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in a time where we have more friends and
followers than ever before how can they
still feel so lonely we need
relationship that’s deeper than the
service we don’t need people who just
like us but those who will push us
toward purpose we need a crew a posse a
clique we need an inner circle
[Music]
[Applause]
amen so we’re gonna go ahead and get
started I love starting brand-new series
because I believe that each series is
like a puzzle piece to our destiny if
we’re here at transformation Church I
mean if you can just think about how
many people have been here for over a
year how many people been at
transformation Church over a year okay
like if y’all think back to some of the
series that we’ve done and how they
build on top of each other and like
God’s working in us and working through
us I think this is another game changer
and this series is called inner circle
everybody say inner circle and I debated
a lot about what to do for this month of
February but for the next three weeks as
we’re gathering around community and
what that looks like I really want to
talk about our personal inner circle
like like your inner circle I want to
talk about like the people who around
you that really know you like not the
Facebook you or the Instagram you not
the Enhanced you not not not the perfect
all the time you I’m talking about the 4
a.m. you like like when you mad you some
of y’all don’t y’all don’t oh not him oh
not her but like I want who knows you
who knows what you struggle with like
who knows in your life who’s in your
life that has the sit down and shut up
card
si si uh no no no I’m a grown woman hold
on everybody has blind spots and needs
people to speak things into their life
even when they don’t want to hear it the
question is who do you have in your life
that you can call when it’s inconvenient
for them and you know that you still
they would want you to call them and
they would want to know who is that in
your life and honestly as I begin to
think about it and I look and I try and
I ask people questions most believers
most Christians do not have that
and as much as we sit up here and we
talk about it and we can be around
church and me and my husband and all
this other stuff do you have other
marriages that you can be raw dog ugly
with you you know what I’m talking about
like I’m I am mad at her I am mad at him
these are the reasons would y’all pray
for us now cuz I’m about to cut him and
cuss him or is it y’all know how you do
when you get your argument all the way
up into your friend’s house ding-dong
that opens and we pick it right back up
when we close the doors of the car come
on let’s be honest who’s in your inner
circle and that’s the question I want to
start this series cuz before the next
for the next three weeks we’re going to
learn the value of having right
relationships that will lead us towards
purpose because some of you are in here
is like naw naw person like I got my
I got my dogs I got my girls my
besties like that’s how we do but but
I’m not talking about people who have
the same interest as you I’m talking
about people who will point you towards
the interest of Christ see because we’ll
get it with people around makeup and
fashion and gains and and whatever else
we like and there’s nothing wrong with
that but then when it comes to moral
compass when it comes to us making the
right decision when it comes to us
deciding whether we’re going to to stay
in a relationship or not a lot of times
people will give you advice based on
their feelings and not based on their
faith oh come on y’all got that friend
that if you ready to ride or die you
don’t even have no questions they’re
going to do whatever you doing we gonna
say he broke up with me sisters she’s
gonna she ain’t gonna say
turn-the-other-cheek single say we’re my
Knights like Dennis said what I’m saying
like you and some of y’all of those
friends tell me how like yep yeah yep
just let him do it like okay and what
I’m saying to you is but just because
they would be down for wherever you are
emotionally that means sometimes that
they’re down for delaying your purpose
too
like they’ll let you stay in a
relationship and never say anything to
you when God showed them that was the
wrong person you won’t even say it to
him like you want I don’t want her to do
the same thing to me well then y’all
really aren’t in each other’s inner
circle like like like well I would never
want anybody you really don’t care
the Bible tells us that better are our
cuts or our slashes from a friend than
kisses from an enemy and for some reason
as believers we would rather kisses from
people who don’t even know us than the
truth in love everybody got that but
truth in love because some of you I’m
just telling you how it is you’re mean
that’s what you are okay the truth in
love so that people can be able to move
and this is what I’m convinced of is
everybody needs a real inner circle
everybody needs it everybody needs godly
community I want you to write the word
inner circle and then I want you to put
equals godly community so that you can
understand that this is what God wants
for every one of us and and and this is
really why the passion of this has come
in my heart is because the goal for
every person should be to reach purpose
like why are you here like that thing
that God placed you here for you need to
reach purpose you need to do God’s will
for your life
and a lot of people don’t realize that
there is some ingredients to getting
God’s will done in your life and today I
want to share that with you go to
Hebrews 13 2002 13 verse 20 and this is
my prayer for everybody through this
series as we lay the foundation today it
says may now may the God of peace who
brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus
and the great Shepherd of all the Sheep
and and ratified an eternal covenant
with his blood all that saying is now
God is really big and really strong he
even raised Jesus from the dead this is
the man he says this is where I want you
to focus in verse 21 may he quit you
with all you need for doing his will
like like that’s why we come to church
is so that God can equip you
with all you need to do his will or to
complete purpose or to finish the reason
that you came here and I want to throw
something out that I want to do a whole
nother sermon series on but somebody
just needs to hear this Jesus never
reached his potential Jesus finished his
calling and and I want everybody to hear
me say this very clearly is because if
we do not get into purpose we will be
ran around trying to fulfill our
potential see see a lot of us are here
like well I have this in me and I have
this in me and I have this in me and I
have this in me and yes God gave you all
of that but why did he give it to you
what are you supposed to do with it and
I’ve been told all my life you need to
you need to get that potential out of
you that this needs to you you need to
reach your potential but if I look at
the example of Jesus he could have done
anything I mean he could have been the
Caesar he could have been a Roman
shoulder he could have done anything but
when he climbed up on that cross and
said it is finished everybody was like
what is finished Rome still in power
your disciples have all left you it this
looks bad he wasn’t finished with what
he could have done he was finished with
what he was supposed to do Oh y’all
didn’t come today to hear nothing and so
that’s why the enemy tries to get us
caught up in potential I could be a
business owner and then I could I could
run from air and then I could do a
crafting business and then I can blog
and vlog and and I can do all of these
different things but the question is
what did God call you to do because busy
people can die never reaching purpose
and for our church that’s not gonna be
the case we’re gonna have keys that help
us be able to reach purpose and I
believe godly community is one of those
keys and I’m gonna explain it to you in
the sermon today um God said I want to
equip you with all you need to reach
purpose so so this is going to be very
simple and very elementary but I feel
like it’s gonna be very powerful for
you to see let me introduce you to the
circle of purpose this right here as I
begin to think about what you need to
reach purpose like what do I need to
make sure I reach purpose well me I go
start studying people that have reached
purpose and I go study
uhm secular people who reach purpose and
then I study biblical people who reach
purpose because I always want to know
like what’s the difference how do you do
it and this is one thing that I’ve found
out that a lot of times when people are
disconnected to God you don’t know if
they reach purpose success and purpose
aren’t the same thing and see this is
this is where we get we think money or
accolades or fame or or the ability to
do something that nobody else can do is
purpose no that’s something that maybe
you contrived or you are good at or
something happen at the right time in
the right place and all that other stuff
and God still looking at you saying
you’re you’re completely out of what I
called you to do this is why we have to
divorce American culture and pick up
Kingdom culture and I know this is
uncomfortable for somebody but but
that’s why he told the rich young ruler
go sell everything that you have and
come follow me
and we never hear from him again because
according to culture he had everything
but according to God he says if you keep
your life you will lose it but if you
give it up for me you’ll actually find
it everything in the kingdom of God is
upside down and I know some of you who
watch some of these people who are this
big and all this other stuff God says
that doesn’t matter to me your heart
matters to me if I can get your heart to
be open to do anything now say I can
give you that stuff but when I give you
that stuff and your heart is tainted by
it then I lose you
and so what God’s saying is I want you
to repurpose but I want you to do it in
my will so when I think about the circle
of purpose like how I’m gonna reach
purpose I found that there’s four things
there may be more but there’s four
things in biblical people reaching for
purpose that everybody has and I want to
talk about them
the first thing they have is a
relationship with God and we need an
active relationship with God every
person needs it look what the Bible says
in John 14
says Jesus told him I am the way the
truth and the life no one can come to
the Father except through me what he’s
saying is you can do good things without
God but you can’t do God’s will without
God I need you I’m gonna say that again
cuz that was good
you can do good things without God but
you can’t do God’s will without God and
a lot of people we we mesh them together
like man look how many how much meals
they raise for the homeless and look
look look at how they’re impacting that
community and look at how they’re doing
you can do good things without God
people are doing good things all the
time but I promise you they’re not doing
God’s specific will for their life
because if he’s out of the equation he
cannot be the center of what’s happening
and so what I’m telling everybody in
this place is that for you to complete
the circle of purpose in your life you
need an active everybody say active
Sundays to Sundays is not an active
relationship with God like like I know I
know as I but I’ve been coming to church
fasting like my job as your spiritual
tour guide is to help you get the most
out of this journey that you can and
what I’m telling you is if you’ve just
started coming to church and you’ve been
faithful with that let’s go because this
is about progression and not perfection
but some of us need to take another step
like you’ve been doing this for too long
you spend hours on YouTube watching
things that have nothing to do with your
purpose watching people that will never
speak into your life life watching funny
videos or doing all these other things
that don’t add to you but actually
you’re taking the only commodity that we
never get back which is time like it’s
robbing you of time and and what I’m
saying is if you get an active
relationship with God a true devotion
life and I’m not talking about an hour
and a half every morning or everything
I’m saying whatever you can start with
but you’re gonna do it daily
we have this thing called the thirsty
thirty wears ten minutes of reading the
word ten minutes of Prayer or ten
minutes of worship and I’m telling you
if you just committed to the thirsty 30
everyday for this year just just I’m
thirsty for
godlike as a deer panteth i need to
drink from you and everyday I’m not
gonna get a revelation but I’m
committing to thirsty 30 I’m committing
to 30 minutes that’s less than most of
the shows you watch that’s that’s less
than the time we can be on hold for our
bure eats or do you understand what I’m
saying like it’s less than the time I’m
asking you to commit to that because if
you’re gonna reach purpose and God’s
will for your life you have to have an
active relationship with God the second
thing that you’re going to need is
you’re gonna need to discover and
cultivate your gifts like anybody that
has ever reached purpose they were able
to identify and start working on the
specific gifts God has given them and
some of you are saying like cousin might
you know I don’t really have no gifts
yes you do I promise you you do and I’ll
prove it to you in the word let’s go to
Romans 12 6 it says in God’s grace He
has given us her different gifts watch
this for doing certain things well what
are those certain things you do well
don’t be deep right now like oh yes I
prophesy and I see into the stop some of
you organize well you you have a better
tendency to be more organized than other
people that’s a gift some of us talk
well so it’s my gift and it’s my job to
cultivate and develop and this is the
thing many times we get so caught up in
a profession instead of purpose that we
think that our gifts are our profession
and we can’t even see what God has
gifted us with some of you are just
gifted at giving if you have three of
something your natural inclination is to
give two of them away that’s a gift read
in the Bible about all the gifts and I
just want us to start valuing what maybe
we have put to the side because it’s
something God placed in us but we’re
judging it in an undeveloped state and
what God is saying is stop judging your
gifts in an undeveloped state start
cultivating those things so they can
become what he called them to become I
could stay
there all day but I got to get to the
missing link today so you got to have a
relationship with God
you got to discover and cultivate your
gifts let me give you the third one you
have to answer the calling of God now
I’m gonna explain this because I was
confused on this for a very long time I
had a relationship with God I knew I had
some gifts but I didn’t answer the
calling and the calling is the
intentional use of our specific gifts to
impact the kingdom so what I’m saying to
you is that no matter what realm God
calls you to governmental education
sports and entertainment God has given
each of you are calling to make Kingdom
impact with your gift see a lot of
people is like well my gifts aren’t in
church they don’t gotta be if you’re in
the workout arena kill that but God is
giving you a calling to turn what your
gift is into something that impacts the
kingdom and this is where most believers
get messed up is because once they find
their gifts this is where money comes
and this is where people start knowing
them and they never answer the call but
if you’re going to reach purpose for
your life you cannot just be gifted and
figure that out and do something but you
got to turn that gift and answer the
call let me give you a practical example
I’ve always been able to talk like I
could talk from the time I got whippings
for talking I got in trouble for talking
I could talk my way out of something
I’ve always that was my gift my gift was
talking but it wasn’t until I said yes
to the calling of God cuz I could be a
radio host right now like I could be a
sports announcer right now I could I
could read audio books for people and
just keep my purpose in the column of
gifts but what I did is when God took me
out of the music industry and said I
want to call you to speak to my people I
want to call you to represent I had an
option to say yes or no and most
believers when it comes right here god
I’m not ready for that God I’ve not been
trained for that
god it’s too late for me I’m so old I
can’t even do that and God said if you
would just say yes to the call I’ve
placed on y’all some of y’all there are
books in you did you said well I’ve
never written before he didn’t ask you
that see cuz the beautiful thing about
God is he doesn’t call people that are
equipped he equips people that answer
the call and so God’s called you to
start a fortune 500 business well I
didn’t go to business go ahead and ask
you all that I’m trying to because the
enemy comes to give us excuses of why we
can’t reach purpose and God’s saying I
did not ask you for your resume I asked
you for your yes well somebody needs to
hear that today God did not ask you for
your resume when he called you he said
pick up the phone say yes to me and if
you’re gonna reach purpose it was never
it’s never about what you can do at this
place which your gifting is just saying
yes and then God begins to mold you and
make you and change your desires and and
and take off the rough edges if y’all
want to see me as a pastor when I was a
youth pastor I was cussing our preaches
I some of y’all was here I say the
n-word y’all I was rough you don’t think
I play all these white people like oh my
god hear me I was rough around the edges
but I said yes and what God has done
over time is he put me on the potter’s
wheel maneet you know uh you can’t do
that you gotta yeah no no no he
understand what I’m saying like he kept
molding me and so what you see in what
you eat of now it’s because I said yes
to a calling a long time ago and where
I’ll be five years from now five months
from now and 50 years from now would be
completely different because every day
I’ll wake up and say yes so I’m asking
you if you’re gonna reach purpose if
you’re gonna get this circle of purpose
you got to have an active relationship
with God you have to discover and
cultivate take lessons get around people
who are better than you and in your
gifts but then you have to say yes to
the specific way God’s going to use it
to expand the kingdom not your kingdom
his
kingdom so now we get to this last one
after we get out okay try some I got my
relationship I understand my gifts like
I’m saying yes to the calling what’s
this last one and this it gets real
complicated people try to make this real
complicated they say man I can reach my
purpose if I have a revelation yeah
so if I can get a revelation
Oh God came to me in a dream last night
and that no no no no you don’t need a
revelation you don’t need that
what Pastor Mike what what if I have the
right networking I you know I gotta work
the people who who know me and I got to
get on social media I got to make a name
for myself that’s how I’m gonna reach
purpose you don’t need that working what
else I’m like what I need cuz I got God
I got my gifts I got my calling I know
what it is I need ambition yeah I need I
need the car I’m gonna I’m gonna show my
family i’ma show everybody that I’m
somebody God says you don’t need that so
what do you need I begin to go through
every giant in the Bible and this is the
missing link for them and for all of us
and it’s very simple it’s godly
community and some of you like no it’s
not
I already see I already see you like no
it’s not I’ll prove it to you three
examples let’s talk about Adam the first
man here we go
so Adam we know he had a relationship
with God he was the first man the Bible
says they they walked in the cool of the
day together so so so God and Adam had a
relationship so this one’s good okay
gifts he had the gift of management how
do you figure that
he had to name every animals yeah
big grey hippopotamus that’s what you’re
gonna be like like he had he had the he
had to manage so he had gifts right here
so that’s good he had a calling what was
his calling to subdue dominate and rule
over the entire earth as well as
reproduce or multiply from Adam
everybody was so he had a calling and he
said yes to the calling the first time
after all the creation that God said
it’s not good was when he looked at Adam
with his God with his gifts and with
this calling and he said it’s not good
for him to be alone and so what did God
do out of his side he put him to sleep
and he created godly community for him
and her name was Eve and God I thank you
for creating me because if you wouldn’t
have created Eve Oh in the god Natalie
and Lord is she a blessing and I thank
you what I’m saying to you is the thing
that allows the circle of purpose to be
fulfilled in our lives
the missing link is godly community that
wasn’t enough for some of y’all cause
something I was like okay Adam okay
let’s go to David because everybody like
David David and Goliath the one who who
slew and killed okay let’s talk about it
his relationship with God the Bible
talks about him being a man after God’s
own heart even when he messed up he
would turn he would repent he would go
from what he was doing so he had a
relationship with God
his gifts david was like some of you he
had tons of gifts I mean he was a
shepherd he was he was a warrior he
could play a mean guitar he was a
musician he he was an expert with a
slingshot and a star he’ll kill you like
do you understand what I’m saying he had
tons of gifts but what did David do with
his gifts he didn’t start a ling shot
company because I mean after you kill
Goliath I mean all I’m trying to do is
start the first Amazon Prime will happen
to you in less than two days like do you
understand what I’m saying I would have
started a business off of that but what
did David do he submitted his gifts to
his calling and what was his calling to
be the king of Israel like and he had to
go through years of being persecuted he
had to go through years of being on the
run he had to go through years of people
hating on him so what are you saying
Pastor Mike somebody needs to hear this
right now just because it’s not working
out doesn’t mean that’s what you’re not
called to like just because you got
opposition and haters doesn’t mean God’s
saying no he’s saying yeah you got to go
through that to build up the stamina to
withhold the position that I’ve called
you to because it’s bigger and it all
come on and it’s higher and it’s more
than what you thought opposition does
not mean that you were supposed to
detour that’s a whole nother that’s
that’s something completely different so
so he answered his calling but the Bible
talks about Jonathan and David that he
had godly community with the son of the
person who was trying to take him out
like like so what I want you to
understand is the Bible you can go read
it later for yourself because there’s so
much there it’s like so much there but
when you start looking at David’s life
and you start looking at Jonathan it
says their hearts were knit together it
said they looked out for each other let
me let me help you understand how much
they looked out for each other Jonathan
was supposed to be the heir to the
throne he was the one that was supposed
to be in the position that God called
David to and Jonathan was so in tuned
that he recognized that he wasn’t even
the one for the position
do you have people in your life who will
say this is what I’m supposed to step
into but your the one God called to do
it answers no look everybody just neck
is stiff like uh-uh no that’s what
Jonathan Jonathan saved David’s life
several times there’s one specific
instance where where Jonathan and David
they were going to invite him to a party
and David was like bro
I mean Jonathan said bro don’t come my
daddy crazy he’s trying to keep well I
don’t know if he trying to kill you I’ll
let you know if he trying to kill you
I’ll do some things I’ll say oh oh and
if I say oh that means get out of here
bro and this man put his life on the
line for his friend so that he could
reach his calling or his purpose and
ended up dying before his friend ever
reached his calling but it was because
he had somebody in his inner circle who
truly cared about him that he was even
able to be the King David that we know
about see he wasn’t able to reach
purpose until he completed with the
missing link being godly community one
more person because some of y’all still
sitting there just looking at me let’s
go to our example his name is Jesus now
if anybody could have done this thing
without godly community Jesus a son of
God are you buying
see I mean they understand what I’m
saying like like did you like arms like
D like like the Son of God okay so so we
already know it’s not like he had a
relationship with God he was God okay so
that one’s taken care of but I just want
you to see how powerful this is when
they were sitting at the beginning
before creation in Genesis he said he
said um they were already in community
this is how you know this is God’s plan
for us the father looked at the Sun in
the Sun looked at the Holy Spirit and
said let us oh come on y’all let us make
man like it wasn’t just one person that
it they literally we’re in community as
the beginning so then when Jesus comes
to earth he said I only do what I see my
so now Jesus is God Jesus gifts are
everything like I mean come on there is
not water in the wine they invited him
to all the party do you understand what
I’m saying like he he could do walking
on water like anything but what was his
calming to save the world to die on the
cross and and I mean if it was me cuz
ya’ll know Jesus didn’t want to do that
he was human and so it means that every
every way out that a human would want he
wanted it to he even as he said is there
um is there any other way
I mean we can and he said but
nevertheless not my see I got gifts but
not my will God I can make money with
this or I can do this or I can but not
my with your will what what you called
me to be done and so if it was me and I
knew I was going to the cross as soon as
I got released into ministry I were to
just walk straight up to the cross right
about to delay this y’all come on I’m
about to die like if it was me I would
have gone straight up come on I’m coming
back in three days
but he didn’t why cuz he had to complete
the circle of purpose and so he chose
godly community Oh y’all missed it he
chose it
he chose godly community he literally
was walking past people hey bro I like
you
follow me fishermen hey follow me walk
with me
do life with me let’s let’s walk
together well Jesus I’m not perfect like
I don’t matter
we’re just gonna walk together we’re
gonna do life together we’re going to
struggle together we’re gonna we’re
gonna eat together we’re gonna pray
together
we’re gonna go to worship together we’re
gonna celebrate together we’re gonna
fight together I’m even wash your nasty
feet I’m gonna get vulnerable before you
imma let you see me in a place that
nobody regular people can imma let you
into my inner circle and he decide he
chose to walk with people and even out
of the 12 disciples see cuz some of
y’all don’t even realize that God’s plan
this is God’s plan for all of us he he
he begin to walk with these gentlemen
but he had three guys they even let even
deeper into his life Peter James and
John they knew that Jesus had doodoo
streaks in his in his uh in his robe
some of y’all are so offended right now
is just like y’all know all of them
things were screaming something right
that was wholly flagellation do you
understand what I’m saying
what what I’m trying to paint the
picture is God was really human in Jesus
like he had to use the restroom see he
he had to go to shower he had and he
allowed people to see him in his state
of becoming my question to you is who
gets to see you while you’re still
becoming see see because because if
you’re just showing everybody the
finished product nobody even knows if
that’s real like what y’all come and
present to us like y’all don’t even know
that that’s real like like like like but
my wife
just prime example so over this past few
weeks in my inner circle and over this
this past year I’ve gained a couple lbs
a couple pounds you understand what I’m
saying and I had this outfit put
together and and I mean this outfit I
mean I think it looks great you know I’m
saying I came up here I was like this is
gonna be the and so my wife came up to
me today as I was leaning I was like how
do I look and she said the chef’s just a
little tight around the tongue and I
said that’s how she says yeah I was like
girl please it started that tie it
around my tongue but it was so she said
she said come here and I said what she
said I’m gonna cut a slit up the side so
that it doesn’t pull
[Applause]
[Music]
[Applause]
[Music]
you see I’m good now I’m good but I want
you to see the power of this that in my
vulnerability my inner circle just saved
me from an hour of embarrassment and I
let her into my life enough to be able
to see things that nobody would see
unless I showed you that’s a practical
example but in in your life who are the
people that can say come here your
attitudes bad come here we got a cut we
got a cut we we gotta leave you’re too
busy and so you’re stressed out and
that’s when you fall into sin and and
how do I know cuz I’ve been your friend
for four years I’ve watched these cycles
and I’m not gonna stand by anymore and
just let it happen like who are those
people
John would have never known that but my
inner circle does like when I take my
when I take my shirt off in my office
my brother Aaron who’s in my inner
circle he sees everything he knows when
I mess up he sees when I come off this
platform and just like that didn’t make
no sense they didn’t get anything out of
there he’s he see because if you don’t
have godly community you cannot complete
your purpose and so I so this is my
thing
if Jesus needed godly community what’s
your Excuse well I’m busy he had to save
the whole world
come on well I just don’t like people
like that
maybe that’s why you really do need
godly community because you had bad
examples of what relationship really
look like and it’s a dysfunction in your
heart and you need godly community and
somebody like well I’ve got community
I didn’t say community I said godly
community people who are not perfect but
whose direction is set towards Jesus
because if you don’t have those people
that were only removed by your emotions
and what we feel today and what we don’t
feel in the vibe is wrong forget a vibe
because the vibe can be wrong at any
time Jesus is the only thing that’s the
same his joy will be made perfect in our
weakness his strength will be made
perfect in our weakness he will be the
one that lifts that we needs people who
are set on the thing that we are set on
and so my question is Jesus had all of
this my question is where are you and
I’m not talking a serial can you name
your godly community no no I mean Suzie
I mean yeah Suzie Suzie well if you last
time talking to Suzie with seven months
ago
she’s not your godly community well I
mean my sister like must you’re still
lying to her though you never told her
what really happened so you can’t have
godly community with lies some of y’all
are so fake with your best friends let’s
be honest like they’re my besties but
you have not told them what really
happened and what’s really going and
that you keep them that close because
you’re really jealous of them and so you
get to see things before them so you can
try to compare yourself and outdo them
come on let’s be honest all I’m saying
is it may be time to re-evaluate our
community and and this is this is the
only reason I say that is because this
is God’s plan for us this is God’s plan
for expansion in your life and it’s
God’s plan for the
I’m gonna take you right now to
Ecclesiastes 4 9 and you know this but I
want you to see this Ecclesiastes 49 and
it’s so strong because it says two
people are better than one period like
that’s the whole sentence and it says
then for they can help each other what’s
that last word succeed what I’m telling
you is your success is wrapped up in
this missing link right here you need
godly community and I know you’re quiet
and you’re shy and all these other
excuses and lies that the enemy has has
tried to convince you of so you don’t
reach purpose but today we have to
divorce that because the Bible says two
are better than one if one person falls
the other can reach out and help them
but someone who falls alone is in real
trouble I heard somebody say there’s no
I in team but there is a I in isolation
and that’s where the enemy would like to
keep every one of you yeah you pray yeah
you worship yeah you but you’re alone
and if you’re alone according to the
Bible you’re in real trouble nobody even
knows what you’re struggling with they
don’t know how to pray for you they
don’t know and they can’t they can’t
force their way in you have to let them
in that’s why this whole Christian walk
is about about being courteous
that’s what Jesus doesn’t try his way in
to our life you have to invite him into
your life and we need godly community
verse 11 likewise two people lying close
together can keep each other warm but
how can you be warm alone a person
standing alone look at this can be
attacked and defeated
that’s why pornography has been able to
wear some of y’all out because nobody
even knows you’re fighting it and so you
go and you you fight alone that’s why
your marriages are following apart in
some ways because you don’t have any
other couples that can speak life into
your marriage that’s why many of us are
dealing with comparison because we’re
always so perfect and nobody even knows
we’re struggling it says a person
standing alone can be attacked and
defeated but two can stand back-to-back
get that picture in your head they can
stand back-to-back and they can think
and fight brother Scott come here real
fast I want you to realize this image
and this picture right now if I’m alone
the enemy can
me cuz I can’t see something but if I
have somebody that’s back-to-back with
me and stronger than me and ball head
and fight and how the police are
training when the enemy comes he’s got
this side and I’ve got this side and if
he comes and we got to start turning I’m
not blind to what is happening because I
got somebody that’s got my back I need
you to hear me say this there are people
that God is trying to assign to your
life that you can stand back-to-back
with but see what we want to do is stand
face-to-face with people I wanted to
tell you about all my problems I don’t
tell you this and tell you all of that
and God’s saying that’s not what you
need to do you need to stop talking so
much and get back to back and say do you
got me okay and I got you so it’s not
about us seeing eye-to-eye on everything
oh you missed it it’s not about us
seeing eye-to-eye well this is what I
feel about this this is what I feel
about it’s a seeing what each other
doesn’t see it’s about realizing that my
blind spots are things that you can see
clearly so so what’s coming on that side
am i dealing in pride and my Dillion
anger has my attitude change am i
becoming money-hungry I need somebody
that can see what I don’t see does
everybody understand that somebody say I
need an inner circle see see church as I
end today I want you to realize one
thing that we’re not we’re not going to
be a church that just preaches the the
message of Jesus we’re gonna be a church
that follows the method of Jesus see a
lot of people preach the message but do
what they want but God gave us a clear
instruction for godly community this is
my last scripture in acts 2:42 it
literally is titled in my Bible the
believers from a community like doing
godly community and it said all of the
believers devoted themselves to the
Apostles teaching and to fellowship and
to sharing in meals including the Lord’s
Supper
into prayer those are four things a deep
sense of all came over all of them and
the Apostles look at the atmosphere that
miracles were performed in the Apostles
performed many miracles signs and
wonders and all of the believers met
together in one place
and they shared everything they had they
sold their property and possessions and
share their money with those in need
they worshiped together at the temple
each day like we’re doing today
they worship together in large group
settings but then they met in homes for
the Lord’s Supper and they shared their
meals with great joy and generosity
all of the while they were praising and
enjoying the goodwill of every person
they weren’t in competition they were
completing each other in purpose and
each day look at the result of them
doing this each day the Lord not their
publicity not their networking not other
the Lord added to their fellowship those
who were being saved every single day we
would have to do less evangelism if we
would do community Oh y’all in like that
if you wouldn’t have to tell people
about Jesus because they would see how
your life is and the people you do stuff
and they’re gonna ask what must I do to
be saved the Lord added to them every
day so this this is what I want you to
know there are five elements to what
grew the church and what grew people
they worship together they chilled
together they prayed together they
transform together and they multiplied
period I want everybody to get this as a
church I’m here to set the culture
straight as transformation Church if
you’re gonna be a part of this church
I’m telling you my preaching is good but
small groups and community is way better
but because this is where you get
touched guys our church is getting
better bigger everybody’s not gonna get
to touch Pastor Mike and I ain’t got
nothing for you I’m just gonna point you
to Jesus but but healing happens in
community a lot of people want to come
up to the altar and get prayer for me
sorry boo I’m not the healer I only can
point you to the healer and God gives us
direction he tells us in James he says
if you need to be here
confess your sins one to another and ask
each other for healing ask each other
for prayer and you’ll be healed see the
church has gotten it backwards it’s been
glory to the man let the man of God
touch you know tell your friend pray
together Healing comes like I want you
to realize this is not I’m just up here
using my gift submitted to my calling
trying to reach my purpose but I can’t
heal you from your emotional wounds and
all that but being in a small group and
telling those people in walking with
those people and daily asking them to
pray for you and healing God says that’s
where healing comes your marriage is
broken get around some other married
broken keep people and y’all keep
pointing to Jesus and pray together and
he said healing will come I just want
you to see as a church this is what
we’re gonna do we’re gonna worship
together in enlarged temple courts
that’s what we’re doing right now but
then we’re gonna meet and chill together
from house to house that’s what we’re
even pushing today and and offering to
you today I know it may be difficult for
you to find godly community this is the
main thing that our church does is that
we do large group worship and then we do
house to house and we call it belongs
because everybody needs a place where
they belong
y’all this church is only gonna get
bigger thousands of people are gonna be
coming to this church but why do I go to
a big Church it’s not a big Church when
you’re in a small group like like who
knows your name who can you start
developing relationship I know it’s
gonna take time for some of us to open
everything up to everybody but God wants
you to have godly community and listen
that means you may have to divorce some
of the friends that you’ve had I’ll talk
about the rollercoaster of a
relationship next week but you may have
to divorce some of those relationships
because you can’t stay in a relationship
because of time served
Oh y’all know we’ve been down since
second grade we learn how to spell
together
well spell bye-bye do you understand
what I’m saying because this is this is
no longer because it’s not taking me
towards purpose and so we have to get
into that and and so so what I’m saying
is this is Jesus’s plan and his method
so it’s our method – and this is what I
really want everybody to know cuz I know
you’re saying well Pastor Mike that’s
not really what I want to do because
that’s not that’s not how I do it this
is this really I really want it to be
all about me like my comfort me being me
being in control of the relationships me
knowing and God said my plan was never
for it to be about you it was never to
be me focused
it’s time remember the kingdom of God
turns everything upside down as a church
we’re not gonna be me focused we’re
going to be we focus and and from now on
as a church if you’re going through
anything alone it’s because you’ve
decided to reject godly community well
nobody’s here for me
Pastor Mike wouldn’t answer my phone
call I’m not going to answer your phone
call I’m not because my primary
responsibility is to lead the leaders
and feed the sheep and and and above all
of that it’s to Natalie Ava Bella and MJ
I have to be the pastor of that home
before our pastor anybody else and
listen I’m figuring that out right now
in my inner circle last night till
midnight we are talking about my
schedule with people who are in my
people who don’t have to to call me to
come over people who have garage openers
to my house see who has access like like
cancer I’m coming in oh I wouldn’t
expect you it’s okay I’m here and we
need to talk about this because this is
an issue and you were acting like it
wasn’t but it is well it is an issue I
was just mad at y’all and I just didn’t
think that this was gonna work out so I
was gonna act like it didn’t exist well
let’s talk about it this how I feel this
is how you feel
and now
got to get this thing together and let’s
pray about this and let’s move forward
in this and literally I’m telling you
from last night to this morning as I
stand here and preach to you I am better
because I have godly community if you
don’t have that you are missing out on
the circle of purpose that God is trying
to give you there is a missing link that
today God wants you to begin to fulfill
I want to pray for every person that
this concept you wouldn’t just brush off
because some of you gonna be three
months from now I’m like why is
everything not working because you can’t
complete purpose remember you can you
can have all of these other things
everything else relationship with God
your giftings your calling but without
godly community doesn’t complete the
circle true life change happens in small
groups I’m challenging every person
today get in a small group oh I’m busy I
bet you are but you may be busy with
things that aren’t pushing you towards
purpose and this can be another year of
cycles or you can try something
different and break these cycles well I
have a huge company you still need
community well I’ve been hurt in
community before God is a God of second
chances well I just don’t know if I’ll
be heard I promise you if one group
doesn’t work another one will like but
I’m just asking us not to just listen to
the message of message of Jesus why
don’t we participate in the method of
Jesus even those watching online you you
may need to find a godly community
within the internet on circle or go to a
local church wherever you are and tell
them I need community you need to be in
community with other people I’m gonna
pray for every person in this room
father I thank you that today we heard
your word God if Adam needed an inner
circle and David needed an inner circle
and even Jesus our example needed in a
circle Father we believe we need one now
help us find them lead us and guide us
your word says that you delight in the
details of our life and so God I’m
thanking you for every person who is
having a hard time with this father that
you
open their hearts and you allow them to
take the next step father let this
church be known for godly community let
us do life together let us meet in
temple courts and worship you
but then meet from house to house and
share father God let us be able to pray
together and chill together and walk
together and and suffer together father
God and see victory together father God
and transform together and see more
people come to you together we trust you
we believe you and we thank you for it
in Jesus name we agree amen