REAL CHRISTIANITY | Part 2 | Receipts Don't Lie

Hey,

Heat.

Hey, heat. Hey, heat.

Hallelujah.

>> Hey, it's me again.

>> Hi

Is my microphone on this time?

>> No.

>> Yes. No.

>> It's on, but it's low.

>> Okay. If you're watching on live stream,

hey, hang with us.

>> Okay, we're good to go. Hey, praise the

Lord. It is good to be in the house of

God. Amen.

>> Amen. We're uh we're continuing our

series today on real Christianity. Uh

how many in here want to be a real

Christian?

>> Well, that's good news. How many want to

be a fake Christian?

>> Don't raise your hand.

Hey, we are hungry for real

Christianity. Um, my heart is that uh I

want it to count for heaven. Amen. I

don't want to be caught in a system of

Christianity or a program of

Christianity, a watered down American

version of a Christian Christianity,

but my heart is to be a real Christian.

So, we're going to dig into that today.

Would you pray with me? Father, I thank

you Lord for revival breaking loose on

the inside of every soul in this room.

Father, personal revival by the power of

your spirit. Lord, I thank you God for

an anointing in this house for the

preaching of your word. Father, I thank

you God that you speak to every soul.

Help us in our heart to have eyes to see

and ears to hear what your spirit is

saying. Father, bless our time together.

We pray in Jesus name.

>> Amen. I I want to talk about our memory

today. Uh more than just our natural

memory, but more so our spiritual

memory. And we're going to be in

Deuteronomy 8. And man, I'm going Old

Testament on you.

>> You guys ready for some Old Testament?

>> Some Deuteronomy.

>> Deuteronomy chapter 8 11.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

Before I read, by the way, my name is

Ben. I'm the lead pastor here.

>> If you're a guest with us,

>> love you. We're glad you're here and I

hope to be able to shake your hand after

service. Um, you've stepped into one of

the greatest churches in the world.

>> Amen.

>> Deuteronomy 8 and 11.

But that is the time to be careful. Say

careful.

>> Careful.

>> It says, "Beware that in your plenty you

do not forget the Lord your God.

Beware that in your plenty you do not

forget the Lord your God and disobey his

commands, his regulations and decrees

that I'm giving you today.

When you have become full and prosperous

and have built fine homes to live in,

and when your flocks and herds have

become very large, and your silver and

gold have multiplied along with

everything else, be careful.

Do not become proud at that time and

forget the Lord your God who rescued you

from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do

not forget that he led you through the

great and terrifying wilderness with its

poisonous snakes and scorpions where it

was so hot and dry. He gave you water

from the rock. He fed you with mana in

the wilderness, a food unknown to your

ancestors. He did this to humble you and

test you for your own good.

Listen to verse 17.

He says he did all this so you would

never say to yourself, "I have achieved

this wealth with my own strength and

energy."

Remember the Lord your God. He is the

one who gives you power to be successful

in order to fulfill the covenant he

confirmed to your ancestors

with an oath.

In Deuteronomy 8, we're kind of picking

up in a scene where God's people, God's

chosen people, are about to enter the

promised land, but they've been through

quite a journey to get there. And over

and over, God is saying, "Remember,

don't forget, look back. Know where your

strength comes from. Know where your

hope comes from." Because there's this

thing that happens in humanity, when

everything is good. When everything is

cupcakes and cotton candy,

we tend to forget.

We tend to forget.

speaking to his people about to

cross over

into the most anticipated land of their

lives, of their generation, the promised

land. He's not speaking to them in the

middle of the storm, but he's speaking

to them in the middle of success.

I don't know about you guys, but I

believe that we are living in the most

spoiled generation ever to have lived on

the planet Earth.

the things that we get on social media

and complain about the audacity we have

to be ungrateful.

>> Amen.

>> The danger

in your plenty is that you forget your

provider.

The danger in your plenty is that you

forget your provider. Uh when life gets

good, man, often times our memory gets

bad.

Real Christianity.

Real Christianity. It's more than cotton

candy. This month, man, we're just

running on sugar and Jesus. Amen.

>> Sugar and Jesus. Wednesday night in uh

Rooted. For those of you that don't

know, our rooted is a incredible

disciplehip experience uh that several I

think we have 36 running through that

right now and about to graduate this

coming Wednesday night. But uh before we

start Rud Group, uh each time we have

some food and some fellowship and and uh

Kelly Lee and I were just sitting there

chatting and somehow we got talking

about old candies that don't exist

anymore. Hence the reason why we got old

100 grand bars handed out. And uh man,

we were reminiscing a little bit about

some of the old candies. Look at that.

It's peeking out. So, I brought some.

>> Hallelujah. Look at this.

Look at this. I got circus peanuts. You

guys remember these old

>> Yeah. And they're just as hard and

styrofoamy as I remember.

>> Yeah, man. We got We got some stuff.

They still sell some of this today.

Sugar babies and dots. My goodness. We

got We got Mike and I. You know what

this is? This is the Mega Mix. I don't

remember the Mega Mix in the 80s. Do you

guys? Oh my goodness. Some Mike and I.

Carla, you need these.

>> Boom.

>> Yeah. Some hot tamales.

>> Of course, the 100 grand bars.

>> I mean, where else? Listen, after you

guys go home today, you got to say,

"Hey, I got 100 grand at church today."

All right.

>> Then we got some stuff that's even older

yet. This is

>> These are old school.

>> All right, boomers. Come on. Where are

my boomers at?

>> Yeah. Come on. Come on, Pastor Jack.

That Do you want me to bring it to you,

sir? Are you okay? Can you get up?

>> Come. Come on, man. I even hit you in

the hands with that one, baby. Come on.

Go along.

>> Excited.

>> Yeah. And then uh bun.

>> You know what? I didn't know this, but

uh Kenny was telling me between

services, these started in Fort Wayne.

>> In 1947,

>> and they used to be bigger than

>> They used to be bigger.

>> All right. Who wants the bun?

>> All right. I don't know if I can get it

to you.

>> Yes.

>> You know, it's funny. I couldn't find

the candy cigarettes. Well, look at

this. I got a candy a candy cigar.

>> Oh, how times have changed. You can't

get away with this stuff anymore, right?

>> You guys know what I used to do when I

was a kid? Anyone else do this? I'd take

the candy cigarettes. I'd have my white

t-shirt on and I'd roll them up in the

sleeve. Yeah. I'd be like walking around

like I was all cool.

Eight-year-old with candy cigarettes in

his sleeve.

What in the world? Dating myself a

little bit. Anybody want a bubblegum

cigar

there?

>> Hey. Hey, don't don't smoke it in

church. All right.

>> Oh my gosh.

>> I want to have a little fun with you

guys

>> today. Isn't it crazy uh how something

that we love so much in the moment a lot

of times we forget about today because

it's out of sight, out of mind. I was

thinking I got some sodas here. I was

thinking about uh some sodas. Uh where

where are my 80s and 90s kids at? You

guys remember when they came out with

Kick?

>> Is that you? Oh my goodness. I knew

somebody would cuz they we didn't have

energy drinks yet. There was no energy

drinks. No such thing. And so Kick was

like this high octane soda with like

extra caffeine. And me and my buddies

would walk from school down to the store

and we'd all think we were really cool

with kicks. We'd be out there like

chugging them like

Oh my goodness.

>> Jolt.

>> Jolt. That was another one.

>> Yeah.

>> Jolt.

>> Jolt. Man, I get down with some Jolt.

>> I haven't had one in a hundred years,

but

>> Gosh, I'd probably drink it to now and

be drink it now and be quivering and

have a stomach ache.

And I remember when I was a kid, uh,

real young, I used to ride around with

my dad in his truck and he always had

the glass bottles of Mountain Dew.

Couldn't find those. You can find Cokes,

but you can't find Mountain Dew anymore.

All right. And I mean, I always felt so

big with that glass bottle between my

legs. And uh I don't even drink much

soda, hardly at all anymore. And I

definitely don't drink Mountain Dew

anymore. I got saved. I gave that stuff

up, man.

>> But I'm telling you, if I saw a glass

bottle of Mountain Dew, it would

instantly spark my memory. And I have

good memories with my dad and that old

truck riding around because I felt

special. until I felt important, but I

forget about it until I see a glass

bottle of Mountain Dew.

Out of sight, out of mind. Spiritually,

often times,

we do the same thing.

We have these powerful spiritual moments

with God, these breakthroughs, these

answers to prayer.

We loved what God did in the moment.

Man, you ever had those moments where

God just shows up, you shout, you cry,

man, those services where you got the

Holy Ghost goosebumps? Oh man, worship

was lit today, right? It's power. Those

powerful moments. But then we get busy.

We go back to life and other things fill

our view

and what used to be our favorite

testimony becomes a, "Oh yeah, I forgot

about that.

Oh yeah. Oh yeah. God did this m

miraculous thing. And that's what we're

reading about in Deuteronomy is that God

did this miraculous things one after

another after another and they just

complained and then they forgot. And God

is saying, "Hey, remember all of these

landmark moments

before you go in and in your plenty when

God's taking good care of you, don't

forget where he brought you from." Amen.

Number one in your notes is that old

favorites are today's amnesia.

Today's amnesia.

I like to read about the Hebrew

children. One thing I keep noticing is

that they have selective memory. They

remind me of my teenagers.

They have selective memory. I mean, God

delivers them out of slavery, out of

Egypt, uh with signs and wonders. I

think about the 10 plagues and the the

blood on the doorpost and uh I mean God

was having fun with this stuff. He opens

up the Red Sea like it's the doors at

Walmart, you know. Come on. Stick with

me, guys.

>> They just start walking and the Red Sea

just opens up and they just walk through

on dry ground and then Pharaoh's army

gets swallowed up by it.

>> How do you forget this stuff? You know,

h how do you get to a point where where

they're in the wilderness and then

they're they're crying out to God, "God,

did you just bring us out here to die?"

That's what they said. And then they're

complaining about the menu.

They go, "Man, back in Egypt, we had

garlic and onions." And they're

complaining about mana, which happens to

be mysterious bread that fell out of

heaven.

What are we complaining about, guys?

Amen. And man, I get an American

Christianity and this is I'm guilty,

right? I have some of the same stuff

complain about.

I think about flying, man. I like to

travel.

Airports can be a pain, can't they?

>> They seem to be getting more expensive.

But you ever been you go through TSA and

then you're waiting in the you have a

hold up and you walk up to the spot

where it's like the ropes and there's a

gazillion and a half people and you got

to stand there with your bag and like go

through and you can complain about it or

if your flight's delayed,

right? Can we just confess in church?

That grinds me, you know, like I got

places to go people to see, man. I don't

want to be sitting here for two extra

hours or whatever it is.

>> And we complain. And what we forget is

that in 2 hours I'm going to be sitting

in a chair in the sky, moving 600 m an

hour to my destination.

Look at your neighbor and say, "You're

spoiled."

>> We are a spoiled generation.

Spoiled generation.

When life gets good, our memory gets

bad. The Hebrew children forgot

yesterday's deliverance to complain

about today's menu.

>> Man, I think about God, how big God is.

And if he's actually at the home, he has

our best interest at hand.

>> He parted the Red Sea. I think he can

figure out breakfast.

>> Amen.

>> Often we do the same thing.

God healed us. God provided for us. God

gave us that job, that home,

that spouse, and then as soon as things

get uncomfortable, we start acting like

we've never seen God move or that God's

never done one thing for us,

we'll serve God for years, and God will

be faithful for years. And we don't like

the menu today, and we we scream at God,

"Did you just bring us out here to die?"

I'm telling you, the Hebrew children

were drama queens.

They were drama queens. Did you just

bring us out here to die, God?

We do the same thing. We stop being

amazed

by what used to make us cry.

Spiritual amnesia.

Spiritual

amnesia. Here's what I've learned is

that yesterday's miracles

become today's minimum requirements.

Somehow

our memory works in other areas.

We remember every offense with vivid

detail.

We forget about the miracles, the

breakthroughs, the deliverances.

We're so good at remembering what hurt

us,

but we forgot what held us that we got

delivered out of the land of Egypt. We

got delivered out of slavery.

Now, let me make it plain to you.

We remember who left

and forget who's here,

>> who stayed.

So and so they did us wrong and they

blah blah. And we we'll hold on to that

emotion and that thought and that

memory. And at the same time, we're

forgetting about the faithful ones that

have stayed in our life.

We remember what broke and we forgot

what God rebuilt.

healing after healing after healing in

our lives or just protection. God

protects you from this, protects you

from that. And one diagnosis from a

doctor, we turn to God like God's never

done one thing for us.

>> My wife and I have said it over and

over. We have faced a lot of

impossible seasons, a lot of tragic

seasons.

And what God has put in our heart is

that God didn't bring us this far just

to leave us hanging.

>> Amen.

>> And come hell or high water, I'm going

to serve him. I'm going to love him even

when the diagnosis is bad. Even when the

circumstance is bad, even when I don't I

can't figure it out and even when I'm

standing at the edge of the cliff and

there's no other place to go, I'm just

going to trust God. Amen. And I'm going

to praise him in the storm. I'm going to

praise him when I get up in the I'm just

going to love God anyways. Amen. Amen.

>> Forgetfulness is expensive.

>> Forgetfulness is expensive. You can

write this down if you're taking notes.

Your faith fades when your memory fails.

When I stand, you guys know this. Life

happens. And when you're standing in

that moment when life is coming at you

or the devil's coming at you and all you

do is allow yourself to see this moment

and feel these feelings, you've lost.

Amen. But when you can have a register

of spiritual receipts

that God, you saw us through this. God,

you did this and that. You did this in

that person's life. You can do it in

mine. You're no respector of persons.

Your faith fades when your memory fails.

If you want faith that will stand the

test of time and persevere

through the next storm, you have to

build a memory if what God has done

consistently in your life.

Spiritual amnesia. Number two in your

notes is that receipts don't lie.

Receipts don't lie. We're going to be in

Colossians chapter 2.

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

And while you're turning there, I need

to have a time of confession.

I have a bad memory.

You guys awake today? I'm ready for the

new uh new uh cafe so we can hand out

espresso.

>> Make sure you guys are matcha lattes,

man. Let's get some of those.

>> Give me a dirty chai. I want some

espresso and some chai tea. My goodness.

M by By the way, Pastor Dan, we need to

go get some more espresso downtown.

>> Cortado. Pastor Dan was quivering.

Man,

I I I have a confession, man. I have a

memory problem. And uh my wife, not so

much. Her memory's really sharp. And I

live with four females. Um, and I don't

know how their brains do what they do

because they're that's a miracle in my

eyes because they remember details that

just wreck me. I mean, we'll have

conversations like it was November 14th.

I think it was like 4:38 p.m. you said.

And I'm just like,

what was I alive on November 14th? I

have no clue.

And Lincoln and I are so outnumbered in

my house because the girls have all

these memories of like detailed stuff.

Then they're talking to Lincoln and I

link and I will just look at each other

like do do you remember I don't know I

don't even know what we're talking about

anymore because we're three stories in

and they got all the memories and all

the details and Lincoln and I are doing

good just to show up in the moment man.

Yeah.

>> It's good.

>> It's it's a bit of an issue, right? I'm

praying for strength

strength. Strength. Hallelujah. Stick

with me, folks. Man, maybe I need to

drink one of these Coke classics.

>> I need some Mountain Dew.

Yeah. I don't know, man. It's been a 20

years since I've had a Mountain Dew,

Pastor Dan.

>> Still good.

>> Is it

still good?

>> I quit drinking. I used to be addicted

to it,

>> didn't I? I'd take a mountain, a warm

Mountain Dew in the shower with me in

the morning.

I blame my father. He got me started on

this stuff.

I quit drinking it. Yeah. Let no thing

have mastery over you.

>> Hallelujah. Where was I again?

>> I don't know.

>> I'm praying for strength in my memory.

>> Yes.

>> Because I forget a lot of stuff. What

I've learned is that what I have to do

is write stuff down. I'm so thankful for

devices because now I can search through

my notes and find when I was thinking

about that and made that list. Um

because what I used to do is we back in

the days of paper and pen. You guys

remember those days? So long ago,

>> it's like so 2022. Seriously.

No, I used to make I'd be like, "All

right, I got to write this down cuz I

know myself." So I'd make the list and

then I'd forget where I put the list.

Pass your jacket on it. Like man, I know

that I put that somewhere. I'm doing

good. Just to remember that I made a

list.

>> I have to write it down. I've put it in

my phone. And uh man, we're kind of

talking about receipts here. So, we're

doing a little bit of spring clean up

around my house. And and my wife, man,

she's amazing. And uh we're we're

decluttering

and she made her way into my garage

and she's like, "What are you not using?

What can I sell on marketplace?" So, I'm

going through and I'm like, "Yeah, I

don't really use that anymore. I can get

rid of this stuff, you know, it's just

sitting there." And so she's going

through and she's like, "Uh, well, how

much should I ask for it?" I'm like, "I

don't know." She goes, "Well, what did

you pay for it?" I don't know.

So, I have to go find the receipt if

there is one that exists,

>> right? And figure out what I paid for

this thing. And how many know receipts

don't lie,

>> because I could sit there and try to

rely on my own memory. Uh, I think I

paid this. Didn't we buy this then? and

all this stuff. And uh but man, when you

got the receipt, you go, "Oh, here it

is." Receipts don't lie.

A receipt is proof the price that was

paid.

Receipt is proof of the price that was

paid. Can I say this? The enemy loves to

argue with you about your feelings, your

thoughts, your victories, your failures.

Oh man, he knows that he can mess with

me because I can't remember nothing,

right? And the enemy can can spin the

story in such a way as for me to start

to have a false memory about a past

experience.

I don't know if you've ever been

toe-to-toe with the devil, but he likes

to come after me. He likes to mess with

me. He likes to manipulate me. The Bible

says the devil masquerades as an angel

of light. He'll come like he's the best

news in the world

and manipulate the story enough for me

to forget about God.

Let's read about receipts. Colossians

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2.

Man, I asked you to turn there 20

minutes ago. You guys still there?

Colossians chapter 2 and verse 13

Colossians 2 · chapter mention

says this. You were dead because of your

sins and because your sinful nature was

not yet cut away. Then God made you

alive in Christ.

For he forgave all your sins. Catch

this. He canceled the record of the

charges against us and took it away by

nailing it to the cross. In this way, he

disarmed the spiritual rulers and

authorities.

There's our receipt.

The devil will come against you and you

say, "I got a receipt." Uh, paid for,

devil.

>> Not pending.

>> Not pending, devil. Bought and paid for,

nailed to the cross. I am forgiven. The

devil will come at you and say, "Well,

you're still in bondage to Mountain

Dew."

You guys awake today?

>> I am. And I go, "He who the Son sets

free is free indeed. I have the fruit of

the spirit, self-control." Amen.

>> You're still in bondage. No, I'm not,

devil. I've got the receipt. Let me show

you what the receipt book looks like.

>> There you go.

>> Here's the receipt.

>> Amen.

H word of God is quick and powerful,

sharper than any double-edged sword,

piercing to the dividing, a sunder of

spirit and soul, joint and marorrow to a

discerner of the thoughts in the intents

of the heart. This is the sword of the

spirit. Amen.

It's paid for. Last week, man, we did

communion. Don't you guys enjoy

communion? You know, it's not a it's not

a ritual. It's really a spiritual proof

of purchase. And what does Jesus say?

What do we do? Remember, we remember. Do

this in remembrance of me. Jesus said,

it's a receipt that we look at that it's

paid for.

>> Amen.

>> The broken body, the blood of Jesus

Christ. And Jesus knew that old

favorites would become today's amnesia.

He knew that our human condition was

spiritual forgetfulness. So he says,

"Hey guys, do this often. Do this in

remembrance of me so you don't forget.

He's telling the Hebrew children in

Deuteronomy that man, remember, tell the

stories and and remember so you don't

forget the goodness of God in your life

when you're faced with life today.

>> Amen.

>> You can write this down if you're taking

notes. When you forget his receipts, you

doubt his resources.

And receipts aren't just for you.

It's good for my own faith to pull out

receipts.

I got to tell you, man, we're hanging

out and rooted and hearing people's

testimonies and stories. Hearing how God

delivered them increases my faith. When

they start pulling out the receipts of

salvation and deliverance and miracles,

I go, "Man, that's that's the goodness

of God." Amen.

>> That's the goodness of God. And I want

to say this, start pulling your receipts

out in public. Amen.

>> You got a testimony. Psalm 105:1 says,

Psalms 105:1

"Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Call upon

his name." Catch this. make known his

deeds among the peoples.

>> Make known his deeds among the peoples.

Well, pastor, I can't quote chapter and

verse like you do. I just I've never

been to Bible school. I don't know if

I'm qualified.

You're qualified.

>> You have a testimony.

>> You've been saved.

>> Amen.

>> You've been healed. You've been

delivered. Tell somebody about the

goodness of God.

>> Look at your neighbor and say, "I've got

a receipt.

>> I've got a receipt."

>> And the interesting thing, I was kind of

thinking about this receipts idea. We

don't just get receipts when we receive

something, when we make a purchase. But

I also get receipts when I go to the

bank and make a deposit.

And my wife likes to see those.

>> How much did you put in? Come on, girl.

Number three in your notes

is eternal deposits.

Eternal deposits.

And Jesus in Matthew 25, it kind of

gives us a glimpse of heaven. Uh we get

to kind of look in and and see. I I'll

read it. It's very powerful. Jesus said

uh then the king will say to those on

his right come you who are blessed by my

father inherit the kingdom prepared for

you from the foundation of the world. He

says this. He says when I was hungry

you gave me food. I was thirsty you gave

me drink. I was a stranger you welcomed

me. I was naked and you clothed me. I

was sick and you visited me. I was in

prison and you came to me. Then the

righteous will answer him, saying,

'Lord, when did we see you hungry and

feed you? Or thirsty and give you a

drink? Uh, when did we see you a

stranger and welcome you or naked and

clothe you? And when did we see you sick

or in prison and visit you?

And the king will answer them, truly I

say to you, as you did it to one of the

least of these, my brothers, you did it

to me. I want us to reframe eternal

deposits in our mindset. I want us to

understand how every little thing

matters to the king. How you said it,

when you did it, how you did it. If it's

for him, it counts. Amen.

>> It's valuable.

There is no deposit.

Too small.

You guys ever go to the bank, drop off

some

some bread? You know what I'm talking

about? Drop some cash off and they got

it wrong on the receipt.

>> Yeah. You got to go back in and be like,

uh, even if it's little, I'm like, whoa,

whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, you didn't get it

right. I had to. Years ago, I went

through the drive-thru and the lady did,

there was several people. She did

somebody else's deposit on mine and mine

on hers. Mine was a lot bigger than that

lady's. And I just circle right around.

I think the girl almost got fired. The

manager came out was like, "Oh,

apologize." I'm like, "We just need to

make this right." Right. Cuz every

little bit counts.

In Nehemiah chapter 3 is really one of

Nehemiah 3 · chapter mention

those chapters that we we tend to skim

through. You know, in Nehemiah's

powerful story. He was a cup bearer for

the king and then he had this burden uh

to rebuild the wall in Jerusalem for

God's temple uh that had been destroyed.

And so he's just persistent and finally

he gets permission to go and take some

guys with him and and go rebuild the

wall. And Nehemiah 3 kind of sounds like

a holy construction report.

And it's just going through and it says

Elias the high priest, this is verse

one, uh, and his fellow priests rebuilt

the sheep gate. And it just goes

through. Verse three talks about who did

the fish gate. Verse six talks about uh,

who did the old gate. Verse 13, the

valley gate. We have the fountain gate,

the water gate. In verse 26, the horse

gate

29 is the east gate. I would have liked

to have been part of rebuilding the

eastern gate.

That's where Jesus is going to return.

Amen. But I want you guys to see verse

14 of Nehemiah 3.

It says, "The dung gate

was repaired by Melia,

son of Raikab."

The dung gate.

>> We don't have to be too incredibly

theological to understand what the dung

gate is. Right.

>> But just for funsies, I dug around a

little bit. And I'm like, what was what

was the dung gate? Right? Cuz I think I

know, but I might just be an American in

the 21st century and think I know

something, right? This was they didn't

have plumbing in the first century. I

don't know if you knew this or not.

Right.

Yeah. This was this was kitchen trash,

all their fish, bones, and nastiness,

right? They'd be carrying it all to this

one area and throw it through the dung

gate. And they didn't have bathrooms and

so they would Do we have to get graphic

in church?

>> You can imagine the aroma

>> in the desert with the blazing sun.

>> I just got to say this. If the receipt

book, if the Bible, if God as far as to

report the name of the guy that rebuilt

the dungate, I think you're serving

matters. Amen.

>> Amen.

>> Amen. I

>> I think when you serve in children's

church, it matters. Yeah, man. People

go, "Oh, I just I just hold the door at

church.

>> It's nothing, man. I would rather be a

doorkeeper in the house of God."

>> Amen.

>> Every little bit counts.

>> Your story counts.

>> Man, say you're preaching good, pastor.

I just need a little encouragement. I

was feeling some kind of way.

God sees you and God keeps receipts.

Sometimes

in ministry

or in serving God, sometimes in this

life, we can feel invisible on earth

when we're actually famous in heaven.

Mhm.

>> We're actually famous

in heaven.

Malachi chapter 3

Malachi 3:16

verse 16 says, "Then those who feared

the Lord spoke with one another." Catch

this. The Lord paid attention and heard

them, and a book of remembrance was

written before him of those who feared

the Lord and esteemed his name.

I don't care how much I get recognized

by men on earth,

how many follows I get, how famous I

get, man, is my name consistently being

written in his book of remembrance that

I esteemed him high, that I served him

well.

Say, heaven is keeping receipts.

talking about eternal deposits. And

this last week was at a funeral.

Phenomenal

memorial service

for a gentleman in our church.

And

uh in the service, they had a trumpet

player. And I've got to say, one of the

most anointed, beautiful trumpet players

I've ever heard in my life. And Pastor

Larry and I were sitting and kind of

chatting a little bit, but he's the

trumpet player played Amazing Grace got

my attention.

There was another part of the service

and then he did it is well with my soul.

And for some reason as he was playing

that, I started thinking about what my

own funeral might look like one day. And

I go, man, I'd like to have that played

by that guy at my funeral.

So, I started thinking about what my

funeral would look like. Uh, not because

I have any plans of going anywhere,

but I got emotional because I started

thinking about my family.

I started thinking about if God did take

me today,

if it was all over, have I made enough

of a deposit in my family and my young

children

that if I'm gone, they're going to serve

God and make it into heaven. Because I

got to tell you, the thought of eternity

without them seems unbearable in this

life. Amen. And if I if I poured in, if

I have if I left a spiritual legacy in

them that that they're okay without dad,

we just get to trust God with some of

these things.

I started to get emotional and I started

thinking even more. Am I doing enough to

pour it into them?

Am I doing enough?

Psalm 78 says this,

"We will not hide them from their

children,

but tell to the coming generation the

glorious deeds of the Lord and his might

and the wonders that he has done."

Psalm 78 kind of gives us some

some some ideas of what our job is. Our

job is to tell the next generation of

the glorious deeds of God. Amen.

>> You didn't get saved just for you. you

you got saved also for them.

It's the legacy we leave.

It's the life that we've lived.

Say deposits.

I love hearing people's testimonies.

The other part of our rooted group

this last week was about sharing your

story and talking about uh one of the

questions that we answered was who was

it that first told you about Jesus and

how that actually impacted your life?

So we went around I got to hear all

these amazing stories and I got to share

my own. I got to say this and we'll

close with this thought.

When I was, some of you know my

testimony, I was a drug addict and I was

in high school and addicted radically to

cocaine. And I would drive to grandma's

house to borrow 20 bucks.

My grandma gave me it to me every time

I'd ask. And so, as an addict, I would

continue to go back.

Never paid her back.

But every time that I went, she would

also be dropping little bits of faith

into me. She would invite me to church,

which I never went. And I loved my

grandmother. She was an amazing woman.

And she didn't have the $20 to give me,

but she gave it anyways. And this one

time, she gave me a cassette.

It had a gospel song on it. And she

said, "When you leave here, I want you

to listen to this when you get a

chance." Okay, Grandma. Thanks.

Well, it was later that evening and I

sat in my basement and put that song in,

that cassette in and just sat and

listened to it by myself. And that at

first I'm hearing the type of music what

that it was and I'm going, "Grandma,

what are you doing with your life?"

Well, somehow the words that the man

sang spoke to my life. And I've heard

that song countless times since. And

every time I go back to that young,

lost, addicted teenager

and how I had a grandmother that was

praying for me and speaking into my

life.

Can I tell you that some of you are that

grandmother today? Some of you are that

parent today. Somebody spoke into your

life. Somebody dropped a seed, a legacy

seed of faith on the inside of you. They

were praying for you when you were too

dumb to pray for yourself. Amen. Amen.

>> Somebody loved you with the love of the

father. They made an eternal deposit.

I got to tell you, it's your turn now.

It's your turn now to pray for other

people.

Praise you, Jesus.

I'm going to ask the worship team to

join me up here.

our America

and Christianity. It overestimates

intensity and underestimates

consistency.

When we talk about the big conference,

the amazing worship service, the hype,

I think God is less impressed

with the hype. Amen.

>> It it feels big in the moment. It feels

spiritual in the moment. But can I tell

you 10 years of consistently

loving your children

and pouring into them faith and the word

of God is more valuable than that

conference that made you feel good for a

moment.

Show up.

Daily obedience is what builds eternal

investments,

eternal interest.

I've looked at it and I've looked at the

price that we've paid to give our life

to the gospel and to serve in ministry.

And I've looked at my children. I can't

afford to send my children to college.

I'm not going to leave them, unless the

Lord shows up in a unique way. I'm not

going to leave them a fortune.

But I can leave them faith.

I can leave them Jesus. Something that

matters more.

Amen.

Let's stand to our feet all over this

house.

Deuteronomy 6:12 says, "Take care lest

Deuteronomy 6:12

you forget the Lord who brought you out

of the land of Egypt, out of the house

of slavery."

My challenge to you today is to be

careful that in your success you don't

get spiritual amnesia.

Amen.

My encouragement to you today, my

challenge is that you remember the

receipts, the miracles that God has done

in your life, and that you position

yourself

as a real Christian that makes real

deposits in real people.

deposits that will outlive you in this

earth.

Father, I thank you, Lord, for freedom.

I thank you for fire and power and love

and compassion and grace. And Father, I

thank you, Lord, for the calling that's

on our lives. God, that you have called

us to go into all the world and preach

the gospel.

Father, to love people.

And Lord, I thank you that you've

equipped us to do so.

Praise you Jesus.

Father, we pray that our life matters

for the kingdom. Lord, that we have

impact on those around us.

Father, I pray over every soul in this

room, every household represented.

Father, for unsaved loved ones and

prodal sons and daughters, Father, for

those that are not in right relationship

with you, God, I pray that those of us

that are faithful would have a high

impact in their life, God. Lord, that

you would draw them back and bring them

in, Father, that unsaved people would

become saints, God.

Father, continue to grow this church not

with people coming from other churches,

but God, I pray that sinners would

become saints.

>> God, that we would impact the

neighborhood around us, the the hurting

people. God, Father, we thank you for

the call upon our life. And Father,

we've lifted our hands and said, "Send

us.

>> Praise you, Jesus."

And Father, I pray for every soul in

this room

that doesn't know you,

that is yet to

seal the deal and make heaven their

home.

And Father,

by the authority you've given me in

Jesus name,

I say that nothing will hinder their

salvation.

Thank you, Lord, for this moment in time

that you've ordained to receive them

into your kingdom.

We're going to continue in the

atmosphere of prayer. And if you're in

this house, I'm not going to embarrass

you, but if you're here and you're

going, I need to make Jesus my savior.

I need to I need to have my own proof of

purchase. If that's you, just lift your

hand and say, "Pastor, pray for me."

Praise you, Jesus. Thank you.

Thank you. Hands going up around this

room.

>> Praise you, Jesus.

Thank you, Lord. Father, I thank you for

those hands lifted.

Father, I pray also for those that

didn't lift that needed to.

>> Praise you, Jesus.

We thank you for the salvation of souls.

Thank you, Lord. We're going to continue

in prayer and every person in this room,

we're all going to pray a salvation

prayer together. And if you lifted your

hand or if you're watching online and

you're praying this prayer, if you

believe it in your heart and you

surrender your life, God says that this

moment is your moment of salvation.

>> Right now, God,

>> I'm going to ask everyone in this room

and those watching online to follow me

in this prayer. Would you say, "Father

in heaven,

>> Father in heaven,

>> I confess. I confess.

>> I need you.

>> I'm a sinner.

>> I'm lost.

>> And right now

>> I receive payment.

>> I receive

>> through the blood of Jesus Christ

>> for my soul

>> for my life and my eternity.

>> My eternity.

>> I receive you now.

>> Receive you

>> as Lord of my life.

>> Lord of my life.

>> In Jesus name.

>> Amen. Can we celebrate the work of the

Lord today?

We're going to close with worship and

our prayer team is going to be up here.

If you need prayer for anything, I want

to invite you to come. If you gave your

life to Jesus, my encouragement is for

you to tell somebody what you did today.

Uh to make it official by sharing it uh

with somebody. Uh let's worship the Lord

together.