Start Going to Church

July 14, 2021 | 166 | 27:29

Pastor Robert shares a message about why it’s important to go to church and why the Bible says we need to gather together as believers.

#Religion #Church #Community #Humor #People in your life #Presence of God #Worship #Robert Morris #Exodus 25:8 #Matthew 18:19-20 #Psalm 92:13-14

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Pastor Robert Morris Ministries | Start Going to Church | July 17, 2021

PASTOR ROBERT MORRIS: So there's a difference
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between just being gathered, and being assembled.
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Everybody following me?
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When they blew the trumpets, you know what God told 'em?
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"Assemble."
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Don't just gather, assemble.
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It's like bricks.
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♪ ♪
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PASTOR ROBERT: We've been in a three-week series
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called "Three Steps to Victory".
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The first week was "Stop Believing Lies".
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Last weekend was "Stay in the Word".
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Here's the third one.
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Last one in this series: "Start Going to Church".
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Now, what you're thinking is, well, I am here.
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I don't need this one, Pastor.
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Well, the emphasis is not on start,
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the burden the Lord gave me is on going.
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Start going to church.
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Now, here's what I mean by that.
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I want you, when you can't come, to watch on the Internet.
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And I want you, even if you decide not to come,
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just because you're too tired to watch on the Internet.
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Don't stop watching on the Internet, okay?
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Not saying anything bad about that,
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or if you live outside of the metroplex, or whatever.
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I want you to watch on the Internet.
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I want you to.
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But I just -- so this isn't a correction,
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this is just to answer a question that's beginning
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to come up more and more and more,
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I think, since so many pastors,
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their messages are available at any time online,
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but I just wanna -- I don't wanna -- you know,
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this isn't church attendance for church attendance's sake.
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I wanna actually answer the question, why go to church?
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Why go? Why not just watch?
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What's the difference, and if you can't, again,
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if you can't come, then watch.
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If you're out of town, or if you're traveling,
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or if you're -- someone's sick in the family, or somebody --
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then watch.
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But if you can, why make the effort?
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And I have three reasons.
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Is that shocking to you?
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I got three reasons.
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Now, that reminds me, there was a guy that got up one morning
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on Sunday morning, and told his wife,
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"I'm not going to church today,
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and I'll give you three good reasons
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why I'm not going." He said, "Number one,
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I don't like the building. I just don't like it.
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I've never liked the building.
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Number two, I don't like the people.
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And number three, the people don't like me.
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I can just tell it.
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They look at me funny, they just don't like me."
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And so, she did, as all ladies
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have to do at some time or another,
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she said, "Well, I'll give you three good reasons
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why you are going, buddy."
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She said, "I've gotten up, and I'm going.
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Number two, the kids have gotten up, and they're going.
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Number three, you're the pastor,
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and they're expecting you to be there."
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[laughter]
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So -- but what happens if the pastor comes,
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and the people don't come?
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So that's what I wanna talk to you about, all right?
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So here's the number one reason to go to church, God's presence.
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Now, I understand that God is everywhere.
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That's called His omnipresence.
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Then, there is His inner-presence.
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Inner; I-N-N-E-R.
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When the Holy Spirit lives within us.
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But there is His manifest presence,
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which is His made-known presence,
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which happens when we come together,
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in a more powerful way than I've ever seen in my life.
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So I wanna show you a few scriptures, all right?
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When they were -- when God told them to make a tabernacle
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on earth, the very first one ever, this is Moses,
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the tabernacle of Moses.
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Moses's tabernacle, before Solomon's temple, all that.
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He gave him some instructions, and by the way, He said,
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"What you see in heaven, build on earth."
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So it's tabernacle, the pattern for it is in heaven.
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And this is what He said, Exodus 25:8.
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"And let them," that's the people: "Make Me," God:
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"A sanctuary; that I may dwell among them."
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I want a place to live on earth.
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And then, later down in Exodus 25:22, He says: "And there,"
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-- talking about the sanctuary: "There I will meet with you,
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and I will speak with you,"
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-- something happens when we come together,
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and then Jesus even confirms this in the New Testament,
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Matthew 18:20.
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"For where two or three are gathered together in My name,
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I am there in the midst of them;" it's His presence.
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I'll bet you can remember some worship services when you sensed
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God's presence more than ever -- you've ever sensed Him before.
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And you know exactly what I'm talking about,
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when the whole body is coming together,
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and we're worshiping God, His presence is so strong.
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You know, when He got angry with the people of Israel,
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when they were traveling through the wilderness,
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He said to Moses, "I'm not gonna go with you
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into the promised land, but I'll send My angel."
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Moses's reply was, "If Your presence doesn't go,
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I don't wanna go."
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And he made an incredible statement,
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he said, "If Your presence doesn't go with us,
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how will we be different from any other people in the world?"
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It's the only thing that makes us different.
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Listen, it's the only thing that makes the church different
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from every organization in the world.
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Every organization in the world, every meeting in the world,
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the reason we're different is because God shows up Himself
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when we meet together.
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God's presence is here.
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[applause]
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It is -- let's not forget, it is God's house.
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So number one, His presence.
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Here's number two, His power.
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God's power.
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Now, we read in Matthew 18:20 a moment ago that:
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"If two or three are gathered in My name,
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there I am in the midst," --
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let me just show you the verse right before it, Matthew 18:19.
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"Again I say to you, that if two of you agree
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on earth concerning anything
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that they ask, it will be done for them
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by My Father in heaven."
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And then, He says: "For," -- this word for is a preposition,
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which means because: "Because," -- this is why it's done:
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"Where two or three are gathered together in My name,
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I am there in the midst," --
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see, many people have never connected these two.
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The reason that what you ask is done
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is because He's standing right there with you.
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His presence is there.
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And when His presence is there, His power is there.
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If His presence is there, then His power is there.
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So many people want -- need -- want and need the power of God
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in their life, but they don't go to church.
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When I grew up we went to church three times a week:
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Sunday morning, anyone wanna finish this?
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Sunday night, and Wednesday night.
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And that was if we didn't have Tuesday visitation that week,
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or whatever, you know?
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Or Thursday Bible study, or what was it,
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Saturday morning men's breakfast, okay.
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At least three times a week.
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I'm not advocating that.
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I'm not even advocating four times a month, every weekend,
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because I know we travel and we have kid's events,
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and things like that.
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But I'd like it to be more than once or twice a month.
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And not for attendance's sake.
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You have to understand, I have no ulterior motive.
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I don't need a higher number, okay?
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That's not why I'm doing this.
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It's for you.
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I know what happens when we come together.
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God's power is exponential when we come together.
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Deuteronomy 32:30.
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"How could one chase a thousand,
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and two put ten thousand to flight,"
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-- it's the power of God.
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See, people, sometimes, have a difficult time
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committing to a church.
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Sometimes, people could be like butterflies or bull frogs.
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Butterflies will just flit around from church to church,
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and never like very long at any one place.
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And bull frogs will come and sit on your lily pad 'til someone
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touches 'em, tries to develop a relationship with 'em,
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then they blow up and hop off somewhere else.
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[laughter]
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Let me just show you.
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So I've said to people before, you need to be planted.
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You need to be planted.
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Let me show you where I base that on, Psalm 92:13-14.
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"Those who are planted in the house of the Lord,"
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-- planted.
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Not just attend, they're planted: "Shall flourish
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in the courts of our God.
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They shall still bear fruit in old age;
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they shall be fresh and flourishing."
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Again, watch: fruit, fresh, and flourishing; three points.
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It's all through the Bible: God Father, Son, Holy Spirit.
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Okay, so nevermind.
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But that verse is only good for those who are planted.
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Not those who flit around from church to church.
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You wanna be planted somewhere.
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Another testimony, from Shady Grove,
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that's now our Grand Prairie campus.
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Pastor Olen was doing marriage counseling with this couple.
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And after a little while, he said,
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"I don't think I can help you anymore."
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And they were down, you know, discouraged about it.
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They said, "What do you mean?"
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He said, "The only thing that can help you
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is the presence of God.
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You need a touch from God."
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So he said, "My advice to you is keep coming to church.
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Just keep coming to church, and keep worshiping God,
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and let God do a miracle in your hearts."
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So they did, and, one time during worship,
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just a few weeks later, after he told 'em that,
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the presence of God was just all over the place.
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And it's back when pastors would stand on the platform
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during worship, and he just felt the Holy Spirit said,
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"Open your eyes, and look what I'm doing."
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And he opened his eyes, and his eyes fell on this couple.
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They were both standing there like this,
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tears streaming down their cheeks, worshiping God.
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And right when Pastor Olen looked,
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the man took his arm like this, and put it around his wife.
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And then, she put her arm around his waist,
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and they stood there a minute, and then they turned and faced
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each other, and he said something to her.
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She said something to him.
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And then, they hugged and they cried,
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and then they turned back.
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He's got his right hand there, his arm around her.
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She's got her arm around him, and her left hand in the air.
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And their marriage was healed, just like that,
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in the presence of God.
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He went on to become an elder in the church,
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to be very successful in business.
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As a matter of fact, probably most of you have something
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in your home that he invented.
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Has given lots of money to the Kingdom of God,
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and they've been married over 50 years now.
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Still married, still going strong.
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You know what saved their marriage?
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Obviously, God, but through church.
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Just coming to church.
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God's power, and here's number three, God's people.
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God's people.
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Now, what you may be thinking is, well,
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if I've got God's presence and God's power,
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why do I need God's people?
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I'm gonna tell you why, but here's -- just to sum it up,
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because His presence and His power flows through His people.
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You need people.
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You know, I've heard people say, "Just me and God."
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First of all, that's not grammatically correct.
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Just, if you're gonna say it, say, "God and I."
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But just me -- "It's just me and God, that's all I need is God."
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That's not the way God set it up.
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You need someone else.
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Out of all that God created, everything was good
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except for one thing, man alone.
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I mean, God said at the end of every day,
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"It's good, that's good."
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Creates Adam, says, "It's not good.
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I can do better than that."
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And He did.
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So let me show you a few scriptures here, about --
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I don't think we, sometimes, realize how incredible it is
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to be called the people of God.
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'Cause many of us don't have any type of a Jewish heritage.
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We've been grafted in to the nation of Israel,
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but the Jews understood it.
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The Jewish people did.
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So let me show you some scripture where Peter's writing
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to Gentiles and where Paul's writing to Gentiles.
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1 Peter 2:10.
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"Who once were not a people but are now the people of God,"
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-- now, He's quoting Hosea, and you'll see,
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Paul actually mentions that.
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Romans 9:25.
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"As He says also in Hosea: 'I will call them My people,
00:13:44.449 --> 00:13:48.920
who were not My people,'" -- and this is the scripture in Hosea,
00:13:48.920 --> 00:13:52.457
Hosea 2:23: "Then I will say to those who were not My people,
00:13:52.457 --> 00:13:57.328
'You are My people.'
00:13:57.328 --> 00:13:58.663
And they shall say, 'You are my God.'"
00:13:58.663 --> 00:14:03.134
It's good to be a part of the people of God.
00:14:03.134 --> 00:14:06.704
But we need other people.
00:14:06.704 --> 00:14:09.841
Jesus backs it up.
00:14:09.841 --> 00:14:11.075
They come to Him, and say,
00:14:11.075 --> 00:14:12.210
"What's the greatest commandment?"
00:14:12.210 --> 00:14:14.279
He says, "Well, obviously, 'Love God with all your heart,
00:14:14.279 --> 00:14:16.314
mind, soul, and strength.'"
00:14:16.314 --> 00:14:17.582
But the second is like it, and that word means equal to.
00:14:17.582 --> 00:14:21.052
The second is equal to it.
00:14:21.052 --> 00:14:24.222
"Love your neighbor as yourself."
00:14:24.222 --> 00:14:26.224
And then, He makes an incredible statement.
00:14:26.224 --> 00:14:27.759
"On these two commandments, hang all the law and the prophets,"
00:14:27.759 --> 00:14:32.630
-- the law of the first five books of the Old Testament,
00:14:32.630 --> 00:14:34.666
the prophets are the rest,
00:14:34.666 --> 00:14:35.900
the major prophets and minor prophets.
00:14:35.900 --> 00:14:37.268
And by the -- you gotta remember,
00:14:37.268 --> 00:14:38.536
they didn't have a New Testament when Jesus was speaking.
00:14:38.536 --> 00:14:40.271
They were the New Testament,
00:14:40.271 --> 00:14:41.406
so they didn't have one at that time.
00:14:41.406 --> 00:14:42.640
So when Jesus referred to the Scriptures,
00:14:42.640 --> 00:14:45.176
the law and the prophets, what He was saying was
00:14:45.176 --> 00:14:47.111
the whole Bible hangs on these two commandments.
00:14:47.111 --> 00:14:50.682
And let me say those two commandments a different way.
00:14:50.682 --> 00:14:53.685
Love God, and love people.
00:14:53.685 --> 00:14:54.986
Let me say it a different way.
00:14:54.986 --> 00:14:56.187
Relationship with God, and relationship with people.
00:14:56.187 --> 00:14:59.657
You need both. You need both.
00:14:59.657 --> 00:15:01.859
So why?
00:15:01.859 --> 00:15:03.094
Why do we need God's people?
00:15:03.094 --> 00:15:04.996
So Paul's addressing that in 1 Corinthians,
00:15:04.996 --> 00:15:07.632
and he's putting some things in order,
00:15:07.632 --> 00:15:08.933
but he's also encouraging them in some things they're doing.
00:15:08.933 --> 00:15:12.337
He's just trying to help 'em do it better.
00:15:12.337 --> 00:15:14.405
But he makes a statement that you need to kind of understand
00:15:14.405 --> 00:15:17.508
his writing, because he'll ask a question,
00:15:17.508 --> 00:15:20.044
then he'll answer it himself.
00:15:20.044 --> 00:15:21.879
Others -- sometimes, he'll say, "What's the conclusion, then?"
00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:26.217
And then, he'll answer it.
00:15:26.217 --> 00:15:27.585
Or he'll say, "Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?"
00:15:27.585 --> 00:15:30.788
And then, obviously answers, "God forbid."
00:15:30.788 --> 00:15:32.991
And he answers, all right.
00:15:32.991 --> 00:15:34.425
So this is what he does in this one.
00:15:34.425 --> 00:15:35.727
He says, 1 Corinthians 14:26: "How is it then, brethren?"
00:15:35.727 --> 00:15:39.630
In other words, how is all this?
00:15:39.630 --> 00:15:41.132
How's all this work?
00:15:41.132 --> 00:15:42.667
And then, he answers it.
00:15:42.667 --> 00:15:43.835
"Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm,
00:15:43.835 --> 00:15:50.241
has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation,
00:15:50.241 --> 00:15:54.078
has an interpretation.
00:15:54.078 --> 00:15:56.147
Let all things be done for edification."
00:15:56.147 --> 00:15:59.751
Edification means building up, but apparently,
00:15:59.751 --> 00:16:02.620
what he's saying is the way you get built up
00:16:02.620 --> 00:16:04.956
is by someone else's song.
00:16:04.956 --> 00:16:08.760
By someone else's teaching, by someone else's revelation.
00:16:08.760 --> 00:16:11.763
I'm given someone -- listen to what God's saying.
00:16:11.763 --> 00:16:14.198
I'm gonna give someone else what you need.
00:16:14.198 --> 00:16:19.570
And you're gonna have to come together to get it,
00:16:19.570 --> 00:16:23.107
because I've designed it that way.
00:16:23.107 --> 00:16:24.642
I don't want you to live in just me and God.
00:16:24.642 --> 00:16:28.312
I want you to live in community, in a congregation.
00:16:28.312 --> 00:16:32.216
I want you to congregate, I want you to come together.
00:16:32.216 --> 00:16:36.487
So in the Old Testament, that's where we get our word
00:16:36.487 --> 00:16:38.189
congregation from.
00:16:38.189 --> 00:16:39.357
They were always called the congregation.
00:16:39.357 --> 00:16:43.127
Have you ever heard of the signal trumpets?
00:16:43.127 --> 00:16:47.632
'Cause most people have never even heard of 'em.
00:16:47.632 --> 00:16:49.634
The signal trumpets, so let me show you
00:16:49.634 --> 00:16:51.969
a place where the Bible tells --
00:16:51.969 --> 00:16:54.338
calls 'em the signal trumpets, in Numbers,
00:16:54.338 --> 00:16:56.707
and then we'll back up a little in Numbers
00:16:56.707 --> 00:16:58.176
to show you where God told Moses
00:16:58.176 --> 00:16:59.677
to make 'em, and what they were for, all right?
00:16:59.677 --> 00:17:02.280
So Numbers 31:6.
00:17:02.280 --> 00:17:04.082
"Then Moses sent them to war -- with the holy articles
00:17:04.082 --> 00:17:07.418
and the signal trumpets in his hand."
00:17:07.418 --> 00:17:11.255
So that's Numbers 31:6.
00:17:11.255 --> 00:17:12.323
Now, back up to Numbers 10:1.
00:17:12.323 --> 00:17:14.225
"And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
00:17:14.225 --> 00:17:15.693
'Make two silver trumpets for yourself;
00:17:15.693 --> 00:17:17.762
and you shall make them of hammered work;
00:17:17.762 --> 00:17:19.964
you shall use them for,'" number one:
00:17:19.964 --> 00:17:22.567
"'Calling the congregation, and for directing
00:17:22.567 --> 00:17:26.471
the movement of the camps.'"
00:17:26.471 --> 00:17:27.839
And then, in Numbers 10:9; "And when you go to war
00:17:27.839 --> 00:17:30.007
in your land against the enemy who oppresses you," --
00:17:30.007 --> 00:17:32.210
anyone have an enemy who tries to oppress you? Okay.
00:17:32.210 --> 00:17:36.481
"Then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets,
00:17:36.481 --> 00:17:39.584
and you will be remembered before the Lord your God,
00:17:39.584 --> 00:17:42.019
and you will be saved from your enemies."
00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:44.922
Here's what He's saying.
00:17:44.922 --> 00:17:46.224
He said, "Edification," coming together, and we just read,
00:17:46.224 --> 00:17:49.026
when you come together, it's all for edification.
00:17:49.026 --> 00:17:51.929
So edification, direction, and protection.
00:17:51.929 --> 00:17:55.633
Three points, again.
00:17:55.633 --> 00:17:57.935
All good sermons have three points.
00:17:57.935 --> 00:18:00.505
In preaching class, I remember one student
00:18:00.505 --> 00:18:02.206
asked the preaching professor,
00:18:02.206 --> 00:18:03.741
"How many points should a good sermon have?"
00:18:03.741 --> 00:18:06.010
He said, "At least one." I thought that's pretty good.
00:18:06.010 --> 00:18:11.549
It should not be a point-less sermon.
00:18:11.549 --> 00:18:18.623
Edification. Why come together?
00:18:18.623 --> 00:18:20.725
I'll tell you right now, why come to church?
00:18:20.725 --> 00:18:23.127
Because you need to be edified.
00:18:23.127 --> 00:18:25.263
You need to have direction in your life,
00:18:25.263 --> 00:18:27.064
and you need protection from the enemy.
00:18:27.064 --> 00:18:29.167
And you know the one the wolf catches?
00:18:29.167 --> 00:18:31.302
The one that's on the fray.
00:18:31.302 --> 00:18:34.372
The one that's on the edge.
00:18:34.372 --> 00:18:36.741
The one that only comes every now and then.
00:18:36.741 --> 00:18:39.377
That doesn't attend the classes,
00:18:39.377 --> 00:18:40.478
that doesn't go through Grow Path,
00:18:40.478 --> 00:18:42.346
that doesn't go through Next Steps.
00:18:42.346 --> 00:18:45.016
That doesn't go on in God.
00:18:45.016 --> 00:18:46.918
Listen.
00:18:46.918 --> 00:18:48.452
You're a sheep, right?
00:18:48.452 --> 00:18:49.887
We're all sheep, that's what the Bible says.
00:18:49.887 --> 00:18:51.189
We're all like sheep, have gone astray.
00:18:51.189 --> 00:18:52.557
We're the sheep of His pasture, okay.
00:18:52.557 --> 00:18:54.091
So, if you're on the fray, here's what you need to do.
00:18:54.091 --> 00:18:57.595
Excuse me.
00:18:57.595 --> 00:19:05.002
And you need to get right in the middle of the flock.
00:19:05.002 --> 00:19:12.043
Because the wolf's gonna catch the ones on the edge.
00:19:12.043 --> 00:19:15.479
Is that right?
00:19:15.479 --> 00:19:16.714
You need brothers and sisters around you.
00:19:16.714 --> 00:19:19.951
We need the body of Christ, we need each other.
00:19:19.951 --> 00:19:23.354
And now that I've talked about gathering,
00:19:23.354 --> 00:19:25.890
I'm gonna take it a step further,
00:19:25.890 --> 00:19:28.326
and I wanna talk about assembling.
00:19:28.326 --> 00:19:31.095
Now, I know what you're thinking.
00:19:31.095 --> 00:19:32.263
You're probably going, "Well, what's the difference
00:19:32.263 --> 00:19:33.364
between being gathered, and being assembled?"
00:19:33.364 --> 00:19:36.767
There's one thing to see a pile of bricks,
00:19:36.767 --> 00:19:39.904
and each brick has individual worth, and individual beauty,
00:19:39.904 --> 00:19:45.910
and individual strength.
00:19:45.910 --> 00:19:47.979
If you think about it, one brick has strength.
00:19:47.979 --> 00:19:49.647
Get hit in the head with one, it's got strength.
00:19:49.647 --> 00:19:52.316
It's got individual worth.
00:19:52.316 --> 00:19:53.584
I don't know, two bucks a brick or something,
00:19:53.584 --> 00:19:55.086
I don't know what they're worth individually,
00:19:55.086 --> 00:19:57.622
and individual beauty.
00:19:57.622 --> 00:19:58.723
I guess a brick has some beauty by itself.
00:19:58.723 --> 00:20:01.859
But when you take those bricks, and you begin to rightly
00:20:01.859 --> 00:20:05.196
relate them to other bricks, their worth, their strength,
00:20:05.196 --> 00:20:11.435
and their beauty is increased.
00:20:11.435 --> 00:20:15.706
And a lot of churches, you're just piles of bricks.
00:20:15.706 --> 00:20:19.210
But if you just assemble 'em, guess what you have?
00:20:19.210 --> 00:20:21.679
A house.
00:20:21.679 --> 00:20:23.648
A house, where someone can dwell.
00:20:23.648 --> 00:20:27.251
Where you can meet with and speak with someone.
00:20:27.251 --> 00:20:32.290
Now, you might think, "Well, that's good;
00:20:32.290 --> 00:20:33.891
two good illustrations about the car
00:20:33.891 --> 00:20:35.760
and the bricks and assembling,
00:20:35.760 --> 00:20:38.996
but do you have a scripture on it, Pastor?"
00:20:38.996 --> 00:20:47.038
Think I got a scripture on it?
00:20:47.038 --> 00:20:50.174
"Well, do you have a New Testament one?
00:20:50.174 --> 00:20:51.575
You use the Old Testament a lot.
00:20:51.575 --> 00:20:52.643
Do you have a New Testament one?"
00:20:52.643 --> 00:20:58.482
Yeah, I do.
00:20:58.883 --> 00:21:00.418
Got one that you've read before, but you've probably
00:21:00.418 --> 00:21:03.054
never seen it in this light.
00:21:03.054 --> 00:21:05.523
Hebrews 10:25: "Not forsaking," the what?
00:21:05.523 --> 00:21:12.530
"The assembling of ourselves together,
00:21:12.530 --> 00:21:16.634
as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another,"
00:21:16.634 --> 00:21:21.906
watch this: "And so much the more
00:21:21.906 --> 00:21:25.176
as you see the Day approaching."
00:21:25.176 --> 00:21:27.978
Church attendance shouldn't be decreasing,
00:21:27.978 --> 00:21:30.147
it should be increasing, because the Day is approaching.
00:21:30.147 --> 00:21:34.118
We should be going to church more.
00:21:34.118 --> 00:21:35.986
We should be gathering more.
00:21:35.986 --> 00:21:37.121
We should be assembling more.
00:21:37.121 --> 00:21:42.827
So another thing that happened
00:21:42.827 --> 00:21:44.061
that I'll never forget at Shady Grove
00:21:44.061 --> 00:21:46.831
was we would tell people,
00:21:46.831 --> 00:21:51.168
"If you have a testimony, share 'em."
00:21:51.168 --> 00:21:53.003
Now, we do, like, video testimonies, you know?
00:21:53.003 --> 00:21:55.940
And so, people would come up sometimes
00:21:55.940 --> 00:21:57.508
and share with the pastor, and the pastor would decide,
00:21:57.508 --> 00:22:00.111
would this be a good moment to share that?
00:22:00.111 --> 00:22:01.946
Or, is this a good week, or how do we do this, you know?
00:22:01.946 --> 00:22:06.584
So this guy talked with one of the pastors,
00:22:06.584 --> 00:22:08.853
and then one of the pastors in a time in worship said,
00:22:08.853 --> 00:22:12.022
"I want you guys to hear this guy's testimony."
00:22:12.022 --> 00:22:16.794
So this man said, "I'm not from around here,
00:22:16.794 --> 00:22:22.032
I live in another state.
00:22:22.032 --> 00:22:24.535
But several months ago, our daughter was diagnosed
00:22:24.535 --> 00:22:27.338
with an incurable disease.
00:22:27.338 --> 00:22:31.041
And a few weeks ago, we came to the hospital here in Dallas
00:22:31.041 --> 00:22:34.078
to see if they could help her.
00:22:34.078 --> 00:22:36.614
And on Friday, a week ago, before last weekend,
00:22:36.614 --> 00:22:42.186
they called us in, and they said,
00:22:42.186 --> 00:22:45.923
'There's nothing we can do to save your daughter.'"
00:22:45.923 --> 00:22:47.858
She was about eight-years-old.
00:22:47.858 --> 00:22:52.163
"We would suggest that you take her this weekend,
00:22:52.163 --> 00:22:54.899
and do something fun.
00:22:54.899 --> 00:22:56.167
Some parents decide to tell their children, some don't.
00:22:56.167 --> 00:23:00.070
Whatever you decide, but then bring her back on Monday,
00:23:00.070 --> 00:23:03.007
and we're gonna start some treatment to try
00:23:03.007 --> 00:23:04.475
to prolong her life, but we can't save her life."
00:23:04.475 --> 00:23:09.146
So he said, "I had heard about this church.
00:23:09.146 --> 00:23:13.684
I had heard about how you worshiped, and how God shows up.
00:23:13.684 --> 00:23:17.955
So last weekend, we came," and he said, "It was incredible.
00:23:17.955 --> 00:23:22.460
We sensed the presence of God.
00:23:22.460 --> 00:23:25.930
We could feel God's presence.
00:23:25.930 --> 00:23:27.932
We were all encouraged.
00:23:27.932 --> 00:23:30.668
No one prayed for us, though.
00:23:30.668 --> 00:23:32.203
No one talked to us." And he didn't ask,
00:23:32.203 --> 00:23:34.538
he wanted no one to talk to him, they didn't come forward
00:23:34.538 --> 00:23:36.707
and ask for prayer.
00:23:36.707 --> 00:23:37.908
They just were in the service, and they sensed
00:23:37.908 --> 00:23:40.177
God's presence during worship.
00:23:40.177 --> 00:23:43.547
He said, "On Monday, we went back for her to start getting
00:23:43.547 --> 00:23:45.583
her treatment, and they came back in a little while and said,
00:23:45.583 --> 00:23:52.790
'We're getting some odd results,
00:23:52.790 --> 00:23:54.225
we need to run some more tests.'"
00:23:54.225 --> 00:23:58.329
And so all that day they ran tests,
00:23:58.329 --> 00:23:59.864
And all day Tuesday they ran test,
00:23:59.864 --> 00:24:01.632
and all day Wednesday, they ran tests.
00:24:01.632 --> 00:24:03.834
And on Thursday, they came in, and they said,
00:24:03.834 --> 00:24:05.469
"We don't know what happened, but your daughter
00:24:05.469 --> 00:24:08.472
doesn't have that disease, anymore."
00:24:08.472 --> 00:24:10.941
[cheering and applause]
00:24:10.941 --> 00:24:15.412
I'll tell you what happened.
00:24:15.412 --> 00:24:17.615
The presence and the power and the people of God came together.
00:24:17.615 --> 00:24:24.288
And when the people of God come together,
00:24:24.288 --> 00:24:26.056
His presence and His power are released.
00:24:26.056 --> 00:24:28.092
PASTOR ROBERT: You know, God created church.
00:24:29.059 --> 00:24:31.929
God created a place for His people to come together,
00:24:31.929 --> 00:24:36.333
worship Him, learn His word, sense His presence,
00:24:36.333 --> 00:24:41.071
and experience His power.
00:24:41.071 --> 00:24:43.741
His presence, His power and His people:
00:24:43.741 --> 00:24:46.710
that's what church is all about.
00:24:46.710 --> 00:24:48.345
And I know that sometimes churches get off track
00:24:48.345 --> 00:24:50.981
or maybe go the wrong way, but it's still church
00:24:50.981 --> 00:24:54.184
and it's still a place where if we press in
00:24:54.184 --> 00:24:57.087
with all of our hearts we can enter in to God's presence,
00:24:57.087 --> 00:25:01.091
we can hear God's Word,
00:25:01.091 --> 00:25:02.326
and we can grow in Him and affect other people's lives.
00:25:02.326 --> 00:25:05.930
I want to encourage you to get in a good local church
00:25:05.930 --> 00:25:09.500
wherever you live.
00:25:09.500 --> 00:25:10.568
If you live in the Dallas-Forth Worth area,
00:25:10.568 --> 00:25:12.403
we'd love to see you at Gateway Church.
00:25:12.403 --> 00:25:14.772
I want to say thanks so much for joining us today,
00:25:14.772 --> 00:25:17.908
and I'll see you next time.
00:25:17.908 --> 00:25:19.376
ANNOUNCER: Thank you for joining us for today's program.
00:25:20.578 --> 00:25:23.080
Victory is something we all desire,
00:25:23.080 --> 00:25:25.449
and the good news is that as followers of Jesus Christ,
00:25:25.449 --> 00:25:28.519
victory is already ours.
00:25:28.519 --> 00:25:30.588
In this band new series, "3 Steps to Victory,"
00:25:30.588 --> 00:25:33.657
Pastor Robert shares how we can achieve victory
00:25:33.657 --> 00:25:35.859
in our lives by not believing lies,
00:25:35.859 --> 00:25:38.262
staying in the Word, and going to church.
00:25:38.262 --> 00:25:40.598
This series will challenge you, inspire you,
00:25:40.598 --> 00:25:43.100
and give you the practical steps to become more than a conqueror.
00:25:43.100 --> 00:25:46.737
We want to send you this series on CD
00:25:46.737 --> 00:25:49.006
or as an audio digital download
00:25:49.006 --> 00:25:50.841
for your gift of any amount today.
00:25:50.841 --> 00:25:52.876
And for your gift of $65 or more we'll send you a CD
00:25:52.876 --> 00:25:56.146
and DVD of this series, our new "Love Never Fails"
00:25:56.146 --> 00:25:59.216
jewelry display dish, as well as "Why Keep Praying"
00:25:59.216 --> 00:26:02.820
an inspirational prayer book by Pastor Robert.
00:26:02.820 --> 00:26:05.823
This book is filled with beautiful photography,
00:26:05.823 --> 00:26:08.092
and in it, Pastor Robert reveals why it's so important
00:26:08.092 --> 00:26:10.794
to keep praying and never give up.
00:26:10.794 --> 00:26:13.330
And for your gift $125 or more we'll send you
00:26:13.330 --> 00:26:16.200
all of these resources and the new Fresh Start Bible.
00:26:16.200 --> 00:26:19.703
This beautiful leather bound Bible
00:26:19.703 --> 00:26:21.271
includes over 500 discipleship articles
00:26:21.271 --> 00:26:23.874
and studies that will help you
00:26:23.874 --> 00:26:25.242
find God's direction for everyday.
00:26:25.242 --> 00:26:27.945
Pastor Robert, Jack Hayford,
00:26:27.945 --> 00:26:29.647
and many other key leaders answer common questions
00:26:29.647 --> 00:26:32.383
and provide the tools for building
00:26:32.383 --> 00:26:33.751
a strong spiritual foundation.
00:26:33.751 --> 00:26:36.153
Visit us today at PastorRobert.com
00:26:36.153 --> 00:26:38.188
to order these resources, watch this or other series,
00:26:38.188 --> 00:26:41.392
and share your prayer request with us.
00:26:41.392 --> 00:26:43.460
As always, thank you for your generous prayers
00:26:43.460 --> 00:26:45.596
and financial support of Pastor Robert Morris Ministries.
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♪ ♪
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ANNOUNCER: You feel it.
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Inside you beats a heart for ministry.
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A sense that you're called to serve God in a greater way.
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But perhaps, you feel stuck, not knowing how to get
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from where you are to that envisioned place.
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Let The King's University Online be the bridge to your calling.
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Under the stewardship of Gateway Church,
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TKU is equipping Christ-like servant leaders
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through the power of the Holy Spirit.
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Imagine what could happen if you took the first step.
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Start Going to Church

July 14, 2021 | 166 | 27:29

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