9 AM Sunday Morning Worship Service

foreigner foreigner foreigner foreigner thank you thank you foreigner foreigner foreigner foreigner practice foreigner good

morning

everyone, we're so glad you're joining us today, whether you're with us online or in person, here's some things coming up at Crossgates yes If you are a new believer, recently baptized, or simply want to know more about the fundamental and founding principles of Christianity, Next Steps 101 is for you. This six-week course has been designed to guide adults through faith issues in a way that will help them. you will be more equipped to share the gospel and disciple others. Classes begin Sunday, March 5 at 9:00 a.m. m.

For more information and to register, visit events.crosskates.org or use the Church Center app, join us for the first men's dinner of the year on Tuesday, February 21 at 6:30. here you will enjoy a delicious meal of God's word and learn about some very interesting instructions from the Men's Ministry to register and reserve child care, visit events.crosskates.org or the Church Center app by Sunday, February 12. Are you struggling with any type of grief in your life? You don't have to go through the grieving process alone. We offer a weekly class called grief. Share a friendly and caring group of people who will walk you through the difficult life experiences you don't have. to go through the grieving process alone the classes are on Tuesdays from February 7 to May 2 at 6 15 pm and the cost is twenty dollars which includes your workbook parents, are you ready to go out at night with your spouse and don't want the hassle of finding a babysitter Parents Night will be held on February 11 from 5 to 9 p.m. m., enjoy a day with your spouse and let us keep the kids registered by Wednesday, February 1 at events.crosskates.org or the Church Center app to see everything there is.

Go ahead and visit events.crosskates.org, follow us on social media, and download our apps. If this is your first time with us, please visit our first-time guest area so we can get to know you and find out how we can serve you better. Continue visiting Crossgates if you would like to donate today, visit Give.crosskates.org use our apps or drop off a donation envelope in any of our drop boxes located throughout the church. We have many opportunities for you and your family to grow, connect and be encouraged here, we are so glad you are joining us now, let's stand and

worship

together.

Good

morning

, Crossgates. You are very well this morning. You are excited to be in the house of God this morning. God is so good, Lord. We are very grateful to have you in this place, father, we only praise you in this house, father, we welcome you in this place. There is no place we would rather be except in your presence, father, so we give you glory in this house this morning. We can just lift your name high, father, we praise you this morning because my God, keep me in the body, hide me from the rain and my God is amazing, use me when I am broken, where I have been weak forever. will reign my God my God is amazing he moves the mountains hide me from the rain my God tells me when I'm broken forever My God is Awesome oh my God my God foreigner foreigner this morning blessings we praise you we praise you oh my God he might move abroad this morning, our God is wonderful, come on, can we praise him?

So listen, we're really glad you're here this morning. You faced the weather and thought it might rain. You came to

service

early. I think you beat him. here we go, let's pray for those people who come to the second

service

today, okay, so we're glad you're here specifically, hear me say this, if you're a guest here today, you're the most important people in this. space for us and this is our hope for you is that you just breathe in the next few moments and let God speak to you let God speak to you the way that you need to hear we are honored that you are here.

I would love to meet you, Crossgates family, the fast is over in the name of Jesus, come on, come here, we are so proud of how you bowed down to fast and pray for these 21 days together and listen, the Lord has heard our Cry, he is moving forward. Our family lives are changing, what that doesn't mean is that we stop praying, so I just want to look at you heart to heart for a second, that's just the beginning of what God is doing in our lives in the prayer life of this. The church is as supported this week as never before.

Let's continue praying for those things during this year, believing in the Hereafter in a God who can do anything. Now we're excited to have you here today for many reasons, but we have something we want to share. with you that's why my girlfriend is with us this morning, brother David and Miss Kathy are on the cruise, they are on the cruise, the couples are traveling with a group of people and even though they are not here, we want to talk about them for a second and I want to talk about them in a really cool way, so I listen to her, if you don't know Katie yet, this is my wife and she is the best part of me, and I mean it, and I asked her to join me here this morning to tell me. you about what's ahead of us so go ahead honey so we'll have the opportunity to celebrate Pastor David and Miss Kathy for being here for 15 years and their faithfulness so we'll call it on our day so it will be.

Don't miss both services, yes, and honestly here's our heart in this. I told. I told. Hey, listen, don't look at the service. I'm going to talk about you a little bit and everything he said, don't worry, brother. I'm not looking anyway, okay, but that Sunday listen to me now that Sunday we're going to glorify God right and we're going to look brother David and Miss Kathy in the face and we're going to say we love them, we love them, we're so grateful for 15 years. of fidelity. elements of that service, listen to me, it will be amazing, amazing every Sunday, because I don't miss Sunday, that's a Sunday, you write it down and that Sunday you will have the opportunity to let them know in specific ways. how much they mean to you, so I asked my girlfriend to pray for you, listen to who's praying for you, to pray for us this morning to pray for that Sunday specifically for Jesus to be glorified and for them to be honored, but also for God meet us this morning, so do this, just bow your head for a second.

I don't want you to just listen, why don't you ask the Lord to meet with us this morning? Welcome his presence this morning. Heavenly Father, we come before you and give thanks. You who are incredible, yes, reading the Bible of a year this morning, who is the king of glory? It is the Lord strong and powerful, yes, so we praise you this morning, we thank you because we are going to have the opportunity to honor Pastor David and Kathy, on March 5, we ask you now Lord, would you join us in this place today? Yes, you would fall into this place.

Lord, open the heavens, king of glory, you are welcome, you are and that is why we love you, we give you all the praise. in the name of Jesus amen amen let us continue to

worship

Him thirsty for Life Well only you can satisfy sweetness The untested mercy seat is not difficult to see only you can satisfy there is nothing in the rock around Freedom where the spirit is happy birthday to you I pray keep moving and I keep climbing and you keep me stranger in your bed how sweet it is to trust you Jesus trust you Jesus trust you name of Jesus stranger what is God what he has done this time thank you look what the real me is he has one even at least foreigner my future erase yes foreigner already strong my sins are forgiven my future is heaven I praise God for what he has done so just a second you and him just lift your face to him and just praise him just thank him, thank him for his forgiveness thank you for the finished work that Jesus accomplished thank you that heaven is safe for those of us who know Jesus so we praise you God we honor you we glorify you we exalt you we bless the name of the most high God and we pray that you are completely pleased in our praise Lord, I pray as we gather under the banner of Jesus that a name will be exalted here, so Lord, I ask the help of the Holy Spirit now to rightly divide the word of Truth in such a way that it speaks to every heart and every mind and It changes the way we live from this place.

I pray for all these things in the name of Christ. Amen once again, let us praise him. Come on, if you have a Bible, I want to encourage you to turn to First. Corinthians chapter 2 we will be in verses one to five. I'll be moving to a couple of different places over the course of the sermon we've been in a series and this is the conclusion for today, don't miss it next Sunday. We are going to have an incredible time in the presence of God, we will take the Lord's Supper together as a church family and there will be elements throughout the service and then Brother Dave will talk more about this in the coming weeks.

I'm going to start a series that really focuses on the ministry of Jesus, how Jesus ministers to people throughout the New Testament, we see him specifically in the gospels and the ways he wants to minister to us, listen to me now, Jesus is not a relic from the past, he is a true king and he is still ministering to people in the ways they need him most, so here is my encouragement to you, let's bring as many people as possible into the presence of God this spring and as many The more people are in the presence of God, the more people are Jesus. can change their lives we see something in First Corinthians chapter two what I want to talk about has been on the concluding day of this series believing beyond last week brother David talked about believing beyond the impossible seeing this wonderful moment when Jesus and Peter and this interaction in the middle of a storm where Jesus says, come out, Peter says command me to come and I will come and he does, which teaches us this truth of the Kingdom that our savior is bigger than any storm.

Can I have a correct witness? that no matter what season you are in, no matter how bad the storms of life get in your life, Jesus is someone who will sit with us in the storm and many times bring stillness in the midst of the storm today if needed. You are a titular person, if you take notes, we will see believe beyond the natural, believe beyond the natural and when I say believe beyond our own abilities, believe beyond what we can achieve in our own mind in a second . Corinthians we learn this from Paul that Paul took a ministerial mentality that he didn't want to do it in his own strength, he didn't want to do the best he could, but he believed there was something more, that's what it says in Verse 1 and when I came to you Brothers context Now you're listening, I want to give you a historical context.

Paul tells the church in Corinth, listen, when I came to you, brothers, there was a time when I came to you and he goes to tell us not how he came, but the way he came, the way he came. fulfilled his ministry, you actually see this moment described in Acts 18 chapter 1. when Paul was doing his ministry in Athens it says that after this he left Athens and went to Corinth. so I like to be a fan of the Bible sometimes leaning into it, so you have Paul's second missionary journey starting here, you have the first time he will do ministry in Corinth and at this moment something is going to happen in the way that Paul will do it.

See the Ministry the rest of his life, so I have to give it some context so we can see and learn something from Paul's life here Acts 17 is a pretty important moment, let me give it to you Acts 17 16 says while Paul was waiting for them. In Athens, his spirit was provoked within him when he saw that the city was full of idols, so he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout people in the market every day with those who were there, so here comes this moment when Paul Acts 17 is in Athens and he's waiting for his fellow ministers and he looks around Athens and he sees a city full of idols and he says he was provoked within him, he was agitated, have you ever been agitated Come on, you know what?

I'm talking about yeah, I feel, I feel that in me going into my heart, but you can have that in the flesh or you can have that in the spirit, well, Paul looks out and sees a city full of idols that he knows he never will be able to. solve humanity's biggest problem he knows this city is trying to find help and helpless idols and has been provoked within him to find the best possible way to share the good news of Jesus with people who need hope who need help, so he reasoned in verse. 22 says thus Paul is standing in the middle of the Arapagios said men of Athens.

I see that you are very religious in everything because while I was passing by and observing the objects of worship I also found an altar with this inscription to the unknown God. Therefore, what you worship is unknown. This I proclaim to you. I'm giving you context. You have to go on a journey with me this morning to get First Corinthians 2 and he will tell us how he did his ministry in Corinth, but before that. he was in Athens at this time in Athens hefinds himself in the midst of idolatry and is going to try to connect the dots for a pagan people on how to get to the resurrected Jesus Acts 17 is one of the greatest apologetic messages ever preached.

I know Paul is smart, you are all fine, he knew some things and so in a powerful way he helps connect the dots from creation to the resurrection of Jesus. I have given you Cliff Notes because I am not preaching Acts 17 this morning and it tells us that some believed that this moment in Acts 17 was impressive listen to what verse 32 continues to say. and when they had heard of the resurrection of the dead some scoffed others said We will hear them again about this. Then Paul went out from among them, but some men joined him and believed.

I am going to give you a promise every time the good news of Jesus Christ is proclaimed. Do you see this kind of response some scoff at some belief some scoff some believe some men came together and I'm grateful for any moment, in any way, when someone comes to know Jesus right, whatever that means, any measure, whatever method we use to bring the good news of Jesus to people that some may believe but I want to tell you something that I think happens in the heart of Paul I think it is very necessary to study to show our self-approval to find apologetic and intellectual methods to be able to help stimulate and connect the dots for someone but somewhere in From Athens to Corinth Paul goes for a walk with God, you'll hear me now, sometimes each and every one of us needs a good walk with God between Athens and Corinth.

Pablo decides that there has to be a better way to reach more people. while he is grateful that some believe he is looking at cities while I love to see salvation spread among the people we see coming to some Paul is looking at city after city that needs the gospel in a big way God is looking for more than I promise you, this is what God desires so that more than a few men do not reach the cross. Our God longs to save cities full of people to change cultures to change nations. So when Paul comes to them he tells them, remember how I got there, remember the way I did it.

Ministry return to verse 1 of chapter 2 First Corinthians when I came to your brothers I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with proud words or wisdom you study the testimony of God that word could mean mystery of God some translation says the secret plan of God Paul said when I came to you I decided not to come to you and bring the testimony of God the mystery of God the secret plan of God with high words or wisdom what is Paul saying? I didn't come to you with the best I have Paul said I'm not going to try to woo you with words I'm not going to try to stimulate you intellectually It won't be the best efforts at oratory It won't be my ability to turn a sentence Paul had knowledge in abundance and knowledge is It is not inherently bad at all that we should continue to grow and mature in our faith and know more about our God that is theology is the study of God Amanda listen to me our hearts should be filled with love for him the more we know him in our head Right, what Paul is saying, is this my intellect or the way I could turn a phrase is never going to change a human heart, there has to be more, there has to be more things happening in the cities that need I still hear about Jesus, so he changed his ministerial mentality.

Let me tell you what he did, which I hope catches fire in this room. Paul humbled himself. Here you have a beginning. Are you ready. Those who humble themselves can be useful to you. You know what God is not looking for. this morning qualified, come on, someone should say Amen, right. God is not looking for the most intellectually astute person in the room saying I can use them, they are smart enough. God is not looking for someone who is clever with words. God is looking for someone to serve. Go out and say God fill me. God is not looking for people who are self-qualified.

God is looking for people who are qualified by the Spirit. And Paul somewhere from Athens to Corinth emptied himself so that he could be filled. I want to lean in and talk for a second. Listen to me there is a war over this word I have been feeling it and I believe God is about to win some victories are you ready I think you want this but I want you to respond to yours in your own heart anyone in this room I want to be greatly used by God to help people come to saving faith in Jesus anyone anyone wants to be greatly used by God to see Neighbors are coming to the kingdom anyone wants to be greatly used to be greatly used by God to see the city change to see ranking County change anyone wants be very accustomed to God as part of a movement of the spirit the work of Jesus Christ spreads like fire through our region to do it, humble yourself God is looking for a people to be emptied so that they can be filled Paul said: I did not come to you with my own strength.

I'm going to come and I'm going to come to you with something else, as we'll see in a second. I love what it says in verse 2, because I decided I love that statement, there is a great song because I have decided what to follow Jesus, listen carefully to Paul's decision, because I decided not to know anything between you except Jesus Christ and him crucified . You know the only thing, the only thing that Corinth had to hear the only thing that Jesus Paul said when I came to you Corinth, I decided that there is one thing that you are going to know and then when he says that he was crucified, what he is saying is that you need to know the finished work. of Jesus Christ in his name, want to know what every person in Rankin County needs to hear?

That Jesus lived perfectly, he died sacrificially, he defeated death in his resurrection and they need to hear it over and over again until many believe that is the only thing. that has to be heard, you want to know the one thing that everyone on planet Earth needs to hear. Jesus has finished something on our behalf that we could never do on our own and you need to hear it over and over again until I Believe, I say what I love about Paul. At this point, he wasn't going to get lost in the cultural practices of pagan culture, he wasn't going to get caught up in the political systems of Corinth, he wasn't going to waste time trying. align yourself correctly with a group of people to gain an audience Paul made a decision I am going to make one thing known over and over again to as many people as possible I am going to make Jesus known, can we talk? for a minute, I hope so, don't you loving preachers ask questions like that?

They know they will do it anyway. There are many things we can distract ourselves with in our days. There are many strong voices. real problems I'm not suggesting we don't care I'm not suggesting we don't stand biblically about them, rather what I'm saying is that this church of the Lord Jesus Christ Crossgates Church we cannot be consumed with anything other than bringing Jesus to everyone possible, everything else is a distant second to bringing the good news of Jesus to as many people as possible. Do you hear me ask you a question when it comes to your passions?

Is it what you are passionate about? right now it will matter in a million years I found out about us easily we choose poison poisonous Passions things that will not matter and the last listen to me I tell you what is going to matter you listen to me now this is from heart to heart God give us your heart to this Well, it's going to matter in a million years, does your neighbor know Jesus personally? Let me tell you, what will matter in a million years are those members of your family that you have that don't know, I'm not talking about another religious figure, I'm not talking about church attendance, do your righteous people in your areas of influence have the life-giving work of Jesus pouring out from them?

Can you tell yourself what will matter in a million years, how many people? In Rankin County we have come to believe in the finished work of Jesus Christ, that is what is going to matter and how we give ourselves to that end. You know that God is looking for a people who say Lord, we will be passionate about the greatest number of people who know it. you as possible here is something I want us to lean on this would be an incredible surrender Let's help as many people as possible to know Jesus Christ anyone who is in favor of that man listen to me I'm not talking about that Church what we will see depends about what we think about that statement man, it's one thing to come to church and another thing to be a part of seeing people come to know Christ man, I came to Faith when I was 19 years old and didn't come from a church, a baseball coach played.

Most of it was witnessing sharing the gospel. He invited me to a church service like this a million times and, like you were driving me crazy, I decided to go to his testimony one Sunday and then, walking into the presence of God, I found myself. The next Sunday I came back he was the first guy to have an eight o'clock service, we're going to have one of them someday because there will be so many people coming to meet Jesus, we won't have to. saying I think I was the first to enter the 9:30 service they came out I went in I sat in the second row and before the invitation time came they piled me on an altar and I was born again and listen to me when I was baptized shortly after, you know, there's some golf applause like, okay, that's cool, nice for that coach.

I remember coming out of the water and seeing that coach in the front rows with his hands up, praising God, look. For me, there is no greater privilege on planet Earth than playing the role of someone coming to the kingdom of God. Wait until we have a race to life on Sunday and there's someone up there in the waters, you gotta be a part of him coming to life, man. It should be right to be a part of that again and again to help as many people as possible. Paul says in First Corinthians 2 2 because I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ. who was crucified we are a liberated people when we forget things that really don't matter all of you listening to me we are a liberated people when we forget things that really don't matter one of the greatest miracles that could happen in this today many of us forget some things that don't really matter, that we get rid of some things in our mind that don't really matter to get a front row seat for the things that I will always tell you what The love for Paul that I'm still learning from him is that he looks out for your passion unless I don't care what your personality type is.

I'm a little loud, you told me everyone smiled a little when I said that. everyone doesn't know me that well, yeah, easy, not easy, I don't care what your personality type is or how you express yourself. Each person has passions, they are expressed in many ways. Paul, at this moment, is watching over his passion. I am going to forget everything else except Jesus Christ and him crucified and make him known as a church it is better that we take care of our passion, what are we passionate about? when I met Christ I was part of a move of God I didn't know what that was, but I was in it and the church when I was there I was blessed, it is the only church family I have ever had, I grew up in the church and I entered a church that had pure passions and there is a move of God having a man, hundreds of people come without Christ and get baptized every year and people kept asking our pastor what kind of church are you, what kind of church is it and on that day In the '90s what they wanted to say is, hey, are you a seeker-sensitive church? you are a purpose driven church, you may have men, are you a baptist church?

Well we are hearing a few things, are you a charismatic church? Let me tell you what I love. His response was that he said: we are now a church of Jesus. Look at me Cross Gates we are a church of Jesus we have a name we sing about we have a name we preach we have a passion it's to know it and make it known are you a follower of Jesus when people lean in and know you do they smell it Mandy you know you're a rabbi you know your teacher you know your pastor you are a person of Jesus because let me tell you what the world does not need is more religion what the world What you need is more people who really know Jesus and that you make him present in every atmosphere you have, That when you are with your neighbors you talk about him because he is real, when we enter our workplaces, let's talk about him, say that you know.

In light of that, let me tell you who Jesus is, hey, he changed my life, what he says to me, how he ministers to me, how he teaches me the ways of his kingdom, you don't teach history lessons, you teach him over and over again. again until people know the presence of hey, there are people here in the room that God is behind you. I prayed for you this morning, the greatest day of your life, as it was for me at 19, 22 years ago, today is your day, today is your day to come home and meet. Let me tell you that what Paul understood and what he was dealing with is that there was more.

Verse 3 says that I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. My speech and my message were not with plausible words of wisdom when I read. I'll be honest with you, I don't think about Paul, Paul is theguy who got licked and kept ticking, I mean, that guy got bitten by the castaway snake, that's the moment I really said, Lord, come on, now hit with rods, that was funny, come on, sure, he kept ticking going forward. What Paul is not saying in this is false humility. What Paul is telling us is this ministerial mentality.

I am going to come to you, that is, to the people in Corinth and I am going to come to you in great dependence on God need for God despair for God I am going to come in power as you will see in a second of the spirit I am going to come in despair I love you God listen to me God is looking for those who embrace weakness, let me tell you that the greatest obstacle to the advancement of the kingdom of God through us personally in our church is not our need, it is our perceived greatness, that is the greatest obstacle because if we believe that we are already great.

We don't believe we really need God, the biggest obstacle is our perceived greatness, listen to me, but when God finds someone desperate, come when God looks and finds Sons and Daughters of the Kingdom who think I need your power today, I need your wisdom today I need your words today I need knowledge today I need I need anointing today God I need you to use me today when God finds despair he does things he loves he loves I love one of my favorite verses about someonegroup of people very used by God is that they are men without education and without training.

I'm like Glory to God that God loves to use ordinary people in extraordinary ways, anyone qualifies, anyone wants to be used like that, the spirit of God was marking Paul's personal ministry in a powerful way listen to me in Acts 17 praise God for some who came but are you ready for this in Acts 18 more I loved what he says in Acts 18 8 about his ministry in Corinth Christmas the ruler of the synagogue believed in the Lord someone says, how about I take you for that? How about when the ruler of the synagogue says you know what the son of the Living God is?

Let me tell you when Awakenings happen when religious people recognize who Jesus really is, that is the Awakening. let me tell you what we need in America right now, let me tell you what we need here in Rankin County, religious people wait a second. I'm like attending church now that I met Christ. I've been around the world. things of God now I understand the kingdom of God that God begins to use us to help them come to that revelation that Jesus is real that this is something that is really happening I love this now listen to the ruler of sin of God believed in the Lord along with your whole house, how about the day Christmas came home and said, hello, by the way, family, I know I've been telling you all this stuff about our history here, Jewish history, guess what the Messiah has come and an entire family walks on water?

Well, come on, and many other Corinthians who heard believed and were baptized, you know what they call it, a movement of God, you, religious and the reprobate, obtained that the religious and the pagans came to know the kingdom of God, why what was happening? Well, I think this is that Paul had declared listen to me, he had correctly refined his statement I am going to preach Jesus and I am going to preach him crucified and he also did listen to me not in his own power listen with the next part of this verse this is important my speech and my message were not plausible words of wisdom but a demonstration of the spirit and power that when the spirit of God moves through a humiliated person, guess what happened, people are helped when the spirit of God moves through a humble person people get hope when the spirit of God moves through a humble person people begin to hear the Gospel of Jesus when the spirit of God is using an ordinary person lives changes that is a demonstration of the spirit and power what is happening through this person on behalf of another person is more than any person it is God a movement of God it is a demonstration of spirit and power manifests in decency and Order and is always completely different It's not natural, it's not supernatural, can I? talk to you for a second we need the help of the holy spirit to bring as many people as possible to Jesus Christ listen to me we need the power of the spirit of God to correctly glorify the son of God listen to me let me tell you what is so strange about us is that we choose parts that once you found out about yourself, has anyone else ever felt like this we choose parts of the Gospel, we choose parts of the Kingdom, but hear me out if we are going to be the church that God has intended for us. to be we are going to be a word in spiritual church we are going to be a truth so Spiritual Church we are going to declare the Son of God and believing the demonstration of the power of the spirit is the whole package there are all denominations like built around parts of that when we should say that we love all of you, all of you heard Charles Spurgeon before the man Prince of Preachers, you read his things, he was a line in the Pulpit of the Metropolitan Tabernacle.

God used him to change London and beyond. that really changed the world, one of his close friends wrote in a memoir of him. What he remembered most about Charles Spurgeon was that when he walked up to the stage to preach, he was close enough to hear him and Charles Spurgeon had a statement. Before he went and preached Jesus, he said over and over again I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit Spirit and he would stand up and say : hand your Bibles to First Corinthians chapter 2.

Look at me, I'm telling you what would happen in Rankin County if tomorrow each of us woke up and said: I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit I believe in your Holy Spirit power and you would walk into your workplace and say Amen, let me tell you what God told me yesterday in church, let me tell you where I learned. about Jesus this morning as I read in his word and that is a demonstration of the spirit so that the Son of God can be rightly glorified let's embrace our need for the help of the holy spirit let's embrace our need for the help of the holy spirit can I let you in? in something, the holy spirit is not strange, I just feel, someone free, the right people, the holy spirit is not normal either, he is God and I believe that the enemy has stolen our relationship with the Holy Spirit because he prevents us from glorifying God and proclaim the gospel. with power, so can I give you a practical way to approach your relationship with the Holy Spirit every day and we can talk practically about the spiritual truth of the Holy Spirit?

Recognize when was the last time you recognized the holy spirit in your life if you are. As a believer, when was the last time you acknowledged the presence of the Holy Spirit in your life? You know that the moment you were born again, the Holy Spirit resonated with you. Come on, you have God, you don't just have God in you. How strange is it? Never recognize someone who lives in you, that's pretty strange, right? I remember I won in a season that was actually fasting and I was spending time with the Lord and it's not always like that, sometimes when you're fasting and praying, you're just fasting and praying, you were hungry and you were talking to him, but sometimes There are times when you ever had a moment with God and I was having a moment with God one morning and I felt the Father's love, did you ever feel the Father's Love, man, I hope to do where I just know that my father loves me, He is proud of me not for what I have done but for who I am in Christ and I just expressed to the father that I love you too and I tell you that I was.

It's just not just about feelings, but I felt it that morning, I felt the Father's hug and I stayed there for a moment and I declared to Jesus Jesus that I love you and I was reminded of truths of how How much Jesus loves me was haunting me and I stayed there for a while but then I felt something in my heart that I didn't I don't think I've ever done it before and these words just came out of me and I said. holy spirit I love you and I tell you I was flooded with the Embrace of the spirit of God in my life and this is what I felt sincerely you can call me crazy if you want I am a little bit I heard the spirit tell me thank you for recognizing me thank you for recognizing me and I thought, man, You know, I live most of my faith without acknowledging the fact that the moment I was born again, the spirit sealed by the spirit dwelt in me and so I did.

I'm going to encourage you something, tell you that something would change tomorrow for you if tomorrow you wake up in your time of the Lord and recognize holy spirit, thank you because you live in me and then ask for help, guidance so that he can be a counselor. for him to be a wisdom to empower you to meet in the middle of the day and say Lord, would you help me in this conversation? Would you help me help me bring the gospel to this person to recognize it and then here it is? the part of faith to act as if the first two things were true that you are in me you will empower me you will use me man I'm telling you I think we found in that those first followers radical and perfect people but they believed in the power of the spirit that believed that God He was still working through people to make Jesus known everywhere you know why because in this there is a hero First Corinthians 2 5 says so that your faith should not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God Paul He didn't want to preach the gospel in such a way that when he finished preaching they would look at him, but he wanted to preach in such a way that when he finished preaching they would look at God, one of the greatest prayers.

We should pray to Crossgates as a people and personally that people will forget us gladly and quickly so that they only remember him, that they only remember him, I mean, those were the biggest compliments there are when someone walks into a meeting in your church. When they leave they talk about God he told me I mean do you feel the presence of God did you hear what the Lord was saying this morning what he was doing one of the greatest compliments that could happen in your life? The encouragement is that when people surround you they think of him you know what I'm talking about so when they surround you they move away from you they are thinking about Jesus they are thinking about the power of the resurrection their feeling in the presence of God Yes, look at me, The ministerial mentality that Paul had arrived at sometime between Acts 17 and Acts 18 that is expressed in First Corinthians 2 is still the one that works to reach the greatest number of people with the gospel to declare Jesus everywhere to anyone who is in power. of the Holy Spirit, anyone wants to be part of that and I listen to myself, I mean it, as if anyone wants to see how it develops tomorrow, anyone wants to see that in their neighborhood, on their street, see how it develops and their friendships I will see more and more people are coming to the kingdom of God to live for things that will matter a million years from now.

I will let them know that God is not looking for people who have it all together. God is looking for people who believe in these things. things right here here so I'm going to pray for us in a second and what I hope for those of us who know him new surrender yeah look at me new surrender these moments matter you say Lord here I am spirit of God fill me spirit of God use me to give to meet Jesus someone this week and we'll come back next week and we'll remember that again and next week we'll remember that over and over again maybe for some of us this here this morning and sitting like this we need a demonstration of the spirit maybe we need God do something in us you know this I want to talk it's just us speaking for a second brother Naveen and I've been talking a lot about this we should never come into the presence of God where we don't expect God to do things of God so every Sunday we will have leaders here who They are ready to pray with you.

They are not special. I'm not, but all of us would be honored to help you. Get to it, so you'll come here some Sunday. I have a promise that you have a problem that is not related to the topic someone is preaching about, so if you like it, you really know that I have this problem in my life. I don't really relate to that, who cares, don't walk out of here with that problem without us taking it into the presence of God, so when we start singing, we have a song we're going to sing, we'll let you out of here in Wait a second, wouldn't you bring that and let us help you take it away?

You know, the more things we pray, the more answers we will see, right man. I love it, that's something simple and everyone looks at me. Wait a second, hey, someone is here and you need them. I remember what it's like to sit in a chair like that without hope. I remember him, I hope we all do, and I don't know how you got here, but he's been behind you every day of your life. life and Jesus wants you to know that he died for your sin, every bad decision you have ever made or will make and that he defeated your death in his resurrection so that when you die one day and you do, it will only be the beginning. to truly live, so today is a day of salvation for someone in the power of the spirit.

WaitLet them listen to the Declaration of Jesus, today is the day to return home to him. Our prayer leaders will come forward and bow their heads for a second. Listen, if you have something you need prayed for, you can go ahead and come, don't wait, come if you need help with something, come, you just want to come and surrender to the Lord, come for those who do know Him. Open your hands and your heart say Lord, I want to be used in other people's lives to get to know you, but when no one is looking for anyone for even a second, I'm not going to embarrass you, but man, I want to talk to you, whoever is here .

I need Jesus to save you. You need the finished work of Jesus Christ to be applied to your life today. Anyone needs to come home to Him. He is coming after you. I won't embarrass you, but I want to help you. I want to talk to you. I can help you get from where you are to him, if so, be brave. I'm going to ask you to look at me, just raise your hand, say that's me today. I need Jesus to say amazing. Anyone else, he waits for you. Any other in the amen. Others. here and you need the finished work of Jesus Christ in your life I see you there the greatest day of your life, the best day of your life, well, raising your hand won't save you, coming to Jesus will, so if you looked at me, raise hand. or not, if you know you need it, let's talk to him right where you are for a second, just talk to him from your heart, you better know how to confess your sin, just say Lord, I'm broken and I know it, I know I'm going against it. of what you wanted me to do many times I confess but today I believe I believe in your life for my part your death for my sin and that you defeated death in your Resurrection I put faith in your finished work save me I want to follow you I want to follow you now look at me if that was you you today and were some of you just put faith in the finished work of Jesus that's not the end it's just the beginning hey welcome to the family of God a family of God can we tell you how excited we are for that family of God?

You'll look at me for a second. This is just my heart for you. I pray that in the years to come tens of thousands of people will do that right there. tens of thousands I will come and do that. We just need as many people as possible to be in their presence for those. Of you who allowed us to help you take the next steps, please tell someone today, come talk to one of us after the service. It would be my honor to look you in the eyes and welcome you into God's family. Please let one of our other leaders know.

If you have someone who loves you and loves Jesus in your life and is already a part of this church, let them know that he is still taking action. We almost prayed for ourselves. We will remain in any way we can minister to you. We would love. You are going to worship Him whatever surrender you have do it before Him Father we glorify the name of Jesus today and pray that we will be a church that exalts you Jesus to the greatest extent possible in a demonstration of the spirit and the power that we have. pray in the name of Christ amen let us stand and worship we would love to pray with you Lord I like it I confess bowing here I find my rest without you I fall apart because you are the one who guides my heart and Lord I need you oh I I need you every hour I need you my only defense my justice oh God how I need you where Sid is deep Your Grace is more grace is found in Where you are you are Lord I am free holy name is Christ in me I need you very well justice, oh God how I need you to teach me my song so that the wind rises towards you.

Temptation is coming my way and when I can't stand it, I will fall on you and Jesus. You are my hope and my state. Lord, I need you everything I need. You every hour I need you my only defense my justice oh God now I want to say that you are my only defense my justice oh God how I need you because you are my only defense my just justice oh God how I need you hey everyone thank you very much Thank you very much for tuning into our worship services today and I pray that this starts you on a week of Walking with God in a way you have never walked with Him before.

Brother Kyle preached a wonderful lesson on the simplicity of the Gospel Message and I pray that there will be been an encouragement to you. If there are any prayer requests you need, go to prayer.crosskates.org and if you feel that pull of the holy spirit that you want to give your life to Jesus. Christ, please let us know too by visiting Prayer.crosskates.org because we want to help you with that and we want to explain to you what it means to know Jesus Christ. Don't forget that tonight we have a new episode of after the 6 pm message. m., where we will take this exact message you just heard and break it down even further into how this message can change the way we live our daily lives with our neighbors, friends, and colleagues. workers and really even ourselves so I'm sure you will be blessed have a wonderful week and we will see you here next week be blessed thank you foreigner thank you.