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y’all I am pumped up anytime God does
this I get excited cuz I don’t quite
know what he’s gonna do but I know he’s
trying to do something and and anytime
he interrupts the plan it’s on purpose
that’s what we celebrated last week and
Easter God interrupting the enemy’s
playing and and today um I just thought
it was funny that right after I got off
platform last week told Charles I was
like yo bro we switching it up I want to
move on but God ain’t done yet he wants
us to be the ministers in our house and
and I’m I’m excited about what God has
shared with me but I got a I got a tell
transformation nation how proud I am of
you real quick they all know last week
because of your faithfulness because of
you inviting people because of you being
the minister right where you are with
your family and your friends and your
sphere of influence and on FaceTime and
Facebook and all that other stuff
because of that last week’s viewing life
we saw a hundred and twenty two thousand
six hundred and sixty unique devices
y’all those were different to follow
y’all better put some praise hands in
the comments right now do you understand
that this building could not have held
the move of God that he wanted to do
last week we would have had to have
services every hour for three weeks to
fit the people in this room but God is
not confined to a building he’s not
confined to our ideas but he’s trying to
do something everybody say more than
what we could imagine and because of
that all of those hundreds of thousands
of people this is the number that really
matters we saw one thousand six hundred
and seventy-six people transformed in
Christ
[Applause]
[Music]
that’s why we exist and I want to say
what’s up to everybody who gave their
life to Christ last week and you back
this week I love you you’re our family
we’re so proud of you we believe that
the best days of your life are right in
front of you and if you walk this
journey with us it won’t be a perfect
one but it will be a progressing one and
we know God has a huge plan for your
life y’all this is the church and the
church is alive these numbers honestly
made me super excited and super scared
because anytime we talked about it that
anytime there’s an upgrade there’s an
upgrade and responsibility – anytime
there’s a promotion everything has to
change with it and so the Holy Spirit he
he said Michael that’s why you need one
more week of who’s the minister here cuz
if I’m gonna trust you with the
influence of hundreds of thousands and
I’m gonna entrust you to be the one that
leads thousands of people back to me I
need you to not just make this call to
be the minister to be something you do
seasonally it can’t be around Easter and
Christmas and when it’s convenient this
has to be a new way of living I don’t
invite cuz last week was Easter I don’t
tell people about the gospel I don’t
share it when it’s convenient I need you
to be the minister everywhere you are
everywhere you go and it took me two
acts 2:42 and I want you to go there if
anybody want to know has he started his
message yes yet yes I have right here
acts 2:42 I want you to see that this
parallel of how the church started is
kind of where the church is right now it
says all the believers devoted
themselves come on write that down in
the comments they devoted themselves I
like that I’m about to talk about that
they devoted themselves to the Apostles
teaching what we’re doing right now and
to fellowship and to sharing in meals
and to prayer those four things they
devoted themselves to teaching
fellowship together sharing in meals and
to prayer and guess what happened after
the church did that a deep sense of all
came over them all and the Apostles
performed many miraculous signs and
wonders I’m telling you this is the
season of miracles things that you
thought couldn’t happen are about to
start happen in the middle of a pandemic
in the middle of a dry season God says
I’m the God that brings water out of
rocks
somebody needs to believe that right now
I’m the God that does things and makes
ways when there is no way they started
performing miracles and wonders and all
the believers met together in one place
and shared everything they had they sold
their property and possessions and
shared their money with those in need
they worship together at the temple each
day met in homes that’s where we all are
right now for the Lord’s Supper and
shared their meals with great joy and
generosity all the while praising God
and enjoying the goodwill of all people
and each day everybody say each day each
day the Lord added to their fellowship
those who were being saved I got stuck
on the first part of that verse because
all of it is amazing but but if we’re
going to actually see us being the
ministers in our area of influence in
government in education in the music
industry in Hollywood in every area that
we already are there’s something that he
said that all of them did it said right
there in verse I’m 42 it says all the
believers devoted themselves and that’s
what I want to talk about today um in
the last installment of who’s the
minister here and I may start this
series back up some time because I love
equipping you to not not need me I love
you quipping you to be the one who has
the answer to go to God and prayer to be
able to touch with somebody else that is
sanitized and be able to pray for them
and see deliverance come I want you to
be equipped to be everything that God
has called you to be and right there
when I started thinking about that word
devoted themselves devoted themselves I
started thinking about sports and let’s
be honest I miss sports okay and I don’t
if you miss sports but I miss ports a
whole bunch no basketball no football no
college sports no March Madness and some
of y’all like yes I am so glad that I
don’t even have to watch an old sports
right now but for the rest of us we’re
stressed and um the one thing that I
thought about with sports is that sports
takes another level of devotion like to
actually play the sport you have to be
super devoted to eating right and
working out and doing all this other
stuff but then I said there’s another
level of devotion that may be on par
with what the athletes do and might be
even a little more extreme and that’s
the devotion of the fans like have you
ever seen fans that were devoted to they
team some of y’all sitting next to them
right now
some of y’all is so quiet in church but
let your team play let lets somebody
that wears your college alma mater
colors on you will be going crazy you’re
devoted to it and I started to think
about the the Cowboys of the 90s I
started to think about the Lakers in the
2000s I started to think about the Red
Sox in 2004 the Cleveland Cavaliers in
2016 the Bulls in the 90s like I started
to think about all of that stuff and I
started to think about there was
something that all of these teams had in
common they had in their winning season
an influx of people who became fans and
in the moment they were winning they had
tons of fans that they never knew were
fans before they started winning but
when they started losing they all had
the same thing – they lost all the
people who were there for the winning
season and they were left with the
devoted they were left with the people
who were going to cheer that we’re going
to buy tickets that were going to
participate whether we were winning and
on top of the world or we were losing
and in a rebuilding season and I begin
to think about how it must feel as a
player to come in one
and be cheered on by everybody and then
come in the next year and you’re fans
wearing paper bags on they play on the
hey it’s like and I begin to think about
like is that how God feels in the midst
of a pandemic where Christianity is
winning right now Oh Oh see there’s a
difference between the devoted and the
bandwagon and that’s what I want a title
uh-oh I’m coming for you today I want to
title my message today bandwagon
believers because I think there is an
epidemic that’s happening simultaneously
to the pandemic that’s happening that
that that literally Christianity and God
is convenient right now and so right now
Christianity is winning Christianity is
cool it’s socially accepted all the
people that are thinking of other things
now culture is saying oh yes we love
faith and don’t be too loud about it but
Kanye’s a Christian and we have top
clothing brands that literally say fear
of God
Christianity is convenient right now
it’s winning right now and there’s a lot
of bandwagon believers here right now
now I’m not talking to anybody that just
gave their life to Christ yesterday
welcome we’re so proud of you we are we
know that God has a plan for you but
there’s some people watching that may be
next to you are watching on a different
stream in the house next door and
they’ve been a Christian for five years
and they have not stepped out of the
convenience of Christianity yet uh-huh
they like the bandwagon they love
celebrating they love cheering for it
but when it’s not convenient my question
is will you be anywhere around when they
open up the state’s when your job calls
you back when you get more money than
you’ve ever had will you still be around
and my fear is that because Christianity
I’m passionate about this because
Christianity is convenient at this
moment it helps me be able to go to
sleep I can do my scriptures and it’s
able it’s a sedative and not a lifestyle
is something that is something that you
drug yourself with you’re talking about
people who drink to go to sleep but Yuri
scriptures to go to sleep it’s just
something that helps you at this moment
that is convenient in this time but God
says will you be around when there is
persecution for what you believe will
you be around when your baby daddy don’t
want to have nothing to do with you
because you want to pray now will you be
around when your family turns their back
on you because you stepped out on faith
today I need to talk to all the
bandwagon believers and the reason I can
speak to this is because I used to be
one
oh I’m not ever coming at nobody for
something that God has not already
whooped my butt for because it is very
easy to be around the things of God and
not be in the things of God it is very
easy to play on the in the band to give
your little money to go to church on
Sundays to do all of those things that’s
what all the fans do when they’re in a
winning season they pay their tithes and
offerings – that’s ticket prices they
wear the jersey oh I’m reppin my team
they cheer when the people are
performing and playing and but when
everybody leaves when it’s been 42 years
for a championship
Chicago Cubs when when when it looks
like all the star players are at another
another team will you be a devoted
disciple and that’s my challenge to you
today is I want you I know it’s straight
I know it’s right here I know it’s but
this last week I got a lot to say in a
little bit of time and so I got to go
straight forward my thing today is I’m
presenting you with a choice I’m
presenting you with their choice of
convenience or commitment those are the
choices and this is the same choice that
God gave Adam and Eve in the garden
that’s why the whole thing was hey I’m
giving you the opportunity to stay in
Eden paradise for the
of your life and I want you to be
committed to obeying me to walking with
me to living with me everything provided
or do you want what’s convenient the one
tree that’s close to you in the middle
of the garden when you listen to the
deception of the enemy because it looks
better for you at the time you gave up
the commitment of God for the
convenience of a bite of fruit and my
question is are we giving up the
commitment that we could have to be good
husbands and and and loving fathers and
and have families and businesses that
are Integris and honor God and make a
difference in our community for a couple
of Instagram followers are we giving up
the commitment of being devoted to the
Word of God for the convenience of being
accepted by men and today I want to
challenge you oh I’m challenging
everybody right now because I have been
challenged and God said to me Michael
it’s not just being a bandwagon in
sports there are people that are
bandwagon in music you know those people
who are never listened to some type of
music and it becomes popular like yeah
I’ve been listening to this you are liar
you ain’t been listening to this and
some people who um there’s a certain
dress or a certain type of clothes or a
brand that becomes popular how many
times has Tommy Hill freaking become
popular and then gone down and become
popular and then gone down and become
popular it’s because people jump on the
bandwagon they see something that used
to be cool and then they try to be the
first one to do it and then people who
hadn’t even checking for it in a
different season they come back and
they’re doing it and God’s saying that
can apply to everything else but there
is a problem when you apply being a
bandwagon to your faith because the
problem with that is if you’re a
bandwagon believer there’s a heart issue
okay and I want to talk about it so that
we can be very clear because God doesn’t
want bandwagon believers he wants
devoted disciples and let me help you
with the heart issue the heart of a
bandwagon believer is convenience but
the heart of a devoted disciple is
commitment I’ve said it over and over
but I want you to get it in a point
right there and that’s the thing that
you need to understand that that when
you devote to something it
just what it says ud vote
you take your vote away let me help you
when I told Natalie that I was going to
be committed to her I devoted my life to
her that means that I took away the vote
am I going to love her when she makes me
mad and doesn’t doesn’t get me the
sausage that I want when we go to
chick-fil-a cuz that makes me mad I just
want to be honest with you when she does
not get me enough chick-fil-a Sophos
sauces and sriracha sauces when we go to
chip for like I’d be ready to let her
have it but in that moment of real
emotions I have be voted it does not
matter what pretty face
or pretty waist comes by when they come
by I’d say Natalie isn’t that good
that’s God’s creation but I have D voted
they won’t get any of my time they won’t
get any of my attention they won’t get
why because when I made a decision I D
voted myself to her and somebody needs
to see this that you have been so
committed to convenience that you have
not committed to anything and gods
saying to you today your next level your
next level ups your next Rio is going to
take you being D fold it somebody needs
to take your vote away right now you
need to make a decision that for god I
live and fer God I die and no matter
what happens I’m D vote it somebody
needs to put that in the comments I
don’t got a vote no more when I decided
for Jesus when I decided to be faithful
to this marriage when I decided to have
these kids I was D voting myself to it
the problem is everybody wants a vote
and our vote is usually informed by our
feelings and that’s where we get in
trouble because God’s saying I need you
to make a decision that outlasts how you
feel I need you to make a decision that
outlasts the circumstances I think that
in this moment right now I’m calling for
the minister’s to be D voted I hate
working out let me let me be very clear
with you I hate it
but I made a decision last year when I
saw myself on the crazy faith the first
week of crazy faith I’m sitting there in
a big pink holy spirit’ hoodie I look
like a piece of candy or something just
around y’all can go back and watch it
1.5 million of y’all have watched it I
was like Lord and that why did they all
watch that one that was the heaviest I
ever weighed in my whole life I was 256
pounds and at that moment I said she
will not be shacked like this ever again
now I’m not saying that to anybody else
this was just my conviction I felt bad I
was slow in what I was doing I was not
my sharpest and I was delaying my
purpose because of my preference at the
time see cuz my preference was coming
home and eatin ice cream every night my
preference was going to the fast-food
restaurant and getting all the sauces
and doing my thing and my preference and
at that moment I had to make a decision
that I was gonna become devoted to
working out and what happens is I want
to tell you something every time every
morning I did up I do not want to work
out every single one I don’t want to
work out but I made a decision in a
different season that my feelings have
to submit to every time I come in
contact with what I don’t want to do and
some of us have not made that decision I
need to package it because when you
devote I need you to write this down
your present preference submits to your
predetermined decision I’m gonna say it
one more time when you devote when you
take your vote away when you stop
consulting your opinion and consult what
you’ve already decided you present your
present preference submits to your
predetermined decision so why do I get
up and read the word every morning
not because I’m holy and I want to it’s
because when I decided that I was gonna
follow God the Bible says seek me and I
and you will find me and so where I have
to seek him at is in his presence and
how do I do that I get in his Bible and
I pray and what happened
is when I have become devoted every
morning I wake up um look I just want to
go to sleep but every time I turn over I
said you know I cannot let my
pre-determined
I have to let my predetermine decision
outweigh my preference right now and I’m
asking how much in your life is
suffering right now is because you’re
not devoting know I’m like for real I’m
coming to ask you right now me and you
talking nobody else how bad is your
marriage right now because you’re not
devoted to it how bad is your health
right now is because you’re not devoted
how how much better could your
relationships be if you became devoted
and I thought that that as we come off
of the most impactful Easter we’ve ever
had in church history that I would be a
pastor today I don’t like doing this
like I don’t want to do this but I got
to because I’m devoted to what God has
called me to do he’s called me to equip
you that you don’t just come and be a
fan a casual fan of what’s happening and
you’d be a bandwagon he said I want you
to raise up some people who are devoted
disciples that even if the world shuts
down the internet you would still grow
in your faith but you don’t need Pastor
Mike y’all did hear me
you don’t need Pastor Mike I’m just here
to equip you and encourage you but if
worse came to worse and the signal went
down and I was shut out from everybody
give me Jesus give me my Bible I am
unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ
I will not be a bandwagon believer but
I’m a devoted disciple and the reason
why this is plaguing me so bad it’s
because I’m fearful that when we come
out of this pandemic everything goes
back to normal like my fear is that
people are gonna start striving and
working so hard to prove that there’s
something that God’s already called them
like he already has proved your value
and you thought your value was in
finances and he was like when you didn’t
have any money coming in I called you
valuable and people are gonna go
back to putting their faith in things
that are winning at the time
do you realize what I’m saying bandwagon
believers it doesn’t have to be about
faith they just jump to whatever’s
winning at the time so if your
relationship is winning at the time you
believe in that if your marriage is
winning at the time you believe in that
if your church is winning at the time
you believe in that if your stocks are
winning at the time you believe in that
and God’s saying I need you to make a
decision that it doesn’t matter if it’s
winning or losing you will be everybody
shot at me devoted come on somebody shot
at me I will be they voted huh and the
problem with with with convenience is
convenience always conforms so any time
that we always are trying to do what’s
convenient it always conforms to how
culture is filling it conforms to
comfort it conforms to all these things
but the only reason that’s wrong is
because Romans 12:2 tells us to do the
exact opposite and I want you to see
this it that’s literally the reason why
we have the name transformation Church
is found in this scripture right here it
says do not conform to the pattern of
this world but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind then you will be
able to test and approve what God’s will
is his good and pleasing will for your
life so we cannot conform to convenience
to jumping on bandwagons of things when
it’s winning we have to become devoted
and be transformed and that’s easier
said than done
because all of us let’s be real all of
us love whatever is convenient I I love
being able to order food and not leave
the house and it comes to the door I
love that but the real good meals the
real healthy meals the meals that you
think about and talk about it takes
somebody in the kitchen that’s devoted
it takes somebody that’s gonna go get
the real ingredients that’s gonna cut
everything up that’s gonna let it
marinate together that’s gonna put it in
the oven and then bring it out and fan
it and taste it and see if it’s good and
then put it back in the like real meals
have people that are in the kitchen that
are devoting
God saying is I want your life not to be
half-baked I want show purpose not to be
half-baked I don’t want you to stay in
this place of convenience oh it’s mashed
potatoes that I put in the microwave for
three minutes and 68 seconds and somehow
this hard thing became nice a hearty
meal no somebody’s gonna have to peel
some potatoes and it takes more and it
does not get the praise that others want
it to have but that’s the difference
that God is calling every Minister too
right now he says I want you to be
devoted and and and I found an example
of this that maybe some of you will be
able to relate to in the Bible in
Matthew chapter 19 verse 16 and it’s a
story about the rich young ruler it says
some one came to Jesus with this
question he was a bandwagon fan of Jesus
he followed him he knew who he was he
was excited he was like Jesus teacher
what good deeds must I do to have
eternal life
he studied why asked me about why asked
me about what is good jesus replied he
said there is only one who is good but
to answer your question if you want to
receive eternal life keep the
commandments
which one is he asked and jesus replied
you must not murder don’t kill nobody
you must not commit adultery you must
not steal you must not testify falsely
honor your father and mother love your
neighbor as yourself
hey I got that I’ve obeyed all of these
commands put me in coach the young man
replied what else must I do coz I’m
ready I’m ready to be on your team I’m
ready to follow you I’m ready to wear
the jersey he said umm if you want to be
perfect which lets us know that God
Jesus was testing him because Jesus
didn’t even believe in perfection he is
perfection he only believes in
progression but this young man thought
he had to be perfect to walk with Jesus
and for everybody that is here and you
think you got to be perfect to walk with
Jesus that is not the truth at all God
it just requires that you make another
step beyond where you are today and so
that’s how we know he was tested in this
young man he said go and sell all your
possessions and give the money to the
poor
and you will have treasure in heaven
then come follow me but this is where it
switched he’s about to go from being a
bandwagon fan who thought he was devoted
he thought he was devoted but he’s about
to prove he was a bandwagon fan he said
I asked of something from you I asked
you for a sacrifice when the young man
heard this he went away sad for he had
many possessions I can just picture it
right here Jesus is like yo bet I want
you to be a part of this cuz you devoted
you down go sell everything you got and
follow me and he was like no no
everything you want me Cillian alright
I’ll be back in my mind that man ran
away and he ran further and we never
hear about that youngin coming back
that’s funny to me I just saw him like
running and running at speeds that
anyway um he ran away and he never comes
back and we never hear about this young
man again why it’s because at the moment
that it’s not convenient to be devoted
he went back to being a bandwagon fan a
bandwagon believer and he walked away
because watch this he thought that being
devoted to Jesus somehow took away from
his value he just told him to sell his
possessions and he thought possessions
Jesus my friends and family who think
I’m great Jesus that business that’s
doing really well but I have to
compromise to stay ahead of the game
Jesus and this is the problem that many
of us have is we think somehow being
devoted to Jesus will lessen our value
but this is why you have to understand
this simple truth right this point down
being devoted never devalues a disciple
when you decide to be devoted I’m
telling you from my own life man I
thought I was going to be a music
producer
was out here producing for everybody and
they mama I had the skills I had the
talents I had the favor and I thought I
was gonna be on one of the verses right
now they’re doing these things where
producers are having their catalogs
against other people’s catalogs what
everybody just stretch your hands
towards Teddy Riley and his production
team at this current moment anyway just
love having fun in the church um anyway
somebody’s like Susan Teddy Riley what
is happening that went over a lot of
people’s head anyway look it up um but I
thought I was gonna be producing music
and when God told me he said shut the
studio down and get in your Bible this
was my rich young ruler moment and all
of y’all are gonna have a moment like
this where God says you can go with what
you think is gonna make you successful
or you can be devoted take your vote
away and follow me and this was my
moment I was about 24 years old and the
Holy Spirit said shut the music down I
just built the studio and everything I
had stuff that was about to come out
with HBO and Jill Scott and all this
other stuff and God said shut it down
and at that moment I battled because I
wanted to be a band wagon believer who
supported the church that gave money to
the church that attended church when it
was convenient instead of being a
devoted disciple who says God whatever
you want from my life you can have it if
it’s music you can have it if it’s my
family you can have it if it’s money I
was going to go this way and thank God
for His Holy Spirit that helped me
decide no no go devoted you don’t lose
anything this way
matter of fact you gain everything he
was trying to give this young rich ruler
the Matthew 6:33 tests seek first the
kingdom of God seek first what God wants
for me seek first that he wants to heal
my marriage and he wants to deliver me
from pornography seek first that he
wants to heal my heart and then all
these things will be at
I would not be sitting here talking to
you today with all of that God has done
if I would have decided to be a
bandwagon believer can I say it to you
very straight you are forfeiting your
purpose if you don’t become devoted to
God you cannot do God’s plan without God
and so many of us want to get up on
award shows and and thank God for what
he didn’t have a part in we want to get
up in front of people and say like it
was God who got me here knowing it was
our plan that got us there and we never
consulted with God unless we got in
trouble or we were in the middle of a
pandemic or that it was popular to be a
Christian but God is saying who will
stand up for me and say no matter what
comes and what goes I’m going to be D
folded I got a pray even if everything’s
good or if anything’s going wrong I
gotta love my neighbors even when they
do me right and even when they do me
wrong I am devoted not knowing nobody
preaching like this because they scared
if you gonna come back or not but I
ain’t because I’m not devoted to you I’m
devoted to God so when he dropped the
the sermon series that we were about to
go into was a lot sexier than this one
it was a lot more user friendly this
would have been a lot more hurray
exciting and we’re gonna get there next
week but God said before we get into the
candy and get into the things that
people want to hear can I just raise up
a few more soldiers that will be able to
understand that it ain’t always gonna be
easy and it ain’t gonna always be good
and it always gonna be a mountaintop and
yeah you might lose your job but out of
that loss of your job I’m birthing
something new out of that loss of a
loved one I’m giving you a deeper
conviction to love out of that loss God
is trying to teach us a lesson and he’s
saying that’s what happens when you’re a
devoted disciple and today I just I just
think if that scripture says don’t
conform to the patterns of this world
then there has to be a pattern we have
to conform to a pattern that God is
setting and I think that I found the
pattern of the devoted and then just
last few minutes that I had
I want to give you this if you’re gonna
be devoted you got to have these few
ingredients the first thing that you
have to have is a desire if you’re gonna
be devoted you have to have everybody
say a desire and this is the thing that
a lot of people um get messed up
specially for everybody who just came to
Christ and this is your first week and
you’re like dang because I’m like coming
hard and I just you know I’m sales to
stop smoking weed and spoon everybody
last week like this is a lot listen
listen to me listen to me okay I got you
right now you get to go and skip all of
the preliminary foolishness that most
believers go through you’re getting an
advanced class right now that this is
what God is giving he’s so good to you I
wish I would have got this he’s so good
to you that the cycle that people
usually get in after they give their
life to Christ and they go in this cycle
for the next two to three or four years
you get to skip all this and make a
decision today that you know what I’m
gonna be devoted if you’re gonna be
devoted I need you to help me in the
comments I need to see them in the
comments somebody say I’m gonna be
devoted I’m devoted somebody needs to
say it right now I see you Travis said
I’m gonna be devoted come on somebody
else is saying that Cheryl said I’m
gonna be devoted hey listen everybody
don’t got to be on this but there are
some people that are saying I’m going to
be devoted my family’s gonna be devoted
as for do y’all know that’s what the man
of God said in the scripture as for me
in my house he took his phone away we
are gonna serve the Lord and somebody
needs to get that type of desire and
this is the thing I gotta encourage you
desire doesn’t have to be this big
overwhelming thing because a lot of
people’s like I really want to
passionately desire to be more I really
want God to do it you don’t even have to
that all you have to do is turn your
heart towards God god I want to stop
cussing these people out and I want to
love them but I want to slap what you
just did was take your heart from being
turned away from it and you just showed
a little bit of desire some of you just
need to make a decision today that you
know what I desire to be better to my
spouse I desire to forgive my father I
desire you don’t have to do it to desire
it
somebody needs to hear this you don’t
actually have to make action on it yet
to desire it and so many people stop
desiring because they don’t know how to
do what they’re desiring but you can
desire to get in shape even if you’re
eating even if you’re eating some ice
cream ice tea watching this right now
but desire it and I’m coming in here to
help somebody desire again like like
stop believing the lies of the enemy
that you can’t even desire it if you are
in Christ he tells you I want you to get
your mind and your perspective fixed on
the right thing some of you need to
change your desires some of you your
family has gone so far away from God but
today in this thing you’re desiring my
family will eat around the table I’m
desiring that my children will be safe
they’re so far away right now but you
can have a desire even if you don’t know
how it’s gonna happen get your desire
back some of you have stopped desiring
to be in relationship because the last
one broke you so bad but God said today
I’m giving somebody their desire back so
I feel that thing somebody’s getting
their desire back right now some of you
stop desiring to be in ministry because
the last ministry didn’t recognize your
gifting but God said I didn’t call you
to be affirmed by that ministry I called
you to be the minister and now I need
you to get a desire back some of you
have a gifting to sing I feel this
somebody’s pulling on me somebody has a
gifting to sing but because it didn’t
work out in another season God’s saying
desire again desire again because if
you’re gonna be devoted you got to get a
desire you got to get a desire let me
tell you a couple things you need a
desire for you needed to be a have a
desire to be used by God and that could
be your prayer this week God give me a
desire that pleases you just just give
me a desire that pleases you give me a
desire that brings you back to the
center of my life and once you get that
desire it doesn’t have to be big let me
help you let me help you the Bible says
in in Zechariah 14 it says do not
despise the small beginnings it says for
the Lord rejoices to see the work
everybody
they begin he just wants to see you
begin to desire he just wants to see it
happened and this is the beautiful thing
about desire and Philippians chapter 2
verse 13 look what it says for God is
working in you that’s what he’s doing
right now as you’re hearing this message
I know somebody’s faith is being stirred
right now somebody your flesh wants to
go away and click away but your spirit
man is like no we need this we got to
hear this thing because you’re gonna be
devoted it’s saying God is working in
you right now giving you the desire and
this is so good about our God that he
will never give you a desire for
something that he won’t give you the
power to do it says he is working in you
giving you the desire this is my
favorite Scripture and the power to do
what pleases him that is my favorite
scripture because it has guided me as
I’ve walked into being the CEO of a
company leading a multi-ethnic church
standing on platforms that I don’t have
any degrees for and God says because you
desired me
I gave you my desires for you and when
you have my desires for you I’ll give
you the power to do what I desire the
reason some of y’all are so broken and
so tired is because you’ve been using
your power for your desires I dare you
to jump over into being devoted and you
find out his desires and you get his
power I just said a mouthful right there
his desires his power your desires draw
power if it’s his desire for your
marriage to be healed tap into his power
to forgive tap into his power to to to
be able to love and that’s the first
thing we have to do is get a desire let
me tell you the second thing we got to
do if we’re going to be devoted we got
to eliminate oh yeah we get a desire
from God but then we got to eliminate
all of the foolishness and some of y’all
have been trying to keep what is holding
you back and go into the future and God
says those two do not coincide comfort
and growth our arch enemies they cannot
go together you can’t take all your
friends with you
and be the leader of what God’s called
you to be he said you’re gonna have to
eliminate some things and I’m coming to
step on some toes because some of the
things you need to eliminate are sitting
next to you Oh some of y’all are in some
relationships and some situation ships
and some things that that are not
helping you reach purpose right now and
we’re gonna talk about that in
relationship goals Reloaded next week
I’m telling y’all we starting a new
series relationship goals we loaded and
I am reloaded the clip is ready and full
and I’m coming for everybody okay but
what I’m telling you right now is there
are things that you need to eliminate in
your life that are keeping you from
being devoted there are certain people
that when you told them you made a
decision to do something different
they’ll encourage you back to the old
you now let’s be honest are they really
your friend if you told them I’m gonna
stop trying to do this and they’d be
like you for real
that’s everything we’ve been through
okay nevermind let’s just do it one more
time you got some one more time friends
you got some one more time some one more
time associates some one more time
business partners and what they’re doing
is they’re trying to make you a
bandwagon believer I’ll do it when it’s
convenient and some of you need to make
a decision I don’t just want the desire
that God has for me but I got to
eliminate stuff and this is the thing
God won’t do what he’s giving you the
power to do and some of you have been
praying away your problem and you’re
going to have to actually invite them
out of your life God’s not gonna do it
he’s not gonna do anything he gave you
the power to do some of you need to turn
your phone off after this message and
don’t turn it back on until it’s a new
number yet no no no I need you to see
that because there’s so many things that
you’ve been devoted to that are going to
take you back to where you’ve been and
God saying I have a purpose for you I
have a plan for you it’s bigger than
anything that you’ve ever seen but you
gotta eliminate all of them and guess
what I found through elimination
anything we give up for God comes back
in a way that
we actually needed anything that we
think that we’re giving up I’m giving up
my community then God will surround you
a godly community that will actually
sharpen you and make you better
well I’m giving up my status oh think
about me being a music producer and he
said yeah give that up and then I’ll
bring people to you they won’t even know
you do music and I will raise you up in
something completely different for my
glory he said anything that you give up
for me I bring back in a different way
that’ll actually be healthy for you and
be a part of my plan for your life
but you only get that when you’re
devoted so it’s time for people to start
cutting it off there’s some things you
got to cut off somebody needs to put in
the tack cut it off some of them have
names some of them are habits some of
them are websites you need to cut it off
you need accountability when you get
here cuz eliminating things is hard to
do when you’re the only one who knows
you’re doing it it’s hard it’s hard to
eliminate something cuz some of y’all
y’all know y’all done eliminated it for
three hours and then you was back on the
fourth hour cuz nobody even knew and you
feel good about yourself because at
least I’ll try but God is saying to you
if you’re gonna be devoted if you’re
gonna take your vote away you got to
make a stance for some things and there
are certain things that gotta get cut
off I could stay there the rest of this
message but I’m gonna just leave you
with the scriptures Hebrews 12:1 it says
therefore since we are surrounded by
such a huge crowds of witnesses to the
life of faith to the life of people
who’ve been devoted for the people who
said no matter what happens I’m taking
my vote away and I’m trusting God he
said let us strip off every weight let
me put it a different way let us
eliminate every weight that slows us
down especially the sin that so easily
trips us up and let us run with
endurance the race that God has set
before us the thing I love about this
scripture is most people think the
scripture reads let us eliminate every
sin and it does not start with sin it
says let us eliminate every weight that
slows us down it may not be a sin but it
may slow you down
well it ain’t no sin to spend time with
her oh I’m just trying to build with her
she’s a slow down it’s not a sin to be
in this business right now
that’s a slowdown it’s not a sin to
watch this TV show that is a slowdown
for you and God says eliminate
everything that’s slowing you down and
the sin that’s in your life and I’m just
saying that if you’re gonna be devoted
you’re gonna take your vote away you’re
gonna commit to your decision more than
you’re your preference at the time you
got to get a desire you got to eliminate
things that are slowing you down and
then you got to get vision
I love the Word of God because it tells
us without a vision people run wild one
translation says they cast cast off
restraint another translation sense they
stop caring see the problem with most of
us is that because we have not had a
desire for the things God wants for us
we don’t eliminate the right the wrong
situations out of our life and it blurs
our vision and what God is saying to all
of us today is that we need to
revisionist everything and some of y’all
are still in denial like no no no all of
this is gonna happen let me tell you
what you need to do at this current
moment you need to sit at your house and
you need to revision you need to ask God
what is the vision for the rest of the
year what is the vision for my life cuz
when I get a vision I don’t cast off her
strength I get focused where there is
vision or prophetic insight the Bible
says there is a flourishing that happens
that’s why he tells us to write the
vision down and make it plain so it can
be read on the run and people can get
that vision all I’m saying for you if
you’re gonna be devoted you need a
desire you need to eliminate everything
that’s slowing you down and you need to
get fresh everybody say vision father I
pray that you’re giving people vision
right now I think you’ve given them not
what they see in their
circumstances what’s around them but for
every business owner I’m praying for
somebody right now for every student for
every person that’s in this place that
is lacking father God what you are
saying and what you are seeing god I
thank you right now that they would
close their eyes and you give them a
fresh vision I declare it I believe it
and I trust you for it in Jesus name
somebody shout at me vision turn the
keys off I’m not done I’m not done
y’all ain’t got nowhere to go I don’t
know what y’all got to do right now okay
I got a few more points because somebody
needs this right now you need to be
devoted God is saying take away the vote
I want you to be a devoted disciple so
you need a desire you need to eliminate
all distractions you need to get fresh
vision and then you’re gonna have to do
what some people call a cuss word obey
it’s one thing to find out what God has
for you to eliminate all distractions to
see what God has for you but if you
don’t obey what he tells you to do it’s
all void
and I’m asking some of you that have
been in a season of slow obedience is
what I’m gonna call it because a lot of
people would be like it is anything that
I ain’t gonna do it
it’s just I’m gonna get do you know what
slow obedience is disobedience
some of y’all I just gave you a
revelation right there God told you to
start writing that book last month and
we’re a month and a half into the
quarantine and the page is empty and you
say well I mean they said the quarantine
gonna last another month so I got it sir
obedience is disobedience eve to write
that in the comments right now and I’m
sorry I’m sorry but if you’re gonna be
devoted you have to obey at that moment
what God says go up to that person and
pray you gotta go at that moment what
God says I need you to give even though
you lost your job you gotta obey at that
but you don’t know what the seeds you’re
putting in the ground is even for you
don’t know where they’re about to
blossom you don’t know and God’s saying
on the other side of your obedience is
upgrade but the on the other side of
your dish
median is disappointment and until you
start obeying without knowing what it
affects I mean just think about it if my
child comes to me and I’m getting I’m
getting a little heated just thinking
about it if my child comes to me and I
say Bella put that down
cuz it may be dangerous for we had this
happen this week she had some scissors
and Bella’s she’s getting smart and she
know what to do with stuff but she was
running with the scissors and she
doesn’t understand the implications of
running with scissors so I looked at our
said Bella put those down and then
turned around cuz you know sometimes
with the parent tone that you know you
have you could like I know they I know
they did it I know they did it cuz that
was that was strong right there I did
that right that was a good one huh
that was a good one huh and that baby
still had the scissors and when I turned
around and I looked at her with the
scissors still running she actually
upgraded it Charles she got on the
little hoverboard thing and she was
riding the hoverboard with sit now I
need every parent that understands this
is the point that if my wife would have
saw this I would have got in trouble and
y’all already know that that’s what ever
would have happened
but I I was doing it for her safety and
what I told her in that moment was
because you’re not listening and you’re
not obeying me I have to take away the
scissors and I have to take away the
hoverboard I had to take away what was
harming you and what you were having fun
with until you learned the lesson that
when I speak that when I tell you that
when I say it and the whole reason I did
it was for her good but her slow
obedience was disobey and what God is
saying is if you’re gonna be devoted you
got to get quicker on obeying me you got
to do it when I say it you gotta
anticipate my instructions so you can be
one that is trusted
I gotta get a desire from God I gotta
eliminate all the distractions I gotta
get a vision I have to obey that’s why
the First Samuel tells us that obedience
is
better than any sacrifice that we would
ever make everybody’s trying to god I’m
giving you my life I’m sacrificing my
time I’m saying he said we just obey
like a lot of us are sacrificing things
we wouldn’t have to give up if we would
obey you missed it the church just needs
me to do this and that in the first and
my family needs me to do didn’t know
those are all things you made up God
said if you would obey me you would have
to sacrifice less and you will be
walking under my divine instructions and
that’s why we have to everybody shot at
me
obey okay let me give you these last
ones the next thing that you’re gonna
have to do if you’re gonna be devoted is
trust you’re gonna have to trust that
God’s got everything under control
see it’s very hard when I go back to the
analogy let’s just use the Lakers for an
example before these last couple of
years before LeBron got to LA the Lakers
had a very tumultuous few seasons and
the one thing that I know about the
Lakers is if they don’t have any fans
my older brother Gabriel’s army seeing
Todd yes as army seein is his middle
name and I do not know what my parents
were thinking as our nation
Todd is a devoted Lakers fan that’s my
mama that she can vouch for it when I
tell you that this man has jerseys on
jerseys on jerseys
when I tell you that he cries as a grown
he has cried when they have lost
championships he will fight with anybody
no I like and when I say this on an even
playing like I have video recordings of
him arguing and bout to swing on people
over a team that doesn’t even know he
exists
he’s D voted he’s unashamed of the
gospel of the Lakers now you’re laughing
but at this moment you wouldn’t have
that much passion for the God who saved
you you wouldn’t have that much fight in
you for the God who delivered you and
brought your family back and as I was
thinking about this I asked gay
I was like what’s happening cuz he never
stopped repping the Lakers even when
they were trash he would literally come
out in a Kobe Bryant Jersey
and Kobe then play no more he would
literally come out in a shack Jersey and
Shaq went nowhere to be found
and I said Gabe what are you doing he
said I’m just trust in the management I
said what he said don’t worry there’s
stuff they’re not talking to us about
the management’s working even while
we’re losing even while we’re in a
losing season I’m trusting the
management and I came to tell somebody
today if you’re gonna be devoted even
when it looks like you’re in a losing
season you need to trust the management
even when I don’t see it he’s working
even when I don’t feel it he’s working
the song says he never stops working and
I need somebody to understand that when
you’re devoted when it looks like
everything’s going down when it looks
like everything’s burning up would it
look we’re losing you still gotta trust
the manager and our manager has a great
reputation his name is Jehovah Jireh
that God that will provide he is the one
that is at the beginning and the end
they call him Alpha and Omega he’s the
one that sees you in the middle and he’s
the one that has charted your course
trust the management hey that’s why the
Bible tells us in proverbs 3:5 trust in
the Lord with all your heart don’t
depend on what ESPN shows you don’t
depend on what you see the scoreboard
beam don’t depend on what see any and in
Fox News and MSNBC has said he said
don’t depend on your own understanding
seek his will and all you do and he will
show you which path to take so we gotta
get a designer
we got to eliminate all distractions we
got to get a new vision revision we got
our obey God we got a trust and this is
my first one this is my favorite one you
got to get an expectation so when you
get an expectation after you devote your
life to God after you devote your life
you should have an expectation got about
to do some crazy stuff in my life hold
on I gave up that I actually wrote down
the vision for that I actually obeyed
when he told me to give him that
end-of-the-year offering I host now I’m
entrusting God the whole time God about
to do something stuff in my life like I
don’t know
ja but in the middle of pandemic I’m
looking for the blessing I don’t know
about y’all but wives dried up for
everybody else I’m looking for the best
season of my life while everybody else
is in panic I’m in praise there is a
praise on the inside of me that cannot
be quieted because I’m expecting because
when you’re devoted you get to last
through the losing seasons but you get
to celebrate in the winning seasons and
there are so many people I think about
all of the people who’ve been faithful
for years think about all the people
who’ve been looked over but you kept
doing what God told you to do I’m
thinking about all the people who are
even on the front lines right now and
when you are afraid for your own family
but you kept showing up to work and
meaning that needs of other people and
police officers making house calls and
people delivering groceries even in that
I want you to know that God never
requires anything from you that he’s
expecting you to live your life without
he said I need you to get an expectation
that I’m about to do something in your
life that that that doesn’t make sense I
think the scripture says it like this in
1st Corinthians 2:9 that eyes haven’t
seen nor ears have heard nor has it even
entered in the mind of your imagination
what God has prepared I love that
because it means that it was already
prepared before you decided to be
devoted there are things waiting on you
right now God said if you were jump in
the stream I’ve taken your vote away and
serve me and skip and read your word and
love others and biddy voted he said I’ve
already got something with your name on
it it was already prepared for you look
what it says oh your qualification is to
love me and the reason I put that in
there is that he’s already got it
prepared for those who love Him
love is a term of devotion you can’t
love anybody if you read 1st Corinthians
13 love is patient love is kind love
keeps no record of wrongs hold up you
don’t mess over me four times
you know you didn’t done it all this
time like think about it you only can
love somebody you have devoted to so a
lot of people say they love their spouse
but their opinion is louder in their
relationship than their submission so so
they’re not devoted like I have to say
it as strong as I feel it right now
God is asking some of you to take your
vote away I’m gonna serve God I’m gonna
love my spouse I’m gonna finish my
school work I’m gonna honor my parents
I’m gonna do I’m taking my vote away and
that’s gonna prove who you really love
because anytime you love something you
take your vote away there’s tons of
things that I do for my wife not because
I want to it’s because I committed my
life to her and when I committed my life
to her I gave her my vote when I commit
my life to Christ and I’m really the
minister I give him my vote so if it’s
not Easter and you tell me to keep
inviting people every week and don’t
just invite 10 people for the
intentional challenge you at home all
day invite 20 people Oh am I committed
to it cuz transformation Church told me
to do it or am I committed to it am i
devoting because I know this is part of
God’s plan for my life if we’re in this
woman we’re honest most of us have
gotten off of this continuum at some
point our desire we got it for a second
but dang I didn’t eliminate the things I
needed to eliminate and now it’s giving
me blurry vision and I don’t really want
to obey and I really don’t trust God
that’s why I’m looking to all these
other sources right now and I don’t
really have an expectation but if you
reverse that
and you get just a little desire and you
eliminate those distractions in those
weights and you get a new vision and you
obey God and you trust him and you
expect do you know what it equals it
equals discipline and some of y’all
wanted to equal something else but what
God is calling for us to be is devoted
what disciples that word actually means
discipline one’s all God is looking for
is people he can count on that will do
this same thing over and over and over
and over I need you to be disciplined
discipline is just being the same doing
the same thing I’m committed to it I
don’t have to get off of it if something
new comes if something new goes if
something old comes if something old go
I’m disciplined and this is the
beautiful thing I need everybody to
understand cuz people ask me all the
time does this Christian wall get easier
Pastor Mike no you get stronger it
doesn’t get easier you get stronger and
what happens is the desire turns into
discipline
I don’t ever wake up desiring to go to
the gym but after I get disciplined to
do it for a long time the days that I
miss the gym I start desiring it it’s
like they ya know I got to go work out I
ain’t gonna let this thing and what I’m
telling you is if God could just get a
few devoted people to get in this
process the discipline that he’s trying
to build in your life is gonna produce
what he wants to see and what you want
to see in your life and that’s why this
last scripture Hebrews 12 11 it says no
discipline none is enjoyable while it’s
happening can I give you the truth it’s
time thing but afterwards everybody say
afterwards I love this
there will be peaceful harvest of right
living for those who are trained in this
way so take a new grip with your tired
hands and this is the part where I want
somebody who’s feeling tired God’s
saying this whole message bandwagon
believers was for you to make a decision
that’s not how you’re gonna live your
life you’re gonna take a new grip today
with your tired
and strengthen your weak knees he said
marked out a straight path for your feet
so those who are weak and lame will not
fall but become strong and the word for
this year that God gave us in our vision
series was stronger and I just had to
obey God God’s desire for us is to get
the discipline to the point where we’re
stronger and I speak that over your life
right now that this is not the year
where you’re going backwards even in the
middle of a pandemic you’re going
forward that God is giving you the
desire to do what pleases him we’re
eliminating all distractions our vision
is getting clearer we will obey what God
says to do we will trust him and in our
trust we will expect that good things
are on the way and we will have
discipline what does that spell when you
put it all together
oh we’re devoted I’m trying to give you
a pattern to live your life by you can
do this for your marriage you can do
this for your family you can be devoted
at your job with your body you can be
but it’s gonna take all of these things
and today God said could you just be my
devoted disciple
if I could distill this all the way down
I love my dad he told me this example
and he said Michael home he said it’s
like breakfast at a farm he said at
breakfast out of farm he said there’s a
cow a chicken and a pig and I was like
that where in the world are you going
with this story is this spiritual I have
no idea and my dad he always got these
little deep sayings he said Michael
bandwagon believers are like cows and
chickens at breakfast he said they give
a piece of themselves the cow gives the
milk and the chicken gives the egg but
for the pig to be at the breakfast he
has to sacrifice his life and when he
said it it hit me the pig was devoted to
that meal and the cow and the chicken
only had to give a piece of them when it
was convenient and today I’m thinking
that God wants all of us not to give a
piece of us he wants us to give him
whole
that’s what devotion is and this is the
beautiful thing about our God he never
asked you to give something that he
didn’t give first so that’s what we
celebrated last weekend is Jesus being
the sacrifice and devoting himself to us
even before we devoted ourselves to him
and today he’s saying hey uh I know it’s
popular right now to be a Christian but
there may come a different time where
it’s not are you still gonna ride for
this are you still gonna pray for people
are you still gonna give are you still
gonna sew are you still gonna invite
will you be what Romans 1:16 says I am
unashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ
for it is the power of God that saved me
Oh will you jump off the bandwagon when
it’s not as convenient today I want to
pray over you every person that’s
watching
that’s something deep on the inside of
you would not be just convinced but
convicted the in light of everything
that Christ has done for us there is no
way I can walk around and not be devoted
to him if you’re watching this and you
feel something in your heart stirring
and you want to be devoted just with
your hands I’m a pray for you Father in
the name of Jesus I declare and I
believe father God that what you have
done in this place today is painted a
clearer picture of your desire for us
that you want us father God to have your
desire you want us to eliminate those
things that are not like you father you
want to give us clear vision father God
you want us father God to obey you
father God you want us to trust you
father God even in this moment father I
just hear that golly there are people
right now that said I was devoted in one
season but it seemed like it didn’t work
and today God is saying I am coming to
restore your trust in me I thank you
that we’ll trust again God I thank you
Father God that people are going to
begin to move from the places that have
kept him down and lo father God and I
thank you Father God that everybody’s
gonna get a new expectation that father
God we would be disciplined and Father
we would we would be ones that would
stand up no matter what anybody does no
matter what culture does and we say
father will be not bandwagon believers
but we’re devoted disciples today I pray
that over everybody listening and I
thank you again that it’s not just
something that I have to be convinced of
it’s my new conviction I obeyed you
today in delivering this Word of God
because I’m devoted to you and God I
thank you that people would stand no
matter if it was in front of two people
or two hundred thousand and they would
obey you wherever they are God
we trust you we believe you and we thank
you for it in Jesus name
come on if you’re a devoted believer
right now and your devoted disciple why
don’t you give God praise right there in
your house I feel the presence of God
something is rising up on the inside of
you
if you’re in this place and you’ve never
given your life to Christ 1600 plus gave
it to him last week and God says today’s
your day make a decision to become
devoted if you give your life to Christ
today I’m gonna promise you one thing
that God will never leave you or forsake
you and you’re talking to somebody who
knows because I messed up a ton of times
I was addicted to pornography a liar a
manipulator somebody who had a lot of
bad things in my heart and when I gave
my life to Christ and I devoted to
myself I said I’m not going to listen
and let money lord over me I’m not gonna
let people and fame and all that lord
over me I’m devoting he took my broken
pieces and he gave me a desire and he
put me on this wheel and my desire has
turned into discipline and I am devoted
today I want to offer you that same gift
if you’re watching this right now live
or on playback God said this today is
the day of salvation and I want to pray
with you if that’s you right now on the
count of three wherever you are at your
table at your house in your car running
on on the track outside I want you to
lift your hand on the count of three one
you’re making the greatest decision
you’ve ever made two don’t care about
who’s in the room God is in the room
with you three come on just shoot your
hand up in the air if you’re watching on
the chat right now just push the button
and that says I’m raising my hand or or
or just put I want to be saved right
there hey listen I’m about to pray with
you and that transformation church we’re
a family we don’t pray alone so I want
everybody to pray this prayer together
for the benefit of those who are coming
to Christ it’s happening all over the
world right now I’m so excited
somebody say God thank you for sending
Jesus just for me thank you for being
devoted to me when I wasn’t devoted to
you
today I surrender my life and I give you
everything change me renew me transform
me I’m yours from this day forward in
Jesus name Amen can we celebrate I need
y’all to turn up
your house right now thank you so much
for watching transformation Church’s
YouTube and I just want you to take
another step if this is feeding you join
transformation nation let’s everybody
that doesn’t live here in Tulsa watching
live with us on Sunday mornings gather
your family let’s make this thing an
every week situation and please share
share if it has impacted your life there
is somebody that is waiting for you to
share this with them and transformation
is only a click away and there’s one
more thing I want to ask you to do pray
about giving if you want to help us take
this message all around the world and
represent God to lost-and-found people
for one reason transformation in Christ
you can do that right now by clicking
the Giblin I cannot wait to see you the
next time we’re here live a transformed
life
[Music]