Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome to the World Changers Church Gold Coast Podcast. Join us as we listen to today's message.
[00:00:06] Amen. Now, there's a lot of movement happening in this church, so I'm trying to shift from announcing all the things that we're doing in the next few weeks. So give me just a moment to settle into the spirit and end this message. Amen. I'm not going to rush into it. I'm not here to be a TED Talk speaker. I'm here to obey the Lord.
[00:00:26] Amen.
[00:00:27] Hallelujah.
[00:00:29] This morning, we're gonna be talking about finish strong. Now, in the last couple of weeks, we've been sitting in Second Peter, Chapter one, and we've been talking about that divine nature. We've been talking about the things that we add to our faith, and we're gonna probably touch on them just a little bit. This morning we did that. In week one, we talked about how you can add those things to your faith, that God has given you everything to live a life of godliness. In this last week, we talked about divine nature as a growth process. And it's something that you pursue. And if you haven't listened to this message series, for me, I grew up, I've been in Christianity for 25 years. And one of the things that God's been laying on my heart is to make the things that we talk about a lot more understandable, more achievable, more applicable. And as I hear that you cannot hear unless they've been sent, I've noticed that sometimes my ear is tuned more to what I've been taught and what I've heard before, more than it is to the revelation or the rhema word that God's giving to me personally. So this divine nature is like, if you've ever wanted to walk in joy, if you've ever wanted to walk in knowledge and wisdom, if you ever wanted to walk in that spiritual growth and maturity, this series is always so I'm not promoting it. We're not trying to be the top on Spotify. I'm just saying we want to be a church that actually knows how to walk with Christ.
[00:02:01] Amen. The world needs to see authentic Christianity. If you believe in that, give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:02:10] Amen.
[00:02:11] So how many of you graduated, by the way?
[00:02:16] Bless you. I didn't.
[00:02:18] From high school, from college. How many of you've graduated? Something, you finished something. Everybody's done that, right?
[00:02:25] You maybe finished a training course. Okay, I'm gonna do this for everybody. You've done a module at Work that you had to learn something and you finished it.
[00:02:34] All right, so have you ever been to a graduation?
[00:02:40] All right, so the music plays, names are called, families cheer, friends cheer. That's that embarrassing moment. Like, please don't do that. And they do it anyway.
[00:02:49] And it's similar to the way people cheer at a footy game.
[00:02:54] It's such a big moment. And here's what's interesting about graduation is not about starting school.
[00:03:01] Realize this. Graduation isn't about starting school. It's about finishing strong.
[00:03:08] So with this divine nature that we're talking about, this series, I want to finish strong, and I want to help you finish strong so that you can be like Paul and enter into those gates. And, Lord, I've finished my race.
[00:03:21] I've done all that I knew to do. And he welcomes you. Enter in my good and faithful servant. How many want to hear that?
[00:03:27] Now? I definitely don't want to hear, nor did I think the Lord would do it, because it's all on Jesus anyway. But I really wouldn't want to hear, hey, hey, Kyle, welcome. You barely made it.
[00:03:37] I want to finish strong. Amen.
[00:03:40] And that means we gotta get meteor words.
[00:03:44] We gotta have presence over performance, and we gotta have relationship over religion. We gotta have all these different things in place that make us focus more on Jesus than what the world is presenting us.
[00:03:58] Now, just because I'm looking over here at y' all and I'm seeing nothing but a microphone, I'm going to move that real quick. Amen. I'm looking at Kenny or you, and I'm just saying thank you.
[00:04:09] Amen. So Peter is saying to us some things in second, Peter, he's saying to us, don't just start a Christian life.
[00:04:20] Finish strong.
[00:04:21] And here's why God didn't save you just to get you to heaven someday. Anybody just in this just to get there.
[00:04:30] I made it. Fire insurance. I'm good.
[00:04:33] No, Christianity is so much more than that. God is to be desired. God is to be 30. It's like God gave me my next message series, and I already had the next message series. So obviously God has a better plan. And he said, you know, after this, Kyle, I want you to teach on thirst. I want you to teach on hunger. I want you to teach on desiring me, what that really looks like. And I said, lord, but that means I gotta go through that journey. He said, welcome.
[00:05:01] I said, thank you.
[00:05:03] Hallelujah.
[00:05:04] So it's more than just coming to church. It's more than just your daily devotional.
[00:05:12] This life Produces fruit.
[00:05:15] So if you grow in it, if you add these things to your faith, that this divine nature becomes a lifestyle.
[00:05:21] It will produce fruit in you, and that's how you finish strong. Everybody believe that.
[00:05:26] So he gave us a life so that people can see heaven through you. Right? Now, that's a scary thing to think about.
[00:05:34] When we got saved. It's not about us just being Christians. Now, if this convicts you, honey, I ain't trying to condemn you, brother. I ain't trying to condemn you. I'm simply saying this because it probably should.
[00:05:47] It's like, I began to think about this as I wrote this this week. And I said, lord, that sounds very condemning. He said, no, people need to look in the mirror and see what they need to wash off.
[00:05:58] And I was like, lord, hallelujah. That seems very hard to say, but I just said it so it was really easy.
[00:06:04] But too many people are living a life and they don't realize that God has called you so that people could see heaven through you.
[00:06:16] Now, I will never measure up to that bar of doing it on my own. Thank God for the Holy Spirit. Amen. Thank God for surrender. You know, and I love people that try and tell me how to be as a pastor. I do. I do.
[00:06:33] Some actually hit the mark and some don't. But I love when people come and tell me how to be. And I'm like, listen, I've heard your nasty phone calls.
[00:06:41] I've seen you. Don't sit here and talk about you. Holy.
[00:06:45] We need the Holy Spirit. You know, the most judgmental people are the people that are trying to be holy, but in their private life aren't.
[00:06:53] Amen. So let's shed the judgment. Let's stop looking this way and let's start looking towards him.
[00:07:00] The Bible says, look at the mark and the high calling that is found in Christ Jesus. The more I look at Peter, I'm picking on you because I love you. And this has nothing to do with you. You're just there and you're safe and you're like a son to me. So the more I look at Peter, I can begin to find things that show Peter. But the more I see Jesus in him, the more all that of the person begins to fade away. And I start to hear Jesus. I start to see the Spirit, and I start to encourage that. And the more I, as a brother, encourage that, the more of that comes forward. But the more I tell him what he's doing wrong, the more his faith rears up and rebels and the less spirit comes Out.
[00:07:39] Divine nature is not about correcting you to say, do this.
[00:07:44] Divine nature is saying, get close to God and grow.
[00:07:47] Amen.
[00:07:49] Amen. And everybody wants signs and wonders. Jesus said, you a bunch of vipers. Oh, did I say that out loud?
[00:07:55] But the gospel will produce miracles.
[00:08:01] The gospel, preached in authority and in love, will produce miracles. That salvation is the one miracle we overlook often.
[00:08:09] So turn to someone and say, I'm not just starting.
[00:08:13] Go ahead, turn.
[00:08:15] I'm not just starting. I'm finishing strong.
[00:08:21] Now look at two or three people and say, I'm not just starting.
[00:08:25] I'm finishing strong.
[00:08:28] Amen.
[00:08:30] Now, if you believe your neighbor, say amen.
[00:08:33] Some of you didn't believe your neighbor. Amen.
[00:08:36] Now, over these last couple of weeks, we've been on a journey together.
[00:08:41] I'm gonna go over this again. In week one, we said, God has already given you everything you need for life and godliness. Your identity is secure. Leave that up there. Yes.
[00:08:53] In week two, we said, growth takes intentional effort. You've got to show up. God gives the power you provide.
[00:09:03] What?
[00:09:05] Participation.
[00:09:07] It's the one time I'm going to elevate a participation reward.
[00:09:12] Amen.
[00:09:13] So let's look at this scripture we've been focused on for the last couple weeks.
[00:09:17] In view of all these things, make every effort. God. Oh, man. What had just happened?
[00:09:24] What did you just do to me? By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. Can we back up to the. In view of all this scripture. Where did that one go?
[00:09:36] Yeah, thank you. In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God's promises of moral excellence.
[00:09:44] Amen. And moral excellence. With knowledge and with knowledge. With self control and with self control, patience, endurance. With godliness and with godliness, brotherly affection and with love for everyone. Verse 8. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.
[00:10:05] Back up to verse five. Actually, verse six, if you don't mind.
[00:10:10] Back up to five.
[00:10:12] Okay, let's look at this submit supplement. Anybody take supplements? Like.
[00:10:18] Like the good ones?
[00:10:20] Amen. Okay, I really had to clarify that. All right, so the fact that I had to clarify that means y' all need more of Jesus.
[00:10:30] Okay, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. Judgmental Kyle. Judgmental Kyle. I was looking this way. I was looking this way. I wasn't looking that way. All right, so when you supplement your faith, that means you're adding to your faith, something that is going to boost it. Okay.
[00:10:45] And I'm not gonna talk about the gym. I'm not gonna talk about all those things. I'm just gonna stay right there. So that supplement is something you add to your faith to boost it, to cause growth, to cause maturity. Now, this is what I wanted to focus on this week. So when you supplement your faith with generous provision and moral excellence, you add to your faith moral excellence, and then you add knowledge. And then as you add knowledge, you add self control. And as you add self control, you add patience and endurance. And as you add patience and endurance, it comes along with godliness and with that brotherly affection. And the more you grow like this.
[00:11:21] So anyone that adds supplements in their life, that supplement has a purpose to increase the effort.
[00:11:28] Now, the effort that we're in, if you go back to verse five, the effort that we're in is the effort of faith, only believe.
[00:11:38] So we're not doing more work, you hear me? We're adding a supplement to cause our grace to grow so that we function more confidently in the call of God, that we function more maturely in the call of God, that we function more maturely as people.
[00:11:54] It's not always about Rama shama. It's sometimes just about being a good person. And the only way you can be a good person, Jesus even said himself, there's only one good. The only way you can be a good person is with the Holy Spirit operating through you.
[00:12:08] Amen.
[00:12:10] Is this good?
[00:12:11] So that was week one and two. And here is the big truth we've been repeating. And I want you to hold close. If you're gonna write this down, write this down. If you don't want to write it down, that's okay. We'll rebuke you later. No, I'm kidding.
[00:12:23] Just write it down somewhere, okay?
[00:12:25] Divine nature means we share in the very life of God.
[00:12:30] Now, some of you already know that, right?
[00:12:35] I'm gonna say something, Tony. Correct me from there. I'm gonna give you freedom today to correct me today. Okay? If I say something out of line, I want you to yell out and say, can you rephrase that? All right? So the divine nature of God, we share in it. How many people come to a table and share in food but don't eat the greens?
[00:12:54] Now, it's on the table, but we don't eat it. How many people come and share the food but don't eat the bread? They leave something out that is a part of the meal that that has a purpose. It has your proteins, your fats, your sugars, your carbs. And all those things that some people care about, but I don't right now. Amen.
[00:13:10] That meal is prepared with a purpose.
[00:13:12] And we leave things out so you can share in the divine life of God, but leave things off your plate.
[00:13:23] A lot of you talking to the ones on Spotify, nobody here.
[00:13:30] A lot of us leave good attitude off the plate.
[00:13:36] A lot of us leave self control off it. Now, this is not to convict. This is to say, lord, help me grow with my facial expressions.
[00:13:47] Amen.
[00:13:49] Lord's been dealing with me, Mia.
[00:13:51] Like Kyle, you need to smile.
[00:13:54] And then when I don't listen, he talks through Tina. Now, I've learned to listen to God first because when he sends God's assassin. No, I'm kidding.
[00:14:04] Amen. No, I'm kidding. I'm kidding. I told Sam this morning that wisdom is a she. I've admitted that after 25 years.
[00:14:11] We share in God's life, people.
[00:14:16] This natural being is being supplemented with the super.
[00:14:23] God has given you these things that you don't even have to achieve yourself. You just have to take them off the table and know that they are achievable in your life. Oh, I don't have a lot of patience. And then I need to work on my patience. As long as you are working on your patience, you will fail. But when you let God add it to you as a supplement of faith in the Holy Spirit, you. You will succeed.
[00:14:47] Amen.
[00:14:49] And you know, I've had my boys as my greatest test of patients, but as they've matured, I'm so proud of them now. So I'll no longer use them in my sermons.
[00:14:59] First lie of the day, probably.
[00:15:02] I'll never use them as a metaphor. Okay, that's probably a better thing. But as they've grown, here I am getting ready to use them. But I'm so proud of them because they've grown and.
[00:15:13] But the greatest test in me in patience has been as a father.
[00:15:18] But the other day I realized that my son was not being disrespectful. He was just communicating.
[00:15:24] And I would have never seen that if I hadn't paused and talked to God.
[00:15:31] Does that make sense?
[00:15:32] That paused to say, God, I want to hear you before I react?
[00:15:37] And is how you walk in divine nature?
[00:15:40] Does that make sense? We're so quick.
[00:15:43] Amen.
[00:15:45] Does the Bible say quick to hear and what super fast to speak? No.
[00:15:51] If you find yourself responding to everything that's said, you are in yourself, take it in, talk to God and say something back. That's how you Walk in divine speech.
[00:16:05] Amen.
[00:16:06] I'm learning a lot about that because I mean is so much better than the other words that want to come out of my mouth, especially driving on the M1. Anybody want to give an amen right there?
[00:16:23] With divine nature finished strong, you can walk in confidence in your calling. Some of you, you've got a calling on your life and you're saying things like I'm called to. I think I'm called to.
[00:16:35] One day I'll be. But there is a transition when you have confidence in that calling. When you say I am called to.
[00:16:43] I wait to hear from people before I assign them or delegate in this house and out in the community. I wait to hear from them. I wait to hear them say I am called to.
[00:16:55] Not I think I'm called.
[00:16:57] I think I'm called and maybe will do the most damage in a church.
[00:17:01] Amen.
[00:17:02] I want people that have that confidence in their calling and I want to equip you with that today. Is this good?
[00:17:09] Okay, so now let's be real. Have you ever double. Have you ever doubted yourself?
[00:17:18] I'm just going to ask that again.
[00:17:22] Two reasons that you doubt yourself.
[00:17:24] The way you've been treated in the past or the way you view yourself.
[00:17:31] That's where doubt comes in because those are both identity doubts.
[00:17:38] Amen.
[00:17:39] The reason you doubt yourself is there is a fracture in your identity.
[00:17:46] I don't want to pick on anybody. Praise the Lord. Okay, I'll pick on you.
[00:17:50] You're an engineer.
[00:17:51] Do you doubt that?
[00:17:53] Why?
[00:17:56] You have the skills, the training, the systems, the programs all to support that.
[00:18:01] Amen. You have the experience.
[00:18:04] You've exercised that title.
[00:18:08] If you first start with identity of the calling, you'll not worry about failing in it because you are going to miss it. You are going to make mistakes. You are going to say the right thing. You're going to forget the scripture, the chapter and the verse, but you're going to still be able to capture the heart of it. It's about letting go of your self achievement and performance and walking in the confidence of the identity that God's called you into.
[00:18:34] Does that make sense?
[00:18:36] Amen, man. We're going to be a powerful church.
[00:18:39] I just had a wave of like, hit me.
[00:18:42] We're going to be a powerful church.
[00:18:46] See, I love the fact that I can trust my team.
[00:18:49] We are a powerful church. Somebody say we are a powerful church.
[00:18:56] Amen.
[00:18:59] Peter says something, but I want to ask one more question.
[00:19:06] Are you really chosen?
[00:19:08] Do you really measure up?
[00:19:11] Peter ANSWERS that in second Peter 1 and 10. Let's go there.
[00:19:16] So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things and you will never fall away.
[00:19:26] Go to verse 11, then God will give you a grand entrance in their turn. Now let's back up to verse nine.
[00:19:33] Can we get that? But those who fail to develop in this way are short sighted or blind. Back up to verse eight.
[00:19:42] The more you grow like this, without these supplements, without adding and trusting, you know what faith is? Total trust and reliance on God.
[00:19:54] You ever got to a place, verse 9. This is not to be condemning. You ever got to a place where. Where you feel like, I just can't see ahead, I just don't know what's next.
[00:20:05] That's because you've stepped back into you and you're trying to figure out why it's not working. Man. As a pastor, I've been here for eight years. And when we started rolling out this 10 year plan and I thought I'd be further along and I realized we were still in year one and a half, I was like, lord, what's been going on? He said, kyle, people been trying to figure it out for themselves. And you've had people come in and say things out of self and you've listened.
[00:20:34] I'm not afraid to admit that. Does that make me bad?
[00:20:38] No. But I'm listening now. And for the first time after 15 years, God said, a vision that I've held on for 15 years. He said, now. Like a gun being fired now.
[00:20:49] And I sat still on the running podium for so long, I felt like I was whittling wood. And God said, now I. I didn't even know how to get up and run again. And God said, that's okay. Getting second gear. We gotta get some supplements back in order.
[00:21:02] Amen.
[00:21:05] You've gotta be cleansed of your old ways.
[00:21:08] That also means your old hurts.
[00:21:11] You cannot fully function in the confidence of your call without realizing that it's okay.
[00:21:20] Those people were not operating in the nature of God. Those pastors that led you, even if it was me at that moment, they might have just been exposing a part of themselves. And God is still calling you. You've got to let go a church hurt. You got to let go of what they did. You ever have that sneaking thing come up inside your call and say, yeah, but the last time I did it, they. Anybody, you got to release that because that's not a part of your divine nature. Imagine if Jesus said, you know, the last time I came down, they put me on a cross.
[00:21:54] Imagine if the Holy Spirit says, you know, last time I moved, they grieved me.
[00:22:00] What if God operated the way we think and operate out of hurt and trauma?
[00:22:06] Divine nature and dependence on God heals us from past pain and we're no longer short sighted or blind. Shortsightedness and spiritual blindness used to sound so bad. But honey, anybody can go through it. When you allow the lens of hurt to become your oculars. Amen.
[00:22:26] Amen.
[00:22:28] Reestablish what God is doing. So don't understand these scriptures here. Peter isn't saying you got to earn salvation or earn your call or earn your place in heaven. What he's saying is that when God's life is inside you, it shows evidence by how you live.
[00:22:52] So the more that you lean on and trust in God, the more people can see that there's something different about you.
[00:22:59] Amen. Is this good?
[00:23:02] I want people to see a difference. I want to stand out.
[00:23:06] Not because I want to be the center of attention. I don't want to be like the world. Amen.
[00:23:17] Romans 8:16 says, the Spirit himself testifies with our Spirit that we are children of God.
[00:23:26] My goodness.
[00:23:28] The Spirit of God testifies with our Spirit. When this union happens in this divine nature, this one voice comes out and says, I'm a child of God.
[00:23:39] Matt, you're a child of God.
[00:23:42] Come on, somebody. John, you're a child of God.
[00:23:45] Somebody say it with me. I'm a child of God.
[00:23:48] My daddy can beat up your daddy, but it's true.
[00:23:58] Remember them campfire conversations? My daddy bigger than your daddy. My daddy. Whoop your daddy.
[00:24:04] I got a daddy that whoop everybody's tail. Amen.
[00:24:08] He done told the devil what to do.
[00:24:10] Amen.
[00:24:12] And that's the type of confidence that comes from calling, not comparison.
[00:24:19] We have one father, and ultimately we have one faith. We spend so much time debating over doctrine and theology and philosophy. Get in the word. Stop the debates. Learn together. Learn to disagree, to agree. Learn to grow together. Learn to discover the truth together. Learn to follow the spirit of God and quit telling. Telling people that they're wrong and they're false prophets and they're false teachers and they're false. This. We spend more time on social media identifying false people. Why in God's green earth. I mean, everybody on the chat GPT buzz right now. We'll get off chat GPT. You promoting it?
[00:24:55] You against it? Stop talking about it. You. You promoting it right now.
[00:24:59] You. Are you against the TV show? Everybody like what's that new Netflix movie demon thing? Demon. That K pop demon slayer.
[00:25:11] Everybody's talking about it and all these Christians are talking about and all. Now the more they talk about it, the more they promote it.
[00:25:21] You're just gonna cause people to go look at it. Five people in here, probably a day, gonna be like, what's this talk about God and the good things of God? Elevate and let your spirits testify with him. I am a child of God. And what people's attention will be on.
[00:25:41] Amen.
[00:25:43] Well, I used to go to this church. Well, nobody cares.
[00:25:47] I don't care if you go to another church. Just go be a Christian.
[00:25:51] Amen.
[00:25:53] When you know you're chosen, you stop chasing everyone's approval, you stop striving, you know, and you start standing secure.
[00:26:05] So let's declare it together. I am God's masterpiece.
[00:26:09] Now, you know, I like that. But do you believe you're God's masterpiece?
[00:26:14] Can you show everybody how to say it? I am God's masterpiece. How would you say it if you were declaring it?
[00:26:20] Just, just.
[00:26:24] I'm God's masterpiece now. With a little bit of oomph behind it. Can you say, I'm God's masterpiece.
[00:26:33] That's it.
[00:26:34] I'm God's masterpiece now. I'm called and chosen.
[00:26:42] Jeremy yelled it out. Well, okay, good. Let's get everybody. I'm called and chosen.
[00:26:49] I am a child of God.
[00:26:52] I have the biggest daddy.
[00:26:56] Come on. Give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:27:01] See, a lot of you are thinking that, you know, he's just being funny. No, I'm trying to get you to remember what God's called you to. Amen.
[00:27:14] Did we give you Ephesians 2:10? For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so we can do the good things, things he planned for us long ago.
[00:27:26] Used to.
[00:27:29] I'd wake up every morning, put my feet on the ground and think, God, how can you use me?
[00:27:33] I'm a this, I'm a that. I've done this, I've done that.
[00:27:38] And when I started getting this revelation of grace and how much he loves me and got this revelation of love, I'd get up in the morning and say, I'm the righteousness of God.
[00:27:48] I'm the child of God.
[00:27:50] And the more I arrested those old thoughts and past prisons, the more I began to. My stature changed. I was no longer walking around going, hey, and Pastor Kyle, everything about me changed when I started identifying with him.
[00:28:09] Amen.
[00:28:10] And my hunger for him I was watching this movie the other night and I forgot all about the movie. And I started thinking about this driver was chasing this moment where everything goes silent and everything goes numb. Some of you know what movie I'm talking about and I'm just not gonna promote the movie. And he says, it's not about the money.
[00:28:30] It's about that moment when I'm flying. It's about that moment when everything goes silent. It's about that moment when everything disappears and it's just me in the car. Well, for me, ever since I've got saved. I remember those moments where the Shekinah glory came in the house. I remember when fog filled the room. I remember when I couldn't hear because God's pray presence was so loud. I remember. And these are real things that happen. People, they seem spooky, pooky, and people don't want to talk about them because it's not seeker friendly and. Oh, don't scare people away. Well, honey, I would rather have God than have a multitude of people.
[00:29:01] Amen.
[00:29:03] My Bible actually says that in the last days, so shall it be in the days of Noah. Meaning that in the last days there'll only be about 8. Anyway.
[00:29:11] So it's not about the big numbers.
[00:29:13] It's about the presence over the place. Performance, church. I desire God's presence.
[00:29:23] And when you have that confidence in your calling, you begin to desire to walk in the fullness in your living.
[00:29:30] I don't want to walk in halfway Christianity.
[00:29:33] Amen.
[00:29:35] I want to walk in the fullness of it. Peter continues in 2 Peter 1:8. The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be.
[00:29:45] Fruitfulness doesn't come by striving, it comes by abiding.
[00:29:51] Amen.
[00:29:52] Anybody know what abiding means?
[00:29:54] Lord Jesus is getting hot in here. Either the Holy Spirit's warmed up or it's warmed up. I have no idea.
[00:29:59] Fruitfulness doesn't come by striving, it comes by abiding. Jesus said in John 15:5, I am the vine, you are the branches.
[00:30:08] Apart from me, you can do nothing. Abiding doesn't mean striving harder. It simply means staying connected.
[00:30:16] Like a gum tree drawing strength from its roots in the middle of a drought. Your life draws strength when you're grounded in Christ.
[00:30:24] Amen.
[00:30:26] I think about back home, just like gum trees. Are those from Australia? I have no clue.
[00:30:32] So gum trees, you know, apple tree does the same thing in winter.
[00:30:37] Now apple tree will actually take its SAP down into the roots in winter. Do you Know why it gets so cold in America that if its SAP didn't go into its roots, it would explode, it would crack and die. So therefore, this inanimate, somewhat symbiotic being. I don't know the words I would use here.
[00:30:58] Yeah, I know. It's like.
[00:31:00] Anyway, this tree with no functioning brain knows to put its SAP during the time of the season so that it doesn't die.
[00:31:09] Now, if you can't see God's creation in that, that is the same way the Spirit of God leads us through this divine nature, through learning to remain in him, through learning to abide in him. That in drought, sun, dry seasons, we know how to ground ourselves in the word of God so that we don't go empty and that we stay focused, like they did in Goshen and Egypt when all the plagues were happening.
[00:31:32] Amen. Is this good?
[00:31:36] So we need to learn that as we have this divine nature, we need to understand the characteristics, the seven qualities, but we also need to understand how to sit in it, be still, and know that I'm God.
[00:31:51] You know, I was in worship for the first time in a long time. Usually I'm around there focusing on my scripture, and I was in worship this morning. I said, yeah, I'll give it a try. Because as a pastor for so long, you've heard every song, you've heard every tone, and when you get out here, you're looking around and you're going, is everybody okay?
[00:32:09] And God said this morning, I want you to just go worship.
[00:32:13] And y' all disappeared. And I loved it. Not because my son was leading, but because he could have sounded like a drowning cat in a windstorm and I'd have still loved it because I was sitting still in the presence of God. We need to learn to hunger and thirst for the presence of God to stay connected. Because fruit isn't forced. Fruit flows.
[00:32:33] If you're not connected to the source of this divine nature, this divine provision, this divine partnership, it's going to be a struggle. But as you connect yourself with God, the grace of God that he has given, it's so sweatless, it's so easy, and it's so beautiful. Amen.
[00:32:51] Amen.
[00:32:52] I can tell it's coming to an end. The kids are ramping up.
[00:32:56] A branch doesn't sweat to make its grapes. It just stays attached. Catch that.
[00:33:05] You know, like when you're working out, I know some of you in here do, but you're running or you're trying to win, or you're trying. You're in Some type of effort. You'll begin to sweat because the focus is so intense you're trying to make it happen.
[00:33:19] That is not disfaith.
[00:33:22] A grape sits back and a grapevine sits back and receives water from the air or from the ground, and it produces fruit of its kind.
[00:33:31] It is in constant growth and reproduction.
[00:33:35] When you are walking in divine nature, you are in constant growth and reproduction of the fruit of its kind, which is making disciples.
[00:33:44] Amen.
[00:33:47] The sum of this life, if you want to know where you are and what fruit you're bearing is, look at those around you and see what fruit they're bearing. That's usually the fruit you're bearing.
[00:33:58] Amen.
[00:33:59] Is that good?
[00:34:00] Come on. Is this good?
[00:34:02] Are you enjoying it? Do you love Jesus?
[00:34:05] That's a better answer. Amen.
[00:34:08] So fruit, as we see that the vine doesn't sweat.
[00:34:13] You stay connected to the vine. That's the whole point of this. To really walk in this divine nature. You stay connected to the vine. So fruit is forgiving when bitterness feels easier.
[00:34:25] Amen. Fruit is choosing honesty in business instead of the culture of shortcuts. Fruit is kindness at the school gate when gossip is flying, or even at the water cooler.
[00:34:39] Amen. So I'll kind of start wrapping it up here before I get into this eternal reward.
[00:34:46] I remember I was working as an international clerk. You got five, ten minutes, Shelly. You don't have to get up yet.
[00:34:54] I won't be done until 11:10, so I won't even begin to wind down. But if you're good, coming up. Come on up. But the thing is, I'm looking at is I was in this job as an international clerk, right?
[00:35:05] And you ever worked a hard job where everybody around you just didn't like you because you were a Christian?
[00:35:12] I was in a job where everybody made fun of me every day.
[00:35:15] I was working for a man that I led to the Lord. So he gave me this job, and everybody in that place, I'd walk in there and it got so bad that I started, you know, I started mixed martial arts again just to.
[00:35:32] To put this barrier. But I put the wrong barrier up.
[00:35:35] And one day God said, you know, you're a minister, right? I said, yeah. You know you're a Christian, right? Yeah. Well, this barrier that you put up that you can whoop everybody's tail, it's actually making it worse.
[00:35:48] I said, okay, what do I do? He said, I want you to start walking in love.
[00:35:54] Do use the old schoolyard tricks. Share your lunch, say hello, even if they don't Say it back. Smile even when they don't smile.
[00:36:03] And I had this guy there, his name is Eric. We talked plenty of times since then. And, man, he hated me.
[00:36:11] Hated me for no good reason other than I was a Christian. And he hated me because his mother died. And, you know, he prayed when he was a kid and you know that old common story.
[00:36:20] And I kept showing him love. And one day he came up to me and he goes, and this is just by surrender. This is just by obedience to God.
[00:36:29] He came up to me and he said, I don't understand.
[00:36:32] I've cussed at you. I've backstabbed you. I've tried to get you fired three times.
[00:36:39] And every time, you still keep coming and smiling at me and saying, bless you, brother.
[00:36:44] God bless you, brother. And I looked at him and I gave these simple words. My war is not with you.
[00:36:50] My war is with the principalities of the air.
[00:36:52] But what you're acting out of is just simple flesh and influence of what's in the air.
[00:36:57] But I have something greater in me that he that is in the world. And I'm not even talking about you.
[00:37:02] And I began to minister him, the why behind how I was able to love him. And the next thing I knew, Eric is wanting to know more about Jesus.
[00:37:12] The next thing I knew, when Eric had trouble in his life, guess who he came and talked to for prayer?
[00:37:18] By the time I left that place, everyone was coming to me for prayer.
[00:37:24] Not because I'm some super holy roller. What I wanted to do was fight everybody. What I wanted to do was protect myself. But in that simple yes to God, to tap into the divine nature, it changed the whole atmosphere because I was no longer doing it in myself. I was doing it out of love.
[00:37:42] Amen.
[00:37:44] That's fruit.
[00:37:45] It's not perfect, just evidence.
[00:37:49] Say this with me.
[00:37:51] I was made to bear fruit.
[00:37:55] Now, that fruit we're talking about is you ever got around somebody that had a good attitude and they make you feel good, you see them and you just smile.
[00:38:05] You know what that fruit is the fruit of? Kindness.
[00:38:09] Amen.
[00:38:11] You ever got around somebody and you just want to tell them all about your life, usually you even start crying. I don't know why I'm crying around you, man. Can we pray? That's fruit of godliness and brotherly kindness.
[00:38:22] Fruits of the spirit.
[00:38:24] Amen.
[00:38:25] You know what I'm talking about. When you're bearing fruit, people come and find rest around you.
[00:38:31] People talk about spiritual leeches. Y' all need to grow up.
[00:38:35] People are not.
[00:38:37] And I'm talking to myself. People are not a burden. They should be finding rest in your branches until they find Jesus and you connect them to the vine.
[00:38:47] Amen. Does that make sense?
[00:38:50] If you're a complainer, your fruit is disconnected.
[00:38:53] Walk in assurance of your eternal reward. Tony, is this good? You hadn't yelled at me once. All right, good deal. I love you. Brother Peter takes us to the finish line.
[00:39:03] Second Peter 1, 11.
[00:39:06] Then God will give you a grand entrance in the eternal kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ and Savior. Now remember I said this is not about earning salvation.
[00:39:17] This is about entering in and throwing your crowns down.
[00:39:20] This is about that moment when he meets you at the gate and say, enter in, my good and faithful servant. This is not about earning salvation. This is about knowing that you finished well.
[00:39:29] Amen.
[00:39:31] And if you get in this divine nature, you don't even care about the rewards. You don't even care about the grand entrance. All you care about is Lord. I am thankful that I'm entering in and I'm bringing with me these people.
[00:39:50] This is not a slip in, slide in the door, grand entrance.
[00:39:55] This is when you're greeted.
[00:39:59] Second Timothy four, seven.
[00:40:01] I fought the good fight. I have finished the race and I have remained faithful. I want to be able to say that.
[00:40:09] You can't say that by working hard.
[00:40:11] You say that by walking in love.
[00:40:14] I remember times in my own marriage, well, I bought you this, I did this, cleaned that. Mom, thank you for that. But that doesn't mean you love me.
[00:40:25] Well, we went here and we went there and we ate that and we did this and we got this much money. Now that doesn't mean you love me.
[00:40:34] Faithfulness bears the fruit of love.
[00:40:40] You want to know how to improve your marriage? Add more love to it.
[00:40:45] Less achievement, more love.
[00:40:49] That talk to somebody, praise the Lord.
[00:40:52] That was just something for someone individually.
[00:40:55] Now let me bring in something here. Your reward isn't based.
[00:41:01] I've been studying somebody all week.
[00:41:04] Your reward isn't based on your performance.
[00:41:07] It's anchored in Christ's finished work.
[00:41:11] When you get there, it's not effort that opens the door, it's his blood that did.
[00:41:18] I've been looking at Charles Stanley and I've been reminded about what he would say in this moment. I remember growing up under Charles Stanley, preaching and introduced to Joseph Prince and these great warriors and God. So I actually left him in my notes so I could remember to acknowledge them. Different denominations, different philosophies, different theories, but the love spoke through them.
[00:41:40] One of the things I see in second Timothy. Until then, live every day with eternity in your mind. Make decisions today that echo forever.
[00:41:50] Remember I said ADD supplements now? I could go take a protein shake every day and I could get on a calorie deficit.
[00:42:02] It would mean nothing if I don't actually go work out.
[00:42:08] I can store money in the bank and be poor.
[00:42:15] I can do the things that add, but never apply the action.
[00:42:21] Divine nature is about applying Jesus to your life more than talking about him. Be doers of the word more than hearers.
[00:42:31] Amen.
[00:42:40] O Lord, say it with me. I'm finishing strong.
[00:42:50] My finish line isn't defeat, it's a reward.
[00:42:55] You know what I wrote this from? And I'm going to be done. I'll pick up the rest of this later.
[00:43:01] I remembered being a cross country runner.
[00:43:04] Can y' all believe that?
[00:43:06] I used to get out and run and I'd run 15k's 15 miles on the weekend and 3k's every day. It means I'd run 5 miles and a half a marathon.
[00:43:18] I ran so much so hard that I destroyed parts of my body.
[00:43:23] But I had a goal in mind and I had a buddy come along. He said, man, you need to learn how to just trot.
[00:43:30] You racing everywhere, you're running hard with everything.
[00:43:33] The finish line is the same, even if you finish last.
[00:43:38] I said, I got that Ricky Bobby mentality. If you ain't first, you're last.
[00:43:46] I mean, I had Ricky Bobby yet mentality. If you ain't seen it, don't go watch it. It's a horrible movie, but it's a funny statement.
[00:43:51] And I had that mentality that if I wasn't finishing at the best, I wasn't finishing.
[00:43:59] I realized yesterday how much I still have some of that in me.
[00:44:03] You know, I was racing very well in this little go kart case. One of our buddies, Little Bucks party, and Sam's actually joker is a beast on the go kart track.
[00:44:14] And yeah, he warned us.
[00:44:18] And every time I wrecked, it was like, I'm gonna catch back up to him.
[00:44:23] I got to the point so much, even when somebody else was wrecking. Liam's not here today. It could be because I treated him on the track, I don't know. But Liam would spin out two or three times I come by and I just bump him. Like, got past you. Everybody wrecked. I just bump him. I didn't realize how much competition was still in me.
[00:44:39] And God yesterday wrote this line, it's okay to finish last.
[00:44:46] You finished.
[00:44:48] Many people don't finish.
[00:44:51] Many people don't make it to the age you are.
[00:44:55] Many people don't arrive and achieve the things you've achieved while you're still trying to succeed ahead. You need to look at what you've succeeded in, take account for the good that's in your life, so that you can see how good God is. And if you finished last, you finished. And my Bible says, Sam, that whoever finishes first is last.
[00:45:19] Last is first.
[00:45:21] So I won.
[00:45:24] Amen.
[00:45:26] Actually, no, we're not going to say that out loud.
[00:45:28] Do you get what I'm saying?
[00:45:31] You finished.
[00:45:33] You did it.
[00:45:35] You don't need the accolade, man. Matt showed up this morning.
[00:45:41] I'm picking on you, man. Is it okay just a little bit? If he don't come back next week, y' all call him.
[00:45:49] I'm going to think about how I pick on you, though.
[00:45:52] He showed up this morning.
[00:45:54] He's bigger than me.
[00:45:57] I didn't know what he was going through yet, but them pearly whites came out. He smiled, and then he began to share with me what he's going through this week. But he still had a smile.
[00:46:08] You didn't give up.
[00:46:12] Amen.
[00:46:15] And I'm not. Y' all don't go to him, be like, hey, you know, I'm sorry, man, for what you been doing. I'm praying for you, brother. It wasn't that tragic. He just had. We all had tough weeks. Amen.
[00:46:22] But the difference between him and some of us is he smiled.
[00:46:26] You finished strong, brother. You finished this week strong. Amen. Somebody give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:46:34] So did you.
[00:46:37] You finished better than you think.
[00:46:41] Guys, this thing that we have boiling inside of us, this fire, this building is going to shake the very communities around us, the households we live in.
[00:46:52] And it's not about elevating world changers or my ministry. It's about making the name of Jesus great.
[00:46:58] It's about making the name of Jesus great. So remember who you are, live it out loud, and keep your eyes on the finish line.
[00:47:09] Amen.
[00:47:10] Father, I thank you for what you've done.
[00:47:18] Whether they are eight, like King Josiah, reshaping their whole culture and kingdom, they're never too young to start.
[00:47:28] Or whether they're Moses, Abraham, rich in age but richer in presence.
[00:47:36] Let no one think that they're too old to do ministry.
[00:47:41] And for definitely, for sure, let no one compare themselves to. To others to say, I could never do what they do.
[00:47:50] Do what God has called you to do. Maybe you're meant to be a great person or a good person in the marketplace. You're an evangelist.
[00:47:58] Maybe you're meant to be a teacher, a student of the word, whatever God is calling you to do you with Christ and add the supplements so that you can do it better.
[00:48:11] In Jesus name, amen and amen. Give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:48:19] Now, I'm not done. I'm gonna have one more prayer. But I want every head bowed and every eye closed. And I want you to start being honest with me. Because someone came to me. I had a vision of stones in this house. That your hearts have been hardened.
[00:48:34] Today. I need you to be free from that. Today. I need you to be honest. And I need everybody to bow their head and close their eyes. I want no one to be looking around but me.
[00:48:42] Michelle, if you can play without looking around, that'd be awesome.
[00:48:45] Amen.
[00:48:47] If today something broke off you or you feel like this message has impacted your life, can you lift your hand proudly, right where you are, lift it high.
[00:48:59] Say, this spoke to me. Amen.
[00:49:02] Say, this spoke to me. Amen.
[00:49:05] Desire starts with decision.
[00:49:09] For all of us that didn't raise our hand, can I ask you a question? Do you want more from God? Raise your hand.
[00:49:17] That's an obvious answer.
[00:49:20] Desire starts with decision.
[00:49:23] When I ask these questions, you're not honoring me.
[00:49:27] You're not.
[00:49:29] Desire starts with decision. God keeps speaking that to me. This whole message, it starts with decision. I have decided to be a follower of Jesus. I have decided to answer the call. I have decided to worship with all my being, with all my essence, and to shine and show heaven through me by the power of grace, by faith, through grace, by grace, through faith.
[00:49:58] That I've decided that I will live a life out loud for God. If that's you today, can you stand?
[00:50:04] I've decided I'm going to live out loud for Christ. If that's you, stand now. Really, that's everybody.
[00:50:19] If you don't know why you should sit or stand, I'm simply saying I'm not going to be ashamed to let people know I am a Christian.
[00:50:28] Look around the room. Don't shame those that are sitting down because maybe they got things that need healing. But look around the room. Look around, look around, look around, look around, look around, look around, look around, look around, look around.
[00:50:39] Are you alone?
[00:50:42] Look around. Are you alone?
[00:50:45] Are you doing this by yourself?
[00:50:47] But still greater is he that is in you than it is in the world. You got friends, you got partners. You got people that can do it. And where one can send A thousand a flight. Two can send ten thousand a flight. What can we do with this number that's partnered with Jesus?
[00:51:06] Amen.
[00:51:10] Live out loud and let none of this shame you, man. Some of my Muslim friends, and yes, they're my Muslim friends because I'm working on them for Jesus.
[00:51:22] They will get out of their car and they will lay their rugs down and they will pray.
[00:51:26] God send us that type of devotion for you. Not for legalism, not for religion, but the elevated love and passion to say, nobody will shut me down from honoring my God. God produced Daniels. That'll kick open the shutters and pray even louder. God, produce people that will say, I will not bow down to the idols of this world. God send me some Shadrach, Meshach and Abednegos that will say, I'm gonna live for Jesus.
[00:51:55] Amen.
[00:51:57] And look around you. Stand up. Look who's gonna stand up with you. You're not alone. And if nobody else does, I'll come with you. Amen.
[00:52:07] Come on, somebody.
[00:52:09] Come on, somebody.
[00:52:12] Give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:52:17] Look at your neighbor.
[00:52:20] Say, I got your back.
[00:52:22] I got your back.
[00:52:24] I got your back.
[00:52:26] I got your back. Oh, I already looked at you.
[00:52:33] I got my glasses off. I'm sweating.
[00:52:37] Father, I'm tired of just another service.
[00:52:44] I want to see you.
[00:52:48] I want to see you.
[00:52:54] Father, I thank you that today we're letting go of ourselves and tapping into you May this next worship night. I pray that the fog fills the air, that even the ministers can't even minister.
[00:53:10] I pray that our lives be so overwhelmed with your goodness that some days we can't even speak, that we have to tell people, I'm not crying because I'm sad. I'm crying because how good God is.
[00:53:22] I thank God for each and every one of you.
[00:53:27] It's in Jesus name I pray.
[00:53:29] Amen and amen. Thank you for tuning in to today's message. To connect or find out more, you can reach us online at worldchangers Life. Remember to subscribe for more uplifting messages from our pastoral team, and may you continue to walk in faith and transformation until we meet again.
