Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Welcome to the World Changers Church Gold Coast podcast. Join us as we listen to today's message. Amen. Well, praise God. Give the Lord another hand clap of praise.
[00:00:11] You know, if y'all could hand me that computer.
[00:00:15] And it's not easy to get up and talk in front of a crowd of people, no matter the size. And, man, you did well just then. But I got to be there with him last night. And one of my prayers yesterday was-
[00:00:30] Lord, why am I in this house?
[00:00:33] It was my prayer yesterday. Lord, why am I in this house? I know that you had us come from an apartment back into a house again because you said there's going to be more ministry going on in our home. And I said, why? Why this house? And as we're sitting there talking with this young man, which hopefully we get to hear his side of the story the next time he comes to church.
[00:00:55] We could just see what God was doing, and then it was just like, well, there's salvation. There's a pool right behind you. Let's just go ahead and get baptized. Amen.
[00:01:08] And even I think someone said this morning, Kristin, I think, said this morning that it's familiar, like in the Bible, where Philip was talking to the eunuch and led him to the Lord, and he said, well, there's a mud puddle. Let's just go ahead and just get this done.
[00:01:25] So I go back to what I said this morning before I go into this next two Sunday series.
[00:01:31] Church is not something you come to experience.
[00:01:35] Church is something that you live through the week and come together and celebrate it on the weekend.
[00:01:41] Amen. And if you can start seeing church like that, and yes, we come to church because we need prayer. And yes, we come to church because we need a word. But church is more than just an experience. It's a place we gather to celebrate the victories of God through the week. Amen. So I just thought maybe that would be for somebody. I wanted to share that this morning. Amen.
[00:02:03] So before we get into it, it's Father's day. Happy Father's Day. Amen.
[00:02:10] For all you fathers out there, God bless you. If your children are with you, for all of us that our fathers have gone on to be with the Lord, God bless you as well. Our prayers and thoughts, and hopefully that you have great memories this morning. Amen. Do you believe God's good?
[00:02:27] Do you believe that God's good this morning?
[00:02:31] I believe God's good.
[00:02:33] And I believe that God is getting gooder and gooder all the time.
[00:02:38] Is that how we say it? Gooder and gooder. That's that hillbilly way, y'all.
[00:02:47] But this morning, as we got a church full of kids and a house full of new faces, this morning, I want to start a series called faith in transition.
[00:03:00] And it's a two part series. The message I'm going to minister to you this morning is faith in the middle. And then the next Sunday, I'm going to minister to you faith in transition.
[00:03:11] And I really think that after coming off of series unbroken, which was a three part series, which I think you can go listen to on the podcast, that's not a plug. It's something that I think you should listen to. And then last Sunday's message about the power of words from Patty. How good was that? Amen.
[00:03:28] I wasn't here, but I got to listen to it.
[00:03:32] And I think if you tune it just right on your radio, Irish turns almost Aussie.
[00:03:40] Amen. But. And then in a couple weeks, three weeks time, we have Jeremy. And in a few weeks time, on the 22nd, we have Claire Patterson. And then soon, my wife. Amen.
[00:03:51] So, thank God we have such a house full of gifted speakers. But I really feel like God's ministering this morning about faith in transition.
[00:04:01] And what that means is how easy is it when you get a business plan and you start a dream and it goes from a dream, an idea, to a dream, to a vision to a plan, how easy is it? In the beginning?
[00:04:20] It's like, exciting, it's euphoric. It's like, this is what we're going to do. This is going to be amazing.
[00:04:26] But how many of you know that as you move into the mundane, how hard it gets in the middle of the journey?
[00:04:34] Amen. Because what you're facing may be difficult.
[00:04:39] What you're facing may be something new. Maybe you've stepped out from working nine to five and just getting a paycheck into being an entrepreneur. How know that that's just fun. That's full of golf days and free coffees. No, you're chasing work.
[00:04:54] Some of us are dropping letters in boxes, going to marketplace and Craigslist and higher pages to try and find something to do. Being an entrepreneur is not always easy. Being an investor is not always what it's cracked up to be. But when we start that idea, we think about how much freedom and how great it's going to be. And we left that nine to five working five days a week to work 16 hours a day and seven days a week.
[00:05:17] Amen.
[00:05:19] Anybody know what I'm talking about?
[00:05:21] So you may not understand what's going on right now, because when you started it, God put his hand on it, and you said, God, I know you told me to. But in the middle is where your faith has got to kick in.
[00:05:35] Yeah, because over here was excitement and a dream and hope. But in the middle is where you got to own it.
[00:05:44] Anybody know what I'm talking about is where you've made this decision. You've stepped out to do it, whether it be ministry or business or marriage or whatever else. And now you gotta stand firm when there's nothing else to do but stand. Does that make sense?
[00:06:00] So are you gonna get discouraged and talk yourself out of it now? Go back to easier.
[00:06:06] The thing you said that was harder, getting up and working for somebody else or going out on your own.
[00:06:13] So today I want to talk to you about faith in the middle. Look at your neighbor and say, have some faith.
[00:06:21] That was fun to say to somebody else, wasn't it? Have some faith.
[00:06:27] You know, in life, it's easy to find faith during the high moments.
[00:06:32] We feel that rush of excitement when the baby is born. How many, let's have a baby. How great of an idea is that?
[00:06:41] It's like, let's get a dog.
[00:06:45] You know? Let's get a dog. Let's have a baby. Let's start. It's exciting.
[00:06:50] Those moments are thrilling, filled with adrenaline and hope. And similarly, it's easy to maintain your faith in that moment when the baby is in manufacture mode, as I like to call it. And it's for the wife, it's. You don't actually feel what she's feeling. You just see the bump grow and, you know, she's got. Gotta go to the bathroom more, and she's gotta eat more, and you gotta go out and get the things you need to get. I'm not gonna get any of y'all in trouble. Those cravings.
[00:07:21] But it doesn't become your problem until the baby's born.
[00:07:25] You said problem.
[00:07:28] Cause now you are not sleeping like she wasn't sleeping. You're not eating when you wanna eat because you gotta take care of the baby. It was good when it was in conception, but it's harder when it's a reality.
[00:07:41] Amen. And that's when Faith's got to kick in.
[00:07:45] When our dreams are within reach and the journey's almost over, that's when our positive efforts and our outcomes and everything we've been through, it matters. Oh, all that I've had to do, those sleepless nights and those hard moments and wanting to quit that all seems so far and distant behind when you get to when the end of the finish line, right?
[00:08:10] But it's right there in the middle of the journey is when quit frustration, anger. God. Why did you let me do this? And all those things begin to happen. Anybody want to testify?
[00:08:24] Hallelujah.
[00:08:28] Got on a boat and came to Australia, sold everything I owned to come start a church with eight people in. Said, I'm gonna plan a church in Australia. Yeah. Three years later, Covid, come on, somebody. You can't plan for the things you can't plan for. But I remember when Covid hit Tina, looked at me and said, what are we gonna do? We came here to plan a church. We had to have faith in the middle. I said, something's gonna work out. It's all gonna change. This too, shall pass. Remember that Bible scripture?
[00:09:03] So all your efforts up to this moment and everything you're going through does have a finish line. But you got to have faith that stands firm while you're finishing what God has called you to do.
[00:09:15] So it's in the middle where we often find our greatest challenges, where faith is truly tested. It's like, you ever seen those Indiana Jones movies where there's, like. Remember the one where he had. This is for the older folk, by the way. Y'all gonna go look this up later. But when Harrison Ford stepped out and it was a faith test, and it looked like he was stepping into a ravine, and he stepped out on nothing, but when it turned to the side, it was actually rock he was stepping on then painted like a ravine, but he had to have step to walk out on it. You ever seen those movies where it's like a rope bridge, two ropes and one rope in the middle, and you're seeing people get on it and they get to the middle, and it gets all wobbly? You ever seen those? I've been on one of those before. And you do those in, like, those little sky rope things. I've seen Tina cross high ropes up. And where was that, babe? Where was that at when we went to that place and the four year old crossed before you did?
[00:10:15] Oh, Charlie's. Oh, Riley, I'm in trouble.
[00:10:22] But everybody has faith. I can remember going on one of those ropes, and you step out, and you're like, I can do this. And then it gets a little wobbly in the middle.
[00:10:32] Amen.
[00:10:33] You know what I'm talking about?
[00:10:36] It's easy when it's attached to something firm, but when you get away from everything that makes you feel comfortable it gets a little bit of shaky, and you got to have enough strength and willpower to say, I don't need to turn back because I got to get. When I turn back, I got to go back through everything I just went through.
[00:10:53] But if I go forward, this is going to end.
[00:10:56] Amen. Am I talking to somebody this morning? So, a common mistake we make is we get discouraged in the middle, you know, those middle phases. We start questioning our initial sense of purpose and the divine guidance. God, I don't think. God. No, God didn't call me to do this.
[00:11:16] God. God, didn't... you know that Pastor Kyle?
[00:11:22] He's a bulldog.
[00:11:24] God didn't call me to his church. No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
[00:11:27] God didn't call me to ministry. That's not for me. I'm not an usher. I don't like people. No.
[00:11:35] You know what I'm talking about.
[00:11:38] Hey, come on. So, we might start questioning our sense of divine purpose and guidance, but, for instance, a parent might say, God, I know you gave me this child, but they're making my life miserable.
[00:11:52] Amen. Parents, don't ever say that to your children.
[00:11:57] But no child. No parent ever feels that way. Parents, this is your chance. No.
[00:12:01] Okay. A spouse. A spouse might think, God, you brought this person in my life. But now there's conflict.
[00:12:11] I can remember when me and Tina first started dating. This is where I got to get my brownie points back.
[00:12:17] I had put, when you start dating or courting someone, the first six months are just so beautiful, and they're just perfect.
[00:12:28] Then all of a sudden, you see they're ugly.
[00:12:31] That's when you need faith that God has put this person in your life.
[00:12:35] Tina had that moment with me when she saw my ugly, and she said, I know God's made you a better man than who you are right now. And I got faith to love you anyway.
[00:12:49] Amen.
[00:12:51] Good save.
[00:12:52] I got you. But see how she's smiling now.
[00:12:58] An entrepreneur might struggle, saying, God, you blessed me with this business, this idea, but I don't have the funds I need to continue.
[00:13:07] You don't need money to keep moving forward. You need to believe and not quit.
[00:13:13] I've been right at the middle of shutting down a business, and I just said, I know and believe. If I just take this next step, money will come.
[00:13:23] I don't have money to take this next step, but I'm going to take this next step. I went to the father and I said, yep, this will happen. Yep, there it is.
[00:13:34] But it's that faith to take the next step.
[00:13:37] Amen. That makes sense?
[00:13:40] These are the moments where some of us lose. The battle is when we begin to think about how hard it is. It's crucial to understand that God promised a journey. He just didn't promise it would be smooth.
[00:13:55] He promised an end in sight. But he didn't say it wouldn't have turns and valleys and hills. But he said, I'll be the lily in the valley. I'll be your bright and morning star. I'll be the help on the hill. I'll be your- He said, I'll be there the whole way. And to be honest with you, God's not putting you in any of your valleys. He's not placed the wolves in your valleys. He didn't cause the devil to do it. He's there to turn things around with his promise and covenant that he has with you. Amen. Does that make sense?
[00:14:28] So, disappointments, opposition or confusing times are a part of the journey. And that does not mean when you have those disappointing moments, when you have opposition, when you have confusing times, that does not mean that the devil's against you. That means that you might be struggling with you.
[00:14:48] Amen.
[00:14:50] I know my greatest opposition is me.
[00:14:53] My greatest disappointment. Fear of failure, fear of rejection, and anxiety being my biggest false prophet.
[00:15:01] Amen. Makes sense?
[00:15:05] You can talk yourself out of more things that God is bringing you through than the devil will ever stop you doing.
[00:15:12] Hmm. That's so good.
[00:15:15] Our faith needs to be refined, perfected, matured. In the middle of the process. Let's look at 1 Peter 4:12-13.
[00:15:30] It says, beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you. That is, to test the quality of your faith as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. But insofar as you are sharing Christ's suffering, keep on rejoicing so that when his glory filled with his radiance and splendor is revealed, you may rejoice with great joy. Let's break that down for a second.
[00:16:02] Let's back up to verse twelve. Beloved, do not be surprised. God's not surprised about what you're about to go through.
[00:16:10] And you shouldn't be surprised about what you're going through. You should be confident that God's going to get you through.
[00:16:18] Amen.
[00:16:21] I'm going to let that sink in- which is taking place. This thing that is taking place is like being on a treadmill. It's like being on a bike or going to the gym. It's going to build your endurance. It's going to build your patience. It's going to build your spiritual strength if you just continue working your faith like a word workout in the gym. I'm not giving up. I just gotta put one foot in front of the other. Listen, brothers and sisters, I'm gonna tell you right now, it doesn't mean you won't be crying while taking your next step.
[00:16:52] It doesn't mean you won't be saying, I really want to quit. I really want to quit. I really want to quit.
[00:16:59] But when you get to the point of muscle failure in the gym, you always got a spotter.
[00:17:06] Amen.
[00:17:08] And when you always got a spotter, there's someone to lift the weight you can't lift, and that is God and the holy spirit in you.
[00:17:19] Amen.
[00:17:21] Trust your spotter.
[00:17:24] Trust God. As though something, this isn't strange or unusual. Life happens. That's what this scripture is saying. Life happens. Let's go to the next verse.
[00:17:35] But you are sharing with Christ's suffering the laying down of your wants, your desires, your needs. To say, I'm going to rejoice in the glory that shall come from God to be revealed in me so that I can rejoice with great joy.
[00:17:53] I'm not looking to be happy, guys.
[00:17:56] I'm not looking to feel good.
[00:17:59] You ever finished a race you thought you couldn't finish?
[00:18:02] You ever took on a project you thought you couldn't do? You ever made a friend you thought, mmm, Jesus, you ever went to a church? No, I'm kidding.
[00:18:13] But there's things you do that you're like, and at the end of it, it was hard doing it. But at the end of it, doesn't it feel good that you finished?
[00:18:24] Think about how good it's going to feel when faith gives way to sight and we see Jesus and we didn't quit, we kept trusting him, we kept leaning on him, and we kept believing in him. And he says, enter in my good and faithful servant. How good is that going to feel?
[00:18:46] I don't even think we can explain it.
[00:18:49] This scripture is encouraging us not to get upset, because when someone does us wrong, this scripture says, don't start worrying because your business is going down. This scripture is saying that God is still on the throne.
[00:19:07] And when you come through the midnight hour, Joy comes in the morning.
[00:19:14] When he comes through, like he always does, joy will come. I'm sorry. God does not always work on a microwave minute. Sometimes he roasts us a little bit. I'm just saying, sometimes he just lets us cook. Amen. He's not doing it to us. But he's letting us go through it with him so that we can grow and mature in him, so that we grow stronger in our faith. Is that not good? God is still on the throne, even if it looks like you fell off.
[00:19:56] Nothing that happens to you has stopped God's plan in your life. Look at your neighbor and say, God didn't quit.
[00:20:06] Now say it. Real country. You going to, oh, man, you don't need to quit. You need to keep going. Nothing that has happened has stopped God's plan in your life. He's not in the heavens scratching his head, going, oh, man, that threw me off.
[00:20:25] I didn't see that bad break coming for Kyle.
[00:20:28] He was preparing a way through your bad break. Before you even knew your bad break was coming.
[00:20:34] He went before you and made every crooked path straight, broke down every iron gate and flattened every mountain. Before you even knew you was going to go through something bad, he was walking in front of you saying, nope, nope, nope. Way back there a little bit more time. Nope, nope. And while you thought God was delaying, he was preparing the way.
[00:20:55] While you thought God had forgotten about you, he was getting people to remember you. Do you understand what I'm saying?
[00:21:03] While you were going through something that's maturing you, he wanted your faith to match your character so that when you stood in the middle of it, you could actually stand.
[00:21:12] Oh, that a preach right there.
[00:21:15] Sometimes we got faith without the character to match. Whoo, man. My Jesus. We talking things we ain't even understood yet, like little children with a gun. My goodness. Hallelujah. Don't even know how to operate it yet. You understand what I'm saying?
[00:21:30] We need character development just as much as faith.
[00:21:35] Oh, Jesus.
[00:21:38] So faith in the middle is about maturity.
[00:21:43] Little kids want to quit.
[00:21:46] Little kids get tired. I'm not calling y'all children. I'm not making fun of y'all. Listen, they've been plenty times. Asked Tina. She's sure to tell you after I said today, there's been plenty of times I've gotten to the middle and I sounded like a little kid crying. God, please, Tina, please. I just want to not do this anymore.
[00:22:03] But when you have someone pushing you, when you have people surrounded to encourage you, when you listen to the Holy Spirit, you will mature in the thing that you're suffering in.
[00:22:15] Does this make sense?
[00:22:17] Hey, boys. How y'all doing? This make sense?
[00:22:21] Does this make sense?
[00:22:23] Is this good?
[00:22:25] God is still on the throne.
[00:22:28] He's not in the heavens scratching his head.
[00:22:31] Here's the key. When God puts a dream in your heart, you ready?
[00:22:35] He'll show you the end. Let's put this up so everybody can read it. Do we got this one, Timmy? Do we have this one in bold? The key. No, we didn't. All right, here's the key. When God puts a dream in your heart, he'll show you the end he get. If he showed you the end of what he gives you as a promise, you would definitely talk yourself out of it.
[00:22:54] If God showed you what you're going to have to go through to get to the end of what he called you to, you would definitely talk yourself out of it.
[00:23:02] If God told me I was going to give hundreds of thousands of dollars in the last 22 years of church, I'm a Jewish man. I said, nope.
[00:23:11] If he said I was going to lose sleep over some people, I said, nope. I like my sleepy time, but that's just little things. If he said, if you knew you was going to go through sickness, if you knew you was going to go through heartache, if you knew you were going to go through your character being slandered, if you knew you were going to go through Covid, if you knew, if you knew, if you knew, you'd have said, nope, that's not me.
[00:23:31] But you answered the call and you weighed the call so that God can get me through anything. And you're now in the middle of everything you're going through, and you need to not turn around.
[00:23:42] Amen.
[00:23:45] If he told us all that we were going to, was going to take to see it come to pass, we'd talk ourselves out of it so quick. So let me show you what I mean. In Genesis 6-9, I'm not going to go to the scriptures, but you can read it. God looked upon the earth and saw great wickedness.
[00:24:00] He decided to cleanse the world of corruption and told a righteous man, Noah, to build an ark. And God said, Noah, build an ark of gopher wood. Make the rooms in the ark and cover it inside and pitch. And he said, make it this way. And so that the anything on this boat will not destroy what's on this boat. You understand what I'm saying? So God revealed to Noah that him and his family would be saved, gave him an instructions, and Noah went to building.
[00:24:24] I bet you he showed up to work like the first day, like Bob the builder.
[00:24:30] What you doing? What you doing, Noah? I'm building an ark. All right, Noah. Good on you. 120 years later, I can hear Noah saying, God, you didn't tell me building this ark would take so many years of hard labor. God, you didn't tell me that people would mock and ridicule me following your directions. God, you didn't tell me that I would witness destruction of so many lives and living creatures. You didn't tell me the isolation and responsibility I would feel so alone if I was Noah. But, God, could you imagine on the day when Noah was being mocked and the first raindrop hit the ground.
[00:25:08] Whoo.
[00:25:11] Everything that they said, all the backbiting, backstabbing, all the pain, everything he saw, the time on the boat. What about all that time that was just getting to the boat, actually floating? We're not talking about it floating through.
[00:25:27] Amen. Let me talk about what I'm saying. So now you've got to the point of action, and now you have to get to the point of purpose that is fulfilled.
[00:25:35] Am I making sense here?
[00:25:38] So now you're floating in the middle of the night sending out pigeons, crows, and everything else that can fly, and they're not coming back. God, did you put me on this boat to die?
[00:25:47] And then finally, one little pigeon is painted all white. I'm sure it looked a little different than that of one little dove comes back with a little branch in its mouth to show that the waters had receded.
[00:26:03] Noah had not yet seen land, but that was enough.
[00:26:09] Oh, yes, some of you got it.
[00:26:13] Sometimes you're looking for the fulfillment when all you really need to see is the light at the end of the tunnel.
[00:26:19] The spark of the completion is coming. Does anybody hear what I'm saying this morning?
[00:26:26] So God revealed to Noah that his obedient and faithful command to build the ark. I'm sure Noah was faithful, steadfast, and trusting in God's promises for salvation, but Noah was still human in the end, Noah's story goes on to have many more failures. Every man in the Bible has many more failures, and God brought them through everything.
[00:26:50] Does this make sense to you?
[00:26:53] So what I'm saying is God doesn't give us all the details.
[00:26:58] What you're facing may be difficult, and you don't understand it, and that's when your faith has to kick in. Like I said in the beginning, Noah's faith had to kick in when the little bird came back with a branch.
[00:27:14] This God really said he's going to do what he said he's going to do. Does that make sense? How many of you are arriving at that point today where you're saying, God, you really said you're going to do and do what you said you're going to do. How many are arriving at that point, that even this message is right on time? I ain't done preaching. This ain't an altar call. But how many of you are arriving saying, God, I really needed to hear this today because, you know, the journey so far has been a little rough and rugged. The journey so far has been a little up and down. The journey so far. Come on, wave your hand at me. The journey so far hasn't been really that great, but I'm getting, and this is what I needed to hear today because I was about to sit down and give up. Glenn's like, yeah, I was about to sit down, give up and get over it. Hallelujah.
[00:28:01] But God told me today, through you, Pastor Kyle, that I just need to keep going. Well, let me tell you a little secret. Me too.
[00:28:09] God told me the same thing.
[00:28:12] Me too.
[00:28:17] The truth will set you free.
[00:28:25] Are you going to get discouraged and talk yourself out of it anymore?
[00:28:29] You going to keep venting to people and tell them how bad it is and how bad they are? And if you just had a break, you going to keep doing that?
[00:28:37] Or are you just going to say God, like, Noah, I'm gonna have faith in the middle.
[00:28:44] So there's a reason we don't know all the details.
[00:28:48] We wouldn't move into the fullness of our destiny because none of us like adversity. How many of us say, I like to destiny, I like to fight.
[00:28:56] I'm just gonna get in the middle of it, God. I'm gonna dig trenches, roll up my sleeves and grab my shovel. I like getting dirty. How many of you out there like that today? Nobody.
[00:29:07] And if you are that person, come talk to me. I got plenty of work for you.
[00:29:12] We like to be comfortable, but you don't. You won't become all you were created without opposition. See, getting stronger means that there is resistance.
[00:29:23] Getting stronger means that there's pressure. Getting stronger means that your muscles tear and heal and get bigger so that they can up, they can handle the load that is coming. Getting stronger is not without pain. Getting stronger is not without opposition. But if you don't let it disappoint you, if you don't let the stop, if you don't let the struggle stop you, it will stretch your faith and grow you and develop your spiritual muscles.
[00:29:51] Amen.
[00:29:53] I remember when I was in America. When were we in America? I keep telling people, September. Were we in September? July? June? Yeah. Thank you. June. July. Over there, I thought, I need to lose weight and so I got my shoes on, I got my running shorts on, I got my shirt on, I went out, I stretched, I did all my stretches. I was running with Jojo. So, you know, he's a little competitive, and I'm saying, slow down. He's like, I'm barely running, dad.
[00:30:21] And then all of a sudden, it starts raining, and we got a sprint. I jump off like a awkward gazelle, just feet just flying everywhere. And all of a sudden, that third step, I hear something pop, pop, pop. And I'm like, yep. So I'm running behind Jojo. Jojo, you just keep running, buddy!
[00:30:39] I'll catch up. I don't mind getting a little wet. But because I hadn't prepared and let my muscles develop for the sprint, something got pulled and injury happened.
[00:30:54] Without preparation, you will not prosper.
[00:30:59] You think you're just going to wake up one day without prayer, without reading your bible, without going to church, and opposition hits your life, and you just going to just get up and get it done? Because God is good. No, God is good.
[00:31:13] But you need to have the spiritual muscles to respond to what you're about to go through. Is this good? Does that make sense?
[00:31:24] Come on, Jesus. So here's a few keys to keep your faith strong in the middle. I'm gonna let you go home and spend time with your family.
[00:31:34] One.
[00:31:35] Reflect on past victories.
[00:31:39] If you wanna write that down. Reflect on past victories. Recall times when you face challenges and overcame them. Them. Let those memories inspire and reassure you so that you can navigate your current struggles too. We can look at that in 1 Chronicles 16:12. Do we got that Timmy? Earnestly remember the marvelous deeds which he has done, his miracles and the judgments he has uttered. See, a lot of people think we do the feast so that we can just get together and have food as Jewish people. We're recalling the goodness of God so that we can earnestly remember how God has been for us in the past. Amen. So you need to reflect on what God's brought you through, to know that he'll bring you through it again.
[00:32:30] Amen.
[00:32:32] Second thing you need to do to have faith in the middle is stay connected.
[00:32:38] The first thing people do when something goes wrong is they run from church.
[00:32:42] It's like, I'm sick, but I'm not gonna go to the doctor.
[00:32:46] I'm sick, but I'm not gonna take medicine now. I'm not. I'm using this as an analogy. So follow me here. Why is it then, when we have spiritual attacks on our lives that we run from the place where we can share our burdens one with another and be strengthened.
[00:33:01] Right? Does that make sense?
[00:33:04] So stay connected. Keep in touch with your support networks. You know, if you haven't gotten involved in the Bible studies on Tuesday, get involved. Go to the women's and men's one this Tuesday, go to the all-in ones. Get on the podcast. Stay connected. Because friends, family and your faith communities are there to support you. Sharing your struggles can provide emotional relief and practical advice. Let's look at Ecclesiastes 4:9-10. Two are better than one because they are good, more satisfying reward for their labor.
[00:33:41] For if they fall, though, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone, for when he falls, he has not another to lift him up. Well, I don't need nobody. I've been to Bible college.
[00:33:54] Well, I don't need nobody. I've been to church for 20 years. Well, joker, when you fall, be talking about who you need and why nobody shows up.
[00:34:06] It's good to develop spiritual relationships so that if you struggle, there's a spotter in the physical for your life. Amen. Is this good? Come on, somebody give the Lord a hand clap of praise.
[00:34:24] So reflect on your past big victories. Stay connected. Last I'm going to give you today is stay present.
[00:34:31] I see so many people not get up and go to work because there's no work to do.
[00:34:36] Focus on managing the day to day rather than worrying about the future.
[00:34:40] Amen.
[00:34:42] Trust that by handling the now you are building a bridge better for tomorrow.
[00:34:48] Trust that by handling a now you're building a bridge to handle tomorrow better.
[00:34:54] Matthew 6:34 says, so don't worry-
[00:34:58] Yep. So don't worry or be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will have its worries and anxieties of its own. Sufficient. So sufficient for each day is its own trouble. So I want to say this to you as I wind up that thought.
[00:35:13] Anxiety is the greatest false prophet.
[00:35:18] Anxiety is the greatest false prophet. It will predict and tell you things that are never going to happen.
[00:35:26] Fear is the greatest false prophet. Anger is the greatest false prophet. These things will make you think things that are never going to happen.
[00:35:37] That's why you need to reflect on your victories. That's why you need to stay present. That's why you need to simply say, God, I know you are with me.
[00:35:49] So when faced with difficulties in the middle, it's tempting to let go of faith.
[00:35:54] But these are crucial moments when maintaining faith can lead to personal growth and deeper spiritual connection with God. James 4:7-8 simply says, draw nigh unto God. Surrender to God, so be subject to God. Resist the devil. Stand firm against him, and he will flee from you. Come close to God and he will come close to you. Recognize that you need God, but your soiled hands are clean. Realize that you are, that you have been disloyal, wavering individuals and divided interests, and see how to purify your hearts and your spiritual adultery. All we got to do is go to God when there's trouble, when it's really sin in our lives and say, God, you can make me clean. James says, be not only hearers of the word, but doers also.
[00:36:41] Realize that if you need to get clean, there's water for you through Jesus.
[00:36:47] Amen. That no matter what you're facing, God hasn't given up on you and that you haven't done too much, that God's turned his back on you. Amen. Is this good?
[00:37:00] So the message of Jesus encourages us to focus on today and trust in God for our future, which helps reduce our anxiety. Particularly, this involves daily prayers for God's guidance, journaling our victories, and setting manageable daily goals. Let's stop being narcissistic Christians, setting goals that are so high, and then we blame God when we don't reach them.
[00:37:30] We must understand that faith is a builder. It's a bridge builder. And we must listen to God for how high to set the goal.
[00:37:37] We must listen to God to how to stride with the next step.
[00:37:42] Let the spirit lead you.
[00:37:45] We must understand the benefits of staying present and taking concrete steps that help us live a more peaceful life by trusting God's plan. So do me a favor.
[00:37:56] We're going to take a deep breath together because this is a hopeful thought.
[00:38:00] You ready? Take a deep breath and enjoy the gift of today.
[00:38:07] Some of you didn't take a deep breath because you're like, I ain't gonna do it. Cause you said to, it's all right. You breathed anyway because you can't hold your breath forever.
[00:38:16] Hallelujah.
[00:38:18] But anyway, can you take a deep breath with me and say, I receive the gift of today.
[00:38:27] I rejoice and be glad in this day that God has created.
[00:38:33] I'm not alone.
[00:38:35] Every day has a new opportunity to grow, to learn, to find peace in this present moment.
[00:38:46] Amen.
[00:38:48] So let's go.
[00:38:50] Let's get rid of. Let's go off of tomorrow's worries and focus on the beauty and joy of today and what it can bring.
[00:38:59] I want to pray for you real quick, if that's okay. Can we bow our heads.
[00:39:03] Dear Lord, grant us the strength and wisdom to focus on today.
[00:39:11] Help us trust in your plan and not be overwhelmed with the worries of tomorrow. Fill our hearts with peace, knowing that you are with us for every step and every way to guide us so that we can live fully in each moment and find joy and gratitude in the present. And we all say amen.
[00:39:34] So as we're closing this message, remember, when you're in the middle, God's given you a promise. Like the Israelites, you know your destination, but your route of raising a baby, believing for a healing or running a business is different than the joy of the end. Along the way, you will face situations that look impossible, the odds against you, the opposition being stronger. But be of courage and be of good cheer. The God of the middle is the God of right now, right here with you. Amen.
[00:40:12] So with every head bowed and every eye closed, maybe today, every head bowed and every eye closed, maybe today you need to say, and just lift your hand right where you are. Lord, I need you to strengthen me right in the middle of where I am. If that's you, raise your hand. Thank you for the hands. Thank you for the hands. Thank you for the hands.
[00:40:40] Maybe here today you want to receive Jesus as your lord and savior for the first time. If you've not received Jesus as your lord and savior, can you raise your hand right where you are and say, I want to receive him.
[00:40:52] Amen.
[00:40:54] If you're here today and this message has made an impact on your life, not because I want to know these numbers, but if it has said, you know what, Lord? This gave me the strength I need not to quit. Can you raise your hand right where you are? Amen. Thank you for the hand this message has made you say, you know what? I knew I needed to keep going.
[00:41:17] I just need to finish this task. If that's you, raise your hand. That's everybody now. Amen.
[00:41:23] So, Father, we thank you for this day, this message, for our faith that is in transition.
[00:41:30] We thank you that you are so, so good to us, and we thank you. On this Father's day, we celebrate all different types of things, but most of all, we celebrate you, our Abba father, who has supplied all our needs according to your riches and glory. It's in Jesus name I pray. And we all say 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.
