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Be about it

• Whenever I go and preach at other people’s churches, I always bring these hard messages that speak directly to what needs to be spoken
• For whatever reason, I’ve lacked the courage to speak those messages at times to my own people- We’ll be back to Mark next week- but lets prime the pump here
• Ends today. As I was finishing up at Bogdans church, I felt the Lord ask, “why not at your own church?”- Yeah! If I can have the courage to speak it to an audience I don’t know- I should be able to speak it to a church that I DO know
• Today I want you to know you have to ‘be about it”
• I believe God wants to do great things with this church- big big things. But if we’re not “about it” we’ll never do it. ( going surfing, its not for the faint of heart- you have to be about it)
• Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
• thats what its going to take to grow and sustain your spiritual life and the life of this church

1. Be about Christ

• Eph 3:17-19
• This Christian life aint no joke
• We must be fully consumed with the things of God. Going to Disneyland- Up at 6 there til midnight- Spend money- keep the energy going- and that’s a theme park!
• Can’t get a Christian to show up early or stay after service. We want a 90 min God experience.
• We must be consumed with the things of God in every area of our lives-
• God is not looking for part time followers- Rev 3:16 bc you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold
• Matt 10:37-39 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.
• The cost of discipleship is COSTLY- Its not for the faint- Jesus told Disc. To leave their jobs.
• in the army- tear you down- build you up- only one color- green- no one has a problem with this- They love to see people be consumed with the idea of total transformation
• because people know thats what it takes to win americas wars- we dont want to have part time soldiers out there we want trained fighters who have been properly trained to win and fight wars- You wouldn’t want someone to fight our wars who only trained 90min when convenient.
• I’d love to do that in the ministry! but people would say thats bad-
• but we’re fighting a spiritual war! We need full committed soldiers who are willing to die if need be- We have to BE ABOUT IT>
• Never in the army guy come home “yea man, that was just too hard training, I just came home”
• Quitting not an option Every day focused on the things of God
• What you watch, listen to, read, friendships, not to “get saved” but because you’re saved!
• No one in the US army is sitting around wearing a uniform from another country
• Healthy people hang out with healthy- wealthy people hang out with fiscally responsible
• If you’re not serious about it- you’re faking it!
• Today- I want to receive Christ if you haven’t. I want you to make a decision to live only for him
• 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him
• being at Pagliacci- guy showed up late- made pizza slow- didn’t care about the product
• Dont come here because you love the music, location, people etc. Come here because you’re called here- because if you’re called here- you’ll STAY HERE- BE ABOUT CHRIST

1. Be about others

• What ruins churches, families, relationships, companies, marriages etc? SELFISHNESS
• “others first” needs to go through your mind ALL THE TIME
• Here’s the truth- I want every dollar for me, always my restarant, watch what I want, go where I want to. It’s the basal nature of who I am- I can admit it. BUT YOU HAVE TO FIGHT IT
• Phil 2:3-4 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.
• James 3:14-16 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there.
• 2 tim 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
• We are in the last days and some churches will not make the cut-
• people love to use the “red letter” excuse when it comes to Jesus- but they forget about revelation!
• This will NOT be the case for Faith and Victory Church. We will be a Philadelphia Church. Truth AND LOVE
• Don’t worry about Ministry territory- I get it- you’re a no one you come here- you’re a someone- worried that someone else is going to come in and steal your spotlight.
• “No man- its MY JOB to clean the toilets- find your own ministry”- clean them again! make them cleaner!- Find somewhere to own and make YOURS
• Worry about getting attention- who is getting the recognitoin? we’re all here to glorify GOD
• This flows to all other relationships- work, home, school, etc- you can’t be one way here and one way at home- this needs to be who you are!
• This pleases the heart of God
• News flash- NO ONE CARES ABOUT YOU- they all care about themselves- make your life about caring for others

1. Be about Your Pastor

• There is a 5 fold ministry in the church-
• Ephy 4:11-16 READ
• 12 for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ,
• You think you chose this church- the HS DREW you to this church! for a time such as this
• God knew you needed pastors like We have here. Its not just Me, its all of them.
• You need their example, love, encouragement, friendship. They are here to help YOU grow!
• Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.
• you will give an answer for how you obey their leading- God has placed them for YOU
• If they lead you astray, they will answer for that-
• I am the Senior Pastor- God called and placed me here- When I speak from the pulpit, as it lines up with the word of God- I am speaking from the HS. God is directing YOU and the CHURCH
• One purpose- for you to grow in christ! I don’t need anymore friends- I need soldiers!
• Women- when Crystal speaks into your life- its the same thing FOR YOUR BENEFIT
• You know what? when pastors are sitting around talking, we’re not slapping each other on the back laughing about people we’ve manipulated- we’re agonizing over your souls!
• I wish you guys could spend a day watching what we talk about- Its all about pushing you far
• Lady call church- wanting help. Didn’t even come to the church. I’m there- bivocational- already 12 hour day- in her living room telling her what she needs “do you think I”m here for me? My family is home- my 6 and 3 year old”
• If I don’t preach that Jesus isn’t the way, Bible isn’t God’s word, yell BLASPHEMER and RUN
• if not- you need to defend me! you dont like the color of something- shut up- We’re saving SOULS
• someone else says something- DEFEND HIM- I’M DEFENDING YOU BEHIND YOUR BACK

1. Be About Your Church

• You’ll notice the NT letters are to SPECIFIC churches- Galatia, Ephesus, Rome, Phillipi
• The love you have for your bro/sis in Christ is supposed to be different than the world
• 1 John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
• Make a decision right now- This is your LAST CHURCH. Unless you move or you die.
• Prophecy- you’ll get offended- bored, upset, things change, you’ll want to leave
• Happens in every church-
• If there is a constant overturn of people- the mission of the church struggles to accomplish-
• You need a firm foundation to build on! You can’t build on some half-way in and out type of people
• Alexanders, Oniels, Hudspeths, ledvinas, garrets, websters, sommers, STICK AROUND.
• Used to be- people born in the front door- buried through the back door
• Now- they play a song you dont like, or the pastor has a bad sermon, and you’re googling other churches on your way home. You think someone looks at you funny. People CAN assimilate
• My wife and I meet people who say “I’ve been called to visit churches”
• No you havent- you dont want to submit to authority or to the body and you want to do your own thing
• Come here when the doors are open except for work, vacation, or planned absence
• Tithe here- dont give money to para church or homeless and call that tithing- its not- dont feel guilty about it- I dont- I know how much money I give to God
• people will say that you dont have to give to your home church- whatever argument they can come up with
• why not give to your home church?People will give to a hospital with no Scriptures, but argue with God about tithing.

1. Be about Growth

• You’re either Growing or dying- you can’t stay the same-
• 1 cor 9:24-25 24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
• Col 1:9-10 For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
• Don’t get comfortable- comfort is a growth killer-
• People live at threshhold- they only do something when its broke or sick or run out of money- do it BEFORE
• What if you treated this church like if we didn’t do everythign perfect it would close in a month? That’s how people act when its dying- Russel Wilson- “Treat every day like its first”
• Dont get used to your seat, your parkign spot, ministry
• Find someone to hold you accountable to your spiritual growth- NOT THE PASTOR
• There are a bunch of great people here
• I have guys I text once a week- I have some guys I slap across the face
• Tell them 2 things- a sin you struggle with, after you know each other- tell me something about myself I need to grow and make it hurt”
• Be about growth