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well then I am so excited in order to be
with you guys this morning and Pastor
Mike said it but the Bible says where
the show honor where honors do and I am
gonna try not to start crying right now
but I cannot tell you what that man
means to me and my wife and well I love
you so much thank you for believing in
me for checking me when I need it for
just so so much and I want you guys to
note man our pastor is special and the
grass doesn’t get green or anywhere else
I’m gonna tell you right now there is no
greener grass he is the best so let’s
give it up for our pastor I love you so
much bro I really do a little bit about
me I’m originally from Bowling Green
Kentucky
so when I get going that a little twang
will come out a little bit so uh so
that’s about me but I have two amazing
amazing parents Michael and Michelle a
little brother named Chandler he’s
actually been in town with me for about
a month he’s homeschooled and so if you
see a kid running around with twisted
hair and he looks like me it’s not me
it’s my little brother and then I also
have to take a moment the way much more
beautiful kind way more spiritual than
um scoot but way more faith just the the
better half of me is my amazing amazing
wife Abby rose and she is here I love
you so much I I always want to say that
I married my dream girl now you’re just
going to trap with me further I always
want to say I married my dream girl but
the truth is like my dream girl was like
ten notches below who Abby is like I
could not like I could not have picked
so yeah sweetie I love you so much thank
you for loving me even when it’s
extremely difficult so but I am excited
to be with you guys today in this series
and I want you guys to know that Michael
mentioned it but as we join CC man we
are so excited and we’re family
and I
truly believe that what God wants to do
is so so special through this house and
he’s positioning tc4 for impact that we
don’t even realize and and I want you to
realize this that if you are not looking
that Bible says he who has ears to hear
let him hear
I want to say if you have eyes to see
that you will see this that God is doing
something so special in this house and
if you miss out I want to come to say to
tell you this morning that these are the
good old days like like these are the
days that we’ll look back and say man
you remember when we were at this well
you remember when we went to two
services you remember when we said
beyond for a whole year and God did it
so I want you to remember to be in this
moment to realize that this is special
that this isn’t happening everywhere and
God is truly doing something special and
I don’t know about you but I’m expecting
and believing God that we are gonna
continue to go beyond anybody believe me
on that amen hey Manuel listen with that
further ado we are gonna jump right into
the word are you were guys ready to get
into the word alright so we’re gonna go
to our key Scripture it’s been in
Galatians 5:22 if you have your Bible
you can turn there with me and actually
before we do that if it is your first
time here I’m not gonna embarrass you
make you stand up but I want you to know
that we love you and regardless of how
you may feel it’s not random that you’re
here today
I believe you’re here on purpose and
regardless of what you did last night
what you’re gonna do when you leave here
we love you God loves you and you’re
here on purpose and I’m believing you’re
gonna leave encouraged and knowing that
you got people who got your back amen
all right so Galatians 5:22 there’s been
our key scripture in the Bible says this
is but the Holy Spirit who produces this
kind of fruit in our lives now who
produces the fruit who produces the
fruit
alright the Holy Spirit produces this
kind of fruit in our lives
love joy peace patience kindness
goodness faithfulness gentleness and
self-control there is no law against
these things now Michael said it earlier
but today we’re gonna be talking about
faithfulness everybody say faithfulness
say it again say faithfulness now
Michael did
listen if you have missed any part of
this series I don’t encourage you go
back and wash them they have been
absolutely incredible truly things that
I believe are helping us live it out not
just something we can shout about on
Sunday but truly live out on Monday and
this series has been absolutely amazing
and last week we talked about
self-control and what Michael talked
about was that when we come into a
relationship with Jesus we don’t just go
from okay I’m controlled by my flesh so
now all of a sudden I just do everything
right I’m good I’m perfect all the time
what happens is when we come in a
relationship with Jesus we get the
opportunity to choose who we will let
control us either the spirit or our
flesh and the point I want to present to
you today is is just as we’re getting
started is we are not naturally bent
towards the fruits of the spirit like
that is not just naturally something
dude like we don’t just naturally oh I
just love it’s just who I am I just love
all the time I’m just always excited I’m
so joy like we don’t naturally do those
things but the Bible says that there’s a
helper that there’s someone that
produces this fruit in our lives and
it’s the Holy Spirit I don’t know
established right now that it’s easy to
look at the fruits of the Spirit and we
automatically can think that the answer
is just to try harder like you think oh
man I just need to love more I just need
to be happy I just need to be more
faithful and truth is if you could be
more faithful you would have done it
already
like if we could do it by ourselves we
wouldn’t even need to be in here but the
truth is the Holy Spirit produces this
kind of fruit in us and so I looked up
faithful and here’s the definition of it
it says strict or thorough in
performance of duty true to one’s word
promises vows steady and allegiance or
affection loyal constant reliable and
trusted now all of those things are
things that we all say yeah I would love
to be that like completely reliable
always to my word but if anybody is
truthful with yourself for two seconds
you know that we don’t naturally do
those things and it’s funny as I was
looking at the definition the very last
definition that it was on there
literally at the very bottom is
is full of faith and regardless of how
the world may define it we are people
who can be full of faith and I want you
to know regardless of where you are and
your walk with Christ I believe God
wants to roots faithfulness in your life
he wants to prove his faithfulness
even when things don’t look right even
when things are crashing that you can
stand that you can keep moving forward
and God wants us to have more fruit to
be fruitful and today we’re going to
talk about faithfulness now
in in in worship they played that video
of Abraham and Isaac and by the way
let’s give it up for the worship team
real quick they are just like well I was
over there crying like but we’re gonna
talk today about the story of Abraham
and Isaac so I love anybody else loves
stories does anybody like stories I love
the Bible is full of some good story and
some crazy stories like if you want some
drama just read your Bible some you know
like so we’re gonna read a story out of
the Bible it’s Genesis at 22 and if you
didn’t read your Bible this morning
we’re gonna make up for it right here so
we’re gonna need read a nice little
portion of Scripture and then we’ll jump
into it so this is what the Bible says
Genesis 22 sometime later everybody say
sometime later God tested Abraham faith
Abraham God called yes he replied Here I
am God said take your son yes your only
son yes Isaac the one who you love so
much and go to the land of Moriah no.1
sacrifice him as a burnt offering on one
of the mountains that I will show you
the next morning Abraham got up early he
saddled his donkey and took two of his
servants along with him with his son
Isaac they chopped the wood for the fire
of the burnt offering and on the third
day of their journey Abraham looked up
and saw the place in the distance he
said stay here with the donkey the boy
and I will travel a little further we
will worship there and they will come
right back so Abraham placed the wood
for the burnt offering on his shoulders
while he himself carried the fire and
the knife as the two of them walked on
Isaac turned to Abraham he said father
and this is the point where Isaac’s like
what
like I see he says we have wood I see
but there is no sacrifice a neighbor
said Abraham said God will provide a
sheep for the burnt offering and they
both walked on together then they
arrived to the place where God had told
them to go Abraham built the altar
arranged the woods and he tied his son
Isaac and laid him on the altar on top
of the wood and Abraham picked up the
knife to kill his son as a sacrifice at
that moment an angel the Lord said
Abraham Abraham he said Here I am don’t
lay a hand on the boy do not hurt him in
any way for now I know you truly fear
God because you have not even withheld
your only son from me that’s a good
story right there I’m gonna pray real
quick and we’re gonna jump in pray with
me lord god I thank you for who you are
well I thank you that your word says
that where two or three are gathered
that there you are in the mid so Lord we
know that you’re here in this moment let
I thank you for every single person Lord
that we would leave encouraged and that
your Holy Spirit your Holy Spirit is
truly working in us it is in Jesus name
we pray everybody said amen
now I said it earlier but originally I
am from Kentucky so that means two
things a little bit of playing when I
get really excited and secondly that
means Kentucky basketball
anybody knows something about some
Kentucky basketball any two people who
have heard from the Lord watch out okay
so Kentucky basketball I grew up playing
basketball watching basketball and
everything you know when you are like
about basketball you just spend time
practicing now when I when I was growing
up Michael Jordan was just finishing up
and my dad made sure I was educated to
know who was the best of all time but
when I was growing up I was watching
Kobe I was watching T Mac if I remember
T Mac that dude would have been the
coldest guy alive he wouldn’t got hurt
but T Mac Vince Carter and my favorite
person was Allen Iverson so watch out
watch out that was good on that one so I
would be in my driveway and I would
practice all of their moves like I’m
trying to cross someone like a railroad
you know I’m saying like I’m trying to
like do all these moves and the one
thing I would always practice I was
always practice a game winner anybody
else practice the game winner you drive
you know like who
– man you shoot it you’re trying to make
it and so I would practice over and over
again I thought you know like that’s
what the good players do like they hit
the game-winner so fast forward a little
bit I’m in seventh grade and I have my
game winner opportunity it’s playing his
team called Goodpasture and a funny
story my little brother can confirm this
well maybe not but my mom and dad will
they’ll be at the next service they
could tell you but I literally against
this team had gotten in a fight the game
before the last time we played because
me and the point guard were getting into
it and I literally shoved him down and
got a technical so this game was heated
like this was our rival and so there’s
literally like five seconds left on the
clock we’re down by one and coach says
Charles I want you to take the shot and
I was like okay I’m about to crush this
thing I’m gonna drain it then this the
cheerleaders are gonna run out be like
oh my gosh yeah I was in seventh grade
like that was like the best thing that
ever happened like so I get the ball I
drive to the lane I’ve got to shoot the
shot and the guy fouled me because he
knew he didn’t have a chance to guard me
but I he fouled me
and right when he found me I missed the
shot but the buzzer went off so there’s
no time left on the clock and I have two
free throws and we are down by one and
so you know yeah so like I sit there and
I’m this is like the moment you envision
like this is where I got ice in my veins
I’m about to knock these down like
cold-blooded is about to be amazing now
as much as I had envisioned this moment
[Music]
when I got fouled I started bawling
crying
like I couldn’t I completely crumbled
under the pressure like I walk to the
free-throw line I’m like reps like what
is wrong with this kid like my dad’s
like calm down so I literally I’m
bawling at the free-throw line sitting
there I’m trying to do my little routine
I go and I shoot the first free-throw
and I brick it like so hard and then I
start crying mama literally everybody is
like this kid is insane is crumbling
under this pressure so I’m like okay I
just got to make one if I could just
make this one shot like we’ll go into
overtime
coach definitely won’t let me ever shoot
again cuz he knows I can antics but I
get the ball I’m like re okay calm down
you know when you try to like my dad
while getting trouble he was like
breathe son breathe cried so bad I shoot
it and I bricked it again and we lost
the game I remember riding home that day
and I was thinking like I blew it like
this was the moment like this was the
thing I had dreamed of this was like the
thing I practiced over and over over
again and I missed it
and that’s a funny story but the
question I want to ask you today is how
does your faith respond when there’s no
time left on the clock
like like how faithful are you when you
get to the free-throw line there’s a lot
of people screaming everybody’s looking
at you how faithful are you when life
happens when there’s pressures when
there’s no time left on the clock and
you’re the one that’s got to shoot the
free throws and I want to talk about how
we can be faithful in those moments now
here’s what I want to talk about the
word faith just for a second because I
think in in the Christian circles as
Jesus followers sometimes faith can kind
of become a buzzword like it’s just I
remember growing up in church and like
any time anything bad would happen the
first response I got was just have faith
brother you just got it you got to
strengthen your faith you got to
encourage her and I appreciate it I was
like thank you but I’m thinking how like
that’s a great thing to say but like
practically my life is falling apart and
I need faith to keep going so how do I
do that and it’s a lot easier said than
done to say hey man just you just got to
have faith you just got to have faith
and you know what it sounds like over
time just to have faith it sounds like
hey I know there’s no time left on the
clock
and you’re at the free-throw line but
just knock down the free throws it’s
super easy that’s what it feels like and
I wanna I want to talk about how are we
gonna be faithful when life really
happens like when you’re really going
through stuff like how are you faithful
when God told you hey step out start
this business it’s going to be amazing
I’ve called you to it so you kind of say
okay you know what I’m going to do it
I’m going to step out I’m gonna take the
step of faith and you’ve been doing the
business for two years and you still
haven’t made any money how are you
faithful in that or how are you faithful
when you say you know what like I’m a
mom and I’ve got some kids and and I’m
taking care of these kids and my husband
just got a promotion and it’s the job
he’s always dreamed of and I’m supposed
to be excited but the truth is I feel
like a single mother because my husband
is never home
how are you faithful in those moments or
maybe you’re in school and you say you
know what I’m the first person in my
family to go to college and I’m excited
about it and I’ve got some scholarships
and God really provided a way but now
you’re in school and you feel like
you’re drowning
you really just want to give up how are
we gonna be faithful in those moments
what’s gonna hold us what’s gonna truly
keep us there’s a quote by Mike Tyson it
says everybody has a plan until they get
hit in the face
everybody’s got a plan until you get hit
in the face I want to say this
everyone has faith until life hits them
in the face it’s easy to be faithful
until life hits you in the face so
what’s gonna hold us what’s going to
keep us and I want to look at this story
of Abraham and just to give you a little
context for Abraham he shows up on the
scene in Genesis 12 and literally he
gets the biggest promise ever to anyone
in Genesis 12:1 listen to this it says
go from your country and your kindred
and your father’s house to the land I
will show you and I will make you a
great nation I will bless you I will
make your name great so that you will be
a blessing I will bless those who bless
you and I will do those who dishonor you
and the family and those who dishonor
you I will curse no listen to this it
says and in you all the families of the
earth shall be blessed so he keeps one
of the biggest promises and if I’m
Abraham when I heard that I’ll be like
hey y’all hear what God said yeah you
didn’t hear well he said actually that
I’m gonna be a big deal so I don’t know
if you want to hop on the train now but
like if you don’t I’m gonna blow up and
you gonna be sitting over here so you
better like get like if I mean I’m
telling it like God say he’s gonna make
me great he’s gonna do this and so
literally from Genesis 12 God reminds
him three different times hey I’m gonna
make you a great nation and even as much
as he tries to jack up the plan he goes
and sleeps with his wife serving and and
he’s like this that’s not the son you’re
supposed to have God says I’m gonna send
you an actual sign so literally God
proclaims it to him three different
times but then we get to chapter 22 and
it says some time later God tested
Abraham faith he says take your son yes
your only son he listen to this how he
reminds him your only son yes Isaac yes
the one you love and go to the land of
Moriah sacrifice him as a burnt offering
now for those of you who may
you didn’t grow up in church or this is
your first time here I just want to ease
the tension a little bit and let you
know that’s crazy and we rely like some
of us been following Jesus so long
you’re lucky yeah I asked him to kill
his son well that’s a very natural thing
to do I don’t know why you’re so freaked
out about like that’s weird like it’s
it’s weird we get it it’s weird but just
track with me for a mones so it’s crazy
for that reason but also it’s crazy
because of who Isaac was literally from
the moment God promised him that he was
gonna be a great nation he waited 24
years before he ever saw anything
some of us wait 24 minutes on our food
we’re about to lose our mind like he he
had waited 24 years on his promise and
then God says hey I want it back like
the thing that I gave you the thing that
I promised you I want it back
and what surprised me as I looked at
this is Abraham doesn’t flinch he like
he didn’t even second kiss it the Bible
says he got up early in the morning how
many know you got to be like really
feeling something to get up early in the
morning like he just says he got up
early in the morning and he started
going in listen to this Trek to me he
goes through and literally over and over
over again from verse 3 says he got up
early in the morning then in verses 5
and 8 he turns into a prophet he says
listen he says the boy are gonna go
right here and worship and then we’ll be
right back so don’t worry about it then
in verse 8 he says Isaac says hey dad
what’s going on it looks a little
sketchy here you got the stuff you know
and he said God will provide a lamb now
verse 10 is where the rubber really hits
the road verse 10 it says he picked up
at the knife to sacrifice his son Isaac
and this is what I want to connect with
you just just to track with me verse 10
is like the game-winner moment like
verse 10 is where the pressure has come
life has happened things have gone maybe
not to how you planned it and you’re in
the moment in Abraham’s about to swear
at the sea is he going to knock down
these free-throws and the Bible says he
went straight for he lifted up the knife
and you know what verse 10 is verse 10
is God saying do I really have your
do I really have your heart and God was
to see faithfulness in our lives and can
I propose to you this morning that the
very thing that you think is punishment
that you think something has gone wrong
could it be it’s an opportunity for God
to produce faithfulness in your life you
haven’t done anything wrong it’s God
saying hey I want to know do I still
have your heart James 1:2 says dear
brothers and sisters also when you face
troubles of any kind they come your way
it is an opportunity for great joy for
you know your faith is tested your
endurance has a chance to grow I think
some things would change in our life if
we would quit looking at challenges as
something that’s going wrong and as an
opportunity for faithfulness to be
produced in our lives and all that needs
to change is our perspective and if we
can look at the moment say you know what
I may feel like I did something wrong or
I don’t understand it but could it be
that maybe in this moment where things
are going wrong or my marriage isn’t
where I want it to be we’re made this
relationship where I wanted to be or
this business isn’t where I wanted to be
could it be that God is trying to
produce faithfulness in my life so the
question is how in the world do you
respond like Abraham like how do you
just God saying hey I’ve called you to
be faithful in this area and he just
says absolutely I’m doing it without any
question listen to what Hebrews says so
so special he says Hebrews looking back
on Abraham’s life it says it was by
faith everybody say faith that Abraham
offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God
was testing him Abraham who had received
God’s promises was ready to sacrifice
his only son Isaac even though God told
him Isaac is the son who your
descendants will be counted abraham
reasoned that if Isaac died God was able
to bring him back to life
[Music]
listen the secret about Abraham’s faith
well it was never about the place that
he was at it was never about that the
thing about his faith was it was never
about the person Isaac who was in his
life the thing about his faith the thing
that allowed him to stay faithful was he
had received the promise of God and the
thing is when you receive a promise when
you understand what God said does not
change it will hold you in moments where
life says everything is going wrong that
is what will produce faithfulness in our
lives
Alissa’s in Hebrews 6 it says this God
has given both his promise and his oath
these two things are unchangeable
because it is impossible for God to lie
it is impossible
so your faith is that here’s the
question I want to post get to your
faith is only as strong as what its
anchored in and I think a lot of times
we go around we will say I want to be
faithful I want to be faithful I want to
be faithful but our faith is only as
strong as what its holding on to and a
lot of times we say I’m going to be more
faithful but I’m holding on to this
specific place and I’m gonna be faithful
as long as I’m here but if I’m not here
what happens to your faith or maybe you
put your faith in a certain person you
think if I’m with this person then I’ll
be faithful and things will go right but
what happens when they turn your back on
you are you still faithful so I looked
at this verse and I saw a man Abraham’s
got this promise like that promise is
what held him he knew that man if God
said to kill Isaac God promised that
Isaac was the one who my descendants
were coming so I guess he’s just gonna
bring him back to life so after he had
received his promise I was literally
reading this scripture and I thought God
like what’s what’s my promise like you
gave him a promise I’m ready to like I
would like downloaded into my mind I’m
here like I’m ready and there’s no you
know when you’re talking to someone and
they say something and you’re like
really like what that’s literally what I
felt like God said he said just just go
read the same promise I gave to Abraham
let’s let’s read it
Genesis 12:1 go from your country and
your kindred in your father’s house
to the land I will show you I will make
you a great nation I will bless you I’ll
make your name great so that you will be
a blessing I’ll bless those who bless
you and him who dishonours you I will
curse right here and in you is God
talking to Abraham in you all the
families of the earth shall be blessed
this story of Abraham and Isaac it
wasn’t just a story about Abraham and
Isaac
it was foreshadowing another story a
story that would involve a father and a
story that would involve a son and there
would be a sacrifice that needed to be
made and the reward for this sacrifice
would be the salvation of humanity and
there’s story that he’s talking about is
the story of Jesus and Jesus would come
to this earth and he would die in the
knife would not stop but on the other
side of that we would experience freedom
and here’s what God said he said Charles
Abraham had a promise for him you have a
promise in you when Jesus said that hey
when I come to this earth I will live
inside of you now what’s going to hold
us what’s going to keep us faithful is
realizing that Abraham had a promise and
for him we have a promise inside of us
and when we realize that Jesus is with
us when we get the power of his presence
in our lives we can stand in any
situation because the promise will hold
you so when life gets hard when things
start going wrong when you start
questioning how am I going to be
faithful how am I gonna keep moving
forward when when I really just want to
give up or how am I gonna stay faithful
in this relationship even though things
are going wrong and I don’t I really
just want to run how are we gonna fake
to stay faithful we’re gonna look to the
promises of God
and the Bible says that God will provide
all of my needs the Bible says that
perfect love casts out all fear he said
that he will never leave us nor forsake
us that he’s a plan in a future for us
that he is our protection he will save
our children and our land and one day
there will be an end to all death and
pain so no matter what regardless of
what the situation looks like regardless
of what the doctor report says
regardless of what’s going on your
marriage you can stand because you say I
don’t know what’s happening but I’ve
received this promise and the Word of
God says that he’s with me and it’s
going to be a promise
that’ll hold us so I want to I want to
give you three quick points talking
about faithfulness three points talking
about faithfulness this first one says
this the first point is if we’re going
to live faithful lives the first point
is stay in the story everybody say stay
in the story I can tell you that this
book is a love letter written to
humanity it’s a love letter that’s
saying hey I care about you I love you
and the other thing is is that the
promise that is going to keep you the
thing that’s gonna hold you when life is
crashing around you your promise is in
this book your promise is in this story
and literally if we’re gonna stand in
tough moments we have to stay in the
story of Jesus we have to get his word
down in our hearts because when you get
it in your hearts what is the holy
spirit dude he said I will guide you
into all truth and remind you of what I
said so when you get the word down in
your heart when you get in a tough
moment the Holy Spirit says hey remember
what God’s Word says hey remember how
God was there before with you before and
if you can get in that story God the
Holy Spirit will produce faithfulness in
your lives because he will remind you of
what God’s Word says it’s like this it’s
if if I had a card if I had a debit card
or accounts and it had a million dollars
on it and I had this card and I also had
a little piece of paper that was folded
in half and I said hey here’s this card
it’s got a million dollars on it it’s
yours you can have it and on this card
on this piece of paper is the PIN number
and all you got to do is type the pin
number in and it’s all yours a lot of us
we walk around with the card in our hand
but we will never open up that piece of
paper and how good is a million dollars
if you’re sitting there with that can I
tell you the promise of your life the
thing that you’re looking for the answer
to your situation it’s inside this love
letter and if you would just open it up
if you would just dedicate some time to
get in this story I promise you your
situation would look different I promise
you and it will produce faithfulness the
ability to stand in your life John 16:13
says when the spirit of truth comes he
will guide you into all truth he will
not speak on his own but he will
tell you what he has heard he will tell
you about the future jesus said I’m the
way the truth and the life the Holy
Spirit will start working in your life
and the way he’s gonna produce
faithfulness is he will point you back
to truth he will point you back to Jesus
so the first point of producing
faithfulness is our lot in our life is
stay in the story the second one find
faith-filled friends everybody say faith
filled now some of you think of Charles
isn’t this unfaithfulness like I don’t
supposed to have some faithful friends
and my answer is yes but no because some
of you got a lot of faithful friends but
they’re faithful e- they’re faithfully
keeping back from your promise you don’t
need just faithful friends you need
faith filled friends people who will
encourage you people who will help you
move forward into your promise somebody
like that’s my boy that’s my curse yeah
and he’s living in his mom’s basement so
how much is that gonna help you oh
that’s my girl we’ve been through life
together we’ve been doing stuff you know
she just a little down know she’s
holding you back from the promises of
God
so if you can get some people besides
you some faith filled friends to
encourage you to say hey lift your head
up I know it’s bad right now but keep
moving forward that will allow you to be
faithful my dad’s mom my name’s Estelle
granny Estelle she’d always say if you
hang with non friends you’re bound to be
the non broke friends you’re bound to be
the tenth one that’s just how that works
and if you show me your friends I will
show you your future you’re only as good
as the people you’re running with so if
you want to be faithful if you want to
God to develop something in your heart
you got to get some face field friends
think about this a lot of us think you
know what I come into a relationship
with Jesus Christ and I got me and Jesus
and we’re just right here it’s me and
Jesus and I don’t need nobody else can I
tell you Jesus ran with people if
anybody had an excuse to walk by
themselves and not need any help it
would be the Son of God the person who
created the universe but he said you
know what I’m gonna choose to do life
with some people and I’m gonna choose to
invest in his religion and I’m gonna
choose to walk forward the Bible says
that one can put a thousand of
but who can put ten thousand to flight
some of you were frustrated wondering
why I’m trying to develop these fruits
of the spirit I’m trying to grow I’m
trying and you’re doing life by yourself
and the reason I can say that is because
I’ve done it literally the whole story
literally me and Michael he said hey man
I’m going to this conference thing I
want to invite you to it and I was like
all right whatever I’ll go and we’re
sitting in there we’re sitting in this
room and this is before we had talked
anything about merging or anything
Michael literally just hit me up was
like hey man you should come on this
trip with me and just just being a
friend just being somebody who was there
even when I wasn’t reaching out another
just said hey come with me we get there
with sitting in a session a bunch of
pastors just talking really downloading
wisdom was like drinking from a fire
hydrant we’re just writing notes the
whole time and literally this guy says
he’s sitting there he’s talking and he
says you know what it’s important for
the older generation to father the young
age younger generation because there’s a
lot of orphans with dreams and when he
said that literally it’s like it hit me
straight in the chest and I was sitting
there and literally we walked out of
that session and we all know at home and
I’m just like bawling-crying just so
jacked up didn’t even know why and I was
like I feel like I’m like I don’t know
this thing orphan it doesn’t make any
sense because I have two amazing parents
like that’s not and God said to me
Charles you’ve lived your life not as an
orphan but with the spirit of an orphan
because you thought being an orphan was
brave can I tell you doing it by
yourself isn’t brave living life on your
own does it make you brave what makes
you brave is to be vulnerable enough to
say you know what I’m an orphan and I
don’t want to be one anymore I want to
do life of people and if God’s gonna
develop faithfulness in your life you
cannot do it alone so stay in the story
find faith filled friends and the third
one is work your faith everybody say
work your faith
so I told that story at the beginning of
how I absolutely blew those free throws
and the thing about a free throw and the
thing about even when I play basketball
is all the time I would practice
different shots I would practice doing a
fadeaway on practice a crossover I would
practice all these different moves but
you know no the one thing I didn’t ever
practice that I didn’t like practicing
free throws because I thought you know
if I can knock down a three-pointer
absolutely I can make a free throw like
it’s the same and the thing about a free
throw you’re no free throw people who
are good at free throws they’re good
shooters but really what any
professional will tell you is a free
throw is actually muscle memory when you
get to the line the reason they do the
same routine is because when they start
doing it their muscles say oh I’ve been
here before
and so they dribble the ball and when
they go out here some that just kicks in
and they knock it down can I tell you
that if you will begin to work your
faith that your faith will turn into a
free throw that if you just start
getting there and you say you know what
I don’t know what’s going on I know my
marriage is a little off but I’m gonna
stay and I’m gonna be faithful I know
that this business isn’t going how
learned it too but I’m gonna follow God
I know that my school’s a little
overwhelming but I’m gonna keep if you
just start working your faith if you get
at the free-throw line and say you know
what I don’t have much but I can keep
shooting this thing and when I get to
the situation when there’s no time left
on the clock you’re gonna send their
people say how did you make that
decision
how are you so faithful you think I
don’t know I just went to shoot it and
some kicked in and told me to trust God
something told me that it was gonna be
okay something told me that I could keep
going something told me that my marriage
was gonna work out because this thing I
just keep shooting it and I just keep
practicing and if you just will work
your faith I promise you God in the Holy
Spirit will develop faithfulness in your
life
[Applause]
Michael mentioned it but in and I told a
little bit of it but me and a B my wife
we it we had started a church called
Eden we were going and God literally had
calls to step out so we’re going we’re
headstrong we’re gonna do this thing
we’re gonna reach the whole world for
Jesus and we’re going to got people
coming we literally our first gathering
some of you in this room we’re probably
there our first Gavin we had we were
literally prepared for like 30 people we
had 105 show up and we were in this
little gym the second one we had 120 and
they kicked us out and said hey you
can’t be having Church in here the third
one we had more and was going and going
and growing and literally when God said
hey Charles I want you to give it back I
was thinking what in the world like it
would be one thing if this was like
crashing and going down and God’s like
hey cuz I’m gonna get you out before
that they just you know hey bro let me
get you real quick but like we were good
like it was going good we had raised
money we were good we had signed a lease
on a building we were like we were doing
it and people asked me literally after
that we made a decision and we they’re
like hey I heard you emergency see and
yeah and they start asking like what’s
that like like how is it what what how
are things go in and how are you in the
incorrect man that was such an amazing
step of faith and all those things and
honestly I just feel a little awkward
I’m like thanks I don’t you know like it
was amazing and God really did it and
but the thing is when I started looking
at it I was talking to my wife I was
thinking you know when the journey of
that decision started it started in 2011
and I was at home and my parents walked
into my room and they said hey Charles
can we go to dinner with you and the
first thing I knew is you ain’t never
asked me to go to like it’s usually
getting a car we’re going to dinner like
you you mean can I ask you I was like
yeah sure and we sat down and at this
time I was finishing up my junior year
in high school and I was sitting there
and my dad said hey so some things have
changed and we’re moving to Oklahoma
Oklahoma where is Oklahoma like
and at the time things were going so
good I was running track
I was super accessible in that I had a
girlfriend at the time my life my family
was there and I was thinking what like
I’m not moving to Oklahoma like you are
crazy like this and I literally being so
frustrated because I thought this was my
world my friends were here my family was
here and now we’re moving to Oklahoma in
my senior year of high school really
that’s what we’re gonna do
and I remember literally my mom and dad
after they told me I just sat there
stone-cold didn’t say anything and I
said okay can like are we done you know
but I didn’t say that cuz my dad would
upon me but it’s something I like oh my
gosh I did say but I just sat there and
I remember and I walked to my car and I
sat in my car and look mber it like it’s
yesterday I literally just started
bawling crying cuz I was so mad I didn’t
want to move things were literally going
perfect and I was driving home and I was
so frustrated that we’re moving and I
literally I pulled into the driveway and
there was a song by Hillsong on the
radio and it says I’ll stand with arms
wide open my life surrendered to you and
I’m sitting there in that car and I was
so upset and I thought God like I don’t
want to do this but if we’re supposed to
do it I’ll do it I sought a little bit
further i meeting a girl named Abby
we’re kind of talking we thought about
like and we know we want to get married
and I’m working at a church and they had
multiple locations and they said hey I
know that you’re about to get married
and stuff but we want to present to you
that there is an opportunity for you to
be a youth pastor in New York and I was
thinking hey that would be amazing like
New York now pause they further so it’s
in Albany New York not like New York New
York so it’s kind of like oh so I
literally me and Abby go home and we’re
sitting there and and we just start
praying about it and literally I went
through some tough seasons at the church
I was at but I’ve gotten to a point
where things were going good the youth
group was growing things were happening
and literally I’m sitting there and I’m
thinking why would we go to New York
like we’re not even married we literally
sat down and told her mom like we prayed
like we feel like we’re supposed to do
this I said hey
this is kind of me asking for your
blessing but also saying I’m gonna marry
your daughter and we’re moving to New
York City like and literally we went
through all of that like her mom was
like whoa
y’all crazy y’all haven’t even known
each other that long but I was like I
just feel like this is what we’re
supposed to do like I feel like there’s
an opportunity I’m just supposed to say
yes I said yes I called my bosses hey
we’re in we’ll go to New York were there
they said all right let me just talk a
few people will start getting you
transferred all that stuff literally two
days later he called said hey Charles
it’s kind of weird but never mind we’re
not gonna do it I was thinking why how
did we go through all that a little bit
further we’re working at the same job
things are going great and what me and
Abby are right in the car she says hey
do you think we’re supposed to start a
church and immediately I was terrified
but I knew is what we’re supposed to do
so when people ask and what’s it like to
close down this thing you’re doing and
and all of that the reason I feel a
little weird he’s gonna think I know it
was God but honestly like I just picked
up the ball and when I went to go shoot
something just happened like when we got
into this moment where God said hey can
I have that back I was terrified and the
thing is faith doesn’t take the fear
away but allows you to move forward and
I just said man I think it’s because
I’ve just I’ve shot this a couple times
and I didn’t want to go to Oklahoma and
I did I wanted to go here but God said
actually never mind I just wanted to see
if you would say yes when I offered you
something and when I got to it something
kicked in and what I’m telling you this
morning is regardless of where your
faith is that regardless of how faithful
you feel like you are right now if you
will just get in the story of God if you
will just start getting into his
promises if you would consider the life
and the joy and the peace that God wants
in your life if you will get some people
that will stand by you that will help
you move forward and if you will just
start to work your faith if you will
just start to say hey I’m gonna take a
step forward hey I’m gonna step out in
faith hey I’m gonna stay in this
marriage hey I’m gonna raise these kids
to know God I’m just gonna keep going if
you do that I promise you you will wake
up one day and people say how did you
stay in that situation how did you keep
going when your business was failing for
five years you say I don’t know I just
went to shoot it and the Holy Spirit
kicked in and said hey it’s gonna be all
right I’ve got you God’s had
before he’s been there with you before
[Applause]
and this is all it’s all a work of the
holy spirit and the truth is if we would
just accept that part that hey I can’t
do this by myself and the answer isn’t
to try harder the answer is it I’m just
gonna read this this thing and this good
you do good book and I’m just gonna try
to work myself together to be more
faithful that’s not the answer because
you’ve been trying to do that your whole
life and it hasn’t worked out the answer
is the Holy Spirit will produce it in
side of you and can I tell you this some
of you think and this is just who I am
I’m just not faithful I just don’t stay
in her situation when the pressure comes
I fold under pressure the Bible says
that if he is in Christ the old has gone
and the new has come and that verse was
written a long time before you were born
so can I propose to you that really you
are just becoming who you already are
that the faithfulness is actually inside
of you you actually got it when Jesus he
said I was gonna send you a helper that
promised that Jesus made we got the
promise of Jesus and Jesus said I’ve got
another promise for you I’m gonna send
you someone and listen what he said he
said but you already know him he said
you are and they were like what do you
mean Jesus we don’t know if we know him
can I listen the reason the moment you
had an awareness that you needed God
guess who told you that the Holy Spirit
you already know him and he’s working
inside of you you already know him so
kid listen to this verse I’m gonna close
with this Philippians 2:13 for God is
working in you everybody say in you
everybody say in me giving you the
desire and the power to do what pleases
him you’ve got everything you need to
accomplish what God has set in front of
you the question is will you just accept
and own that and say you know what I may
have messed up before I may have ran
when I should have stayed I may have
stayed when I should have ran
but I’m gonna stay faithful I’m just
gonna keep shooting this thing and I may
miss a few I’m not gonna get it right
every time I may even start crying when
I get found but I’m gonna keep shooting
because God is working in you it’s not
you working in you it’s God when you
recognize the power does his presence is
with you that presence brings a power
and it brings a confidence I’m gonna
read this verse one more time in Hebrews
says therefore we who have fled to him
for refuge can have great confidence as
we hold on to the hope that lies before
us this hope is a strong trustworthy
anchor for your soul when you have God’s
promise when his word is an anchor for
your soul it doesn’t matter what happens
you can move forward and be faithful
let’s bow our heads we’re gonna we’re
gonna close in prayer oh god I thank you
so much for who you are but I thank you
that your Holy Spirit is working inside
of us your Holy Spirit is producing
faithfulness the ability to stay the
ability to obey you the ability to
follow you no matter what and right in
how lord I thank you for every person in
this room all right thank you that your
Holy Spirit is speaking to them right
now developing faithfulness and learn
speaking clarity you’re speaking
direction you’re speaking your truth
into their life Oh Lord I pray that you
would give us a passion for your word to
get in your story lord I thank you that
you’re sending people into our lives to
stand with us to help us move forward
and I thank you Lord God as we start to
work our faith that you will produce
faithfulness in our lives