Loading summary
Transcript22 lines
- [00:01]
A
Hey everyone. Before we jump into today's message, we wanted to take just a moment and personally thank you for being a part of our social global family.
- [00:10]
B
Yes, we are standing in the future home of Social Dallas. Demolition has officially started and every day we're getting closer to making the space a place where thousands of people will encounter Jesus for years to come.
- [00:23]
A
And if these messages have encouraged you, strengthened your faith, or helped you grow in any way, would you partner with us? Your generosity helps us continue sharing messages like the one you're about to watch and helps us build a permanent home where lives will be changed forever.
- [00:40]
B
To support the Almost home campaign, visit socialdallas.com give and select almost Home in the giving options or you can text the word give to 469715.
- [00:54]
A
Whether it's a one time gift or becoming a recurring partner, every gift makes impact and every dollar moves dirt.
- [01:02]
B
Thank you for believing in what God is doing through Social Dallas.
- [01:06]
A
Here's today's message.
- [01:12]
C
I don't know about you, but I have high expectation for what God is going to do today. Amen. Every single year, y', all, for those of you who are new along to the journey, we come around a word. And this year that word is. But not just any trust. We got confident trust this morning. And that's not just a word that we pull from the atmosphere. It actually comes from Hebrews, chapter 10, verses 35 to 37. And every single Sunday as a church, Unity in Unity Together says there's something special when the saints dwell together in unity. We read that scripture together. So we're gonna do that right now. It's gonna come up on the screen for you. But remember, like our amazing pastor, Pastor Robert and Pastor Taylor always say, you don't go until I say so. Do not throw away. Patient endurance is what you need now. Then you will receive. Come on. The coming one will come and not delay.
- [02:37]
D
Amazing.
- [02:37]
C
Y' all. Turn your attention to the screen.
- [02:44]
A
Happy Sunday, Social Dallas family. Hey, I hope you miss me as much as I miss you. Can't wait to be back with you. But as always, I've left you in incredible hands. You're going to hear from somebody today that is not a guest. He is a part of the Social Dallas family. As a matter of fact, this man has been a voice in my life for decades. I can honestly say I would not be the man I am today if not for his influence and impact on my life. He's been a mentor, he's been a pastor, he married Pastor Taylor and I, he Serves as a board member of social Dallas. But more importantly, he's here today with a word from God. Come on, social Dallas, you know how we do get your expectancy up and get ready to be blessed by pastor Sam Rifekoko.
- [03:38]
D
Hey, all right, everybody. Let's give the one who deserve all the praise, King Jesus. Let's give him the greatest standing ovation and the greatest shout of praise to the king of kings and the lord of lords. Jesus, we worship you. You alone are to be adored. Jesus. So, holy Spirit, I ask you now to hover over this place in an uncommon way. Holy spirit, you brought my friend today. Holy Spirit, I am on an assignment from you. There are people watching online in our social family. Online. And today, Lord Jesus, this word is not a word from man. This is from you. This is from you. So, holy Spirit, I pray that you would give me the ability to declare your word. And now, father, come on. Everybody in the church family, would you just lift your hands up high? Lord, we lift our hands to say, holy spirit, I receive from you. Just lift your hands and declare. I'm going to receive from you
- [04:50]
B
now,
- [04:50]
D
Father God, in Jesus Christ's name, I get out of the way and I let you speak to me. Change me, Jesus, into your image. Would you just say, jesus, I receive from you now and all God's people said amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Whoo. Look at your neighbor before you sit down and say, the devil's going to wish he'd have just left you alone.
- [05:16]
C
Just.
- [05:17]
D
He's just going to wish he'd just left you alone. Wow. It is so good to be back with you, social Dallas. How many just sense the presence of God today? Amen. Just powerful, real. My goodness. What you're feeling is not the air conditioning. It is the presence of God and the worship team. I tell you what, y' all never miss. Just. I love talent, everybody. I love talent. I love people who really study hard, work hard, practice hard, steward the gifts God's put into them. You know, I was raised in church, so, you know, I was raised in church, you know, when I was a little kid. And I was raised in this small town called Garden City, Kansas. Really? You gotta be joking me. All they have there is livestock. You can smell it before you arrive, like 30 minutes before you arrive. It's just feed yards everywhere. You don't even want to breathe. It'll put brown on your teeth. It's just horrible. But I was from that little bitty town, and there were some people didn't want to practice and hone their skills and their abilities, and they get up to sing, and then they get up and sing, and you could tell they didn't practice because they forget the words. And then they'd start acting like it was in the spirit, you know, because they forgot the words. And I just wanted to tell them, why don't you just go sit down and let somebody get up there who believes in the gift God put in them, that they hone and steward that the gifts in them. And. And then you get people that have all these gifts, and they just get real cocky and arrogant, whether you're an attorney, whether you're ministry of music, or whether you're a contractor. They get so cocky in their gift that God gave them that they now they become so proud and it becomes their God. And then they don't lean into the simplicity of the Holy Spirit that makes you better than you really are. I don't know why I'm on this, but it's. But it's so true, you know, but when you put. When you put the Holy Spirit anointing together with your gift, you are an unbeatable combination. And hell. Hell fears you. I'm telling you, whatever the gift is in you. So I love this because I hate going into churches where the ministry of music sounds more like a prison ministry, you know, because when they start singing, somebody's behind a few bars and somebody's lost the key. Amen. How many? Thank God this group has led us into the presence of God and he's going to minister to us. Amen. And don't you miss Pastor Robert and Pastor Taylor? I love being with y', all, but I really miss them. You have such an exceptional leadership in Pastor Robert and Pastor Taylor. I just don't know if you all are just really aware of what God. The gift God has given you. I hope you are really aware of it. This stuff doesn't just happen. It's the Holy Spirit speaking to leaders and then their courage to lead. This is not easy to do. I just want you to know, he just doesn't get up here and talk for 30 minutes every week. Just listen. I've been pastoring now for 20 years. I traveled as an itinerant preacher evangelist for 20 years before that. And I'm telling you, when pastoring is a whole different ball game. Because every week it's like having to write a term paper, do all the research, and then give an oral report on your term paper. And then everybody out there is grading you. And I'm telling you, every time I hear Pastor Robert bring the word of God, I'm telling you, you can tell he's been with God and you can tell that the Holy Spirit has given him a word. And I'm going to say that alone because, I mean, he's got to be. He's got to be just not CEO. He's got to be a counselor. They have to do all these other things. I'm telling you, just the teacher to manage and still brings an anointed word. And I want you to know that in Pastor Robert, Pastor Taylor, you are a blessed group of people. And you ought to know how much God loves you that he give you something like that. Amen. So here's the deal. Everybody, they're getting refreshed so they can come back and bring God's word to you in a fresh way. But I want us to let them know right now how much they are loved and how much they're amiss. Come on. If you love them, come on, give them. Give them the. We love you, Pastor Robert. Pastor Taylor. Get refreshed. You're the best. Amen. I love them. I love them. Amen. Well, how many of you ready to get in the Word today? Right? You ready? You're ready to hear from Jesus? So I really do believe God has me on assignment. This is not an accident. And I really encourage you to open your spirit to what God would say. So I want you to turn with me, if you would, to this passage of scripture. And we're going to kind of park there just for a little bit on first Peter, chapter four, verse 12. So I want you to kind of get there. But I do realize that there are some of you that are on high mountaintops here. And I mean, it's just amazing what God's doing in your life. And maybe at this point, you think you're not going to be able to relate to those who are walking through the valley and are just in the fire of something they didn't ask for. It may be because they made a bad decision, made a bad mistake. Maybe it was circumstances beyond their control, and they're just asking why? And they are just absolutely in the fire, and you may be on the mountaintop. So if I were you, I would take really good notes because you will hit it, I promise. Take really good notes and let the Holy Spirit speak to you. But it's in those times, you know, that you have, you know, especially with strong people, you're strong people, and I get around strong leaders.
- [10:59]
A
Strong.
- [11:00]
D
The problem with A lot of strong people and strong leaders is people rarely ask them, how are you doing? Rarely ask because they're always leading their family, they're leading their marriage, they're leading a group of people. And so it's almost like they have to stay on top. And almost. It's a mental. Just a strong mental strength that they have that they stay strong. So you never ask them if they have a problem because they never show it. And you're the toughest ones to deal with when you're going, things are going out of control. And it's in that time where you think, this is ruined. The marriage is ruined. I got a prognosis from the doctor, it's ruined. The person that said, tell death, do us part is gone. It's ruined. I never thought that this would happen to my family. I didn't think this would happen to my child. And you're just going, I feel like we're ruined. It's destroyed. Well, I have a word from the Lord today. I really believe for you, you are not ruined. You are refined, not ruined. You're coming out of this and I truly mean this. Satan's going to wish that he would have just left you alone. You are getting refined. Let's praise God in advance for what he's going to give us today. I just really believe this, everybody. So I want you to hear this word just for a moment that the Apostle Peter, through the Holy Spirit, wrote these early Jesus followers. And I want you to see the words to them and I'll explain the context in the background to give you history and context of what those early brothers and sisters, that are your brothers and sisters were going through. And he says this, he says, dear friends, don't be what? So circle that word. Surprised, would you? Circle. That's a big word. Bigger than you think. Don't be surprised by the fiery trials that you're going through as if something strange were happening to you. Instead, be very glad for these trials. Make you partners with Christ in his suffering so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory when it will be revealed to all, all the world. I am telling you that what you're going through is not a coincidence. It's not a happenstance. I am telling you the creative genius of God is at work right now and you shouldn't be surprised. In fact, you should start bucking, snorting, shucking, jiving, throwing songbooks and get happy and dance the carpet down to the burlap in your apartment. And that God has allowed you to partner with him in erosion, his suffering. You ought to get happy over it. You really ought to. Now, when you read this scripture, it's interesting if you ever read first, first and Second Peter, it's interesting to note that in these small, this small, short books, that Even in the first, in first Peter 2, the apostle Peter mentions the word suffering 15 times. This is not what you want to hear. Many times everybody wants to say, yeah, let's be victorious. Yes, come on, give me faith. Faith, I understand that because it's what faith takes. It requires it. But you got some people that teach you that you have all this faith to overcome, and they make it feel like it takes a mountain of faith to move a mustard seed. It just takes a little bit of faith to say to the mountain, be gone. Especially when you feel like things are ruined and destroyed. So when Peter writes this to these early brothers and sisters of yours, I want you to hear this. He is not giving him this word so they can just simply survive. God is not in this for you just to survive. He says, I'm going to. He says, I'm. This is happening to you and you're actually going to use it to show my glory. Satan's going to wish he'd have just left you alone. Because Christianity, this is interesting. Christianity is the only God that has wounds. Isn't that interesting? And when he has wounds and when he suffers, it's speaking something to us. And it gives you a framework not just to survive, not just to endure, but to be refined and actually everybody around you. And one day standing before God, they will see the glory of God coming through your marriage, coming through your life, coming through, coming through your body, coming through your, your giftings in you. And they will actually see the thing that was once ruined be refined to show the glory of God. So here's the problem though, for all of us that are Jesus followers, we believe the promises of God, we have great faith, so we do things for God. And then we think, because I did these things, this shouldn't be happening to me. So what the Apostle Peter is saying to those early Christians, your early brothers and sisters, is this. Don't be perplexed by the fire and the hell you're in right now. Don't be perplexed by this. I'm gonna go back to that because I want you to see that scripture again. He says this to them. He says, dear friends, don't be surprised by the fire trials you're going through, as if something strange were happening to you somehow. This is strange. How Many of you recognize that life just brings terrible things to you sometimes that are beyond your control and you didn't even start it. So when you go through the fire, the world's philosophy says, well, if God really loved you, then why is this happening to you? So if this is happening to you, then he must not really love you. The philosophical thought of the world is, well, if God is all powerful and this has happened to you, why don't he just bail you out? So that's the challenge that you are dealing with in this culture right now. And he says, when fire happens to you, brothers and sisters, don't you be shocked when you're going through the temptations. You're going. Don't be shocked when someone insults you and fires you because of your faith. Don't be shocked when all of a sudden you have to lie by stand by the casket of someone that you dear quit. Don't be shocked when that person walks out on you. Don't be shocked. Don't be perplexed by the fires. Now, some of you don't know what I'm talking about. So if. If you've had nothing go wrong in your life, you just leave the rest of us alone for a minute. If everything is just going sweet and rosy for you, I will just tell you, you lack the perspective that gives your faith in Jesus Christ real foundation to stand. You lack the real depth of a true follower of Jesus Christ. So you just leave us alone for a moment. Don't try to give us your opinion. And what you need to do is you need to do these three steps up these three ways out. If you'll just follow this guru, this podcaster, you'll finally get over. Come over. Isn't that wonderful? Thank you. You're really sweet. I love you, but your optimism annoys me. Just because you passed psych 101 with a D at your community college does not qualify you to tell me how I need to respond to this fire and how I need to get out. Just eat some kale and you'll do fine. No, just juice. No, I'm going to tell you, those are all wonderful things, but you lack the perspective that gives your faith the ability to stand when hell turns loose on you. And here's who this is, who the Apostle Peter is talking to. He says there are people that will be willing to go through the fire. You'll go through the hell. You'll go through the rejection. You'll go through the valleys of bitterness. But if you'll stand firm and not be Perplexed by this as it's strange because I did everything right. I tithed. Why did this happen to me? I prayed, I fasted. Why did this happen to me? No. Remember who he's writing. He's writing your early brothers and sisters, okay? That's who he's writing. These new Christians. And you want to talk about the hell they were going through. Let me give you context about what these Christians were going through. Let me give it to some of you are students of the Word. So you know, this is during the time of the rule of Nero, the emperor Rome. He was so sadistic, consolidating his power that you know the story that he lit Rome on fire, destroyed 70% of Rome, and then he turned and blamed it on the Christians for doing that, so that they could intensify, consolidate his power and intensify the persecution against the people of God. Think about that. It is said that Nero ordered, probably ordered the death of the apostle Paul and the apostle Peter. The guy who's writing this ordered their death. And yet get this, in chapter two, the guy he ordered the death for, that guy writes in the scripture, the second chapter of first Peter. He writes in there, honor the king. Now you're gonna go blow up on your social media because you disagree with somebody. He says, this guy wants to be executed. He's blaming the Christian, he's persecuting you, taking your jobs. They're insulting you, they're throwing you in prison, they're burning you by the fire. And he says, honor the king. Something glorious is coming out of this guy. These are the kind of people I'm talking about. I, I don't need someone who everything's going good. And boy, you're so strong in your faith that the devil never wants to mess with you. You're so holy and righteous. The devil never wants to. I never have a run in with the devil. Well, that stands to reason. It's hard to run into somebody if you're both going the same direction. But you give me some young men and some young women, you give me some brothers and sisters in this room that have gone through fire and you smell like smoke because you've been through fire. You're coming soaking wet because of your tears, but it did not drown. You. Give me somebody that says, I can tell you that you can stand firm in the faith and don't be surprised or perplexed when this stuff happens to you. That's the problem. And this is a big deal. Notice what he says. He says, don't be What? Don't be what? Everybody say it. Don't be what? Surprised. Don't be surprised. It's okay to ask why. Why? It's not a problem. So I admit some Christians, this is really sorry. They go, you should never question God. I'm sorry, but I question God. I've had a few questions. And you know what? When you say God, why? And you ask God questions, guess what? You are in good company with your Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when he was on the cross, said, my God, my Father, my Father, why have you forsake me? Why have you forsaken me? You are in good company. It's all right to ask why. And look what's happening here. Friends, many times God, he does deliver us. All the time, he does deliver us. But sometimes it's not the way we want it. And Peter is not saying, now, don't grieve now. Doesn't mean that you gotta be, oh, I'm happy. Jesus is, Lord, praise God. That's not what he's asking for. Peter is not saying here, don't be grieved at what you're going over. He's not saying that. He's not saying that. Because here's what I have discovered, and I can tell you I'm an expert at this. Grief will not destroy you. I have discovered that grief is not just a feeling, it becomes a language. It becomes a language. Grief will not destroy. Because the Bible even says that Jesus Christ was a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. So he's not telling. You can't grieve. What he's saying to you is, don't be surprised. See, and some of us don't realize that we're actually surprised because it's the surprise that gets you. It's not the grief, it's not the pain. It's the surprise that you're still in. Well, I did everything right and it still happened. And I did this and it still happened. Where's God when I need him? He's saying, the grief, the pain is not what destroys you, it is the surprise that constantly destroy you. As if this is strange. I've done everything right. I'm supposed to follow Jesus. I shouldn't be going through these temptations. No, it's the surprise that will eat your lunch. Because here's how you know you're surprised. You say, well, how do I know if I'm surprised? Here's how you know the surprise manifests in different ways. And here's how it manifests. It manifests with self pity. Your constant self pity. Nobody knows, nobody cares. Woe is me. It manifests. If you're still bitter over something that occurred, that means you're surprised because you're still bitter of what the last Christian, the last person did to you. It also begins to intensify with your cynicism. You get more cynical about the things of God. In fact, you probably have already picked my sermon apart already. You're surprised and you need to know. That's what's happening to you. And here's what's happened. If you don't learn to deal with the surprise, that stuff begins to intensify. So you become more bitter, you become more cynical, you become more deep in self pity. No one knows what I'm going through. Nobody cares. God doesn't care. So if you want to know if you're surprised, I see. If those things are intensifying in your life, they're real, they're there, the feelings are true. But your feelings are not truth to live by. And they just keeps on intensifying. And here's what begins to happen. Here's how you know. You start walking into the presence of God and what happens is, is as that is intensifying, your worship begins to diminish. Your compassion for people begins to diminish. Your sense of purpose and assignment begins to diminish. Instead of being a person that's generous to give, you're a person that's holding tight. And when you finally do give it, you give it with total suspicion the whole time. You can never turn loose to bless anybody. The reality is, is you're dealing with surprise. And here's what the Apostle Peter says to you. Don't be surprised. You are on Satan's hit list. But I have a word for you. Hell is not in control, my friends. I'm telling you, God knows exactly what he is doing. Jesus. In fact, what he says is if you're going through those things, it's not ignoring your feelings, but in the midst of those feelings he says, be very glad because you are in partnership with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. And just like his glory was seen standing at the right hand of the Father. Father, your glory is getting ready to be seen through Jesus Christ. Come on, why don't you go ahead and be very glad right now in the midst of your surprise, don't be surprised. Everybody say, don't be surprised. Then he said, it's not just being perplexed by the fire. He said, now you have to understand that there's a purpose for the hell you're going through right now. There's a purpose for the rejection and the loss of Job. There's a purpose in all of this. Okay, look what he said in verse 13. Instead, be very glad. These trials make you partners with Christ in his suffering, so that you will have the wonderful joy of seeing his glory revealed to all the world. He's not just talking about then. When you stand before God and all the accounts are settled, he's talking about even now. Let it happen. I'm going to say this again. There is no other faith has a God. No other faith, no other religion has a God who suffered and died to save you. No other religion. You see, in fact, our Father God lost a child. It was his son, Jesus Christ, he gave to be the sacrifice for your sin and my sin. It's one of the worst kinds of pain you can experience is to lose a child. But there's something God is doing. So the philosophical thought again, let's go back. Well, if God really is all powerful, then why did he bail you out? If God is all loving, then why didn't he take care of you? So he must not be loving. He must not be all powerful. You need to reject your God. Don't be surprised by the enemy bringing that into your mind. I like something that this one pastor, great theologian, the late Tim Keller, just an incredible teacher of the word. I was listening one time to one of his teachings on the reason for God, and he said this, and I want you just to see this for a moment. I think it's really good. He says, we don't know what the reason for suffering is. We don't know. But we know what the reason for suffering isn't. It can't be that he doesn't love us. And it can't be that he can just snap his finger and let it all go away and still have us. Santa Claus, basically. In other words, stay tuned into this. If he loves us enough to suffer for us, he must have a good reason for allowing it to go on. You can't have it both ways. It can't mean that he's remote and he doesn't care. And I will tell you that in every fire that I have been through and the fires that I continue to walk through, I will tell you this. I love prosperity. But I will tell you this beyond the shadow of a doubt. In my short life, I have learned more through the pain that I've walked through than I ever have the prosperity or a promotion or a pay raise. I have Learned more about God. There's some glory that's coming out. There's some glory. Now, I want you to see the similarities. First Peter, chapter one, chapter. First Peter, chapter one. And we've been in chapter four, but I want you to look at the similarities of the. Of chapter one, just ahead of chapter four. Look what he says. He says in this, you greatly rejoice. He's saying it again. Greatly rejoice. Even though now for a little while. Isn't that the trust text, that. Just a little while. If necessary, everybody circle the word necessary. You have been distressed by various trials. What is he saying? It's necessary for you. It's necessary for Pastor Sam. It's necessary for social doubts. It's necessary for a little while that you walk through this fire. Why? So that the proof of your faith being more precious than gold, which is perishable even though tested by fire, may be found to result in what everybody, praise and glory and honor of the revelation of Jesus Christ. The world will actually see Christ in your ability to walk through the suffering with Him. There's a greater glory coming, I promise you, is a greater glory. God reveals himself. So I'm telling you, there's a time that you're going to hear more from God in the pain. If you'll listen to him, in the rejection, in the insults, in the people that mock you online, you're going to find more greater glory in God. You're going to find the new meanings. I don't know if it'll come in a month. I don't know if it'll come in a year. I don't know if it'll come in your lifetime. I don't know what it is. But you will find greater meaning for what God and the purpose he has of what you're going through. Take my word for it, there is a purpose of his glory coming out of you in this fire. So you say, well, how do I. How do I stay strong, Pastor Sam? It's a good question. You must have his presence in the fire. Look at what he said. He says, if you're insulted because you bear the name of Christ, you will be blessed, for the glorious spirit of God rests upon you. That Greek word for rest actually means to cause you to rest, to revive you, to refresh you. In fact, he's saying in this fire, you're actually going to feel the revival, the renewal and the rest, and the confidence of God in the midst of the worst thing of your life. That's what he's saying. So he Says, don't be surprised. How many have ever been surprised? Yeah, you know what I'm talking about. I'm telling you, God's got a word for you. Today, on October 17, 2020, came the worst surprise for my family and me. Pastor Robert and Taylor walked with us. Robert Sr. And Evelyn, their family walked with us. My church walked with me. So many of you in here, remember? But on that October 17, 2020, our daughter Sarah, who was one of our main worship leaders in our church on that day, was diagnosed with stage 4 signet ring cell adenocarcinoma. And the prognosis was not good. I watched the power of God just come over her. She was 25 years old. A lot of you similar to your ages here. She was just less than 15 days away from her birthday. She turned 26, but on her 26th birthday, her birthday gift was a surgery that removed a 6 inch colon, 6 inch tumor from her colon, a cancerous tumor, and they took away 80% of her colon. And then the next 12 months she would be in the most intensive chemotherapies that a body could take and then subsequently would end up going into clinical trials. I watched this strong girl for Jesus Christ go through the fire. And I gotta tell you, I was surprised. I've given my life for the ministry. I've taken lots of hits for the ministry, for the kingdom. And I thought this shouldn't be happening to a man of God, not to his family and not to his girl that leads people in worship. I remember Sarah, some of you know her and know of the story, but Sarah, when she was 13 year old, this kid always had a heart for God. At 13 years of age, parents, can I just tell you, would you just please keep bringing your kids to social youth and to this church? Just keep him in here, just. I know you're not the perfect parent, but just get him in here as much as you can. Get him in that new building when he gets done, just get him in there all the time. Because it was 13 years of age, My daughter was with me, I was preaching at an event and she was off in the corner all by herself. And then I saw her come up and she had her Bible just all by herself. And we get in the car to go home, she said, dad, I know what I'm supposed to do. 13 years of age. She said, I know what I'm supposed to do. I said, what happened? She goes, God told me in the altar what I'm supposed to do in life. I said, well, what is it? He Said he gave me the scripture. Psalm 33, 3, sing a new song in the Lord, play skillfully and shout for joy. That's what I'm supposed to do the rest of my Life. And at 13 years of age, she started pursuing everything, music, started honing her skill. She'd get up on the worship team at our church at 14 years old. She'd get up at 5am every Sunday morning to start working, exercising her vocal cords, getting her spirit ready. So she get out there, she was just very black and white, everything. There was no gray place with Sarah. It was just this yes or no, right or wrong, that's the way it is. And she just started honing that craft until at 17 years of age, she won this national vocal competition and gave her a full ride scholarship, a virtuoso scholarship to a university, full ride to study music. And she calls me halfway through. She goes, dad, this is not my calling. I said, what are you talking about? She goes, they're teaching me German opera. She goes, is God ever going to move on people in German opera? I said, sarah, just stay there. God's refining you. This is part of your development. And then in 2015, I hired a worship pastor, Drew McElhaney. He's still with us today. And he said, pastor, I want to put together a team. And he said, I hope you're okay with this. But he said, I'd like to hire Sarah because I just know the gift. They'd been ministering together since they were in high school, worshiping, doing music together. And I said, well, I want to hire her because I said, she won't work for her dad, but she'll work for you. And so he hired her. And in 2015, she joined the team. And man, I'll tell you what, I was living a pastor's dream. Just the power of the anointing that would flow through that team. And even when my daughter would lead, it was every Sunday I got to just receive. And I was living a pastor's dream and a father's prayer that one of my kids could work in ministry with me. And it was really great. But when that happened to her at age 27, just a few months, few months later, on January 12, 2022, our little Sarah ran into the arms of Jesus and lost her battle with cancer. And now I have to pastor my church. The whole worship team is in grief, the whole church is in grief. My wife is in grief, my son is in grief, my daughter in law, myself. And then I got to lead a church and I Got to have sermons ready and you got the devil whispering in your ear. Okay, man of God, what happened to them prayers of yours? Have you ever been there? Did everything right? Don't be surprised somehow if he's picking on you like this, young lady, there may be something inside of you that Satan fears. For him to come after you like this. Something is coming after you. And I just sat there and so I had to decide, am I going to keep being surprised and get more cynical? Lose my worship, my passion, my calling? Or would I partner with Jesus Christ in his suffering so that his glory could be seen instead of my agenda? So here's what I'm discovering, Everybody. Here's what I'm discovering. What I've discovered is I've noticed believers like the early brothers and sisters that you have in this writing of First Peter, chapter one, throughout verse two Peter, here's what I'm discovering. There are some people that, that will go through the exact same thing, sometimes even worse than what others go through. And they'll come out refined, more glorious, sweeter, deeper compassion, more empathetic. And then I see others totally torched by the fire. Not refined, but totally torched. Cynical, walk away, hate church, hate God, where is God? And get totally torched. And then I discovered what the difference was. The presence in the fire. That's what I discovered. It's like everybody gets an oven. It's like everybody gets an oven. Everybody gets an oven. Same oven sets at 350 degrees. Same oven, and they get the same ingredients to cook with. Same turkey, same ingredients, all the same ingredients, Same oven, same fire, 350. And I've watched that one person can take the same set of ingredients, the same oven, the same kind of fire, and produce this beautiful Martha Stewart Thanksgiving turkey. And then you can give it to another person. Same ingredients, same temperature, same fire. And you get this burnt offering that everybody rejects. But the glory of this one, everybody wants to consume. What's the difference? It's not you. It's not your mental strength, your self will. It is the presence of partnering with Jesus Christ and his spirit in that moment that will show his glory. All right, I am coming in for a landing. I'm coming in for a landing. Stay with me. I want you to turn this final scripture with me. I want you to go to Psalm 137 and I want to show you something. Psalm 137, 1. And then I'm going to go to Ezekiel after that and I'll put the two together. Okay? I'm gonna show Them put it together. If you are surprised he keeps talking about this, be very glad. Rejoice. What's he talking about? He's not trying to have this mental exercise. Yeah, just cheer up, cheer up. It's not that he's trying to get you. He says, the spirit of the Lord, the glory of God, will be on you. So I want you to take you to Psalm 137, and I want you to see this. Let me give you the location. This is at the river Kabar. Babylon. And God's people have disobeyed God. They're in the fire. And now they're under 70 years of exile in Babylon, treated harshly. And many of you know that they've already gone through 400 years of slavery in Egypt. This is almost a thousand years later. And now they're in it again because they keep rejecting God. And God says, okay, y' all started this fire. I'm gonna leave you in it. So they're in the fire. Their boys are being emasculated, they're treated harshly. And look at what the people are doing in this fire. Psalm 137. So let me just read it to you. It said, beside the rivers of Babylon we sat, we wept as we thought of Jerusalem. Would you circle the word Jerusalem? We put away our harps. What happens when you're surprised? You stop worshiping. You fold your arms, you close your mouth. Instead of giving God praise, we hung our harps, hanging them on the branches of the poplar tree. For our captors demanded a song from us. Our tormentors insisted on a joyful hymn. Sing one of those songs of. Circle it. Jerusalem. But how can we sing the songs of the Lord while in this pagan land? I mean, it was deep, demonic paganism. May my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth if I fail to remember you, if I don't make Jerusalem my greatest joy. Now look at their response. If you stay surprised and you don't lean and trust God and partner with him in the suffering, let me show what begins to happen. Look at their response toward their enemies. Babylon. Psalm 137, verse 8. Watch this. Look what they say. Happy is the one who pays you back for what you have done to us. Happy is the one that takes your babies and smashes them against the rocks. Oh, I'm not bitter. No, I'm not bitter. Not me. Now, I want you to see this. Same place, same fire, same situation. Same cruel enemies attacking God's people. But there's this guy by the name of the prophet Ezekiel that's in the same place, but something different is happening to him. And the prophet Ezekiel says this in Ezekiel 1:1. So you'll put these two passages together. He says, while I was with the Judean exiles beside the Kabar river in Babylon, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God. Look at verse chapter three, verse twelve. Then the Spirit. Then the Spirit lifted me up and I heard a loud rumbling sound behind me. May the glory of the Lord be praised in this place. What place? The pagan land where enemies are attacking me. And I shouldn't be going through this. That place since the presence of God. Look at verse 14. The Spirit lifted me up and took me away. I'm in it, but I'm not in it. I'm in this world, but I'm not of it. He wants to take you to another place. Now watch this. He's being honest about his feelings. He said I went in bitterness and turmoil. I'm not denying my feelings. I'm telling you. I hated what I was going through. My anger got to me. I started getting bitter. But what happened was. But the Lord. But the Lord's hold on me was strong. Then I came to the colony of Judean exiles in Tel Aviv beside the Kabar river, and I was overwhelmed and sat among them for seven days. Same group of people, same church, same small group, same young adults ministry. But two different outcomes. What was the difference? Can I point it out to you? Are you really ready for this? What was their greatest joy? Jerusalem. Three times we've lost Jerusalem. My greatest joy is Jerusalem. Or it could be my greatest joy is my wife, my husband, my son, my daughter, my job, my identity, my looks. My greatest joy is everybody gives me great clicks, great responses on my social media feeds. But this time they got hostile. And now I'm curled up in a fetal position. I'll never talk to them again. Two different outcomes. Why? Because somebody's greatest joy was their own identity, their own self righteousness. Listen, I'm very patriarch patriotic. I pray for our nation, I pray for our leaders. But I will not worship this country and I will not worship leaders. I won't worship them. Because then that becomes your greatest joy. And here's how you know when something's became your greatest joy is when God lets fire hit it. And you think it's going to leave your life when you say to that young man, no, I will not sleep with you. I'm living for Jesus. No, I will not compromise who I am. I'm living for Jesus. No, I will not allow my Resources to be controlled by the enemy. No, I will not give my body over to this. No, I will not stay bitter and angry. I will not. I refuse. When you start saying, here's my greatest joy. My greatest joy is being in the presence of the Lord. For in the presence of the Lord there is fullness of joy, and at his right hand there is pleasure forevermore. I will tell you, get yourself in the presence of God and let him begin to revive you. Let him take you away to a place where he says, I'm gonna refine you. This is not over. This is not over. Because if God is for you and in you, who in hell could ever stand against you? Greater is he that is inside of you than any opposition, any pain, any suffering that can be thrown at sh you this day. I just know the Holy Spirit speaking to someone right over there. Right over there. And you're about ready to throw in the towel. Say, I'm tired of this church stuff and tired of all this stuff. I'm going to tell you I was sent on an assignment from God himself to tell you. Don't be surprised, because the fire you're gonna get in, you're gonna partner with his presence. And now it's gonna come this beautiful, beautiful meal that even unbelievers are gonna look at and say, I don't want the torch. Stuff of bitterness and cynicism and hate that keeps going on. I want to taste and see that the Lord is good with what's produced out of your life. So I made a decision. I'm not going to be shocked. I may even go in bitter upset, But I'm going to his presence. Say, you show me what I need to do and take me away. How about we just let his presence fill this room just for a moment? These folks are such wonderful musicians and the worship team. But here's what I want you to do way up there, young lady. Why don't you just start throwing up your hands and just start praising and say, God, I worship you in the midst of this. I don't get it. I don't understand it. I don't know why I had to bury my family member. I don't understand it. But God in your presence. I know, Father, your glory will be seen out of me. I don't understand why I lost my job. I don't understand why things. I just tried to help, and I just. I don't know. But can I tell you, let him take you away just for a moment, into his presence. Come on. Can you just lift Your hands like a spiritual funnel. And can you just begin to open up your mouth and just begin to let words come out of your mouth and begin to glorify him? Come on, way up there in that section over there. Just begin to praise him and just let the Holy Spirit begin to move through you like you've never known before. Some of you are going through such. Such torment of the enemy, attack and temptation that keeps overtaking you and overtaking you and overtaking you. Feel almost like a hypocrite. But for a moment, would you just begin to praise him and say, God, I give you my praise. Let me be like David. God created me. A clean heart, oh Lord, and renew a right spirit in me. Cast me away from your presence, God, but renew a right spirit inside of me, God. Refine me. Renew me. Just begin to worship him. Go just, just all over this place, just me to lift your voices. You begin to create the words. You begin to create the worship. Just begin to say words to him you've never said before. And I want you to join in with the worship team and I want you just to begin to exalt him and begin to praise him and just begin to say, jesus, I give you glory. I will follow you. I don't care what I lose. I don't care what gets burnt in the fire. All I know, Lord, is that the fire inside of me is going to be the fire greater than the fire that's trying to destroy my faith and my walk with you. God, put a fire of your spirit in me. Come on, just begin to worship and begin to bless him and begin to join in the worship. There is. There is a mantle coming on on you right now. I know that you may seem like a distance away from me and. But I will tell you there's something you feel has just come upon you, and I'm going to tell you what that is. What you are sensing is an impartation of an uncommon mantle for the fire that you are currently in. And that mantle will be like, if you will, a protection over you of his presence. It is going to give you a solace. It's going to give you a peace and a calm. You're going to stop wigging out over this. You're going to start going to sleep at night. You're going to have a good night's sleep. You're. You're. Let me. I'm just telling you this. You are going to get clear insight of the next step. It may not make sense, but you're gonna have such Confidence that you know, this is the way you'll be in the presence of God, you're gonna know this is the way I'm gonna walk in it. You're gonna know the next steps to make. And here's what else is gonna happen. Whenever I go through one of these times and I don't like it, I've just been through it, still walk it out, still walk it out. But the Holy Spirit always keeps showing me the things that new do need to be burnt up, that I have clung to as my own sense of pride, identity, sense of security. And I said, go ahead Lord, if that's what you need to remove, don't remove you. I want to give you just one other thing. I want to give an opportunity for those of you who don't know Jesus Christ to know him in a way you have to never known him before. But let me tell you what that presence, when you get in the spirit, because you walk in like the prophet, like preachers and other seasoned believers, where you walk in bitter and, and you, you walk in in turmoil and you're just struggling, don't minimize. Because the presence of God and his people are the only thing that will sustain you, you and help you walk right. But I will tell you this, if I can just describe this to you for a moment. How many ever turned off, how many have ever been in your house? And at night you're looking out the window and everything, you just look out, you can see out there. But when the sun rises the next morning, you never saw this. When the night was out, was outside on their side of the window. But when the sun shines through, how many have just known, oh Lord, that window is disgusting. Who put their nose up against that window? And you see every little blemish, but it never appeared until the sun began to rise on the other side of that window. So I'm going to tell you something. When you want that the sun will begin to rise on the window of your soul and he will expose even the smallest smudge. And you have to let him clean it. You have to let him clean it. And I promise you, I promise, promise you, you will sense such a greater confidence in the midst of the fire. Like those Hebrew children. And the only reason he didn't burn them was cuz there was a fire in them hotter than the fire that they got thrown into. Yeah, that's what you need. Don't be surprised. Get his presence to God. You do whatever you want to do. So just for a moment, could you just close your Eyes as we close this service. And Josh is coming back in a moment. But I believe there are some of you that have been so distant from him, so far from him. And he's spoken to you, and he's put his hand on you. He said, I sent the this word from me to you, but you have run from me. And it's as if this morning it wasn't some preacher up here telling you, calling out all your sin, how distant you are from him. It's like the sun begin to shine on the other side of that glass. And you saw it. And you said, God, you're the only one, one that has the power to cleanse that window. So I want you to come in, Jesus, by the power of what you did on the cross and forgive me. I don't want no smudges. I want no distortions of who you are between you and me. I want nothing on that glass distorting the image of who you are. But there's something in the way. And maybe he's challenged you. And maybe you're standing right beside the person that is a part of the challenge. I don't know. But you say, jesus, I want it all from you. I'm surrendering to your lordship. And maybe you've never given your life to the Lord Jesus Christ, ever. Some friend invited you. You just got to check out my church. But God was watching you. He set you up today. He said, you're mine and I'm yours if you'll let me. And you'll see something come out of your life you never dreamed. But you got to surrender to me and my lordship. And maybe you've never given your life to him. Maybe you've ran distant from him. You say, I want to give my life. I want to surrender myself to the lordship of Jesus Christ. I want to follow him. No matter what the fire is. I want to follow him. But Pastor Sam, I'm not following him. And I'm surrendering. Today, with no one moving, just for a moment, if that is you and I count to three, I want you to just lift your hands toward heaven. Because social Dallas can't save you. I can't save you. Jesus Christ was the one who paid the price on the cross to break every chain of Satan off of you. So that his glory can be seen inside of you. And you want that. You ready? When I count to three, just lift it up. Holy Spirit, give my friends the courage to say yes to you and surrender to your lordship. Here we go. Ready? 1, 2, 3. Just lift it Up, Pastor Sam. That's for me. It's for me. That's for me. Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Father. As their hands are lifted, may they just feel the arms of the Holy Spirit. Almost like they can feel physical arms coming around them right now, saying, I've waited for you and I've wanted you. You're the reason I. You're the reason I went to the cross, Father. They surrender to you and say, jesus, I'm not turning back. Grow me. Help me, Jesus. You have answered their prayer this morning. With those of you with your hands raised, would you just say this simple prayer? Let me just lead you in this simple prayer. Come on, everybody. Social, family, would you join in with them as they say this? Say, Lord Jesus, I'm not running from you anymore. I'm running to you. You're my only hope. You always have been. And today, Jesus, I declare you're the Lord of my life. And you're the Lord of every situation situation in my life. And I want you more than anything else because you wanted me more than anything else. So, Jesus, I give you my life and I receive the power of what you did on the cross for me. Every one of my sins are washed away, never to be held again me ever again. You will never view me through my sins and my past. You only view me now, Father, through the blood of your son that gives me freedom and calls me your child. I'm following you all the way. I love you, Jesus, and I want to praise you. So come on, let's praise him, everybody. Let's just praise him. Those of you that made a commitment to follow Jesus, I don't know, Josh, maybe you can give a little follow up on this, but I want to encourage you.
- [59:45]
C
I want you.
- [59:45]
D
Listen, give this church a year of your life. Just show up every Sunday for the next year. Just do your best to be in there every Sunday. And I'm gonna tell you, a year from now you are going to see the greatest transformation. You are gonna be shocked at what happens in your life. Okay, Come on now. Let's give Jesus the highest praise. He deserves it.
- [60:09]
B
Amen.
- [60:09]
D
Come on, Josh. Go ahead, buddy.