HBC Live - Asst. Pastor Todd Dunmore "Success Sequence"

Devotional

Day 1: Stepping Into the Jordan Before the Waters Part

Success begins with obedience before the blessing becomes visible. Joshua stood at the flooded Jordan River, sandals dry, waiting for God to act. But the miracle came only when the priests’ feet touched the water. God’s promises often require us to move forward in faith before we see the breakthrough. Obedience isn’t a reaction to provision—it’s the prerequisite. What looks like risk to us is trust to Him. [19:45]

“And it shall come to pass, as soon as the soles of the feet of the priests that bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of Jordan, that the waters of Jordan shall be cut off from the waters that come down from above; and they shall stand upon an heap.”
(Joshua 3:13, KJV)

Reflection: What “Jordan River” is God asking you to step into this week—a situation requiring obedience before you see the outcome? How does your hesitation reveal where you’re trusting sight more than faith?

Day 2: The Axe in Hands Untrained by Fire

Service without salvation is like a civilian wearing firefighter gear to battle flames. The uniform might impress bystanders, but lack of training guarantees failure. Jesus warned about workers who did miracles in His name yet never knew Him. Authentic ministry flows from relationship, not ritual. Spiritual credentials mean nothing without the cross. [50:05]

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
(Matthew 7:21-23, KJV)

Reflection: When you serve, do you more often feel like a hired hand clocking in or a child working alongside their Father? What task have you been doing in your own strength that needs surrender to His presence?

Day 3: Pruning Shears Before Harvest Baskets

Fruitfulness isn’t forced—it’s cultivated through abiding. A branch can’t decide its yield; it simply stays connected to the vine. Our role isn’t to manufacture spiritual results but to remain in Christ through prayer, Scripture, and faithfulness in small things. The Gardener handles the growth. Our job is to stay grafted. [59:27]

“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
(John 15:4-5, KJV)

Reflection: What “dead branch” have you been straining to make fruitful that God might be asking you to release? Where is He inviting you to trade striving for abiding this season?

Day 4: Sunday School Desks Before Pulpits

Leadership grows in the soil of humility. Moses spent 40 years shepherding literal sheep before leading Israel. David tended flocks before ruling nations. Jesus’ disciples sat as students for three years before being sent out. Spiritual authority isn’t seized—it’s earned through teachability. The best leaders never stop being learners. [01:06:09]

“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.”
(Philippians 2:5-7, KJV)

Reflection: What leadership opportunity have you avoided because it felt beneath you? How might serving in obscurity prepare you for greater Kingdom impact?

Day 5: Cana’s Jars Before the Wedding Wine

Obedience precedes miracles. The servants at Cana filled stone jars with plain water before it became wine. Noah built an ark miles from water. Abraham left Ur without a map. God’s blessings follow our acts of trust, not our demand for guarantees. The jars must be filled before the water turns red. [01:20:10]

“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.”
(Hebrews 11:8, KJV)

Reflection: What ordinary “water jug” is God asking you to fill today—a mundane act of obedience that could become the stage for His next miracle in your life?

Sermon Summary

Matthew 6 speaks straight. “Ye cannot serve God and mammon,” then “seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.” The order is not fuzzy. The kingdom goes first. The Lord promises that “all these things shall be added,” but only after first things are first. Joshua 1 and Psalm 1 keep pressing the same pattern. Keep the book in the mouth, meditate day and night, do what it says, then comes prosperity. Refuse the counsel of the ungodly, delight in the law, meditate, then comes a rooted, fruitful life. John 15 tightens the screw. The Vine gives life to the branches. Apart from Christ there is no fruit. Nothing.

The sequence of success lands plain and simple. Salvation before service. A person can wear the uniform, swing the axe, look busy, and still not be a fireman. In the same way, service in the flesh can look impressive while the heart is still lost. Ephesians 2 will not budge. Salvation is “by grace through faith,” the gift of God, not of works. Get the relationship first, then take up the responsibilities.

Faithfulness before fruitfulness. Everyone wants the attaboy in glory, but the Vine does not rush the branches. Abiding shows up on a calendar and a clock. Show up. Stay put. Keep at it. Fruit grows on the other side of abiding. Learning before leadership. Moses had palace years and then wilderness years before he led. David was anointed young and waited decades. The disciples sat at Jesus’ feet before they were sent. The church needs workers, but workers need training. Sit, learn, help, then lead.

Humility before exaltation. James says to humble oneself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift up. That means talking less, listening more, putting others first, and letting Christ be seen instead of a spotlight on self. Obedience before blessing. Abraham left Ur before the promise blossomed. Noah built before a drop fell. Israel stepped into the Jordan before the waters rolled back. The Lord often puts the blessing on the far side of a hard step so that faith actually walks. The pattern holds. Seek first. Abide first. Obey first. Then the Lord adds “all these things.”

Key Takeaways

1. Salvation must precede all service Service done in the flesh will eventually fold, but grace received by faith births a life that can actually serve. Ephesians 2 leaves no wiggle room, and Jesus warns that busy hands without a known heart will hear “I never knew you.” Get the relationship settled, then take up the yoke. Anything else is playing dress up at a fire. [56:02]
2. Faithfulness comes before any fruit Abiding is not a feeling, it is a rhythm of staying with Christ when convenience fades. The Vine supplies life, and branches bear only as they remain. Show up, stay rooted, and let time do its quiet work. Fruit will follow faithfulness, not the other way around. [60:36]
3. Learning prepares souls for leadership God grows leaders slowly, through hidden years, ordinary helps, and teachable spirits. Moses, David, and the apostles all studied before they were sent. Sit under the Word, assist where needed, be tested, then take the helm. Platforms come after preparation. [66:09]
4. Humility invites God to lift up Self-promotion may gain a moment, but it will not gain God. The Lord exalts the one who goes low, listens long, and puts Christ on display. Let another take the credit, let Jesus take the increase, and trust God to handle the lifting. [72:40]
5. Obedience unlocks awaiting blessings God stacks blessings on the far side of obedience so that faith has to step. Abraham left, Noah built, and Israel got their socks wet before the river made a way. The prayer list is long, but the Lord often waits for a yes. Take the step, then watch the waters move. [79:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[14:11] - Abide and praise
[35:52] - Two masters and Matthew 6
[36:49] - Seek first the kingdom
[39:40] - Joshua 1:8 and success
[40:53] - Psalm 1 steps and promise
[44:19] - Dave Ramsey’s four-step study
[48:43] - Point 1 Salvation before service
[57:58] - Point 2 Faithfulness then fruitfulness
[66:09] - Point 3 Learning before leadership
[72:12] - Point 4 Humble yourself to be lifted
[76:12] - Point 5 Obedience before blessing
[83:36] - Closing prayer and response
[92:29] - Amen and dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
Matthew 6:24, 33 (ESV)
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. [...] But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

John 15:4-5 (ESV)
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.”

Observation Questions

What two commands does Jesus give in Matthew 6:33, and what does He promise will follow?
According to Psalm 1:1-3, what specific actions lead to a “rooted, fruitful life,” and what is the result of avoiding ungodly influences?
In John 15:4-5, what metaphor does Jesus use to describe the relationship between Himself and believers? What is the consequence of not “abiding” in Him?
The sermon mentions that “salvation must precede service” ([48:43]). What example was given to illustrate this principle?

Interpretation Questions

Why do you think Jesus emphasizes seeking first the kingdom of God rather than balancing priorities (Matthew 6:33)? How does this contrast with worldly definitions of success?
The sermon states, “Faithfulness shows up on a calendar and a clock” ([58:17]). How does this connect to the idea of abiding in Christ (John 15:4-5) as a daily rhythm rather than a momentary feeling?
The example of wearing a fireman’s uniform without training ([55:35]) was used to warn against service without salvation. Why is it dangerous to prioritize activity over relationship with God?
James 4:10 says humility precedes exaltation. How does self-promotion hinder God’s work in a person’s life, and why is humility essential for spiritual growth?

Application Questions

Salvation before service: Are there areas where you’ve been “playing dress-up” spiritually (e.g., serving, attending church) without a settled relationship with Christ? What step can you take to address this?
Faithfulness before fruitfulness: What practical habit (e.g., prayer, Scripture reading, church attendance) can you commit to consistently, even when it feels inconvenient ([58:47])?
Learning before leadership: Is there a role or ministry you feel drawn to but lack preparation for? How can you intentionally learn or serve in smaller ways first ([01:06:09])?
Obedience before blessing: Is there a specific command or prompting from God (e.g., forgiveness, generosity, repentance) you’ve delayed obeying? What would it look like to take that step this week ([01:19:45])?
The sermon warns against prioritizing convenience over abiding ([59:01]). What distractions or comforts compete for your time with Christ, and how can you reorder your priorities?
Reflect on a time when you tried to “produce fruit” in your own strength. How did that differ from seasons where you focused on abiding in Christ?
Humility invites God’s exaltation: In conversations this week, how can you intentionally listen more, talk less, and point others to Christ instead of yourself ([01:13:15])?

Sermon Clips

59s

#SeekFirstKingdom

“``Listen. God has laid it out pretty straightforward for us, this idea of being a success. Are we doing it our way? Are we doing it how we want? No. We can't. We'll never get the blessings until we obey. We'll we'll never get the rewards until we are doing the work. Right. We'll never get the harvest until we start doing some planting. We don't get the crown to cast at his feet until we get into that fight. Listen, folks. If we're gonna be serious with God, it's gonna take some work. Right. It's gonna take us doing it God's way. That's right. We can't do it our way. We cannot do it our way. He says, seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness. And then, and only then, all these things shall be added unto you. There's a there's a succession of success.”

70s

#BlessingsRequireObedience

“We all want the blessings from God. We all want God to say, hey. Do do this for me, God. Do this. We all I mean, we get we got a prayer sheet a mile long of of folks who who, hey, have requested. God, do this for me. Do this for this person. Heal this person. Do this. Are we obedient, though? Right. We want the blessings, but we don't want to obey. God says, the blessing's on on the other side of the Jordan River. And until you make that step of obedience, you'll never receive those blessings. I wonder how many blessings God has for us right now. I don't wanna sound like a prosperity preacher, but I'm serious. Think about it. How many blessings that God has for us waiting? And he says, man, I got this perfect plan for him. I just gotta wait. I'm just waiting for them to obey. I'm just waiting for this person to get serious. I'm just waiting for this person to to to get right. God says, I've got the blessings ready. Can God do anything? Absolutely, he can. Not until you're obedient. Right. Not until you're obedient.”

78s

#LearnThenLead

“Like I said, no no company is looking gonna call me to be a CEO. I don't have the experience. You gotta have be have training. You gotta be tested. You gotta prove yourself, and then you can be put in a place of leadership. We want the platforms, but not the preparation. want to guide people without actually doing the following. Listen, folks. We're we need some people to step up. Yes. But you gotta learn something first. Come to Sunday school. Come to church on a regular basis. Step in these these positions that we need. You know, I do need need some more choir people. We do need more Sunday school teachers. Where you at, folks? Right. Everyone's thinking the same thing. And you know what that is? Someone else is gonna do it for me. Right. Right. Someone else is gonna step in eventually. Right. You're probably thinking, oh, you know, this person, they could they could do it. They could step up and do that job. And you know what they're thinking? That you could do it. Right. And guess what's happening? No one's doing it. We've got places to grow, folks. There's there's places to grow in this church. The question is, are we gonna step up into it? You have to learn and then you can lead.”

40s

#HumbleToBeLifted

“we all think we're number one. We all think we're the most important, but god says that's not how we look at ourselves as Christians. Says humble yourselves in the sight of God. Put yourself lower. And it says, he will lift you up. He will lift you up. Right. At the end of my at the end of the day, you know, I want my life to be a life of for Christ. And if if I'm lifting myself up in everything that I do and everything that I say and every action, every deed, if I'm lifting myself up, are people seeing me or are they seeing Christ? Right. Think about it.”

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HBC Live - Asst. Pastor Todd Dunmore "Success Sequence" - Sun AM 6/28/26