It's In The Middle

Summary

Elevation with Steven Furtick: "It's In The Middle"
Release Date: March 28, 2025

---

Introduction: Embracing the Middle

In the episode titled "It's In The Middle," Pastor Steven Furtick delves deep into the often-overlooked phase of the Christian journey—the middle. Rather than viewing salvation as a singular, momentous event that catapults believers directly into paradise, Furtick emphasizes the significance of the ongoing process of faith and growth.

Salvation: Beyond the Moment

Furtick begins by recounting the poignant moment of Jesus' crucifixion, focusing on the interaction between Jesus and the two thieves crucified alongside Him.

Steven Furtick [01:30]: "When Jesus was dying on the cross, he said to a thief that was crucified with him... today you will be with me in paradise."

This interaction serves as the foundation for the episode's central theme: salvation is not just about the end destination but the transformative journey that follows.

The Wedding Analogy: Process Over Perfection

Furtick shares a personal anecdote about officiating his brother's wedding, highlighting his initial nervousness and the unexpected compliments he received.

Steven Furtick [03:00]: "Holly said exactly this. She said, you did so good officiating that wedding. She said, I kind of wish I could marry somebody else so you could do the wedding."

This story underscores the importance of embracing one's role in the ongoing process of faith, rather than striving for perfection.

God in the Middle: The Heart of Transformation

The crux of the message revolves around the idea that God's presence is most profound in the middle of our struggles and daily lives, rather than at pivotal, dramatic moments.

Jonathan Josephs [05:01]: "Marriage has very little to do with the flower arrangement you choose... What happens in marriage happens in the middle."

Steven Furtick [06:09]: "It's in the middle, the way we typically focus on the moment... If you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead..."

Furtick argues that true faith and transformation occur not when we're on the cusp of salvation but while we're actively living out our faith in the midst of life's challenges.

Biblical Illustrations: Emmaus Road and Peter on the Sea

To reinforce his message, Furtick references two significant biblical narratives:

1. The Road to Emmaus:
   Furtick recounts the story of Jesus appearing to two disciples on their journey to Emmaus, emphasizing that Jesus was present in the middle of their disappointment and confusion.

   Jonathan Josephs [10:38]: "Jesus just shows up right in the middle of their conversation... He showed up in the middle of their disappointment."

2. Peter Walking on Water:
   By highlighting Peter's focus on the storm rather than Jesus, Furtick illustrates how distractions can cause believers to lose sight of God's presence in their midst.

   Steven Furtick [22:21]: "Peter was walking on water above. What could have killed him? ... and the..."

These stories collectively illustrate that God's work is most evident during our trials, guiding and transforming us from within.

Living in the Process: Steps of Faith

Furtick encourages listeners to embrace the ongoing process of faith, emphasizing that growth and grace are continuous.

Steven Furtick [32:15]: "God is in the middle. I'm in the middle."

Jonathan Josephs [34:39]: "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."

He likens the Christian journey to riding a bike through rain, where perseverance and trust in God's grace are essential to navigating life's challenges.

Practical Applications: Staying Present in the Journey

Throughout the episode, Furtick offers actionable insights for maintaining faith in the middle of trials:

• Embrace Imperfection: Recognize that salvation involves ongoing growth, not immediate perfection.
• Stay Focused on God: Avoid getting sidetracked by past regrets or future anxieties; instead, concentrate on God's presence now.
• Step by Step: Trust in God's guidance with each step forward, even when progress feels slow or invisible.
• Community Support: Lean on fellow believers for encouragement and accountability during difficult times.

Conclusion: The Gift is in the Middle

Furtick wraps up the episode by reaffirming that the true essence of salvation and faith is found in the ongoing process rather than at a single endpoint.

Steven Furtick [36:45]: "I know it is in the middle. When you look at the cross, you realize that it symbolizes how you now live. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live."

He urges listeners to view their faith journey as a dynamic and continuous process, where God's grace accompanies them every step of the way.

Key Takeaways

• Salvation as a Process: Understanding that saving grace initiates a transformative journey rather than an instantaneous transition to paradise.
• God's Presence in Trials: Recognizing that God's most profound work often occurs during our struggles and daily routines.
• Continuous Growth: Embracing the ongoing nature of faith, where each step forward is guided by divine grace.
• Community and Support: Valuing the role of fellowship and mutual encouragement in sustaining faith during challenging times.

Notable Quotes

• Steven Furtick [07:01]: "Come as you are."
• Jonathan Josephs [05:01]: "Marriage has very little to do with the flower arrangement you choose... What happens in marriage happens in the middle."
• Steven Furtick [20:37]: "That I have not only his statement, but I have his spirit. I am sealed with a guarantee that he is with me."
• Jonathan Josephs [34:39]: "He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it."

Final Encouragement

Furtick and Josephs close the episode with heartfelt encouragement to listeners, urging them to find strength and growth in the middle of their personal storms and daily challenges.

Jonathan Josephs [43:50]: "If you're still struggling with the addiction... God is with you in the middle."

Steven Furtick [44:03]: "If you are looking for the peace of God, if you are looking for the power of God, if you are looking for the presence of God, it's in the middle for him to be in the middle."

This episode serves as a profound reminder that the Christian faith is not just about the end goal of heaven but about the transformative journey that occurs in the midst of our everyday lives.

Transcript

[Amy Brown]

Want to pull off the season's freshest trends, you just need the right shoes. That's where designer shoe warehouse comes in. Loving wide leg jeans. Pair them with sleek low profile sneakers. Obsessed with the sheer trend. Try it with mesh flats. Feeling boho comfy sandals. Nail the whole free spirited thing. Find on trend shoes from the brands you love like Birkenstock, Nike, Adidas and more at dsw. Okay, so we all need to get away from the world sometimes. Well, in the all new 2025 Nissan Murano, you don't even have to go anywhere. The Murano is the getaway. Just picture it. The Bose premium sound system plays your favorite music as the Murano's massaging leather appointed seats melt away your stress. Yeah, that's a real getaway. Drive the all new 2025 Nissan Murano today. Bose and massaging leather appointed seats are optional features. Hey, it's Amy Brown from the Bobbi Bones Show. Join me in supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for a chance to win a trip to meet Megan Maroney at the 2025 I Heart Country Festival in Austin, Texas on May 3rd. Hosted by Bobby Bones, we're going to hook you up with tickets, flights, hotel, food credits and a meet and greet with Megan Maroney. Take action now to support St. Jude and help cure childhood cancer and you're going to be entered for a chance to win. Visit iheartcountrytrip.com to learn more.

[Steven Furtick]

Hey, this is Steven Furtick. I'm the pastor of Elevation Church and this is our podcast. I wanted to thank you for joining us today. Hope this inspires you. Hope it builds your faith. Hope it gives you perspective to see God is moving in your life. Enjoy the message. We're focused this week on the word of salvation. When Jesus was dying on the cross, he said to a thief that was crucified with him. You, of course, would know that the crucifixion was not an anomaly in Jesus time. It was a common form of capital punishment. Jesus died the death of a common criminal beside two common criminals. One of them mocked him, said, if you were really who you were say you are, you would get down off that cross and you would get us down too. Save us. While one mocked him, the other one who was on his right side recognized the distinction of his divinity, or at least his innocence, and said, we deserve this and you don't. Sir, I'm not quite sure who you are, but when you come into your kingdom, remember me. Jesus said, today I'm going to wake you up. You're going to talk back to me today. At least at Ballantyne, I can't do anything about Concord. I'm not there, but somebody at Ballantyne in the back of the room from Jackson, Mississippi, or Toronto, Canada, or Charlotte, North Carolina, shout today. Today you will be with me in paradise. The word of salvation. I had the privilege this weekend to perform my brother's wedding ceremony. I don't do a lot of weddings, but I'm good at them. I'm typically preaching on Saturday nights. Our campus pastors do such an excellent job with the wedding officiating, so I was kind of nervous doing his ceremony. I don't want to mess up my man's wedding because, hey, man, he has this girl here at the altar and he might not get this chance again. She might change her mind. So we have to get this done. It's my little brother, but he's a lot taller than me. He serves in the United States Air Force. They honored me. Yeah. Praise the Lord. He's cool. He could beat me up, but I have mind game on him, so he doesn't know that. But he asked me to do his wedding and his fiance, Brooke, and they asked me to come. I was privileged to do it. Holly said I did a good job. In fact, she said exactly this. She said, you did so good officiating that wedding. She said, I kind of wish I could marry somebody else so you could do the wedding. I wasn't sure how to receive that compliment. I rebuked her. Kind of a twisted compliment. But anyway, I only bring it up.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Because, truth be told, although I really.

[Steven Furtick]

Love the opportunity to do the wedding.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I kind of have a problem.

[Steven Furtick]

Not with weddings.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I'm not anti marriage.

[Steven Furtick]

Do not send me emails. Send them all to Jonathan Josephs, your Ballantyne campus pastor.

[Jonathan Josephs]

It's not that I'm against love.

[Steven Furtick]

I have nothing against it.

[Jonathan Josephs]

It's just that can we all agree, especially those of us who have been.

[Steven Furtick]

Married for more than 10 years, that.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Marriage has very little to do with the flower arrangement you choose or how many layers of cake you can roll out that you're not going to eat anyway because only the top one is real. All the other stuff is just decoration. Come on. It doesn't matter how many shades of magenta your bridesmaids are standing there dressed in. What happens in marriage happens in the middle. Somebod out.

[Steven Furtick]

It's in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

That's my sermon today. I want to say it's in the middle that a marriage is made. It's in the middle a Christian grows. It's in the middle that you find out what you're made of. This sermon is like a Tootsie Roll, Pop. What you bought it for is in the middle. I admire the thief, and I'm thankful he was saved on the cross. But most of us don't get to be in paradise the day we get saved. The fact of the matter is we don't get raptured up to heaven. The moment we make Jesus Christ the Lord of our lives. We are left here on earth so we can bring heaven into our situation.

[Steven Furtick]

It's in the middle, the way we typically focus on the moment. I believe God can save you in a moment. I really do. If you're here today and you're thinking that you have to memorize some Bible verses or there are some certain habits you have to correct in your life, are y'all tired of hearing me preach? I've been preaching to y'all for 11 years now. For 11 years, I've been saying this same message. God can save you in a moment. If you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord. You shall be saved. I know it. Because that thief did not have to enroll in a theological school. He didn't have to go through a catechism class. He didn't have to prove the legitimacy of his faith by giving up certain things. Come as you are.

[Steven Furtick]

But don't expect to stay that way. Jesus said, today you will be with me in paradise. Part of me thinks that would be kind of nice if I could just be married and stay married without a process. Well, I'm kind of a process preacher. I really am. Because one of my core beliefs is that God is in the process. Don't get me wrong. He can move in a moment. Something can happen in your soul. When the word of God goes forth that is so strong, the chains are broken and you are never the same. Why not today? The Apostle Paul said that today is the day of salvation. He said that to the Corinthian Church. Backslidden. He said, now is the time of God's favor. Somebody shout now. Not when you get your act together. Not when people approve of you. Now. Now is the hour. Today is the day. The privilege of my life is seeing someone in a moment make a decision to follow Christ in a moment. For the weight to be lifted, for the chains to be broken in a moment. Yet. What about the middle? I know he can save me in a moment. I know that when I die, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. And I'm going to heaven when I die. And I'm glad about it. And I don't have to fry and burn. I know all that. I'm really glad about it. But one thing the thief and I did not have in common because we both deserved the cross Jesus died on. But I didn't get to go to paradise the moment I trusted Christ with my life. This message is not about paradise. This message is about process.

[Jonathan Josephs]

This message is not about flower girls. This message is about the fight for.

[Steven Furtick]

Faith in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I want to present it to you.

[Steven Furtick]

In a way today that hopefully in the next 29 minutes can help you.

[Jonathan Josephs]

To understand why it is that sometimes.

[Steven Furtick]

Even though you got saved, you don't feel saved.

[Jonathan Josephs]

And what to do in the middle. Touch your neighbor, say, I need to know what to do in the middle. When I die, I'm dead.

[Steven Furtick]

I'm gone. I'm in heaven. I'm there, but here and now I need God's seat.

[Jonathan Josephs]

The thing about me is I got saved, but I still need some saving. Maybe you don't look really good at.

[Steven Furtick]

The person next to you and see if they look like they still need saving.

[Jonathan Josephs]

See if they look like there are still some times in their lives that they still need saving. It's a seven mile journey and the miracle is in the middle. Did you notice that we've been studying from this Emmaus road where Jesus just shows up beside these two disciples? Ld don't put too much of this.

[Steven Furtick]

On Instagram stories because I don't want.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Them to see it.

[Steven Furtick]

I want them to have to watch it online later. Those of them are sitting home in the snow. Don't be putting it online right now. I want them to catch it later.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Jesus just shows up right in the middle of their conversation. It's a man named Cleopas. Some scholars suggest perhaps his wife, his companion and he were not expecting the presence of Christ to show up. But he showed up in the middle of their disappointment. He showed up in the middle of their disillusionment. He showed up in the middle of their. We thought so. He showed up in the middle of the what now? He showed up in the middle. God will meet you in the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

It's in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

They walked.

[Steven Furtick]

They. They walked. The Bible says seven miles from Jerusalem to Emmaus when they got there. Check this out. In Luke 24:28, when they arrived and approached the place, the village that in their mind was their destination, the village called Emmaus. When they got to the place they thought they were going, Jesus continued on. I love the next two words. As if he were going further. Like he's a man on a mission. He has people to see and things to do. And only 39 and a half days before he is ascended to the right hand of God the Father Almighty, from whence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. He acts as if he were going further. Sometimes it feels as if God is leaving you. I would suggest that some of the moments when it feels as if he's walking away from you, he is creating a desire within you so that if.

[Jonathan Josephs]

You draw near to him, he will.

[Steven Furtick]

Draw near to you.

[Jonathan Josephs]

God is trying to set your faith free from the need to feel it, to have it. As if the next time the devil tries to tell you God has left.

[Steven Furtick]

You, that God has abandoned you, look.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Him right in the eye and say with your hand on your hip, in your best white girl teenager voice, say as if, as if he would leave me. He said he would never leave me, Never forsake me, never abandon me. He won't stop what he started. I am his and he is mine and he's with me in the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

As if he were going further. They asked him to come in and stay with them. Now, professional pointer, be careful when you ask Jesus to come in because if he comes in, he's going to take over. So God is not going to settle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

For a shout out.

[Steven Furtick]

He's not going to make himself a cot in the foyer of your heart. He's coming in the kitchen. I feel God on that and I don't know why. Touch somebody and say, he's coming in your kitchen. He wants to get into the ingredients. Watch what Jesus does.

[Jonathan Josephs]

He walks in. This is verse 30. He sits down at the table, takes their bread. Remember, it's Cleo's house. But Jesus reaches right across the table, takes Cleo's bread and just starts doing stuff. See, I need you to know that God is not going to come into your life and stay on standby so.

[Steven Furtick]

That when you kind of sort of.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Need him and maybe can fit him into your schedule, maybe I can get a little Jesus juice when my boyfriend isn't calling me back. Maybe I'll pray. See Jesus when He comes into your life. I feel the spirit of God. It's all up in me right now. I feel it. God said, I'm taking over. Today is the day of salvation. I'm taking over. Your thoughts, I'm taking over your imagination. I'm taking over your desires. Salvation is total surrender. This is how I used to preach.

[Steven Furtick]

When I was 23, man.

[Jonathan Josephs]

This is how I used to preach to people who thought God could be.

[Steven Furtick]

A part of their life.

[Jonathan Josephs]

If God gets in your life, he's going to get all up in the middle of it. God is going to change who you have listed in the contacts of your iPhone. God is going to change who you friend on Facebook. God is going to change what you do at 11:30 on Friday night. God isn't just going to wait for you to get to church on Sunday morning and bless you with a goosebump. God wants I know where to preach. I know where the love is. It's in the middle. Somebody shout us in the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

Anyway.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Is it okay?

[Steven Furtick]

Jesus doesn't ask any permission. He sits down at Cleo's kitchen table, takes Cleo's bread, blesses Cleo's bread, breaks the bread and gives the bread when he gives the bread he broke, which is also the bread he blessed, which is also the bread he took. When he takes over your life, he blesses your life.

[Jonathan Josephs]

But the same hands that bless your life are the same hands that must be trusted. When your life is broken, I mean, when your heart is in a million pieces. See, I need to preach this because sometimes we think when we get saved that everything is going to be sanitized and everything is going to be safe. We think when we get safe. See, this is the kind of preaching that will help you. When life is doing its best to tear you apart, you can know beyond the shadow of a doubt, Somebody shout, I'm still saved. I'm saved. When I'm happy, I'm saved. Saved. When I'm sad, I'm saved. When they're with me, I'm saved. When they walk away, I'm saved. When I'm up, I'm saved. When I'm down, I'm saved. When I'm blessed, I'm saved. When I'm broken, I'm saved in the palace, I'm saved in the pit. God is with me.

[Steven Furtick]

In the middle. Three things I want to give you. Three things I want to give you about the I was saved, it happened, I will be saved. I'm going to be with him forever, but I need him to be with me in the middle. This is not a moment to moment contractual arrangement with God because we have to think his grace will save you and his grace will get you to heaven. You're on your Own in between. I want to declare that the same grace that will get you there, wherever you're there, is. Is with you here. If you will believe the words coming out of this country preacher's mouth today, that God is in the process. Number one. The gift is in the middle. They sat down to eat with Jesus, but they didn't even do what they sat down to do. Because while he was breaking the bread, the process of the way he broke the bread, the bread revealed his presence to them. God is in the process. The gift is in the middle. Today you will be with me in paradise. What an awesome promise to that thief, but I have a better one for you. That's pretty good, right? I mean, come on, you're a dying thief and you're trying to slip in before the door closes. You're trying to get on Noah's Ark and it's already halfway out in the water with your drowning, dying breath, you half heartedly make a request just in case it works. That guy got in. Okay. Today you will be with me in paradise. But God has made you a better promise. For he says to each one of us today. Help me say it, God. Not today you will be with me in paradise. But today I will be with you in the process.

[Jonathan Josephs]

See, to me, that's even better.

[Steven Furtick]

That I have not only his statement, but I have his spirit. I am sealed with a guarantee that he is with me. Not just when I raised my hand, not just when I went down in the baptismal waters.

[Jonathan Josephs]

That was awesome.

[Steven Furtick]

Your wedding was beautiful and we all.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Appreciate so much the catering service, but we're not waiting. Please, like God left you on earth to wait to go to heaven. Have you noticed that so much of what we talk about in terms of salvation has to do with us getting out of here? Christianity is God's cosmic evacuation plan. But what about.

[Steven Furtick]

The middle?

[Jonathan Josephs]

See, the gift is in the middle. Can I show you something? Peter said one time, Peter knew something about the middle. One time he was in the middle of the sea in the middle of the storm. All of a sudden, in the middle of the sea, in the middle of the storm, here comes somebody walking toward him. And he's not quite sure, but he thinks it might just be Jesus. So he cries out, in the middle of the sea, in the middle of the storm, if it's you, tell me to come. He gets out the boat and he does pretty good. By the time he gets where he's going, God reaches down and grabs him. That's a picture of the grace to get started and the grace that will be there in the end. But what about the middle?

[Steven Furtick]

He was walking on water above. What could have killed him? All of a sudden, the wind and the waves on the right and the.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Left caused him to lose his focus.

[Steven Furtick]

On the man in the middle. And he sinks. Peter said, sometimes you are so focused.

[Jonathan Josephs]

On what's behind you.

[Steven Furtick]

I'm preaching to somebody. And you are so focused and concerned and anxious about what's ahead of you.

[Jonathan Josephs]

You are missing the presence of God. He is not the great I was, and he is not the great I will be. He is the great I am. And his presence is not just for heaven. One day, the kingdom of God is at hand.

[Steven Furtick]

He's here in the middle. A little later in his life, Peter was writing to a persecuted church who was going through a fiery trial. And they were in the middle of it. He said to them, this is like 1 Peter 1:9. He said, you are receiving. I've been studying this all week. I hope you'll like this as much as I did. Sometimes it's tough because I've been thinking about it all week. And you have a real job and real bills. I'm just getting up here trying to tell you this stuff. I don't know if you see it, but he said, you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. What is he saying? One day it will be complete and there will be no need. But you don't have to wait until one day. When children show us how to do this better than. Because adults are so goal focused, we think things have to be a certain way before we can enjoy God's presence, before we can enjoy what God has given us. So we set certain destinations in our mind. And when it gets like that, then I'll be complete. But God wants to teach you how to get it. The middle. I believe this is life changing. I was riding my bike. I don't do this much just on vacation. I'm scared to ride my bike on the road. The way some of y'all drive with Elevation Church stickers on your car. It scare me to death. But we were on family vacation and we had rented bicycles and we were riding to a restaurant. It started raining outside. I started going through all this negative cycle of emotions about the rain. I knew it was going to rain. I told Holly it was going to rain. She said it wasn't going to rain. Now it's raining and we're too far to turn around and go back home. So now we have to ride in the rain. All of a sudden, I see Elijah. He pulls around me and he shouts at the top of his lungs, epic. He saw a mud puddle. For him, the mud puddle looked like the perfect thing to aim at, riding in the rain. To me, it was annoying. To him, it was epic. I was already steering to go around it and he was going right. When I thought about that picture, I.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Thought about some of you going to work this week. I saw you not aiming around the thing.

[Steven Furtick]

They don't want me to preach like this because we just want to talk about heaven and the streets of gold when we get there. One day when I'm flying around with.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Wings and me and Aunt Thelma are drinking hot tea.

[Steven Furtick]

And the sapphire?

[Jonathan Josephs]

No, it's here and now. It's in the mundane. And the mundane. It's in the mud. It's in the dirty. God is a gardener. He likes to get down in the mud, down in the dirt, down in the disappointment. God is in the middle. The gift is in the middle. I see you riding your bike. I see you pedaling through the puddle. This week. I'm not going around it. Grace will get me through it. It's in the middle. Shout somebody. Y'all are so sleepy. All right, let me illustrate this.

[Steven Furtick]

Come here, Jonathan, Anna, come here, come here, come here, come here. Do you remember? Write this down. This is point number two. I'm closing really quick because I know y'all have to go and I don't want to stop. But this is number two of my message. If you need to leave, if you have something to do, leave right now, because I'm in the middle, and when I get to the end, it's going to be worth it. But this is the middle of my message. I was thinking about an illustration. Some of you will remember it. I preached this illustration. I was trying to illustrate.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Can y'all help me? You be Cleo. You be Cleat. I was preaching on confidence.

[Steven Furtick]

I talked about how far I feel like I have to go. Exactly.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Sit down, sit down.

[Steven Furtick]

He has me. Come here, come here.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Do you have somebody else on this row that can help, too?

[Steven Furtick]

Okay, okay. Come on.

[Jonathan Josephs]

He said my point before I could say it, so I figured he should.

[Steven Furtick]

Help me with this illustration.

[Jonathan Josephs]

This guy.

[Steven Furtick]

This is perfect. Do you know how perfect this is?

[Jonathan Josephs]

Not only is the gift in the.

[Steven Furtick]

Middle, but watch my second point.

[Jonathan Josephs]

You won't believe this. The goal is in the middle. God knew he needed to help me with this. Come all the way. We were talking about, in that sermon illustration, about how sometimes you have to look back and see how far God has already brought you. Salvation means I am not what I once was. How many can say that I am not what I once was? But the same time you raise your right hand, how many of you could lift your left hand and say, but I'm not what I want to be? You are what I want to be.

[Steven Furtick]

Okay? I chose you because you're much better looking than him to be what I want to be. We talked about living in the gap. What I expect when I hear about salvation, like in a wedding ceremony, they say, and the two will become one flesh. Notice they will become. But it's not going to happen there at the ceremony. It's going to happen in the kitchen.

[Jonathan Josephs]

When we're trying to decide who does the dishes.

[Steven Furtick]

They won't help me preach. They just want to go to heaven.

[Jonathan Josephs]

When we all get to heaven, awesome. But in the meantime, here I am.

[Steven Furtick]

And I'm not living in paradise. I'm living in process.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Help me preach, please, or I will leave this stage right now. I don't need to know the third point.

[Steven Furtick]

I know it already. Here I am in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I look back and it's awesome.

[Steven Furtick]

Because I'm not what I was.

[Jonathan Josephs]

If any man is in Christ, he.

[Steven Furtick]

Is a new creation. The old is gone, the new has come. I am not what I was. I found out that if I will walk with God, he will change me and conform me to the image of Christ. My expectation is that as I move toward God's purpose for my life, as.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I get closer and closer to God.

[Steven Furtick]

That this gag will shrink. Guess what? Let me show you something. The Bible says that when they recognized Jesus in the process, when he broke the bread and gave the bread. Watch what happened next. Can we go Back to Luke 24:31? The moment they recognized him, he disappeared from their sight. So this is what happens. And this is going to explain a lot of why you don't feel like a good Christian, why you don't feel like you're growing. Don't get me wrong. Salvation is a gift, but it is a gift you must grow into. My expectation is that as I walk with God and as I make decisions to follow him, and I make decisions to eliminate certain things from my life that are causing me to drain energy and focus that could be applied toward my purpose.

[Jonathan Josephs]

This gap behind me will get bigger and the gap in front.

[Steven Furtick]

Of me will get smaller.

[Jonathan Josephs]

But guess what God does when you take a step, when you make a move?

[Steven Furtick]

When I step, you step. Watch this God moves, too. You're going to love this gold digger.

[Jonathan Josephs]

See, in my mind, the goal was that this gap goes away. Here's what God knows. If you think you have arrived, arrogance is sure to follow what God is going to do. I need to do this. This is version 2.0. God is going to make sure that as you grow, when I step, you step, the gap stays. So you look back and you say, oh, look, I'm moving forward. But you look forward, and it doesn't feel like you've gone anywhere. But I want to let you know you're right where you need to be. See, you need grace for both gaps. Here it is. The same grace that created this gap between where I was and where I am is the grace I need. I step. You step to keep moving forward. So God says to everyone who is in the midst, middle of something right now. In the middle of change, in the middle of process, in the middle of becoming. In the middle of a storm, in the middle of the fire. You step by step, keep stepping. Step, stay in the middle. Step, stay in faith. Step, stay in courage. Step, stay blessed. Stay in my hand. Stay in the storm. I'm with you in the fire. God is in the middle. I'm in the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

I need both gaps. I need a gap that makes me grateful and a gap that makes me grow. Y'all better sit down. I have to start closing. I want to preach about these gaps. I don't know why it is that we think the first gap is the grace of God and the second gap is anything but the same grace that did that will do this.

[Jonathan Josephs]

He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it.

[Steven Furtick]

So the disciples get where they're going, to Emmaus. And God says, oh, you thought that was the final stop? No, it's just the middle. Oh, man. If you could see your life like God sees your life, you wouldn't give up in the middle. The good stuff happens in the middle. I love Netflix because I can just pause it. Sometimes if the tension is really high in a show, I'll pause it. Not to stop it, but I want to see where we're at on the timeline. Here's what I know.

[Jonathan Josephs]

If there's unresolved conflict in the show.

[Steven Furtick]

I want to know, wait a minute.

[Jonathan Josephs]

How much time is left if we're still in the middle? Come on, somebody. Your dream is not over. Your purpose is not finished. This is not the end. It's just the middle. We know what the disciples didn't know. We know the Cross isn't the end. We know the grave isn't its final destination. It's just the middle. It's just the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

The gift is in the middle. The goal is in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

I press toward the mark forgetting what is behind. I will not quit in the middle. Encourage somebody next to you. It's just the middle. It's just the middle. This is just the middle. This is not the end is just the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

I think it is significant that when they reached Emmaus and Jesus revealed his presence through the scars he suffered for their salvation, he disappeared so they would turn around. When they got to the place they thought they were going, they found out surprise. Look at verse 32. They got up and started talking to each other and said to each other, were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us in the middle on the road as we went in the mill. That's where you get it, that's where you grow. That's where he shows up in the middle in the middle of the night when it's just you and Pastor Pillow and nobody left a text, you will hear his voice in the middle. Whoever this is for and whatever you're in the middle of, I want you to look at the cross again. The Bible says what they thought was the end Emmaus, where they intended to stay in disappointment and eat some bread and go to bed. Once they saw who was with them all along and realized what had been happening along the road that seemed to them trivial in something as mundane as a seven mile walk. They turned around, they got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. You thought this series seven mile miracle was about the first seven miles. You thought salvation was just about God getting you out. But the second seven miles is when you turn back around and stop running from what God saved you out of and start running toward what God saved you for. They got up at once in a moment and returned to Jerusalem. This may be the strongest message on salvation God has ever given me. When I looked at the cross where he died and I realized he died on a hill called Golgotha, which is the place of the skull in Aramaic. On one side of him was one thief, on one side of him was another. The cross that brought our salvation was right there in the middle. I realized that the way he died is symbolic of the way I now live. I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

[Jonathan Josephs]

And the life that I now live.

[Steven Furtick]

It is here now.

[Jonathan Josephs]

If you're looking for the grace of God, don't look to your deathbed and.

[Steven Furtick]

Don'T look to your past.

[Jonathan Josephs]

He is the great I am.

[Steven Furtick]

If you're looking for the grace of.

[Jonathan Josephs]

God, put your eyes on that middle.

[Steven Furtick]

Cross between two thieves.

[Jonathan Josephs]

On your left, you'll see your past. On your right, you'll see your future. But don't look at your past. You're not going that way. Don't even worry about your future. God is already there. If you're looking for the grace of God, it's in the middle. I need somebody to praise God right here, right now for his grace in the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

He is with me in the middle. Maybe it's not about God getting me out. Maybe the reason he died is because he wanted to get in. Your faith is hanging between two thieves. What was is gone. What will be is unknown. If you're looking for the grace of God. If you're looking for the glory of God, the glory is in the middle. I know it's in the middle. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego got thrown in the fire, God didn't get them out of the fire. But late at night, when the flames were at their highest, seven times hotter than they normally were because they would not bow before the Babylonian king. The scripture says a fourth man went in the furnace with the three who were thrown in. God didn't get them out. He got in the middle with them. If you know this message is for your soul, just raise your hand if you know it's for your soul. I want the same grace that got me out of my sin, to lead me into everything God saved me for. I want to learn to see his power not just in my perfection. Even the thought that I'm going to reach that on this earth is ridiculous. I want God's presence in the process. When he took it, he blessed it, he broke it and gave it. That's where they in the middle. Common middle, mundane middle. The miracle is in the middle. Not when you get out, but while you are in it. I know you're still struggling with the addiction. And I know even your wife doesn't know because you're scared to tell her. God is with you in the middle, not just when you've been five years clean. God is with you in the pig pen. He is with you in the middle.

[Jonathan Josephs]

The same grace that stayed with you in the pig pen is going to bring you out. Don't you dare quit. This is just the middle. This is just the middle. This is just the middle.

[Steven Furtick]

God is with you in the middle. Well, his presence is here. John said, I looked and saw a throne. This is a beautiful picture because he said the throne was sitting in the middle of praise. I want us to do something right now. This may be a little uncomfortable for you, but the reason you've been feeling stressed out and worn out, the reason you've been trying to do what Jesus did not do on the cross, which is save Himself. The reason you've been so strained and the reason you've been so drained is because you've been trying to save yourself and you've been at the center. If you are looking for the peace of God, if you are looking for the power of God, if you are looking for the presence of God, it's in the middle for him to be in the middle. You can't stay there. Lift your hands, say glory and praise. Power and strength. This is what they're singing in heaven around the throne. Worthy is the Lamb of God. We're singing it now. Salvation belongs to our God, to the Lamb who sits on the throne. Be power, dominion, majesty, forever and ever. Put him at the center. For it is by grace. You have been saved.

[Jonathan Josephs]

Through faith, not of yourselves.

[Steven Furtick]

It is the gift of God. Come on.

[Jonathan Josephs]

If you're in the middle of a storm right now, I need you to lift your hands and call on his glory. Will show up in the middle of your storm, in the middle of your struggle. Come on. He's in the midst of his people. He inhabits the praises of his people. Enthroned him out.

[Steven Furtick]

Call me Praise. Power of grace. Thank you for joining us. Special thanks to those of you who give generously to this ministry. It's because of you that this ministry is possible. You can click the link in the description to Give now or visit elevationchurch.orgpodcast for more information and if you enjoyed the podcast, you can subscribe. You can share it with your friends. You can click the share button, take a screenshot and share it on your social stories and tag us evationchurch. Thanks again for listening. God bless you.

[Amy Brown]

Okay, so we all need to get away from the world sometimes. Well, in the all new 2025 Nissan Murano, you don't even have to go anywhere. The Murano is the getaway. Just picture it. The Bose Premium sound system plays your favorite music as the Murano's massaging leather appointed seats melt away your stress. Yeah, that's a real getaway. Drive the all new 2025 Nissan Murano today. Bows and massaging leather appointed seats are optional Features this Valentine's Day celebrate every Love story with Pandora Whether it's romantic, platonic, familial, or a gesture of self love, Pandora's versatile designs let you express your unique connections in meaningful ways. Each piece tells a story of love or friendship that transcends materialism, turning every gift into a heartfelt message that connects hearts from best friends to significant others. Pandora helps you honor the bonds that make life richer and more meaningful. Make the feeling last from first sight to forever. On Valentine's Day and every day. Be love. Shop Pandora Jewelry today in store or [e-mail] this message comes from Greenlight. Ready to start talking to your kids about financial literacy? Meet Greenlight, the debit card and money app that teaches kids and teens how to earn, save, spend wisely and invest. With your guardrails in place with Greenlight, you can send money to kids quickly, set up chores automate allowance, and keep an eye on what your kids are spending with real time notifications. Join millions of parents and kids building healthy financial habits together on Greenlight. Get started risk [e-mail] iheartra.