From Millstone to Stepping Stone | Pastor Trev Evans

Come on, grab your Bibles as we get

ready to make our confession today.

Whether you have a paper Bible,

electronic Bible, whether that's a phone

or tablet, whatever it is that you have,

come on, lift it up. And we make our

confession. Say, "This is my Bible.

>> This is my word.

>> It is God's word.

>> It reveals to me."

>> It reveals

>> God's will.

>> Therefore,

>> it's the final authority.

>> The final

>> to which I submit

>> to settle all the issues

>> all the issues

>> of my life.

>> It's the standard

of my conduct

>> of my conduct

>> and the basis

>> of all my expectation

>> of all my expectations.

>> Shout it out. I am

>> I am

>> what it says I am.

>> what it says.

>> I possess I

>> what it says I possess.

>> It says I

>> and I can do

>> I can do

>> absolutely everything.

>> Absolutely everything.

>> It says I can do.

>> It says I can do

>> I'm a believer.

>> Not a doubter.

>> I'm a doer.

>> Not just a hearer.

>> In my life.

>> My everyday life.

is the better

>> is the better

>> after having heard

>> after having

>> the word of faith

>> faith comes by hearing

>> and hearing

>> and hearing by

>> the word of God word let's ride you may

be seated in the presence of the Lord

Amen

chapter 9

Mark

chapter nine 9.

For those who may not know, you are

joining us today. We are in the midst of

our 40-day fast. We in the short rows

now.

>> Yeah, we we we in the short rows now of

the fast. And we have been journeying

through the book of Mark every day, even

on Sundays. And so, we're excited about

continuing in that same path. Mark

Mark 9 · chapter mention

chapter 9

uh verse 42. I just want to read verse

42. And uh it says, "But whoever causes

one of these little ones who believe in

me to stumble,

it would be better for him if a

millstone were hung around his neck

>> and he were thrown into the sea."

>> My God. Jesus. He said, "It would be

better for him if you cause one of these

little ones who believe in me to

stumble. It would be better for him if a

millstone were hung around his neck and

he were thrown into the sea." I want to

preach to us from the subject today from

millstones

to stepping stones.

>> From millstones

to stepping stones.

You know, this past Wednesday

was our devotional where we were in this

very same passage

>> in Mark chapter 9.

Mark 9 · chapter mention

>> And we were talking about identity

protection.

>> And immediately after devotional, Pastor

Christie uh text me and said, "Pastor

Trey, you can't let this one go so fast.

I believe there's still some meat on the

bone." Yeah.

>> I don't know if you ever been to the if

you're from the country and you ever

seen anybody who eat chicken and they

didn't eat it quite right.

>> And if you from the country, you got a

little attitude with them because

because they left some meat

>> on the bone. And she said, "Pastor Trev,

I don't think we're done with this." And

I had to agree. And God drew my

attention back to this text for today

because on Wednesday, we lean in on

Jesus's conversation with his disciples

as he raises the seriousness of the

impact their sin has on others and

themselves.

We heard Jesus use some of the most

shocking and violent language in the

entire New Testament in verses 43, 45,

and 47, saying, "If your hand causes you

to sin, cut it off.

>> If your foot leads you into sin, cut it

off.

>> And if your eye leads you into sin,

pluck it out."

Now Jesus is not prescribing physical

selfmutilation.

>> Amen.

>> This is Jesus telling both the disciples

and all who are following him that our

identity as kingdom citizens is so

precious

>> and our influence on others is so heavy

that anything threatening it must be

handled with deliberate action. Amen.

>> However, the reason that I have been

drawn back to this text today is if

we're not careful, we can walk away from

this text thinking that we are the ones

who have to fix ourselves.

>> [clears throat]

>> In his book, Invitation to a Journey,

Robert Molhan writes, "Spiritual

formation is a process of being

conformed to the image of Christ for the

sake of others."

Notice that he does not say that it is a

project that you conform yourself.

>> It is a process of being conformed.

Somebody shout being conformed.

God is the one doing the work in you

>> while he walks with you.

>> H Isaiah 3:18 reminds us that and

Isaiah 3:18

therefore will the Lord wait that he may

be gracious unto you. See, God isn't

standing over you with a scapel waiting

for you to fail.

>> He is the great physician waiting for

the opportunity to be gracious to you.

Philippians chapter 2:13 says, "For it

is God who works in you, both to will

and to do according to his good

pleasure."

>> Understand something. You don't have to

find the will to change on your own.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO FIND THE WILL to

change on your own.

>> God provides the desire and the power.

Amen.

>> You and I just have to be obedient when

he tells us what it is we need to do.

>> Yeah. See, the question we must ask

ourselves today is, how do I work in c

in cooperation with the Holy Spirit for

what needs to be cut off?

See, the spirit not only shows us what

to cut, but also empowers us to take the

deliberate action. trusting that God's

grace will sustain us through the

process.

>> Boy, that's good.

>> Yeah. The spirit not only shows us what

to cut, but also empowers us to take

deliberate action trusting that God's

grace will sustain us through the

process.

>> Ah, the first question I I want to pose

and I think we need to answer today is

how do I cut cut it off?

uh how do I cut it off? Understand to be

an effective witness for Jesus, we must

identify exactly what needs to be cut so

that our testimony remains sharp.

>> Uh-huh.

We must we must ask Holy Spirit

to show us what needs to be cut so that

our testimony will remain sharp. We

cannot point people to the healer while

we're holding on to the infection.

>> Ah yeah. See and see while we often on

the visible infections in our lives like

substance abuse, lust and fornication.

Yeah. In case you like me and grew up

for a long time in church not knowing

what fornication was, just hearing the

saints say it. Fornication is when you

have sex with anybody that you're not

married to. Amen.

>> So that means if you're not married, you

shouldn't be having no sex. I'm I'm

sorry. That's my girl. I love her. She

saved the marriage now.

BUT MOST TIMES WE JUMP ON THESE THE THE

OUTWARD infections and we should BECAUSE

THEY AFFECT OUR WITNESS.

>> YEAH. We we we need we don't need to be

sleeping around because that that

impacts our witness.

>> Amen. We don't need to be stealing and

lying because that impacts our witness.

WE SHOULDN'T BE CARRYING OUR NEPHEW AND

OUR TAXES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY DON'T STAY

WITH US BECAUSE IT IMPACTS OUR WITNESS.

>> Bishop taught us years ago that our

witness is the only thing we have to win

the loss.

>> So, we must protect our witness at any

cost.

>> Amen. See, but the Holy Spirit goes

deeper, revealing and addressing not

just outward infections, but inward

infections.

>> The often undetectable sin that we also

need to cut. See, just because others

can't see it doesn't mean God has

approved of it.

>> Yeah, maybe you hide it from me, but it

doesn't mean God has given you a green

light to partake in it.

>> Yeah. the inward infections. INWARD

INFECTIONS LIKE LIKE BITTERNESS and and

unforgiveness.

>> Yeah. Just sit there. I'll be done when

I get finished. Yeah. BITTERNESS AND

UNFORGIVENESS ARE TOXIC heart conditions

that stem stem from unresolved pain,

>> unmet expectations

or perceived injustices.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Re re resentment, bitterness

and and unforgiveness. It shows up in

things like resentment over unmet

expectations. You feel bitter because

someone didn't meet your expectations,

whether it was a spouse or a friend or a

coworker, and you hold that against

them.

>> Somebody shout, "Cut it off."

>> Cut it off.

>> Cut it off BY ACKNOWLEDGING THAT PEOPLE

ARE IMPERFECT.

>> JUST LET ME STOP RIGHT THERE. PEOPLE ARE

IMPERFECT.

>> That people are imperfect.

and release them from the unrealistic

expectation of always meeting your

needs.

>> IT'S AN UNREAL IT'S AN UNREALISTIC

EXPECTATION TO THINK THAT people going

to always meet your needs.

>> You don't always meet their needs.

>> You looking for grace when you fall

short.

>> THEN YOU AND I MUST GIVE OTHERS THE SAME

GRACE. Not if, BUT WHEN THEY FALL SHORT.

[applause]

Because if we don't, bitterness will set

in

>> and we'll WALK AROUND SHOUTING AND

PRAISING AND RUNNING OVER TOP OF

UNFORGIVENESS.

>> I know ain't nobody going to say

nothing.

>> You and I must cut out bitterness and

unforgiveness. It shows up when we

compare our pain to others.

>> Yeah. You feel bitterness because you

believe others have it easier than you

or haven't suffered as much as you have,

leading to resentment toward them and

even toward God.

>> Somebody shout, "Cut it out."

>> Cut it out.

>> Yeah. You and I must cut it out BY

SHIFTING OUR FOCUS TO gratitude

>> for God's GRACE IN YOUR LIFE AND TRUST

his plan even when you don't understand.

>> See, IT'S EASY TO TRUST GOD WHEN

EVERYTHING IS GOING WELL. BUT CAN YOU

AND I TRUST GOD WHEN WE HAVE TEARS IN

OUR EYES and pain IN OUR HEART?

>> CAN YOU AND I TRUST GOD WHEN WE HAVE

MORE QUESTIONS THAN WE DO ANSWERS?

>> This is where this is where it meets us.

BECAUSE YOU AND I CANNOT AFFORD TO

HARBOR AND HOLD ON TO BITTERNESS AND

UNFORGIVENESS. SOMEBODY SHOUT, "CUT it

out."

>> You and I must cut it out. You must we

must cut out bitterness AND

UNFORGIVENESS. BUT CATCH THIS. Here's a

second ONE THAT WE DON'T TALK ABOUT

OFTEN. WE HAVE TO CUT OUT COVETING.

>> COVETOUSNESS. YEAH. WHAT IS COVETING?

COVETING, catch this, is an intense

selfish desire for something that

belongs to someone else.

>> Uhhuh. It's not merely admiring or

wanting something, but rather it's a

sinful longing that stems from greed,

resentment, or discontentment.

>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. You and I covenant.

The Bible warns us not to covet, NOT TO

WANT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE.

>> YEAH. You can admire what they have. You

can appreciate what THEY HAVE. BUT YOU

AND I MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO WANT THAT

WHICH somebody else has.

You got to be careful because this thing

IS SNEAKY.

>> YEAH. IT SHOWS UP WHEN YOU RESENT A

friend's success.

>> Yeah. You see a friend get a promotion

or achieve a milestone and instead of

celebrating with them, you feel bitter

and wish it had happened to you instead.

>> This is not just admiration. It's a

selfish longing that is rooted in

discontentment with your own situation.

Cut it out.

>> Somebody shout, "Cut it out."

>> Cut it out.

>> Yeah. YOU AND I MUST CUT OUT COVETING.

YEAH. WHAT IS COVETING? WHEN YOU ENVY

SOMEBODY else's relationship.

>> Talk, Holy Ghost.

>> This is YOU DESIRING SOMEBODY ELSE'S

SPOUSE,

>> somebody else's significant other.

>> Not just wishing for a loving

relationship of your own,

>> BUT SPECIFICALLY WANTING THEIR PARTNER.

It's fueled by jealousy

>> and dissatisfaction with your own life.

>> See, THIS KIND OF STUFF IS SNEAKY.

>> AND YOU AND I MUST ASK THE HOLY SPIRIT

TO RUN A PSALMS 139 VERSE 23 AND 24.

Psalms 139:23

SEARCH ME, OH GOD.

>> TRY ME AND KNOW MY HEART. AND IF YOU see

>> any wicked way in me, lead me in the way

everlasting.

>> Woo!

>> You and I MUST WATCH COVETING BECAUSE IT

SHOWS UP AS JEALOUSY over material

possessions.

>> Yeah. A neighbor buys a new car or

renovates their home and instead of you

being happy for them, you feel

resentment and and an intense desire to

have what they have,

>> believing that you deserve it more than

they do.

>> Somebody shout, "Cut it out."

>> Cut it out.

>> And I don't know why the Holy Ghost lead

ME THIS WAY, BUT I JUST need to JUST

RIDE WHILE I'M RIDING. THAT'S WHY YOU

AND I MUST IN TERMS OF OUR GIVING must

be led by the Holy Ghost.

LET GOD WHEN YOU DOING FOR PEOPLE, BE

LED BY THE HOLY GHOST BECAUSE THERE ARE

SOME OF YOU WHO ARE LISTENING TO ME. YOU

HAVE GIVEN and given and done and done

for people and it's still not enough.

>> AND CAN I TELL YOU, YOU CANNOT SATISFY

SOMEBODY'S SPIRIT OF COVETOUSNESS.

>> I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU GIVE. I DON'T CARE

WHAT YOU DO. IF THEY'RE OPERATING OUT OF

THE SPIRIT OF COVETEDNESS, THEY CATCH

THIS. THEY DON'T WANT WHAT YOU GIVE

THEM. THEY want what you have.

[cheering]

>> THAT'S WHY WHAT YOU GIVE THEM DON'T

SATISFY THEM BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT

WHAT YOU GIVE THEM. YOU KEEP FLIPPING

THEM $20. THEY DON'T WANT THE $20. THEY

WANT WHAT YOU HAVE.

>> God knows I'M PREACHING.

>> SOMEBODY SHOUT, "CUT IT OUT."

>> IF MY EYE OFFENDS ME, CUT IT OUT.

>> STOP WATCHING ALL THESE SOCIAL MEDIA

INFLUENCES. IF IT'S CAUSING ME TO BECOME

DISCONTENTED WITH MY LIFE, CUT IT OUT.

>> I CAN'T GO AROUND THE CROWD. IF YOUR

FOOT IS LEADING YOU AROUND CROWDS THAT

IS CAUSING YOU TO BE JEALOUS, CUT IT

OUT.

>> I CAN'T GO AROUND THEM. I'M NOT MATURE

ENOUGH TO BE AROUND IT.

>> You and I have to cut it out. Understand

something. Comparison is the thief of

calling.

Comparison is the thief of calling. I

CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE

MISSING THEIR CALLING BECAUSE THEY ARE

COMPARING THEMSELVES WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

>> OH, THEY CAN'T EVEN BE WHO GOD HAS

CALLED THEM TO BE BECAUSE THEY ARE

COMPARING THEMSELVES WITH OTHER PEOPLE.

THEY'RE SCROLLING AND WATCHING HOW

EVERYBODY DOES WHAT THEY DO AND THEY

CAN'T STEP OUT AND DO IT THE WAY GOD HAS

GIVEN IT TO THEM. THEY'RE COMPARING

THEMSELVES WITH OTHER PEOPLE AND IT'S

KILLING THEIR CALLING. [cheering]

AMEN.

>> Jesus said

>> in Luke 12:1 15, "Take heed

Luke 12:1

[clears throat]

and be on guard against covetousness."

He said, "For one's life does not

consist in the abundance of things that

he possesses."

>> Somebody shout, "Cut it out."

>> Cut it out.

understand that when the Holy Spirit is

calling us to cut these things, he's

calling us into partnership

>> and he's calling us into partnership

into a surgery to cut these things out.

>> It's only half the battle.

>> The other question on the table is why

should I cut it out?

Point number two,

>> why you need to cut it out

is because God has called you to be a

stepping stone, not a stumbling block.

>> See, see, the reason behind cutting it

off is simply because, catch this,

you've heard this before. Found people.

>> Found people. Find people. Yeah. Found

people. Found people. We aren't cutting

off sin just to feel better about

ourselves. I need you to hear me. We are

doing it because someone is standing

right behind us trying to see Jesus.

>> I don't know whether you got that OR

NOT. WE'RE NOT JUST CUTTING OFF SIN AND

CUTTING things out of our lives THAT

CAUSE US AND others to stumble just to

just to cut it out. We're cutting IT OUT

BECAUSE THERE'S SOMEBODY around us,

somebody behind us who is trying to see

the Jesus we serve.

>> Woo.

Listen to what Jesus said in Mark

Mark 9:42

chapter 9 verse 42. He says, "But

whosoever

causes one of these little ones who

believes in me to stumble,"

interesting verbiage.

Whoever causes one of these little ones

who believes in me to stumble,

no, they didn't fall today,

>> but they stumbled.

>> Yeah, they may be still coming coming to

church, BUT BUT BUT but something we may

have done could have caused them

>> to stumble.

Yeah, they still on their feet today,

but you don't even realize how much

they're tripping mentally because of

what they're watching us do.

>> See, when Jesus is talking about one of

the little ones in our text,

>> he's talking about the new immature.

Yeah,

>> those who are new, those who are

immature, but are highly vulnerable

believers who are watching the lives of

mature Christians

>> to see what following God should look

like.

>> Understand something. They are also not

just not just new believers, but also

people who haven't even come to Jesus

yet

>> are watching us to see what followers

should look like.

So when we walk around not speaking and

refusing to forgive each other, we are a

stumbling block to other people.

[cheering]

>> When they see us CUSSING AND TALKING

CRAZY ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WE ARE A

STUMBLING BLOCK. I KNOW AIN'T NOBODY

GOING TO SAY NOTHING. WE ARE A STUMBLING

BLOCK. [applause and cheering]

WHEN WE GET DOWN IN THE COMMENTS AND GET

DOWN IN OUR CONVERSATION, WE ARE A

STUMBLING BLOCK.

>> When we see

believers partaking in activities and

SITTING IN PLACES THAT BELIEVERS SHOULD

NOT be

>> talk, Holy Ghost.

>> Yeah. WHEN WHEN WHEN THEY SEE BELIEVERS,

THOSE WHO ARE FOLLOWERS OF Jesus in

places

And in activities

>> THAT WE SHOULD NOT BE,

>> WE BECOME A STUMBLING BLOCK.

[applause]

>> THEY KNOW Y'ALL DATING, BUT WHEN YOUR

NEIGHBORS SEE YOU COMING OUT THE HOUSE

AT HER HOUSE AT 1:30 A.M., YOU BECOME A

STUMBLING BLOCK.

>> I know ain't nobody going to say nothing

right there. I'M GOING JUST KEEP

PREACHING. YOU A STUMBLING BLOCK.

CATCH THIS. AND BEFORE YOU START TALKING

TO ME AND RUNNING DOWN YOUR LIST OF YOUR

RIGHTS

AND YOUR FREEDOMS,

>> LET ME REMIND YOU OF WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

IN 1 CORINTHIANS CHAPTER 8:9. PAUL

WRITES TO THE CORINTHIAN CHURCH. HE

SAYS, "BUT BEWARE,

>> lest somehow this liberty of yours

>> BECOMES A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THOSE WHO

ARE WEAK."

>> Talk Bible.

>> SEE, YOU AND I MUST BE CAREFUL NOT TO

HARP ON OUR FREEDOMS SO STRONGLY

>> AND SO QUICKLY.

>> THAT'S A PART OF WHAT'S WRONG WITH OUR

COUNTRY RIGHT NOW IS THAT EVERYBODY

WANTS TO BE ALL ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS. AND

WHAT IT IS THAT THEY CAN DO. DISCARDING

THEIR BROTHERS AND SISTERS WHO ARE NOT

ABLE TO EAT. [cheering] AIN'T NOBODY

GOING TO SAY NOTHING TO ME in here

BECAUSE WE'RE SO ALL ABOUT OUR RIGHTS

AND WHAT I can do.

>> But I heard

Dr. Alicia Brit Scholley say to me, "Can

does not always equal should.

[applause]

>> JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN DO IT,

DOESN'T MEAN YOU should do it.

>> Let me make this statement from the

other day. Your liberty ends

>> where your brother or sister's stumbling

begins.

>> Your liberty ends

>> where your brother or sister's stumbling

begins.

Now, maybe you maybe you got a

revelation on the scripture where it

says a little wine for the belly.

>> Y'all ain't going to say nothing to me.

Let me just Yeah.

>> Is that the organ?

[music]

>> Why is Chandler Moore in the middle of

my sermon?

That is good to me. [cheering]

>> [cheering]

>> Maybe you have some sort of revelation

and you know you you you you know you

take your little sip.

But if your if your brother or sister

stumbles at the sight of you

>> with the glass,

>> then then that's not the time to harp on

your freedom.

>> Because what love really say, the Bible

says that the strong ought to bear the

infirmity

>> talk Bible of the weak. Which means that

if if it's going to offend you or cause

you to stumble or cause you to question

or cause YOU TO DOUBT THAT I love you

enough to refrain from it.

[applause]

>> Why? Because God has called us to be

stepping stones,

>> not stumbling blocks.

>> H you and I have been called to be

stepping stones in the kingdom. God has

called us to be stepping stones. What is

that? helping others to reach heights

that they could never reach on their

own.

>> We see this throughout the Bible where

people acted as stepping stones helping

them to get to Jesus.

>> In John chapter 1 verse 45, write it

John 1:45

down. Verse 45 and 46, Philip brings

Nathaniel to Jesus. The Bible says in

verse 45, Philip found Nathaniel and

told him, "We have found the one Moses

wrote about in the law and about whom

the prophets also wrote that Jesus of

Nazareth, who's the son of Joseph."

>> And the Bible says, "Nathaniel replied

to Philip's invitation."

>> Nazareth,

>> "Can any good thing

>> come out of Nazareth?"

>> And look AT PHILIP'S RESPONSE. PHILIP

SAID, "COME and see.

AH, SEE, PHILIP DIDN'T EVEN ARGUE TRYING

TO CONVINCE NATHANIEL OF ANYTHING. HE

LET NATHANIEL SAY WHAT IT IS HE WANTED

TO SAY. HE JUST GAVE HIM THE INVITATION

AND TOLD HIM TO COME AND SEE. CAN I TELL

YOU THAT WHEN WE START HANDING OUT THESE

INVITATIONS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRY TO

ARGUE WITH NOBODY.

>> You don't have TO TRY TO FUSS WITH

NOBODY. ALL YOU GOT TO DO IS HAND THEM

THE CARD AND WHEN THEY START DOUBTING,

JUST TELL THEM, "COME AND SEE.

YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU BELIEVE JESUS IS

ALIVE AND HE MOVED by his power?

>> Come and see.

>> You mean to tell me I CAN COME TO THIS

CHURCH AND REALLY FIND REAL PEOPLE WHO

LOVE GOD AND FIND REAL COMMUNITY?

>> Come and see. You mean TO TELL ME THERE

THERE'S A CHURCH THAT WILL LOVE YOU AND

HELP YOU ALONG AND WON'T JUDGE YOU

BECAUSE THEY BELIEVE EVERYBODY MATTERS

TO GOD.

>> YOU AIN'T GOT TO ARGUE WITH NOBODY. JUST

TELL THEM COME AND SEE.

PHILIP WAS A STEPPING stone

>> to help Nathaniel get to Jesus.

>> Yes, sir.

>> Look at Naomi. Naomi was a stepping

stone for Ruth.

>> Ruth chapter 1:1 16. The Bible says Ruth

said, "Entreat me not to leave you or to

turn back from following after you. For

wherever you go, I will go AND WHEREVER

YOU LODGE, I WILL LODGE. YOUR PEOPLE

SHALL BE MY PEOPLE AND YOUR GOD WILL BE

MY GOD. LOOK AT NAOMI WAS A STEPPING

stone for Ruth. RUTH DIDN'T KNOW

ANYTHING about Jesus.

>> SHE SHE DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT GOD.

And the Bible says that Ruth ends up

being

>> in the lineage of Jesus. Can I tell you,

you don't know who you going to be

witnessing to. [cheering]

>> YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO YOU GOING TO BE

HANDING THAT CARD TO.

AMEN.

>> You don't even know who you inviting.

>> You don't know how God's going to use

them.

>> My mother, thank God. Mama, I see you

watching. I love you, girl. My mama was

invited to church some what am I 45 some

47 48 years ago by a teenager.

a teenager invited her to church and and

and she told her that she was coming and

then she didn't go

>> and the teenager saw her again and she

said, "Miss Faith, you told me you were

coming."

>> And my mama said the conviction hit her

so hard that she said, "You know what? I

can't disappoint this girl. I got to go

to this church."

>> She went to that church and let me tell

you something. Was Saints Temple Church

of God in Christ. They got in there, got

the shouting and dancing and the power

of God was moving. AND MY MAMA SAID

BEFORE SHE KNEW IT, SHE WAS STANDING TO

THE FRONT.

[laughter]

That teenager had no idea

that that lady she invited

>> would one day birth a son who would be a

pastor of a church.

SHE HAD NO IDEA THAT THAT SAME WOMAN

WOULD BIRTH A CHILD THAT WOULD IMPACT

YOUTH ALL ACROSS THE STATE OF NORTH

CAROLINA USING HER GIFT. SHE HAD NO

CLUE.

>> She was just a stepping stone.

>> Somebody say, "I'm a stepping stone."

>> You and I are called to be stepping

stones. God wants to use our invitation

to help somebody believe again.

>> He wants to use our invitation to help

somebody live again,

>> to trust again,

>> to dream again,

>> to serve again.

>> God wants TO USE US AS STEPPING STONES.

>> Y'all know I got something, don't you?

Only the people who are probably up

under 5'6 knows what this is.

My wife is 5'2. I ain't throwing no

rocks.

You know, just the other week, my wife

beat me to the punch. Amazon just steals

all your ability to be a good husband.

>> [laughter]

>> cuz I wanted to buy her a stepping stone

tray. I mean step a stepping stool, you

know, cuz there's some there's some

there's some things in the kitchen.

[laughter]

>> You know, I walk I walk in the kitchen

and open the cabinets and wonder why

none of the third row

I ain't reaching. I can't reach it.

So I was going to buy her a stepping

stool. She already got one. But what the

stepping stool does, the stepping stool

doesn't make the things in her in the

kitchen hers.

>> They already they already belong to her.

>> I wish you hear me by the Holy Ghost.

>> It already belongs to her,

>> but she needs some help

>> accessing

>> what already belongs to her. CAN I TELL

YOU THAT JESUS ALREADY DIED ON THE CROSS

and shed his blood and THERE ARE THINGS

THAT BELONG TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW IT.

IT ALREADY BELONGS TO THEM.

>> They just need some help.

>> REACHING WHAT IT ALREADY BELONGS TO

THEM. AND WHAT I'M TRYING TO TELL YOU IS

THAT GOD WANTS TO USE YOU.

>> He wants to use your life.

>> He wants to use your testimony. He wants

to use your invitation

>> as a stepping stone

>> to help people reach

>> what already belongs to them.

>> THE DREAMS ALREADY JESUS DIED FOR THEM

TO HAVE IT.

>> THE FREEDOM JESUS DIED FOR THEM TO HAVE

IT.

>> THE CLARITY OF MIND, JESUS DIED FOR THEM

TO HAVE IT.

>> All they need is a stepping stool.

All they need is somebody

>> to stop caring about their schedule long

enough

>> and stop caring about how people see

them long enough

>> to go out on a limb and invite them

>> to say something to them.

>> He's called us

>> to be a stepping stool.

>> Let me I'm going on this. Let me read to

you exactly what God told me to say.

See, because

he's calling us

from being millstones

to stepping stones.

>> Cornia, there's a there's a weight of

glory.

>> Yes, sir.

>> That God has for us in this assignment.

as we are moving into going to invite

people to God's house that we're passing

out, making 30,000 personal invitations.

>> There's a weight of glory resting on us,

a divine empowerment for the assignment

that God has given us to go get them.

>> Catch this. I want to read it just like

I wrote it. In Mark 9:42, Jesus warned

Mark 9:42

of the crushing weight of a millstone

for those who cause others to stumble.

>> But today, the spirit of God says,

"Cornia, you will not wear the weight of

a millstone. I've called you to carry

the weight of my glory.

>> I've called you to carry the weight of

my glory." God is smearing us with his

love,

>> with his spirit and with his presence so

that when we step out and begin to

invite people, we're not stepping out in

our own power.

>> We're not stepping out in our own

strength.

>> We're not stepping out in our own

charisma. The Bible says in Zechariah

Zechariah 4:6

4:6, "Not by might,

>> nor by power, but by my spirit, saith

the Lord." You and I have a smearing of

God on us.

>> Somebody asked the other week, "What

what should I do with that anointing oil

that I got in my communion bag?" Put

some oil on your head

>> RIGHT BEFORE YOU ANOINT YOURSELF

>> before you get out.

TAKE YOUR STACK OF CARS AND TAKE A

LITTLE OIL. NOW, DON'T GREASE THEM DOWN

so they they can't it slide out the

hand, BUT ANOINT THE CARS. I KNOW THEY

SOUND OLDFASHIONED,

>> BUT I BELIEVE

>> I STILL BELIEVE.

>> ANOINT THAT CAR. SAY, "GOD, I THANK YOU

>> THAT YOUR POWER AND YOUR PRESENCE REST

ON THESE CARS." AND THAT GOD, WHEN I

HAND IT TO THEM, LET YOUR POWER AND YOUR

STRENGTH AND YOUR ANOINTING ARREST THEM.

>> DON'T LET THEM REST UNTIL THEY COME TO

THE HOUSE. BREAK UP EVERY PLAN. DISRUPT

EVERY BOOTY CALL UNTIL THEY FIND YOU.

GOOD GOD.

>> OH, I BELIEVE IT still works.

Woo.

I'M TALKING TO SOMEBODY WHO KNOW WHAT

I'M TALKING ABOUT. WHO HAD A PRAYING

GRANDMAMA AND YOU WENT OUT AND GOT DRUNK

ONE NIGHT AND THAT HENNESSY DIDN'T HIT

THE SAME BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD BEEN

PRAYING FOR YOU.

>> I'm telling you, there's a weight of

glory on us.

>> HE BY THE HOLY GHOST, THERE'S A WEIGHT

OF GLORY ON US. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE

THAT GOD WILL SEND YOU BACK TO

>> WHO SAID NO IN ONE SEASON, BUT YOU GOT A

WEIGHT OF GLORY ON YOU IN THIS SEASON.

>> That's what I come to tell us.

We're moving from we will not wear the

weight of a millstone. Amen.

>> We will not wear the weight of a

millstone by causing other people to

stumble because of our lives.

>> We will not wear the weight of a

millstone because we've missed

opportunities to invite people to Jesus.

>> No. God has called us to be stepping

stones.

>> To break past the discomfort,

to break past the feeling of I don't

know. I get it. But take a moment and

pray

>> and say, "Lord, I thank you. I thank you

for the people that you used in my life

>> as stepping stones. And Father, help me

to be to somebody else what somebody

else was to me. I

>> I'mma close. I'm gone on this." But I

was just sitting back thinking about the

stepping stones in my life and and I

thought about a old name.

>> Some of the old saints will remember

this guy. This guy JJ McQueen.

JJ McQueen was a football player at ECU

and this bag of God this I graduated 98

so 9798

JJ McQueen was working he was a ECU

player but he was a member of Cornia

but in the summertime he was working at

the Boys and Girls Club in Aiden

and so all of us you know just thought

he was the greatest thing since sliced

bread 6'4 look like somebody chiseled

pull him out a rock, he could shoot a

basketball.

And I can remember he would he would get

us all in and we'd be playing

basketball, be beating us up, knocking

us down, the whole nine, having a great

time. But then when we got a chance to

sit down, he would invite us to this

place called Cornia.

>> He said, "Y'all, I want y'all to come

and and visit my church. It's a place

called Cornelia." We like corner what?

He said, "Cornia,

it's a cool place. The the pastor can

preach. You need to come and you need to

pull up." I'm a senior in

[clears throat] high school.

>> Who knew?

[applause]

>> Who knew?

>> He didn't know. My God,

>> he was just being a stepping stone.

>> Who knew?

>> What I'm telling us is you don't know

>> who God is sitting across your path.

>> You don't know

>> who God's going to have you put that

invitation in their hands.

>> And they were considering killing

themselves or giving up on God

>> or just being like, "You know what?

Forget it.

I'm telling you that God has called us

to be stepping stones.

>> And this week, we're getting ready to

go, but this as we get ready to leave

today, we're going to those we're going

to receive a stack like this. Now, let

me just say this.

I want everybody to do it. Somebody

shout, "Everybody."

>> Everybody.

>> I want everybody to grab a stack. But I

only need you to grab one if you're

going to commit to handing it to a

person.

>> Okay? Just let me be clear. Uh we're not

going to windshield these.

>> You know what I mean by windshield? Go

just stick them on a bunch of cards.

We're not going to do that.

>> No, we're we're going to sew this into a

person.

>> We're going to plant the card into a

person. We want, hey, I want you to I

want you to come and be be a part of my

our church is having a service on Easter

Sunday, April 5th. I want you to come

and be my guest.

>> Look them in the eyes and hand it to

him.

>> That's all.

>> Look them in the eyes and I would love

for you to come. We believe everybody

matters to God

>> and you matter to us. Will you come and

be my guest?

>> Hand it to him.

>> Amen.

>> Invite them.

>> On the front it says, "Be my guest." and

it has the the worship encounter times

7:30, 9:30, and 12:30. And then on the

back, it has our regular service times

>> and the times of our circles on

Wednesday because what I believe is if

they don't come on the 5th,

>> you put a rock in their shoe.

>> And we want to have these in place,

>> I want this card to be there for them

WHEN LIFE HAPPENS.

WOO.

>> I wish I knew some people who didn't

take the first invitation that somebody

gave you.

>> Yeah. Yeah. I I didn't take the first

invitation somebody gave me.

>> But I remember when life started beating

my behind

and I felt like Chris Rock in New Jack

City. Do you got any more of that Jesus

you were talking about? [laughter]

You got any more that that prayer?

[laughter]

>> God is calling us y'all

>> to be millstones.

>> I mean to be stepping stones.

>> We will not be millstones.

>> We will be those

who will walk in a way that will honor

God. That's not being perfect.

>> It's being obedient.

>> And we will take every opportunity and

every advantage that we have to invite

somebody to his house.

>> Let's pray.

[applause]

>> Our father and our God, we thank you for

this day. Lord, we thank you for what

you are doing through us.

Father, we are grateful for everything

you've done for us and that you continue

to do for us, but Lord, you are calling

us

in this season

to go get [music] them. Father, we will

not just be those who bask in the safety

of our salvation, but Lord, we will be

those who are grateful for what you have

done in us that we'll go and say

something to somebody else and invite

them and be a stepping stone, bringing

them one step closer to you. Father, we

thank you for the smearing, the

anointing, your love that you have shed

abroad in our hearts. Father, I thank

you that as we will receive our stack of

cards and move forward into this week

that Lord, we'll do it with boldness,

with a passion,

with a appreciation for all that you

have done in our lives.

And Lord, we won't, like you told

Jeremiah, we will not be afraid of their

faces for Lord, you'll be with us to

deliver us wherever we go. And so we

thank you for it now in Jesus name.