FBCPS
Sermons, teachings, and podcasts from First Baptist Church in Powder Springs, Georgia.
FBCPS
God's Word on Repeat | Deuteronomy 1:1-8
Discover how the power of repetition and words can transform your spiritual journey, inspired by the teachings of Deuteronomy. Reflect on Pastor Lee Myers’ recent sermon and his grace in the face of challenges, as we draw parallels between parenting and spiritual growth. We discuss how repeating crucial messages and putting God's word on repeat can shape our beliefs and actions, much like a beloved song that speaks to the soul. This episode promises to uncover the profound impact of words and the importance of God's covenant, just as the Israelites were reminded before entering the promised land.
Explore the Book of Deuteronomy as more than just a historical text—it’s a divine peace treaty between God and Israel, rich with promises and expectations. We reveal three significant declarations from God, emphasizing the relevance of His promises in our modern lives through Jesus. Celebrate the exciting developments within our church community, including the involvement of young men and the ordination of new deacons. These changes reflect our own spiritual growth and remind us of the roles we play in our communities, fueled by God's intimate knowledge of who we are and the path He has set for us.
Unravel the challenges and rewards of engaging with the Bible, as we share personal insights and resources like the ESV Study Bible and the Bible Project. Discover how regular Bible reading can lead to profound personal growth and transformation, even if the path isn’t the fastest. Inspired by Deuteronomy 1:6, we encourage stepping beyond comfort zones to embrace missions set by God, emphasizing the unity of all people created in His image. Conclude with a heartfelt invitation to respond to God's love with open hearts, celebrating those who choose to follow Jesus and join the family of believers.
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Thank you. Book of Deuteronomy. The book of Deuteronomy. I want to say a special thank you to Lee Myers, who did Pastor Lee Myers, our choir and orchestra worship pastor, who did such a great job preaching last week. He had a crazy week. The week before leading up to that we were playing a little merry-go-round in our offices. He was moving offices, he was studying to preach and then, as he mentioned about a little bit, a tree fell on his house that he was selling in Augusta and he had to go up the previous Saturday knowing that he was preaching on that coming Sunday.
Speaker 1:And I think you can always measure a man by the weight they could carry on their shoulders. Can I get an amen? And I'm just so thankful for all the gifted people that God has given us here in our church. Let's pray, heavenly Father, we pray, lord, that you would bless your word this morning. God, speak to our hearts with your very voice. Speak your words over us so that we believe your truth. God, thank you that you know us, that you know where we are, who we are, and God for all that you have for us. In Jesus' name, and all God's people said amen.
Speaker 1:Well, our series is called Repeat, because Deuteronomy actually is when the children of Israel. They have made it through the wilderness for 40 years and now they're on the banks of the Jordan River, overlooking the Jordan River. They can see the promised land. They're at the end of their journey and this is the opportunity that God stops them for a couple of months and, through Moses, god repeats his covenant, love and laws to them. Everybody say repeat, repeat.
Speaker 1:I heard a story of an old man this week, an old man that went to the hearing doctor. And he went to the hearing doctor and he said, doctor, I need help. And he said how can I help you? And he said well, doctor, here's the deal. My wife can't hear, she can't hear, and so I need you to help me, because the problem is she doesn't know it, so I need to prove to her that she can't hear. So the hearing doctor gave him some advice. So he went home and he tried it out and the doctor told him to stand in the next room from his wife. So she's in that room, he's in this room. And he said hey, dear, what's for dinner? Silence, he's like, I got her. And he walked into her room, the room that she was in and right across the room he said hey, dear, I said what's for dinner Silence. So he walks up to his wife, he gets right in front of her face, looks at her in the eyes and he says hey, dear, I said what's for dinner and she said roast beef, mashed potatoes and English peas, like I told you the first two times, right?
Speaker 1:So sometimes we feel like we have this need to repeat ourselves. If you are the parent of young children, you are repeating yourself over and over and over again. And so, honestly, in this book we see that God sees the importance of repeating his word. Everybody say repeat. What we see here is the importance here is we need to put God's word on repeat. It's like when you have a favorite song, maybe you listen to your music through your phone or through your laptop or your iPad or whatever it might be, your tablet, and maybe you just you find a worship song, and maybe from the incredible job that our worship team does on every Sunday morning, and maybe you went home and you searched for it and that song just spoke to you, it just hits you different, it just really captivated your soul, and you go home and you put that song on repeat Because you have to hear it over, and, over and over again. You know we can't help it. It's the way that God made us. It's the way that God has wired you. You actually live out the words that you repeat in your head and you repeat in your heart over and over and over again, words that you have heard, is the ways in which that you live. I have a counselor. Maybe you have a counselor. I believe that we all need a counselor and my counselor I was talking to him this week just about this topic, about this subject, and he was talking to me about the power of words.
Speaker 1:He shared with me Proverbs, chapter 18, verse 21. That, proverbs 18, 21, says the tongue has the power of life and death. The tongue has the power of life and death. Your tongue has the power of life and death. Your tongue has the power of life and death Other people that you listen to. Their tongue in your life has the power of life and death. We often repeat the words that we have heard.
Speaker 1:So maybe you're here this morning and you are living out the lies that you've been told because you believe them. Maybe you're here this morning and you've struggled throughout your life because someone discouraged you and someone spoke words of death over you and you believed them. Or maybe you're here this morning and you have valued God's word over every other word. I want you to know, no matter who you are this morning, that we believe words. But the point is the words that you listen to, the words that you hold on to, the words that you believe are the words that make the biggest difference in your life. Can I get an amen?
Speaker 1:Now, what's very interesting about this book of Deuteronomy? Let me share with you a couple things about Deuteronomy. So Deuteronomy, actually the word Deuteronomy, it means second law. Deuteros is the Greek word for second, namos is the Greek word for law, and so it means second law. Again, god was sharing with them his laws, his covenant, his love, before they are entering into the promised land. But also, did you know that, deuteronomy being the fifth book of the Bible, it's actually the last book of the first five books that we would call the Pentateuch or the Torah?
Speaker 1:Did you know that Deuteronomy was probably Jesus' favorite book, which is crazy, because we rarely ever talk about Deuteronomy? We rarely ever. I'm not sure that I've ever heard a sermon series through Deuteronomy. To be honest with you, I'm not sure that I've ever done a quote Bible study through Deuteronomy. I've read through the book many times but I've never had anybody come up to me and be like, hey, have you heard this from Deuteronomy? This is incredible. Why? Because there's something about it that we don't think that it is all that useful for our life. It's interesting.
Speaker 1:So did you know that Jesus, he quoted from Deuteronomy than any other book of the Bible throughout the New Testament. Did you know that when Jesus was in the wilderness and Satan came up to him and Satan was tempting him, and when Jesus gave scripture back to him to overpower Satan's temptations with God's truth, did you know that all three scriptures he used for all three temptations Jesus used out of the book of Deuteronomy? Did you know that when the Pharisees came up to him and they said Jesus, you think you're so smart, you think you're so big and bad, then why don't you just go ahead and tell us what is the greatest commandment? Did you know that Jesus chose Deuteronomy in order to answer their questions? So could it be that Satan tempts us and deceives us not to read the book of Deuteronomy because Satan knows how powerful it is for your life. Satan knows how powerful it is, for even against our temptation. In fact, I would encourage you that Deuteronomy is powerful.
Speaker 1:Deuteronomy is a book that we need to understand. In Deuteronomy. I'm very excited to teach it to you this morning. But one other thing that's very interesting about Deuteronomy is Deuteronomy is written differently than any other book of the Bible. Deuteronomy is actually written in the form of an ancient peace treaty that countries would write up for one another.
Speaker 1:Let me explain. Let me explain for a second. So you would back in these days, thousands of years ago. You would have a world superpower that would come up to a struggling little nation and the world superpower would say we'll protect you, we'll give you some of our resources, we'll consider you as our own, but all we need from you is to give us your loyalty and your love. We'll consider you as our own, but all we need from you is to give us your loyalty and your love. We'll protect you, we'll consider you our own. Just give us your loyalty and your love.
Speaker 1:And what is God doing? God is coming up to his people, israel, and God is saying I am the ultimate superpower. You are a small, tiny, struggling nation. You're nothing without me. But guess what? I'm gonna make you everything and I want you to come and I want you to give me your love and your loyalty and I will protect you and I will provide for you and my providence will be over you and I will love you and I will call you my own. You will get to be my kingdom, you will get to be my people, you will get to be my children. That's what God was doing for Israel and time out, that's what God's doing for you. Children, that's what God was doing for Israel and time out, that's what God's doing for you.
Speaker 1:See this book of Deuteronomy. It is ultimately about Jesus and what God is doing in your life. Through Jesus, can I get an amen? And so what we see here? There's just five parts in the book of Deuteronomy and this will be over the next five, six weeks that we are going to study this together, and this morning we are starting with the preamble, or which is basically the introduction, just chapter one.
Speaker 1:We're going to look at the first eight verses. That's going to be it. And what are they about? The first eight verses are about this. It's just the two parties of the treaty. It's the two parties of the covenant. It's just saying here's who God is, here's who the people of God are. So let's check it out.
Speaker 1:God wants to speak. I believe, three statements over their life in these eight verses. God wants to speak three words over you this morning. You ready? I'll go and tell you what they are right now. Number one God, as you can write these down, god's saying to you this morning I know who you are. God is saying to you this morning. I know where you are and God is saying to you this morning, and I know what I have for you. I know who you are, I know where you are and I know what I have for you. Number one I know who you are. Everybody say who. I know who you are.
Speaker 1:Deuteronomy 1, 1a. It says these are the words that God spoke to all of Israel. Now it's interesting, the word words here is actually the Hebrew word, is Debarim, and Debarim is actually what the Jews would call this book. They would call it the Debarim, not Deuteronomy, that's us. They would call it the Debarim, which is literally meaning just simply the words of God. Moses is speaking these words, it says to all Israel.
Speaker 1:Now we know at this point, if you could even imagine I can't, to be honest with you, but if you could imagine, god called one man, abraham, to be the father and he didn't have any children to be a father of a massive nation. At this point, this nation is 603,000 men. 603,000 men, and those are only the men 20 years of age or older that are in fighting shape that would be considered in their military. Now let me take a time out for just a second. Do you understand what God is doing in men's lives today? Historically, in our country and in other countries, that the church is made up of a majority of women. Do you understand that? But you actually do not see that in the New Testament. In the New Testament you see men leading, you see men serving. You see men bringing their families. You see men leading the way. Did you know?
Speaker 1:A report just came out last week that said that young men in their teen years and in their 20s are now outpacing women in coming to church, that God is doing a work in the men of our country. And you know what men are attracted to. Men are attracted to eating meat. Can I get an amen? Amen, and so literally, the report was saying that men are going to churches that teach the meat of God's word. Can I get an amen? In other words, single lady, you're looking for a man, cook him some meat, amen. Cook him some meat, it might work. And in the same way, men are not looking for fluff, men are not looking for the weak things of the word. Why? Because we can't out-entertain the world. We're not trying to entertain you. What our job is, what we're called to do as a church, is to serve the meat, the deep stuff of the word of God, so that God can do a work in our hearts and our lives. Can I get an amen?
Speaker 1:I'm so thankful for the men in our church. Even tonight we are going to be ordaining two young men in their 30s. We're gonna be ordaining them into our deacon body, into our deacon team. They both serve in this service Jeffrey Wishon and Drew Highsmith and we're so thankful for them. We've got 12 new deacons rolling on and we're going to be ordaining them and in fact I want you to know that you don't even realize all that he has done. But Alan Martin, who has been our deacon chairman over the past year, has served you, jesus and our church in so many ways as the chairman of our deacon ministry. Can you put your hands together this morning for Alan Martin? What a wonderful job that he has done. We're so thankful. And I also wanna say, starting this past October 1, that we have a new deacon chair. I just want you to know who it is. It is brother Larry Darnell. Would you put your hands together for Larry Darnell? We're so thankful. We're so thankful for Larry.
Speaker 1:So I want you to see that these are the words. God is working. And, by the way, because there's 603,000 men, these men would often have wife and children, multiple children, to where some historians tell us that there could be up to several million of all of Israel, of God's people. In other words, moses is speaking to every generation. He's speaking to the children, he's speaking to the teenagers, he's speaking to the young adults, he's speaking to the median adults, he's speaking to the senior adults, he's speaking to all women. He's speaking to all men, which means none of us are off the hook. Which means every single time that you come to church and you hear the word of God, no matter who you are or what age you are, the word of God is for you. Can I get an amen. God works in every single generation.
Speaker 1:Did you realize that just last week you can't make the stuff up just last week in our 930 service we had a 10-year-old get baptized. We had his mother get baptized she was in her 30s, had a grandmother get baptized I believe she was in her 50s. And then in this service we had a young lady get baptized. She was in her 20s. In fact, this coming Tuesday we've got a private baptism for a lady that's going to happen in her 80s and a man in his 60s. This morning just told me he was going to get baptized. That means the 10-year-olds, the 20-year-olds, the 30-year-old, the 50-year-old, the 60-year-old and the 80-year-old, 40s and 70s. We need to catch up. Can I get an amen? Let's go, put your hands. God loves to change lives. God loves to change lives. Now I gotta keep moving and show you this because this is so fascinating to me.
Speaker 1:Just two verses later, deuteronomy 1.3 says Moses spoke to the people according to all that the Lord had given him. Everybody say given. See Moses, he wasn't some great man, he wasn't some super religious man. All Moses was a man of faith and he gave his faith to other people. You realize that Moses, that God first spoke to Moses when he was 80 years old, when he was 80. Man, if you're not dead, god's not done amen, like he was 80. God first spoke to him at 80 years of age. The first 40 years of Moses' life he was in Egypt. The next 40 years of Moses' life he was in Midian. At the end of that, god speaks to him. And now, in Deuteronomy, moses is 120 years old.
Speaker 1:When was it that you first heard from God? See, moses didn't wait till he was 80 to give his life to God. No, that's when Moses first heard from God. And, hear me, when Moses first heard from God is when he gave his life to God, amen. The point of that is not to wait until you're old. The point of that is to be obedient.
Speaker 1:When God speaks to you and I believe that God is speaking to you today it says that he was giving everything that God had given over to him, in other words, that God desires. God loves to speak to you and God loves to speak through you. God loves to speak to you and God loves to speak through you. You know, what you hear on a Sunday morning is meant for you. But it's not just meant for you. It's meant for others that God has placed in your path, in your life and under your influence over the next week. God has given us a word. He speaks to us. Why? Because he also wants to speak through us.
Speaker 1:One of my favorite pastors goes on the mission field and he meets with pastors of that mission field and he meets with them for a week's time. They barely sleep. He just teaches them through the entire Bible. They are taking notes the entire time and then, when the week is over, they go back into their villages and they share everything that they learned. And here's what that missionary says. That pastor says this that's exactly how God has designed the church that we allow God to speak to us on a Sunday morning so God can speak through us all throughout the week.
Speaker 1:Jesus said that he would not speak, but only what his father had given to us. Jesus said that he gave you his Holy Spirit so that you could remember everything that he has taught you this week. I want to challenge you this series that's going to last over the next five, six weeks. I want to challenge you Be in God's word daily, because it's God's word that he loves to speak over you. He's saying I know you and I love you.
Speaker 1:The whole point of Deuteronomy is listen to God and love God. Why? Because God loves you and he wants to speak his truth and his life over you, and so we need to put God's word on repeat. Or in other words, we see different things that you can do with God's word during the week. You can read his word, you can listen to his word, you can meditate on his word, you can hide his word in your heart, you can remember his word and you can obey his word. But that's not all Moses did. The Bible says that Moses, he undertook to explain this law.
Speaker 1:The question is what does the word explain mean? It is the Hebrew word is ba'er. Everyone say ba'er, congratulations. You know Hebrew ba'er. Ba'er means to explain. Ba'er literally means to make plain or simple, to make clear.
Speaker 1:I don't know about you, but when I open up my Bible and I read what God has for me, I don't understand everything that it means and that it says. Can I get an amen? Am I alone in this place? Don't look at me so spiritual right. Like you, open up the Bible. You're like my goodness Lord, who cares about boiling a baby goat in his mother's milk Like why does that even matter? Why are you telling us these things? What does this have to do for my life? But you know what I need. I need exactly what you need. I need resources to help me.
Speaker 1:I love a good study Bible. I've got a lot of study Bibles that I reference, but I love my favorite's the ESV Study Bible. I love the Gospel Transformation Bible. Here's the ESV Bible, the Gospel Transformation Bible. There's an incredible website that you can go to. It's on YouTube as well the Bible Project and you can watch them break down different books of the Bible on video and they are incredible. There's a great website it's kind of like Bible Google and it's called GotQuestions. You can write down any Bible question you have in the search bar at gotquestionsorg and it will pop up article upon article upon article on how to answer your Bible question. Go and get a picture of that right there, because I use literally dozens of resources, but these are four of my favorite, but no resources as powerful in my life as just reading.
Speaker 1:Hear me just reading the word of God and asking the Holy Spirit to explain it to me and just meditating on it that day and praying and asking God. God, would you make it clear? Because we need people to make God's word clear, because what is God's word saying? God's word is telling you who he is, but God's word is telling you who you are. God is saying I know who you are. There are some of you here in this room that you've been lied to, some of you here in this room that you've been lied to, some of you here in this room that you've been living out the lies that you've heard about yourself.
Speaker 1:Hear me, that are not true. God's word says that you are his creation. You're created in his image, which means you're his image bearer, which means you're not a mistake. You're a miracle. You were created on purpose. You were created with a purpose. You are loved by God and you are his child. If you believe on his son, jesus Christ, put your hands together this morning. If you believe who we are in Jesus Christ, who we are in Jesus Christ, god loves being your father. I love being my kid's dad. I'm so thankful that I'm Brooklyn's dad. I'm so thankful that I'm Cruz's dad. I'm so thankful that I'm Eliana's dad, and God is so thankful that he's your father. He loves you and he just wants you to know who you are and that's why, hear me, you have to put God's word on repeat in your life. You've gotta get into God's word every single day.
Speaker 1:Did you know I didn't say this in the first service? Did you know that they did a study and they asked about how people's lives were changing and how often they read the word? Did you know the study says that if you read the word of God one, two or three times a week, it basically makes no difference or no change in your life. Did you know that this study said that if you read the Bible four times or more during the week is when God starts to do a major change, to make a major difference in your life? Do you know why that is Because four is the majority. Four days is the majority of the week. And God is saying I want you to give me the most, not the least. God is saying I want you to trust me the most, not the least. God is saying I want you to come to me the most and not the least. God is saying I want you to come to me the most and not the least. God is saying I know who you are. Everybody say who. Also, god is saying I know where you are. Everybody say where these next two are going to go faster. Don't worry, here we go.
Speaker 1:Deuteronomy chapter one and two Beyond the Jordan. God says I know where you are. The Israelites were beyond the Jordan, in the wilderness, in the Arabah, opposite of Suph, between Paran and Tafel and Laban, and Hazeroth and Dehazahab. It is 11 days journey from Horeb by the ways of Mount Seir to Kadesh, barnea. If you don't know how to say the words of the Bible just loud and clear, nobody will question you. Okay? So here's what we see. Here's what God says I know where you are. This is the end of their 40-day journey. 40-year journey. Excuse me, they start here on the left in Egypt. This is an 11-day journey If the Lord took them up along the coast to the promised land 11 days.
Speaker 1:We know it took them 40 years, but God didn't take them that way because he knew that they were not ready to fight the Philistines. He knew that they would cower back and leave and go to Egypt, which means this Hear me, god doesn't always take you the fast way, but he does always take you the best way. See God, for him it wasn't about speed For him. It was about their souls. Instead, god took them south and down here, at the very bottom of the map. You won't believe what that is. That's Mount Sinai. That's where God wanted to meet with them. That's where God wanted to reveal himself to them and all of his plans for them. See, god?
Speaker 1:You might feel like that God is moving so slow in your life, but what is God doing? He is taking you through the perfect route so that you come to know who he is and all that he has for you. The problem is is that then they begin their sin. They begin their wandering of disbelief and rebellion and disobedience, and it takes them from Mount Sinai all the way up to where we are now in the passage, and it takes them 40 years, which means that my sin slows down God's plan in my life and your sin slows down God's plan in your life. That's why the Bible says we always have to be aware of our sin.
Speaker 1:God is saying I know where you are, and it's fascinating to me how God goes on to say he says in the 40th year, on the first day of the 11th month. In the previous verse it's interesting God said it's only an 11 day journey. But in this he says but now here we are in the 40th year. It's so fascinating to me that God does not stop and say do you remember all that sin you did? Do you remember all those times you got it wrong? Remember all that disbelief, all that disobedience that you threw my way? No, god is just saying I know where you are, I know what you've gone through and, to be honest with you, I can't explain it. You can't either. But somehow God allows them to wander around because of their sin. But at the same time, somehow God is leading them all along the way. In other words, god is saying I know where you are because I'm there with you.
Speaker 1:Let me ask you a question when are you? Where are you in your life? Are you where you would thought you would be at this point in time in your life? We might hear that question or we might ask ourselves that question, but I just want to encourage you. That's not the question to ask. The question to ask is not are you where you thought you'd be? The question is are you where God is leading you to be? The question is are you where you thought you'd be? The question is are you where God is leading you to be? The question is, are you where God is leading you? Because God is with us and I want you to know that, even though they were sinning and even though they were struggling, that God never left them.
Speaker 1:When my kids struggle, when mine and Michelle's kids struggle, we never leave them in their struggle. When our little girl, brooklyn, five years old, with cerebral palsy, and she struggles physically, we don't leave her and say go do it yourself. No, we run to her aid and we help her. When Cruz struggles emotionally because he can't have everything that he wants, we go and we help him and we love him and we encourage him. Eliana this week has just been coughing and hacking and sneezing and all the stuff and we don't just let her do that Like throughout the night. Michelle just comes and sweeps her up and hugs her and holds her and pats her and suctions all that mess out of her. Why? Because we love our kids and God loves you and he even loves you in your struggle. He loves me in my struggle.
Speaker 1:He says in verse four and five he said, after he, moses, the Israelites had defeated Sion, the king of the Amorites who lived in the Heshbon and Og, the king of Bashan, who lived in the Heshbon and Og, the king of Bashan, who lived in the Asheroth and Edre, beyond the Jordan, in the land of the Moab, in other words. I'll read that quickly because it's all just to say this Sometimes we only remember the low spots in our life. Sometimes we get focused on the struggles of our life. But look at me, god has given you so many victories. These are all kings that they never would have beaten, nations and armies that they never would have had victory over if it was not for God on their side.
Speaker 1:Can I just remind you this morning you would not be here today if God were not with you. You would not have made it this far if God was not with you. God, he knows who you are, he's for you, he knows where far if God was not with you. God, he knows who you are, he's for you, he knows where you are, he is with you. God said you are my people, I am your God and I shall dwell among you. God has said I will never leave you, I will never forsake you. Jesus said I will be with you even until the end of the age. So where are you Today? You might feel alone, you might feel forgotten, you might feel discarded, you might feel left behind, you might feel set aside. But God is right, there with you and he's speaking to you and he wants you to know that he has not left you and, lastly, and quickly, he knows who you are, he knows where you are and he knows what he has for you. God says I know what I have for you. This is my favorite part.
Speaker 1:Deuteronomy 1.6 says the Lord, our God, said to us in Horeb what is Horeb? Horeb is Mount Sinai. When they were there, right after they were delivered from Egypt, he said you have stayed long enough at this mountain. Remember, leviticus is when God brought them to the mountain for an entire year, when God was revealing to him his law. And look, he goes back and he says you've stayed long enough at this mountain. In other words, hear me, here's what God is saying. You weren't made for the mountain. You weren't made for the mountain. See, they wanted to stay at the mountain. Why? Because the mountain is easy. They wanted to stay at the mountain. Why? Because the mountain is amazing. They got to come to the mountain, they got to see the glory of God and hear the voice of God.
Speaker 1:The same thing happened in the New Testament, where Jesus took Peter, james and John up on the Mount of Transfiguration. James and John upon the Mount of Transfiguration. And Jesus, he starts, he uncovers this deity and his glory. And Peter says let's just set up three tents and let's just stay here forever. Let's never leave this mountain. And God says you've stayed here long enough. And Jesus said you can't stay here, you gotta go. Why? Because we weren't made to stay on the mountain, we were made to go on the mission. Can I get an amen? You weren't made to stay at the mountain. God gives you and God gives me mountaintop experiences. That's how God designs every Sunday to be. But your spiritual life is not just about Sunday. Sunday is your encouragement, sunday is your empowerment. Sunday is when we get together, gather together with the people of God and God fills us up from the mountains so that we can go and live on the mission during the week.
Speaker 1:God said turn and take your journey and go to the hill country of the Amorites and to all their neighbors in the Arabah, in the hill country, in the lowland, in the Negev, by the sea coast, by the land of the Canaanites and the Lebanon as far as the great river Euphrates. What is God saying? That I'm about to send you out and you're about to finish this journey to the promised land. But hear me. Here's what he says. Look at me. But he says it's not going to be easy. You still have battles to fight. You still have victories to win. You still have victories to win. I still have things that I'm gonna do in your life, because if you're not dead, god's not done. Here's what God is saying. You're not made to stay at the mountain, you're made to go at the mission.
Speaker 1:But the mission isn't easy. See, god has created us for the mission. What is the mission? Here's what he says. He says see, I have set the land before you, the promised land. He says I want you to go in.
Speaker 1:Everybody say go, I want you to go in, I want you to take possession of the land that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob, to give to them and to all of their offspring after them. God is saying I've given you a land and I want you to go. He's saying I know who you are, I know where you are and I love you and I'm with you and I know what I have for you and I'm empowering you to live on the mission. He says what I've given you and what I've spoken to you, I want you to go and give it to other people. I want you to tell them so that they can know me, like you know me, because they are the mission. He's saying I want you to go into Powder Springs, I want you to go into Hiram, I want you to go into Austell. I want you to go into Hiram, I want you to go into Austell, I want you to go into Marietta, I want you to go into Kennesaw, I want you to go into Atlanta. I want you to go into Cobb County, in Paulding County, in Forsyth County, in Fulton County, in DeKalb County, in Douglas County. I want you to go into wherever you go.
Speaker 1:And here's what Jesus is saying. I want you to go and I want you to make disciples. I want you to go. That word go simply means wherever you go or as you go, wherever you are.
Speaker 1:What do we do in making disciples? We're simply just telling people what God has taught us, what God has done in us. And he said of all nations, of all ethnicities. We celebrate that different ethnicities are coming to our church. We celebrate different ethnicities and different nationalities because we believe that we're all of one race, the human race. Can I get an amen? We're all created equally in the image of God. Can I get an amen? And so he says that he wants us to go and he wants us to tell all ethnicities and he wants us to baptize them. To baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. He says I want you to teach them to observe everything, in other words, everything that God has taught you. Everything, in other words everything that God has taught you. He's taught you for you and he's taught you for others.
Speaker 1:When God speaks to you through his word, when God speaks to you through your devotions, it's for you, but it's also for somebody else. When God speaks to you powerfully on a Sunday morning, it's for you, but it's for someone else. When God speaks to you when you're in your group and in your community, it's for you, but it's also for someone else. And Jesus said behold, I'm with you Even to the very end of the age. I will never leave you. I will never forsake you. I know who you are because I made you. I know where you are because I'm with you, and I know what I have for you because I just want to bless you. I want more for you.
Speaker 1:And so he's saying listen, put my word on repeat. Let me speak of my love over you so that you know who you are, so that you know where you are, so that you know what he has for you. Let's all bow our heads and close our eyes. With every head bowed and every eye closed this morning, I just wanna encourage you just to focus on God right now, and maybe you just need to tell him right now that you're gonna listen to him. Maybe you just need to tell him right now God, just speak over me. God, just speak to me.
Speaker 1:Whenever I open up your word, god, I pray that your word would speak to me. I pray that your spirit would speak to me, and maybe you need to tell him right now. And, god, I'm going to believe you. I'm not gonna believe what the world tells me. I'm not gonna believe what others tell tells me. I'm not gonna believe what others tell me.
Speaker 1:God, I'm gonna believe what your word tells me. God, I'm gonna believe what you tell me, because, god, you are always right. You might wanna tell him God, help me to always remember that you're with me. Help me to always remember that you have a plan for me, to bless me, to give me hope, to give me a peace, to use me and utilize me in the lives of others.
Speaker 1:And maybe you're here this morning and you can't pray that prayer because you haven't yet given your life to him. I want you to know that I can't save you and I can't pray this prayer for you, but I can lead you through a prayer that you can give your life to God this morning through Jesus, from your own heart and your own words, you can pray something like this to him. You can just say oh God, I believe in you and God, I need you. You can tell him God, I believe that you sent Jesus, your son, to die on the cross for my sin. God, I'm asking you to forgive me of all my sin, past, present and future. And, god, I believe you can tell him in your own words, in your own heart, that Jesus rose from the dead and I believe he's alive, he's real and he's with me. And so, god, I turn from my sin and I turn and I give my life to Jesus.
Speaker 1:And here's what the Bible says. Here's what God says that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. So call on Jesus right now. Jesus, be the Lord of my life, be my leader, be my God, god. We believe that God, we pray that God, we love you and we pray all these things in Jesus' name.
Speaker 1:And all God's people said put your hands together this morning for anybody that gave their life to Jesus. We just wanna say welcome to the family. We love you, we're so glad you're a part of us. And I just want you to hear me say this morning we're gonna sing one last song of worship to the Lord and I wanna encourage you to pour your heart out.
Speaker 1:I wanna encourage you to respond, because the ways that God is speaking his love over you, you just respond with a full heart back to him. Let's all stand together. Let me pray, Heavenly Father, we just give you our worship. We give you our praise. God, we thank you for the way that you speak your words of love over us. God, help us to hear your voice. God, help us to believe your words, your truth, over everything else. God, I pray that we would put your word on repeat this week and, god, I ask Lord that you would show us who we are and where we are and all that you have for us. In Jesus' name and all God's people said let's sing together.