Anything Is Possible Pt. 3 | Chris Gross | Radiant Life Church

Well, this morning I am excited. I'm

always pumped, if you didn't know, to

bring the word. But today, I just

believe the Lord has put a word on my

heart as we continue to walk through

Nehemiah. And we're going to actually be

looking in chapter 6 and 8 and 10 today.

So, if you turn your Bibles to chapter 6

of Nehemiah, that's where we're going to

be jumping in to what he hap has for us

today. But today is a special day to me

because it's our vision Sunday. This

year we did a little different one

service. We're all together, ready to

go. And then after service, we're going

to have a potluck, a meal together. If

you didn't bring food, please come. The

main dish, we've got all the stuff.

We'll be ready for you. It'll be a good

time. Uh if you brought a lot of food,

eat a lot of food. If you brought a

little food, eat a little food. You

know, if you brought none, eat some.

It's okay. Just kidding. Come on. We're

going to have a good time. Um but it's

going to be a great moment. But I love

when we come together and we say, "We

are going to be united,

>> right? We're going to be together."

That's what vision, that's what God

moving in our midst hopefully is all

about. Because when he moves, there's no

way that we can be apart. There's no way

we can be separate. There's no way that

we can walk against what he's doing when

we come and we submit ourselves to the

King of the Kings and the Lord of Lords.

In fact, as we just saying, when we look

at him and believe and walk our lives,

he's the highest. He's the greatest.

That means he's above it all. Which

means whatever we're dealing with on

this earth, you can do it. you can make

it because our eyes are on him. Our eyes

aren't on it, on the things that happen.

Sometimes real things, hurtful things,

painful things, sometimes sickness or

disease or relationships aren't going

like we want or we lose our job like

real things. But when we walk through

those things and we keep our eyes on

Jesus, everything's different. And as a

church family, when we walk united

together, something happens that's

really cool. Hopefully, this is how your

family works. Sometimes family, not this

part, but sometimes family members do

things or say things or make comments

they shouldn't. Anybody have a family

member like that in your family? Come

on. Half of you are lying today. I don't

believe that that's that few. But okay,

fine. Your your family's perfect.

But sometimes those things happen,

right? People say things. And what do

you do when you are a family? You say,

"Uh, I love him anyways, Pastor Nate. No

matter what you say, I love you. You're

my brother, right? You're my brother."

And when we're the church family and

we're united and we're moving the same

direction, no matter what happens, we

say, "Hey, they're my friend. They're my

brother. They're my sister. I love them.

Maybe they're growing. Maybe they messed

up." Did you know that we do that

sometimes? In fact, I say this and I've

heard more people say this recently that

like quoting me, but hey, if you think

everything's perfect, everything's good,

that the rad fam is just amazing, the

best ever, just stick around a little

while. I'm sure I or someone will do

something or say something because we're

humans unfortunately. We don't want to

be but we are and therefore we mess up.

But when we are united and together even

when things happen we say hey Lord you

are bigger. You're higher. I can

overlook. And then sometimes we get to

help people walk a journey that takes

them from where they were just like us

from where we are to where he wants us

to be. and in three months or six months

or some people are a little slower at

six years or maybe even six decades it's

like woo we've made it we're not dealing

with that anymore right uh some of you

got excited on that sixth decade one I'm

not sure I don't know

but when we think of the body of Christ

and really what's going on in Nehemiah

these people for generations had walls

torn down had a situation where it

wasn't like it was supposed to be in

fact the people of Israel were literally

a laughingtock to the people that were

around them. They were in in exile.

Their leaders, the the ones who were in

in position, they were gone. They

weren't even there. There was just issue

and problem. And if anybody wanted to

come against them, they could because

there was no protection. There was no

covering. The walls were destroyed. And

the people were not united. And after

generations, Nehemiah came. And we've

looked the last couple of weeks and seen

not because he was some amazing person

or orator or that he had all the right

things and no, he had a belief from God

that God was going to move. He was put

in a position that he had a king that he

was under that he could ask, "Can we go?

Will you help us?" And God blessed that

situation. God moved in what should not

have been possible. And when he spoke to

the people, the people said, "Let's do

it."

The people picked up their their in in

their day, they had to protect

themselves. They picked up their spears

and their swords and their weapons while

they picked up their tools and their

working things and they were protected

in one hand and they were working with

another. Now, I don't know about anybody

else, but a couple years ago now a year

plus, we were building a an addition on

one of our missionary homes. In fact,

the Sidler's right over here. And uh I

didn't I could hardly handle a hammer in

one hand. In fact, I'm going to be real.

So, I just have to tell you sidlers that

uh I I don't know why, but I thought it

would be a good idea to like jump out of

the rafters. There's only like 8 ft, so

I'm hanging down, so it should be fine.

And I had a hammer and I had a tool

belt. And somehow I landed and didn't

land how I wanted to land. And I think I

broke my wrist. Truly, I'm not sure what

happened, but it still hurts if I sleep

on it just wrong. I'm like, I think I

have arthritis because of you guys.

>> And I didn't even have a sword or a

spear h spear happening. Like, I don't

know how they did it.

But it is amazing when we work together

truly anything is possible,

>> right? And when the body of Christ comes

together,

there's something that happens.

>> Yes.

>> But what we're going to look at today is

it's not only about coming and it's not

only about being here on a Sunday and

celebrating and woo look at what God's

done in the past and where he's going

and what he's going to do in the future,

but it's about saying, God, what do you

have for us? And how do we see the

gospel of Jesus Christ go from radiant

life and go beyond the walls, right? How

do we see more people come to know

Jesus? How do we see one more person,

what it says out there, one more for

Jesus happen over and over and over and

over again? Today, we're going to look

at a few of those things. How do we get

beyond the walls? How do we go beyond

just doing our thing, but going and

doing the thing that God has for his

church? And so today we're going to look

and start in Nehemiah chapter 6. And uh

Nehemiah 6 · chapter mention

if you haven't read Nehemiah, I

encourage you. We have another couple

weeks here that we're going to be in

Nehemiah, but spend time on your own.

Maybe read a chapter a day. Read a

couple chapter of a day on your own and

spend some time in Nehemiah. It is

amazing. You'll get so much more out of

it. I just want you to know you'll get

so much more out of it than only what I

can share on a Sunday morning. If you

sit down with the Bible, give yourself a

little time. You can pull up the Google

machine or AI even and you can ask,

"Hey, what's this mean?" Now, you want

to check and be sure it's not wacko

because, you know, that could be wacko.

But you can pray, "Lord, what do you

what does this mean?" He'll reveal

things to you. So, I just encourage you,

spend some time in Nehemiah over the

next couple weeks if you haven't

already. But in Nehemiah 6:15,

Nehemiah 6:15

it says, "So the wall was finished and

the 25th day or on the 25th day of the

month of Elu in 52

days." Now, real fast. I just have to

stop there. They had no walls for

generations. They had issues and

problems. They were a laughingtock. And

in 52 days, that's less time than it

took to put the addition on the Sidler's

house. Like 52 days, they rebuilt the

walls, rebuilt the gate. It's to this

place of completion. And when all of

their enemies heard of it, all the

nations around us were afraid and fell

greatly in their own esteem. for they

perceived that this work had been

accomplished with the help of our God.

There's something about this moment and

what I really think is is vital here.

They didn't only build the walls. They

didn't only build the gates and put it

all back together. In chapter 3, we saw

that different families and different

groups build different gates and put

them to a place of half. And here they

get all the way to full height. But

that's not all that took place because

when it was completed, it was just

getting going because God began to speak

to the people around them. God began to

show them and they were afraid or their

esteem of themselves who what they

thought of themselves and their power

went down because they said there's no

way that could happen without the hand

of God. And it's important for us that

to realize that finishing is not the

finish line. And I think often in our

life, we see a moment or we see

something or something is happening, we

say, "I did it. I've accomplished it.

I've finished the task." Well, if you're

a follower of Jesus, until we get to

heaven, until we go and get a walk into

his presence and there's no tears,

death, sorrow, or sin, until every

person on this planet is a follower of

Jesus, until every person knows him.

Church, I want you to know there's not a

finish line that's the end. There's a

finish line that is the beginning of a

new start, a new dream, a new vision in

your life. Maybe you're praying, "Lord,

if I could just get over this problem or

this sin or this addiction in my life,

everything." Guess what? I want This is

encouragement. I hope it should be

encouragement. No, when you get there,

you're going to realize God has more for

you. He's got better for you. The plans

and the dream and the vision are better

than you thought because when you get to

the finish line, you realize, you know

what? That's not the end. That's just

the beginning. We're just getting going.

The wall didn't just stand, but it

testified. The enemies recognized God's

hand. They feared because they said,

"God is on the move."

The wall was just the evidence. The wall

was the sign that, "Wow, God did

something." The wall was just, "Woo! I

have more faith to believe cuz look at

what he did in 52 days. Look at his

power and his goodness and his grace.

And now we can step deeper into the

things he has. Because those 52 days

show me, church, come on. That God has

so much more. And if he can do that,

what can he do? What can he do with the

rest of our lives? What can he do with

the rest of the year? What can he do

with the rest of of what he has called

us to? Don't get to a spot and say,

"I've arrived. I've come. I know Jesus.

I have relationship." But let the

relationship and what he's done so far

just be the catalyst to go and to move

deeper into the things of our God.

God says, "You did it. It's done. Now

step forward. You did it. It's finished.

Now let's keep going. You did it. That

is over. Let's move into what I have

fully called you to in this next

season." What God has already fulfilled

points to what he will do in the future.

And in fact, if you're here today,

you're here on a Sunday morning, you've

come to church, I would assume that

something has been done in your life

that God has moved or showed up. Or

maybe you're here cuz someone drugg you

here. Well, God's moving in their life.

So, you can look at them and say, "Hey,

there's something for me because I'm

here." And God is his presence is

powerful.

So, what has already happened is

pointing to something even greater in

the future. Finishing is not the finish

line. Second, today we see I believe

that comfort zones kill kingdom vision.

There's time when we think of that

finish line and if we let that be the

end and we say, "Hey, I've done it. I've

made it. I've accomplished it. Woo, come

on. I'm good." Now, I I just I don't

know. I'm having so much fun. I must be

honest with you. Uh I think maybe like a

lot of us, but when I think of working

out, I love working out. Like, I love

it. But I have these wonderful seasons

where I do great and then where it's

like six months, a year, I don't do

anything.

And I truly don't understand how I can

love something so much and then just not

do it for a long period of time. But you

know what really uh is frustrating? I

was telling my wife this is probably a

flaw in myself, but I use the caliber

act. And in fact, hey, if you want to be

a part of a little there's a few of us

that were on there and we we can see

what everyone does and it's fun. kind of

like a like Kyle and Amanda. Come on.

There's a few that we're on there. We're

putting stuff in there. If you want to

join us, I'll figure it out. I forget

how we do it. It's been a couple years,

but we can make it happen. But the

Caliber Act, our app, it tells me what

the highest amount of like weight I've

lifted is. And let me just tell you

something that when you don't work out

for 6 months or nine months,

it doesn't look good. when you're like,

I was where

I was curling 50 pounds and now like 20

pounds is killer.

How is it possible? Like for real, I'm

just go back to what I was. No, you

can't go back to what you were. Not if

you just settled in. Not if you're just

like, I'm not going to do anything

anymore. Right? And in my own workout,

I'm waiting and I'm kind of I'm not

waiting. I'm moving. In fact, this

morning I got up. I was like, h let's do

this. Right? We can go a little little

more on my my curls and my tricep work,

right? all of these things because I

want to get back where I was actually in

the spring of 2024. It's the best I've

been on that app and I want to get back

to that point. So, I'm working hard to

get there. In fact, when when uh maybe

you come to my house sometime, I have my

front room. We've got all of our

weights. They're all there and some of

the people are like, "Do you use these?"

Like, I have 80 pound dumbbells. So,

those are pretty pretty heavy. I'm like,

"I have I have. Am I right now?" No.

But I'm going to again

>> come on.

>> In fact, I think in about a month, maybe

two, I will be using those 80 pounders

again. Some some ch, you know, doing it.

I'm going to make it happen. I believe

you can you can ask me. I'm going to

keep working on it.

>> But if you settle in and say, "Well, I

made it. I'm using the heaviest weights

that I own." And you're like, "I'm not

going to do anything else." Guess what?

those heavy weights are going to sit

there a long time

>> because you're going to have to work

back up to that place. And so often we

want to just settle in and we just want

to make it happen. We're like, "Well,

I'm sure I can jump back." No, it takes

continued effort. The walls are built.

And now I say, "Let's keep going. Let's

keep experiencing what God has." And if

we jump over to chapter 8 in the first

few verses and uh I just want to first

of all say I was going to read verse

three. uh and you can read verse three

uh on your own as it is an exciting

piece of uh scripture by that. I mean

there's a lot of names actually it's

verse four and you should read all those

names to yourself. I'm not going to even

attempt to read those names this morning

cuz I don't want to be embarrassed but

uh Nehemiah 8:1-3 it says and all the

Nehemiah 8:1–3

people gathered as one man into the

square before the Watergate and they

told Ezra the scribe to bring the book

of the law of Moses that the Lord had

commanded Israel. So Ezra the priest

brought the law before the assembly both

men and women and all who could

understand what they heard on the first

day of the seventh month. And he read

from it facing the square before the

Watergate from early morning until

midday in the presence of the men and

the women and those who could

understand. And the ears of all the

people were attentive to the book of the

law. And it just jumped out at me that

they had finished the wall. The people

around them are basically terrified of

what God has just done and who God is

and the new walls and the people that

have returned after generations.

And they didn't just settle in and say,

"Wow, we've got it." But here in chapter

8, they got around. Be real. If we tried

that today, hey, we're just going to

keep going till, you know, let's call

early morning. So, we'll say three.

We're gonna go till three today. I'm

just gonna keep preaching. Sounds fun to

me. I'm I'm in. But how many of you are

in? You don't have to raise your hand.

Not many of you are in.

In fact, I might get tired of hearing

myself speak. I'm just going to be real.

But what did they do? It was built. It

was finished. And they said, "We've got

to get together and we have to hear the

word. And we've got to understand what

God wants for us because it's not over.

I'm not just going to settle. But Lord,

now that I've arrived, it's time to hear

you and to experience you so I can know

where I'm going." Yes,

>> we can't just settle in.

I

>> think in culture and the day that we

live, there's this enjoy what you've

built. You've arrived. You've made it.

Maybe that's later in life. Wow.

Retirement, you're at this place and use

what you have. And I want to encourage

you something. Maybe you're a little

later in life or you're in the middle or

you're right in the throws of kids at

home and craziness. What whatever your

stage is, it's not a time just to

settle. It's not a time just to be

there. It's not a time to say, "Well,

thank you, Lord, that I know you." No,

it's time to say, "What does your word

speak to my heart? How can I be the best

parent and the best leader? How can I

see someone in my neighborhood come to

know you? How can we as a church family

say, "Hey, 76 missionaries and orgs is

awesome, but there's more. There's more

that are reaching places that they need

the message of the gospel." And how do

we experience God? How do we see more

people fill the seats in this room? Not

so we can say there's a full room. But

because it's people that need Jesus.

It's people that need his spirit in

their life. It's people that just like

us. If we get comfortable and just live

and do our own thing,

it can get rough.

All of a sudden, where we were, we

cannot be anymore if we just put the

weights down. We put the word down. We

start doing life our own way.

You know what? Normally when it comes to

my exercise routine, whether it be

running, I love running. I love weights.

I love it all. It's not normally one day

I say, "You know what, Pastor Nate? I'm

going to not work out for the next six

months." Like, it's not a decision that

I'm like, "This is the moment. I I'm

happy. I'm going to quit." You know what

happens? I wake up one day and I'm like,

I don't want to do it.

Or maybe I'm like, "You know what?

There's a meeting. I have a meeting. I

have breakfast. I've got to go out. So,

I need to not do that. And you know what

happens the next day? You know what? I'm

tired today. And it's not like I'm

deciding. I'm just It is. And I lay in

bed or I don't wake up. And then the

next day and you say, you know what?

I've got to get work done. So, you go to

work a little early. And then the next

day you say, you know what? I'm tired

again. And the next day you say, you

know what? I've got a meeting. I can't

make it happen. And then it's been a

week. And then it's been two weeks.

If I'm being real, if you're going to

neglect something, neglect that stuff.

But when we do that with the things of

God and the things of his spirit,

church, our lives don't they don't work

quite the same.

>> It's not as good. I don't know about

anybody else, but it's not necessarily

that in every moment I hear God like

speak this audible word from the Lord.

And if you do, praise him. Like that's

awesome. That's a blessing. But when I'm

in the word and when I'm spending time

with Jesus and I'm waking up and working

out and the word, it makes it all so

much easier if I'm doing it all

together. I don't know. It just is

something. It is a discipline, but that

discipline turns into way more of a

Lord, this is so good.

And I just want to encourage you, don't

just settle, but let him speak. And in

fact, this year, if you can believe it,

I didn't say specifically like the first

of the year on purpose. I think we have

to be in the word. And if you do not

have a Bible reading plan, there are

some great ones. You can get the Uver

Bible app. You can do the uh Terry Lee

Cobble. She does an amazing thing with

walking through the Bible. I right now

I'm listening to a chapter of the word

and then I'm listening to the IVP

background commentary that tells me

about things that they would have

thought and what they would have looked

like and what it meant to them. That

sometimes when they when it talks about

what they thought and what it looked

like, it is read different when you read

the Bible with context and you read it

with background. And so I'm sitting and

then I'm studying those two things

together and instead last year I went

through the whole Bible. This year I'm

just going through the New Testament in

a slow way and putting that so that I

can really grow. Lord, what's this mean?

When Jesus says this, what's this mean?

And I don't care what method you use. I

don't care if you read the Bible on

purpose 5 days a week or seven days a

week or four days a week. But I

encourage you, there's something about

literally statistically when we read the

Bible and we're in it four days a week

and we spend time with Jesus that if

you're struggling with addiction or

pornography or issues in your life, the

the amount that you're able to get over

those things goes up exponentially.

Nothing else has to change, but you

spend four days a week with Jesus

>> and your life will change.

>> So, I like five or six. It's even

better. But give yourself grace. And if

you start right now, you're not starting

on the 1st of January. So, you're just

going to go and when you miss a day, you

know what you do?

Just do the next day. That's what I

would do. Do the day you missed, but you

don't have TO GO BACK. SO, WHEN you've

missed a week, don't quit, but say,

"Hey, it's time to do it again. I'm

going to get right into it because I

can't fall back into the thing cuz ah,

things are going well or things are

difficult." But comfort zones kill

vision. When we choose comfort, we delay

what God has already declared. And I

want you to know as individuals in his

word, but as a church family, if we say

things are good, things are great. I

like how this ministry or this way or

this thing we've done, no. Is it what

God has for today? Or are we just

comfortable in the season that we're in?

Because if we're comfortable and it's

not what God has, it's time for us to go

where he would have us to be.

>> Cuz I don't want anything I don't want

anything to hold us back from what God

has already declared. And he's just

waiting for us to take a step. He's

waiting for us to stand around to hear

the word. He's waiting for us to dig

into his word and then to join together

as one. Finishing is not the finish

line. Comfort zones kill kingdom vision.

And third, the mission moves when we

move. In Nehemiah 10 verse 28, we go a

Nehemiah 10:28

couple chapters forward. And we can we

can see the word here in verse 28. says,

"The rest of the people, the priests,

the Levites, the gatekeepers, the

singers, the temple servants, and all

who have separated themselves from the

peoples of the land, to the law of God,

their wives, their sons, their

daughters, all who have knowledge and

understanding, join with their brothers,

their nobles, and enter into a curse and

an oath to walk in God's law that was

given by Moses, the servant of God, and

to observe and do all the commandments

of the Lord, our Lord, and his rule.

rules and his statutes.

Now, anybody else you're like, "Whoa,

what what does that mean?" Specifically,

a curse and an oath. They entered into a

curse

and oath. And as I've been praying and

studying,

you know, I I've just been thinking

about this that I don't even have to

pray this prayer, but when I walk in the

things of God, I've committed myself to

the Lord and I'm walking in relationship

with him and I'm experiencing him and

I'm not just sitting back. I'm not just

we'll see what happens. I haven't got to

some imaginary finish line, but everyone

I'm like, let's keep going. Let's keep

moving. Let's keep pressing into the

things of God. And not so that we see

stuff, but so we know Jesus better

so we walk in him. And so when we sin,

we're like, I hate sin. I hate it. Not

so that we can punish oursel, but so we

can come and bring it to the Lord. Lord,

help me. Forgive me. Help me to walk in

your purity and in your goodness. And

the people after everything was going

well, after they spent time with God,

after they had been with him, after he

had moved, after they had confessed

their sins, in fact, if you just look

back at the last few chapters, chapter

six is really about the completion of

the wall. Chapter 8 is about revelation.

They receive from the Lord and his word.

Chapter nine, they confess and come

before him. And chapter 10 here we see

as a commitment to God

to who he is.

And when as a church family and as

individuals we say it's not only time to

see but now we're going to move. The

people came and they said Lord you've

done so much. And we literally are going

to come before you. And we recognize and

we speak the truth that when we walk in

you there's a blessing that follows.

There's a truth that follows. There's

something amazing that takes place. And

even when we're walking in and things

happen and there's difficulty, when

people we love pass away or things don't

go how we want, there's a blessing as he

follows us and walks in us and puts

covering over us.

But church, they understood. And in this

commitment, the curse, they understood

that if they've turned away from the law

and the plan of God that simply the

blessing would be removed and there

would be a curse on their life. that

what was so good, the covering of Jesus,

of God in their day, that covering of 52

days and the walls were rebuilt. The 52

days and now the people around them no

longer were mocking, but they were in

fear because they understood God that it

could be removed if we don't keep

walking forward in God. And I want you

to know something. I'm so thankful that

Jesus come with came with his grace and

with his mercy. And I'm so thankful that

he still comes with his grace and with

his mercy. But I also want to just be

real today. If as a church or an

individuals, we come and we say, "Lord,

because of what you did, now I can do

whatever I want." We put ourselves under

a curse and we put ourselves out of the

protection of our God. The oath to the

Lord, all of a sudden we say, "Wow, he's

amazing." Which he still is. But are you

living under him? Are you living under

his rule? Are you living under his

blessing? Or have we removed ourselves?

And like the people, maybe we don't want

to pray that prayer, but we've entered a

curse and an oath to walk in God's law,

to spend time in the spirit, to walk in

him and let him move. And church, I'm

just going to be real, and I don't know

that I often use this language, but if

you want to walk in blessing, you have

to walk under the things of God. And

when we choose to remove ourselves,

it's not that God doesn't love and care

and his grace and his mercy is not

there, but we've given it away and all

of a sudden we're doing our own thing.

And church, we look different. We act

different. We talk different. We deal

with problems different when we're over

here and we're not in the blessing. And

the words they would use, we literally

have stepped into a curse because we've

left the things of God. We've left the

law. We left his truth. here in the New

Testament, we've left his grace and

mercy and we've just kind of said, "I'm

going to do my own thing."

And I like to think of it just in a real

practical way that boy, when we are

under the presence of Jesus, his word,

when this becomes our covering,

it's kind of like you could be outside

in the pouring down rain. In fact, I

think it was last Sunday morning, it was

chilly, but not quite chilly enough to

snow. And I walked over to the house

before church and all of a sudden I

looked outside and it was pouring and

I'm like, "Oh no." And I had a gray suit

on and like it gets water on it like you

can see it. And I was like, "Oh boy."

And you know what I did? I looked in the

closet and thank the Lord someone had a

an umbrella in our office closet. And I

grabbed that thing and I walked over and

I didn't get wet. My gray suit stayed

gray. It didn't get all splotchy. I

wasn't soaking wet. And it was an

amazing thing as I I stood under that

umbrella. And you know what? When we

walk in the power and the word of God,

no matter what's happening around us, no

matter what it would do to us if we

didn't have his word, it's just like an

umbrella, his covering that protects us.

And church today, it's a commitment to

say, Lord,

I give everything that I am to you. I

offer it all. And I'm not perfect.

Church, your pastor, I want you to hear

again. I said something similar. I'm not

perfect. I'll mess up. I'll do things.

But my prayer is, Lord, in my

imperfection, I want to be under your

covering. And when I mess up, I want to

ask for forgiveness. And when I do

something I shouldn't, Lord, take that.

If it's in my heart, give it. I give it

to you. Lord, do what only you can do.

And Lord, if I offend a brother or a

sister, Lord, help me to repent

internally and then help me to go and

ask for forgiveness. Cuz we're not

perfect. But something happens when the

under the covering of God

that all of a sudden I know Lord, you've

spoken. You've moved and that wasn't the

right thing to say and I can go and deal

with it. But you know what? In my own

sinful flesh and I think a bunch in the

house when we're not under the blessing

and the covering of God, I can do things

and say things and behave in ways that

have nothing to do with my walk with the

Lord. And I don't even feel bad. I don't

even realize

because I'm not in a place where I'm

letting him speak to my heart.

And church, if as a church family, as an

individual

that you're sitting here today when we

say, "Lord, I'm going to walk under the

covenant, thankfully, a New Testament

covenant. Jesus, your grace, your mercy.

Lord, I want you to show me what it is

in my heart to move forward. I don't

want to get to a finish line and say,

"I've made it. I don't want to get into

a place of atrophy where my my muscles

get weak because I'm no longer working

them out." and my spiritual muscles and

what I'm talking about. And I don't want

to just sit, but I want to see the

mission move because we are moving. I

want to see the mission of God in your

life move because you say, "Lord, I'm

going to do it today at work and with my

kids and with my family." And when we

come together that we say, "Wow, the

mission of God is moving." Because we

might not always get it right. We might

sometimes say things wrong. Even

sometimes we might make the wrong

decisions as leaders or as individuals,

but we're united. And when we realize

it, we're going to stand up, pick

ourselves up. We're going to fix the

problem. We're going to keep moving

forward because we're saying, "Lord,

anything that you have, that's what we

desire.

We're going to keep moving forward."

worship team, if you would make your way

back up here this morning.

Rad fam, when we step forward in

obedience, God will do what he promised

because his word cannot

fail.

When we just follow him, his word will

not fail. So when we follow his word, it

will happen. What you're believing for,

it will happen. His power will be made

known in you. will be just moved through

you because the word of God is all

things. That's why we must know it. It's

why we must have it in our hearts.

The wall was finished, but the people

kept moving forward. And this morning,

we're going to take a few moments and

with this one service, we're going to

take maybe 10 more minutes today and

we're going to sing a song. But my

prayer, you don't even need to sing the

song, the words, I don't care. But would

you make this a moment of prayer? The

altars are going to be open to come and

to stand. The altars are going to be

open to come and to kneel. Your seats

right where you are to sit, to stand and

ask him, Lord, am I moving forward in

you? And how do you want me to move

beyond the walls, beyond this place,

beyond what we do together to say, Lord,

move in my heart, move in my life.

And maybe you feel like if you think

through it and God would reveal to you

that you've gotten to some finish line

and you thought of that as the end, but

instead today you realize, Lord, it's

just the beginning. It's just the

beginning. Maybe there's a comfort zone

that needs to be killed in your life

that you say, "No, I'm not going to be

comfortable, but I'm going to keep

pressing forward."

And maybe you realize today, Lord, let

that mission that you've given, let it

move because I take the step that you've

called me to. And that could be in lots

of things. That could be in

relationships. It could be in this your

belief of the word. Maybe culture has

gotten into your your worldview. And you

say, "Lord, no. I know what the word

says." And it's hard in 2026. But

church, the word does not change. No

matter what culture would say, no matter

what family members are doing, no matter

what people in high positions would say,

the word of God wins. And if we get out

of that, may we move to this comfort

zone of culture. No, Lord, I won't. I'm

going to stay in the truth of the word.

And sometimes that might mean life's

tough in certain ways, but the covering

is going to be well worth it.

Lord, whatever it would be today,

if we could, if you're able this

morning, could we just stand to our

feet? And I want to speak just a word

over us and then we're going to open our

hearts and as I said come find a place

make your seat a place of of prayer of

worship. We're going to take 10 minutes

and we're going to go and have lunch and

talk about some specific things of

vision. But today it's our heart that

matters way more than anything else as

Lord we commit. And I'm going to close

today with a prayer of us as family the

Rad fam. But first, I want us each

individually to spend time, Lord, what

are you saying? What are you doing? And

this morning, if you do not have a

relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord

and Savior, all you have to do is ask

him, Lord, forgive me of my sins. I

believe, Jesus, that you died and you

rose again, and I repent.

You could finish that however you want.

Say it however you want. I love you,

Jesus. Be Lord of my life. He comes and

he welcomes you. And the Bible says,

"When one comes to know him, all of

heaven rejoices." And today, I believe

there's maybe a party because someone

today needs Jesus.

You can do that in the quiet of your

heart.

But right now, Lord, we are thankful.

We're thankful because the word of the

Lord has been spoken over this house. We

will not stop where we are. We will not

settle into comfort. We will not turn

momentum into maintenance. by his word.

Radfam, we will move beyond these walls.

We declare that people will be reached

because God said his word would run

swiftly. We declare that lives will be

changed because renewal always follows

obedience. We declare that families will

be restored and faith will rise because

God honors covenant commitment. We

declare that our city will feel the

impact not because of our strength but

because the hand of our God is upon us.

Just as the enemies in Nehemiah

recognize this work was done by God,

Dublin will recognize that what is

happening here is supernatural

comes from above. This is not the end of

the story. This is the evidence that God

keeps his promises. So we say yes. Lord,

we commit our hands and we move today in

obedience. And even as we take these

next several minutes as individuals,

Lord, we come, we bring our lives to

you. And we ask you, don't let us be

comfortable. Don't let us stop where

we've been, but Lord, let us step fully

into the vision and the mission you have

for us. We haven't hit the finish line,

but we're just getting going. So today,

would you speak? And Lord, would you

reveal maybe in our hearts if there's an

area of addiction or problem, maybe we

don't even think of it as addiction, but

it's something we need we have to have

and it's above you today. Lord, would

you reveal that to us and let us see it

so we can lay it at your feet, Lord

Jesus, where we need a touch in our

bodies or our lives. Lord, let us

believe your word and trust you with our

life. You are higher. You are greater.

You are better. Your plan is better. So

Lord, we submit it to you today.

Lord, be glorified in this room. And

Lord, speak to your people. We turn this

place into an altar, an altar to speak

as you would desire today. We love you.

We thank you, church. Make this place an

altar. If you need to find a place, come

to the front. I'll be up here. Come join

me. We're going to go after Jesus. But

let him speak to you. find a a moment to

let his heart and your heart connect so

that you can know what he's calling you

to today. Let's go after Jesus.

When I was lost and all alone, your

presence

where I found home, you were there and

you're here right now.

In every high and every low, you never

left me without hope. You were good and

you're good right now.

I've witnessed your faithfulness.

I've seen you brea.

So I pour out my praise again. You're

worthy, God. You're worthy of all of it.

Your promises never fail.

I've got stories I live to tell. So I

pour on my praise again. You're worthy,

God. You're worthy of all of it.

You left the throne. You chose the

cross. Laid down your life to rescue us.

The Savior there and the Savior now.

>> But even death was not the end. You

conquered hell so I could live.

Resurrecting them. Resurrecting

now.

Resurrecting and resurrecting.

I witness your faithfulness.

I've seen you relight.

So I pour on my praise.

You're worthy. God, you're worthy of all

of it. Your promise is never made.

I've got stories I live to tell. So I

pour out my praise and you're worthy,

God. You're worthy of all of me.

Oh, you're worthy.

Oh, so worthy.

You're good and I've witnessed it.

You're strong and I've witnessed it.

You're constant. I've witnessed it and

I'm confident.

I'll see it again and again. You love

it. and I've witnessed it.

>> You're strong and I've witnessed it.

>> You're safe and I witnessed it and I'm

confident.

>> I'll see it again and again.

>> You're good and I witnessed it.

You're strong and I witnessed it.

You're constant. I witnessed it and I'm

coming.

I'll see it again and again. You're

loving. I witnessed it.

You're healing. I miss it.

You're serving. I witness it. And I'm

coming.

I'll see it again.

I witness your faithfulness.

I see you bring life with me. So I pour

out my praise against your wory

of all of it. Your promises never.

I've got stories I live to tell. So I

pour out my praise.

You're worthy, God. worthy of

to the broken. I witness it

to the broken I

to the lo

and I'm telling this I'll tell them what

I witness to the family. I witness it

to the city. I witness it

to the nations. telling it and I'm

telling this I'm telling what I

so Lord this morning we're just thankful

that we get to come before you. We've

seen what you've done and that's just

the starting line for what you're going

to do. So Lord, I pray that today your

people would walk in your grace and your

mercy and your power. our team that's

going overseas. Lord, bless them and use

them. But Lord, don't let us look at

them that are going. But Lord, let all

of us this week go to the places that

you've called us to to our schools, our

workplaces, our communities, wherever it

would be, Lord, and take the message of

the gospel because we're going to take a

step, Lord. I pray that even our vision

meeting that we're about to have as a

church family, Lord, I believe, our team

believes, we believe as a church, you

have great things that you're going to

do. And we ask you, Jesus,

to bind us together, to bind our hearts

together, Lord, that we will move

forward in you, Jesus, together and

united. And because of that, truly,

anything is possible with you. And when

your church walks in unity and Lord, I

pray today that those that there may be

struggle or situation, even what the

word would say, they haven't seen the

healing, they haven't seen the touch,

Lord, by your stripes, we're healed.

Lord, you are the one that makes new.

You are the one that brings the answer

to today. We hold on to the word of God

in our lives.

Lord, we we bind it to our hearts. We

read it. We commit it. Lord Jesus, let

us step into what you have. And Lord,

where we need to rebuild some walls,

Lord, I pray that you'd give strength

and guidance. Lord, where we need to put

things in place, Lord, help us to do

that. And then, Lord, let us walk with

boldness every step of the way. Lord, we

love you. We praise you. I'm so thankful

for this church, for this family, Lord,

the Rad fam. Maybe not perfect, but

Lord, we are united and we are together

and we're believing for what you have,

what you have next for us. We love you,

Jesus. Lord, I pray you would bless each

person today. Let us walk in you, walk

in your power. Bless the next couple

hours or hour and a half or whatever our

vision meeting. And Lord, that it you

would just be sweet and present in the

in the food. Lord, bless the food. you'd

be sweet and present in our time as we

talk about where we're going and where

we've been, Lord. Lord, would you be

sweet and present in our conversations,

Lord, we're so thankful. We love you. We

glorify you. We give you all things

today.

In your name we pray. Amen. And amen.

Well, come on, church. Our God is great

today. He's great.

And before we go anywhere, I want to

give some quick instructions. First of

all, we have our team life uh fair is

kicking out there. We have our our tents

up. And if you are not serving, there's

something about being united, serving,

going in the same direction. And we

invite you talk to some different

people, different areas. Talk to Liz or

one of us. We'd love to connect with you

at each one. And uh that we want to get

you plugged in. We believe disciplehip,

something about serving. But second here

today, our vision meeting starts right

after this. It's 11:28. So we're going

to open the doors down there at 11:38,

10 minutes from now. So hang out in the

foyer, talk to somebody, meet somebody,

greet somebody. We're going to turn on

the lights back in here and then at

11:38 the doors will be open. You can go

straight in, get food, uh sit down at

the tables. This year, we're going to do

something a little different. Once we

are done eating, we're going to come

back in here. The sound is better, the

screens are better, all that kind of

stuff. So, we're going to eat, then

we're going to come back. So, in 10

minutes, you can go ahead and get food.

Uh straight to the lines, get your food.

I just prayed for the food. Blessed it.

And but of course, first of all, that 10

minutes is so you can go get your kids.

Very important. get your kids prior to

that 10 minutes. So, uh we don't want to

go take over the kids wing till they're

all claimed. So, please go get your

kids, but we love you. Have a great

great Sunday and we'll see you.

Hopefully, you can all stay for our

vision meeting which starts in now 9

minutes. Be careful what you watch. Be

careful what you listen to. Be careful

what you talk about. Savor the presence

of Jesus. Have a great vision meeting.

I worry.