Worship in the Wilderness: 5 G’S to Glorify God | Exodus 16

Have you ever considered the parallels between the biblical Exodus and today's parenting challenges? Join me as we explore this thought-provoking comparison, examining the natural human response to adversity—grumbling—and how it can lead us to a deeper trust in God's plan. We'll unpack the potent themes of judgment, forgiveness, and deliverance that resonate with our journey toward a grateful life of faith. And in the spirit of deepening our spiritual connections, we'll discuss the '5Gs' that can glorify God in all that we do.

Prepare to be moved as we share the story of God's miraculous provision and rest, inviting insights from the tale of manna in the wilderness. Discover how starting our day with Jesus can provide the spiritual sustenance we crave amid the chaos, and learn simple methods for integrating prayer and scripture into even the busiest of lives. The episode culminates with a powerful service at First Baptist Church, Powder Springs, where we unite in worship, celebrate new commitments to Jesus, and bask in the hope he brings to our daily existence.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 1:00

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in the room, all the moms represented from the room. I want to say a special Happy Mother's Day to my wife, michelle Dean, the mother to our two children, one on the way. Every time you see me, you never ask how I'm doing. You always ask how she's doing every time, and so I get it, and so she is. She's doing well. I'll speak for her right now, but I'm not allowed to. But she's doing well. I'll speak for her right now, but I'm not allowed to, but she's doing well, as good as can be. And we are scheduled for a C-section, not tomorrow, but a week from tomorrow, next Monday, and so we're praying. I mean, if we had it our way, to be honest, I would preach next Sunday, her water break and we'd go into labor. But we'll just see. We'll see what the Lord's got, and so I'm just so thankful. I want to say a happy Mother's Day to my mom, who's watching Susan Dean from Pensacola, florida. I want to say a happy Mother's Day to Michelle's mom, my mother-in-law, as she is watching from heaven with Jesus as well. Can we put our hands together for all of our moms? We're so thankful, so thankful for all of our mothers. We literally would not be here without you. Amen, all right, I love this verse when it comes to Mother's Day, one of my favorite verses that I get to read on Mother's Day that I want to read this to my wife, to my mom, to my mother-in-law and also to all the moms out there who are here who are listening Her children the Bible says in Proverbs Proverbs chapter 31, says her children, rise up and call her.

Speaker 1: 2:28

Blessed Her husband also. He praises her. Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all. She's not looking at me, but you surpass them all. We're so thankful for all of our moms and all that God is doing through our mothers. In fact, today we have a free flower. We like to call it, we like to say for every female. Why? Because today, here's what we're doing we're worshiping Jesus. Today we're celebrating motherhood, but also we're honoring womanhood. Why? Because Jesus lived in a culture that did not honor women, but Jesus did honor women, because Jesus believed, as he is the Son of God, that all women were created in the image of God. Can I get an amen? And so we are here today, living in a culture that is not honoring womanhood, creating the image of God. But we're going to do as God says, we're going to do as the Word of God says and we're going to honor all womanhood today. Can we put our hands together for all of our moms one more time? All women and all that God is doing in and through our church.

Speaker 1: 3:35

I want you to see this morning that we are continuing in our series. We're calling it Worship in the Wilderness. The title to the sermon this morning is 5Gs. 5gs to glorify God in all motherhood. But also this is not just to moms, this is for moms, but it's for all of us. It's for all of us as well. It is for absolutely everyone the 5Gs to glorify God for your life.

Speaker 1: 4:00

Now, when I think 5G, obviously I think cell phones. Right, thank God for 5G. 5g did you know? 5g is about 10 times faster than what we had in 4G. In fact, some experts tell us that 5G, when it's all said and done, it will be up to a hundred times faster than 4G. So our cell phones are not slowing us down, but I would like for you to see here that if this will switch, hello, hello. Here we go ways. These are ways that smartphones can make mom life better. So little mom hacks for all you moms in the room, all you moms watching.

Speaker 1: 4:35

First of all, grocery shopping. Don't you love it that you have grocery shopping apps today, never before in the history of humanity that you can grocery shop from your couch. Hit the send button and it will come to your doorstep. Can I get an amen? That is incredible. One day they're just going to come on in and put it in your pantry, put it in your cupboards for you.

Speaker 1: 4:56

Budgeting and finance. Why? Because you don't have to go to the bank anymore. You can do banking from your own phone, on your own couch, so that you can take out a loan for those groceries that you just bought.

Speaker 1: 5:07

Because of inflation, you need budgeting and finance. Health and fitness. Health and fitness why? Because obviously you have all the time and all the energy in the world and so there you go. Just kidding, that is a joke. My wife doesn't like that because she's like I have no time, I have no energy.

Speaker 1: 5:20

Parenting resources why? We like to say my wife, she, she, she understands this. People just love to give parenting advice, parenting advice all the time and so, and we love it. But at the same time, there's plenty on the internet, in case you are needing some more of that. Um, you don't feel like the people tell you enough already? Safety and security. This is perfect for all of you. Helicopter moms out there, you're on life, watching your kids everywhere from the comfort of your own home. There you go. You have got ways to make mom life better. Well, let's go ahead and move on. Here in our this TV is here we go. Okay, here we go. Let's go back one. Sorry, this TV is kind of giving me a little fit here. No, can we go back? Can we go back? All right, we need to work on the TV, but here we go. We're gonna look this morning five Gs to glorify God in all motherhood and in all of life.

Speaker 1: 6:09

So we are talking about in our series worshiping in the wilderness, because where we are in Exodus you can turn to Exodus chapter 16 today when we are in Exodus is that the people of God have just gotten out of slavery. Now, this is a historically true story that is to teach us theological truths about our life. So this is not just about the Israelites, this is about you, this is about me, this is about us. And so when they were enslaved by the Egyptians. It is a theological picture for you that, before salvation, before you give your life to Jesus, that we are all. We are enslaved by Satan, under sin.

Speaker 1: 6:51

And then we see that God rescues his people, how he pours out plagues on Egypt. What does he do? He pours out his judgment on our sin. How, through his son, jesus on the cross, he judges our sin so that he can forgive our sin. In Exodus, he provided a Passover lamb Today for our salvation. Jesus is our Passover lamb. Can I get an amen?

Speaker 1: 7:17

And then what happens? God saves them. He rescues them. He delivers them through a man by the name of Moses. He rescues you. He delivers them through a man by the name of Moses. He rescues you, he delivers you. He saves you through the God-man whose name is Jesus. And Jesus leads us out of our sin, leads us unto salvation.

Speaker 1: 7:36

And the Bible says that they cross through the Red Sea. The Bible says that it was their baptism. In other words, we get saved and, just like Cassidy and Alana this morning, we get baptized, and now we find them that they are wandering in the wilderness for some 40 years. What a picture of my life, what a picture of your life. You know, god has a wilderness-like experience for our lives, in that we don't really know where we're going, but God promises to lead us to the promised land. God promises to lead us according to his will. God promises to lead us according to his word. God promises to lead us according to his spirit.

Speaker 1: 8:19

So the five G's we see here of glorifying God in our life, number one starts with grumbling. Everybody say grumbling. Oh, you said it like you were grumbling, that's pretty good. Everybody say grumbling, check it out. It says this that they set out from Elam Real quick, what was Elam? If you didn't hear last week, you can go back to the podcast, you can go back to YouTube.

Speaker 1: 8:41

Elam was this paradise that God provided for them in the middle of their wilderness journey. It says that they were thirsting for three days. They didn't get the water that they wanted. They didn't get the water that they needed, and so the Bible says that they didn't go to God, but instead they started complaining amongst themselves, grumbling amongst themselves, but yet Moses went to God, and because Moses went to God, god gave them water and provided for them Elam. Elam was known as this resort. The Bible says it had 12 clean springs and 70 different palm trees.

Speaker 1: 9:20

You want to get mom an extravagant gift for Mother's Day? Get her a ticket to a resort. Get her a spa-like treatment. Give her Elam and all the congregation of people, of the people of Israel. They came to the wilderness of sin. Was it really called the wilderness of sin? Yes, I believe God has a sense of humor, because that's what they did there. They sinned and the whole congregation of Israel grumbled against Moses and against Aaron in the wilderness. Is this thing gonna work? Man technology? There it is. And Moses said the Lord has heard your grumbling, I'm sorry. And the people of Israel said to them would that he? We had died by the hand of the Lord, in the hand of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full? For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger. Production team, I'm just going to let y'all handle the TV and I'm just going to preach this morning amen. So here's what we got.

Speaker 1: 10:23

The people of Israel were grumbling, they were complaining why? Because they didn't have anything to eat. And so, while they didn't have anything to eat and they were complaining, it's kind of like being a parent, it's like being a mom. I think moms hear more grumbling than anyone on the entire planet. Kids just love to complain, right, kids? It's impossible to make a kid perfectly happy. You just can't do it. And it even says here that they were grumbling because they were let out of Egypt. But just a couple chapters ago they were grumbling because they were in Egypt. So the very thing that they had asked God to do, god had did. And now they're grumbling about what God had did, rather than God leaving them to where they were grumbling to not stay. It's kind of like kids today, right? Kids today.

Speaker 1: 11:11

You try to get them out of bed. They grumble, they want to stay in bed, but at the end of the day they don't want to go to bed. And then when you wake them up and you want to fix them something to eat, they don't want to eat. But. But then five minutes later they're starving, they're dying, they have to eat. And then they don't want to go to school. But when you go and pick them up, they don't want to go home from school.

Speaker 1: 11:28

Then you bring them home, you try to get them to go out and play. They don't want to go out and play. But when they do go out and play you try to get back in because they want to keep playing and they don't want to come back inside. And then you want to give them a bath. They don't want to get a bath, but once they get a bath they don't want to get out of the bath and it's like you just can't make them happy. Can I get an amen? That's exactly. I'm all out of breath just explaining it. That's exactly how. The life of a mom, the life of a dad, but it explains life, how we are as well. They were being over dramatic. There are times that we can be over dramatic.

Speaker 1: 12:03

Exodus, chapter 16, verse 8. Moses said the Lord has heard your grumbling, that you grumble against him. Moses said what are we? Why are you grumbling against us? He says your grumbling is not against us, but your grumbling is against the Lord.

Speaker 1: 12:21

The Apostle Paul comes along in the New Testament from this passage that we're in and he says in Philippians 2, this is fascinating to me he says do all things without grumbling or disputing why, that you may be blameless and innocent children of God, without blemish, in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. In other words, the world is watching how we react to our disagreements. In other words, the world is watching how do we respond when we grumble. The Bible says what we are showing the world is that our God is not good enough, and so why should they believe in him? He says among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. In other words, when he says do not grumble, do not complain, do not argue, do not dispute, he says it's for the purpose of the mission of God.

Speaker 1: 13:20

But let's be honest. Things happen in our lives all the time that I want to grumble. Let's be honest. Things happen in your life all the time in life, every day, that we want to grumble. And what does Satan want us to do? He wants us to have ungodly character and he wants us to do things in ungodly ways. And so things that he tempts us to do is that we don't go to God and we don't go to the source. What we do is we go to other people right, and we bring other people in on our grumbling. We take it to the internet, we take it to Facebook or whatever. And the Bible says don't grumble, don't dispute.

Speaker 1: 13:54

The Bible says have you spent time on your knees? The Bible says have you spent time with the source from which it came, whoever that person might be? In fact, I think it's a great gospel culture for us as a church to remember that all throughout life, any day of life, if someone comes to you with a grumbling aspect, that you can look with them and you can say how have you spent time with the Lord on this aspect? That you can look with them and you can say how have you spent time with the Lord on this? Have you yet had an opportunity to go and talk to the source about this? Because the Bible says that it is the grumbling that hurts the witness of the church.

Speaker 1: 14:32

Isn't it amazing that Jesus never grumbled, even on the way to the cross? Isn't it amazing that even when he went through his worst injustice, that Jesus didn't grumble while he was on the cross? All that he did was he cried out to the Father and he just said God, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing. And Jesus, that is how he forgives us of our sin. Put your hands together for Jesus in the way that he forgives us of my grumbling, of your grumbling, of our grumbling. Number two. Number two the word is grace. I love this.

Speaker 1: 15:11

Everybody say grace, grace, watch the grace of God. Exodus, chapter 16, verse 4. Then the Lord said to Moses behold, I'm about to rain bread from heaven for you and the people shall go out and gather a day's portion every day that I may test them whether they will walk in my law or not. In the morning you shall see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your grumbling against the Lord. Isn't it awesome to have the grace of God in your life. Aren't you thankful for the grace of God? The Bible says that even though they grumbled, that God did not lash out in anger, that God did not come down and strike them, even though that they sinned, god still showed them love and he showed them his grace, and we're about to see how he provided for them. Aren't you thankful for the grace of God? And when God has given us his grace, we should be people of grace towards one another. We should be people of grace, treating one another with graciousness and forgiveness and understanding and respect, and we should be showing one another, as the church of Jesus Christ, the same love that the Lord has given us, so that the communities can see. Look at that church and the way in which that they love one another.

Speaker 1: 16:28

I'm amazed when I think about what the word grace means for your life. See, you can't understand the word grace without understanding the word mercy. The word mercy means that we don't get what we deserve. As a sinner before God, all I deserve is hell. All you deserve is hell. If there's anything that we deserve that we've earned from God, it is only hell. God gives us his mercy in that when we are saved, he withholds hell from us. But his grace is that not only does he withhold hell as mercy, his grace is that he also gives us heaven. Can I get an amen? His mercy is that he doesn't give us his judgment, but his grace is that he gives us Jesus. Can I get an amen? His grace?

Speaker 1: 17:16

You might think in terms of your family. You might show your child mercy in that you don't discipline them every time they deserve it, but grace is when you bless them even when they didn't earn it. That's the parent that God is and that's the people that God is calling us to be to reflect him. So not everything your child does needs judgment. Not every wrong thing your child does needs punishment. There are times that we just need to show them the grace of God, even in their sin. Why? Because God shows me grace in my sin, because God shows you grace in your sin. So, number one we had grumble. Number two we have grace. Number three is the only G word I could think of for food and it's the word grub. Everybody say grub, grub. We got grub. The third G and the five Gs Listen to Exodus 16, verse 13.

Speaker 1: 18:23

In the evening, it says in the evening, quail came up and it covered the whole camp. Could you imagine? You don't have any food and then a flock of quail come through the desert wilderness every single evening and just land there and that's what you get to have. Every night you get to have quail, and in the morning do laid around the camp. Now go with me there and think about this, put yourself there. And there was on the face of the wilderness a fine flake like thing man. God gave the people of israel frost flakes every morning. Can I get an amen, man? It just doesn't get any better than that. You know it's funny.

Speaker 1: 19:04

Just here in my notes, exodus 16, verse 31, not on the screen, it says that manna tasted like wafers made with honey. In other words, god is not just giving them food, god is giving them food sweet to the taste, because they've got to eat it for 40 years. So it might as well taste good. Can I get an amen? If I just have to go and imagine there? As a Baptist, I just got to imagine it tastes like Texas Roadhouse rolls. Amen, it just tastes. That's what it's got to taste like. Or maybe those Hawaiian king rolls, man, those are so good. Or maybe it's like eating a dozen of Krispy Kreme donuts every single morning. Man, god is good. He goes on to say. He says it was a fine flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground, and go on. After this it says when the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another what is it?

Speaker 1: 19:59

It's funny right now, cruz, our one and a half year old, 19 month old Cruz. I just took him in the grocery store the other day. And Mother's Day, balloons are everywhere and flowers are everywhere. You ever notice like there's not just a section of them, like if it's Father's Day, there's a section of them. Why? Because moms know where to go to get something in the grocery store, but Mother's Day. They're everywhere. Why? Because, man, we get lost, we don't know where we're going, and so we'll be down there shopping for Twinkies. Oh, there's a flower and a balloon. I got to get something for mom, right, we got to be reminded. And so Cruz sees these Mother's Day balloons everywhere.

Speaker 1: 20:35

And Cruz's favorite statement that this is one of the only things that he's able to say so far he just oh, what's that? And he looked at another one oh, what's that? Oh, what's that. That's what he says all day long. Cruz is loving life right now. He's just amazed. He's amazed by absolutely everything.

Speaker 1: 20:55

And that's what they said about the manna. They said what is it? The word manna actually means, what's it? The word manna actually means, what's it? So many people today will try to describe what manna was like, what it felt like, what it tasted like, and, to be honest, we don't know past what the Bible has told us, because even the people were saying what is it? What is it like? Let me tell you what it was. It was bread from heaven. We've never had anything like it. They only had it in those 40 years. Maybe one day in heaven we'll get to taste it. We don't know, but it was just for them it is.

Speaker 1: 21:31

It says in Exodus 16, 15,. It said that the Lord has commanded gather of it, each one of you, as much as he can eat. You shall each take an omer of it according to the number of the persons that each one of you has in his tent. Go on to the next one. And the people of Israel did so. They gathered some more, some less, but when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much miraculously had nothing left over.

Speaker 1: 21:57

Whoever gathered little miraculously, they had no lack. Each of them gathered as much as he could eat and Moses said to them let no one leave any of it over till the morning. But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning. They tried it, they disobeyed, they tested the Lord and it bred worms and it stank and Moses was angry with them. But morning by morning they went out and they gathered it, each as much as he could eat. But when the sun grew hot it melted. Every single morning it was a bread buffet for their entire people. It would be like getting an all-you-can-eat card for Panera Bread and just going in and getting whatever you want.

Speaker 1: 22:43

And the Bible says that they would go and they would gather it just enough for their people. If they gathered too much, if they gathered too little, it just so happened, miraculously, that it was the exact amount that they and their household needed that day. Why? Why was it a miracle? Because God is showing them, and God is showing you that God provides for you. There is nothing that you need in your life that God does not give you. God is a miraculous heavenly father that gives us everything that we need. And we do not need to complain. We do not need to grumble, we don't need to tell people what we don't have. We need to be thankful for what we do have, because God, as your Father, has promised to give us everything that they need and this is amazing and everything that you need.

Speaker 1: 23:30

And Jesus comes on the scene thousands of years later and he tells this story again and check this out In John, chapter 6, jesus said this. He said our fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, as it is written. He gave them bread to eat from heaven. Jesus then said to them truly, truly, I say to you it wasn't Moses who gave you the bread from heaven. It was my father who gives you the true bread, the real bread from heaven. Speaking of himself, for the bread of God is he? Jesus is saying, is me, is Jesus who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world? And they said to him sir, give us this bread always.

Speaker 1: 24:13

Jesus is saying I'm the manna, I'm the bread, I'm the miracle, I'm what you need most. In fact, I just think I need to stop right here and just say If you've come here today and you haven't yet given your life to Jesus, you're missing the best part of your entire life, because Jesus is the miracle that you have been made for. He's the one that brings purpose and meaning and joy and identity into your life. And Jesus is saying that I am this bread that has come down from heaven. And here's what Jesus is saying is that I am enough for you. I'm enough. There is nothing and there is no one in your life that can give you this feeling of satisfaction and wholeness and completeness. Jesus is saying it is me.

Speaker 1: 25:12

And just like they would go out in the morning and they would gather this manna, jesus is saying I'm the bread of heaven. Why don't you come to me in the morning? Why don't you open up the word of God. The Bible says you can just see this. It says that go to the next verse for me, please. It says give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6, 6, 11.

Speaker 1: 25:33

Jesus is saying just as they would go out to gather their food in the morning, we are called, as believers in Jesus Christ, to go to the word of God and to gather our spiritual nourishment that we need for our day. I would ask you, do you have a rhythm, a routine built into your day that you get with Jesus in the morning, that you get in his word in the morning, that you get on your knees in the morning? We are so desperate for Jesus. You might be a busy mom here and you might be wondering Pastor Chip, I don't have time to do that. Can I just be honest with you pastorally? I don't have time to do that. Can I just be honest with you pastorally? You don't have time not to. Jesus is the best, he's the most important, he's the most primary part of your day. Jesus is the one when he fills you up, that you're able to live on his power.

Speaker 1: 26:29

The rest of the day, and maybe the morning, is impossible. I don't know your morning. Maybe it's impossible to get a quiet moment. I know in my house the Lord has just convicted me and my wife that in the morning we get the kids up and we get them breakfast, they sit down, they watch their Bible cartoon on the TV and then I'm with the kids and, to be honest, I'm doing my devotion then and I'm praying then. But I want my wife, because she doesn't have a free moment in her day with the kids. I want my wife to be able to go back in the bedroom and just spend time with Jesus. Why? Because she needs that time.

Speaker 1: 27:05

So for moms, when is your time? Could it be that there's a time when you're on the road? Could it be there's a time when you're on the road? Could it be there's a time that you can get up early in the morning, trusting God that he gives more strength than sleep? Could it be over a lunch break? Could it be when you put your kids down at night? And I know that you are busy as anybody could never even imagine. But I'm just telling you, jesus can do more in your life in that little time than the rest that you can do for yourself all day long. Build in time for Jesus and watch the way that he blesses you in your life, because what does he want with your life most? He just wants you. He just loves to spend time with you. He loves to be our grub, our bread, our food.

Speaker 1: 27:51

Number four, very quickly, is get rest, get rest, it says. On the sixth day they gathered twice as much bread, two omers each, and when all the leaders of the congregation came and they told Moses, he said to them this is what the Lord has commanded. Tomorrow is a day of solemn rest, a holy Sabbath to the Lord. Bake what you will bake and boil what you will boil, and all that is left over lay aside to be kept until the morning. So they laid it aside till the morning, as Moses commanded them. It did not stink, there were no worms in it. So the people rested on the seventh day. In other words, god gave them a Sabbath day that they didn't even have to go out and get the manna, the Sabbath day that God has given us.

Speaker 1: 28:37

I believe that that this continues today and people argue whether is it Saturday, is it Sunday? If I don't do it, will God strike me dead? I need you to understand. The Sabbath day is not a ritual, religious day for you to obey and observe. It is a gift of God that you get to receive and enjoy and you get rest. Your Sabbath day is just simply saying God, I work on six days, but on the seventh day I am trusting that you will do more work as I rest.

Speaker 1: 29:13

People ask all the time what do we do on a Sabbath day? What do I not do on a Sabbath day? I don't know the answer for you, but here's what I do wanna know what the Bible says. Whatever it is, you should do less. Whatever it is, you should get more rest. Whatever it is, there should be less stress. Whatever it is, you should spend more time with him. Whatever it is, you should spend more time with your family or with your friends. Whatever it is you need to do. However, whatever it is that God renews you, replenishes you and rejuvenizes you, god is giving you a gift of rest and it is a whole day in your week and I would encourage you, whatever day that is, whatever 24-hour period that is, or maybe broken up during the week, that you would receive that gift from God, because he wants to bless you through it.

Speaker 1: 30:06

In verse 32, moses said this is what the Lord has commanded. Let an omer of it be kept throughout your generations so they may see the bread with which I fed you in the wilderness when I brought you out of the land of Egypt. Here's what Moses said. Moses said God told Moses go gather some manna, put it in a jar, take that jar, put it in the Ark of the Covenant. And in that Ark of the Covenant, the manna in that jar will never spoil. It will never ruin for generation after generation after generation. Why? Because God said I want it to be a sign. I want it to be a sign, I want it to be proof, I want it to be an evidence to every generation that comes along that I am the great provider that I will always give you what you need and whatever you need comes from me. You need not grumble, you need not argue, you need not complain. I am your provider and I will provide for you too, just like I provided for them.

Speaker 1: 31:23

And that's why we do what we do as a church. That's why we have our kids ministry, that's why we have our student ministry, because the Bible says that the church, it is the church that is God's plan A to take the gospel to the community and to the world. The Bible says that we go out and we speak to the community and we reach the community and we spread the gospel amongst our community to bring them in on the Lord's day that moms and dads and sons and daughters and men and women would get to experience the body of Christ on the day that Jesus rose from the dead, the day that Jesus told us to gather, the day that Jesus gave us to worship. The church is not God's plan B, because all else failed. The church itself is God's plan A.

Speaker 1: 32:32

What do we do? We gather together and we worship together on Sunday, and then what do we do during the week? We scatter and we go out in the community. Wherever you go into the community, you spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. That's why we have KidVenture Extreme, so that our kids can come and they can experience the gospel in a vacation Bible school like manner and they can hear the gospel. That's why that we have our preschool ministry and our elementary ministry. That's why we have our student ministry. That's why we give our next generation the best that we can give them Prime real estate on our campus, because God loves to change people's lives through the church, the vehicle of the body of Jesus Christ, the vehicle of the gospel. Why do we do what we do? Look at me, it's for the next generation. Let's all bow our heads and close our eyes, with every head bowed and every eye closed during this time.

Speaker 1: 33:45

I just want to encourage you. I encourage you in this time that you would just focus on the Lord, and my question for you is what is God saying to you right now, what he might be convicting you of, compelling you to do? Calling into your life? How is it that he is calling you to live like Jesus and for Jesus? And maybe you're here today and you just need to invite him into your life. Maybe you've just been hearing this in a new and a fresh way, like you've never heard it before, and you're just thinking if that is who God is, I want that God in my life. I would live for that God. I want you to know that that is who God is, and God has given you all of himself and you can give God all of yourself.

Speaker 1: 34:40

So, right here, right now, this morning, you can pray and you can tell God oh God, I need you. You can tell God I believe in Jesus. You can tell God, I believe that Jesus died for my sin and I'm asking him to forgive me of my sin. And God, I want to turn away from my sin, I want to repent and I want to give my life to Jesus. You can tell God right now that you believe that Jesus didn't stay dead. He rose from the dead. He's alive and you want him in your life. You want a real relationship with him.

Speaker 1: 35:17

The Bible says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. And God, we believe that that's your word. It is true. We love you. We pray your word. It is true, we love you. We pray these things in Jesus' name. And all God's people said can we put our hands together for anyone that gave their life to Jesus? This morning, we're so thankful for what God is doing in people's lives through First Baptist Church, powder Springs. I'm just going to ask us all to stand together before I pray one more time and let's stand together right now, and I want to encourage you during this time that we're going to worship.

Speaker 1: 35:58

Rhonda Ramsey is going to lead us in a song. It's one of my favorite songs. It's a song called I Speak Jesus. I personally requested Rhonda to sing this song because she's a mom, she's a grandma, and I just love that line. Jesus, for my family, and I want to encourage you that when you get to that line, that you sing that line to Jesus and you just tell Jesus you are the bread of life, jesus, and you are what my family really needs. You are all that my family needs, jesus. Jesus, we need you. Heavenly Father. We love you, god. We thank you for moms, god. We thank you for families, god. We thank you for your church. Father. We thank you for your grace and God. We continue to pray, lord, that you would continue to change lives. God, that you would continue to help us to love you and love one another, and God that we would bring all of the worship to you right now, in Jesus' name amen.