Authentic Faith: Commitment, Cost, and Continuous Renewal

In my sermon, I began by acknowledging the unexpected opportunity to preach, emphasizing the importance of being prepared to serve at any moment, as exemplified by the biblical directive to be ready "in season and out of season." I shared how personal needs often mirror the needs of the congregation, guiding my approach to seeking God's message not just for the people but also for myself.

I then transitioned into a discussion on the essence of being "all in" in our faith, inspired by a previous sermon and the pressing need to live genuinely before God. I emphasized that our motivations and intentions are transparent before God, and we cannot deceive Him about why we do what we do. This led to an exploration of the Apostle Paul's life, particularly his statement in Acts 20:24 about considering his life worth nothing except to complete the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace. Paul's example set a profound standard for personal dedication to God's call, irrespective of external circumstances or recognition.

I highlighted the dangers of superficial faith, especially when faced with challenges. I pointed out that many believers express commitment when conditions are favorable but falter when true adversity strikes. This fair-weather faith fails the test of genuine discipleship, as true commitment to God must withstand trials and tribulations.

Further, I delved into the parable of building a tower from Luke 14:28-30, using it as a metaphor for assessing the cost of discipleship. This scripture segment teaches us about the importance of foresight and commitment in our spiritual journey, ensuring that we are not only enthusiastic starters but also faithful finishers.

Towards the end of the sermon, I addressed the need for repentance and realignment with God's will, drawing from personal and biblical examples of transformation and renewal. I stressed the importance of humility, prayer, and seeking God's face as prerequisites for divine intervention and healing, both personally and communally.

Finally, I concluded with a call to authenticity in our relationship with God, urging everyone to embrace a life of integrity and truthfulness in their spiritual walk. This involves a daily commitment to living out the principles of the gospel, not as a superficial display but as a deep, personal conviction.

### Key Takeaways

1. **Preparedness in Faith** - Being spiritually prepared is not just about readiness to speak or act but being in a constant state of spiritual readiness, open to God's call at any moment. This readiness stems from a deep, personal relationship with God, nurtured through regular prayer and engagement with the Word. [41:42]

2. **Genuine Intentions** - Our true intentions are always visible to God. This transparency before Him should guide us to seek purity in our motives, ensuring that our actions are not just outwardly righteous but stem from a heart truly devoted to God’s purposes. [50:33]

3. **Resilience in Trials** - The Christian walk is tested not in times of peace but in times of trial. Our faith's authenticity is proven by our ability to cling to God and His promises even when circumstances are daunting and the future uncertain. [58:45]

4. **Cost of Discipleship** - True discipleship requires a clear understanding and acceptance of its costs. Like planning to build a tower, following Christ means calculating the personal and spiritual sacrifices required and committing to them wholeheartedly. [01:03:09]

5. **Repentance and Renewal** - Continuous self-examination and repentance are crucial in maintaining a genuine relationship with God. This process involves not only recognizing but also turning away from our shortcomings, allowing God’s grace to transform us continually. [01:26:46]

### Chapters

0:00 - Welcome
00:41:42 - Introduction: The Call to Preach
00:50:33 - Exploring Genuine Intentions
00:58:45 - The Fair-Weather Faith
01:03:09 - Counting the Cost of Discipleship
01:26:46 - The Power of Repentance and Renewal

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. **Acts 20:24** - "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace."
2. **Luke 14:28-30** - "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’"
3. **Jeremiah 17:9-10** - "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward each person according to their conduct, according to what their deeds deserve."

#### Observation Questions
1. What does Paul mean when he says he considers his life worth nothing except to complete the task given to him by Jesus? ([52:37])
2. In the parable from Luke 14:28-30, what is the significance of estimating the cost before building a tower? ([01:03:09])
3. According to Jeremiah 17:9-10, what does God examine in a person, and why is this important? ([01:11:03])
4. How does the sermon describe the difference between superficial faith and genuine commitment to God? ([58:45])

#### Interpretation Questions
1. Why is it important for believers to be "all in" in their faith, according to the sermon and Acts 20:24? ([52:37])
2. How does the parable of building a tower in Luke 14:28-30 relate to the concept of counting the cost of discipleship? ([01:03:09])
3. What does Jeremiah 17:9-10 reveal about the nature of the human heart and God's perspective on our intentions? ([01:11:03])
4. How can the analogy of the tea kettle in the sermon help us understand the pressures of maintaining genuine faith during trials? ([56:39])

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt unprepared for a spiritual challenge. How can you cultivate a state of constant spiritual readiness in your daily life? ([50:33])
2. Think about your motivations for serving God. Are there areas where your intentions might not be as pure as they should be? How can you seek to purify your motives? ([52:37])
3. When faced with trials, how do you typically respond? What steps can you take to ensure your faith remains strong even in difficult times? ([58:45])
4. Have you ever started a spiritual commitment but failed to follow through? What can you do differently to ensure you count the cost and remain committed? ([01:03:09])
5. Repentance and renewal are ongoing processes. What specific areas in your life need repentance and realignment with God's will? ([01:26:46])
6. How can you practice authenticity in your relationship with God this week? Identify one specific action you can take to live out your faith more genuinely. ([01:24:38])
7. Consider the people in your life who might be struggling with their faith. How can you support them in their journey towards genuine commitment to God? ([01:06:55])

Day 1: Embracing Spiritual Readiness
Being spiritually prepared transcends mere action; it involves a deep, ongoing relationship with God. This readiness is not just about being able to speak or act in religious contexts but maintaining a constant connection with God, allowing His spirit to guide every aspect of life. This state of readiness ensures that one is always prepared to serve, regardless of the situation, reflecting a life that truly honors God's timing and purposes. [41:42]

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith." (1 Peter 5:8-9a, ESV)

Reflection: How can you enhance your daily routine to maintain a constant state of spiritual readiness?

Day 2: Pursuing Purity in Motives
Our true intentions are always visible to God, and this transparency should motivate believers to seek purity in their motives. It's crucial to ensure that actions are not just outwardly righteous but stem from a heart truly devoted to God’s purposes. This pursuit involves a continuous examination of one's heart and intentions, aligning them with the will and character of God, thereby fostering a genuine and transparent relationship with Him. [50:33]

"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, ESV)

Reflection: What are some areas in your life where your motives might not align with God's desires, and how can you begin to address them?

Day 3: Standing Firm Through Trials
The authenticity of our faith is most evident during trials. It's easy to profess commitment in favorable conditions, but true spiritual resilience is shown when one clings to God and His promises in the face of adversity. This resilience involves not just enduring but actively seeking God’s strength and guidance to overcome the challenges, thereby proving the genuineness of one's faith. [58:45]

"But he knows the way that I take; when he has tried me, I shall come out as gold." (Job 23:10, ESV)

Reflection: Recall a recent trial in your life. How did you respond, and what can you do differently next time to demonstrate a stronger faith?

Day 4: Counting the Cost of Discipleship
True discipleship requires understanding and accepting the costs associated with following Christ. This involves a deliberate assessment of personal and spiritual sacrifices and a commitment to endure them wholeheartedly. Like planning to build a tower, discipleship is not a spontaneous decision but a calculated commitment that demands perseverance and dedication. [01:03:09]

"For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has the resources to complete it?" (Luke 14:28, ESV)

Reflection: What are some costs of discipleship you might have overlooked, and how can you prepare to meet them?

Day 5: Embracing Repentance and Renewal
Continuous self-examination and repentance are essential for maintaining a genuine relationship with God. This process involves recognizing and turning away from shortcomings, allowing God’s grace to transform us continually. It requires humility, prayer, and an earnest seeking of God’s presence, which leads to personal and communal healing and renewal. [01:26:46]

"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV)

Reflection: What specific steps can you take today to initiate or deepen the process of repentance and spiritual renewal in your life?

You looking clean. Amen. Praise God. Amen. Isn't God good?

All right. Everybody involved in that. And all the time, not some of the time, all the time, bad times, good times. He is always good.

Like we were saying, Pastor Kenan had to go out of town, and he said, "Dad, could you preach for me?" And this was yesterday. Yeah, this was yesterday. So God, you gotta be ready. See, some of these old season saints in here gotta be ready in season, out of season. That's what the Bible says, brother. But he's right about that.

And I'm glad that you're here. God has a word. He has a word for you. And I believe that you're going to be blessed by it. And I believe that you're going to be blessed by it. And I believe that.

Um, I thank God because whenever I pray, I ask God, "Lord, what is it that you want me to have?" A lot of preachers ask God, "Lord, what is it that you want me to preach to your people?" I asked that one time, and God told me, "What is it that you need?" And my mind just started flooding with things. He said, "Because the same thing you need is the same thing the people need." So I stopped asking that question, and I started focusing on myself.

Didn't Pastor Kenan preach a wonderful message Sunday on why to be all in? It was so powerful. And I told him, I said, "Man, if you never preach again, you preached the message that actually changed my life and had me thinking about if I was all in. Am I all in?"

And so when he called me and asked me to preach for him, I said, "Sure." And God just resonated in my spirit.

Um, by the way, the pastor said, "I have notes for you if you want me, you know, if you need them," since I sprung this on you. He already had notes, but God had already given me a message by the time he sent me the notes. And since he preached on why we need to be all in, the title God spoke to me about was "You Cannot Fool God About Your Why."

You cannot fool God about your why.

Let's pray.

Father, I love your word. I thank you for your word. Your word is transforming. Your word is alive. Every time I read it, God, every time we read it, it changes our lives, not just for then, not just for now, but for eternity. It changes our lives.

So I pray, dear God, that your word will go out and that, dear Lord God, that you anoint everyone that's under the sound of my voice in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Um, I like to pick up on the last verse that Pastor Kenan had talked about in Acts chapter 20, verse 24, because I believe that it zeros in on exactly why we need to be all in. It says, Paul says, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me."

See, sometimes we like to just roll over scripture, and we just read it, and we just say, "You know, brother, I read a whole chapter today," but what did you get out of it? What did God say to you? So I like to take my time so God can actually speak to me. And I like to see myself in it.

One lady said, "I don't read the word of God. The word of God reads me." That's what it actually does. It reads us.

He said, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to me."

What is the task? The task of testifying to the good news of God's grace.

Sometimes we be in everybody's business. We do. We do. We try to make sure everybody else is living right. We try to make sure everybody else is doing right. And sometimes we want to jump off into their ministry. Sometimes we be saying, "Ooh, I wish I had their gift. I wish I had that gift."

But Paul says, listen to what Paul says though. He said, "However, I consider myself worth nothing to me. It's not me. I don't care about my life. What is your concern then, Paul? My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given to who? To me, to me. That's my aim.

I have to complete the task God has given to me. I have to be all in this thing. I can't worry about what you are doing. I can't worry about if you are going. I can't worry about if you are completing your task. I have to complete the task God has given to me.

There's this group called the Williams Brothers. They have a song that says, "Take six months to mind your own business and another six months to leave other folks' business alone."

This is what Paul is saying. Take six months to mind your own business. Complete the task God has given to you and six months to leave other folks' business alone. This is my task. This is why I have to be all in.

Testifying the good news of God's grace. Testifying what God has done for me. Testifying how God transformed my life. Testifying how God knocked me off the beast when I was going to persecute Christians, and Jesus Christ showed up and knocked me off my horse and blinded me for three days, and I found myself serving him as a servant.

This is my task to tell what God has done for me and to preach his good news.

Remember, saints, please, you cannot deceive God about your intentions. It's crucial to be genuine in your commitment.

And this is the example that God gave me. It's like a tea kettle. A tea kettle releases pressure when heated, okay? And the pressure comes from the inside of a tea kettle. It doesn't come from the outside. It comes from the inside.

The pressure builds up. And when the pressure builds up to a certain temperature, all of a sudden it starts whistling. But the whistle is not only on the inside; the whistle is on the outside.

And that's the way some of us get sometimes. The pressure builds up on the inside. We're thinking that we're doing good.

Let me read this. The walk is all good when things are going well. See, I've been seeing this time and time again. So I know what I'm talking about. I'm not, you know, and I've been through it myself. I know some of you haven't, but I have.

I'm talking about me. That the Christian walk is great when everything is going well. Your commitment level is on high. The love for the brethren is on point.

"I love you, brother. Sis, I'm praying for you. I'm holding you up in prayer." You know, you got all the righteous words to say. Everything is going good. You're reading your Bible. Your prayers are being sent up to God and loving God like never before. Like never before until trouble hits.

All of the above is going out the window. You stop reading your word. You stop praying. And why people do this, I do not know. I don't understand. Because you're discouraged maybe. Things are not going your way.

Wow. Pressure now starts to build up on the inside. You're about to whistle in a minute because the pressure is getting so built up inside you.

But here's the big one right here. Here's the big one right here. You stop going to church. Wow. Wow. You stop going to church as if God is going to say, "Oh no, Brother Bone is not going to church. What am I going to do? I'm just going to close church." No.

But here's the thing. When you're sick, you don't stop going to church. You don't stop going to the doctor's office. When you get hurt, you don't stop going to the hospital. But when you get hurt emotionally, spiritually, you stop going to church.

This is where you need to be when you get hurt. See, because Jesus is a doctor that has never lost a case. He's a doctor that never lost a patient. He's the doctor that can bring the dead back to life again. He's the one who can heal the blinded eyes.

But yet you stop coming. You cannot fool God about your why. About your why.

Yes, I'm all in. I'm all in. I'm gung ho. I'm going for God until trouble comes, and it tests you. It tests your why. It tests your cause. It tests your commitment. It tests if you are all in.

Look what Jesus says in Luke chapter 14, verse 25, the cost of being a disciple.

He says, "Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them, he said, 'If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.'"

If you put any of these people in front of me, you cannot be my disciple. If you don't think that I can take care of your mother, your father, your husband, your sister, your brother, or even you, you cannot be my disciple.

Why, Jesus? Because you'll be concerned more about them than you would me. You'll give them more attention than you would me.

And the word hate means love less. Love less.

Listen to the example. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, "This fellow began to build and was not able to finish."

You started off well, and you stopped going to church. You stopped reading your Bible, and you started doing things in front of people that you told that was a Christian. And now they're saying, now they're laughing at you. They're ridiculing you, making fun of you.

"I thought you were a Christian. Do Christians supposed to act like that?"

Because why? Because you didn't count the cost of what it takes to be a disciple of Jesus. When you committed yourself to him, you didn't commit all in. That's the title of this series, all in.

And you cannot fool God about your why.

It was this young man, Pastor Wiley. He was a former pastor of the church that we went to, Pastor New Life Christian Center, for over 40 years. A young man called him. He was in prison, called him, "Pastor Wiley, can you come and pray for me?"

And Pastor said, "Yes." And he used to go to our church. He was a Christian. He used to go to our church. "Can you pray for me?"

Pastor said, "Yes, I'll pray for you. I'll come pray for you."

Pastor Wiley went there, and he asked, "What can I pray for you for?"

He said, "Can you pray that I be released early?"

Pastor said, "Okay." Because once I'm released, after I'm out, I could take it from there. That didn't even sound right. Once I'm out, I could take it from there, but I'm the one who put myself in here. So when I get out, how can I keep myself out?

You ask God to get you out, and after God gets you out, you don't need him anymore.

You cannot fool God about your why. We try to bargain with God. "Lord, if you do this, if you do that, then I'll do this, and I'll do that. Lord, if you do this, if you do that, Lord, I surrender."

You cannot bargain with God. You cannot fool God about your why.

Saints, I love God with everything that's in me. I really do. I love him with everything that's in me. Because of what he's done for me, what he's done for me, he gave me a love for him that's unmatched by anything.

There's nothing on this earth for me to stick around for. There's nothing on this earth that entices me to put above God. There's no thing, there's no body. I love my wife to death. I give my life. I give my life for her.

But if she says, "Honey, I'm going back to the world. I'm no longer serving God," I have to wave my hand, bye-bye. Because God is first in my life, in my children.

Say, "I don't want to serve God, Dad." Well, I'll be praying for you, baby. Because I'm going with God. I'm going with God.

Because why? Because of what he has done for me, what the transformation that he has made in my life. I cannot put, I cannot put nothing or no one above him. I cannot make a God out of anything else.

He is the only one that I'm going to bow my knees down to. He is the only one that I'm going to lift my hands in praise. I love him with everything in me.

When I was a young Christian, I discovered the importance of approaching God sincerely from the heart. Because I was told, not knowing the scripture, that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Not knowing that.

As I began honestly sharing my feelings with God, acknowledging both good and bad, while aligning the bad with his teaching and embracing, I learned that when I was a young Christian, to tell God exactly how you feel. Because he's looking at your heart.

We can pray wonderful prayers. We can. We can pray wonderful prayers. But don't you know that God is not listening to what's coming out your mouth? He's looking at what's coming out your heart.

Because I can tell you, I can tell you, "I love you. I love you. I love you with everything that's in me." But inside me, I'm saying, "I cannot stand you."

I can tell you straight on, with a straight face, "I wish all the best for you." But inside me, I'm saying, "I hope you lose everything you got."

That's why I've learned to give God what's inside me. The good and the bad. Because that's what he's looking at. He's looking at your heart. He's looking at your motives. He's looking at your intentions. Not what's coming out your mouth.

And from doing that, I found genuine freedom. Through this, I learned to transform my weaknesses as strengths. My testimony as a powerful weapon.

That the things that I thought that I did that were embarrassing to me, now I have a freedom to share them and strike the enemy down with it. Those things that he kept hidden inside me and said, "Don't tell nobody."

But God said to open up and share them. Because they're going through the same thing. They're going through the same thing. They're going through the same thing that you're going through.

He's going through the same thing you went through. How dare you hide it after I delivered you? How dare you conceal it after I have set you free?

You cannot fool God about your why.

Tell your neighbor, "All in." Tell the other neighbor, "You have to be all in."

I see my brother, Brother Jeremiah in the Bible. I see him lifting his hands, and he's saying, "Brother Johnson, let me tell you something about the heart."

Jeremiah chapter 17, verse 9 to 10, he says, "The heart is most deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the Lord, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due reward according to what their actions deserve."

People say it all the time. People tell you, "Follow your heart. Follow your heart. Follow your heart."

But you don't know how bad it is.

But Jeremiah says, "No, don't do that. Don't do that."

Why, Jeremiah? Because the human heart is the most deceitful of all things. Because you will tell someone, "I'm here for you. I'll never leave you." But if something comes and they cross your path the wrong way, all of a sudden, "I hate you."

Why? Because the heart is deceitful.

And what? And desperately—my goodness, what a way to describe the heart—and desperately wicked.

God is looking at your motives. God is looking at your intentions. God is looking at your why.

And then he says, "Once I see everything, I will give all people their due rewards according to what their actions deserve."

See, because what's in the heart is going to come out in your actions. You may come in with sheep clothing, but you're a goat underneath.

After a while, see, because sheep don't butt heads or don't go butting heads or butting things, but goats do. After a while, you're going to start butting heads with people, and they're going to find out that you're actually not a sheep; you're a goat.

You can't fool God about your why.

Revelation chapter 3—now this is what God is saying. Revelation chapter 3, verse 14 through 20.

Well, listen to this. See if you're going to be as excited. Revelation chapter 3, verse 14 through 20, it says, "To the angel of the church of Laodicea write these words: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God's creation," which is Jesus Christ.

"I know your deeds, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were either one or the other. So because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I'm about to spit you out of my mouth."

You say, "I am rich. I have acquired wealth. I do not need a thing."

But—it's a conjunction right there—something is about to change. Something is about to happen.

"But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire so you can become rich."

What you're talking about, Lord? Change those character traits, behavior, and beliefs that have eternal value.

"And white clothes to wear," which is righteousness, "so you can cover your shameful nakedness and salve to put on your eyes so you can see."

"Those whom I love, I rebuke and discipline." That sounds like something he said in Jeremiah also.

"So be earnest. Be real. Repent. Here I am! I stand at the door. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me."

Like I told you, this is what God sees.

You cannot fool God about your why.

You cannot fool him.

This is what God sees. He's looking at the heart of them.

The Laodiceans said that they were rich. They have lack of nothing. We're comfortable. I don't need nothing. I don't need nobody. I don't even need God.

God says some of you came because someone invited you, but no, God said, "Nope, I want you here because I have a message for you."

He says, "You see yourself as rich. You see yourself as needing nothing. You see yourself as righteous. You see yourself as saved. You see yourself as clean. You see yourself."

But here's the way I see you.

"But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, and naked."

Just the way I see you.

See, I can fool you. I can fool everyone that's in here. I can fool everybody that's in here by the way I dress, by the way I preach, by my generosity, by my kindness, my affection.

But what does God really see?

How does God see me?

See, this is the way. This is what God does. He peels back. He peels back.

This is who you are. You're hurt. You're broken. You're not telling nobody how you feel. You call yourself a Christian, but there's pressures all up in you.

You ripped. You got holes all in you. This is the way God sees you.

You're going around raising your hands, yes, but you're all ripped up on the inside. You're going to church, and you're greeting your brothers and sisters and saying that I love you, but you need love yourself.

You're going around hugging them, but you need someone to hug you. You say, "I understand you," but you need someone to understand you.

All the way down, all the way down. You toe up from the flow up.

See, you can go around fooling people, but you will never go around fooling God. He sees if you are all in or not.

Show you use of know is the truth. If someone says he can have it, he can have it.

That's right, there's no encouragement. You don't care if you don't believe. You care a lot.

This is a gift from one of the burger. That's all he wants you to do. He wants you to come real, be real with God.

Stop faking a Christian life and live the Christian life. Be all in, regardless of what it costs you, regardless of what people see.

It's not about the suit. It's not about this or however you dress. This is the way you present yourself.

When you come to church, you present yourself all wrapped up and tied up, and everything is in order. And the whole time you're broken.

The whole time you're a manipulator. The whole time you're a liar. The whole time you're a deceiver. And you're not—you know it.

The whole time you're a liar. The whole time you're a thief, and you know it, but you don't bring it to God who sees all things.

I want to do better. I want to do better. I want to do better, God. I want to be all in for you. I want to change my life. I want to change my life.

I want you to work on me. Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See.

I want to be real with you. I have been deceiving people. I have been lying. I have been manipulating people to get my own way.

And Father, I ask that you will forgive me. Whatever it takes, God. Whatever I have to do, I'll do it. I just want to represent you.

And if I misrepresented you in front of anybody, I ask you to forgive me, oh God.

All in. All in.

This is not a joke. This Christian life is not a joke. Pastor preaches day in and day out up here every Sunday. And you go out and you say, "That's a good message," but your life has not changed.

And you think that nobody sees you, but God sees this. And then when things start getting rough and getting tough, then you call on him to forgive you, using him as a spare tire because you're flat.

When you repent, and when you come to him, and you ask him, and you say, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer."

When you start obeying him, says, "If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin and heal their land."

He'll start taking away the hurt. He'll take away the pain. He'll take away the manipulation. He'll take away the unforgiveness. He'll take away all of it.

And he'll clothe you. Last time, you dressed yourself. This time, he dresses you. He changed everything about you.

He changed the way you talk. He changed the way you walk. He changed the way you treat people. Because he started having you at yourself first.

That's why David said, "Search me, oh God, and know my heart. Try me and know my thoughts. See if there's any wicked way in me and lead me in the path everlasting."

Now, you say, "Lord, I'm all in. My heart has been changed. My heart has been changed. My mind has been changed. I want to do what you want me to do."

It's not about saints' position. A lot of people are hung up on positions, hung up on titles, hung up on being promoted.

When you make it to heaven, you and I both, God is not going to call me by my name. He's going to say, "Well done, that good and faithful servant."

He's not going to ask because you are a pastor of the church. He's not going to ask because you are a leader. You are a deacon.

He's going to say, "Well done, that good and faithful servant. Enter into your rest."

This is what God has called us to do.

Now I'm a brand new man. Now I'm all in. Now I'm ready to fight the good fight of faith.

Now I can say like Paul, "I consider my life..."

1. "I thank God because whenever I pray, I ask God, Lord, what is it that you want me to have? A lot of preachers ask God, Lord, what is it that you want me to preach to your people? I asked that one time and God told me, what is it that you need? And my mind just started flooding with things. He said, because I'm the same thing you need is the same thing the people need." [50:33](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



2. "Paul says, however, I consider my life worth nothing to me. My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task. The Lord Jesus has given to me. What is the task? The task of testifying to the good news. Of God's grace." [54:36](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



3. "Remember, saints, please, you cannot deceive God about your intentions. It's crucial to be genuine your commitment. And this is the example that God had gave me. It's like a tea kettle. A tea kettle releases pressure when heated, okay? And the pressure comes from the inside of a tea kettle." [56:39](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



4. "The walk is all good when things are going well. I love you, brother. Sis, I'm praying for you. I'm holding you up in prayer. You know, you got all the righteous words to say. Everything is going good. You're reading your Bible. Your prayers are being sent up to God and loving God like never before. Like never before until trouble hits." [58:45](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



5. "Look what Jesus says in Luke chapter 14, verse 25, the cost of being a disciple. He says, large crowds were traveling with Jesus and turning to them. He said, if anyone comes to me and does not hate his father, mother, his wife, his children, his brothers, his sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." [01:03:09](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



6. "When you repent, and when you come to him, and you say, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, oh Lord, my strength and my redeemer. When you start obeying him, says, if my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves." [01:26:46](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



7. "I discovered the importance of approaching God sincerely from the heart. Because I was told, not, not knowing the scripture, that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks on the heart. Not knowing that. As I began honestly sharing feelings, my feelings with God, acknowledging both good and bad." [01:08:44](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)



8. "You cannot fool God about your why. Tell your neighbor, all in. Tell the other neighbor, you have to be all in. I see my brother, brother jeremiah in the bible i see him lifting his hands and he's saying brother johnson let me tell you let me tell him something about about the heart jeremiah chapter 17 verse 9 to 10." [01:13:24](Make clip | Crop for social media | Crop + Caption)