Full transcript
0:38Hey, adventure kids.
0:40>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
0:42see you today.
0:44>> Shoulders are a crucial part of praise.
0:46You've really got to get them loosened
0:48up.
0:48>> I'm over here. I
0:51>> And I'm so excited that you're joining
0:53us for today's message.
0:54>> Are you guys ready to tell the story
0:56with me? and rodeo.
1:00>> Teamwork makes a dream work
1:06>> surprise.
1:08>> Maybe don't try this at home.
1:09>> Try this at home. We are there.
2:28Hey, hey, hey.
2:47Hey, adventure kids.
2:48>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
2:51see you today.
2:53>> Shoulders are a crucial part of praise.
2:55You've really got to get them loosened
2:56up.
2:57>> I'm over here.
3:00and I'm so excited that you're joining
3:01us for today's message.
3:02>> Are you guys ready to tell the story
3:04with me
3:05>> and rodeo
3:09>> teamwork makes the dream work
3:15>> surprise?
3:16>> Maybe don't try this at home.
3:18>> Don't try this at home.
4:17Hey,
4:19hey, hey.
4:41Hey, hey, hey.
4:55Hey, adventure kids.
4:56>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
4:59see you today.
5:01>> Shoulders are a crucial part of praise.
5:03You've really got to get them loosened
5:04up.
5:05>> I'm over here.
5:08>> And I'm so excited that you're joining
5:10us for today's message.
5:11>> Are you guys ready to tell the story
5:13with me? And Rodeo.
5:17Teamwork makes a dream work.
5:23>> Surprise.
5:25>> Maybe don't try this at home.
5:26>> Try this at home.
5:42Yeah,
6:02you
6:04are.
6:13Are You
6:19are
6:34a
7:04Hey, adventure kids.
7:05>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
7:08see you today. Shoulders are a crucial
7:10part of praise. You've really got to get
7:12them loosened up.
7:14>> I'm over here.
7:16>> And I'm so excited that you're joining
7:18us for today's message.
7:19>> Are you guys ready to tell the story
7:21with me? And Rodeo.
7:26>> Teamwork makes a dream work.
7:32>> Surprise.
7:33>> Maybe don't try this at home.
7:34>> Don't try this at home.
7:48Hello.
8:04Hey.
9:12Hey, adventure kids.
9:13>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
9:16see you today.
9:18>> Shoulders are a crucial part of praise.
9:20You've really got to get them loosened
9:21up.
9:22>> I'm over here.
9:25>> And I'm so excited that you're joining
9:26us for today's message. Are you guys
9:28ready to tell the story with me?
9:30>> And rodeo.
9:34>> Teamwork makes a dream work.
9:40>> Surprise.
9:42>> Maybe don't try this at home.
9:43>> Try this at home.
9:53Hey. Hey. Hey.
10:36Hey,
10:46hey, hey.
10:59Hey,
11:08hey,
11:09hey.
11:20Hey, adventure kids.
11:22>> Hey, adventure kids. It is so good to
11:24see you today.
11:26>> Shoulders are a crucial part of praise.
11:28You've really got to get them loosened
11:30up.
11:30>> I'll go over here.
11:33>> And I'm so excited that you're joining
11:35us for today's message.
11:36>> Are you guys ready to tell the story
11:38with me? and rodeo.
11:42>> Teamwork makes a dream work
11:48>> surprise.
11:50>> Maybe don't try this at home.
11:51>> Try this at home.
12:20Hey.
12:37Welcome to church online here at Life.
12:40My name is Scott and it's great to have
12:42you with us today. I know there's so
12:44many reasons why you may be online
12:46today. And if this is your only option,
12:49we're so glad to have you with us. Life
12:51has always been a place where anyone can
12:54belong. However, I also want you to know
12:57that the Bible says, "Do not forsake the
13:01gathering together." So, if you are in
13:03driving distance from any one of our
13:06campuses, I want to encourage you, get
13:08into a campus. We want to meet you face
13:11to face and connect with you there. That
13:15being said, I want to encourage you,
13:16lean in today, be part of the service,
13:20and I hope to see you in one of our
13:22campuses soon. God bless.
13:28Heat. Heat. N.
14:18Hey, hey, hey. Heat.
14:34Heat.
15:04K. Welcome to church.
15:06Why don't you stand to your feet? If
15:08you're joining us online this morning,
15:10it's great to have you. Why don't you
15:12turn to the person next to you and say,
15:13"We made it."
15:16Daylight saving didn't stop us from
15:17getting to church. Come on, let's sing.
15:30Wondering through the night.
15:34wanting a place to hide his soul.
15:45>> I try to blow my mind,
15:48but I just can't win a fight. I'm slowly
15:52drifting.
15:55I'm
15:57sounding good.
16:00And just when I
16:04man
16:19my feet on the ground. I think
16:23I think a savior because he heal my
16:26heart. He changed my name forever free.
16:31I'm not the same. I think of myself. I
16:35can save. I thank God.
16:40I cannot deny what I see. Got no choice
16:45but to believe. My s are burning
16:51my cash.
16:55So don't burn your face
16:59burning in this. You can't just keep
17:03moving.
17:05Now you ain't working here. Come on,
17:08let's sing.
17:10From now to the street
17:14I sing you my soul
17:26me
17:36because you heal my heart. He changed my
17:39name forever free. I'm not the same. I
17:46savior. I thank God.
17:52Come on, let's sing this song together.
17:57>> I am free. I am free. I am free.
18:05I am free.
18:06>> Come on choir. I am free.
18:08I am free.
18:11Another one. I am free. I am free. I am
18:16free.
18:28You raise my fre
18:36because you hear my heart
18:38my name forever free.
18:43I
18:45savior. I
18:49turn me around. Place my feet on solid
18:53ground. I the master. I think the savior
18:58because he healed my heart. He changed
19:01my life. You free the savior. I think
19:05the messenger I think the savior. I
19:09think
19:14>> hallelujah.
19:16>> Hallelujah.
19:17>> Amen. We're going to continue worship.
19:20Going to continue to sing.
19:25How awesome is the Lord
19:29God Almighty,
19:32the name above all names.
19:36You deserve the praise now and forever
19:41more. The earth and heavens roar. How
19:46awesome is the Lord.
19:50How awesome.
19:52>> How awesome is the Lord
19:56God Almighty
19:59that name above all names.
20:03For you deserve the praise now and
20:07forever more. The earth and heavens
20:11roar.
20:13I was sent to the Lord.
20:20>> Sing it in glory.
20:23Sing glory
20:27high
20:30in the heavens and glory.
20:37All of creation
20:40bows down in worship
20:43to the king of all kings.
20:50How awesome is the Lord
20:54God Almighty,
20:57the name above all.
21:01Oh, you deserve the praise now and
21:05forever more.
21:07The earth and heavens roar.
21:11How awesome
21:13is the Lord?
21:16Alpha Omega.
21:21powerful maker
21:26of all things. You have all authority.
21:35Lion of Judah,
21:38the lamb who was ris.
21:41Oh, you hold the victory.
21:45How was his
21:49God almighty,
21:52the name above all
21:55you deserve the praise now and forever
22:00more
22:03and heaven?
22:12How awesome is the Lord
22:16God Almighty,
22:19the name of
22:23you deserve the praise now and forever
22:28more
22:30and heaven is
22:33awesome
22:41to the King of kings, the Lord of lords
22:44who lives and reigns forever more. Hold
22:48on.
22:50Glory and praise
22:54to the highest name. The great I am. His
22:58king reigns and reigns on earth your
23:03glory and praise
23:08to the lamb of God
23:12to be al
23:17glory and praise
23:20to
23:22you
23:25forever. Awesome.
23:37God almighty.
23:44You deserve the praise now and forever
23:49more.
23:51The earth and heaven.
23:54How is the Lord?
24:01How awesome is the
24:05God might
24:09above
24:12you
24:14now and forever.
24:29is
24:32the earth and heaven is
24:35how awesome is the Lord.
24:39>> How awesome,
24:42how awesome is the Lord,
24:46>> God almighty.
24:48Hallelujah. the name above all names.
24:52You deserve the praise now and forever
24:57more. The earth and heaven your how
25:03awesome is the
25:07now and forever.
25:09Now and forever more the earth and
25:14heavens roar.
25:16How awesome is the Lord?
25:21>> He truly is an awesome God. Amen,
25:25church.
25:27Amen. I think we can throw around that
25:30word sometimes, right? We have an
25:31awesome meal or we watched an awesome
25:33movie, but in the context of who God is,
25:37it is so much more than what we could
25:40think or imagine. You know, this week
25:43I've been reading Psalm 77 and it's an
25:47incredible psalm because the author, the
25:50writer is talking about the trouble that
25:53he is in, the distress that he is in.
25:56And for the first half of the psalm,
25:58he's talking about how he can't sleep.
26:00And he's praying and he's wondering
26:02where God is. And he's saying, "Has he
26:05forgotten me? Is he still compassionate
26:08towards me? Does he still care about
26:10me?" But then halfway through the psalm,
26:13there's this transition point that takes
26:15place and he says this. Then I thought,
26:21to this I will appeal the years when the
26:23Lord most high stretched out his right
26:26hand. I will remember the deeds of the
26:29Lord. Yes, I will remember your miracles
26:31of long ago. I will consider all your
26:34works and meditate on all your mighty
26:36deeds. Your ways, God, are holy. What
26:39God is as great as our God. You are the
26:43God who performs miracles. You display
26:46your power among the peoples. And I was
26:50thinking, you know, it's the same for us
26:53when we are focused and thinking about
26:56what's going on in my world and our
26:58thoughts are on me and my circumstance.
27:02There needs to be a transition point
27:05where we take our mind off me and my
27:08problems and we set our mind on God and
27:12his greatness. And as we continue to
27:15worship this morning, I just felt like
27:18for many of us, our minds are on things
27:20that are going on in our worlds. And
27:22we're not going to pretend that they
27:24don't exist because they do. But let's
27:26take a moment to redirect our thoughts
27:29and our focus and our minds. From the
27:32worry and the fear to the God who is the
27:35prince of peace. From the financial
27:38challenge that we're in to the God who
27:40will provide all of our needs according
27:42to his riches. To the sickness that is
27:45in my body to Jehovah Rafa, the God who
27:48heals. And so whatever it is that you're
27:51facing today, I want to encourage you.
27:53Why don't we all just lift our hands to
27:55heaven if you love Jesus if you're
27:57comfortable.
27:59God, we pray right now that you would
28:02help us to redirect our thoughts and our
28:04hearts and our minds from me and what's
28:07going on in my world to you and your
28:10greatness. We thank you that you are a
28:12miracle working God. That the answers we
28:15need are found in you. We set our hearts
28:17and our minds on your goodness and your
28:20glory and your greatness. In Jesus' name
28:23we pray. In your mighty name.
28:26>> Great
28:27Lord.
28:28>> We love you, Jesus.
28:34>> Great are you Lord.
28:38>> We fix our eyes on you, Jesus.
28:44>> Great are you, Lord.
28:48You are greater. You a greater God
28:54and great are you Lord. Why we sing?
28:59It's your breath
29:00>> and it's your breath
29:03in our lives.
29:06So we pour out our praise. Pour out our
29:10praise. It's your breath
29:13in our lives.
29:15So we pour out our praise to you. Holy,
29:21holy, Lord.
29:24Great and mighty are you God.
29:28And we declare you give life.
29:30>> You give life.
29:33You are love.
29:35You bring light to the darkness.
29:40You give hope.
29:43You restore
29:45every heart that is broken.
29:50Thank you, Jesus.
29:53Great are you, Lord. We're going to
29:57declare that again. You give life.
30:00>> You give light.
30:01>> Amen. You are love.
30:05You bring light to the darkness.
30:10You give hope.
30:12You restore
30:15every heart that is broken.
30:20He's moving in his place. Great are you,
30:26Lord.
30:28Magnify you, Lord.
30:33Great are you, Lord.
30:42in our lives.
30:44So we pour out our praise. Pour out our
30:49praise. It's your bre.
30:54So we pour out our praise. You
31:04So we pour out our praise. Pour out our
31:08praises. your
31:11in our lungs.
31:14So we pour our praise to you.
31:19We praise you. We praise you Jesus. Come
31:22on over this place for something to
31:24praise Jesus. Would you lift your voice?
31:26Would you lift your hands? We give
31:28glory, all the glory to you, Lord. Oh
31:32you worthy, worthy Jesus. Come on. We
31:37declare all the earth
31:39and all the earth will shout your
31:43praise. Our hearts will cry. These bones
31:47will say,
31:52"Are you Lord? There's no one, no one
31:56like you, God."
31:59>> Holy earth will shout. Oh, he lifts your
32:03prov.
32:21>> Every nation and tong declare
32:25you
32:27worthy.
32:32You
32:40will shout your praise. Our hearts will
32:46bless
32:52you.
33:00We are
33:02so we
33:10are
33:12so we
33:16all
33:18your
33:20lives.
33:22So we pour out our praise. Pour out our
33:26praises. your breath
33:29in our lungs.
33:32So we pour out all our praise
33:36to you, Lord.
33:40Great are you, Lord.
33:45>> There's no one like you. No one like
33:47you, God.
33:50Great are you, Lord. We sing you worthy
33:57cuz you are worthy to be praised.
34:02Be exalted
34:04in this place. Yahe.
34:09Yahe. Great.
34:13>> Church. He's the great I am.
34:17You're consuming
34:19holy flame.
34:21You're the fire that won't be changed.
34:26Yahe.
34:28Yahe.
34:31Holy worthy. Worthy.
34:36You are worthy to be praised.
34:40Be exalted
34:42in this place. Yahe.
34:47Yahe.
34:50Hallelujah.
34:51Hallelujah. We say,
34:54"Oh, consume me. Holy,
34:59you're the father that won't be saved.
35:04Yah
35:07great.
35:10Way
35:17great
35:22forever.
35:30These words that we say was made to
35:34proclaim forever
35:40to God in the highest
35:46praise.
35:50Oh,
35:52all power and strength forever. Yahe.
35:59Yahe.
36:02You know church, we get to come here on
36:04a Sunday and sing about this God who is
36:08mighty. This God who is all powerful.
36:11The God who created the heavens and the
36:13earth. Put the sun and the moon in their
36:16place. The God who created you and me.
36:19And the reality is he is big and
36:22powerful and wonderful. But he is also
36:25very much a personal God. He knows every
36:29single one of us in this room personally
36:31and uniquely. He knows everything that's
36:34going on in your world. He sees the
36:36challenge. He knows your past. He knows
36:38your future. The Bible says he knits you
36:41together in your mother's womb. That you
36:43are fearfully and wonderfully made. He
36:46knows how many hairs are on your head.
36:47That's how much he loves you. And the
36:51Bible actually says, many of you will be
36:53familiar with it in John 3:16, that God
36:57so loved the world. That's not just
37:00world is in its entirety. That's world
37:03is in you and me. He so loved you and me
37:07that he gave his only son, Jesus, to die
37:10on a cross to take the weight of our sin
37:13so that we could be set free and
37:16forgiven. So he gave his only son so
37:19that whoever
37:22shall believe in him shall not perish
37:24but have eternal life. And in every
37:27service that we have across life every
37:31Sunday there are people who come who
37:34have not yet had the opportunity to open
37:36their heart and their life to Jesus
37:37Christ. And that is why we exist as a
37:39church. And whether you're here in the
37:41room or you're joining us online, if
37:43that's you and you've never made that
37:45decision to open your life to him, then
37:47I want to give you an opportunity today
37:49to make that commitment by simply
37:52recognizing that I am a sinner. That
37:54there are things in my world that have
37:56separated me from God. And every single
37:58one of us is in that category. By asking
38:01him to come into our life and forgive us
38:04by believing by in what Jesus did on the
38:06cross, everything changes. We no longer
38:10do life on our own. We receive his
38:12forgiveness and his grace. And then we
38:15get this promise that one day when this
38:16life is over, we will be with him in
38:18eternity. And so with every head bowed
38:21and every eye closed, if you're here
38:22today and you're saying, Erin, that's
38:24me. I don't know what it means to have
38:27the a relationship, a personal
38:29relationship with Jesus. And I want to
38:31make that decision today. or maybe you
38:33once made that commitment but for
38:35whatever reason things have happened in
38:37your life and you know you're
38:38disconnected from him you've walked away
38:40from him then I want to pray a prayer
38:42with you today inviting Jesus to come
38:44into your life and so if that's you I'm
38:47just going to ask you to simply raise
38:48your hand I'll acknowledge it you can
38:50put it down and we're going to pray a
38:51prayer together so right now right
38:53across this room if you want to make
38:55that decision today why don't you lift
38:57up your hand thank you I see that hand
38:59thank you I can see you there God bless
39:01you anyone else want to Make that
39:02decision today. It will change
39:04everything forever. There are many in
39:07this room who can testify to that. Just
39:09give me a wave. Put your hand up nice
39:11and high so that I can see you. Then you
39:13can put it back down again. Awesome. I
39:15see you waving at me there. Great
39:17decision. Over on the side. Thank you.
39:20God bless you. Anyone up the back there?
39:22Thank you. I see that hand. Great
39:24decision. Well, church, let's pray this
39:26prayer. Why don't you repeat after me?
39:28You say, "Dear God, today I invite you
39:32into my life and I accept Jesus as my
39:37Lord and Savior.
39:39I'm sorry for all the things that I have
39:42done that have separated me from you. I
39:46want to make a new start.
39:49Help me to live with you and for you
39:52from this day on in Jesus name." Amen.
39:57Amen. Can Come on, church. Can we put
39:59our hands together? For all those who
40:01made that decision.
40:03Greatest decision you could ever make.
40:05And at the end of the service, if you
40:06lifted your hand, I'm going to let you
40:08know how you can get a Bible. We would
40:10love to be able to give that to you. But
40:12welcome to church, everyone. It's good
40:14to have you joining with us today. If
40:16you're online or at one of our locals, a
40:18warm welcome to you as well. Well done.
40:20You guys are the ones who made it to
40:22church not only an hour earlier, but to
40:24the early service. So congratulations.
40:27It's good to have you with us. Why don't
40:30you take your seats?
40:32In fact, I see saw all the kids in their
40:34pajamas and I thought, wouldn't that be
40:36nice just to roll out of bed and come to
40:38church in your pajamas? That would be so
40:41good. But hey, if you're new or visiting
40:43with us today, then we especially want
40:45to welcome you. It's great to have you
40:47joining with us. My name's Erin and we'd
40:49love to meet you. We actually have a
40:51Next Steps lounge which is just off the
40:53foyer in our chapel straight after the
40:55service. We'd love to meet you there.
40:57You can come along, have some morning
40:59tea. We want to find out a little bit
41:00more about your faith journey and see
41:02how we can help you with your next
41:04steps, which would be amazing. And also,
41:06if you call Life Home, then a couple of
41:09times a year, we take time to update our
41:12details just to make sure that we have
41:15all of your information correct so we
41:16can stay connected with you. So, we're
41:18going to take a moment to do that
41:19shortly, but why don't you turn your
41:20attention to the screen as we hear from
41:22Pastor Missy.
41:24Hey, church family. We want life to
41:26continue to be a church that you can
41:28truly call home. A place where you can
41:30belong, be encouraged by one another,
41:33grow in your faith, and find support and
41:35pastoral care when you need it. We get
41:38to do this through our groups,
41:39incredible leaders, and our amazing
41:40pastoral team, including our campus and
41:43disciplehip pastors who are passionate
41:45about caring for our church family.
41:47One of the simple ways we can do this
41:49really well is by making sure we have
41:51the most accurate information for
41:53everyone who calls life home. That means
41:56we can celebrate moments like your
41:57birthday by sending you a free coffee,
41:59know which campus you're connected to,
42:01and stay in touch with you when it's
42:03needed. So, to make this easy, to keep
42:06your details up to date, we've made the
42:08process really simple. We'd love every
42:11individual or family to take a moment to
42:13check we've got the right information
42:14for you. In just a moment, the MC's at
42:18your campus are going to give you the
42:19opportunity to do this. So, here is what
42:21you need to do. I want you to grab your
42:24phone, open a new text message, and type
42:26update followed by your first name.
42:29Then, you can send it to 9676.
42:32If we already have your details, you'll
42:33receive a reply text with a personalized
42:36link. Simply copy the code and follow
42:38the link. Your details will appear on
42:41screen where you can check that
42:42everything is still correct and update
42:44anything that potentially needs
42:46changing. For families with children,
42:48you'll also be able to review and update
42:50their details, including this school
42:52year for those aged 5 to 18. If you
42:54haven't had the chance to give us your
42:56details before, or maybe we can't
42:58accurately match your details, you'll
43:00receive a link to a form instead. We
43:02would love for you to take a few moments
43:04to fill this out. Keeping your details
43:06up to date helps us keep our records
43:09current, share important information
43:11about what's happening at life and
43:12connect you with your disciplehip pastor
43:14so we can support you however we can. We
43:17want to thank you for being a part of
43:18our church family. We love you.
43:22How good. So, what I would love you to
43:24do is get out your phones right now if
43:27you haven't already and we're going to
43:29do this together. So, you're going to
43:31text 9676
43:34the word update space and your first
43:36name. So, I would put update space
43:39errand and the link is going to come for
43:41you to follow through and you can check
43:44all of your information. Hopefully, it's
43:47all up to date. Even if you feel like
43:48you've done this recently, maybe at the
43:51beginning of the year, we would love you
43:52to do it again just to check that we've
43:54got everything correct because from time
43:56to time things change. Aren't you glad
43:59that we have technology?
44:01I can't imagine what it was like 20
44:03years ago when we had to update people's
44:06details. Lots of written forms, lots of
44:09data entry. So, I'm very grateful that
44:12we have the ability to do that so
44:14easily, which is awesome.
44:18So, you can continue to do that if you
44:20haven't finished. We're gonna hear very
44:22shortly from Pastor Luke and the panel.
44:25We're continuing on our relationship
44:27series, which uh we're in week two of
44:29three weeks. And so, uh we're going to
44:32do that very shortly. But before Pastor
44:34Luke comes, why don't you either finish
44:37updating your details or turn to the
44:39person next to you and tell them how
44:42long you have been coming to life for.
44:45There's some in the room who have been
44:46coming for many years and others of you
44:48very recent. So, just take a moment to
44:51chat to the person next to you.
45:18Awesome.
45:36Give me a wave if you've got that all
45:38sorted. Many of us. Awesome. This just
45:41really does help us be one big church
45:43family and break down the crowd into
45:45every individual so we can care for each
45:47other together. Amen. Well, whatever
45:50campus you are at, uh, I have some
45:52legends joining me on the couch. They
45:54don't really need an introduction, but
45:56over here we have Pastor Paula Marie and
45:58my beautiful wife, Pastor Missy. Could
46:00we take a moment and welcome them to our
46:05discussion today? And whatever campus
46:06you're at, whether you're online, I'm
46:08thankful that we have many people that
46:10serve through their gifts and talents to
46:12create an environment for us to
46:14experience church and the love of God.
46:16So, could we also just take a moment and
46:18honor every single volunteer that has
46:19served in God's house today? Thank you.
46:23Thank you. Thank you. Well, we are in
46:26week two of what we're uh deeming this
46:29relationship series what's love got to
46:32do with it. And if you were here last
46:34week, we had the honor and the privilege
46:36of having Pastor John and Helen Burns
46:38with us. And uh they really across the
46:42weekend spoke into marriage, spoke into
46:44this idea last week uh where we need to
46:48understand that God's word has a plan
46:50for every area of our life. And really,
46:52they spoke to the the area of marriage
46:55and the fact that sex that God has
46:57created lives in the context of a
46:59Christian marriage. And it was really
47:01powerful. and they uh very briefly
47:04towards the end of uh their time with us
47:06touched on uh some truths, some helpful
47:09guiding principles when it comes to
47:11dating. And we want to really kind of
47:13unpack further the reality of a
47:15different relational setting that's not
47:17just marriage, but I I believe today
47:20this discussion is going to help bring
47:22great help in any relationship we have.
47:25And whether you are married in the room,
47:27whether you're single, whether you've
47:29been through a tough time and you're
47:31living uh in in a place where you're
47:33like, "God, I need answers right now."
47:35Maybe you're dating, maybe you're
47:37divorced. What whatever the relational
47:39reality, we pray that today as we dive
47:42deeper, you're going to discover God's
47:44word has an answer for every single
47:45reality. And uh if you're looking for a
47:48title, I've simply titled the talk
47:50today, I love me.
47:54the importance of loving yourself. So,
47:58Father, I pray that today as we gather
48:00around your word, whatever campus we're
48:02in, whatever our relational situation
48:05may be, whether we feel like we're
48:07surviving or whether we're thriving, I
48:10pray that we would not just have a great
48:12discussion, but there would be practical
48:14wisdom a and a deep revelation that you
48:19have created us in your image and that
48:23who you are and your love towards us
48:26allows us to be who you've called us to
48:28be and to love ourselves well. We just
48:30pray that you would be with us in our
48:32gathering today in Jesus mighty name.
48:35And everybody said
48:36>> amen.
48:36>> Amen. Pastor John Helen touched on the
48:39reality of the beginning of the Bible in
48:41Genesis 1 where God creates human
48:45beings. And I want to read Genesis 1:26.
48:48And it says this, "Then God said, let us
48:52make human beings in our image."
48:56This is really important. This is not
48:59just
49:00a story. This is God's spoken word. He
49:04says, "I I want to make human beings. I
49:07want to make you and I." He He says, "I
49:10want you to understand it's going to be
49:14in our image.
49:16You're an image bearer. I'm an image
49:17bearer of God himself." But it goes on
49:20to say this. Not only will we be made in
49:22God's image, he says, "I'm going to make
49:24you to be like us."
49:29He goes further. He says, "You need to
49:30understand that human beings here on
49:32earth will actually rain over the fish
49:34in the sea, the birds of the sky, the
49:36livestock, all the wild animals on the
49:39earth, and the small animals that scurry
49:41along the ground." In verse 27 says
49:44this, "So God created human beings in
49:47his own image. In the image of God, he
49:50created them. Male and female, he
49:54created them. God is reiterating the
49:57point
49:59to you and I right off the bat. Cuz you
50:01got to understand as he was creating the
50:03world and then he filled the world, he
50:06created human beings like you and I to
50:09rule over this world, so to speak. But
50:11he made a very clear distinction right
50:13off the bat to understand you've been
50:15created in his image, but you've also
50:19and I've also been created uniquely.
50:22We're going to look at this for a moment
50:24today because I think we have to really
50:26understand that even though we all know
50:30that we're all different, we're all
50:32unique. We have different personalities.
50:34We have different giftings. We we have a
50:36whole lot of difference going on. We all
50:38know there's the difference between male
50:40and female. God makes a clear
50:43distinction. There are two genders, male
50:46and female.
50:48And it would be obvious to you and I
50:50that we are different.
50:53However, I love that God also reminds us
50:56we are both carriers
51:00>> of his image.
51:03He's saying right from the outset, let's
51:05not mistake our difference, our
51:08uniqueness
51:10>> for a poor understanding
51:14that because we're different, we're not
51:16like him.
51:19>> It's an important line in the sand
51:20moment for every single one of us,
51:22whatever your relational reality may be,
51:25because God wants to make the point, I
51:27have made you
51:29you. Yeah.
51:31>> But at the same time, he's made each of
51:33us uniquely but to be one with him in
51:37him.
51:39>> And I love this because
51:41it's a dynamic that plays out time and
51:44time again through society in different
51:46situations where if we're really all
51:49honest, we love our uniqueness, but we
51:51also find it challenging at times. There
51:55are particular seasons or particular
51:56relational realities that bring this to
51:59the forefront. And it is a little bit
52:01more confronting. But before anyone
52:03says, "Oh, this is awesome." So you're
52:05saying that God's saying, "I've been
52:07created in his image and to be like him,
52:10so I'm a god." No,
52:14we have to make the distinction that
52:16he's God and God alone. But we are
52:19created in his image, which means we are
52:21to what does the Bible say? Be like God.
52:24Which means the call for all of us as
52:27individuals before we are in any
52:28relational setting is to commit to be
52:32holy,
52:33>> commit to live righteous. And there's a
52:36place where you can actually live and I
52:38can actually live here on earth free of
52:40shame.
52:41>> But it comes from the identity of who
52:43God is and who he's called each of us to
52:47be. Now, it sounds good, but how many
52:50know in reality the world in which we
52:52live in and the sin that so easily ens
52:54snares us, the Bible says, is a daily
52:57battle
52:59>> to not buy into the lie of society or
53:02the enemy, but to come back to the truth
53:04because the Bible says that when you
53:06know the truth, the truth will set you
53:08free. So, we're going to take some time
53:11to dive in. Like I said, no matter what
53:13your relational status may be, I want
53:16everyone at every campus from the outset
53:20to recognize you were created by God.
53:24You were created for God. And you were
53:28created to be like God.
53:31Not be God.
53:33But you have the potential. I have the
53:35potential if we stay close to the truth
53:38of who he is to overcome everything and
53:42anything in this world. What's love got
53:44to do with it? A whole lot. Cuz we're
53:48actually called to love ourselves.
53:53>> So, Pastor Paul, I'm going to throw it
53:55over to you because you've been a
53:57Christian a long time, your whole life.
54:00Uh, I would say it's a fair,
54:05I guess, estimation that you grew up in
54:08a pretty safe and secure environment in
54:10your Christian home. Uh, you grew up in
54:12church life. You've always wanted to
54:13serve God. You've always served God.
54:15It's probably easy to look at someone
54:17like you and say, "Oh, it must have been
54:19really easy in that safe and secure home
54:21and environment to love yourself."
54:24But I I know that we've had many
54:26conversations over the years where there
54:28have been things where you're like, "It
54:29doesn't just come naturally or easy
54:31because you live in a safe environment."
54:33What does that look like for you loving
54:35yourself? You've pastored people for
54:37many years as well, and so I'm sure
54:39you've had plenty of insight, but for
54:41you personally, what does it look like
54:43to love yourself? Well,
54:46>> I thought when I heard the uh title for
54:48today, I'd love myself and put on a
54:51dress up jacket.
54:54look the best I can. Look, the reality
54:56is for all of us, I think, uh, life
54:58causes us to drift. And even though I've
55:01been a Christian my whole life, we were
55:03made to go to church and then I made
55:05that decision to give my life to Jesus,
55:08I still had to come to a revelation that
55:12uh, God loves me full stop.
55:16>> He doesn't love me because of my
55:17achievements or my heritage. He loves me
55:20because I get a personal revelation that
55:23God loves me. He loves me in every stage
55:26and state of life. And that didn't come
55:28quickly. In fact, it was a challenge and
55:30a pathway. I found myself riddled with
55:33insecurity. One of the big things that
55:35was a challenge in my teenage years was
55:37that I was comparing myself to other
55:39people rather than realizing God loves
55:42me. When you get that revelation, then I
55:45think you stand on a foundation of be
55:47beginning to be able to love others
55:49fully. And that's what's happened in
55:51life as we drift from the reality of how
55:53God designed us, God loves us, makes us
55:56complete in that revelation. I mean, I
55:59went through all kinds of things as a
56:00teenager. I remember I was a slow uh
56:03developer and uh I've told this story
56:06before at times where uh even as a
56:10teenager I found that all my friends was
56:12were growing hair under their arms and
56:16uh I became very insecure so I walked
56:18with my arms down most of the time and
56:20of course at night time I'd look is
56:22there anything sprouting but nothing at
56:24all and I talked to one of my best
56:26friends about that look I I I haven't
56:29got hair like you've got under that and
56:30he says, "Well, if it doesn't happen, I
56:32found out you can massage under your
56:34arms and if you massage under your
56:37arms." So, literally for I don't know
56:39how many weeks or months it might have
56:40been, I was massaging under my arms, but
56:42nothing was growing. So, I I I sort of
56:45bailed them up again. I said, "Is there
56:47any other advice?" They said, "Well,
56:48maybe plant fertilizer might work." Only
56:51to discover when I put that on
56:53underneath, I I burnt the skin under my
56:56arms and uh that didn't help. But the
56:59reality of going through things just
57:02because you may be surrounded with the
57:05right stuff, you got to get a personal
57:07revelation. And uh that took for me a
57:10lot of time to find that. I had all
57:13kinds of issues with me personally. But
57:15when I realized God loves me for me,
57:17>> he loves everything about me. He loves
57:20me in my bad times, in my insecure
57:22times, in my positive times was a big
57:25revelation that turned a whole lot of
57:26things around.
57:29Were you able to grow the hair
57:30eventually?
57:33>> Not extensively, but uh
57:35>> I think you had the wrong friends
57:37personally.
57:39>> Well, you went around at that stage,
57:40darling. So, but I, you know, I think we
57:43are shaped so much by what people think.
57:46>> Rather than getting a revelation is the
57:48point I'm trying to make. When you get a
57:50revelation that God loves you, you might
57:51say, "I'm miles away from God. There's
57:53stuff going on in my world right now and
57:55uh I know God wouldn't be happy."
57:57Listen, God loves you
57:59>> and then God wants to take you on the
58:00journey until you accept that selflove
58:03and uh I I had to get to a point where
58:06even in this revelation of uh reading a
58:09verse uh later on after those teenage
58:12years that uh the Bible says I can do
58:15all things through Christ who
58:16strengthens me. And coming to that point
58:20of beginning to say that and I was again
58:22sharing with some people I can do all
58:23things through Christ but I know I'm not
58:25gifted like them but I can do all things
58:27through Christ. In other words, when I
58:29get God's design happening in my life, I
58:32can do all things. And uh again, one of
58:35my small group leaders at the time said,
58:37"You know what you might need to do is
58:39say that verse over and over until it
58:41drops into a revelation in your own
58:43spirit." So you can be in church and get
58:45something, oh that's that was great. But
58:48sometimes you've got to repeat that
58:49thing for it to drop into a revelation
58:52zone. And so they said literally take
58:54it. I made a decision after I heard that
58:56advice from the small group leader that
58:58I would 500 times a day for the next
59:00month say I can do all things through
59:03Christ or in Christ that strengthens me.
59:07And so I just said it 500 times. And
59:09then when the negative stuff started
59:11coming my way, out of my spirit came, I
59:14can do all things through Christ who
59:16strengthens me. It's like if I keep
59:18massaging, put fertilizer on, I can do
59:21all things. It will finally grow if I
59:23don't give up. And everybody said
59:26>> don't know how to respond to that, do
59:28you?
59:30>> Thank you. That was that was great.
59:32Personal revelation is massive. And uh
59:36you guys have been married over four
59:38decades, but I know a little bit of your
59:40story, Pastor Marie, and and you had a
59:43very different journey or different
59:45upbringing, as you've shared over the
59:47years, uh than what Pastor Paul's
59:50reality was. But you got to a point in
59:52the singleness season of your life after
59:55trying all sorts of different things to
59:56fill the void, as which we all often
1:00:00fall into the trap of. My understanding
1:00:03is you even got so close to Jesus and so
1:00:06settled in your singleness that you were
1:00:08contemplating being a nun. Please
1:00:11explain.
1:00:11>> Well,
1:00:13well, actually I contemplated on being a
1:00:15missionary, but my mother would have
1:00:17loved me to be a nun. It would have been
1:00:19her greatest honor, her honor, not mine,
1:00:22to be a nun because I was brought up in
1:00:23a Catholic um household. But um as you
1:00:28know I came from or maybe that you don't
1:00:30know I came from a broken uh background
1:00:33cuz when my when I was 10 my father died
1:00:36my mom a whole lot of things happened in
1:00:39between. She by the time I was 14
1:00:41remarried by the time I was 15 I left
1:00:43home and unfortunately I did have the
1:00:46wrong friends. I uh broken people find
1:00:49broken people and I was very broken and
1:00:51brokenhearted when I left home and found
1:00:54broken people and ended up in broken
1:00:56relationships as a result of that. Um
1:00:59and you know that's not a good result. I
1:01:02think what happens is you look to other
1:01:05people to validate who you are. And
1:01:07that's what I did because um although I
1:01:09was brought up with a God knowledge, I
1:01:12didn't have a personal relationship with
1:01:14Jesus and didn't even know that I could
1:01:16at that stage. And so I found broken
1:01:19people to validate who I was.
1:01:22Unfortunately, because they were broken,
1:01:24too. I didn't have a very uh healthy
1:01:27self value until um 18. I radically fell
1:01:31in love with Jesus and I I literally
1:01:34took his word at um took him at his word
1:01:39when he said that he did love me and I
1:01:42radically I would say fell in love with
1:01:44him
1:01:45>> and I got to the point where I really
1:01:47felt complete in him. I didn't all the
1:01:50the longing for someone to validate me
1:01:52had gone because I had been validated.
1:01:56He was my completeness. And I think
1:01:58that's really important in in
1:02:00relationships. I I often say to people
1:02:02that are starting out in relationships,
1:02:05I was 18 when I got saved. Like I said,
1:02:0722 when we got married. Initially, I
1:02:10thought Paul was a distraction from the
1:02:12enemy to be honest. I was so focused on
1:02:15Jesus, you know, and sometimes I'm not
1:02:17too sure. What do you think, darling?
1:02:20>> Yes, dear. Whatever you want, dear. No,
1:02:23but the point is I was complete and I
1:02:25wasn't looking for anything else.
1:02:27Because in Colossians, I think it's uh
1:02:302:10, it talks about Jesus being our
1:02:33completeness. When we accept him, he
1:02:36becomes our completeness. So when I met
1:02:40Paul, it was an addition to my life, not
1:02:43you know, you hear often, oh, they
1:02:45complete me. And I was like, well, that
1:02:48may not last forever because I will
1:02:50disappoint you. So what then? And I
1:02:53think you can also if you don't find
1:02:56that completion in Jesus and and your
1:02:58relationships, even friendships as well
1:03:01as marriages, you forever can be trying
1:03:04to suck the life out of somebody else
1:03:06without even knowing it because you're
1:03:08looking for something they can't give
1:03:09you. Only Jesus can give you. And I
1:03:12think it's really important that
1:03:14>> you fall in love with Jesus and that
1:03:17he's your completeness, not a person.
1:03:20Great.
1:03:21>> Yeah, it's awesome. And obviously you
1:03:24touched on the the brokenness or the
1:03:26reality of what you had to walk through.
1:03:29And I think it's a great reminder to
1:03:32anyone at any of the campuses if they're
1:03:34in a season of singleness or if you're
1:03:37dating or even if you're marriage and
1:03:38there is uh brokenness a part of your
1:03:41story still, you can overcome because of
1:03:44Jesus. It's not about the perfect start
1:03:46in life life where it changes everything
1:03:48because we all live in a fallen broken
1:03:51world and unfortunately when people are
1:03:54attached to our lives disappointment and
1:03:56discouragement and brokenness and and
1:03:58all of that becomes a part of it and I
1:04:00and I've watched you Missy uh do an
1:04:03outstanding job of tackling some of the
1:04:06tougher things head on that at at times
1:04:09life happens right we have to be real
1:04:12and I hope we're always real
1:04:14at life where you know sometimes we make
1:04:16decisions that we're not proud of that
1:04:18we would rather have not made or
1:04:20decisions get made against us and it's
1:04:23really important that we don't stop
1:04:25making decisions that are healthy ones
1:04:28past that to move forward and we've we
1:04:32again have a bit of a different story in
1:04:34terms of upbringing but you've talked
1:04:36openly honestly about that journey of
1:04:38what you've had to overcome and maybe
1:04:41just talk us through what it's like and
1:04:42an encouragement for anyone that's maybe
1:04:44in this place where you know brokenness
1:04:45is a part of the
1:04:47>> the story or there there's baggage cuz I
1:04:50think you know it often comes out when
1:04:52you least expect it
1:04:54>> and you've got to work out this way I
1:04:56guess the question that I put here is
1:04:58you know how important is it
1:05:01>> to actually make a decision to deal with
1:05:03our brokenness
1:05:04>> to deal with our baggage even
1:05:06particularly if there's someone at our
1:05:08campuses that's not yet in the dating
1:05:12reality and is in a single reality of
1:05:15life right now because this is a great
1:05:17opportunity for that to be tackled head
1:05:19on.
1:05:20>> Yeah. Hello everyone. How are we today?
1:05:23Are we good in all the other campuses?
1:05:26It is awesome to be sharing on this
1:05:28because often it's the thing I think we
1:05:30hide because we don't want anyone to see
1:05:32our baggage. Um and it is really easy to
1:05:35conceal at times. But I think the
1:05:37powerful thing about here and being
1:05:39together in one in unity is actually
1:05:41this is a really safe place to say, "Oh,
1:05:43hey, I've been carrying some baggage and
1:05:45I don't know how to get rid of it." That
1:05:47was certainly my story was like, "Okay,
1:05:49I've got some baggage.
1:05:52What now?" I mean, I've been trying to
1:05:54do it on my own, but it seems handcuffed
1:05:56to me and I just cannot get rid of it.
1:05:58And I think a huge thing when
1:06:02you are trying to figure out how to get
1:06:04how to be released from baggage because
1:06:07re reality is your bag doesn't your
1:06:09baggage doesn't go away. It just
1:06:11actually gets given to Jesus. And I
1:06:13think that's a beautiful thing that
1:06:14Jesus shows us is that he says come to
1:06:16me. Come to the foot of the cross and
1:06:18give me your baggage. And that's really
1:06:20what I did as I just came to church and
1:06:22I gave my baggage consistently to the
1:06:24Lord. And I had a real revelation that
1:06:27um as Pastor Marie said, she said broken
1:06:29people hurt find broken people and hurt
1:06:31people hurt people. Um and I definitely
1:06:34found that as I was probably my early
1:06:36years of marriage, I was hurting Luke
1:06:38and not realizing it. And it was this
1:06:40cycle where I couldn't seem to get rid
1:06:45of this hurt that I had. And I realized,
1:06:47oh, I'm broken. I'm hurt. And if you're
1:06:49broken and hurt, welcome to the club. We
1:06:51all are. We live in a fallen world. As
1:06:53Luke said, something if you don't feel
1:06:54broken right now, there will be
1:06:56something in future that breaks you. And
1:06:58so having the um knowing to come to
1:07:01Jesus first, I think is the most
1:07:03important thing. Luke was never going to
1:07:05complete me. He wasn't going to heal me.
1:07:07Only Jesus can do that. Your spouse can
1:07:09never do that. And I got really good at
1:07:12saying sorry. So, if you're single and
1:07:14you've you've realized, oh, maybe I've
1:07:16got some baggage, you know, unless you
1:07:18want to say sorry to your spouse a lot,
1:07:20I definitely suggest, you know, trying
1:07:23to get um in a good group, you know, get
1:07:26counseling. Um, you know, bring it to
1:07:29trusted people in your world. Um, and
1:07:32that it's such an amazing time when
1:07:34you're single. Um, or when you're not in
1:07:36a relationship. Um because you know it's
1:07:40really hard to be like, "Oh, I've hurt
1:07:42that person. Okay, I'm not where I
1:07:43thought I might be. That was definitely
1:07:45a part of our story was being like,
1:07:48okay, back to square one. I'm so sorry
1:07:51that I hurt you." Um that was my hurt um
1:07:54speaking and actually I'm going to come
1:07:57back. I apologize and let's start again.
1:07:59So I think when you're single, it's an
1:08:01incredible time to do that. Why not? You
1:08:03know, you've got this time. Why not? And
1:08:06I just think God is willing to move. He
1:08:08doesn't need you to be married or in a
1:08:09commit in a relationship to do that. He
1:08:12just needs you and he is willing to work
1:08:14a miracle in your life. And that's
1:08:16definitely the testimony of my story.
1:08:18>> Great.
1:08:18>> It's awesome. Anything else to add or
1:08:20>> Yeah, I think with the sorry the
1:08:22openness of that like you said Missy
1:08:24saying I sorry I and also just not
1:08:28saying well this is just who I am.
1:08:30>> Yeah. because who you are is not
1:08:32healthy.
1:08:33>> And now I had to do that. Like I was
1:08:34like I had so much baggage and I had to
1:08:37get to a point where I was and I did get
1:08:39to a point where I was like I have to
1:08:41put in some hard work here because I
1:08:43don't want to be like this. I would see
1:08:45traits even in my with my family things
1:08:48that I had been brought up and thinking
1:08:51and stuff. I was like it's not it's not
1:08:53right for our relationship or even as a
1:08:56Christian. But I had to want to do the
1:08:58work. And I think sometimes people shy
1:09:01away from that because they don't want
1:09:02they don't want to do it because it's
1:09:03it's hard. And then when you expose it
1:09:05to the other person and say, "Hey, I
1:09:07have to work on this." Then you're
1:09:09accountable and that can be pressure.
1:09:11>> You like face to face like I have to
1:09:13deal with this because I'm I'm with this
1:09:15person and I can't run away. I have to
1:09:18deal with it. It's but that's healthy.
1:09:20>> And I think baggage exists because we
1:09:23stay holding on to it.
1:09:26>> And the Bible makes it clear. And I
1:09:28remember again, this became a real
1:09:30revelation to me that God's mercies are
1:09:32renewed.
1:09:33>> Yeah. Yeah.
1:09:34>> Morning by morning.
1:09:37>> In other words, when you feel like
1:09:39you've used up all of God's grace and
1:09:40mercy, God says it's a new day.
1:09:43>> Yeah.
1:09:43>> It's a new day. Today could be a brand
1:09:45new day. Whether you're online in one of
1:09:47the locations, God is actually saying to
1:09:50you, you've got to let go of yesterday.
1:09:52>> I've got this saying, which is uh what I
1:09:56wrote it down. Um, yesterday finishes at
1:09:59midnight
1:10:00>> or finished at midnight.
1:10:03>> So, why do we carry into today the stuff
1:10:05that the enemy is trying to load us up
1:10:07with rather than saying today could be
1:10:09the beginning of a brand new start in
1:10:12our relationships? And if we get the
1:10:14right relationships, they'll encourage
1:10:15us not to carry yesterday's baggage
1:10:18>> into our today. Great.
1:10:20>> That's so good because I do think we we
1:10:22live in a culture and every campus
1:10:24wherever you're at, you you'll know this
1:10:26to be true where culture tells you to
1:10:29not take personal responsibility.
1:10:31>> And when you can read a scripture like
1:10:33Genesis 1, it's like, oh, we're created
1:10:35in the image of God and to be like God,
1:10:36it's like sweet, he'll do everything.
1:10:38But how many know that's not the truth
1:10:40and that's not the case? And so we
1:10:42actually have to make a decision
1:10:44>> that if we're not loving ourself,
1:10:47>> we're not happy with where we're at.
1:10:50That we can actually make a decision to
1:10:53move forward
1:10:54>> and get to a place where you can love
1:10:57>> Yes.
1:10:58>> yourself.
1:10:59>> Where you can literally say to yourself,
1:11:01I love me.
1:11:03>> And you mean it. Uh Ephesians 4 says,
1:11:06"Since you've heard about Jesus and have
1:11:08learned that the truth comes from him."
1:11:11It says to do something.
1:11:14Throw off your old sinful nature. Throw
1:11:18off your former way of life because it's
1:11:21corrupt. It's corrupt by lust. It's
1:11:23corrupt by deception. Verse 23 says, "So
1:11:25you got to throw something off and now
1:11:27you got to put something on.
1:11:30Instead, let the spirit renew your
1:11:33thoughts, renew your attitudes. Put on
1:11:37your new nature, created to be like God,
1:11:41truly righteous
1:11:43and holy.
1:11:44>> There's a decision point to let go of
1:11:46the baggage as has been said, but
1:11:48there's also a decision point that every
1:11:50day, not am I only reminded yesterday's
1:11:54gone, but I have today to put on my new
1:11:56nature that is found in Christ. And so
1:11:59we're going to look at I would say four
1:12:01simple but I hope very practical
1:12:03realities. And we won't take long on
1:12:05this, but four four
1:12:09consideration points for us all no
1:12:10matter what our life or our journey
1:12:13looks like to help us love ourselves
1:12:16really well. And these are these action
1:12:17points that have been talking about to
1:12:19move us forward. So if you're taking
1:12:21notes, the first thought is simply this.
1:12:22We need to embrace vulnerability.
1:12:27That's a big word and there's a lot to
1:12:29it and it's far easier said than done.
1:12:32>> But really, if you want to get to a
1:12:35place where you're free to love yourself
1:12:37for who God created you to be, you
1:12:40actually have to realize freedom begins
1:12:43when we start to live real
1:12:45>> with where we're at.
1:12:46>> Great.
1:12:47>> Pastor Paul, any thoughts on
1:12:48vulnerability?
1:12:50Yeah, I think we find that hard because
1:12:53we have lived for so long hiding things
1:12:57and so therefore we don't want to
1:12:59disclose the reality of where we're at.
1:13:02Even many Christians that have been
1:13:03walking with God for a long time, it's
1:13:05kind of like you're going through a
1:13:06tough time. Be real about it. Be
1:13:10vulnerable about it. You imagine if we
1:13:12could leave all the baggage behind by
1:13:14taking hold of God's word and walk away
1:13:16being real with where we're at. So it
1:13:19it's great to talk about successes and
1:13:21sometimes we feel more at liberty to do
1:13:24that. But what about the failures?
1:13:26>> Because we do fail. We've got an active
1:13:28enemy. We've got our human nature. But
1:13:31to be real with all of that, the moment
1:13:33you get real, you literally do walk
1:13:35free. Like Pastor Luke is saying, we
1:13:37walk into this incredible world of being
1:13:40open. uh going through the cancer
1:13:42journey that we've talked quite a bit
1:13:43about. But uh people go, "I can't
1:13:45believe that you let people know the
1:13:47reality of it." I go, "Well, why
1:13:49wouldn't you leave um be open with the
1:13:52reality of what you're going through? Be
1:13:54real that you haven't got the final
1:13:55outcomes yet, but be real with it." As
1:13:57Christians, we should be real in the
1:13:59great and in the not so great times
1:14:02because if you can walk like that, the
1:14:03enemy doesn't have a foothold. So I just
1:14:05want to encourage you, he takes the
1:14:07hidden things as his place of possession
1:14:10and he'll add to that a whole lot more
1:14:12damage. Whereas once you get real with
1:14:14it, then you find freedom. And I think
1:14:17shame is one of the big things that hold
1:14:19us
1:14:20>> uh in this non-agnowledging the stuff
1:14:22that's going down. But once you can
1:14:24acknowledge it, you still have to make
1:14:26the right decisions, but you can live
1:14:27free.
1:14:28>> Totally.
1:14:29>> That's awesome. And I I reckon one of
1:14:31the enemies of vulnerability is this
1:14:33word insecurity.
1:14:35>> And the reason often I've heard you talk
1:14:37on this many times possible. Obviously
1:14:39you wrote that incredible book, but if
1:14:41you if you're living with insecurity,
1:14:43you either
1:14:45you're either one of two realities. You
1:14:47withdraw
1:14:49and hide or you become very loud and
1:14:52boisterous
1:14:53>> to mask what's really going on. But if
1:14:56you really want to love yourself well as
1:14:58God loves you and as God's designed you,
1:15:00it actually is going to take this point
1:15:02of embracing vulnerability.
1:15:04>> Yeah. I I I think again one of the
1:15:06things and I think uh Pastor Luke has
1:15:09been passed on a gift from his dad, but
1:15:12uh I was 18 and I started to lose my
1:15:14hair
1:15:16and I had the thickest hair and people
1:15:19say, "Oh, you'll never lose your hair."
1:15:20But at 18, I realized I was washing my
1:15:22hair and there were clumps of hair in my
1:15:25hand. From 18 on, every time I had a
1:15:28shower, I looked to see how much hair I
1:15:31was losing. Every time I walked into a
1:15:34place that uh had a mirror in it, I
1:15:37would bend over to see how thin I was
1:15:39becoming. And I wasn't accepting the
1:15:42reality that actually it wasn't even my
1:15:45fault.
1:15:46>> It was something that was hereditary.
1:15:49And so the great gifts I've got, I pass
1:15:51on to others. And and uh but the freedom
1:15:55that came
1:15:57>> once I acknowledged I'm losing my hair.
1:15:59It's not my fault. So I can't then deal
1:16:02with it. All I can do is accept it. And
1:16:04I can remember the freedom of taking a
1:16:07number one buzzer and shaving my head
1:16:11and going, "That's my reality." Is face
1:16:14your reality right now. be vulnerable
1:16:16and the enemy will not be able to hold
1:16:19you and allow that baggage to stay with
1:16:21you.
1:16:22>> It's awesome.
1:16:23>> So, first thought, embrace
1:16:24vulnerability. If you love yourself, if
1:16:26you can get there, then you can really
1:16:29engage with the second reality, which I
1:16:32would say is this, that we actually to
1:16:33love ourselves need to expect failure.
1:16:38>> I don't think anyone at any of our
1:16:40campuses today woke up and said,
1:16:42"Today's a great day to fail."
1:16:44It's it's just not in the nature of who
1:16:48we are. And I'm not saying go out and
1:16:50make sure you fail today. That's not
1:16:53what God's word says. But because we are
1:16:56fallen
1:16:57>> and live in a fallen world because sin
1:16:59is attached to our reality in our
1:17:01humanity, failure will come at times.
1:17:04>> Yeah.
1:17:04>> And the challenge is we all know this to
1:17:07be true that we are our own harshest
1:17:09critics. Yeah.
1:17:11>> So, we look at the things we don't like
1:17:12as we've been discussing and and and we
1:17:15live insecure, but we got to face those
1:17:17things. But then we've also got to
1:17:18realize that a part of our equation, a
1:17:21part of your tomorrow, there will be a
1:17:24moment in some way, shape, or form where
1:17:27you live with a disappointment of what
1:17:30didn't happen.
1:17:31>> Yeah.
1:17:31>> When you thought it would happen. And
1:17:33so, we've actually got to get to a point
1:17:35in ourselves
1:17:37>> that God's perfect. There is no failure
1:17:40in him. We are created in his image to
1:17:44be like him, but we are not him. So
1:17:46failure is going to be this wrestle. Uh
1:17:49you know, I guess it's this decision
1:17:52point in our relational world to make a
1:17:54decision to pursue holiness.
1:17:58>> It doesn't mean you'll get there
1:17:59overnight, but I I've watched again,
1:18:02Missy, you embrace this reality and walk
1:18:04through that. Is there kind of any
1:18:06encouragement around failing you could
1:18:08give to us?
1:18:09>> Definitely. I'm really good at failing
1:18:12and getting back up again. I think it's
1:18:13a superpower now. Um but really, I think
1:18:17I used to think um failure
1:18:21wasn't an option because God's designed
1:18:24me to want to do things right the first
1:18:27time. It is a blessing in many areas
1:18:29where I really think through what I'm
1:18:31doing. Um so that at the first go I can
1:18:34have it as right as I can. Um I'm not a
1:18:37half-hearted person, but I took that as
1:18:40if I failed it was the end of the world
1:18:43or if something didn't um go right or if
1:18:45someone gave me feedback specifically
1:18:48where it was like, "Oh, I think we can
1:18:49tweak this or tweak that or um have you
1:18:51thought about it this way?" Um
1:18:53especially in my personal world when I
1:18:55was trying to work on me and somebody
1:18:57brought um an area of correction which I
1:19:00had invited them to do so it's almost
1:19:02like yeah I'm inviting you to do so but
1:19:05don't do it that's probably the way I
1:19:06would see it or say yes I've got healthy
1:19:08people in my world but then at the same
1:19:10time um yeah I didn't really want them
1:19:13to give me feedback and so um when that
1:19:16happened it would just defeat me and God
1:19:18really took me on a journey was like hey
1:19:20I have created you wonderfully
1:19:22beautifully from the inside out and I am
1:19:24creating in you a really holy and a new
1:19:27being. And so I think for me it was
1:19:30actually allowing the people in my world
1:19:32to speak into my life and actually take
1:19:34that as that is God refining me and it's
1:19:37actually I need to expect it. I need to
1:19:39want it because God always has more for
1:19:42me. And um when I changed my mindset of
1:19:44looking at it that way, I just created a
1:19:47I think God just really revealed to me
1:19:49how much he loves me in that process as
1:19:51well that he had brought people in my
1:19:53world to help refine me. And um yeah,
1:19:56I've never looked back since. It's been
1:19:57awesome.
1:19:58>> That's awesome because if you are
1:19:59looking for the one or someone to date
1:20:02and you're in a single reality right
1:20:04now, you you got to understand you got
1:20:05to give yourself grace
1:20:07>> and you got to give others grace. Yeah.
1:20:09>> And what I mean by that is it's like
1:20:11perfection is only found in God, not in
1:20:13someone else.
1:20:15>> But but you got to expect that there's
1:20:16going to be disappointment.
1:20:18>> You got to expect that you're going to
1:20:20disappoint people. No one likes that
1:20:21reality. But as Missy's saying, you can
1:20:23actually get back up again.
1:20:25>> And I always think it's a great test if
1:20:27you're looking for a a life partner, a
1:20:30spouse to do life with long term. It's
1:20:32like, how is their get back up ability?
1:20:35Yes.
1:20:36>> When they face something uncertain, h
1:20:38how quick are they to bounce back
1:20:40>> versus how much does
1:20:43>> a small hiccup
1:20:46>> turn into a big mountain
1:20:48>> that seemingly is
1:20:50>> unable to be overcome. It's a very very
1:20:52good telltale sign
1:20:54>> as to whether you can do journey with
1:20:56them well and overcome the things in
1:20:58life. Okay. Embrace vulnerability,
1:21:00expect failure. Third one would be
1:21:02empower accountability.
1:21:05>> Someone touched on accountability here
1:21:06before, but it it's this idea of having
1:21:09personal boundaries.
1:21:11>> But I would say it this way as well.
1:21:13Then bringing trusted people into the
1:21:15journey of keeping you accountable to
1:21:17those things.
1:21:19>> We all need this.
1:21:20>> Uh any any wisdom there?
1:21:22>> But you can't do it alone.
1:21:24God God created a relational world.
1:21:28>> And if you try to just do it alone and
1:21:31feel the pressure of having to succeed
1:21:32at everything, I think the best thing
1:21:35you can do is have people that you're
1:21:36accountable with. But then people need
1:21:39to give you access
1:21:42>> as well so that you can be accountable.
1:21:44So I think sometimes we're not
1:21:45accountable because we feel shamed or we
1:21:49but we have to find the right kind of
1:21:51people that will accept us. understand
1:21:52that God sees us, understands our
1:21:55imperfection, still loves us, then we
1:21:57can do the same for others.
1:22:00>> Yeah, Pastor Mary, you've you've shared
1:22:01on this kind of angle before, but this
1:22:05personal respect, you got to have a
1:22:07respect for yourself that allows you to
1:22:10create boundaries and accountability.
1:22:12>> Yeah, definitely. And I think in my case
1:22:14when I talked about I'd fall in love
1:22:16with Jesus, had that completeness, but
1:22:18um and thought I had dealt with quite a
1:22:20lot before we got married and worked on
1:22:24stuff um on myself. But then it's not
1:22:27sometimes until you're in a situation
1:22:30where things come to h to the surface.
1:22:33And I distinctly remember one time in in
1:22:35in our marriage where my past had caught
1:22:38up or crept into my now. um uh in our
1:22:43relationship. And I had a whole lot of
1:22:44stuff going on in my head that Paul
1:22:47didn't know about. And I just remember
1:22:50one day thinking, I could actually live
1:22:53with this,
1:22:55but I don't want to anymore. And so, I
1:22:58need to be open and accountable to Paul
1:23:00to tell him what's going on. And that
1:23:02was a big thing for me to do. um on many
1:23:05levels I just thought he might be hurt
1:23:07by what I say or you know there could be
1:23:10many reasons why you don't want to or
1:23:12you used to hiding things whatever but
1:23:14in in this case I remember I I don't
1:23:16want to live with this anymore so after
1:23:18becoming accountable I then realized
1:23:21that led me to actually needing to get
1:23:23outside help as well and being
1:23:24accountable because I'd had so much
1:23:27stuff um to do with trust and intimacy
1:23:31the whole whole gamut there was a lot of
1:23:33brokenness and I needed extra help for
1:23:36that.
1:23:37>> So, we got to embrace vulnerability. We
1:23:39got to expect failure. We got to empower
1:23:41it. You actually have to empower
1:23:42accountability. It's not just going to
1:23:44happen. You have to ask for it and you
1:23:45have to put it into place. And the teams
1:23:47are going to join us right around all of
1:23:49the campuses. But the last one as I
1:23:50bring this to a close would be this idea
1:23:52that you need to when it comes to loving
1:23:54yourself well, engage faith.
1:23:58>> Why is this important? Because
1:24:00vulnerability is about locating your
1:24:03now. Failure is about realizing that
1:24:07there's going to be moments where I
1:24:08don't get it all together.
1:24:10Accountability is saying, you know what,
1:24:11I need to take ownership of maybe what
1:24:14was and not let as we heard it creep
1:24:18into our now. But faith is about a
1:24:19future.
1:24:20>> You've actually got to engage your
1:24:22faith. And faith carries many different
1:24:24realities. But one of the things that
1:24:28I've always been taught and that I love
1:24:30about faith is faith propels us forward.
1:24:36>> Someone might be feeling stuck in your
1:24:38relational world. You you you may laugh
1:24:41at the title, I love me. Yeah, I I don't
1:24:43think I could ever get there. Faith
1:24:45gives you the ability to actually move
1:24:48from where you are and encounter where
1:24:51God is cuz he's always in your future.
1:24:53He's the God of yesterday, today, and
1:24:56forever more. And faith gets us out of
1:25:00what is and pushes us forward into what
1:25:03is to come. So the question is, what's
1:25:07your lean in? What's my leaning
1:25:10to faith? We started by talking about
1:25:12the reality that you and I are created
1:25:15by God for God, but in God's image.
1:25:19We're actually called
1:25:22to be like God to to pursue
1:25:25a reality where every day you can wake
1:25:28up even if you don't have hair on your
1:25:30head
1:25:31>> or hair under your arms. Even if you
1:25:33don't have what someone else has or it's
1:25:36not what you thought it would be or or
1:25:38your your relational reality is
1:25:42is not in it current form what your
1:25:46desired reality was. you can actually
1:25:49realize that I am called because I've
1:25:52been made in God's image and I'm called
1:25:55to be like God that I can actually love
1:25:58me.
1:26:01>> God doesn't look upon you and see all of
1:26:03the things you see about yourself that
1:26:04you don't like and go wish it was
1:26:06different. He says I've created you
1:26:10>> uniquely wonderfully made. The the Bible
1:26:14says that you've been formed
1:26:16by God in your mother's womb. And his
1:26:19plans, his purpose for your life aren't
1:26:22for harm. They're for good. They're
1:26:24there to prosper you. And even though
1:26:26everyone and every one of our campuses
1:26:28right now is different by personality or
1:26:31different by gift trait or different by
1:26:33gender, we are all uniquely made. And we
1:26:37are all one in Christ. We are made in
1:26:40the image of God. And in 1 Corinthians
1:26:436:13, it says this. You know the old
1:26:46saying, first you eat to live and then
1:26:50you live to eat. While it may be true
1:26:52that the body is only a temporary thing,
1:26:56but that's no excuse for stuffing your
1:26:58body with food or indulging it with sex.
1:27:01Since the master honors you with a body,
1:27:04I love this. Honor him
1:27:08>> with your body. How do we do that?
1:27:10Acknowledging that who we are is who
1:27:12he's created us to be and doing the work
1:27:15to get to a place that here on earth we
1:27:19can actually love ourselves which gives
1:27:21us a healthy reality to love others
1:27:25well.
1:27:27>> You want a life of freedom? You want a
1:27:28life of fullness. You want a life that
1:27:30God intended for you. It starts by
1:27:33embracing vulnerability, accepting
1:27:35failure, empowering accountability, and
1:27:38then engaging faith and saying, "God, I
1:27:40need to find you in all of this." The if
1:27:43this word is true, which it is, that
1:27:45you've created me, me, and I'm not at a
1:27:48place where I love me, then can you help
1:27:50me
1:27:52discover who you are and who you've
1:27:54created me to be? And in our engagement
1:27:59of faith and saying, "God, I need you to
1:28:01reveal this to me." You'll watch how
1:28:03when you know who you are and who'sse
1:28:05you are, vulnerability,
1:28:08failure, accountability, and all the
1:28:09other things that go with a healthy
1:28:11relationship are actually a byproduct,
1:28:14the fruit of a healthy understanding of
1:28:17who you're created to be in him. And so
1:28:21we're going to take a moment at each
1:28:22campus just to declare truth over our
1:28:25lives through worship before we finish.
1:28:28But Pastor Paul, maybe we could all
1:28:29stand at our feet and get you to pray
1:28:31over every one of us today.
1:28:38Father, we stand
1:28:41with an open heart. Holy Spirit, we ask
1:28:45that you
1:28:47would walk with us. Strengthen us to be
1:28:50able to be real and vulnerable. That
1:28:53God, we would walk even from this moment
1:28:55into a whole new season where God, we
1:28:59will accept who we are. We'll begin to
1:29:01love us because we're created in your
1:29:04image. But God, we'll be real with where
1:29:06we find oursel in each of the seasons
1:29:08and each of the moments. And God, we
1:29:11just pray that you will cause there to
1:29:13be a freedom like we've never known in
1:29:16the mighty name of Jesus.
1:29:18>> Amen.
1:29:20>> Come on, let's sing it.
1:29:21>> Let's worship.
1:29:23>> Myior
1:29:27who will never
1:29:30fail.
1:29:34He will never fail.
1:29:39My trust in God.
1:29:42My savior.
1:29:45The one
1:29:47who will never
1:29:50fail.
1:29:54He will never fail.
1:29:57Oh, I trust in I trust in God,
1:30:02my savior.
1:30:04The one
1:30:06who will never
1:30:09fail.
1:30:12Know he
1:30:14will never fail.
1:30:18I trust in Christ
1:30:21my savior.
1:30:24The one
1:30:26who will never.
1:30:31No he won't. He will never fail.
1:30:37I thought I saw the Lord and he heard
1:30:42and he answered. I saw the Lord and he
1:30:46heard and he answered. I sought the Lord
1:30:50and he heard and he answered. That's why
1:30:54I trust him. That's why I trust him. I s
1:30:59the Lord and he heard any answer. I s
1:31:04the Lord and heard it.
1:31:08I love any heard and he answered. That's
1:31:13why I trust him. That's why I trust in
1:31:17God.
1:31:19My savior,
1:31:22the one
1:31:24who will never
1:31:27fail.
1:31:29He is the rest worthy of he will never
1:31:32fail.
1:31:35Cuz I trust in God,
1:31:39my savior God, the one
1:31:43who will never
1:31:47fail.
1:31:51He will never fail.
1:31:55>> Oh, what an incredible message. Can we
1:31:58thank Pastor Luke and Missy and Pastor
1:32:00Paul and Marie? So much wisdom there.
1:32:04And hey, before anyone leaves the room,
1:32:07I just want to speak to those who prayed
1:32:09that prayer earlier in the service or
1:32:10maybe you didn't lift your hand, but you
1:32:12really want to start a relationship with
1:32:14Jesus. Well, we would love to encourage
1:32:17you on your journey and give you one of
1:32:18these brand new Bibles as a gift from us
1:32:21to you. So, in a few moments time, our
1:32:23team will be up the front here holding
1:32:25these up. You can come down, have a
1:32:26conversation. We'd love to pray with you
1:32:28one more time. See what we can do to
1:32:30help you on this journey because we're
1:32:32not meant to do it on our own. Amen. So,
1:32:35we'd love to see you then. And also,
1:32:37something that might be interesting to
1:32:39you is Alpha, which is starting on the
1:32:4212th of October. whether you're uh just
1:32:45made a new decision or you're just
1:32:46wanting to discover more about what you
1:32:49believe, set a really great foundation
1:32:51for faith. So, term 4 starts October the
1:32:5412th and we would love you to register
1:32:56for that if uh that's something that
1:32:58you'd be interested in or maybe there's
1:33:00a friend that you've got in your world
1:33:01that you can invite to come along. So,
1:33:04uh you can just tap the seat disc in
1:33:05front of you or head to our website for
1:33:07more information or to register. We are
1:33:10hearing incredible testimonies from
1:33:12people who have done Alpha. So, we would
1:33:14love you to do that. But what a great
1:33:16day. I think one more time we should
1:33:17just thank God for his goodness, his
1:33:20grace, for all that he has done. And we
1:33:24love you church. Have a wonderful day.
1:33:26We'll look forward to seeing you tonight
1:33:27or next Sunday. God bless you.
1:33:50This is the word
1:33:53here in the flesh
1:33:56living among the meek and lonely.
1:34:03The voice of God,
1:34:06his every breath,
1:34:09salvation of the world unfolding.
1:34:16Behold
1:34:18him.
1:34:20Behold him. Lift up your eyes. See the
1:34:25sun of heaven.
1:34:30Hosana.
1:34:33Hosana.
1:34:36Pour out your praise. Sing the name of
1:34:40Jesus.
1:34:49This is his heart
1:34:52upon the cross.
1:34:55And from his wounds his mercies
1:35:00flow away.
1:35:02And now the dawn
1:35:05put death to death.
1:35:09And ever since that grave sphold
1:35:22lift up your eyes, see the son of
1:35:26heaven.
1:35:29Hosanana.
1:35:32Hosana.
1:35:35Pour out your praise. Sing the name of
1:35:39Jesus.
1:35:42Behold him.
1:35:45Behold him. Lift up your eyes. See the
1:35:51son of heaven.
1:35:55Hosanana.
1:35:58Hosanana.
1:36:01For your praise. Sing the name of Jesus.
1:36:14This is his home.
1:36:18Here in our chest
1:36:21at every door our savior
1:36:25knocking.
1:36:27Oh, let him.
1:36:31Oh, let him out.
1:36:34With every yes, his kingom's
1:36:38coming.
1:36:40The sound of every saint rejoicing.
1:36:47Oh Jesus Christ of hope
1:36:52glory.
1:36:54Behold him.
1:36:57Behold him. Lift up your eyes. See the
1:37:03sun of heaven.
1:37:07Oh,
1:37:13pour out your praise. Sing the name of
1:37:18Jesus.
1:37:20Behold him.
1:37:24Behold him. Lift up your eyes. See the
1:37:29son of heaven.
1:37:34Hosanana.
1:37:37Hosanana.
1:37:40Pour out your praise. Sing the name of
1:37:44Jesus.
1:37:46Pour out your praise. Sing the name of
1:37:51Jesus.
1:38:12Jesus.
1:38:19Jesus.
1:38:25Jesus.
1:38:32Jesus.
1:38:36We love the name of Jesus.
1:38:45Jesus.
1:38:50Love the name of Jesus.
1:38:58Jesus.
1:39:05Jesus.
1:39:11Jesus.
1:39:25Jesus.
1:39:54Mirales when you move such an easy thing
1:39:58for you to do
1:40:00and your hand is moving right now.
1:40:05You are still showing up at the tomb of
1:40:09every Lazarus.
1:40:12And your voice is calling me out. And
1:40:17right now
1:40:20I know you're a
1:40:24God
1:40:26through again.
1:40:30You can do all
1:40:39but
1:40:41you never lost a battle. No, you never
1:40:44lost a battle. And I know I know you
1:40:49never will.
1:41:04Everything's possible by the power of
1:41:07the Holy Ghost.
1:41:10A new wind is blowing right now.
1:41:15Breaking my heart of stone, taking over
1:41:18like a sher.
1:41:21And my walls are all crashing down. Cuz
1:41:26right now
1:41:29I know you're a and my God
1:41:35come through again.
1:41:39You can do all things.
1:41:45You can do all things but cuz you never
1:41:51lost a battle. No, you never lost a
1:41:54battle. And I know I know you never
1:42:00will.
1:42:03You can do all
1:42:11>> things but cuz you never lost a battle.
1:42:16No, you never lost a battle. And I know
1:42:20I know you never will. You never lost a
1:42:25battle.
1:42:26>> Never lost a battle.
1:42:27>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:29>> Never lost a battle.
1:42:30>> You never lost a battle. You never lost
1:42:32a battle.
1:42:33>> You never will.
1:42:34>> Oh, you never will.
1:42:36>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:38>> Never lost a battle.
1:42:39>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:40>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:41>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:43>> Never lost a battle.
1:42:44>> You never will.
1:42:46>> You never will.
1:42:47>> You never lost a battle.
1:42:49>> You've always been true.
1:42:50>> You never lost the battle.
1:42:52>> You've always been good.
1:42:54>> Never lost.
1:42:55>> You've always been there.
1:42:56>> You never You've always seen me through.
1:42:59Never lost through every trial.
1:43:02>> Never lost through all the pain.
1:43:07I know
1:43:09you can't do.
1:43:21You can do.
1:43:24>> You never lost a battle. No, you never
1:43:27lost a battle. And I know I know you
1:43:33>> I want to hear you sing elevation. Sing
1:43:36you can do
1:43:43all things but cuz you never lost a
1:43:48battle. No, you never lost a battle. And
1:43:52I know I know you never will. And I know
1:43:59I know you never will.
1:44:03I know I know you never will.
1:44:13>> Now, why don't you shout like you know
1:44:16that the battle is not yours,
1:44:19but the battle belongs to the Lord.
1:44:23If you know you're on the winning side,
1:44:26why don't you throw your hands up in the
1:44:28air and lift up a shout of praise? Come
1:44:32on.
1:44:41>> You never will. Come on, sing. You never
1:44:44lost a battle.
1:44:46You never lost a battle.
1:44:49You never lost a battle.
1:44:52You never will. Come on, sing it like
1:44:54you mean it. You never lost the battle.