Integrity Killers
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James 3:16
For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind. - NLT
Selfish Ambition - the ungodly habit of promoting one’s own interests above the purposes of God and the good of others.
Worldly Wisdom - Earthly (or earthbound), unspiritual, and demonic (James 3:15). Wherever it is there will be disorder and evil of every kind.
1 Corinthians 1:20-21, 25
20 God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom
25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength. - NLT
Heavenly Wisdom: Supreme intelligence - God’s wisdom is the highest in rank or authority; paramount; sovereign; chief.
James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.
James 1:5
If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.
James 4:1-10
1 What is causing the quarrels and fights among you? Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? 2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. 4 You adulterers! Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God. 5 Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him.[b] 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say,“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. 9 Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. 10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
The Genuine Church doesn’t Hide from Hard Questions
1. What is causing the quarrels and fights among you?
Honest Answer:
My personal preferences and my point of view can get in the way of getting along with God’s people.
Wisdom Warnings
Isaiah 5:21
What sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever.
Proverbs 3:7
Don’t be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the Lord and turn away from evil.
Proverbs 26:12
There is more hope for fools than for people who think they are wise.
Proverbs 28:26
Those who trust their own insight are foolish, but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe.
2 Don’t they come from the evil desires at war within you? (James 4:1)
Honest Answer
I am my worst enemy when I don’t deal with the war waging on the inside of me.
Unbridled passion will rob you of personal peace, peace with God
James 4:2-3
2 You want what you don’t have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can’t get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure.
Peace:
Exemption from the rage and havoc of war
Peace between individuals, i.e. harmony, concord
Security, safety, prosperity, felicity (intense happiness), (because peace and harmony make and keep things safe
Philippians 4:9
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.
Colossians 3:15
And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful.
3. Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? (James 4:4)
Honest Answer
My focus on the world has prevented me from flourishing in the Kingdom.
Pathways to Protecting Your Passion
How I handle problems
Prayer
Community
Being Aware that there is a Word that wants my affection & Letting Go
Devotions & I Don’t Watch TV
Allowing my health Issues to draw me closer to God & having conversation with God. Walking & appreciating life and God
Life of Thankfulness / play Piano and worship
Quiet Time & Meditation, Exercise, Big Girl Cry
Listen to the Bible / Listen to the Word
Perspective…The older you get the more you realize God is Goodl
WWJD and Learn to Laugh
Read Scripture
Walking my Dog & Talking with God
4. Do you think the Scriptures have no meaning? (James 4:5-6)
Honest Answer:
I have not humbly submitted myself to your Word, therefore I have been more influenced by the world.
The Genuine Church must prioritize and pursue friendship with God.
James 4:5-8
5 They say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him. 6 And he gives grace generously. As the Scriptures say, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”]7 So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world.
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[Music] get up get out your seat live out your Desy get out hi my name is Michelle and I serve here at Real Life Church as one of the pastors and I want to take a moment before we jump into the message just to say thank you first of all for engaging with this message we believe that this message is going to lift up your faith and lead you to encounter God through his word if you haven't already we would love for you to take a moment and subscribe to our YouTube channel this way you can stay engaged and upto-date
on the latest messages and this helps us get the message of the Gospel out to others again thank you so much for joining us from Sacramento and Beyond and we trust you will be blessed by this message today we're continuing our series on the genuine Church a journey through the Book of James if you have your Bibles or if you use the Bible app I want you to get your Bibles out um we're going to be looking a little bit at chapter three chapter 4 you can get all of the notes on the uver app just go to um Real Life
Church go to events Real Life Church Sacramento and then all the notes are in there you're going to notice that there are a lot of notes today I actually went in and reduced took a lot out kind of boiled that thing down simmered it down and I'm just trusting the Lord of what he's going to do today we just came off a actually I'm breaking today a 7-Day fast we had about 20 to 30 people at least joining us in the mornings I know several others that couldn't make it on our upper Zoom call um were joining us
in this fast but breaking a fast today and I believe listen there there's no other response that we can have in this day and the hour that we're living in other than prayer listen there's a lot of things that we could say listen there's a lot of things that we can do but the most important thing that we can do as a church is seek the face of almighty God he is thank you so much Gary Come on Amen listen this is the answer God is the only one who has the answers that we're searching for it's
not going to come listen through political leaders it's going to come through Jesus Christ come on our Lord and savior last week we addressed the sins of the tongue how many you guys appreciated that top 10 mistakes that we make with our mouth I don't know about you but every time I get that list in front of me or I re do a little refresh I notice how many times my mouth wants to take me off track or how many times I'm in a conversation and I'm like ooh I've got an opportunity to gossip right
here or I've got a opportunity to talk about somebody right here or I got an opportunity how you had an opportunity this week to make a mistake with your mouth I know I did but not only can these sins take you take your tongue or your tongue take you off track they can also take you captive when you submit yourselves to them and this is what James is getting to in the latter half of James chapter 3 which we didn't cover but we need to touch on before we move to chapter 4 in James 3:13 to18 to get a better grasp it's important to
understand that James continues to exhort the church to beware of those who seem to be wise in what they say but every kind of evil is following them in everything they do they seem wise in everything they say oh that sounds good but what's following them everything that's following them is evil in other words they talk a good game but things just are not adding up anybody ever run across someone like that in other words their life is on fire and it's not Holy Ghost Fire and James points again to what a
person's life looks like who is radiating the work and the wisdom of Heaven not someone who is just captivating people by their words listen listen to the spirit of the Lord this morning let's not be captivated by the words of worldly wisdom but let's answer and respond to the call to live at a higher level of Heaven ly wisdom that God wants to release to us look at verse 13 it's not on the screen but I need to to go there it says if you are wise and understand God's ways prove it by living an honorable
life doing good works with humility that comes from everybody say wisdom how many of you want to be wise this morning James helps us out by Contra contrasting in the latter part of chapter 3 two types of wisdom worldly wisdom and Heavenly wisdom James 13:1 14:15 again it's not on the screens but if you have your Bibles or your Bible apps let's follow around I'm look I'm reading out of the NLT it says but if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart don't cover up the truth with boasting and
lying how you know that would be a mistake come on by your mouth for jealousy and selfishness are not God's kind of wisdom such things are Earthly spiritual and demonic James describes worldly wisdom as this we just read it Earthly or EarthBound unspiritual demonic and then he says wherever it is there will be disorder and evil of every kind you see we open ourselves up to worldly wisdom when we listen to the lies of the enemy how many you know come on the devil is cunning and crafty come on he will lie to you and
make it sound like truth it's when we lean on our own understanding and we don't trust the Lord It's when we begin to fear man more than we fear God Proverbs tells us that the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom if we continue to fear man we'll never tap into Heavenly wisdom and then we begin to make decisions by what others say other people's opinions instead of What God Says verse 16 and this is on the screen for wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition there you will find disorder
and uh disorder and evil of every kind selfish ambition is this the ungodly habit of promoting one's own interests above the purposes of God and the good of others I sense the Holy Spirit wants to open our eyes to the wisdom W of the world that is in direct opposition to Heavenly wisdom in our lives and his plan for Humanity now it's easy to see well maybe not for some but listen it's easy to be deceived by the spirit of this age it's easy to be deceived by worldly wisdom we see this in the political landscape of our days where
interest groups that that there are interest groups that don't have the best interest interest of the entire nation there are politicians who are serving themselves in their own agendas and not the people who elect them that's an obvious example but what happens when worldly wisdom creeps its way into the church what happens when jealousy and selfish ambition again selfish ambition the ungodly habit of promoting one's own interests above the purposes of God and the good of others what happens when
that creeps into the church I'm glad you asked the church becomes powerless listen when we decide to operate in worldly wisdom come on our methods come on our strategies come on just our ideas listen and we're just operating down here how many you know it can quickly come about become about us listen my mission is no longer in submission come on to God's Great Commission and God I believe in this hour is calling us not to live in worldly wisdom he wants us to be able to discern the difference between what
worldly wisdom looks like and what Heavenly wisdom looks like it's really a no-brainer listen even when you have the word lifted up alongside of it all you have to do sometimes is just hold up the word and look what you're looking at and just say you know what that doesn't look like heaven to me the church becomes powerless because what happens is we set the purposes and plans of man over the purposes and plans of God and the people that we're called to serve and no longer are we serving people now the people we feel are called
to serve us how many know that's backwards contrast that with what Heavenly wisdom is it is I like this supreme intelligence how many could use some Supreme intelligence God's wisdom is the highest rank and the highest Authority it is Paramount it is Sovereign it is chief of all wisdoms and James says this about it we know what worldly wisdom looks like and now James says in verse 17 of chapter 3 he says but the wisdom from above how many want to live above the wisdom from above is first of all pure it also is
peaceloving gentle at all times and willing to yield to others this is what we were contending for a lot of our prayers this week were we're contending listen for a unified America that we would have listen people that were willing to yield to one another to submit to one another how many you know that's got to start in the church first how you know that has to start with us first come on if we can't get it right we can't expect the world to get it right it is full of mercy and the fruit of Good Deeds it shows no
favoritism and is always sincere and so I created a chart that I a tool that I want to give you because I believe it's going to help us out in 2024 I believe this tool listen you're going to be able to to bring it out or go to the notes in uers and you're going to be able to say you know what that's worldly wisdom come on this is Heavenly wisdom so let's see the source we just talked about it worldly wisdom it originates from Human reasoning experiences and culture based on logic science and personal gain influenced by
societal norms and value Heavenly wisdom originates from God it's revealed through the holy spirit it's based on scripture faith and divine revelation influenced by biblical principles and God's character characters God's character so what does it look like well let's see worldly wisdom is self-c centered anybody ever seen that in the church prideful seeks power wealth status can be manipulative and deceptive focuses on immediate gratification and temporary success Heavenly wisdom however is humble pure peaceloving seeks
righteousness Justice and Truth promotes love Mercy compassion Focus focuses on Eternal values and long-term spiritual growth when worldly wisdom is applied to our life it leads to competition conflict division may result in moral compromises ethical dilemas encourages Reliance on human strength and intellect but Heavenly wisdom leads to Unity come on peace reconciliation all the things that we were praying about this week promotes Integrity this is the whole message of James you can live it with and walk in Heavenly wisdom
a life integrated where you're where your life is integrated with the will of God the ways of God the works of God the wisdom of God and how many know when all those things are in your life come on the wonders of God start flowing through your life and then the outcomes outcomes I'm going to I already touched on the biblical reference es but the outcomes lead to spiritual emptiness worldly wisdom leads you to spiritual emptiness separation from God and results in temporary success but often leaves a void in the
soul and Heavenly wisdom leads to spiritual fulfillment and a deeper relationship with God results in a life that bears good fruit and glorifies God what I want you to see is that James is contrasting worldly wisdom and Heavenly wisdom so we can recognize the characteristics and if we recognize that it's worldly come on we'll run from it but if it's Heavenly we'll walk in it how many know God wants us to walk in Heavenly wisdom you see we have to be able to discern between the spirit of the world
and the spirit of God Lord have mercy on us let us be able to discern come on in 2024 the difference between the spirit of the age and the spirit of the Living God so how do we do that I love this because James is a master of asking questions how many of you like good questions anybody ever asked you a question come on that made you squirm that made you a little uncomfortable you might have thought it was a little too personal this is James James throughout throughout the book depending on what translation you read James asks 22
questions in the Book of James how many know that's a lot of questions I mean if I was alive when James I'd say bro why are you asking me so many questions he's asking these questions so that we can give ourselves a spiritual checkup and this is what he's doing he's challenging the church listen he's calling the scattered Church the persecuted church the church that's under pressure let me personalize that because some of you think is the church as a building or church at 1921 Arena
he's he's calling Believers like you and I he's calling them up he's calling them hey you don't have to live come on below the line I'm calling you to live above the line I'm not asking you to walk in worldly wisdom I'm asking you to walk in Heavenly wisdom come on how we know he's called us to live beneath I mean above and not beneath he's called us to live as the head and not the tail and so we're not going to take time to read it but James actually Four we're going to look
at James chapter 4 1-10 at actually we are going to read it is that all right we're going to read it real fast though all right let's go there it says what is causing the quarrels and fights among you don't they come from the evil desires at War within you you want what you don't have so you schem and kill to get it you are jealous of what others have but you can't get it so you fight and wage war to take it away from them now remember he's talking to the church yet you don't have what you want
because you don't ask God for it in other words you're prayerless come on how you know the prayerless church is a careless Church you don't have because you don't ask and even when you ask you don't get it because your motives are all wrong again it's all about you it's all about your success it's all about SE your plans and not God's plans you want only what will give you pleasure and he says this you adulterers don't you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God I say it again
if you want to be a friend of the world you make yourself an enemy of God do you think the scriptures have no meaning they say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him come on how many you know God is calling the church listen to burn come on with a First Love Again listen listen that when we get listen when we have things that happened in our nation last week listen whether whether you're voting for him or not when things happen like that listen it should bring
us all to our knees listen if we're really desperate listen if we're really desperate if we really want to see Revival if we really want to see a spiritual awakening listen isn't this like a passion beer like like how do you really believe I can do something are we he's just going to continue to be like whatever will be will be I wonder how much we settle for as Believers because we don't ask we leave it up to the pastor or small group of intercessors on a Monday morning but how many people really would
show up if we just said you know what we're calling the entire church this morning to prayer I think it empty the church well I'm going go hear somebody preach about prayer but I'm not going to actually go to prayer you guys all right we're powerless without prayer I have nothing to say I told you guys that last week when when everything happened last week and P you know hey what are you going to do what what I got nothing to say I got everything to pray I got nothing to say sure I can formulate a statement and
sound good and all that I did that for my first three years over 22 times and then I talked to a mentor friend of mine who had been a pastor for 25 years in this community recently retired I said how many statements have you made over 25 years and he said three he said you could make a statement every week and he looked at me and he said preach the gospel preach the gospel I know that makes everybody nervous but anyway then he says do you think the scriptures have no meaning they say that God is passionate that the spirit is
placed within us should be faithful to him and he gives Grace generously and the scripture says this God opposed es the proud God opposes those listen who walk in worldly wisdom there's no favor there there's no Grace there there's no mercy there there's only selfish ambition jealousy and every kind of evil there listen he can't bless it he opposes it but he says this God gives grace to the humble come on God gives Grace to those walking in Heavenly wisdom so humble yourselves listen to the word of the Lord before
God resist the devil and he will flee from you come close to God God will come close to you wash your hands you Sinners purify your hearts for your loyalty is divided between God and the world come on how you know we can't straddle the fence in 2024 let there be tears for what you've done he's calling them out he's calling them to repentance I believe listen with all my heart the holy spirit is calling his church to repentance to say God we've tried everything we've tried man's methods
we've tried the best-selling book we've tried the master class we tried this we've tried that and God is just saying will you look to me will you trust me again Let There Be sadness instead of laughter and Gloom instead of Joy humble yourselves before the Lord and He will lift you up in honor and James goes on to ask four probing questions that that expose what I said Integrity Killers but actually wisdom Killers things that will kill Heavenly wisdom flowing from your life these things attack wisdom in our lives
which help us navigate all the nonsense and wisdom of this world that we're wrestling with today James goes on to ask four hard questions how you know the genuine Church doesn't hide from hard questions we can't we can't hide from hard questions we've got to be ready to answer them and the first one he asked we're going to hit head on today and it says this what is causing the quar s and fights among you when you think of what causes a good church fight what comes to your mind anybody been part of a good church fight
anybody been part of a bad annual business meeting anybody been part of uh some drama happening in the church when you think of what causes a good church fight what comes to your mind there's a number of things right people get upset over Theology and Doctrine and worship style and Leadership decisions and use of money and social and political issues cultural and generational differences personal conflicts tradition versus change Church growth Ministry priorities how many you got some firsthand experience some of us have hurtful
experiences some of us have church wounds that we're still trying to heal from but let me ask you this are those the things the things I just listed are they really what we're fighting over or come on how you know it's easier to blame somebody else or something else come on instead of accepting responsibility you see the genuine Church Must deal with the root not with the fruit what I just listed was a bunch of fruit it's not the root the root is answered when we ask this question what wisdom are we leaning
on Proverbs I these are just some wisdom warnings I came up with out of the Proverbs or Isaiah and Proverbs Isaiah 5:21 what sorrow for those who are wise in their own eyes and think themselves so clever Proverbs 3:7 don't be impressed with your own wisdom instead fear the lord and turn away from Evil proverbs 26:12 there is more Hope For Fools than for people who think they are wise Proverbs 28:26 those who trust in their own Insight are foolish but anyone who walks in wisdom is safe what is causing the quarrels and
the fights among you and I'm going to take you on a little bit of a road to repentance is that all right here's the honest answer or let me say it this way an honest confession can we confess together I just thought I would lead you in Repentance is that all right come on I'm pulling you come on I'm pulling you but here's the honest can we say it together can you go there it's the honest answer there we go no that's not it it's the first one repeat after me my personal preferences
personal preferences and my point of view my point of view can get in the way get in the way of getting along getting along with God's people with God's people especially when your point of view is being ruled by worldly wisdom you see our sinful self is the root and greatest Integrity killer of them all come on how you know we've been crucified with Christ it's no longer us that live but Christ that lives in US amen the last couple weeks I've been reminded how easy it is to let our flesh rule our spirit how
many you know it's nothing like a 7-Day fast come on that will remind you come on of who has been in control of your life and and I'm just telling you I love to eat anybody love to eat some of you already thinking about what you're going to eat after church and and when I was in I was uh we were in the school of Victory I went to every session I I only missed one session cuz I had to step out for an hour and I came back but after after after that week I felt my newa man felt like it it had ate like a three course
meal every day three times a day I felt like my newa man was strong and then the the events of of the weekend going into that weekend and then the call to the fast asked and man can I just tell you this man when you get to about that third day Jamba Juice ain't cutting it no more but yet listen it's it's the desire God I it's not my power but your power it's got to be you not me when we look to worldly wisdom we open ourselves to the world of iniquity that attacks our integrity it leads me to my the second
question that James asks and it's this he says a follow-up question how many you like the follow-up question even better right CU he knows what they're going to do with the first question he knows that they're going to blame it on something else oh it's this it's that it's that person it's that person and he says this he says with the follow-up question he says actually don't they come from the evil desires at War within you come on how you know when I'm pointing at you I've got three pointing
back at me you see the genuine church acknowledges that unbridled passion will rob you of personal peace peace with God and peace with others look at what again what he says in verses 2 and three you want what you don't have so you scheme and kill to get it you are jealous of what others have but you can't get it so you fight and wage war to take it away from them yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask for for you don't ask God for it and even when you ask you don't get it because your
motives are all wrong you want only what will give you pleasure and James alludes in these two verses four more Integrity killers of heavenly wisdom ruling your life and the first one is covetousness wanting what you don't have and willing to say or do anything to make it happen including a relationship come on where do it's Covetous covetousness I know that's like a biblical term but how many you know listen wanting what you don't have and being willing to say or do anything to make it happen isn't
right and then he says this murder now he's not talking about actually killing somebody he's actually talking about take he's not talking about taking a human life but he's saying you're willing to do anything and put your passion over people and kill the life of the spirit in the process you see passion without submission will always be a problem passion without submission will always be a problem then he moves on to wrong motives you ask and do not receive you want only what will give you
pleasure it's all about who you and then he says spiritual adultery he calls them adulterers adulterers again he's not talking about the physical act of adultery he's talking about the spiritual act what has our affections what is what is causing us to be unfaithful to God and our devotion to him how you know we have to make a decision are we going to live to please ourselves or are we going to live to please God am I going to choose pleasure or am I going to choose peace how you know there's a
difference are we going to choose pleasure or are we going to choose peace peace is this biblical peace is this exemption of rage and Havoc of War how many know we need to answer the question honestly and say you know what there's a war waging on the inside of me I don't have peace with in myself therefore everywhere I go there's war come on how you know some people like that everywhere they go a war breaks out peace between individuals Harmony security safety Prosperity Felicity I like that word Felicity because it means
intense happiness come on how we know we need some intensely happy people in our day Paul says this in Philippians 4:9 he says keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me everything you heard from me and saw me doing then the god of will be with you Colossians 3:15 and let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts for as members of one body you are called to live inace and always be thankful here's the honest answer you guys ready for the honest confession that we can confess
together is that all right we're repenting all right here we are let's do it 1 2 3 I'm my worst enemy when I don't deal with a war waging on the inside of me what's robbing you of your peace what's preventing you from running to God and reconciling with him so that you can have peace with him first see some of you trying to figure out this but you need to figure out this first your relationship ship with Jesus listen when you have the Prince of Peace come on peace Heavenly peace can come and
invade your life when we look to worldly wisdom it will never give us the peace our soul Longs for it will cause us to seek to obtain things through our unbridled passions let me say that again when we look to worldly wisdom it will never give us the peace our soul Longs for because it will cause us to seek to obtain things through our unbridled passions leads me to the third question that James asks and he says this don't you realize that friendship come on with the world makes you an enemy of God how many you know James is straight
up you can't hide with these questions you see the genuine Church Must prioritize and pursue friendship with God intimacy with God will prevent you from becoming an enemy of God so we've been talking about integrity Killers but what are the intimacy killers in your life what's preventing you from reading your word or spending 10 to 15 minutes at least in a Devotion to him uh a couple weeks ago I was at the uh Prime life community breakfast I I think I got a picture of there up on the screen and I just popped in and
surprised everybody and Dave and Don Erie are doing a great job there and Dave asked a question and uh it was a great Icebreaker question you know getting to know everybody and here's the here was the opening question what do you do to keep yourself from being consumed by pleasures of this world now let me remind you most of the folks in the room including myself come on are 50 and over you would think man that everybody in the room got that under control right and Dave asked this question and as soon as he asked the question I got out my
iPhone and I started taking notes cuz I'm say I'm going to use this on a Sunday morning because this is some Heavenly wisdom in this room that's flowing right now that you're not going to be able to get just anywhere and so Dave asked the question and we went around the room everybody in the room answered this question what do you do to keep yourself from being consumed by worldly pre uh pleasures of this world world and so would you guys like some Pathways come on to protecting your pure passion come on here's some
wisdom from the 50 uh from the prime Life Community I like this one right here Isaac sim said this how I handle problems come on how you know there's a way to handle problems and a way not to handle problems I like he said this quote I just wrote it down he said if I never had a problem I wouldn't know God could solve it we continueed round the table prayer Community being aware that there is a word that wants my affection Letting Go devotions don't watch TV oh there's one come on allowing my health issues to draw me
closer to God holy cow having conversation with god walking in appreciation creting life and God a life of thankfulness playing piano and worshiping a quiet time in meditation exercise I like this one a big girl cry come on how you know you're never too old to cry listening to the Bible to the word perspective person said the older you get the more you realize God is good another person said wwjd what would Jesus do a sense of humor Learning To Laugh reading scripture walking and walking my dog and talking with
God one of the things that we're going to do in September is we're going to call the church 40 days to a digital fast no social media no Facebook you only can use the utility apps the ones that keep you employed that's the only ones you're going to be what we're going to recommend that you use the only ones that keep you getting paid that's the only thing you can use but no Twitter or X now no no IG no Tik Tock come on and even the church is going to go offline well how we going to know
everything right go to the website that's the utility right there but we're going to call the church to a digital fast why we're calling you back to your first love man you can't get through a devotion without come on you can't get through come on reading one chapter without making a to-do list and then that's not God's to-do list now I'm telling on myself here if you don't know I'm just saying we get so distracted come on by worldly wisdom that we don't spend time investing oursel and allowing God and
the Holy Spirit to invest us listen a wisdom that we cannot get anywhere else here's the honest answer are you guys ready for an honest confession let's say it together my focus on the world has prevented me from flourishing in the Kingdom can we say it again my focus on the world has prevented me from flourishing in the Kingdom I'm going to ask the worship team to come up because the last question question he asks he says do you think the scriptures have no meaning I'll say it again because James
said it again and it's still speaking for all eternity he says do you think the scriptures have no meaning I kind of rephrase the questions do you think the holy scriptures are full of empty promises do you believe the Bible is the word of God do you believe the word of God reveals the will of God that's a good one do you believe scriptures contain the wisdom of God do you believe we can have what the scriptures say we can have James is saying if the scriptures mean anything to you then live according to them by submitting to God and his
word like they mean something to you you see the genuine Church understands we can have what scriptures say we can have James 45-6 it says this they say that God is passionate that the spirit he has placed within us should be faithful to him God Is Burning listen with a holy jealousy for his people he wants your heart he wants your devotion he doesn't want distracted love he wants all of you not just some of you he wants your whole soul he wants your whole body he wants your spirit he wants everything about you not just some
of you all of you well God you can have my soul but you can't have my body or God you can have my body but you can't have my soul he wants everything you see the genuine Church understands we can have what scripture says we can have and it says this he gives Grace generously as the scripture says God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble so humble yourselves before God resist the devil and he will what resist the devil and he will what come close to God now this is what scripture says this is not what Pastor
Dean says this is what scripture says that means no matter where you're at in the building with your relationship with God if you humble yourself humble yourself and just come to him and say God I'm far away from you or God this is in the way of my relationship with you I'm being distracted in this way he says listen if you humbly come to me and give that thing to me he says I'll draw close to you he says nothing could keep me away he says this listen the enemy that you've been trying to come on Chase off
by yourself he says he must flee come close to God God will come close to you wash your hands purify your hearts for your loyalty is divided between God and the world and here's the last confession that we're going to read together can we do it together the last confession here's the honest answer I have not humbly submitted myself to your word therefore I have been more influenced by The World God help us with every head bowed and every eye closed listen maybe today the Holy Spirit has just been calling you listen to more intimate
Place listen you're not walking in Integrity because you're not walking in intimacy with Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior you're doing it your own way walking in your wisdom and all that God has for you God wants to give it to you and all you have to do all we have to do is humble ourselves and ask him God I come to you I failed every way I can In My Own Strength and today I come to you and I give you my life again with every head bowed and eye closed maybe you're far away from Jesus
Christ you don't know him as your personal Lord and Savior and You' say Pastor Dean I want to get my life right with God I need peace with God before I need peace with anything I need peace with God today is there anybody in the building that You' say Pastor Dean will you include me in that prayer I need peace with with God I need to R I need to get right with him is there anybody in the building thank you so much for being so bold thank you so much for being so bold right here yes yes several hands three to four people lifted their
hands you guys can look at me we're going to pray this prayer together listen when you pray this prayer we want you to believe with all your heart trusting the Lord Jesus to save you to deliver you to resue you but more than that to give you the peace that you've been searching for that you've been trying to fill with everything else God wants to feel that void in your heart today those four people that lifted their hands the whole church family's going to pray this together with you can we pray this
believing Jesus dear Lord Jesus I know that I'm a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness I believe you died for my sins and rose from the dead right now now I turn from my sins and invite you to come into my heart and life I want to trust and follow you from this day forward I confess you as my personal Lord and Savior thank you for saving me in Jesus name amen and amen will you stand with me listen if you prayed that prayer we believe that you got born again and we want to just put some resources in your hand we have a new
believer's New Testament in here that will help you in your new found faith as well as some just some tips where we can come around you as a church family and guide you and encourage you in your walk with God Jeff Neils in the back we have these packets for you as you leave on the left hand side but this is what I want us to do I'm going to ask our prayer ministers today to actually come up behind people today because I'm going to just ask you to humbly come and just submit yourself to God as Pastor Brandon
comes and leads us I just want you to respond to him I want you to respond to what the Holy Spirit has been dealing with you you with you during the entire I know he's been dealing with me even while I'm talking he's dealing with me but as Pastor Brandon comes and leave will you just come and maybe just humbly come and just kneel down before him and say Jesus I Need You Jesus I want you Jesus I long for you and then I'm going to ask our prayer ministers just to kind of float and just lay your hands on
people but just come find a place if you need to go totally understand but we've got some time so we're going to linger a little longer all kinds of different opportunities in the lobby check all those out but listen let's do business with God as Pastor Brandon then the team comes just humbly come on present yourself and let your request be hey I want to take a moment again and say thank you for joining us real life Church's mission is to engage real life Embrace real people and encounter the
real God and we want you to know that you are a part of that mission we also want to make sure that you know about the best way to keep in the know about all things real life church and that is through the church Center app through this app you can give check out groups and look at our events and even update your profile information we'd love to take a moment and thank all of our generous givers through your gift we are able to make a difference for God's Kingdom in our community and Beyond there are a couple different ways that
you can give virtually through our church Center app via our website rlc.com or you can text give and the amount to 84321 don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube channel so you can stay up toate and encouraged with the latest message we'd also love to connect with you on our other social media channels where we share RLC life see you next time [Music] [Music]