God. That's what we're talking about today is how we need more of the Holy Spirit. We have an opportunity today to respond and to ask the Spirit to pour out upon us that we would have the power to live for Him, amen. Well, if we haven't met, my name is Jay. I'm so glad that we're here today.
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Together at Cornerstone, we're starting on this new series called Holy, talking about the Spirit of God and who God is to us, his impartation to us and how Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. We at Cornerstone very much see ourselves as in process. We see ourselves on a journey with Christ, and we use this imagery of walking with Jesus because it helps us give us a mental picture of what we are doing. We are following after him. None of us has arrived. None of us is perfect. All of us are in need of a savior, and so that means that we are walking where he's leading us to go, that we are walking where he's leading us to go, and friends, that's what it means for us. Collectively, we want to be more like Jesus. That's why we do what we do. We love God, we make disciples, we reach the world. We do that intentionally through life groups throughout the week. Let me encourage you to get involved in a life group Connect, grow, serve. Let it be something that changes your life for the better.
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As we look to the scripture today, we pick up here with something that's a little familiar to us We've been talking about this year in stretch. It's 2 Corinthians 3. We'll be picking up in verse 16. It says but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now, the Lord is spirit, and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another, for this comes from the Lord, who is spirit. Lord, we thank you for your word and we pray over it today. Lord, I take authority in the name of Jesus Christ and Lord, just come against any plot or plan of the enemy, lord, that would distract from people. Today, lord, we just ask and cast all those things aside and they would go to your judgment, but instead we ask for your impartation, holy Spirit, that you would pour yourself out upon us, lord, that you would spark hearts today, lord, in drawing people to yourself, to repentance, lord, and also to empowerment to live for you. We put all this in the powerful name of Jesus Christ, amen. Now, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom, because the Lord is Spirit. We talk about this idea the Lord is Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's freedom. And this scripture is so pivotal because it talks about that.
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God is spirit. He's not encapsulated the way we are in our human experience. We know that we are finite. We know that we are frail, we know the end of our power and the end of all we have right, and that's not who God is. God is outside of time, outside of space, outside of every piece of that. He's all powerful. He knows everyone's timeline, everyone's story, the hairs on your head. He knows every version of every choice you will ever make. That is the all powerful God that we serve, and since that's true, then we can trust that who he is is a holy God. But he is not bound into these little things the way that we are man. We're bound into our own power, our own strength.
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As I got into the 40s, as I got into this one decade that need not be named, I realized that everything hurts when you get out of bed. I'm like what's the deal with that? And I'm realizing that I cannot be bulletproof, as I once thought. I was a couple decades previously to that, and it's one of these things that's crazy, because people in that decade are like this guy is old and the other thing they're saying is like. I don't understand that because I am still bulletproof, but somewhere along the way you start getting the wisdom from the Lord that tells you don't do that, you will stay broken. And so you listen to God and stop jumping off of high things.
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You know what I'm talking about, but this is where it comes into with us and talking about this process of who God is. He's so much bigger than we are and since he is, then he's someone that we can come to when we're making the big decisions you know we talked about with our decision-making processes. Well, we are those who want to make decisions that are honoring God. We want to make decisions that are in step with where he's leading us to go. If we're going to be those who are more like him, then we need to make decisions that honor him and we need to be intentional in our decision making. How many people know what I'm talking about? And that's hard, because many times we just kind of ah, just it. That is my gut instinct. It's like you might want to pray about that first. You might want to talk that through with your spouse first. You might want to do some of these things for you.
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Make a big, life-changing decision, because we need to be intentional. It's not just our work life, it's not just our life with our family, it's all of the things together to be intentional in our life with God. And that's what it means about asking him to guide and direct us is that if we're being intentional, be full of the Spirit of God, then everything we're doing becomes intentional, because he's not a God who is haphazard, he's not a God who just wings it. He breathes us into existence because he willed it to be so. You're here today because he wanted you to be created, because he loves you and has a plan and a purpose for your life. He's intentional in your creation. He's intentional in how he made you in the beautiful way that you are, so he wants to use you for his glory. Let's be those who walk in sync with him To be intentional by the word of God. I like this.
Speaker 1:
I got a chance, celeste and I, to spend a little bit of time with Dr John Maxwell. One of the things that he was talking to us about was intentionality, about being those who make decisions and live in a way that's intentional not just part of the time, but all of the time. He says it like this. You must reject common thinking if you want to accomplish uncommon results. See, friends, it's interesting as we think about this, and we want to be those that have an uncommon result. We want to have an amazing life, we want to have an amazing family, we want to have the kind of heritage that is talked about here, but in order to do so, then we need to be those that live differently than those around us, to live differently than the culture around us. We need to be living with the Spirit of God inside of us, directed by Him, and when we do, then we will have that uncommon life, because we'll be living in a way that's not our way. It's the divine way to live. Would you say amen to that?
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Now, here's the thing Back in the Old Testament, there was this place called the Holy Place, and it was the most holy of holies. It was inside the temple and that's where God's presence rested, and it wasn't like God was captured in a golden box around this room, but instead to draw near to people, though he is holy. He gave an opportunity, a process by which they could become seen as being in his presence, and that was through a series of sacrifices and rituals to cleanse themselves so that they could go and make sacrifice before him in his presence. And that's what the system of sacrifice was about Sacrifice they would come and they would take an animal. That animal would lose its life on behalf of the person or family that was making the sacrifice, and the sins of the family or the person would be washed away because they'd been put upon by God upon that animal. And this process was done for many, many years.
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And so, whenever Jesus comes onto the scene, he, having been God incarnate, the son of God, emptied himself of divinity and lived as a man upon us here on earth. And he walked a sinless life, becoming the perfect sacrifice for all people for all time. And when he did that, he actually went to the cross, not for his sins or his mistakes, but mine, for yours. And when he did so, he did so of his own volition, because he loves you that much. So it picks up here in Matthew 27, verse 50. It says and Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, and the earth shook and the rocks were split, and many other miracles happened in this moment, because Jesus became the sacrifice for all people and friends, the representation of what had been dividing people from God. The veil of the temple was torn open, and it means that the Spirit of God could be interacted with, through Jesus Christ, each and every one of us. And so the Spirit of God is no longer a law for inside of some other place or only seen by a certain few, but the Spirit of God was upon each and every one of those who believe. And we see what happens here.
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Jesus picks up here and he says to his disciples in Matthew 28,. Jesus came and said to them all authority in heaven and earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all I have commanded you and, behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age. Friends, he calls us to do some pretty amazing things in this moment, doesn't he? And he talks about wanting us to proclaim to be those that go and take the message of God to other people.
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Here's the problem. The problem is, I know what mistakes I've made and I'm pretty sure you know what mistakes you've made. And so we, as broken people, we see this challenge and we're like, ah, how are we going to do this? How am I going to do this? I mean, you don't know what mistakes I made, man I'm ah, I can never do this. And, friends, here's the thing he never intended for us to try to do this in our own strength.
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If we're supposed to do the work of God in our own strength, then someone would come and undo it in their strength, but instead he, by his spirit inside of us, pouring out inside of us, we do the work of God. That's eternal work of God and that could be in your workplace. Whatever you're doing, you do it as to the glory of God, you do it with excellence, as unto God, as a worship to God, and people are saying like there's something different about you, something's going on with you, and it's an opportunity for you to talk about your faith, not in a bombastic way, not in a hammering way upon someone, but you are sharing the light of the gospel. Where you are, you're doing the eternal work he called us to do, reaching the world around you, and that's what happens whenever the spirit of God is inside you is. It transforms everything, it changes everything, and it's a powerful thing.
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Jesus, before his ascension. He also says this in Acts 1. It picks up. It says while staying with them, he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the promise of the Father, which he said you've heard from me for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now. That's a powerful thing, isn't it? He's promising what he's going to do. He's like listen, I gave you this giant charge to go change the world, but I'm not going to leave you high and dry. I'm going to empower you to do it, and no longer is it just a special few and only one out of the special few that gets to go into my presence. Now, my presence will rest with you and on you and guide you and direct you and give you wisdom and all of those things, because the spirit of God will be in you to do the work that I've called you to do. And since that's true, then we pick up here and it starts to talk about in Acts 2.
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It says when the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place, or in one accord or in unity. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting and divided tongues as a fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. You say amen to that, see. It says first that they were here in one accord. It means that they were together in unity. They had a heart together.
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Many theologians believe that this upper room that they were meeting for, this prayer meeting, was actually the same location that Jesus had the last supper in the room that was prepared for them. And so they're here together in one accord. And if you think about it, there had been, of course, the disciples that were there the 12 and the 72, and others had been reached out to and gathered together. You remember the great multitude, but when it comes down to this number, it's only those that can fit in an upper room. The rest had faded away. They didn't stay to the empowerment piece, and so what had happened is all of the doubt and all of the other things faded out of the room and the only people that were left there were the people that were excited. They were of one heart, one mind, one soul, seeking God, abiding in Him, and whenever that moment came, then the Holy Spirit poured himself out upon them and they were empowered by his presence, anointed to do the work of the gospel.
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And this is something pivotal, it's something transformative, because the empowerment did something beyond their wildest dreams. The Holy Spirit began to pray through them, and some in a heavenly language, others in languages that they didn't even know, and they started proclaiming the languages of God and proclaiming his glory to others and people that took note, because this had happened early in the morning. People that took note are like man, these people are having some kind of crazy party going on right now, and other people are like these people are crazy drunk, like they're not even making sense. And other people are listening because they were Jews from a far off place, and they start to listen and they're like no, no, no, no, no, they're speaking Arabic. No, no, they're speaking this language. They're speaking this other language. Wait, these people are Galilean. These people are local. How do they know my language? How is God proclaiming through them to other people to know the glories of God and see.
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That's what the empowerment of this Holy Spirit of God does for us. It's about being used by him for his glory to be pumped up, full of the Spirit of God, to overflowing, so that it goes to people around us. And when we're full of the Spirit of God, man, it just changes everything because we are in step with Him. And as Pastor Rich so eloquently put it, growing up, I would listen to him talking about being powered and being filled with the Holy Spirit. He's like listen, you're trying to hold on to the glory of God, right From glory to glory, the glory of God in a leaky styrofoam cup, and it's going to leak, and so we need to be being filled with the Spirit of God. It's not a one time and done, it's a continual thing pouring over your life and in your life. He calls us to go to the ends of the earth. He calls us to be those that change the world around us. And, friends, I'll be really truthful with you this won't work unless you say yes to him. This won't work unless you're obedient to what he's calling you to do, and you can't do that without being full of the spirit of God.
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I can tell you because whenever God started talking to Celeste and I about uprooting our small family and going and planting a church in Europe, friends, I am from here, I am a desert rat. I, man, you just came here, I'm from here, you know what I'm saying. I was born in the sun. You know what I mean. And so, like God started talking to me about leaving, I was like he's like you're going to go to a cold place where you wear a jacket. I'm like no, no, no. But we need to be listening to what the Spirit of God says. And so we fasted and prayed about it and to hear, together in unity, and to hear what the Holy Spirit was talking about. And that's when you start to make those big steps.
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But it didn't start with that big decision. It was the big decision to follow Jesus and get involved. When I was still working, doing corporate sales, it's like can I give up my time to be in youth and help out? Can I go and teach a Sunday school class or a kids' church class and help out in the nursery? Did it both? Did the youth thing, working whatever? 75 hours a week? Still came to Sunday, still went and served the first service, I could be in the second service.
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It starts there with the yes there first, and then God's like, hey, you know that extra money you have. You know how you went snowboarding in Nagano last month. I'm like, yeah, it was awesome. Japan is sick. He's like cool, you need to give more money to missions. I, man, it's sick, he's like cool, you need to give more money to missions.
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I was like, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. He's like no, wait, say yes. I was like, oh, okay, so then I had to say yes. And so I said yes with my time and yes with some of my treasury. And then he's like guess what? You're not going to take the promotion in California. You're gonna give back your company car and your gas card. Guy that's had a gas card, it was awesome. You give it back and you gotta say yes to using your talents for me and become a youth pastor. And I was like, wait, what? What's going on? He talked to me about it right there. Man wrestled, wrestled with it because I was man. I knew what it was like to be in ministry. I'd seen my parents do it. I knew the hurt that was there. I knew how people would treat you and other things that happened. And I didn't want it.
Speaker 1:
I wanted to sue everybody. I was like I'm going to be a lawyer, it's gonna be great. And then later I was like I'm just to be a lawyer, it's gonna be great. And then later I was like I'm just going to make all the money and insulate myself away from all these crazy people, and it's going to be great. And God was like no, your time, your talent, your treasury, your testimony, your whole life I want all of it. I want all of it. I don't want a little bit, I want all of it. I want all of it. Friends, he wants to reach the end of the world with you. He wants to use you for it.
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But you have to be willing to say yes in the small things first and do it with excellence as unto the Lord first, and be willing to sacrifice the small thing first so you can say yes to the bigger and the bigger and the bigger thing and, with your hands open, he'll pour blessing and blessing and blessing in and through your life, to people that you don't know, that you'll change their life by saying yes because you're full of the spirit of God. We'll change the world with little desert rats from Phoenix because you say yes to God. What do I do next? Be filled with the Spirit. Be filled with the Spirit. Friends.
Speaker 1:
Today we're giving ample time in this service. We're stopping right now so that you can respond and come to this altar and have an opportunity to be prayed over, to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God, and so that's gonna be an amazing moment. We're gonna do that in just a second. Maybe you're here and you've already experienced the baptism in the Holy Spirit. Let me encourage you in this Come forward and get more of what he has for you. There are people excited to pray for us. Man. We had people baptized in the Holy Spirit in the first service. It's going to continue in this service as well. People are going to receive from the Lord today. They're going to receive empowerment for what he's speaking to them about, and he's going to give you more of the provision and guidance and all those things that you need, because it's him that gives it to us. But maybe you're here and you never made a decision to follow Jesus. You hear me talk about trusting God and living for God, but you never made that first decision.
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Friends, today is your opportunity to make a decision to live for Jesus. That's who we are as Christ followers. It's. The only thing that separates us is that we've said yes to him. We say, jesus, I believe you are who you say you are. I place my faith and my trust in you and I ask you to forgive me of my sin, and I want to live a life that's set apart unto you. See, for us, the symbol of the cross is one of transformation. It's one of forgiveness Because, friends, my sin is nailed there and I don't have to go back to it. I don't have to go back to it. I don't have to go back to my old life. I don't have to go to my past and my frailty. It's already paid for. So is yours, so is yours. Whenever we give our hearts to Christ, it's wiping us clean. It's making us a new creation, alive to God, dead to sin. Friends, today is your opportunity to make that decision. Maybe you're here, you've never made it before. Let me encourage that today you would make that decision to follow Jesus. Today would be your opportunity to say yes. Maybe you've made a decision in the past, but then you haven't been living for him and you know that. And you're here today and you need to make a recommitment to God. Friends, make that decision to follow Jesus today. That you would say yes, lord, that's me. I want to make a decision to follow you. I'm asking, if you're here in the room, if you would just stand to your feet, just bow your head right where you're at. If you're online, you just prepare your heart for what God wants to do in you.
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The Apostle Paul. He writes to the church at Rome. He says it like this because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified. With the mouth one confesses and is saved. Today is your day. It's your day to make a decision to follow Jesus.
Speaker 1:
As heads are bowed here in the room. If that's you, if you wanna make a decision to follow Jesus, if you just raise your hand right where you're at today, I just wanna agree with you in prayer. See the hands that are here, the hands there, hands that are here. Thank you, jesus. People making a decision to follow you, amen. That are here. Thank you, jesus, people making a decision to follow you Amen. Thank you, lord. Thank you, lord.
Speaker 1:
Friends online making a decision to follow Jesus as well. Praise the Lord, friends. It's a simple prayer, the one that we pray, but we mean it from our hearts. I'm going to ask if everyone would pray it together out loud. Lord, thank you for loving me. Thank you for sending Jesus. I believe Jesus died on the cross for my sins. I believe he rose again. Forgive me of my sins. I surrender my life to you in Christ's name. I pray Amen. Amen. Friends, we rejoice with you making a decision to follow Jesus today. What a powerful decision. Praise the Lord.
Speaker 1:
So many people making decisions today. Now is our opportunity for us to respond to him. We have people that have come here. They're prepared to pray with you. We know people with oil. It's representation of the presence of god, the anointing of god. As we do so, we pray a prayer of faith. It's not that any kind of magical faith in that type or prayer. It's joining together the lord. If two or one more gather in my name, I will be there with them and he says for the elders to come and to pray.
Speaker 1:
And so that's what we're doing is we're praying, in agreement with you, that the Holy Spirit would fill your life to overflowing. Let me encourage you in this that you would draw forward and seek more of the Holy Spirit. Lord, we thank you so much for today. We thank you for your word, holy Spirit, how you pour yourself out upon us, lord, how you guide and direct us, lord, you give us insight, lord, you call us to the small things, and then the bigger things, and then the greater things, things that will change the world around us. Lord, starting in our family, in our sphere of influence. Lord, and even, for some, to the ends of the earth. Lord, that we would start by saying yes to you and more of your spirit. Lord, as we come to this altar, we do so with open hearts. Holy Spirit, have your way in us. Pour yourself out upon us. We pray In Jesus' name, amen.
Speaker 2:
In two weeks, we will be having a water baptism. If you have not taken that step yet in your faith walk, we encourage you to sign up. We're going to celebrate with you, so we're going to be doing it during both services, so please just go on the app, sign up, or you can call the office if you have any questions.
Speaker 1:
Before we go, I want to pray this blessing over us tonight the Lord bless you and keep you. Lord, make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you. Lord, lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Lord, I pray a blessing upon your church, your people, god, you empower us by your spirit to live your love out to those around us. We pray all this in the powerful name that is Jesus Christ. Amen, amen. Know this. We love you very much here at Cornerstone. God bless you and have a great week.
