Convenience or Consecration: A Review of ‘The Dangers of Conveniences’

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:00:00] again thank you world changers for your generosity to make a mark in the lives of people that cannot be erased well it's our opportunity for wholeness or opportunity for prosperity and i want to share this with you and go ahead and get prepared so you don't you know wait to the last minute i mean to to participate in this you'll be able to give digitally online
[00:00:30] chapter nine and verse six, and I want to share it with you from the NLT. This will really bless you. Now, listen to what he's saying. He says in verse six, remember this, a farmer who plants only
[00:00:42] a few seeds will get a small crop, but the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
[00:00:50] You must each decide in your heart how much to give. Isn't that something? He's saying we have to decide in our heart. It's a decision, first of all, and it's something that you decide in your
[00:01:03] heart to do. He says, and don't give reluctantly or in response to pressure. So the idea is I decide in my heart how I want to honor God with my finances. And when I do it, I do it because I
[00:01:20] want to and not because I feel pressured to do it. To do something reluctantly means I don't want to do it and it was never supposed to be let's let's fill you with fear and fill you with guilt and
[00:01:33] fill you with shame okay it was always supposed to be listen to your heart and give uh not out of reluctance or response to pressure so somebody's pressuring you to give well you are not you ought
[00:01:49] to not uh do this or you god gonna get you if you don't no no no he says for god loves look look at the type of giver god loves he loves a person who gives cheerfully he loves a person who gives
[00:02:02] cheerfully because they want to again i share this over and over again if somebody comes to you at christmas and they they have a christmas present and they say you know what i i sure didn't want
[00:02:11] to do this i guarantee you i paid so much money so you could have this gift and oh you don't know what it costs me but here it is I mean wait a minute I don't want your gift dude if you're
[00:02:22] going to give it with that attitude no way you keep the gift well God is saying the same thing you know don't give reluctantly or under precious pressure give with a with a generous heart that
[00:02:33] wants to a heart that wants to give cheerfully and he says in verse 8 and God will generously provide all you need then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others somebody says well well how does that happen well giving is a response okay
[00:02:53] I'm responding to the generosity of God in other words I'm not giving trying to get something somebody says reason why you ain't blessed is because you ain't giving no I'm blessed because of Jesus right but when I give I become aware that I am now a partaker of the generosity that
[00:03:12] comes from God and I'm telling you guys you you give because you want to you you don't give out of pressure you it's it's a response it's a response to what God's already done um it's a
[00:03:23] it's a reflex uh I love God and so for people who love God they give I mean the Bible says uh for God so loved the world that he gave I mean giving is a is a is a is a reflex of the love that
[00:03:40] you have for God. But people manipulating you and people conning you and people putting you in fear just to get you to give. Well, that ain't that ain't doing no good. You want to give because
[00:03:52] you want to. I give because I love God. I give because I want to give. I give because I just I mean, he's done too much for me not to want to. And I celebrate my time of giving because
[00:04:06] I celebrate a God who takes care of me. Okay. The only time I had problems giving is when I didn't trust or believe that God would take care of me. And when I didn't trust and believe that
[00:04:18] God would take care of me, I had a problem giving, but now that I trust and I believe in the care that God has for me, I give out of a heart of gratitude. I give generously because I
[00:04:30] want to. And when you give right now, I want you to give out of that attitude. I want you to give out of a cheerful heart. I want you to give out of a heart that wants to, when you look at all
[00:04:41] that God has done and all of the care that he's provided for you, that now becomes your motivation to give. So you're not giving out of obligation. Uh, uh, you're not out of duty. You're giving out
[00:04:56] of, you're giving out of love and you're giving out of devotion. And believe me that that makes a big difference. Amen. So go ahead and prepare your, your seeds. The information to how to give
[00:05:09] is on the screen. Uh, there's also a QR code there that you can, you don't want to figure all that other stuff out. Just hit the QR code and ladies and gentlemen, let's celebrate the
[00:05:21] use of technology uh today that we can give as effectively at home over the stream uh even more so by being here in person and we thank you so much in jesus name and just celebrate that celebrate
[00:05:39] god's care of me in jesus name amen information is on the screen on how you can give and uh follow that information and uh it will be a blessing to you and if i was if i was at home i would i would
[00:05:54] just hit the qr code and go ahead and do what needs to be done so god bless you uh let's go ahead and get ready uh go ahead and prepare ourselves for the word this morning uh after
[00:06:08] you complete your giving i um i started dealing with some things last week and we're gonna we're to pick up with what we where we left off last week I mean I know you're home but hey man let's
[00:06:21] let's let's go and eat this word let's eat this word and do what we we need to do we've been talking about the dangers of conveniences and we looked at last week convenience versus devotion
[00:06:36] and we've came up with some amazing things and and so what I want to do this this week I want to talk to you uh and show you some biblical examples of people who actually uh allowed
[00:06:52] convenience to um block up their devotion to carry out the mission of jesus christ and so let's begin in ephesians chapter 6 and verse 11 ephesians chapter 6 and verse 11 that's our our key scripture for this series of sermons. Verse 11 says, put on the whole armor of God
[00:07:17] that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. Now we zero in on that word wiles.
[00:07:24] That's the tricks of the devil or the strategy of the devil. And Satan has strategies. Believe it or not, when it comes to you and what you were wired to do, when it comes to you and what you
[00:07:39] were called to do satan has a meeting with demons and everybody to try to come up with a strategy to bring you down or to keep you away from the path that leads to your destination in life
[00:07:54] there are wows of the devil there are strategies that the devil uses against you and sometimes these strategies can be so slick you know satan's a slick something you know he can be so slick that
[00:08:06] he'll try to use something that you would have never even thought about to try to stop you from carrying out the will of God for your life. And so we've been looking at that over the last four
[00:08:19] weeks. And this week, we're just going to look at some examples of some people who chose convenience over devotion, people that you probably never thought about. They chose convenience over over um devotion and so I want to I want to look at this one more time because I think it's
[00:08:40] important for us to make sure we get a hold of of what this is all about I want to look at the definition for uh convenience and just show you how Satan's just really really using this
[00:08:55] to try to stop and to block everything that you're doing so when you talk about convenience you're talking about something that is easy easy to accomplish okay you're talking about convenience you're talking about something that's easy to get it's something easy to use
[00:09:13] like a microwave is a convenience because it's quick it's easy to use something that's easy to get and convenience can also be like something that will help you save time or something that will help you save in the area of, of, of effort. And so, uh, I believe that the thing that, that,
[00:09:36] uh, is really happening. I think convenience is a disguise for the real issue and it's apathy.
[00:09:43] The real issue is that we're choosing to be, to be apathetic over the mission of Jesus, not really caring, no enthusiasm, you know? Um, and so we choose conveniences because we, we, really don't care. It just really doesn't move us. And so I said this before in the beginning
[00:10:05] of each one of these teachings, that convenience can be a blessing when it serves God's purpose, when it serves God's mission. Convenience can be a blessing when it serves God's purpose and mission. So we're talking about the tools, the technology, the systems that save time,
[00:10:27] Uh, it's it can be a blessing because it saves time for me to love it saves times for me to serve others It saves time for me to to grow or to even carry out the very mission that god has for my life
[00:10:39] And so when convenience is doing that Uh, if it's something that makes life easier So you can honor god more so you can Steward your time better so you can serve other people better then these conveniences are
[00:10:57] good okay so when does it become dangerous conveniences become dangerous when it replaces your purpose when it replaces your involvement in God's mission when it in when it replaces the reason why you're wired the way you're wired okay and so all of a sudden conveniences or you
[00:11:24] keep choosing what's easy to get. You keep choosing what's easy to get with, with very little effort. When, when that happens, the conveniences are a problem because it's stopping you from carrying out the mission. Sometimes the mission requires you to show up instead of sending
[00:11:43] an email. Sometimes the mission requires you to, to, to be at a certain place so that you can release the supply that God put in your heart for somebody else please remember that the anointing
[00:11:56] on your life is not for you the anointing on your life is for somebody else and you know it you may say well it's not convenient for me to show up to to give this person the supply well it's not
[00:12:11] convenient for me to show up and release my anointing on somebody else well see now that's of danger because it is now stopping you carrying out the mission that god has for your life so
[00:12:22] let's look at some guys some people in the bible that chose convenience over the mission and uh i think you're going to see this very very clearly so the first person i want to look at
[00:12:35] uh let's look at the rich young ruler the rich young ruler uh because we saw him uh convenience over over embodied trust or actually trusting that uh jesus would would be there to to do
[00:12:56] what you know he thought only money could do all right so let's look at this scripture in mark chapter 10 and verse 17 through 22 the rich young ruler how he chose convenience verse 17 he says and when he was gone forth into the way there came one running and kneeled to him
[00:13:16] and asked him good master what shall i do that i may inherit eternal life he said and jesus said unto him why calleth thou me good there is none good but one and that is god see god is good right
[00:13:32] all right verse 19 thou knowest the commandments do not commit adultery do not kill do not steal do not bear false witness defraud not honor thy father and thy mother and this this guy he said
[00:13:45] and he answered and he said unto him master all these have i observed from my youth now jesus is getting ready to show him something just a little bit different all right look at the next verse
[00:13:56] then jesus beholding him loved him he didn't rebuke him he loved him and he said unto him one thing thou lackest wow go thy way sell whatsoever thou hast give to the poor and then
[00:14:15] thou shall have treasure in heaven come take up thy cross and follow me now notice how he responded and he was sad at that saying wow he was it's almost like when I say it's offering time and
[00:14:30] some people say it's sad they become sad at that saying he was sad at that saying and he went away grieved now grief is associated with loss he he felt like in order to do what Jesus was advising
[00:14:44] that it would be a loss instead of a gain for he had great possessions now uh why does this matter you see Jesus was not prescribing poverty he was not trying to say to the guy hey man get rid of
[00:15:06] all your stuff and and be poor and come and follow me he wasn't prescribing for this guy poverty he was exposing where convenience replaced surrender the issue was will you surrender to my will for your life and we have an issue here of what's convenient versus your surrendering

[00:15:32] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:15:32] and the real issue here was he's exposing uh where convenience replaced surrender what about you has convenience replace surrender what about your life where God's calling you to surrender your life

[00:15:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:15:47] to carry out you know the purpose for your life and you're like no that's not convenient it's not convenient for me to sell what I have it's not convenient for me to get to get to to to move my
[00:15:59] possessions away from me that's not convenient for me listen to me this man wanted some things he wanted eternal life you saw that he wanted uh moral affirmation he wanted Jesus's blessing but dude uh he did not want to disrupt his lifestyle he wanted all those things but he
[00:16:24] didn't want to disrupt his lifestyle I mean is that talking to some of us we want God to bless us we want God to deliver us we want God to give us witty inventions and ideas
[00:16:35] but we don't want anything to disrupt the comforts of our lifestyle see the issue here I believe that grace is trying to show us here the issue wasn't money it was identity and security the man's
[00:16:55] identity and being willing to be secure in what Jesus can provide grace invites us to exchange self-preservation for participation grace invites us to say you know what I'm gonna I'm gonna move away from me trying to preserve my life and I'm gonna agree with what Jesus has already done and
[00:17:19] what Jesus has already provided and the rich young rules like no no no that's not convenient for me to try to see what Jesus has already provided I don't want to participate I just want to hang on to what
[00:17:30] I already got and what I've already achieved through my own self-preservation and there are lots of people like that in the world today there are lots of people who are like listen uh uh I
[00:17:39] don't know about how God gonna do this I don't know if he gonna bless me I don't know if he gonna take care of me so when you are afraid that God can care for you you move into self-preservation
[00:17:51] mode which is by the way based in fear self-preservation based in fear I'm afraid that what God promised won't come to pass and because I'm afraid that what God promised he promised he'd take care of me he promised he would provide for me he promised he would be my source I'm afraid
[00:18:10] he won't do that so immediately fear brings me back into self-preservation and I choose what's easier I choose what's more convenient because I'm afraid that he won't be able to carry out what he promised grace doesn't demand loss please don't please don't get that in your thinking well
[00:18:29] man you know grace demands me to I got to lose something grace doesn't demand loss it reveals what we what we cling to instead of Christ and and right here it's revealing what he clings to he claims to want Christ but he's clinging to his possessions he's clinging to
[00:18:46] what he was able to make happen he's clinging to what self-preservation was able to produce in his life he's clinging to what was convenient instead of the clinging to the mission and being devoted to the mission of Jesus Christ God's going to always take care of you God's going to do
[00:19:09] exceedingly abundantly above all you can ask or think but will you be will you be able to rise above the convenient culture and allow yourself to receive a revelation from him so we see what
[00:19:25] the rich young ruler was doing there let's look at the second guy this the second guy this is interesting uh and and grouper guys the disciples the disciples who walk no more with him now we
[00:19:45] only think of the 12 there were much more than 12 but this is this this is going to i'm going to show you the place where they walked away from him because it wasn't convenient for them to hang
[00:19:53] around anymore and only 12 remained wow man and so what we're going to see here is convenience over revelation i want you to go with me to saint john chapter 6 verse 53 and then 60 through 66
[00:20:08] now watch this we're looking at the disciples who walk no more with him those are the ones we're looking at we're looking at the ones who walk no more with him making a distinction between
[00:20:20] those who left and those who remained verse 53 then jesus said unto them verily verily i say unto you except you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you have no life in you
[00:20:39] now Jesus of course didn't mean that literally but they thought that's what it meant they they they understood it as literal and I'm going to show you how they chose after hearing something like this look at verse uh 60 through 66 many therefore of his disciples when they had heard
[00:21:00] this said this is a hard saying who can hear it when Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it see Jesus knew he already knew what they were doing that they murmured and at it
[00:21:16] he said unto them does this offend you what he said what and if you see the son of man ascend up where he was before verse 63 it is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh prophet is nothing
[00:21:32] the words that I speak unto you they are spirit and they are life but there are some of you that believe not for Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believe not and who should
[00:21:48] betray him and he said therefore I said therefore said I unto you that no man can come unto me except it were given unto him of my father from that time many of his disciples went back
[00:22:09] and walked no more with him there were more than the 12 many of his disciples went back and there were no more with him and he turned around there were 12 left and Jesus said are y'all y'all gonna
[00:22:28] follow them y'all going to and they had enough sense to say Lord where we gonna go you have the word of life now now this is this is very important to listen to this very carefully
[00:22:40] what happened here Jesus preached union he preached dependence on him and he preached participation or agreeing what what what with what he was saying eat my flesh drink my blood but those disciples that left him they wanted miracles they wanted provision
[00:23:04] and they wanted the crowd's energy remember convenience is something it's easy to use it's easy to get it saves time and it saves effort they didn't reject the miracle worker

[00:23:21] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:23:21] they rejected Jesus the source they didn't see him as the source of every issue in their life

[00:23:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:23:30] huh they rejected the one who's the source convenience stays with Christ as long as he explains himself is that is that what was going on the convenience stays it stays with with it stays with Christ as long as he explains himself but devotion follows when you're really devoted
[00:23:55] it follows when understanding lags behind trust when you're devoted to when you're devoted to to the Lord Jesus Christ even though you don't understand and and and you don't just decide to

[00:24:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:24:12] walk away it's it's convenient for you to walk away it's convenient for you to give up and cave

[00:24:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:24:18] in and quit because you don't understand well maybe if you give a better understanding then we might stay oh man they chose convenience but devotion says even when understanding lags behind trust I'm still going to stay with Jesus and there's just so many people so many people are
[00:24:40] doing that today really just don't understand Jesus but they leave they used to be on fire for the Lord is that you they should be stirred up for Jesus man you used to have to go and get
[00:24:54] a bell for him to stop praying what happened and then one day you ran across something like eat my flesh and drink my blood and he would have explained it to him but before you got the
[00:25:08] explanation you decided I quit or you know you're a member of world changes ministry and I come in and I say something and and and and and I could have explained it to you and I and I will and I'm
[00:25:19] working on something I'm trying to get your attention but you left because it was more convenient with understanding and I'm not against understanding but it's more convenient to stay as long as I explain myself as long as I explain myself boy that's a that's a big deal devotion
[00:25:39] versus convenience and you say you're devoted to the lord i want you to think about that again because we see here this like most people think jesus had 12 disciples there were you know there was the 70 and and above that and and uh they left they all left i remember when i
[00:25:59] started preaching the gospel of grace a lot of people left they just they left there was no devotion to christ and and and grace is a person his name is jesus and so think about that do we
[00:26:14] choose convenience even in that type of situation number three here's a guy you know of number three judas iscariot judas iscariot one of the 12 and in his situation you're going to see a situation
[00:26:28] that deals with transactional convenience over relational surrender a transactional agreement or convenience and you'll see you'll know why it's transactional because it was more convenient for him to to take a bribe you know uh than relational surrender let's look at this
[00:26:52] in the nlt matthew chapter 26 verse 14 through 16 now now watch watch judas here this is this is this is something then judas iscariot one of the 12 disciples went to the leading priest
[00:27:05] now watch watch church folks now one of the disciples went to the priest and they asked how much will you pay me to betray jesus to you and they gave him 30 pieces of silver
[00:27:21] oh wow that was easy that was quick didn't cost him much effort look at the next verse from that time on from that time on from that time on see what you may read about the one time he did
[00:27:38] it but he had gotten used to doing it from that time on Judas began looking for an opportunity to betray Jesus was looking for an opportunity from that time on when when it was easy to get
[00:27:52] when it was quick to get when it was convenient to get that money from that time on he looked for opportunity to to betray betray jesus now what are you willing to give me if i deliver him to you
[00:28:08] now this is real sobering so i want you to really really pay attention to this here's Judas who walked with Jesus he heard the gospel of grace he saw miracles power signs and wonders yet he valued predictable gain over unpredictable grace he could predict the gains
[00:28:38] that he would get by betraying Jesus but he felt that the that grace was unpredictable so what

[00:28:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:28:46] he chose what was easy he chose what was convenient you see Judas didn't betray Jesus

[00:28:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:28:55] suddenly he chose convenience repeatedly until betrayal felt logical to Judas and when Christ becomes a means instead of the meaning please hear what i just said when christ becomes the means for you to to to to create convenience in your life instead of the meaning and the source and
[00:29:22] the supply of your life convenience will always win you'll always and until you know the meaning of christ you'll just use them as a means and as a pastor i don't want to use christ as a means
[00:29:36] a means for me to get paid a means for me to be exalted a means for me no no no I want to know the meaning of this Christ the anointed one the one full of grace and truth the meaning of him
[00:29:51] because as long as you see Jesus as a means instead of the meaning you know what's going to happen in your life convenience is always going to win in your life that's sobering wow let's look at this number four peter we're very familiar with peter peter warns us of something
[00:30:17] here that we need to really really look at because peter unveils the apathy that's covered up through the disguise of convenience peter warming warming himself by the fire we're going to look at that we're going to look at something what peter demonstrates comfort over confession look
[00:30:41] at john chapter 18 verses 17 through 18 and verse 25 in nlt let's look at this this is something right here uh verse uh 17 and 18 there was a woman there and she asked peter
[00:30:57] you're not one of uh one of that man's disciples are you and he lied he said no he said i am not Verse 18, because it was cold. Now check this out. Because it was cold, the household servants
[00:31:13] and the guards had made a charcoal fire. They stood around it warming themselves and Peter stood with them warming himself. All right, now I want you to go to verse 25. Now look at this.
[00:31:30] Meanwhile, while Peter was warming himself, Simon Peter was standing by the fire warming himself and they asked him again you are not one of his disciples are you he denied it saying no I am not now why is this such a situation Peter stood by warming himself and this is this is a
[00:31:56] powerful imagery so make sure you get this he he was warming himself while Jesus is being tried

[00:32:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:32:05] Jesus is on trial Peter is seeking physical warmth oh my goodness if there's ever a misunderstanding

[00:32:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:32:17] of seeking what's priority this is it right here why wasn't he there bodily physically why Jesus was being tried out of all that Jesus did I mean why weren't you there to to kind of

[00:32:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:32:38] help defend Jesus and but you chose to to to to your priority was being warm and you had misplaced priority because you were you were not there your allegiance to him was not there your devotion to
[00:32:59] his emotion your devotion excuse me to to to the mission of Jesus was not there where were you

[00:33:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:33:07] peter warming myself by the fire easy something i needed right now but you know what jesus did look at grace and i mean this is in my eyes and in the eyes of some other people this is a this

[00:33:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:33:27] is an egregious act you my boy peter i mean you you know you and me we walked on water together

[00:33:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:33:34] i'm in the middle of being tried not only are you lying but your priorities are misplaced And I needed you there Even though this thing was supposed to happen. I needed you there but he did not
[00:33:54] Shame him You can see what he did in john 21. He didn't shame him Here's what grace shows us folks Failure doesn't disqualify you but comfort can silence Courage if you let it go unchecked
[00:34:16] comfort silencing courage what comfort in your life is silencing courage the thing that you can do that requires courage but comfort brings silence to that courage you know in these last days with all things that are
[00:34:39] going around in the world God's looking for correct courageous people and yet convenience will cause you to choose comfort over courage man man i hope y'all getting this so yeah that was great failure there but it didn't disqualify him please listen to me your failures don't
[00:35:02] disqualify you from being used by god your failures don't disqualify you david had a man killed look how god used him moses killed a man look how god used him the apostle paul killed a
[00:35:16] Now i'm not advocating advocating going and killing about it, but i'm just saying your failures don't disqualify you Glory be to god But when you allow your comfort to silence your courage And it can happen if it goes unchecked and that's why i'm trying to check you with this this morning. It can happen
[00:35:42] what is silencing your courage You know, you have to have courage to preach the gospel of grace you have to have courage to preach the stuff i've been preaching the last 12 years i mean
[00:35:54] people leave you people don't have nothing to do with you they misunderstand you they they they they they they try to shame you they slander you but it takes courage when when god called uh

[00:36:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:36:06] uh the guy that followed uh moses joshua first thing he told joshua was be strong and courageous because what you're getting ready to walk into requires courage but how many of you have allowed comfort to silence your courage wow courageous enough to go in the neighborhood and minister
[00:36:32] the gospel of Jesus and you have to show up there to do that you're not sending an email I mean

[00:36:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:36:37] that's convenient but you actually show up and you're actually in that neighborhood and you're actually there taking those people and praying with them and hugging them and encouraging them and let they let them see the living epistle that's flowing out of you that takes courage
[00:36:54] but the comfort can silence the courage if you let it go unchecked man i hope y'all getting this number five i want to look at a guy named demos in uh second timothy chapter four and ten i want to look at demos present convenience over eternal
[00:37:22] participation that's what we're going to see here with demas eternal participation will you continue to participate present convenience over eternal participation now look at demas here verse 10 he says for demas hath forsaken me stop for demas hath forsaken me now now now listen to this here's
[00:37:46] here's the other part having loved this present world he's going to show you why he forsook him Demas forsake for sook him having loved this present world and is departed unto Thessalonica Crescens to Galatia Titus unto Dalmatia why look at what Demas did he said because he loved
[00:38:12] the world he loved the present world Demas has forsaken me having loved this present world. Hope you're not loving this present world too much because it can cause a drift and you'll find yourself away from the God that you were so warmly and pleasantly addicted to. This isn't
[00:38:40] moral collapse when he did this. It's just like a lot of us have had times where we've done this, but it's misaligned affection. The affection that should go towards your Lord and your Savior.
[00:38:59] that affection now is in the world and you have more affection for the world than you know Jesus y'all know I'm right about it how many of you that are watching me right now you have more affection for the world than you do for Jesus yeah and so we need to look and see
[00:39:16] what that's all about man Demas didn't hate God he simply prefer preferred what was easier right now i'm you know hey god i it's just easier it's easier to have the affection of the world it's
[00:39:32] easier to do things there and i'm not you know and most of the time people think it's harder because we've just not been taught right and we just misunderstand god's heart and what he's trying to do loving grace without embracing its cost how much is it gonna cost you and are you
[00:39:51] willing to pay the price when it is not convenient loving grace without embracing its costs it produces something you know what it produces it produces spiritual drift instead of transformation you're not going to be transformed you're going to drift away from it you're going to drift away

[00:40:14] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:40:14] from God you're going to drift away from his word you're going to drift away from this amazing revelation of his grace and in in a moment's time you may think well you know it's all better for me

[00:40:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:40:24] right now keep living baby keep living you're going to need Jesus like everybody's gonna need Jesus but you can't say I love grace and not embrace the cost oh it has cost me everything to preach this gospel it has cost me everything to preach this gospel and in the midst of it I've
[00:40:53] learned the vocabulary of silence I've learned that I don't need to respond to every comment that I don't need to try to give an explanation to somebody that's already made their mind up not to like me or not to to believe me I've already made my mind up on those areas it cost but that
[00:41:09] may not be convenient for a lot of people a lot of people are not willing to pay the cost because it's not convenient oh wow but i tell you what if you let your love and passion for the world
[00:41:26] keep you in convenience that slow drift starts and you'll start drifting away and the god you used to love you don't even know anymore and the god that used to talk to all the day you don't
[00:41:39] even talk to him anymore and the god that you could depend on you're scared to depend on him because you're in fear right now what happened the drift took place you started drifting away from the one that made the difference in your life and you got into a drift instead of a
[00:41:56] transformation and see that's the thing God wants to see you transformed he'll give you the desire to do what pleases him he will transform you from the inside out but when you choose these areas of convenience because it's easy and it's convenient for you and it's quick and it doesn't
[00:42:20] cost you much effort the drift starts and you slowly drift away wow let's look at this last individual this is something that i wanted to share a long time ago but we're going to look at
[00:42:36] an individual we'll look at a whole church we're going to look at the church of laodicea the church of laodicea uh and how they operated with this perspective of comfortable grace with with without uh without fire you let me let me say something y'all i believe
[00:42:58] with all of the crazy stuff that's happening this year and the things that are going to happen i mean you haven't seen any yet the year ain't got started yet a lot of crazy stuff's going to happen
[00:43:08] I believe God that the fire God's going to come on you And I declare the fire of the Holy Spirit to get on you like you like you like you just can't even remember when it was
[00:43:18] like this You're gonna wake up praising the Lord. Hallelujah. You're gonna go to bed talking in tongue glory to God You're gonna be praising God in your in your house You're you're ready to pray for whatever moves glory to God because you trust and you depend on on your heavenly father
[00:43:34] Comfortable grace without fire. What does that look like?
[00:43:40] Well, look at revelations chapter 3 verse 15 and 17. Let's check this church out the church of laodicea Wow Comfortable without fire Verse 15 says I know all the things you do That you are neither hot nor cold
[00:44:00] I wish that you were one or the other But since you are like lukewarm water You're neither hot nor cold I will spit you out of my mouth dude Verse 17, you say, now listen to this lukewarm, lukewarm church.
[00:44:22] You say I'm rich.

[00:44:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:44:25] I have everything I want.
[00:44:27] I don't need a thing.

[00:44:30] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:44:30] Realize just by saying that, that you're wretched, you're miserable, and you're poor, and you're blind, and you're naked.
[00:44:43] because somehow people think that their godliness uh equals how anointed you are we think that that we think that gain let me let me let me say that again we think that gain is an indication
[00:45:05] of your holiness we think that gain is an indication of your sex success we think that gain is an indication of your anointing they went around here and they thought well i'm rich they went around here and say well i don't need nothing and including god i'm more i'm lukewarm

[00:45:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:45:23] i don't need a thing and he says you know you got all this stuff with your lukewarm self and you don't even realize that you're wretched you don't even realize how miserable you are you got money
[00:45:38] but you're dying of cancer you got a big mansion but don't nobody don't nobody want to stay there with you you buy $10,000 suits but nobody's ever around to tell you you sharp you're miserable
[00:45:50] you're a you're a sick man with money you're a lonely man that you know you say you got everything

[00:46:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:46:00] he says you don't even realize you're wretched you're miserable you're poor you're blind and you're naked you're naked of his presence you're blind you can't see what was going on here with this church. Grace became self-sufficiency, not surrender. Same thing again. Listen, look at what

[00:46:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:46:22] we've done. Look at what we've accomplished. Look at what we have. No, God is saying, I want you to

[00:46:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:46:31] surrender. Can you surrender to my will? Can you surrender to my way? Can you surrender to the mission that lines up with your calling and your wiring? Grace became self-sufficiency and not surrender. Jesus doesn't rebuke them for sin. Look what he did. He rebukes them for independence
[00:46:55] from their embodied devotion. This is why he rebuked them. You guys, I can't get you to show up. I can't get you to show up. You're independent, but you won't show up. I can't get you to show up
[00:47:13] them do the things that are required where this mission is concerned so Jesus gives out an invitation and I want to show you this invitation in Mark chapter 11 verse 28 and 30 he gives this
[00:47:29] invitation out listen to it carefully he says are you tired worn out because self-preservation will wear you out are you tired are you worn out are you burned out on religion are you burned out
[00:47:46] on religion are you burned out on religion that's trying to you know confuse you fill you with fear tell you you got to do stuff to get what God's already done are you burned out on religion that
[00:47:59] says you got to be good in order to get good when God's already good and when you're connected with him the goodness of God flows in your life and you get goodness because of the relationship and

[00:48:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:48:09] not because of what you do to get it are you burned out you burned out doing all the things

[00:48:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:48:17] you think you need to do in order to get to heaven oh god 99 and a half won't do I gotta make a hundred and you ain't made a hundred in the last three four months three four years here's what he
[00:48:28] says here's the invitation come to me wow come to me the invitation come to me come to me

[00:48:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:48:37] Get away with me And if you do that, you'll recover your life I'll show you how to take a real rest A real rest where you're in alignment with all that I have finished and all that I have done
[00:48:54] You'll see that you don't have to get it done yourself. I've already done it

[00:49:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:49:00] I just need you to agree with it and believe it

[00:49:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:49:02] I'll show you how to take a real rest walk with me and work with me watch how i do it learn the unforced rhythms of grace that every day of my life i am loved by god
[00:49:20] i am righteous i am forgiven i am complete in jesus any gospel that has you trying to earn

[00:49:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:49:29] something that jesus has already done is not the gospel i won't lay anything heavy god look at it God says, I ain't going to lay nothing heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me. Do you

[00:49:45] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:49:45] see this over and over again? Relationship, relationship, relationship. Keep company with me

[00:49:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:49:50] and you will learn to live freely and lightly. Keep company with me. Relationship, relationship, relationship. Intimate relationship. The branch connected to the vine. And just because you're

[00:50:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:50:06] in union with God with God what's what what what what he has and what and who he is flows in your life whoo this is not convenience this is rest this rest will cost the ego but it'll heal your

[00:50:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]
[00:50:29] soul and the ego wants to sit at the head of the table but when you're resting in the finished works of Jesus it'll cost your ego because your ego wants credit for being blessed your ego wants
[00:50:41] credit for getting rich. Your ego wants credit. Your ego, it's what I did. I prayed for five

[00:50:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]
[00:50:49] hours. I fasted for 20 days. I came to church consecutively. I'm good. The ego wants to be exalted, wants to sit at the head of the table. But this rest will cost the ego, but it'll heal
[00:51:11] your soul oh my goodness rest is not the absence of effort it is the absence of relying on yourself rest is the absence of self-reliance yeah it might be convenient for you rely on yourself
[00:51:32] but now when you rest in Jesus you are relying on him so please understand that grace never moves devotion. What grace moves is earnings. Grace removes that mindset that I got to earn it.
[00:51:53] Grace doesn't excuse disengagement. No, it empowers embodied participation without anxiety.
[00:52:07] grace empowers embodied participation without anxiety but we keep choosing what's convenient we keep choosing what's easy to get we keep choosing what's easy to use we keep choosing what saves us time and cost us very little effort that's when convenience becomes dangerous
[00:52:44] So this was not just an issue that took place in the time of technology It's just satan Trying to use convenience and technology to cover up the real issue of apathy and indifference It happened back here before they had cell phones. It happened back here before there was a streaming
[00:53:10] And so today, you know, I thank god for the streaming but the streaming is not going to take the place of the mission that God has called me to some of you after church today may be led of the Holy
[00:53:25] Spirit to go in and get the phone and pick up and call somebody just check on them how you doing you all right listen to the Holy Spirit take these five teachings and let them minister to you man
[00:53:40] and be determined not to be a Judas Iscariot not to be like those in the church of Laodicea where they were lukewarm and sadly blind and deceived don't be like the Peter whose priority was so
[00:53:59] misplaced that while Jesus was being tried and maybe he should have no no maybe he should have been there he was more concerned about warming himself and lying about his relationship let's be courageous. Let's not allow convenience to rob us of the courage that's necessary to stand for
[00:54:26] Christ. Amen. Do you get anything out of this? I mean to tell you, you can get, listen, you can get fed home now. You can get fed at, you can get fed right where you are. If you, if you listen to
[00:54:39] this with the intention of allowing this word to change you, then you got fed today. And I thank God for it amen and amen you get anything out of this were you guys on the bus because I'm I'm I'm
[00:54:59] I got some things we're going to deal with some things we're going to talk about this was a foundation for where we're going to go next and we're going to we're going to look at this thing
[00:55:09] of the presence of the Lord we're going to look at how do I practically cast my care over on God I tell you what the next few months around here will be paramount they will be amazing
[00:55:24] gatherings that we will gather together and value the nearness and the connection that the branch has with the vine amen well God bless you oh hallelujah all is well I thank God there's no time or distance in the spirit and i pray that the holy ghost is all up in your
[00:55:50] your wherever you're watching this from i pray god is just doing some amazing things in your life and so i'd like to give the final blessing over your life today and if you'll just agree with me
[00:56:03] wherever you are lift your hands up father i thank you for the spirit of grace that gives us courage to walk away from the dangers of convenience and to recognize when we can use convenience
[00:56:19] to serve the mission that you have called us to.
[00:56:24] Father, I declare that the angels of God have already been commanded to watch over us lest we dash our foot against the stone.
[00:56:33] And Lord, I declare restoration in the lives of every world changer.
[00:56:38] I declare restoration over our grace gang right now.
[00:56:41] And in the name of Jesus, whatever's wrong, make it right.
[00:56:44] Send every devil to flight.
[00:56:47] And I thank you, Lord, that you are doing some amazing things right now.
[00:56:52] In the name of Jesus, if someone is without power, Father, we just agree.
[00:56:56] Let that power come on quickly.
[00:56:59] Oh, Father, we thank you in the name of Jesus that you put somebody on somebody else's heart that they can release a supply of the Spirit into their lives.
[00:57:10] and now unto him who's able to keep you from falling father i thank you that the children are protected and blessed that the couples are are getting better and better every day they're loving one another better and better every day and i thank you that your care for us is greater
[00:57:32] than anything on this planet we trust you god we trust you you're able to keep us from falling you're able to keep us from falling lord and to present us holy and acceptable unto god
[00:57:48] in the mighty name of jesus we pray this prayer and everybody said amen hey be blessed and i'll see you soon god bless you have an amazing sunday in jesus name it's time i will

[00:58:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:58:04] travel coming from new york i had to be here it's just amazing every year i look forward to coming

[00:58:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:58:10] every year get ready to be awakened rise from the ashes ashes rise from the ashes ashes and be who you were made to be join us for the radical women's conference March 19th and 20th two days that will shift your destiny it feels

[00:58:31] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:58:31] like one big girl group party it's full of joy it's full of laughter it's full by supporting each other.

[00:58:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:58:39] With guest speakers, Octavia Roberts.

[00:58:42] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:58:42] You have to recognize the power that you have.
[00:58:45] Your spark is on the inside of you.
[00:58:47] It's not lost, it's there.
[00:58:50] Chrislyn McNair.
[00:58:52] Stop waiting on somebody else to validate you

[00:58:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:58:54] through your pity party.
[00:58:56] You already been.

[00:58:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:58:58] Shardae Orr.

[00:59:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:59:00] I have something different that the God that I know, I don't have to worship Him in order to get something.
[00:59:07] I am worshiping God because everything is already done.

[00:59:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:59:10] Alyssa Worrell.

[00:59:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:59:12] There's no situation or no circumstance that you cannot overcome.

[00:59:17] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:59:17] And Creflo Dollar.

[00:59:19] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:59:19] It's one thing for you to know what the scriptures say.
[00:59:22] It's another thing for you to know what God said to you.

[00:59:26] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:59:26] And bringing the sound that will set the atmosphere on fire.
[00:59:29] Special musical guests, Jordan G. Welch and Kiera Sheard.
[00:59:34] Get ready to be awakened. From the ashes, we rise.
[00:59:40] Register today at TaffyDollar.org.
[00:59:42] It's time for your radical awakening.

[00:59:48] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:59:48] The Spirit and Grace Tour is coming to a city near you.
[00:59:52] Join Creflo Dollar for an unforgettable night of revelation and empowerment. Seats are limited, only 500 per city. Register now at SpiritandGracetour.com.
[01:00:02] Don't miss this night of power, grace and transformation.
[01:00:06] Register now at spiritandgracedoor.com.

[01:00:09] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[01:00:09] It was awesome.
[01:00:10] If you wasn't here, you missed it.
[01:00:13] You need to go to the other cities and states and get in.