TESTING TESTING / PASTOR HOWARD TUTEN

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Welcome to Cedar Lake Christian Center Podcast. Our church exists to see lives transformed through a relationship with Jesus. We pray this message helps you continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior. You can find us online at clc.church.

SPEAKER_06 0:27

Get the great stay in my hand clapped. Thank them. Thank you, guys. Why don't you turn your neighbor and greet it this morning and tell them you're glad to see them and meet it? God does want to do great things in our lives, but you know what He's gonna do? He's gonna prepare us first. He's gonna get us right for those great things. Ezekiel 36, 26 says, I will give you a new heart. And I'll put a new spirit within you. It's spirit. It comes with wise counsel, wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. That's what he's gonna put in us to prepare us. Amen. If you have children that want to go to children's church this morning, if you uh pair over here, you can be dismissed with them. Now they're going over here, but the children's church is the next the last trick on this side. So you know. Our children. And I thank you that the incremental speed of God's work will be placed in them today, the way planted in them.

SPEAKER_07 3:45

And wherever they're planted in life, that seed will then take root, and it'll grow and it'll produce much fruit for your kingdom, Lord God.

SPEAKER_06 3:56

I thank you that the blessings of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be a fine to them. And Father, whatever platform you give them in life, they'll be sure to give you honor and glory and pray. And all these things we ask in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.

SPEAKER_07 4:16

That's a good looking for this.

SPEAKER_06 4:28

Um Pastor Neil and Lori visited their son in New York the whole week.

SPEAKER_07 4:36

Much needed time off for them.

SPEAKER_06 4:40

I know he's not here, but why don't you give Pastor Neil a hand clap? Don't you appreciate him? There's so much that goes on behind the scenes. Such a load that they carry that it really it really does take a team. I want to thank the team here. Run the sound every week, get the music prepared, the singers that sing, they get here an hour before church. For the nursery workers, Sarah and Corey. It may be work for the kingdom, but it's work. Amen.

SPEAKER_07 5:27

We just want to thank all of them. I want to thank my wife. I wouldn't be who I am today without her.

SPEAKER_06 5:40

She does a lot of writing. And as you see, God doesn't. She didn't used to even like the way I dressed. How does she wind up with me, right?

SPEAKER_07 5:54

She said I have my own style. I still have my own style. And now I help dress her. I pick out her wardrobe. Sometimes. Give her a hand clap. Pastor Wonder.

SPEAKER_06 6:20

As I was preparing my heart for today. God's nothing without you. If you don't show up, it's a it's a waste. Cause the truth is, is you probably know more than I know. Most of you have or or some of you are older than I am. You got a lot more wisdom. But we don't just come to church to gather knowledge. You can gather knowledge. Hey, I've got all the knowledge you need.

SPEAKER_07 6:56

ChatGPT. Got all the knowledge you need. You got a question, it'll answer it.

SPEAKER_06 7:03

However, I do know that it doesn't always answer truthfully. The truth is only found in God's word. Right? But I really felt I had a couple of different things I wanted to share, but I was trying to focus in a pinpoint on what God wanted for today. And it's it's simple. Everybody in here knows it. Can you turn me down just a hair, please? In the house. Everybody knows this. It's actually popular in every religion.

SPEAKER_07 7:42

Not just Christianity. It's the golden rule. Do unto others.

SPEAKER_03 7:54

You got here.

SPEAKER_00 8:00

You were right, by the way. Um do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

SPEAKER_07 8:06

Right. Right. That's it. That's pretty simple. So why is this world in such a mess? Why is there so much hatred? Why are there wars? If this is a key in almost every religion and everybody knows it, what's up?

SPEAKER_08 8:31

It's because we don't practice it.

SPEAKER_07 8:34

But um, I want to drive this on today. Um, God's gonna help me do that. As we were coming into church, I was thinking about what our purpose is, and do do we all of you know your purpose in life? Do you know your ministry? Do you know what that is, your mission? Is everybody settled with that? You know? Okay, let's do it this way. How many of you know? This is not to shame anybody. How many of you know your purpose? You you okay, that's a light of hands not going up.

SPEAKER_08 9:17

The mission's still the same. The mission's still the same from when Jesus was walking on the planet. He hand chose twelve disciples to make them fishers of men. People are still the mission. People are still the mission. Any of you work with difficult people at work?

SPEAKER_07 9:53

How many of you work with difficult people? How many of you are the difficult person? I love you. Yeah, so people can be difficult. I like to say it this way people are extra grace required. I may or may not have some family members like that.

SPEAKER_08 10:15

Stop it, Shannon. Any of you got a family member? Extra grace required?

SPEAKER_07 10:26

That's almost as many hands that went up as if I were to ask how many people were to say. Okay, so let me ask you a question. Are you trying to change them? Are you trying to fix them? I maybe you're trying to fix them.

SPEAKER_08 10:42

Well, pray for them every day, brother Howard. How do you act in front of them? How do you act towards them? More importantly. I think our strategy may be off.

SPEAKER_07 11:01

Just a little bit. You see, if we're gonna reach this world in this day and time, you're not gonna do the Bible to fix them. They're gonna close the door in your face, they're not even gonna listen to your gospel. So how do you reach 'em? You gotta know what your purpose and your role is and what God's role is. Did God how many of you have read the Bible all the way through? Raise your hand.

SPEAKER_08 11:34

Great.

SPEAKER_07 11:38

Is there anywhere in there that says to fix people? anybody? Please correct me. Does it say anywhere from Genesis to Revelation? I want you to fix people. Your mission is to change people.

SPEAKER_08 11:58

Your mission. What did he say for us to do for people?

SPEAKER_07 12:12

That's the strategy of the kingdom, and it has not changed. It's the answer. It has not changed, it never will. Love is God's strategy, it always has been and it always will be. So if we're not reaching people, we're not loving them correctly. We're not demonstrating what he told us to demonstrate. He says, if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and seek life face, then will I hear from heaven and heal their land? My people. If you're not happy with the way the world is, do something about it. Because it changes one person at a time. It changes in your heart first, then it changes your household, then it changes your environment, your workplace, your community, your nation, and your world.

SPEAKER_08 13:16

We gotta get busy.

SPEAKER_07 13:20

First Corinthians 13, reading from the NIV. Gonna go four through seven. I'm sorry, I did not give you my scripture ahead of time. Okay, here's the strategy. Talking about love. I think this is what we have to demonstrate. We gotta get it in us first. It has to become our nature, it has to be overflowing, it has to be our action and our reaction. Love is patient. You mean even with my coworkers? Even with that difficult person, yeah, love is patient. Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it does not dishonor others. You see, if you'll love and honor people, that'll open doors that no other thing can open, no other key can open. It is not easily angered, it is not self-seeking, it keeps no record of wrongs. That's probably my favorite part of that definition. Because you'll never reach anyone, including family, if you're holding a record of their wrongs.

SPEAKER_08 14:42

If you're how how many of you are married in here? How many of you hold a record of your spouse's wrongs? David, we gotta talk. It will destroy your marriage.

SPEAKER_07 15:00

It destroys relationships. Who wants their record brought up? None of us are perfect, none of us have a clean past. God's a God of another chance, not just a second chance, because we mess up over and over again.

SPEAKER_08 15:18

Keeps no record of wrongs. Erase the record.

SPEAKER_07 15:23

With your spouse, in any relationship, erase the record. Everything they've done in the past. Delete it. It does not delight in evil, but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Being patient and kind is active daily decisions to be gentle and enduring, humble, it does not envy, it does not boast, it does not act rudely. These are definitions, sorry. Selfless, it does not insist on its own way. It is not easily angry, it's enduring, it protects, it trusts, it hopes, and perseveres. How many of you mastered this now? Everything I just described, you have.

SPEAKER_08 16:23

But that is the key.

SPEAKER_07 16:28

That's how the world's gonna change. It's gonna change one person at a time. How many of us say, God, let it start with me? Let it start with me. Amen. Thank you, Lord. Do unto others. I'm gonna share with you what's become the biggest blessing in my life. When I chose this path, it changed everything about me as a person. When love became my motive, everything I do and everything I say flows out of love. And that definition of love. It changed my life. It'll change yours too, I promise. You'll see differ you'll see people differently. You'll have more grace and mercy for people. You won't be trying to fix them. Because we try to fix people because we can't love them where they are. We're like, if if you'll just do this the way I want it to, then I can love you there. It's not gonna happen. God's not gonna change people to suit us. Just not it doesn't work that way. Because love is bigger. Love is greater. You ever thought about let me show you how big God is. Over eight billion people on this earth. I would say that's eight billion personalities, but many of them have split personalities, may have 20 or 30 personalities. So that's how many trillions of personalities? And God said his love is big enough for every one of them. That definition of love covers every personality. Is that not incredible? Well, God, how can you love somebody like me? You ain't nothing. You easy. I got difficulties over here. People say, God won't forgive me for what I did. Really? So you bigger than him, right? What you've done is greater than his love. It's not. See, we've got to get an understanding. We've got to get a knowledge about his love. We've got to learn to express it. It's love is the Bible says this God is.

SPEAKER_08 19:02

It's the word that defines God.

SPEAKER_07 19:06

I mean if you know God, then you know his love. He's expressed his love to you at some point or another. If you've accepted him, he's deposited his love into you.

SPEAKER_08 19:24

Okay, so it's already in us. Why do we choose who to give it to?

SPEAKER_07 19:34

Why do we choose who we're gonna disperse it to and um I ain't love you?

SPEAKER_08 19:40

You didn't suit me. Can I tell you that he said to love everyone? Did he tell us to hate our enemies? We can hate them, right?

SPEAKER_07 19:59

Is that what he said? You can love everyone but your enemies. You can hate them if you want to.

SPEAKER_08 20:06

But we do. Let's be honest, how many of you have had people that you hated? Well, the rest of you are lying. We've all had people we've hated. A few years ago, God started yelling with me about that.

SPEAKER_07 20:30

About hatred in my heart. And I said, Okay God, I want you to empty it out. I don't want it in me anymore. I want that love in me that you talk about in your word.

SPEAKER_08 20:48

And then he started bringing up names. Oh, we were serious?

SPEAKER_07 20:57

He started bringing up names of my past. This one did this to you back then. Oh, I forgot about that. Can't we just forget about that? No, because it's still in you. I want your heart clean. That doesn't mean pushing it to the back or putting it in the closet of your heart. It means opening up every door of the closet of your heart. All the way back. Some of you remember names you were called when you were six years old. It's still in there. They hurt you, it's still there.

SPEAKER_08 21:41

If you hear somebody's name and it makes you angry, let God deal with you.

SPEAKER_07 21:52

There's someone you haven't truly forgiven completely. You may have said it, you may have avoided them thinking it was over. If you hear somebody's name and it starts gnawing at you. As someone God's trying to deal with you, saying, I need you to forgive them. I need you to love them. You say, Well, I can't love them. They're my enemy. They did me wrong. They hurt me.

SPEAKER_08 22:25

Love your enemies.

SPEAKER_07 22:30

That I can't. Mm-hmm. He's already put it in you. You're just deciding not to. Love your enemies. You know what helped me with that verse? Because it's not finished there. It says, let them bring out the best in you and not the worst. When I saw that part of the scripture, I'm like, yeah, we can do this. You see, God's not going to fix everybody to suit us. He'll send an enemy into your life to bring out your Christ-like nature that He's put in you. And you've got to use it. You've got to demonstrate it.

SPEAKER_08 23:17

You've got to overflow with it. Y'all with me. I'm passionate about the word.

SPEAKER_07 23:30

I try not to be heavy. I try to be more lighthearted, but boy, I get passionate about it and I get light. I'm trying not to be heavy. Look at your neighbor's eyes. Try not to be heavy. A better world begins one person at a time. That starts with us. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It is the golden rule. Matthew 7, 12 says this. Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.

SPEAKER_08 24:11

And everything. It starts. So in everything. It requires honor and respect.

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If you're going to love someone, you're going to honor them and respect them. Not because they deserve it, it's about the person you are. All this is about becoming who God wants you to be. It's not about what's been done to you. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. It didn't say do unto others as they've done to you. This is about becoming who God wants you to be. Say unbecoming. It's work. It is work. You don't get there overnight. It's one day at a time. It's one person at a time. It's one step at a time. But every time we surrender to what God wants, say God, not my way and not my will, but yours be done.

SPEAKER_08 25:16

He'll help you. I told you I look at serlins like I prepare meals.

SPEAKER_07 25:30

I like to cook. And I always cook too much. So I've got a lot of nobs here. If you see me here just looking, I'm helping you. I'm not doing it all. I'm skipping. Okay. Don't want to keep you here all day. So our motives must be right. We must be motivated by love, expecting nothing in return. Can I tell you that love is supernatural? It's the essence and the nature of God. And when we're led by love, we're being led by God. When we love our spouse, we're being loved by God. I'll never forget what my mama said to my dad one time.

SPEAKER_08 26:18

She said, God put me here because he loves your dad through me. That's the most powerful thing she's ever said to me. God loves your dad through me. That's incredible. Everybody can't feel the love of God.

SPEAKER_07 26:46

Except to us. If we'll love them, we're loving them with the love of God. There is no love outside of God, and there is no God outside of love. So when you want to act on the supernatural, what God has given you, love is supernatural.

SPEAKER_08 27:07

Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord. I maybe want to go clean a toilet. I know you will. I know you will. I know you will, bro.

SPEAKER_07 27:28

I'm cleaning the toilet at the station one day. I got a smile on my face. I'm like, I'm gonna get this up clean. I could eat off of it if I needed to.

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I didn't have to. Thank God.

SPEAKER_07 27:47

But I said, I'm doing this for God. Nobody made me go in there and clean that toilet. Everything you do, you can do it as unto the Lord. If you have selfish motives, you can't do that. If you're living for yourself, you can't do that. If you're listening to your flesh, you can't do that. Because your flesh will say, I ain't cleaning no toilet. Somebody else can do that. This is about becoming who God wants us to be. Right? Demonstrating his nature. Whatever we do, we can do it as unto the Lord. You're working for the Lord, not for your paycheck. You know what's going to give it away? How you know if you're working for your paycheck or guide? My favorite word in the dictionary.

unknown 28:42

Attitude.

SPEAKER_07 28:46

How many of you have to work on your attitude? Mine's like a daily thing. Yours isn't daily, is it? Oh it is? Okay. Good. Somebody knows where I'm at. Attitude. Well, I don't like my job. You don't know what I gotta put up with. That boss of mine? Hmm. I don't like cleaning the bathroom. I don't like folding clothes. I don't like telling myself no when I want to do something. Any of this sound familiar? I don't feel like going to church on Sunday. I don't want to pay my tithe this week. Got something else I want to buy. I don't want to be nice to them. They hurt my feelings.

SPEAKER_04 29:39

Feelings. Nothing more than feelings.

SPEAKER_08 29:45

The Bible says to be led by your feelings. You would think that's gospel.

SPEAKER_07 29:56

You would think it's gospel. People are led by their feelings every day. That's why they can't be led by the Spirit. You can't be led by but you can't serve two masters. You better tell that other one to sit down. You got work to do for God. It'll raise its head. Yes, it will. That pride will raise its head. Yes, it will. You better tell that thing to sit down. Y'all think I'm kidding.

SPEAKER_08 30:25

You better tell that thing no. Take authority over that. We just let any any thought run wild and do what I feel like doing, and you better take authority over that. You can't do it God's way in that way. Don't be led by your feelings.

SPEAKER_07 30:50

You know why? Because feelings create a jealous spirit. Jealousy doesn't belong in the heart of a believer. It's toxic, it's destructive to our character and our purpose. But why did they get what I've been praying for?

SPEAKER_08 31:12

This is a test. It's only a test.

SPEAKER_07 31:19

How many of you prayed for something and your best friend or your family member got it? I mean, almost exactly what you prayed for.

SPEAKER_08 31:28

Why'd they get it? I didn't pray for. They didn't get yours. They got a duplicate.

SPEAKER_07 31:42

Just to test you to see what your spirit was gonna, how it's gonna react. God does that. That's how He reveals the attitude of our heart. You see, we go day to day and we just, it's us. No, there's an attitude of the heart that we carry every day. And some things we don't even know is in there until something like that happens. Why does that happen to me? God's trying to reveal something, he's trying to deal with you. The closer you are to God, the more you'll let him deal with you.

SPEAKER_08 32:23

And you'll be able to love other people, and you'll also be able to love you. You know how many people don't love themselves. You ever heard me say this in here before?

SPEAKER_07 32:44

I don't know of anything that was harder to deal with than when God made me start dealing with me. Because I hated me.

SPEAKER_08 32:53

That was in my heart. Nobody else knew it.

SPEAKER_07 32:59

But when he said, Howard, I need you to love you too, because I can't do what I need to do with you until you love you.

SPEAKER_08 33:10

Yeah, but God, I'm really critical.

SPEAKER_07 33:13

I'm a perfectionist. I like to do things with excellence, and I'm not there.

SPEAKER_08 33:21

So, Howard, what you've told me is that you're your own worst enemy. Bingo. Love your enemies.

SPEAKER_07 33:34

Even if you've created yourself as your own worst enemy, you still gotta love you. Can't get out of it. Can't get out of it. He's not gonna let you because he's not gonna let you love the whole world. And let love flow out of you and touch a hurting creation and heal broken hearts and leave you out.

SPEAKER_08 34:02

He wants you healed. It's about becoming a man or woman of God.

SPEAKER_07 34:12

That's our goal. Become more like him. Well, God is love. How many of you that's your goal? Become more like him. He is love. You're gonna have to keep telling yourself that every time you want to act and react this week, tomorrow, starting tomorrow. I lied if starting like after we wonk out of those doors, probably. Maybe after I drop my mic. I'm not gonna do that. I've already broken one. Um, but yeah, we're gonna have to deal with people. People are hard to deal with. If you'll know that going into it, it's gonna make it a lot better on you. But what did God say about it? How did He tell me I could treat them? But they don't deserve it.

SPEAKER_08 35:06

It's not about them. It's about us. It's about us.

SPEAKER_07 35:24

Romans twelve ten says, Love is love each other with a genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Be good friends who love deeply, who practice playing second fiddle. In other words, be okay with being second. I'm gonna tell you a secret, you know why Pastor Neil and I work so well together? We work at this radio station together. I'm with him here for over 30 years.

SPEAKER_08 35:58

I'm okay with being second. There's no competition.

SPEAKER_07 36:04

I'm okay with being a supporter. I don't need to be first. Society teaches us in ball games and everything else. You gotta be first.

SPEAKER_08 36:18

Seconds always run or up. You'll be forgotten. Thing about me. Everything I do, I do is into the Lord. You can't trap me. Can't set me up. Everything I do is unto the Lord. I want to do it to bring him honor and glory. How many of you want to do that? You're on your way.

SPEAKER_07 36:52

Be patient with yourself. Give yourself grace and mercy to grow. That's really how you learn to love yourself. You have to give yourself grace and mercy. The same grace and mercy that God gives you. He put it in you. He put that love in you. That definition of love that we just read. He put all of it in you. We just got to rehearse it and we've got to use it. We've got to demonstrate it. We've got to give it. And remember this: our behavior is our witness. There's no room for bitterness, pride, or rebellion in our behavior. All that's rooted in self and selfishness. Ephesians 4 says, get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, along with every form of wickedness. And be kind and compassionate to one another. Forgive each other. See, you can't get away from it. It's all throughout the Bible. Forgiveness, forgiveness, forgiveness. And actually forgiving are two different things. We all know we need to.

SPEAKER_08 38:15

But hey, Ray. I want to hold on to this a little longer.

SPEAKER_07 38:23

You're only hurting you. You're only stopping your own progress. Learn to forgive quickly and often. If you'll learn to forgive quickly and often, you're one step closer. That much faster. Don't delay your own progress. Just as Christ forgave you, have a right spirit. There's a right spirit, a right time, and a right place for everything. Let love be your motive. How we treat and serve one another. And again, God never told us to fix people or to trust them, even. He never told us to trust them. He said love them.

SPEAKER_08 39:10

Period.

SPEAKER_07 39:15

When I started allowing love to become my nature and motive, it changed my life. And that's why I wanted to give this to you today. This is why I wanted to serve this to you today.

SPEAKER_08 39:35

I take an antidepressant, I know. That pill can't do for me what this scripture can.

SPEAKER_07 39:45

I use both. Because I want to be the best me, not only to my wife and my kids, but to bring God on her. There's no shame in taking medicine that's prescribed for what you deal with. Because your spouse, your kids, your grandkids, the employees that you work with, they deserve the best version of you you can give them.

SPEAKER_08 40:14

Give it to them. Put your pride aside, give it to them.

SPEAKER_07 40:22

Practice acts of kindness motivated by love. This unlocks doors that were previously closed. There's a whole new world of opportunity waiting, you know. I'm telling you, it's different.

unknown 40:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_07 40:37

It's different. I I started looking for ways to bless people and to show them love and kindness. My wife and I, we chips and sauce has always been our favorite food, even dating. And I thought I would taste some of that. I'm like, that's uh, I can do better than that. So I set on a mission to make the best sauce that I can make. Probably 10 years in the making. Is it okay now? That's something that I do for us, but I said I can do better. And so I'll make it and give it away now to my neighbors or friends just as an act of kindness and love. It's amazing what just one simple act can do for somebody. Just a simple text saying, Hey, I know I haven't taught you in a while, but God laid you on my heart this morning, and I just want you to know that I love you, I believe in you, and I'm praying for you, sin. Because so many people think no one cares. Nobody cares. God, if somebody cares about me, show me. Ding ding.

SPEAKER_08 42:01

Just those random acts of kindness. That's love. That's all rooted in love. It's God honoring.

SPEAKER_07 42:15

How many times have you wanted to hear from God and someone just kind of popped up out of nowhere? God sent on. Years ago we went to, we went on a vacation before our daughter got married, just to get away before the wedding. Where was that place they came from? We're out on a pier. It's just us. God sent somebody all the way from Indiana, and they poured into us right there on the pier that night everything we needed to hear.

SPEAKER_08 42:57

God cared that much. And he cares that much about you.

SPEAKER_07 43:08

If I can tell you one thing, if you don't remember anything else, don't ever question his love for you.

SPEAKER_05 43:18

It's greater than you can ever comprehend.

SPEAKER_07 43:25

Don't ever question how far his grace of mercy goes, how much it extends.

SPEAKER_08 43:35

It's far beyond you can imagine.

SPEAKER_07 43:43

One time I uh I was at the beach and I said, God, let's just spend us some quiet time with him, and I was out on the balcony. I said, God, how great is your love? I need a visual.

SPEAKER_05 45:39

You can stand that on your feet.

SPEAKER_07 46:00

I want to challenge us this week to let it become a part of our lives to spend time in the Lord, not just for him to meet all your needs. Ask him to reveal something you that needs to come out, that needs to be dealt with.

SPEAKER_05 46:17

Selfishness, bitterness, resentment, anger.

SPEAKER_07 46:20

All those are about you. You gotta get you out of the way.

SPEAKER_06 46:26

Once you deal with you, I promise you, things are gonna be different. Think about when you get rid of your hot buttons. When you're no longer offended. And your enemy comes at you trying to push that button, and there's no button that button to push. Now you just gotta say, I gotta find somebody else. I can't push their buttons anymore. What about the devil? You get rid of his first buttons that he pushes, he knows which one's pushed. You get rid of buttons that can't push and be going with wall. And you'll be able to focus on film of God offered. To spread love.

SPEAKER_07 47:17

Honoring one another. Tearing down walls that divide us. We are all born in heaven. One in Christ Jesus. Our born.

SPEAKER_06 47:36

Maybe Jesus came into your life and saved you. He did me at an early age of four years old. I accepted it into my heart.

SPEAKER_07 47:47

But I really didn't understand what making the Lord over my life was until I was about 18. When I got it on my own. And I couldn't allow my mom and daddy more. I was on my own.

SPEAKER_06 48:00

That's when I really started singing my support. I didn't even know how to do this with new direction. And I asked him every step of the way, and he never felt I'm 54 now. And every time I'm stopping his direction, he's landing. That's what allowing him to be Lord of your life. He said, I will be savior and Lord. What happens when people get saved? They go out, they're not disciples, and they fall back into other ways. Never recognizing that there's more in Christ than just making him savor. Than going to heaven one day.

SPEAKER_07 48:36

He said, Why do you call me Lord and do not the things I ask? When he has come to do what he's taught me to do.

SPEAKER_06 48:47

That's why I'm doing this this morning. I'll promise you this is not my my thing. I'm on the radio every day. I don't need a full fit. I did this because this is what God wants me to do. Because He said if he loves you too much. Have y'all been to bed this morning? Have you up in bed?

SPEAKER_07 49:09

Praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. We're gon' make it. We're gonna say we're gonna make it.

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We're gonna make it.

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I declare today, Lord God, in your name. That we are overcomers. We overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony. Lord, I thank you for your word that you've delivered and deposited in us this morning. We received that word.

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And Father, I thank you that it's taken deep root this morning, and no one you're in the devil in hell that can work it out.

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And it's gonna take root and it's gonna grow and it's gonna produce much room for your kingdom. We're gonna become people of excellence and honor. And we're gonna do it in your name. You're gonna be glorified in what we say and we do.

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Even to one another. We're gonna treat one another in a more excellent way. I wanna I wanna sing something really quickly.

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This is an old song we used to sing in here. This is for you today.

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This is my desire. Every moment I'm away.

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Check your motive.

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Check your motive before you speak, before you answer, before you act. What is motivating my answer? Is this for me?

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Or is this bringing under God? Everything I both say and do right under you. Is that your desire? God told me to end this service with this statement. This is the first day of the rest of your life. And the best of your life. He's seen the heart you've got through. He's seen the struggle.

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But all that was to bring you up to this point. For such a time as this. And not only this is the first day of the rest of your life. He's got some awfully good days coming for you. When my daughter was pregnant, I don't wait long. I wasn't happy. I felt hurt. And I hadn't shared this. I felt betrayed. I felt dishonored. I felt shame. I couldn't see the road. I could see what's right there. But she told me she was pregnant. My granddaughter's freedom. She breaks. Nobody can come. What she can If you'll give your hurt and your pain to him, he'll turn it. He'll turn it. Ways that you may not have. He'll turn it. He'll turn it. He'll turn it. He specializes in turning it. When we see a possibility, he sees an opportunity. He said, watch what I'm gonna do with this. What cost you paint? I'm gonna bring you joy. It's the first day of the rest of your life. It's the first day of the rest of your life. Enjoy it.

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Count every moment of every day. Enjoy it. Leave the past behind. Erase the record of wrongs. From everyone. How many times do we forgive? 70 times 7.

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490 times per offense. Per person per day.

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Yeah, that's big as long. Some people have offended us 70 times per day.

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Keep on forgiving. Not because of them, but because of the person God wants you to be. Amen.

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You are dismissed in the liberty of the Lord. Love the person next to you.

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And love everyone this week as you go out.

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God's gonna give you opportunity to demonstrate his love. Don't be scared. Don't be scared to be sustained for the person's pressures in the line behind you. Don't say, I barely have enough for mine. He'll provide.

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Step out on faith and demonstrate his love and watch what he'll do with it. He'll turn it. He'll turn it. He'll turn it. Because he turns it.

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We pray this podcast has been a blessing. For more information about Cedar Lake Christian Center, you can find us online at clc.church. Our Sunday service begins at 1030 AM, and our Wednesday evening Bible study begins at 7 p.m. If you'd like to contact us, our telephone number is 770 748 8 50750.