STILL TRANSFORMING | Part 29 | Manuel Magana

Say a prayer, Father.

We thank you for every seed sown in this house.

I do speak to this ground, Father.

I speak to it, Lord, and I say you are good soil for the kingdom of God.

I do speak to this ground.

I say you will produce that the ground, Father.

It's good ground to produce a good harvest, Father God.

But it's because you, Father, it's because we have our eyes on you, our faith in you, Father.

That makes this ground effective.

That makes this ground holy.

That makes this ground, Father, good ground, Lord.

I pray for every entrepreneur today, Father, business owner, Lord.

Maybe those who are trying to endeavor into the marketplace, Father God.

You lead them, you guide them, you bless them, Father.

I thank you, Lord, the right contracts, the right ventures, Father God.

I thank you for the right employees, Father God.

There's people in here who have their small businesses, Father, along with their normal work, Father.

You you, Father, anoint them for those times, anoint them for those moments, Father, as they take bigger steps, Father God, in the marketplace, Father.

I thank you, Lord.

And I pray today, Father God, not one in lack.

I pray, Father, you meet all of our needs according to your riches of glory.

And I pray today, Father, should there be any person here, Father, moving forward, Lord, that is maybe a little fearful or doubtful or wondering, Lord, about sowing seed and giving to a church, Father, I pray fear does not lead them, Father God.

I pray they are led by you, led by your word, Father.

And Lord, they will do, Father, as your word says.

They will give as they according to what you've placed in their heart, Father God.

And I pray today, Lord, that as we do that, as we sow into your kingdom, Father, I ask you, Lord, that you, Father, continue to be the provider of this house.

You are Jehovah Jireh, the Lord provides, not just for this house, for every home represented here.

So, Father, I ask you now, Lord, be with us, watch over us, continue to show us that we will, Father, have our needs met because we've witnessed it for years now, and I pray we will continue to do so.

In the name of Jesus, we pray.

Amen.

Give the Lord a hand clap, all right?

We're good.

I love you.

I'm proud of you.

Uh if you're a first-time guest, we welcome you to church today.

Give our first time guests a hand clap.

Thank you for being at church today.

If you uh did not stop by that table, it says first time stop here.

Please do so after service.

We want to just say thank you for being with us, give you a hug, and give you a gift to say thank you for being with us.

If you ever want to come back, we'll have a chair here waiting for you.

Uh, Romans 12.

Let's hop into this.

And um we're gonna finish off our passage in James.

James chapter 1 is where we've been lingering, where we've been hanging out.

James 1 · chapter mention

So, James 1, but before we get to James 1, here's Romans 12 in the New Living Translation.

And um, we're gonna read this one translation.

We'll touch on it again here in a few minutes.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.

Then you'll learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

As we have been endeavoring on now for week 29, so 29 weeks, if you're just joining us today, we've been talking about the topic of transformation.

And transformation is not an option, transformation is mandatory, it's a necessity.

It should be taking place in our lives as believers in Christ.

We should be transforming more into the image of Christ, looking more like Jesus, acting more like Jesus.

Do we fall short at times?

We do.

We all fall short.

Raise your hand if you've ever fallen short of the mark.

We all have.

If you don't raise your hand, you know what happened.

You lied, you just fell short, okay?

But we all have that journey we're on to transform our lives to become more like Jesus Christ.

And the way we reach transformation is by renewing the mind, changing the way we think.

Now, James 1 is where we've been hanging out here for a few weeks now.

So let me take you to James 1, and we're gonna read in verse 2 on.

And last week we taught we began on the topic of double-mindedness, and then I had to cut short.

Today we'll finish it.

How did we get to double-mindedness?

That topic.

Let's read verse 2 first.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.

Verse 3, please.

Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.

And then you know, verse 4, please, let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete and not lacking anything.

If you, any of you does lack wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding faults, and it will be given to you.

But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

We touched on these things a few weeks ago.

Go back to our Spotify list, Apple Music list, different areas where you can go to our website, you can be directed to hear those sermons.

Now, verse 7.

That person who is tossed by the waves of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind, is like a wave of the sea.

That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

And verse 8, such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

Verse uh, what I think I said we're on week 29.

Is that our next slide?

Week 29.

Yeah, week 29.

So let's pray.

Father, thank you for your word.

Coronax 2.42, your word.

Father, my God, shall be received gladly.

Corona X 19.20, your word will prevail.

I pray now, Father God, you use these lips of clay to speak your word without error and with excellence, according to your desire.

For we gather to hear the truth of your word and not the opinion of man.

So, Father, I pray today, Father, that even as I stand here, the Spirit of my Father speak through me, according to Matthew 10.20.

And I ask you now, Father, that everything said, Father, falls into good soil today.

I pray all of our hearts are good soil to receive your word today, and we shall see the fruit of it in our lives.

And Father, I pray for every Dallas Cowboy fan today.

Rough week one.

And it'll probably be rough today, too.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

I love you.

I'm just playing with you.

Bears the great, though, in case you're wondering.

Uh last week we touched on this topic, just double-mindedness.

Verse 8, a double-minded man is unstable in all he does.

Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.

What is double-mindedness?

Let me give you a quick recap.

It's two-minded or two-souled, so having two minds or two souls.

One who is split in half internally, one who is uncertain, doubting, or wavering between two opinions, loyalties, or way of life.

We really highlighted the part of this definition that says two-souled, having two souls.

Another way you can look at it is having one soul but split in half, divided, which makes what?

Two.

Being a two-souled person.

A soul, I reminded you last week, is a mind, your will, and your emotions.

A soul is a mind, your will, and an emotion and your emotions.

That's what your soul is compromised of.

According to James, a double-minded person, which you can be, is one that has two souls.

Well, then I submit to you, a double-minded person has two mindsets processing thoughts and beliefs, two wills that are producing decisions, two sets of emotions dictating your demeanor and mood.

These two souls are literally driving your life.

You're double-minded, hop, hopping back and forth between this mindset, that mindset, making decisions based on these things, but then making decisions based on other things.

Your emotions are everywhere.

You have some emotion today, but then some different emotion tomorrow, then another emotion today, then another uh uh emotion tomorrow.

And some of you may think, well, that's just normal.

According to James, you should dive a little deeper into it.

According to James, you should actually consider it a little more that maybe it's not just your way of life, but maybe you're battling some double-mindedness.

Maybe there's a double-minded issue going on in your life.

And we have to be careful with it because here's the thing.

If you have this double-mindedness operating in some area of your life, if you have double-mindedness operating in your marriage or double-mindedness operating in the raising of your kids, double-mindedness operating in the way you work, double-mindedness operating in the way you do ministry.

If there's double-mindedness everywhere, here's the problem.

Those two souls, those two souls are going to end up being fed.

I have two souls, two souls.

Well, those two souls gotta eat.

Why?

Because there's gotta be food for the soul.

Those two souls will consume and they'll eat, and that's the issue.

Told you last week with an example of two cookie jars.

It's like you have two cookie jars, one hand in each, and each cookie jar represents something different.

A little bit of Christ, a little bit of culture, a little bit of world, a little bit of God.

It's all leading to double-mindedness.

You're taking in, you're consuming from the world and you're trying to consume from the Lord.

You're consuming from culture and you're trying to also consume from Christ.

Eventually, those things take root in your heart.

There's a mixed bag in your life.

And you'll realize in the end, as we said last week, that double-mindedness is actually not a result of lack, it's a result of indulgence.

There's just too much coming in.

You actually have too much that you're taking in from.

It's not that you're picky about what you hear, it's that you're hearing everything.

You're taking in everything.

And there's this indulgence in your life now, and a little bit of Christ, a little bit of culture, a little bit of God, a little bit of the world, all taking root in your heart.

Double-mindedness, two souls being fed.

Literally, like two ways of life being lived.

I say that because double-mindedness leads to what?

Instability.

Instability.

We learned last week that, you know, instability, a little bit of faith today, but then some doubt tomorrow.

Patience today, annoyance tomorrow.

Compassion today, judgment critical tomorrow.

Like we have this mixture taking place in our life as a result of double-mindedness leading to this instability, this instable way of life.

In other words, your life's like in two directions, trying to figure out which way to go.

One person, one friend of mine one time called it, it's like you have a two-headed monster, and they're trying to go there each way and pulling each other each way.

But both those monsters have to what?

Have to eat.

So they continue to consume, continue to consume.

But then it's not just instability.

I submitted to you that we also see a result of double-mindedness that is moral unreliability.

Who are you gonna be today?

How are you gonna act today?

You're gonna be a follower of Christ today or act like your friends today that aren't saved?

Be a follower of Christ today, or you're gonna go do like the things of this world and act like that.

Some people will say that, well, that's just being a hypocrite.

Sure, you can call it that.

I'm fine with it.

I won't push back on it.

It's fine.

Well, that's a hypocrite, Pastor.

Okay, it's a hypocrite.

Could it be possible that it's because there's a double-mindedness that's being battled?

And I think today, as we talk, continue on our talk about double-mindedness, I'm telling you today that as you battle that let me also remind you, it's like a double agent.

Double agent has information from both sides.

A secret agent, right?

Double agent.

They have to play this side, but they have to play this side.

They have to play both sides.

They can't get caught.

Play both sides.

And if we're not careful, we act like Christ on Sunday, but then we act like the worst sinner on Monday, right?

We have that double-mindedness we're battling.

That double agency that we're in.

And I tell you today, if we're not careful, all these things take root in our heart.

There's no settled direction for life.

There's scripture's not really your true foundation and the way you're walking according to it.

It's a little bit of scripture and a little bit of my favorite podcast.

Gotta be careful.

And if there is any sign of double-mindedness, we gotta get it out in the name of Jesus.

Say amen to that.

Put a hand over your head right now.

And this is saying, Father, as we go through this sermon today, I pray today, Father, all double-mindedness will not just be revealed, it will leave in the name of Jesus.

And if you agree, say amen to that.

Simple prayer.

Simple prayer.

Why is it crucial to eliminate double-mindedness?

Put it on the board.

Let's go.

Because double-mindedness is a stumbling block to your transformation.

You can't become more like Christ badly with this double-mindedness operating in life.

It's a stumbling block to the transformation that God wants to do in all of us.

The change He wants to produce in our lives.

How is double-mindedness helping that change?

It doesn't.

It will not complement the transformation of Christ.

And as we read earlier in Romans 12, 2 in the New Living Translation, that I submit to you an issue is that the double-minded person is overloaded.

Remember, it's not a result of lack, it's indulgence.

And the double-minded person is overloaded with the behaviors and customs of this world.

Highlights for you right here.

Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world.

And the double-minded person is overloaded with those behaviors and customs.

I'll put it like this you're too familiar with them.

You maybe have partaken too much in them.

You uh tease them, tease, play with them a little too much.

Uh stove's hot, that little kid wants to touch the stove.

What do you say?

Don't touch the stove.

Preach again.

Don't touch the stove.

Finally, you good parents are like, let them touch the stove.

Let them learn.

And I think, hear me.

The behaviors and customs of this world.

Leave them alone.

Don't touch them.

Leave them alone.

Don't touch them.

Holy Spirit daily, leave it alone.

Don't touch them.

And then there's times where it's like, no, I'm gonna do it.

And Holy Spirit, let them learn.

How many have learned the hard way in life every now and then?

Yeah.

And if you haven't, just keep living.

You'll get there.

It hits all of us at some point.

We learn the hard way sometimes.

The behaviors and customs of this world, I'll say it, tell you, tell you like this, put it on the board.

Listen.

I want to try to make this as simple as possible today.

The behavior and customs of this world will always battle against the renewing of your mind.

I should have highlighted it for you.

Always.

They will always battle against the renewing of your mind.

Behavior and customs of this world, renewing of the mind.

Boom, boom, boom.

At war with each other.

And that war is never gonna end.

You could be 95, 109, 120 years old, and still living, and you're gonna still have a battle with the behavior and customs of this world.

You're gonna have a fight against, I'll put it this way, a fight against your will or God's will.

The way of the enemy or the way of God.

The customs and behaviors of this world or the ways of the kingdom.

There's just constantly gonna be this battle between the two.

And trust me, if we're not careful, the behaviors and customs of this world get so planted within our heart, double-mindedness gets established one way today, another way tomorrow, one way in this hour, one way the next hour.

Just two ways of believing, two ways of making choices.

Uh just all that begins to take root, and next thing you know, the transformation God desires is stalling, the transformation God desires is not taking place.

And then we look at God and say, God, what's the problem?

And God's like, it ain't me.

We have to be careful about this.

We have to be watchful of it.

So when we see double-mindedness in any area of our life and we see it trying to take root, what will what what what do we need to do?

What do I do, Pastor?

How how do I confront this double-mindedness when I'm taking on the behaviors and customs of this world when they're right in front of me and they're tempting, and I find myself maybe indulging a little bit and partaking a little too much.

Like I know I need to ask forgiveness, but but what must I do?

James 4.8, put on the board.

Come near to God, and he will come near to you.

Say amen to that.

And then listen, wash your hands, you sinners, and here's James giving a solution for the double-mindedness, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

What?

James is the only person who talks on this topic of double-mindedness in all of Scripture.

You're not going to find a topic of double-mindedness really the way James explains it anywhere else.

You can see examples of it, highlights of it, but James is the only book in the Bible that will say the word double-minded.

And I'm so grateful that James not just says the word, he says, Let me help you with it.

Purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Check out what the Amplified says.

Put it on the board.

Come close to God, and he will come close to you.

Recognize that you are sinners, get your soiled hands clean.

Realize that you have been disloyal, wavering individuals with divided, there's that double-souled, double-minded, that two-souled person, wavering individuals with divided interests, and purify your hearts of spiritual adultery.

Holy cow.

Just tell us like it is, James.

Spiritual adultery?

And someone would say, I've never committed adultery a day in my life.

James is like, let me talk, have a talk with you real quick.

Spiritual adultery.

Divided loyalty.

Loving the God, loving the world.

Enjoying the presence of God, enjoying the acts of the world.

James will say, I'll tell you what, we'll label it another way.

Spiritual adultery.

Double-mindedness.

Divided loyalty.

And I think that's a strong word, but I think it's a perfect word as well.

It's divided interests, divide loyalty.

So what's the issue?

James is telling us he connects double-mindedness, hear me, with the hearts.

He connects double-mindedness with the hearts.

Remember, it's not that your heart is lacking, it's that your heart is indulging.

There's too much mixed in, too much planted.

And I think it's funny because we don't even realize it at times, but James is making it clear that we can all be guilty of it.

And when we're guilty of it, what do we go?

Where do we turn to?

What do we look into?

Look into your hearts.

What's going on in the heart?

I remind you.

Some of God, some of the world, a little bit of culture, a little bit of Christ.

So what's the answer?

What do we do, Pastor?

What do we do, David?

What do we do?

Purification.

He says, purify your hearts.

Purify your hearts.

Purification is needed because the double-minded person is impure at heart.

There's some impurity within the heart that needs to be addressed.

Purification, man of God.

Purification, woman of God.

Purify your hearts.

What does it mean to purify?

Put it on the board.

Simple.

You could have guessed this.

It's to remove, to cleanse, to get rid of, to filter, to filter out.

And I tell you today, hear me within the heart and listen carefully.

Because I don't want anybody to miss this and go home thinking, I don't know if that was for me.

This is for you, Bubba.

I don't know where Bubba came from today, but what's this for you, Bubba?

Anybody here nicknamed Bubba?

Don't raise your hand.

But anybody know of Bubba?

Tell Bubba you have a word for them.

Hear me.

I will tell you today that all of us will have things in our heart that need to be removed.

I don't care how long you've been saved, I don't care how good of a husband or good of a father or good of a wife or good of a mother or how loving you are or how whoever you are, there will be things in our heart that need to be exposed.

Say amen to that.

Getting a little ahead of myself, but hear me.

To purify, there must be a removal of things that do not belong.

And put it on the board.

Everything that's led to a state of double-mindedness.

Everything that's led to a state of double-mindedness needs exposure.

It needs to be exposed in our lives.

Maybe some beliefs that don't line up with the word of God.

They need to be exposed.

Maybe some false doctrines that we've received, whether it was from TV or other churches or just false prophets and false teachers of the world, expose them, Lord.

Those are impurities in my heart.

Maybe some ideas or just the way I think things need to be done.

And the ideas I have on my own God, if they're not of you, get rid of them, Lord.

If there's traditions, old traditions, and let me tell you, we can be good with our traditions, can't we?

We can be good with this is just the way we've always done it.

My grandpa acted like this, and my great-grandpa acted like this.

Well, you know what?

Maybe it's time that you start some new traditions in your family.

Maybe it's time you start some new ways of life in your family.

Your children don't have to make the same mistakes great-great-grandpa made.

Your children don't have to make the same mistakes that even you made.

Set up a new way of life for those who are coming.

Church, our children need to know the truth and any tradition that does not belong, expose it, get rid of it, and God, let's do things a new way in the name of Jesus.

I'll be honest with you, I get a little fed up with sometimes the way I see like let me rephrase how I'm going here real quick.

Hold on.

I love you older people that are older than me, but sometimes it's like, man, we don't always need to do it that way.

And I love you, and I'm not talking just to them, I'm talking to everybody, but we don't always need to do it that way, right?

Like, and I say like that because I I I literally, I don't mean just here in the church, I mean everywhere.

Hear me.

I literally one time I saw a young, a young guy, a young guy, like 20 years old.

I mean, you should have heard the way he was berating at the time his girlfriend.

Berating her, cursing at her.

Just talking to her ugly.

And somebody asks him, why are you treating her like that?

Well, that's the way a man's supposed to talk to a woman.

Ow.

My wife's not here today.

She's in the kids right now.

So I can say whatever I want about her.

Don't be tattletelling on me.

But let me tell you something.

When young men are learning to speak like that and carry on what they think is tradition, and it's just the devil, church, it needs to be exposed and it needs to be cut off.

It needs to stop.

And that's what I mean by like being careful that I'm not just doing it the way dad did.

No, hear me.

I love the way my dad did things.

I admire him.

He's such a wise man, such so business savvy, just a smart man.

But I learned a long time ago, and I know he doesn't mind me doing this.

I don't want to do it my dad's way, I want to do it God's way.

I want to do it the way God wants me to do it.

And some of those lessons will apply, maybe not all of them, but we gotta be careful with traditions and old false doctrines and old ways of believing.

Hear me.

If it's not God's will, I don't want it.

If it's not the way God says it, I don't want it.

If it's not how God wants it to be, I don't want it.

There's a good idea, and then there's God ideas.

There's a good husband, then there's a godly husband.

There's a good wife, there's a godly wife.

You want to be a good person or do you want to be a godly person?

And I tell you today, if we can get there together, but every impure thing in our heart has got to go in the name of Jesus.

Give the Lord a hand clap and thank him for his help today.

Why would James direct us to the heart?

Put it on the board.

Luke 6 45.

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, but an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart.

For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.

Impurities of the heart, things that have taken root in the Isn't it funny?

A good man can bring forth good, but that same man can be evil and bring forth evil.

All out of what?

The hearts.

Matthew 15, 19.

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual morality, theft, lying, and slander all come from the heart.

James is directing us and pointing us to one of the breeding grounds of this double-mindedness of life.

It's the heart.

It's the heart.

And what does he say?

Purify it.

Purify it.

Cleanse it.

Filter it.

Remove the things that don't belong.

Get rid of those things.

We need a purification.

And church, I tell you today, thanks be to God.

Purification is possible.

And you got to say amen to that for me.

Because listen, I'm battling purifying my heart, and I want to, I hope I'm not the only one battling it alone.

So I tell you today, it is possible.

And we can do it together in the name of Jesus and encourage each other and build each other up.

What does that mean?

I'm not going to judge you.

I'm not going to look down on you.

You have issues, I have issues.

You have problems, I have problems.

You have habits you're trying to break, I have things I'm trying to let go of.

Church, we all have it.

So together in the name of Jesus, and you'll see here in a little while while I'm saying this, let's do this purification together.

Say amen to that.

Look at your neighbor and say, you got this.

Tell your neighbor to say you got this.

You got this.

The other neighbor, the one that you're a little questioning, tell him, I guess you too, man.

Alright?

I'm just playing.

No, together, we got this.

We got this.

How can we experience purification of the heart?

How?

Let me throw a few things out to you as we wrap this up.

Number one, have a humbling moment.

And for some of you, this is the hardest part.

Have a humbling moment.

There's impurity in my heart.

Yeah, Rico Suave, there is.

There's impurity in your heart.

Psalm 139, 2324.

Search me, O God.

Search me, O God, and know my heart.

Test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Can I give you a kind of a spoiler alert?

God knows all the good and all the bad within you.

David wasn't saying, search me, God, so that you can get to know me.

God knew David perfectly.

You know why David was saying, search me, God?

Because David is saying, God, I want to get to know myself better.

Search me so that you can tell me what's going on with me.

Not because you need to know me better, because I need to know me better.

Search my heart, God.

And then shout out to David here, just give him, you know, give him credit.

He didn't approach God with this thought, well, God, maybe you'll find something wrong in me.

God, it could be possible there's something bad in my heart.

You know, God, I know I'm not the most perfect person, but I'm pretty gosh darn close, you know, God.

So go ahead and search me, and you know, if you find, if you find anything, let me know.

No, search my heart, God.

Look inside of me, test me, point out everything in me.

Not that might have no, point out, point it out.

If there's something, no, point out everything in me that offends you, God.

Not maybe, not possible.

No, no.

There's something in here that offends you, God, point it out to me.

I already know it's in me.

You have to come before God and hear me real quick.

You will have to ask him, search me.

This is a prayer David is making.

Search me, God.

In prayer, search me, God.

As you're driving, search me, God.

As you have your quiet time, search me, God.

But hear me real quick, because I don't want to let you off the hook so easy.

Ask and listen.

Don't just ask to mark it off your list.

Listen for what God will reveal to you.

And I've learned he might not reveal to me right then and there, but somewhere throughout the day, something comes out of my mouth, or I think something, and it's like, ah, there it is.

There, right there, manual.

It's right there.

Ask and listen.

Will you say that with me today?

Say, ask and listen.

Man, that's the hard part sometimes.

I'm not gonna lie to you.

Ask and listen.

And hear me.

You're gonna have to admit sometimes there's double-mindedness in your life.

You're gonna have to admit it.

Give your neighbor an elbow tongue, especially you, you know.

You need to admit it.

And it can be hard, but it's gonna be worth it in the name of Jesus.

Number two, ready?

Have a humbling moment, too.

Call out to God through prayer.

It's a little different from the first one.

Let me explain.

Call out to God through prayer.

Call out to God through prayer.

Call out to God through prayer.

Psalm 5110.

David, back to him again.

Watch this.

Create in me a pure heart, oh God.

Create in me a pure heart, oh God.

And renewal, steadfast spirit within me.

Create in me a pure heart, oh God.

David has an understanding that the only way to reach true purity is through the hand of God.

The only one who could truly cleanse me is the hand of God.

It's got to be God.

Create in me a pure heart, oh God.

He's calling out to God through prayer.

So not only is he saying, search me, but now he's saying, God, what you've exposed, clean it out, God.

Forgive me, but Lord, don't just forgive me.

I want it out of my life, God.

Help me get rid of this thing, Lord.

Create in me a pure heart.

You know, I want you to always remember the one who searches us is the one who purifies us.

And I think that's so awesome.

That the one who will search me is the one who will purify me.

As I'm getting older in life, I've become to grow uh grow with a bigger appreciation for this place called HEB.

And I've learned, man, you can like get anything at HEB.

And some of you are like, Walmart, I don't want Walmart produce, I want HEB produce.

You know?

I get my strawberries there, and then I go and buy my laundry detergents, and then I go and buy my toothpaste, and then I find my face wash, my body wash, my shampoo, and then I grab the butter and the eggs.

Did you know you can even find motor oil at HEB?

You don't believe me?

HEB in Lavernia.

Pen's oil, full synthetic motor oil.

Aisle 14.

Look it up.

And there you are going down the aisle, at least manual is oil, strawberries, laundry detergent.

Totally shouldn't be mixed together, but H E B brings them all together.

All in one place.

My wife will say, We need this.

I was like, it's at H E B.

We need this, it's at H E B.

And she's kind of gotten tired of H E B.

One place, get it all there.

Hear me.

I'm so grateful to have one God who will help me.

Say amen to that.

I don't have to go to this doctor and then this doctor and then this person and then this person.

Church, we can go to God for everything going on in our lives.

God, something's not right.

Expose it.

Here it is.

God, something's not right.

Purify it.

Let me help you.

God, I want to live according to your way.

Let me help you.

God, I need help in this moment for this decision.

This is what I want you to do.

I'm so grateful.

We're not looking for idols and gods and more people and more things to try to direct us.

Church, we have one God, one Lord, one savior.

He is Adonai, El Shadowman, Yamaha, He is Jehovah God and God alone.

Hallelujah that we have one God to call upon, one God to serve, one of God to follow, one God who will help us, and one God who can do all the work we need done in our lives.

Give that one God to praise this morning and thank Him for it.

One God.

And hear me.

Look what David's doing.

He's calling out to one God.

One God.

You've searched me.

Now God purify me.

One God.

Say one God.

And you know what He's doing?

Hear me.

He's abiding in the presence of one God.

Look at He's praying, but as He's praying, he's in the presence of God.

He's there.

Look at simple words.

Simple words.

Create in me a pure heart, oh God.

Renew a steadfast spirit within me.

And the prayer continues.

But hear me, it's not just the words out of his mouth that are going to be making a difference.

Hear me.

It's the presence of God that's going to begin the purification process.

It's the presence of God that's going to begin to do a work in his heart.

It's the presence of God that he's in those moments of prayer, moments of seeking God, separating himself from the world, seeking God, praying to God.

I imagine tears coming down his face.

I imagine him probably hunched over, realizing this is a moment where he created possibly the greatest sin of his life: murder and adultery, and he knows he's done wrong.

And he's saying, God, if there's anyone who can help me, it's you.

God, if there's anyone I need, it's you.

God, please, God, please, Lord, create in me a pure heart.

And later on in the prayer, don't have time to get there.

He even says, God, take everything away from me, but don't take away your presence, God.

I'll lose my kingdom, but I don't want to lose your presence.

I'll lose my armies, but I don't want to lose your presence.

I'll lose my family, but I don't want to lose your presence.

God, I can lose it all.

That's fine.

I need your presence above all, God.

Why?

Because it's in the presence of God where He can wring out the sin.

It's in the presence of God.

He begins to purify you and remind you there's another way to live, there's another way to believe.

You're gonna have to hold on to the old tradition and the old sin.

He begins to go to work in your heart, purifying your heart, cleansing your heart, and reminding you that you're not hated, you're not despised, you're loved, you're cared for.

He's watching out for you, he has grace and mercy for you.

You are in his presence.

So in those moments, don't hear me, don't discount those moments.

Every moment in the presence of God is precious, every moment in his presence is meaningful.

Every moment in his presence, that's the moment where cleansing and purification and you can get rid of things in your life.

And it's not because you're doing the work, it's because in that moment the hand of God goes to work inside of you.

And we wonder how did David survive?

How did he manage?

How was he able to get through so many battles in life?

He understood.

I can lose it all, take away the kingdom, but do not take your presence away from me, God.

I need your presence.

I direct you to call out in prayer to him as you're battling any sign of double-mindedness.

And hear me, I'm not worried about you having the perfect words, not worried about you speaking to God in the perfect way.

What I'm trying to do, church, is direct you to his presence.

Direct you to his throne, direct you to time with him.

Because the same God who searched you and said, clean it up.

This needs to clean and that needs to be clean and this needs to change.

Thanks be to God, will be the same God who helps purify this heart that needs help.

Can we give that God a hand clap and thank him today?

Finally, pursue with the right team.

Pursue with the right team, pursue with the right team.

How can we exercise?

How can we experience this purification of the heart?

Pursue with the right team.

2 Timothy 2.22, NIV, flee the evil desires of youth and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace along with those who call on me, the Lord, out of a pure heart.

There's the purity of heart.

You know what I've learned?

I've learned that pure hearts encourage pure hearts.

I've learned that the right team will help you run in the right direction.

I've learned that pure hearts want to call out unto God with other pure hearts.

I welcome, listen, I welcome the sinner, I welcome the stranger, I welcome the one who needs the Lord too.

But I'm telling you now, there is something special when the saints of God get together.

Those with pure hearts get together and say, We're gonna focus on God.

We're gonna pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, and call on the name of the Lord out of pure hearts.

I tell you today, when double-mindedness is displayed, hear me, you want it called out.

And you need sometimes people in your life with love that will call that out in your life.

And by the way, with love doesn't mean the way you want them to say it.

It just means that they love you and they're only pointing it out because they love you.

Say, hey man, that's not right, that don't look right.

I don't know about that.

Expose that double-mindedness and not just expose it, they just don't call it out.

But hear me, this is what I love.

And listen, if you don't have people like this in your life, begin to pray for those people who just don't call out the double-mindedness, but then will point you in the right direction.

They'll point you, they'll point you towards righteousness, they'll point you towards faith, they'll point you towards love, they'll point you towards peace, they'll point you, hear me, they'll point you to church, they'll point you to the word, they'll point you to prayer, they'll they'll point you to worship, they'll they'll point you to holiness, and they'll point you to a manner of life that's honoring the Lord.

And they'll say, but here's what's cool, ready?

They won't say, good luck.

They'll say, let's go pursue together.

Everything I'm pointing you to, let's pursue it together.

Let's go for it together.

Not by myself, not alone, together, together.

And if you're and if you feel like you're lacking a little bit, grab my hand.

We'll run with Jesus together.

And if you if we both feel we're tired, then we'll call on the name of the Lord together and He'll help both of us.

Church, we need each other, and we need each other not just to laugh or be there for each other and for good times.

That's all great, but hear me, we also need each other so that we can pursue the right things together.

So that we can pursue what God is calling us to pursue.

That's what pure hearts will do.

Cleanse me, oh God, but hear me, after the cleansing, let's go pursue you.

Let's go pursue.

Pursue the right things.

Chase after the right things.

Young adults, we we have a gathering coming up just for you.

I know how college is challenging.

I it was challenging when I was there 22, whatever years ago.

I can imagine for you how challenging it can be.

I know 20 young, 20-year-olds, everything's so much more expensive.

It's crazy, you know.

And it's it's life's getting hectic sometimes, and I'm trying to do different things and trying to get a career, but then I have to pay for that.

Life can be hectic, but hear me, we can still pursue Jesus together in the middle of the hecticness, in the middle of the challenges.

This is for you.

Women, go to Kerrville, join together with other women, pray together, be together, encourage each other, lift each other up.

Let's pursue God together.

Let's worship Him together.

Men, when we gather, let's pursue God together.

Come, don't hide away, don't tuck away.

Hear me.

You may be a strong man, that's great, but hear me, the day will come where you need another man by your side.

I can't tell you how many times I've cried before men, not my wife, not my mom, not my dad, before other men in my life where I've cried, where I had to admit I'm having trouble with this, or I'm having trouble with this, or this is going on in my life.

You know what happens?

I leave those moments better, wiser, stronger.

We need each other.

So today I tell you, this is so important.

Because that double-mindedness, a lot of times I think to myself, it's hard to get rid of that double-mindedness.

First, with the help of the Lord, we'll see it gone in the name of Jesus.

But secondly, with the help of each other, we're gonna see it gone, I believe, even faster in the name of Jesus.

And you're thinking, it could be easy, but let me give you a warning of why we need each other so bad.

I'll be honest with you.

Don't be surprised if the purica purification is more extreme than you expected sometimes.

Search me, oh God! Be ready.

Be ready.

Let me shut this down.

Be ready.

You know what I've learned?

I've learned sometimes God will ask you to let go of things that you really don't want to let go of.

He will say that, and I'll respond because I've responded back to him.

But God, it's not hurting me, but it's not my will.

But God, it's not really a bad thing, but it's not my will.

And then we get to this extreme level of God, it's not even a sin.

It's not my will.

It's not wrong, it's not my will.

What do you do when what you think is right, morally right, like it's not even a sin, and God says, I want it out.

I said this a long time ago, and it's been one of the mottos of my life when I see God.

Put it on the board.

I I say this so often in prayer.

Put it, rid me of what is robbing me.

If it's robbing me, get it out.

And I've learned that sometimes what I think is good is robbing me.

What I think is healthy is robbing me.

And let me tell you, when you get to moments like that where it's like, I don't want to let it go, that's where we come together and say, Manual, I am on the same boat as you.

I got some things that are hard to let go of that I don't even think I need to let go of.

But we're gonna come together, we're gonna encourage each other, and we are gonna pursue the Lord God Almighty.

And church, what may be hard for one to do individually, we can get it done together in the presence of God.

I love you.

I believe in you, and I wouldn't say any of this if I didn't think it could be done.

It can be done in the name of Jesus.

Give the Lord a hand clap.