Embracing Accountability: The Path to Personal Transformation

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Ecclesiastes 4:9-10**: "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up."
2. **John 4:16-19**: "He told her, 'Go, call your husband and come back.' 'I have no husband,' she replied. Jesus said to her, 'You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What you have just said is quite true.' 'Sir,' the woman said, 'I can see that you are a prophet.'"
3. **Genesis 3:9-11**: "But the Lord God called to the man, 'Where are you?' He answered, 'I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.' And he said, 'Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?'"

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 suggest about the benefits of having a companion or community? How does this relate to the concept of accountability discussed in the sermon? [08:15]
2. In John 4:16-19, how does Jesus hold the woman at the well accountable for her past actions? What is the significance of this interaction? [25:17]
3. According to Genesis 3:9-11, what was Adam's response when God asked him where he was? How does this passage illustrate the importance of accountability? [27:10]
4. Pastor Cory mentioned that "healed people heal people." How does this statement relate to the overall message of accountability and community support? [06:22]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the passage in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 reflect the importance of community in personal growth and healing? Why is it significant that "two are better than one"? [08:15]
2. What can we learn from Jesus' approach to accountability with the woman at the well in John 4:16-19? How does this story demonstrate the balance between truth and grace? [25:17]
3. In Genesis 3:9-11, why do you think God asked Adam, "Where are you?" even though He already knew the answer? What does this question reveal about God's desire for accountability? [27:10]
4. Pastor Cory shared personal experiences about the benefits of allowing others to speak into his life. How does transparency and vulnerability within a community contribute to personal and collective healing? [17:47]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you avoided accountability in your life. What were the consequences, and how might embracing accountability have changed the outcome? [27:10]
2. Pastor Cory emphasized the importance of being open to correction and seeking community support. What steps can you take this week to be more transparent and vulnerable with your small group or trusted friends? [17:47]
3. How can you create an atmosphere of trust and support in your small group that encourages others to share their struggles and seek help? What specific actions can you take to foster this environment? [24:44]
4. Consider the areas in your life where you may be avoiding accountability, such as in relationships or personal disciplines. What practical steps can you take to invite accountability into these areas? [33:40]
5. Pastor Cory mentioned that "exposure brings disclosure." How can you apply this principle to a current struggle you are facing? What is one specific step you can take to shed light on this issue? [11:48]
6. How can you balance offering grace and truth when holding others accountable in your community? What are some ways to ensure that your approach is both loving and effective? [33:40]
7. Reflect on the biblical examples of accountability discussed in the sermon. How can these stories inspire you to embrace accountability in your own life and help others do the same? [26:33]

Day 1: Embracing Accountability as Transformation
Accountability is not a tool for shaming but a catalyst for profound personal change. It begins with the understanding that one has the privilege to speak into another's life, not as an imposition but as a welcomed voice of truth. This privilege is a sacred trust that must be handled with care and respect. In the context of a trusting relationship, accountability becomes like a "slash hammer" that breaks down barriers, allowing individuals to confront their struggles and initiate the process of transformation. It is in these private, intimate settings where hearts are open, and guidance can be most effective, leading to genuine breakthroughs and lasting change. [37:29]

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." - Galatians 6:1-2

Reflection: Who has God placed in your life that you can trust to hold you accountable, and have you given them permission to speak truth into your life?

Day 2: The Unchanging Standard of Truth
The truth of God's word stands immutable, a constant standard amidst the ebb and flow of cultural change. It is as relevant and powerful today as it was two millennia ago, offering both conviction and comfort. This unchanging truth provides a foundation for life, guiding individuals toward freedom and fulfillment. Embracing the truth requires a balance of grace and truth—grace to live out the truth in daily life, and truth to set free from the bondage of deception and sin. The word of God is not just a historical document; it is the living, breathing standard by which all life is measured. [33:40]

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart." - Hebrews 4:12

Reflection: In what ways have you allowed cultural shifts to influence your understanding of truth, and how can you realign your perspective with the unchanging word of God?

Day 3: Awareness Through Accountability
The biblical narratives of the woman at the well and Adam and Eve serve as poignant reminders of the role accountability plays in recognizing one's faults and the need for change. These stories demonstrate that when individuals are held accountable, they gain a heightened awareness of their personal issues, which is the first step toward transformation. Avoiding accountability only perpetuates destructive patterns, but embracing it can prevent these cycles and lead to growth and healing. The courage to face difficult truths about oneself is the pathway to a life free from the chains of past mistakes. [26:33]

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." - James 5:16

Reflection: What personal issue have you been avoiding, and how can you take a step today to hold yourself accountable for addressing it?

Day 4: The Strength in Vulnerability
Transparency and vulnerability within a community are invaluable. They create an environment where individuals feel safe to share their struggles, fostering a culture of support and mutual growth. When one opens up about their challenges, it encourages others to do the same, leading to collective healing. This openness is not a sign of weakness but of strength, as it takes courage to reveal one's imperfections. It is through this shared vulnerability that a community can truly uphold one another, celebrating victories and shouldering burdens together. [24:44]

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Reflection: How can you demonstrate vulnerability in your community this week to encourage others to open up about their struggles?

Day 5: Proactive Steps Toward God's Purpose
To embrace accountability is to take proactive steps toward personal breakthroughs and fulfilling God's purpose for one's life. It involves honest self-reflection, a willingness to accept correction, and an active pursuit of a supportive community. This journey is not solitary; it is one that is shared with others who provide encouragement and uphold each other through trials and celebrations. By allowing God's word to guide and correct, individuals can move toward a life of healing, purpose, and fulfillment. [08:15]

"Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" - 2 Corinthians 13:5

Reflection: What is one area in your life where you need to embrace accountability, and who can you reach out to for support in this journey?

And today for another Sunday worship service, God is good. You know, we just came out of a 10-year anniversary celebration last week, and amen, and I'm still in it. The party folk be saying they celebrate their birthday for a whole month. I don't know where that comes from; they got a birthday month. No, you got a birthday, but somehow we done shifted it from a birthday to a birth month. So, we are celebrating Hope City for the whole month.

I told the first service today that I've never really felt any stress about not liking ministry anymore. I've been enjoying ministry, particularly here. Y'all make doing ministry easy, Hope City, and I'm so grateful for you guys. But just for the past two or three days, I've been feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude and a new fire for this church and for what God is calling us to do. I'm excited for the next 10, 20 years and what we're going to do together.

For those of you who weren't here on day one when we started 10 years ago, here's the beauty of what God is about to do in this season right now: you're going to be a part of all the amazing stuff He's about to do in this season that we're in right now. You know, we've been having the Overflow room literally filled up every last two or three Sundays. We had 740 people in this building last Sunday. So, we're working. Amen! Y'all clapping now? You better keep on clapping when I say I need you to make room. That same clapping should be going on when I say make room, serve, volunteer, come one, worship one. We need more help. Come on, we need help! Folk are coming, seeking the hope, seeking help, and obviously, people are getting what they need.

Our second and third services are pretty much already full to capacity. We have a little bit more space in the first service. One thing that we're doing now, just an FYI, is the marriage conference is at capacity, so that's full. There's no more room; it's 150 couples, which is 300 people that will be in our marriage conference in a couple of weeks. If there is an overflow or a waiting list available, if you're still interested, please put your name on the waiting list. If someone falls off, we will add you to the guest list. But it's going to be an amazing two days of impartation, development, ministry, pouring into food, dinner, lunch, all that stuff, making it a date weekend for the couples of Hope City Church. It's going to be absolutely amazing.

And I think what's happening here is not just coming here to get a word on Sunday morning. Sunday morning is important; you guys come here in the big service to get a word from God. But what's happening in your life is not just the message you're getting on Sunday morning, particularly those of you who are in community, serving on a dream team, in a small group. You're doing life in community; that's where healing and breakthrough and deliverance and all that takes place. You know, not just on Sunday morning. On Sunday mornings, everybody's got their best clothes on, smiling, everything is perfect; there's nothing wrong. But it's when you get intimately involved with what God is doing here at Hope City Church, and you take the mask off and get real about where you are and what's going on. This is how people are finding hope and help.

So, I would encourage you, if you see day in Hope City right now and you're kicking the tires, now's the time to get in because I believe God has the answers that you need for your dream, your vision, your body. Maybe you're sick right now and need healing; maybe your marriage is going through something. I don't know the specifics of the mountain or the valley you may be in, but I do believe that God is stirring the waters in this ministry here, and people are getting help and healing exactly where they need it. Do I have at least four or five witnesses here that can say God is healing me in areas of my life that hurt?

One other thing I want to also say is please be praying for us. We know it's tight in here right now, but we're working on some different options. One thing to put on your radar: come the Sunday after Easter, we are launching another campus in Pooler. Amen! So, we'll give you more details on what that looks like and how you could be a part of that launch. Again, if you weren't here when we launched this church 10 years ago, you can have an opportunity to be a part of what God's about to do in Pooler.

I want to also add to that, folk are like, "Well, how's that going to happen?" It's going to be the same experience. The goal is to make the experience in Pooler, downtown, wherever we plant a church, the same experience that you experienced here. Because if I'm trying to convince people to go somewhere different, they have to know they'll get the same experience that they're getting here. As we reach out and build a launch team with people who are not a part of Hope City right now, there will be some people here who will go over there and help plant that location.

You know how your grandmother would get a flower, and she'd take a piece of that flower, break one off, and put it in a little glass of water and let the root start growing? Then she'd take that and plant it somewhere else. That's literally what we're going to be doing: taking somebody's body out of the house and planting another location. Now listen, when I ask some of you to go be a part of that launch, not everyone will be able to raise their hand and say, "You know what? I want to go for three months to help out," or "I want to go and be over there for the entire time." I'm going to give everybody the option to make that decision. But one person, anybody could raise their hand and go, "But my wife, she can't go." Come on, somebody! Yeah, but everybody else, because this church is bigger than me, it's bigger than my personality; it's about the kingdom of God expanding, God's kingdom, and even God sending people our way for me to equip and empower who He has called to plant another church as well.

So, I'm excited about that. I'm excited that we'll be licensing and ordaining a few ministers in our third service today. So, God is good! Get along for this journey; it's going to be absolutely amazing. And let me tell some married folks something right now: this is why the devil doesn't want us to get our marriages together, because he knows that God may want to use some of y'all. Some of y'all are saying, "Well, leave me right where I'm at then, because I don't want the Lord to use me in none of that over there." No, He's going to fix that thing so good that you're going to go tell somebody else what the Lord has done for you. Come on, somebody! He's going to get you over your mountain so you can help somebody else get over their mountain.

I told them earlier today, I'm actually in my message right now. We always say that hurt people hurt people, and that's true. Hurt people hurt people, but God wants to heal some people today. You want to know why? Because healed people heal people. Healed people heal people, and God is looking to heal some people in this season here so that you can do exactly whatever it is He has called you to do and is desiring you to do in this season.

We kicked off a series a few weeks ago from our theme of 2024 entitled "Exceedingly More." If you remember, we talked about the more that we individually and personally want from God. But there are five words I shared with you as a church that we are believing God for in this idea of exceedingly more: more grace, more wisdom, more accountability, more discipline, and more favor. Now, we all rejoice and shout over when we say more grace, more wisdom, and more favor. But those two words, more accountability and discipline, are the two words we always run away from.

How many of you know that oftentimes it's the lack of accountability and the lack of discipline in our lives that causes us not to get the breakthroughs that we are looking for? So today, I want to talk about holding each other up: a community of accountability. Holding each other up: a community of accountability. In a world filled with challenges and distractions, the idea of accountability takes on a deeper significance. As believers, we are called not only to walk this journey of faith individually, but we're also called to do it in community with a group of people.

You know, there's a scripture in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 that says, "Two are better than one." Why? Because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. So imagine us being a church, a community, where we not only celebrate each other's victories, but we also stand as guardrails, guard posts, as pillars of support during times of trials. It's easy for us to testify about what God is doing great in our lives; we don't mind sharing that. But when we're struggling, when we're going through, who do we run to? Who do we run to and say, "Hey, my name is Corey, and this is my problem"?

God is calling us to do more. God is calling us to be more accountable. I think about, for example, when we launched this church over 10 years ago. I didn't just have a dream and an idea that said, "Hey, I want to start a church," and wasn't accountable to any person. I took that and shared it with my pastor, my bishop, Bishop Davis, over 10 years ago. I shared it with him and our pastor at that time, Pastor April, what I believe God was calling us to do here in Savannah. I did the same thing with the elders of the Ark; I shared with them, and through prayer and direction, at some point, we all agreed. They supported and agreed with what God was calling us to do here in Savannah, but I had to be willing to submit it and be accountable to someone else.

But watch this: not only was I accountable to my bishop and also the overseers with the Ark with that idea, I also told my wife. Because how many of you know I wasn't going to move over 200 miles away if she did not agree? Come on, somebody! I wasn't going to move 200 miles away if she did not agree. If she would have said no, I would have waited long enough until God dealt with her, showed her, and gave her a yes. Now, some of you probably say, "Well, if God told you to do it, you should have done it." See, you're out of order already; you don't understand the power of agreement. You don't understand the power of keeping peace in your house. Because if God really says something, if you wait and don't get weary, you will reap; you will get the answer of the manifestation if you faint not.

Too many of us get ahead of our skis because we don't want to be accountable. We bust out and do stuff because we don't want anyone else to tell us what to do with that thing. But I'm telling you, there is safety in accountability. I remember attending AA meetings with my dad over 20-some years ago now, and I often remember we would go to those meetings, and there would be circles. One thing they always had to do when they began to share was stand up and say, "My name is David, and this is my problem." "My name is Corey, and this is my problem." Listen, you will never get help for the things you need to get help for in your life if you don't go through admittance. You know, you can go to the hospital all day, go to the emergency room; you first have to do what? Go through admittance. You just can't walk in and sit down and expect to be seen. You will sit there all day if you do not put your name on the list. They'll call everybody else's name out, and you'll sit there and wait all day.

But too many of us come to church, and we don't go through admittance. Come Sunday in and Sunday out, we love to worship, and the prayer feels good. We see everybody else getting their breakthrough, and we're wondering why we did not get ours. Because we have yet to go through admittance. There's power in accountability. Exposure brings disclosure. I'm going to say it again: exposure—when I shed light on a thing, when I disclose a matter, it takes the power that the enemy wants to use over my life with that thing. Because exposure brings disclosure.

You know, our theme for this year, or our verse of scripture for this year, is Luke 12:47-48. If you remember, the last part of that verse says, "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded, and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked." I don't know about you, but I believe that I am a much-given person. I believe God has given me much. Matter of fact, I would go so far as to say that God has given you much as well. And again, to whom much is given, much more is required. Am I talking to "much-given" people today? A "much-given" marriage, a "much-given" dream, a "much-given" ministry? To whom much is given, much more is required. If you want greater and better, then guess what? To whom much is given, much is required.

We always say the grass is not greener on the other side. I present to you that sometimes the grass is green on the other side; it's just not your grass. Come on, somebody! Many times, the grass is green on the other side; it's just not your grass. If you're willing to put in the work, you can get your grass green as well. Because I hate the fact when people always try to demean someone else's relationship or their business or their dreams. "Well, ain't nobody that happy." There are some people that are happy! There are some people that are happy with their life. And oftentimes, when we're not happy with our life, we try to demean and minimize what's going on in their life.

There is saying, "You know what? They may have it going on in their life. I don't know how they did it; let me go inquire because I want to get to where they are." Come on, somebody! Many times, people get to where they are because of the degree of their willingness to be accountable to someone else. Not just the grace, not just the wisdom, not just the favor, but they were willing to be accountable and walk in discipline.

I remember the story over here in Numbers chapter 13. You don't have to turn there, but Numbers 13:30-33 is a story where God had sent the 12 spies to spy out the land of Canaan that He had already promised to them, that He had already given to them. He said, "Go and spy out the land." Twelve went and spied out the land. The Bible said when the twelve came back, ten of them put up a negative and a bad report about what they saw. They said, "We saw giants in the land; they are overwhelming. We do see the blessing in the land, but in that same land, we see giants who are much more powerful and greater than us, and we cannot take the land."

The scripture says that Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We are more than able to take the land." Listen, if you are not accountable for what you say out of your mouth, you could hinder a whole lot of people from walking into promised lands that belong to them. Matter of fact, some of you, God promised you something, but you were not accountable for the stuff you said out of your mouth, and you talked yourself out of what God was trying to talk you into. God did not send them over there to see if they wanted the land to go consider it. No, He sent them to get a preview of what already belonged to them. They talked themselves out of their healing; if you would, they talked themselves out of their breakthrough. They talked themselves out of the doors that God wanted to open for them because they focused more on the problem in the land versus the promise in the land.

You got to make sure you're focusing more on the promise in the land versus the problem in the land. Because the enemy wants to magnify the problem and minimize the promise. But I don't know about you; I'm magnifying every promise that God has for me, every dream God has for me, every vision for me. We are magnifying the problems in our marriages; we're magnifying the problems in our kids' lives; we're magnifying the problems in our ministry; we're magnifying the problems in our community versus talking about what's going right in our ministries, what's going right in our community, what's going right in our marriages.

I come to learn that the more you talk about what's going right in your marriage, many times the stuff that's going wrong in your marriage will work itself out. Wherever focus goes, energy flows. I'm going to say it again: wherever focus goes, energy flows. Whatever you focus on the most, all your energy is going towards that thing. I remember we've been married now 21 years, and I'm telling you, I told you before, we had our bags at the door packed, waiting for someone to say something stupid, waiting for someone to do something dumb. We were ready to get out of there. And we are a blended family; many people did not even know that we were a blended family until over the last few years. That's just how well we blended. But it wasn't all that way out the gate because how many know you can blend and bleed? Our desire is to teach you how to blend without bleeding, how to bring that thing together, and no one gets left behind. But that was not an easy thing to do. There was a lot of pressure, a lot of bad days, a lot of heartaches, a lot of disappointments, a lot of "I'm going back to my mama's house." I ain't had no mama's house to go back to; I didn't know where I was going. I'm just leaving! Come on, somebody!

But we had to let somebody into our mess, into our pain, into our struggle, and let them speak into it. How many of you know that when you expose your dark areas in your life, it's not comfortable to sit there and hear somebody talk to you about it? It's uncomfortable, but the more you shed light on those dark areas in your life, healing can come forth. You can get comfortable with the uncomfortable. I'm telling you, I remember a time we would have arguments left and right. We would be battle—not battle buddies, not battle buddies meaning like a good marriage group like y'all have—but battle fighting, going crazy over unnecessary stuff that was destroying the integrity, the foundation of the marriage.

This is why pride, fear, and shame cannot have the last word. Because pride, fear, and shame will make you keep it in the darkness and not let someone in on the outside to speak into the situation. A man or a woman is saying, "I ain't telling nobody that. See, they're going to look at me different." Pride, shame, and fear will cause us not to share. We say stuff we shouldn't say; we put out words; we think thoughts. Matthew 12:36 says, "But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words, you will be acquitted, and by your words, you will be condemned."

Let's be very clear: that full accounting day—you know how most people don't do a full audit every year, but most companies every few years do a full audit? Now, that's going to be the full audit. But how many know it's an audit that comes every time you make a decision? If you didn't manage your money right and you want to go buy a house, and they run your credit, and you didn't manage your credit right, guess what? The audit is going to say your credit is too bad. You didn't handle your money right, so now a house that could have belonged to you, if you managed your words right, your money right—I'm telling you, accounting days are coming every single day. The question is, are you willing now to add value to life to deal with the negative words you are speaking? Why? Because power, life, and death is where many of you are living the life you spoke, be it good or bad.

Many of your children are walking in the negative words you spoke. "You're going to be just like your daddy. You're just going to be just like your daddy." If it was a negative thing that daddy was like, the power of life and death is in our tongue. We got to reframe our words; we got to reframe what we see and what we say. Watch this: our struggles are empowered in darkness, but accountability sheds light on that darkness, causing the struggles to lose their power. I'm going to say it again: our struggles, our weaknesses, our sins, whatever it is—our struggles are empowered in darkness. Because for some reason, we think if we keep the fact that we struggle with porn or struggle with alcohol addiction, whatever your thing may be, you think because you keep it in the dark, you'll be okay. No, the longer you keep it in the dark, it grows.

Let me tell you something: I know what I'm talking about, particularly when it comes to the area of porn. Let me get on the edge right here because some of y'all act like y'all never done it before. It doesn't go down; it doesn't get smaller; it increases. It magnifies because whatever you do in secret with no light, it grows. But it's only when you tell somebody—come on, it's only when you expose yourself—come on, somebody! See, some people want to expose you to bring you down, but God wants to expose you to bring you up. Come on, somebody! He wants to expose you for you to deal with that thing.

I remember, and you may know this better than me, we've been here now 10 years, so let's say I remember 15 years ago being in South Florida at a church plant event. The pastor of this church, at the end of this two-day event, separated the wives—there were about 15 wives—and 15 husbands. The wives were with his wife, and we were with him. I remember very vividly right now, all 15 of the guys were sitting by the pool at this hotel where this event was at. He pulled out a box at one point, and in this box, he pulled out a box full of knives, daggers. What he did was he passed one out to everybody that was at that pool, and he said, "This dagger, this knife represents what's now in someone's hand, and it represents everything they know about you. They have the power, if they want to, to bring you down. If you would, they could stab you because they got everything."

Listen, you got to have somebody in your life that knows where the dead bones are at. No, let me go back: you need somebody in your life who knows where the living bones are at. Because if it's dead, then you're good to go. But those things that have the propensity to destroy, to steal, kill, destroy, and take away your life—we did this thing called "On Mondays" where we check in. They ask the question, "How's the tide?" How is the tide? The tide means is the tide low or is the tide high? If the tide was low, that means you're doing good; nothing's bothering you. If the tide is high, that means something or someone is bothering you.

We use the acronym PMS. You say, "Why are guys using the acronym PMS?" Yeah, power, money, or sex. Because oftentimes, one of those three things—no matter where you are—will feel power, you want more power, you want more money, or sex, whatever it is. Those will be the three propensities falling somewhere in those three where the devil will want to bring someone down. The question is, "How's the tide? Is somebody bothering you today? Is something bothering you today? What is tempting you right now?"

The thing that we learn is that people will only share at the degree in which you're willing to share. Oftentimes, when I'm coaching people or counseling somebody, I expose myself first. I tell them one of my struggles or what I went through first because it creates an atmosphere for them to say, "You know what? Man, he's willing to share his struggle, what he's been through and what he did." "Hey, you know what? They can begin to share and confess their faults as well."

I'm going to give you two examples of being held accountable in the Bible. You know one of my favorites is the woman at the well. The woman at the well in John 4:16-19 is this discourse going on where Jesus told His disciples, "I must needs go through Samaria." He has this discourse with this woman at the well about her life and what's going on. She's shocked at who He is; she's shocked that this Jew is having this conversation with this Samaritan woman who's obviously getting water by herself because she didn't want to be with the other women.

In this discourse with her, they get to a point in verse number 16 where He told her, "Go call your husband and come back." She said, "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You are right when you say you have no husband. The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you have right now, he ain't even your husband." You talking about—now Jesus been petty, y'all! Now come on, Jesus! You had to do that girl like that? Now you can talk about the one she with right now, but you went way back! Come on now, Jesus! Jesus clapping back! Come on, J!

But I present to you, He was not clapping back; I present to you, He was holding her accountable. He's telling her, "What I'm about to do in your life, before I give you this miracle and this breakthrough, I want you to be aware of some of the stuff that you have been doing that is holding you back. You think you got a sixth man right now? If you don't deal with some of that, it's going to be a seventh man and an eighth man and a ninth man and a tenth man." We think avoiding accountability makes things better. No, it can make things worse. We avoid the pain of the difficult conversation at our own peril.

He said, "Yes, you're right; the one you're with right now, he's not even your husband." She said, "Sir, I can see that you are a prophet." Here's another one in Genesis 3:9-11. It is God, where He had already told Adam and Eve they have full access, full reign to the garden. They can do what they want to do, touch any tree in the garden. But when you talk about a generous God, He gives free access. But He said, "The only one you cannot touch." Touch anything you want to touch, but just don't touch this one tree right here. You know, and that's like telling a kid, "Don't touch the hot stove." Come on, y'all know what I'm talking about. The very thing you tell them not to do is the very thing they end up doing.

He said, "You can touch any tree in the garden; you got full access to whatever you want. Just don't touch this one." And then the devil whispers in your ear, and we think God is holding something back from us when He says, "Don't touch the one." That God is trying to stop us from living our best life and being a baller and a shot caller. No, He's making sure that by not touching that tree, you can be a baller, you can be a shot caller, you can achieve all the dreams and the goals you want to achieve. But at the end of the day, if you touch that right there, it's going to steal all your dreams, all of your vision.

God did not say, "Don't touch that," because He was trying to hold something from them. He said, "Don't touch that," because He was trying to protect them. If you begin to see your life that way, when God says, "Don't do that, don't do that, let that go, be patient, be kind, be forgiving," when you get the understanding of why He is saying that to protect you, it'll make it easier for you to respond accordingly.

Then we get to the verse here in verse 9. He said, "Adam, where are you? Adam, Adam, where are you?" He wasn't asking Adam where he was at because he didn't know where Adam was. He asked Adam where he was because he wanted Adam to know, "Adam, you are not where you were." I believe God is asking the question that David, Sheila, Paul, where are you? He's asking a couple right now, "Where are you as it relates to that counseling? Where are you as it relates to that healing?" He's asking a single woman right now who has a vision and a dream for a future, but she doesn't know how to be patient, and now she's letting any man walk in and out of her life. God's asking the question, "Where are you? Where are you as it relates to that debt? Where are you as it relates to writing that book? Where are you as it relates to fulfilling the call that I called you to do?" For many of you, you're not where you are supposed to be.

He said, "Adam, where are you?" The Bible says he said, "I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, and I hid myself." I got a problem with that because Adam was always naked. He was always naked. So what's the difference in you being naked today than you were yesterday? Then God said, "Adam, who told you that you were naked?" He said, "You've been walking naked all your life, not being ashamed, not being embarrassed. But who told you you were naked?" I was covering you; I was protecting you from that. Who told you you were naked?

I'm going to say to my sisters real fast, and guys, y'all about to cross over now because too many guys are acting like women when you used to say, "Girl, you talk too much." Now you say, "Man, you talk too much." Come on, somebody! Come on, girl, you talk too much! Man, you talk too much! Right now, we sometimes talk too much. Adam, who told you that you were naked? Eve had a conversation with a snake. You got to be careful who you're listening to and who you're talking to in this season here. Some of y'all are single right now; you're by yourself, and you're happy, but you're still wondering. I'm about to say "Lerra," but I can't say "Lerra." "Lerra" is married now, so you know. Bobby, I'm going to say Bobby. I hope ain't no Bobby here. Girl broke up with Bobby, and she sees her friend. Her friend says, "Hey girl, I saw Bobby at the mall today." "Oh, for real?" "Yeah, I saw Bobby at the mall." "How was he doing?" "He was doing fine." "Was he by himself?" "No, he wasn't by himself." "Who was he with?" "A girl." "Oh, must have been his cousin." "No, that was his girl." "Girl, they was kissing!" "Oh, for real? They was kissing?" "Oh, for real? Did he look happy?" "Yeah, he looked real happy." "Oh, for real? Like real, like more happy than he was with me?" "Yeah, he looked way happier than he was." "For real?" Now you depressed, you mad, you upset because you want to know too much. You're talking about too many details you don't need to know.

See, women, real fast, women, men, we are projectors; women, y'all are receptors. We put out; y'all hold that thing. We put out; we are naturally wired that way. Even a woman's body is designed to carry a man; we're designed to put out. The only dangerous thing about a woman who is designed to carry is when you carry the wrong thing. Because even when you carry the wrong thing full term, it has the propensity to bring forth a birth to something. He said, "Who told you? How do you even know that you are naked? Who have you been talking to? What have you been eating? Who told you that you were naked?"

Hope City, we can't get naked; we can't touch stuff that God tells us not to touch. We can't do things that God tells us. I know we live in a grace, grace, grace, grace world now. Grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace, grace. But we need both grace and truth because you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free. Now, I know many of y'all joined Hope City because y'all love our message of grace, favor, and wisdom. But we are also a church of truth. We believe the whole scroll of God's word, the whole counsel of God is still true. It was powerful 2,000 years ago; it is powerful today. He's the same then; He's the same now. His word has not changed, even though the culture may want to change it. He has the same standard today.

I know some of y'all let your mind fill in the blanks on what that means, but that even means some of y'all, y'all dating couples up in here who have been dating for 50 years. You don't want to put a ring on it, but you want to talk about everybody else. I need security after this service today because I feel the daggers. I just feel daggers coming every way right now. We like to talk about the obvious things that we see that may be wrong, but we overlook the stuff that we have normalized. We say, "Well, this is okay, but that ain't okay." Say, "How you made your sin better than their sin?"

I only got six minutes, so I can't teach it. To whom much is given, much more is required. We are a much-given church, Hope City, and because much is given to us, much more is required. Watch this here: much more patience, much more longsuffering as we're dealing with God's people. See, here's my problem with people who think they know what God would do with people who aren't living or doing things the way they want to. They want to pick and choose who can come to church. But I remember a scripture that says, "Let the wheat and the tare grow together." The reason why I believe that is because sometimes when you think you're about to get rid of a tare, you actually move in a wheat. You don't know where people are at in their walk. You don't know how God is dealing with people. So while you're judging and trying to say who belongs in the family and who doesn't belong in the family, God says, "Let the wheat and the tare grow together, and let me deal with the separating." Hence the reason why we say, "Whosoever will, let them come." Let the Holy Spirit, let God do the work of cleaning people up and fixing people up. Come on, somebody! That's not your job because thank God that He didn't kick me out in the eight weeks of my deliverance process.

See, some of y'all got saved, and everything got right that one day. But for some of us, it was a process. We are the embodiment of "work out your salvation with fear and trembling." Come on! So if you want to say, "Well, who are those people over at Hope City? They all ain't saved." Okay, and everybody in your house ain't saved! Come on! And it's just two of you! Come on! Do the numbers! Do the numbers! But I'd rather for someone to come into the house of God week in and week out and hear the word of God being preached. You can be the first week, the sixth week, the six months, or the six years. But I'd rather preach the truth of God at all times and let the Holy Spirit do what He needs to do versus shaming people and then they go out and never get a chance to hear the gospel preached.

It's a reason why sinners love to cling around Jesus because the scripture says, "It was with loving kindness did I draw you." You know, most of my deliverance work, it doesn't take place in here; it takes place in that counseling session in my office there. When I can really shut corn, get all up in the business, get all up in because at that point, you're giving me full access to come on in. Now, this sermon is blanket; it's hitting you where you are. I don't know where you are; you've been on top, bottom, letting the sermon hit you where it needs to hit you. But when you invite me into a private place and say, "Hey, Pastor Cory, this is my problem. I need your help with it," you're giving me authority, full authority, full reign to come in like a sledgehammer and knock that thing down. Come on, somebody!

There’s a reason why you also got to be careful that you don't speak in a place that you don't have authority to be speaking in. If a couple doesn't allow you in their marriage to speak at a certain level, you just say, "Hey man, I'm praying for you. I believe the best for you. It's going to be great." But don't be going up in there telling people, "Well, if you stay in that marriage, God, if you leave him, God going to strike you down." You don't know the details; she may need to leave. You don't know what's going on; they're not telling you the whole story. So you just simply say stuff like, "I'm praying for you. I'm believing the best for you." You know, you just get blanket stuff. But when they invite you into the closet of what's going on, now you got details.

I see too many people speaking about stuff you don't got enough details on to be speaking something on. That's the reason why I allow people to come a whole hour of my day, and we dance around the issue. No, what's the problem? We ain't doing tricks right now. What are we here for? Okay, he did it or she did it; both of you did it. Okay, got it, cool. Because you cannot fix anything that you won't disclose.

And we don't want to be—oh man, this needs to be a two-part. This needs to be two-part. Not two-part, two-part! My wife said, "You know, she needs to stop you in that urban school too long. I'm getting you out of that school, getting you back to suburban." "See, you urban out here!" She said, "Come on, Tupac!" You know I was about to preach my sermon up here, be dignified, and you going hood on me right there! Come on, somebody! Come on! I don't know how to land this plane, y'all. Already now, give me some keys real fast. Give me some keys; let me land the plane because we got a lot of people coming here in the second service. Can I finish this next week? Is this helping out? Yeah, yeah, let's finish this next week. This could be a big old counseling session right here.

If we just take what we hear, apply it, honor it. If you're a couple, go talk about it and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Men, get comfortable. I'm telling you, sometimes when your wife talks about it, I'm like, "God, we got to talk about that right now?" I mean, just the thought of "Honey, we have to talk today" makes me want to throw up. I feel nauseous! I mean, that whole day I'm sitting in my seat like, "Lord, have mercy! Here we go!" Here comes my death! Get normalized! Have courageous conversations. My wife did something a couple of days ago, and you probably remember this. I don't remember exactly what it was, but I was laying in bed, and I think I was watching TV, and you said something, and I responded like, "Okay, cool." I would have normally responded that way. I would have given some clap back; I might have said something about that. But it's cool; it's fine.

I'm telling you, we got to grow up! Some little stuff ain't even worth our time and our energy. Learn how to say, "Yeah, boo, no problem. Go ahead on. Yeah, that's fine. No problem." If it's not going to break nothing and tear stuff down, because I hear too many guys saying stuff like, "I'll die for my wife. I'll die for my kids." But guys, listen, she ain't asking you to die for her. Because if you really would physically die for her, all she's asking you is to stop screaming at her. "Don't talk to me that way." So if you really would physically die for her, let's start practicing that death right now by dying to the things that are hurting her flesh, whatever the specificity of that thing may be.

And don't bring in that foolishness. "Well, my daddy was that way, and my daddy's daddy was that way, and my daddy's daddy's daddy was that way." Listen here, the curse breaks right now! The habit breaks right now! The struggle breaks right now! You set a new course for you and your seed going forward. Wives and ladies, I ain't going to talk to you; I'll let Pastor T tell y'all what to do. Y'all know she knows how to tell you what to do. She going to tell you what to do and give you a kiss at the end. I mean, can't nobody cut you with a sermon like she can. I mean, she cuts y'all so good. I say one rough sermon, but folk walk out that door, don't look at me. I'm like, "Oh, that sermon must have got under them." But that sermon got under their skin, but boy, she would preach a 45-minute sermon, all cut the whole time. They come out there in the droves; they want hugs; they want kisses and stuff. I'm like, "She just told them about themselves!" And they just loving on her!

Listen, people want the truth. People are struggling privately, going through stuff. What they don't want to do is be ashamed and embarrassed and feel lesser than trash. But there are people struggling, and they are wanting help. It's our desire, through the gospel, through the teaching of God's word, to make sure that we give you what we believe is God's word that can heal you everywhere you hurt.

Let's give God a hand clap for His word. Thank you, Father. Let's pray. Father, we thank You for Your word today, for Your word is a lamp unto our feet.

1) "Our struggles are empowered in darkness, but accountability sheds light on that darkness, causing the struggles to lose its power." [20:59] (Download)

2) "There is safety in accountability...you will never get help for the things you need to get help for in your life if you don't go through admittance." [11:13] (Download)

3) "Exposure brings disclosure...when I shed light on a thing, when I disclose a matter, it takes the power that the enemy wants to use over my life with that thing." [11:48] (Download)

4) "To whom much is given, much more is required...if you want a greater and a better, then guess what, to whom much is given, much is required." [12:26] (Download)

5) "People want the truth. People are struggling privately, going through stuff. What they don't want to do is be ashamed and embarrassed." [43:25] (Download)

6) "Most of my Deliverance work, it don't take place in here. It takes place in that counseling session in my office...when you invite me into a private place and say, 'Hey Pastor Cory, this is my problem,' you're giving me full access." [37:29] (Download)

7) "We got to grow up. Some little stuff ain't even worth our time and our energy. Learn how to say, 'Yeah boo, no problem, go ahead on, yeah that's fine, sure, no problem.'" [41:31] (Download)

8) "Healed people heal people. And God is looking to heal some people in this season here so that you can do exactly whatever it is he has called you to do." [06:22] (Download)

9) "God did not say don't touch that because he was trying to hold something from them. He said don't touch that because he was trying to protect them." [28:28] (Download)

10) "I rather preach the truth of God at all times and let the Holy Spirit do what he needs to do versus shaming people and then they go out and never get a chance to hear the gospel preached." [36:52] (Download)