TOO MUCH | Step Up | Pastor Scott Thomas

hello hello friend thank you so much for

tuning in here at Free Life Chapel where

we help you discover and live the free

life in Christ my name is cot and I'm so

glad that you're tuning in with us if

you ever find yourself in the central

Florida area come visit us we want to

connect with you face to face but until

then visit our website freelive

chapel.org to find out more about what's

happening at your church there's a

phenomenal message in store just for you

I hope you're encouraged well so how

many of you be honest don't lie you're

in

church how you kind of sort of made some

resolution things in your head like I

got to move my life forward this year

like there's going to be some things

changed anybody make a few okay good

good I like that I like that I'm not

sometimes people laugh at Mock and hate

on resolutions I'm not doing any of that

I I think it's great I think it's great

uh just so that you know how many of you

so far you still have those resolutions

in place I know it's only been 12 days

but like it's like a like a okay good

can I tell you something watch this this

past Friday

was is actually known as fail

Friday that most people have already

broken their resolution by the second

febu second Friday in January so if

you're if you're still going you are two

days Beyond everybody else who quit and

if you quit like before Thursday I got

you everyone else did as well ex except

for the people that are here today I I

love that there's resolution wasn't

something new to happen in your life

what do you need to happen new in this

year and you could use some new

money look if you won't raise your hand

for that I will I'll take yours and mine

I'll Take Everything left over new new

job new friend not a new spouse like

just just need some new need some new

stuff going on in my life I'm I'm not

I'm not mad at any of that of course uh

most people this time of the year begin

to consider um moving their life forward

but usually they don't really think

about adding spiritual

goals or spiritual growth to that

resolution in other words we we talk

about our body we're made up Body Soul

and Spirit in our body we're going to

get in the gym we're going to work it

out right and everybody who's been going

to the gym in December the year before

knows that everybody who just joined the

gym they'll be gone by February it's all

good it's going to be just give it a

minute it'll it'll slow down uh but but

but body and health we begin to I'm not

going to eat that I want to do this

that's good I I love all that we've got

body goals and we have soul goals mind

will and emotions education career path

relationships we we've got those goals

those are good goals things to look at

and I want to upgrade and move my life

forward but we should also have some

spiritual

goals How about if your relationship

with Jesus is stronger this year than it

was last year how about if you

actually understand the Bible like

you've never understood it

before like like I get it like I see

what he's saying and I don't feel like

I'm just kind of drawing straws trying

to figure out what to do but I'm

starting to see that there's a pattern

that something is working in my life

that's exciting why would that not be a

goal you see Body Soul and Spirit why

would you leave the spirit out of your

growth not including spiritual growth in

your life that this year is like

skipping leg day at the

gym some of you don't get that it's okay

it's like having that's like having a

birthday celebration without the

cake why even go no no I mean we love

the people you understand okay okay here

we go ladies it's like putting on that

nice little black formal dress because

you go into a nice dress up thing all

right you got the hell

[Applause]

all y'all can leave I just need Pastor

George here and we're going to be just

fine got that nice little dress on and

and you got your hair did and you you

got that all that makeup thing like them

eyelashes fluttering out there like you

got all that stuff going on got your

cubic zerconia all tapped in like you

like you are ready to go you slide on

your Crocs and you walk out the place

like that's something you can't pair

that that with Crocs it don't

fit everything else is good but that

ladies and gentlemen don't get the

outfit almost right get it all right

let's include Jesus let's include our

the growth of our spirit this year it

doesn't have to knock anything out but

take Jesus with you through this year

and let's keep getting better and moving

forward there's there's three things we

got to do in the beginning of this year

and quite honestly it becomes a routine

we need to do all throughout the year

number one you got to

reflect think

back think back on investments that you

made in people that did not pay

off think back it's it's return on

investment think back to things that you

did that thought were going to be good

but they didn't take you anywhere think

back to what did work out well we've got

to look at all these did things add to

or subtract from my life I need to

reflect the Bible says this consider

your

ways think about what you think

about are you thinking about the right

things are you going in the right

direction do you need to change

something are you doing it just because

you saw your mom and dad do it and so

you're just doing it monkey see monkey

do or are you deciding for yourself you

got to reflect number two then you got

to

redirect after you reflect on life and

go you know what I need to change some

things you got to redirect your path I

need to set a new focus a new goal I I

need to get a new vision for my life the

difficult thing about that is that new

path is watch this it's

unknown you never done that before all

of a sudden you say you're going to

learn about money you're going to start

investing we never done that I know it's

going to take some learning I got to

start something new I'm going have to

read something I've never read talk to

some people I've never talked to have

some meetings I've never had begin to in

I've got to do some things different

this year if I'm going to redirect I've

got I'm going to bring some new people

in my life this year there's going to be

some different Pursuits in my life and

then after I reflect and redirect then I

got to restart my life now let's move it

doesn't matter if you got all the

reflecting and the redirecting if you

never get going if you never start

moving towards it it didn't produce

anything for you you're missing out on

the best the best plans in the world

being nothing without somebody taken a

step and I would rather make a wrong

step than no step let's just at least

move it forward but there's many people

that get stuck in the middle ground in

that place of redirecting in that new

Direction why because it feels weird

it's uncomfortable it's going to involve

people that I don't know I'm not going

to have it mastered I'm not going to be

the pro in the area that I know I'm GNA

have to like if if I if I redirect my

life and move and I step into a life

group I don't know anybody here exactly

but that's why you're there to meet new

people it's different but it's not

weird it's forward but it's

uncommon and we've got to be willing to

step into those places that's exactly

where Advance is waiting on you advance

is not coming to you you go to

it and so that requires movement Jesus

stepped up in the book of Luke chter 5

and he challenged people who thought

they had their routines down the

professionals I got it down I know how

to do life Jesus spoke to them about a

new Direction and they struggled for a

minute Luke 5: 4 through 7 check this

out here's what the Bible says when he

speaking of Jesus had finished speaking

he said to Simon that's Peter put out

into deep water let me just one of our

goals this year is to read out loud in

our outside voice together that's so

good amen okay so here we go on the

highlighted Parts when he had finished

speaking he said to Simon put out into

deep what's good and let down the nets

for a catch there you go there you go he

looks at Jesus had been speaking and he

looks at Simon he looks at Simon Peter

he said listen Simon I'm going to

challenge you to go deeper go further

than you've gone

and I want you to let down your nets for

a catch do something that isn't natural

for you go beyond what you think is

necessary I've been fishing here what's

going on a little bit further going to

do for me it's not going to produce

anything if there's fish in the water I

would have called them here there what

it it doesn't really matter uh that's I

I I've tried it already can I help you

with something I serving Jesus does not

require you in fact I encourage you do

not kiss your brains goodbye but please

leave the direction of your life to

Jesus don't argue with

Jesus argue with your spouse you do that

really well you were practicing for a

long time in that or you you can argue

with a lot of people but but don't argue

with

Jesus he's going to lead you and tell

you to do some things that are Unown

natural un you you've never experienced

it before it's going to be a little

uncomfortable but it's going to take

that uncomfortable level of Faith to

actually get your hands on the things

that he wants for your life everything

that you can experience where you are

you've already got it if you're wanting

more out of life you got to leave here

and go there this is what Jesus was

telling him you see Mo most people most

people when they hear that it's going to

take new levels of Faith they they begin

to cancel out real quickly because we

don't really understand what faith

is first of all you need to understand

you've got faith there's some people

that I talked to I've talked to them in

the gym I've talked to them in different

stores and we get somehow it just turns

into a conversation about church and

Jesus and relationship and and they say

yeah I'm just not a spiritual person I

kiss my grits yes you

are because a't it funny let let one bad

text message come down the line oh Jesus

oh who why didn't you yell oh Buddha or

oh bill or oh Betty why why was it got

to be

Jesus there's you everybody that Romans

12 says everyone has been given a

Measure of Faith you've got it turn to

someone tell them you got faith just

tell them you got faith you got faith

but let me help you with something

nobody lives in a spiritual Faith Zone

24/7 just like electrocuted by heaven

and just walking by no Nobody Does that

none of us have it like that nobody with

faith lives without sin lives without

doubts lives without failure it just

does not happen Faith doesn't mean that

you live brainless as we talked about no

and and and Faith doesn't mean that

we're better or more special than

anybody else because everybody's got

faith it's just that we've got this

thing of Faith inside of us that allows

us to reach for and and to believe for

things that are not in our immediate but

can be in our life and if you decide

that it's not for me then I hope you're

enjoying where you are but if you say

you know what maybe I can give Jesus a

chance and his word to move my life and

if I operate in faith not because I see

it but because he said it then I can

actually get my hands on it I believe in

miracles you just sang it in this room

to today I just wonder would it be all

right if you got your hands on a miracle

in

2025 if something hit unexplainable that

entered your family your life of course

you see people of Faith are those who

have examined the Bible the teachings

the truths we we we we've looked at the

wisdom the evidence the reality of the

things that are there and we just

decided to put put more trust in God's

word than our own feelings and our own

desires I have my desires but I want

what he

promised I I I realized his way is

better than my way so I choose to put me

on the back burner to step into him this

story continues you got to hear this in

in Luke Chapter 5 check this out it goes

Luke 5 · chapter mention

on in verse 5 it says this Simon

answered Master we've worked hard all

night and haven't caught anything but

because you say so I will let down on

the Nets when they had done so they

caught such a large number of fish that

their Nets began to

break we worked all

night ain't got nothing for it and you

saying push out a little bit deeper and

that's going to change things just a few

more row row row your boat and all of a

sudden that fixes it like don't you know

I know what I'm doing I'm a

pro I got me down I got like I know me I

know my life I know my people they crazy

I know

them there's a there's an ability to

push back on God there but but listen to

me people of Faith they follow illogical

instruction to experience Supernatural

results it's it's illogical that Jesus

says you didn't catch it there but if

you'll move it to there you'll catch it

that doesn't make sense I I I can't wrap

my head around it but can I tell you

something throughout the Bible there's

all kinds of things that don't make

sense that you and I buy

into salvation it doesn't make sense

that you can live like a Helen for

decades But realize that Jesus is the

only answer to life open your heart and

give him your heart say come into my

life forgive me for my sins and he

forgives your entire past it's gone and

you get a brand new start in him you

can't explain that to me that doesn't

make sense but I'll tell you what it

does do it resonates right here and it

brings a peace and a rest to feel that

backpack roll off of your life I'm not

living under that heaviness I've got a

joy in the middle of difficult

circumstances but I know that God is

good you can't explain that but it's

real who there it is you can't explain

baptism you say yes to Jesus you're

perfectly dry they put you under the

water they pull you up before the

bubbles stop and all of a sudden now you

have walked in obedience to who he is

because you said I've died out to the

old life and I've been resurrected into

a new life and because you walked in the

footsteps of Jesus another favor is

layered on your life and you walk with a

greater strength and Authority as you're

declaring that Jesus is the Lord of your

life we can't explain that fasting and

prayer you can't explain that what's it

going to do for me just do what he said

to do would you look at someone and just

tell him just do it just do it just do

it just do

it coming to church serving in

church I can't explain to you yeah I bet

you would like people to serve in this

church look the challenge is until

you've experienced serving you think

that it's what the church gets out of

you instead of realizing how serving is

actually what's pouring into your life

and then it's your blessing just to be a

part of the place you can't explain it

it's got to be

experienced there there's there's these

things that are that come preloaded that

God says when you do these things you'll

experience the the the return on

investment afterwards you see God's word

is all about action it's not about just

changing your thought life it's about

you stepping also it's it's about us

moving our life forward don't let your

relationship with God get stuck in

maintenance mode where I'm just kind of

here and I just keep doing the things

just to keep it above surface no no no

he wants us to move it forward let me

let me finish this passage out in Luke 5

watch this here here's here's how it

here's how it finishes up so they

signaled their Partners in the other

boat to come and help them and they came

and filled both boats so full that they

began to

sing Jesus blessed him with too much

Malachi and I and tiia we got this thing

when I see my kids I say I love you too

much I'll ask Malachi Malachi how much

does saba love you too

much it's it's more than you can handle

it's exceeding abundantly above all you

could ever ask or think it's the

Ephesians 3:20 it's the it's the Malachi

Ephesians 3:20 Malachi 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 that he'll pour out blessings

on you so heavy that you're not able to

contain it you need some other people to

to help you carry your blessing which

means your blessing gets on them would

you look at someone and tell them would

you mind helping me with my blessing

would you mind helping me with my

blessing because because when you get

around people that are blessed the

blessing gets on you that's a good thing

right there that means God Jesus blessed

Peter to be a blessing not only were

Peter's Nets full he started shouting

for his friends come take some of this I

can't take it anymore would anybody just

like it if God blessed you this year and

you said I please stop I just can't

can't take any more blessing it's like

way too much it's way too much I got too

much money coming in the bank says they

can't handle commas and zeros anymore

just what said nobody Lord I just it's

just way too too much peace too much

laughter too much joy in fact God will

give you so much peace people want to be

around you because your peace gets off

on them and they just feel better when

they're around you that hope that's

alive inside of you people are hopeful

because they got in your presence how

many of you know that if you're going

through a really tough time if you could

spend about 3 hours with Pastor George

your situation would change right now

because of that Joy inside that

man all you got to hear him say is all

right

now and I promise you it'll pry you out

of a depression right where you

are we need to be these people that

there's I've got more than I need that

means Jesus is turning you into a

blessing I'm not blessed for me I'm

blessed to be a blessing I'm I'm blessed

with more than enough so I can turn

around and help somebody else but the

key to all this

miracle comes down to this verse

five Peter said I've worked all night

long I'm tired and I failed here's what

read it with me here we go but because

you say so I will

let because you say so Peter said this

I'm a pro at fishing in it's my

business I know these

Waters I know what time of day to fish I

know what bait to use I certainly know

which side of the boat the net is

supposed to go down on I got that

down and you stepping up in my world

telling me how to change and redo

something that I already have

down I've got life down I've got this

home down I got my business down I've

got it all working just

fine but maybe you're like Peter you're

pulling up empty

Nets still not

satisfied still empty still know that

there's something missing in life and I

can't get my hands on it I'm working

it's not I'm not lazy I'm doing

everything I know to do I'm reaching I'm

reading I'm I'm talking I'm I'm not a

but it's just are you serious like you

you you you're telling me to do

look because you said

so not because it makes sense but

because you said so you see here the

truth is According To Jesus Peter was

close to the miracle but he wasn't

experiencing the

miracle he was so close he said just go

a little bit further a little bit deeper

I'm so close but so far ladies and

gentlemen do you realize one step of

faith can put you into the miracle Zone

in

life I can stay here and complain about

my empty Nets and try to work it all out

myself or I can just say you know what

I've worked all night I'm frustrated

I've been pulling I've been trying and

nothing else in my world seems to be

working I just need to trust Jesus and

push out a little bit further and try

what's uncommon what's unfamiliar go to

places I've never gone try something

illogical so I can experience the

supernatural this is what I need to do

in

2025 here's my challenge don't just get

your body and soul together I'm

challenging you to take another step in

Jesus this year move towards him this

year just one more step one more step it

might feel illogical to you and it might

feel like a waste of time because I just

went from there to there I can see where

I was it's not like I went to a

different Universe it's just so close

but but it was different because I did

it because Jesus said to not because it

was my idea his word spoke to me his

word said to handle my finances this way

his word said to handle my marriage

situations this way his word said to

handle my dating situations this way his

word said to raise kids this way his

word said to find peace this way his

word said that my joy is wrapped up this

way it's not in things that all my

professional living has taught me it's

in who he is and what he said to

do once Peter did what Jesus said he

stepped into everything everything

changed in his life I came to let you

know that your days of living with empty

Nets are

over it's time for increase in blessing

I know I know you're tired I know you're

frustrated I know you've been trying

you've been working and you're still

coming up empty over and over again but

I've got good news Jesus is here and

he's got a plan and he's not leaving you

in the beginning of this year to

experience another year like you had two

years three years five years ago it's

time for something new in your life in

your heart in your mind in your reality

and and but but let me just kind of tell

you and you don't have to like what he's

saying you don't have to understand what

he's saying you don't have to wrap your

head around it you just got to do what

Jesus said to do because the spiritual

illogical produce the naturally

impossible the the spiritually illogical

produced the naturally

impossible not because they worked

harder but because they

obeyed God is famous for this stuff he's

like Faith

check it's going to be a little crazy

Faith check

Israel I'm going to deliver you out of

Egypt 10 plagues

[Music]

boom and they run into the Red

Sea it's like God did you take care of

all the details there and you forgot

this one do you realize that we we

zigged when we should have zagged like

could you not no I brought you to

another impossible just to remind you

don't think you got out of that by

yourself let me open up the impossible

and take you through

through he he's famous for this there's

a guy named non non came to Elijah I've

got leprosy I got leprosy and I'm going

to die if you don't touch me and heal me

and naban goes you know what just Elijah

goes go down to the Jordan River and dip

seven times in the Jordan River and when

you come up the seventh time you'll be

clean can you imagine non going are you

serious like can't what could there not

could you not like just pour water over

my head seven times what's it got to be

all that for

the Jordan is nasty it's dirty seriously

if you want your healing go do the

illogical so you can experience the

supernatural I'm going to do something

crazy with you but do you trust me are

you trusting me are you are you leaning

into me are you not and non goes down

there and he dips once and he comes up

and dips twice and he comes up it's not

working there is nothing I'm still just

as white but dip three four four times

five times I can hear I can see non just

start to walk out of the water and a

little boy with more faith than non had

keep on dipping he said seven

times number six nothing he went down

and up six times nothing changed number

seven he comes up and he's completely

clean I don't understand the illogical

instruction to produce a supernatural

result all I know is God is famous

throughout his word for doing this over

and over

again Peter approached Jesus we need

money to pay our taxes Jesus said go

fishing I did that no no no get a rod

and a reel and go down there and go

catch a

fish go fishing go Peter go catch a fish

only to catch a fish pull it out and

there's a gold coin in the fish's mouth

to pay the taxes why couldn't God send a

bird to dve it would have been as just

as easy for a bird to drop a coin as it

was for a fish to be swalling a coin

why does he do this it's an opportunity

for you and I to pry ourselves out of

trusting us that even when I don't

understand you you're God and you're

good and even when it bypasses my

intellect you remind me that I'll never

be professional enough to run my own

life I need you to lead my life every

step of the

way stop depending on your experience

and education and business intellect and

professional opinions stop just just

just doing church on Sunday and then

getting back to your real world no take

Jesus into every aspect of your life

with you and begin to ask him what would

you have me do how do I step forward

what do I do in this situation how do I

handle this thing with my kid how do I

handle this school challenge how do I

handle this money issue start talking to

him and expect him to show up and do the

impossible in your

life Peter

success didn't come from working

harder just came from working in the

right place and I want you to

understand that your blessing is a

proximity

issue he's got to move you from the

familiar to the

unfamiliar your Miracle is one step

ahead of where you're standing right now

and it's going to be an uncommon step

and a little bit uncomfortable but

you're going to have to trust him

it's a step of faith and that's what 25

has got to be about one step forward

what does one step forward look like for

your

life what does one step forward look

like is it I know I need I just need to

learn some more I just I need to that's

what life groups are for somebody life

groups is one step forward this year

that's it's that simple but it's that

difficult you mean I've got like to open

an app and put my information in yeah I

know it's

tough someone going to call me yeah

there's people connected to

this right

right we why is it we want to live in a

cocoon and expect everything to get

better when God will connect you to

people so the blessing can flow in

everybody and not just God doesn't bless

you as a silo he blesses us in a

community as a

family and this is what God's plan is

God's will God's word for your life and

my life is don't argue with him just

move towards the miracle that's what I'm

trying to tell you today he's saying go

further and go deeper keep trusting him

Isaiah chapter 1 verse 19 I'm done with

Isaiah 1:19

this Isaiah 1119 is a great verse to

wrap this on listen to what it says in

fact read it with me 1 2 3 if you are

willing and oby obedient you will eat

the best from the

L willing and obedient willing is an

attitude willing is an

attitude obedient is an

action get your attitude right so your

action can be right if you are willing

get your mind right then you can act

right willingness and

obedience you know the Bible In this

passage if you are willing and

obedient it does not say if you are

convinced and

excited can we just talk like real

people stuff for just a second here it's

called Free Life Chapel we just talk raw

and real here when Jesus told Peter Pete

I need you to move that boat out further

and drop your net on the other

side I know you got to understand Peter

is the guy who was cutting off ears

later on like he's pulling out swords

and like Peter Peter was from P

County he's carrying a blade somewhere

you understand like he he's packing he's

packing he's going to set alarms off

when he goes in places that's who he is

right this is Pete watch

this Jesus tells Peter I need you to

push out further drop you on the other

side I can hear Pete

[Laughter]

go who in the hell heck does he think he

is talking to me this way I don't he

know this in my boat Jesus you want me

to do what I need you to push

out yo Jesus had thing you know I've

been doing this all

night I'm TI red I am tired do you

understand I've been doing this all

night been ly or Richie all over this

thing all night long I've been doing

this all

night and you saying me pushing out the

10 yards and dropping my Nest there on

the opposite side of the boat you're

saying that's going to fix the set all

right whatever you

say he wasn't convinced and he wasn't

excited I can hear him talking under his

breath to his boys this is the craziest

most mixed up thing in the world but

people are watching roll the boat roll

the Roll Roll Roll yeah and they rode

that boat out

there drop the net Peter's the wrong

side I know it's the wrong side he said

the just drop the net just get this over

with to drop the net and then it

hit and to the point that it's about to

sink the boat and he's got to call for

help to come and get somebody help me

get this blessing in the

boat empty Nets are heavier than full

Nets empty Nets will drown you full Nets

will liberate you and Jesus wants to

fill you your net with so much life and

so much joy he'll never remove the work

cuz it's going to be work pulling in the

blessing baby because it's more than

what you can handle but if you keep on

oh some of y'all need how you love to

break a sweat pulling the blessing in

your life would it be okay if you had to

sweat if you got some calluses if you

had to pull if you had to call for some

help to get the blessing and that's

exactly what God's word is keep pulling

you don't have to be excited about it

and you don't have to be convinced about

it you just have to be

willing and obedient and if you'll just

do what he said you'll experience

everything he promised cuz he said if

you do it you're going to catch

everything you're looking for would you

stand to your feet

[Music]

please

reflect

redirect

restart

reflect where was I last year what needs

to change

redirect new steps for my life I'm

spiritually motivated I'm adding I'm I'm

I'm I'm going to build my faith this

year I'm not going to remain the same

there's no such thing as a professional

Christian it's all of us doing it

together it's a family we're going to

run side by side let's go let's go let's

get B it about it let's get it

done and now it's time to restart 21

days of Advance first fruit let's reach

in life

groups this is your moment ladies and

gentlemen it can all change starting

today all it takes is you being

willing and

obedient and he'll fill your nets full

father thank you for your word that

speaks straight to our heart that

doesn't let any of us Escape oh God this

this busts me up like it does anybody

else I got to take another step I got to

trust you greater I got I got to move

towards you more I've got to rely on you

instead of Scott I've got to trust your

word I've got to discover what you say

what is your opinion about this and when

you tell me to do the illogical it's

because you've got the Supernatural on

your mind I know it I know it I've seen

it it's your character it's your way

it's what you've done throughout your

word you've done it in my life and

you're going to do it again but it's

uncomfortable it's uncommon it's

unfamiliar I'm not used to this but Lord

at your word I'll Trust you I'll take

you at your word and I'm going to do it

just because you said so but I know that

if I step out there my empty Nets are

going to be that the blessing is going

to hit with overflow that there's going

to be more than I need so I can be a

blessing to others around me God I want

you to use My Life For Your Glory so I'm

taking steps I'm taking steps in the

beginning of this year so I can have

everything you promised I will not stay

here I will not stay here and blame

others for my situation I will not live

as a victim in this year I will not live

without this year if I got to fall down

while I'm moving forward I'll fall but

stay here is no longer an option I'm

advancing my life and I speak Miracles I

declare increase I'm expecting my Nets

to be filled I'm expecting my home to

overflow I'm expecting to have more than

what I need that I can begin to scatter

it to the north south east and west I

want to be a blessing to people at work

I want to bless my family I want to set

up a lineage and a Heritage for my kids

and my kids kids God use my life For

Your Glory as I step into this year let

this be a Hallmark year where everything

transitioned as for me and my house we

served you and we came after you with

all that we

are this year God now is the time to do

it we want your best for our life so we

surrender to your will we are willing

and we are obedient and now we will have

the good the best that 2025 can give

thank you for it we bless you for it in

Jesus name everybody said amen amen amen

if you receive it put your hands

together

today did I or did I not say you were

going to be encouraged yeah feel free to

check out our website freelive

chapel.org for more encouraging messages

until then I hope you have a great day