June 29, 2025

00:47:01

Response That Leads To Change

Response That Leads To Change
HighRidge Church Longview
Response That Leads To Change

Jun 29 2025 | 00:47:01

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Show Notes

True transformation begins with a response—faith that moves, love that follows, and obedience that leads to change. Are you just asking, or are you stepping out in action? Could one little step be the beginning of something greater?

Sunday, June 29, 2025 Message: Response that Leads to Change by Ryan Sims

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Episode Transcript

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You're listening to the Message podcast of High Ridge Church, Longview, where our vision is to help you know God, find freedom, discover purpose, and ultimately make a difference. We are so glad that you're here and we pray that this message impacts your life as you apply the spiritual truths from God's Word in practical ways. [00:00:18] Speaker B: Let's listen in. [00:00:20] Speaker C: Man, can we get up for, can we get up for your worship team? Didn't they not do an incredible job leading us into God's presence today? Man, I absolutely love coming to Longview. I absolutely love your pastor. He is a pastor's pastor and so not only does he do a great job of pastoring you in this city. [00:00:45] Speaker B: But he's a pastor that invests in other pastors. [00:00:49] Speaker C: And so I'm so thankful. I've known him for 10 plus years now. He officiated mine and my wife's wedding, gave me some of my first opportunities to preach. And man, he checks in on me every single week without fail and asking. [00:01:04] Speaker B: Me how he can be praying for me. [00:01:06] Speaker C: So I hear what's going on here in Longview, Texas and man, what God. [00:01:14] Speaker B: Is doing here is absolutely amazing church. [00:01:20] Speaker C: Isn't what God's doing in this place amazing church? You've got amazing leadership all the way up and down. Pastor Doug this weekend took great care of me and Pastor Mateo hosted us, just completely ministered to us, made sure we got rest and this so valuable. Earlier this year, Pastor Zach FA and. [00:01:43] Speaker B: Elder Bill Lecky came up to Mineral Wells and delivered some timely words in. [00:01:49] Speaker C: Due season that were spot on. [00:01:51] Speaker B: So Holy Spirit is moving and speaking in this place. [00:01:54] Speaker C: In fact, Bill gave us a word that the Lord would increase in Mineral Wells and we would experience increase in spite of challenges. I love the word increase. I could have done without the in spite of challenges parts. [00:02:12] Speaker B: But I can tell you we're praying about going to three services in the fall right now. [00:02:16] Speaker C: And there's some challenges that come with. [00:02:18] Speaker B: That and God is moving and God is growing. [00:02:20] Speaker C: But I just want to tell you. [00:02:21] Speaker B: That God is ministering beyond this region right here in this house, and I am so thankful to be here today. [00:02:30] Speaker C: Well, who brought their Bibles with you today? Let me see them. If you're watching online this morning. We appreciate you so much. You can go ahead and look at the screen in front of you, but I'm going to ask real quick. We're going to be in John Chapter nine, if you wouldn't mind, if you would stand to your feet. I want to just stand in reverence. Before the Lord as we read God's word this morning in John chapter nine says, as he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, rabbi, who sinned this man or his parents that he was born blind? And Jesus answered, it was not this man that sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me. While it's day, night is coming, and when no one can work as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. Having said these things, he spit on. [00:03:24] Speaker B: The ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, go. [00:03:30] Speaker C: Wash in the pool of Siloam, which means scent. And so he went and he washed. And he came back seeing the neighbors. And those who had seen him before as a beggar were saying, is this not the man who used to sit and beg? Some said, it is he, and others said, no, but he is like him. And he kept saying, I am the man. And so they said to them, then. [00:03:51] Speaker B: How were your eyes opened? [00:03:52] Speaker C: And he answered, the man called Jesus. [00:03:54] Speaker B: Mud and anointed my eyes and said to me, go to Siloam and wash. And so I went and washed and received my sight. And they said to him, where is he? And he said, I do not know. Let us pray this morning. Lord, I just pray right now for you to move, that you would speak to our hearts, that we would embrace whatever you want to speak to us. [00:04:17] Speaker C: That we would respond to you and whatever you're wanting us to change. [00:04:21] Speaker B: Lord God, I pray that we would do that today. I pray for your holy anointing, and I pray for open hearts. It's in your precious name we pray. Amen. You may be seated. [00:04:32] Speaker C: As I was preparing this week, I was reminded of the year 2006. Now, this is even before the iPhone. Who remembers the days when the Motorola Razor was the phone to have the smaller the better, and you had to have that. It has nothing to do what I'm about to talk about, but I just want to set the stage of the season of life that I was in. So I'm at the end of the junior year of my high school year, and I'm getting ready to make decisions about college. And my youth ministry that I was a part of was doing a visit to a Bible college that they sponsored called Baptist Bible College in Spring Springfield, Missouri. I had no interest in going to this college at this point, but I figured hey, a 12 hour road trip. [00:05:32] Speaker B: With 15 other juniors and seniors sounds. [00:05:35] Speaker C: Like a good time. [00:05:36] Speaker B: So I'm gonna go. [00:05:38] Speaker C: And I went with the sole purpose of having fun. In fact, when I was there, I was the first ever that they told me high school student that got hazed by the college students because I absolutely would not leave them alone. And it was antagoniz. But there was an evening where one of the pastors was delivering a message. [00:05:59] Speaker B: And he said that he firmly believed America would look completely different if we required every student in America to spend one year in God's word and to. [00:06:11] Speaker C: Commit to Bible college for one year. [00:06:13] Speaker B: Before they did anything else go on to their trade, their vocation. And in that evening, in that moment, the Lord began to work on my heart. [00:06:22] Speaker C: And I didn't commit that evening. [00:06:24] Speaker B: But a couple of months later I. [00:06:26] Speaker C: Was in youth ministry camp and they. [00:06:29] Speaker B: Were preaching about discipleship and what that looks like. [00:06:32] Speaker C: And I firmly, for the first time. [00:06:34] Speaker B: In my life heard the Lord clearly tell me that I was called to full time vocational ministry. And it absolutely terrified me. [00:06:45] Speaker C: My senior I enrolled to Baptist Bible. [00:06:47] Speaker B: College in Springfield, Missouri. It was the only college that I. [00:06:50] Speaker C: Knew of and but my senior year I didn't know what freedom was. [00:06:54] Speaker B: And I began to believe the lies of the evil one, that I could never do it, that I had done too much wrong in my life. [00:07:00] Speaker C: And for the next four years I began to run. And in 2011 I met my wife and she basically told me get it. [00:07:10] Speaker B: Together or get out. [00:07:13] Speaker C: Like she wasn't playing games anymore. Like either you're going to take your relationship with Jesus seriously, you're not going to tell me that you believe in Jesus, you're actually going to live for, for Jesus or you're going to move on. What's crazy is Pastor Tim, your pastor, was the young adult pastor in High. [00:07:31] Speaker B: Ridge Fort Worth at that time. [00:07:33] Speaker C: And two weeks prior to us meeting. [00:07:35] Speaker B: He prayed with my wife that she would meet her future husband and that the next person she meet would be her husband and that she would know. Two weeks later I met my wife and she tells me, get it together or get out, get on. [00:07:50] Speaker C: And I began to remember what the Lord had called me to. And I, and I stepped, stepped into High Ridge Fort Worth and I began getting discipled and taught like by your pastor and other pastors. But I was having a specific conversation with the pastor and he said, so what is the Lord telling you to do? I said, well I know that I'm called to vocational ministry, but I know for certain that I'm supposed to go to Bible College. And so then I asked him, I said, do I need to go to. [00:08:19] Speaker B: Bible College to be a pastor? And he said, no, you don't need to go to Bible College to be a pastor. However, if the Lord has called you to that, you're four years behind. [00:08:32] Speaker C: And so immediately that day, I enrolled to Bible College and began following this path before what the Lord had for me. And in 2014, I found myself married, working 40 hours a week in the facilities department at High Ridge Fort Worth, interning 20 hours a week in the youth ministry, and I was a reservist in the Army National Guard all at once. And I remember having a conversation at 3am with my wife in 2014, and she said, man, are you going to come to bed? And I said, I want to, but. [00:09:13] Speaker B: I need to be faithful to what the Lord is asking me to. [00:09:17] Speaker C: Now, that was a crazy busy season in my life. But I can just tell you over and over again, as I've responded to. [00:09:25] Speaker B: Jesus, everything in my life has changed. [00:09:29] Speaker C: I was having a conversation with somebody that I've known for many years. The other day he said, man, I'm so proud of you. It's crazy how far the Lord's brought you in the last 10 years. And I said, man, I can't claim any credit. All I can tell you is that I haven't given up and I've just. [00:09:46] Speaker B: Said yes, and the Lord has done the rest. [00:09:52] Speaker C: For those of you that are that are taking notes this morning, the title of my message is this. It's response that leads to change. The change that you're seeking, the relationship with Jesus. You're seeking what you want to accomplish on this earth for Him. The way that you receive, respond to Jesus is everything in America. We constantly want change. We constantly want to see things happen, but we just aren't willing to do the work. Hey, we want change in this nation and we look to a politician instead of Jesus. We want change in our region and we want our pastor to do it. But yet, last time I checked, you are also disciple. See, we want everyone else to do. [00:10:45] Speaker B: The work and reap the results. [00:10:48] Speaker C: Sounds like a good deal. [00:10:49] Speaker B: Amen. [00:10:51] Speaker C: But when I look at God's Word, when anything significant happens, it's the people of God responding to His Word and. [00:11:03] Speaker B: His will for their life. [00:11:06] Speaker C: We live in a generation where we want everything handed to us and everything is at our beck and call. Where are my Amazon prime people at if it's not prime? You don't order it. Amen. Like hey, like hey, man, I've got to wait seven days. Ain't no way. We want it here and we want it right now. I love that Pastor James talked about. [00:11:30] Speaker B: Waiting because so often we allow the waiting and the anticipation to ruin what God wants to do today. Sometimes the best thing you can do is wait. Over the last hundred years in America. [00:11:48] Speaker C: The reason Christianity in America is decreasing and everywhere in the world outside of here is increasing is because we've gotten obsessed with this little word called comfortable. And as a pastor here in America, I take responsibility. We've made you too comfortable. [00:12:09] Speaker B: Comfortable. [00:12:10] Speaker C: When I look at scripture, man, these disciples, they weren't very comfortable. They were walking all day long. They were being attacked. They weren't very comfortable. And you're not called to be comfortable either. That's why God gives you the comforter. [00:12:24] Speaker B: Called the Holy Spirit. And so here's the thing. [00:12:30] Speaker C: If we want to see change that points people to Jesus, our response to him is everything. Meaning our relationship with Jesus shouldn't be one sided. Where are all my married people at in the room? Does anybody want a one sided relationship? No. You expect there to be give and take, communication back and forth. You don't always get your way. But yet when it comes to our relationship with Jesus, we want him to give everything and we don't want to give anything. Here's the reality. If we want to live a life connected to his purpose, we can't be in a one relationship with Jesus. You say, why haven't I experienced breakthrough? Why am I not hearing the voice of God? Has anybody ever been in a place. [00:13:21] Speaker B: Where you've struggled to hear the voice of God? He has a still small voice because he doesn't want to compete with anything else. He wants all of you. [00:13:33] Speaker C: We got to get into a place. [00:13:34] Speaker B: Where we put our faith in action. Sometimes God wants more than your lip service. He wants you to put action in what you believe. If you're taking notes, the first one is this. Our response is proof of our faith. [00:13:54] Speaker C: So in this story In John chapter 9, Jesus is walking with his disciples. And the disciples see this blind man. And then they ask Jesus, hey, why is this man blind? Was it his fault or his parents fault? And he says something astonishing. [00:14:12] Speaker B: He says neither. [00:14:14] Speaker C: He said he is blind so that. [00:14:18] Speaker B: My name can be glorified. [00:14:21] Speaker C: Meaning in spite of his challenges, in spite of his circumstances, that God just might be glorified through him. And so then Jesus approaches this man and spits in some mud, which is absolutely disgusting. And he rubs it on his face. [00:14:43] Speaker B: And he says, go and wash it in this specific pool, and then you will be healed, man. Sometimes we pray to God and we ask him for healing, and we ask him to show up. And he asks something of you, and you say, I'm out. [00:15:04] Speaker C: Like, hey, I want this healing. Hey, I want this victory. Hey, I've been praying for this. And then Jesus says, hey, well, go do this first. And we're like, nope, the rich young ruler. Same thing. He says, I'll give up everything. He says, sell all your possessions and follow me. [00:15:21] Speaker B: And Jesus saw right through what he was holding onto. [00:15:25] Speaker C: If I'm this man and I'm impatient as it gets, I'm an Amazon prime person. I want to take Rome in a day. I'm ready to do all the things right now. And so I could see myself struggling, Said Jesus says, hey, go on this journey. Go to this place and wash your face. I could say, man, I'm just going. [00:15:43] Speaker B: To go home and wash my own face. [00:15:44] Speaker C: But if he would have done that. [00:15:45] Speaker B: He wouldn't have been healed. [00:15:48] Speaker C: If he would have done it his own way, he never would experience the miraculous working power of Christ Jesus. And just think about the journey for just a second. This man is blind, and he's having to ask, where is this pool? How do I get there? But then he gets there, he washes his faith in his face, and he goes back into this community, and they say, hey, who is this man? We don't know you. And he begins to tell them who he is, and they're like, there's no way that could be you. He said, let me tell you about. [00:16:17] Speaker B: A man named Jesus. [00:16:21] Speaker C: Who met me and told me to go wash my face, to be cleansed. And now I was born blind, but now I can see. [00:16:32] Speaker B: Do you know, church, that you were once blind and that Jesus cleansed you so that you could spiritually see? [00:16:44] Speaker C: See, when he encountered Jesus, not only did it transform his own life, but it transformed entire region. Because they're like, hey, where is this man Jesus that just healed you? Meaning even when he experienced his breakthrough. [00:17:00] Speaker B: He wasn't quiet about it. [00:17:03] Speaker C: When you experience your breakthrough, when you experience your miracle, when you experience the salvation of Jesus Christ Church, you shouldn't be quiet about. Should shake you to your core. It should transform everything about you. But in America, we've gotten this false idea that once I pray this prayer, my life is forever changed, but nothing else changes. That is contrary to what the Gospel says. Everything in your life should be transformed. I was reading this week, and the Lord led me to Matthew 7, verses 21 through 23. And Jesus is talking about the end times and the judgment. It says that there's people that are gonna say, but, Jesus. [00:17:53] Speaker B: I did this in your name. I cast demons out in your name. I did this in your name. And he's going to say, depart from me, for I never knew you. Every time I read that verse, I kneel before the throne of grace and I say, jesus, if I'm missing it, please let me know. [00:18:15] Speaker C: Because what Jesus is saying, there are. [00:18:18] Speaker B: A lot of people that are going to give me lip service, but they were never truly mine. Our response to Jesus is proof of our faith. [00:18:31] Speaker C: I have two daughters, Layla, she is 7, and Leighton is 4. They're at their grandmother's house this weekend. Every single time that I have FaceTimed them this weekend, they've had makeup on. [00:18:45] Speaker B: And ice cream in their hands. [00:18:49] Speaker C: And so they're having the absolute best time right now. But my 7 year old and my 4 year old are so different now. [00:18:57] Speaker B: Laila, if she does something wrong, all I have to do is give her the side eye and she crumbles. [00:19:06] Speaker C: You can ask Pastor Mateo. He rode up here with me this weekend because my wife is on a girls trip with her family on a cruise. And so they're at Grandma's and. And he's here. And the girls weren't listening to me. And I said, hey, Laila, I've told. [00:19:19] Speaker B: You three times already, you need to stop. Womp not my four year old, completely unfazed and wondering why Layla stopped what they were doing. [00:19:32] Speaker C: See, my four year old, Leighton, she wants to ask why? Because Daddy told you so. [00:19:44] Speaker B: What do you mean, why? But I don't want to do that. [00:19:51] Speaker C: I don't care if you want to do that. Daddy knows better than you. But here lately, she's gotten so smart. She plays me like a fiddle. The other day, she was bad. [00:20:06] Speaker B: And I told her, I said, okay, when we get home, we're gonna have. [00:20:09] Speaker C: A talk before they sit in timeout. [00:20:12] Speaker B: Or anything or any type of discipline. [00:20:14] Speaker C: I sit down in front of my daughters and I look at them face. [00:20:18] Speaker B: To face, calm as can be. And if I can't be calm, we don't talk until I can be. [00:20:23] Speaker C: And we sat there and I say. [00:20:25] Speaker B: Leighton, can you tell me why you didn't listen to Daddy? She sighs, daddy, I really want to be good, but sometimes I'm just bad. She didn't even realize she's quoting Paul. [00:20:48] Speaker C: Why do I do the Things that I don't want to do. I said, it's just completely melted. [00:20:58] Speaker B: And I was like, all right, baby. [00:20:59] Speaker C: Don'T do it again next time. Then she's tried it on me two more times and it didn't work those times. Isn't it crazy how much we can. [00:21:10] Speaker B: Learn from our children? [00:21:15] Speaker C: I want to think that I act. [00:21:16] Speaker B: Like my 7 year old, that it. [00:21:18] Speaker C: Crushes me when I disappoint God, or that I just want to listen and please him no matter what. Whether I agree or disagree, it doesn't matter. But I'm a lot more like my. [00:21:28] Speaker B: 4 year old when it comes to my relationship with Jesus. Why God? Why can't I do that? [00:21:35] Speaker C: Why are you having me do this? But when we understand our response to him is proof of our faith and. [00:21:43] Speaker B: Trust that he knows better than us, man, everything changes. [00:21:48] Speaker C: See, we need to respond in a. [00:21:49] Speaker B: Way that allows us to heal, that restores and brings wholeness and increases our faith. [00:21:56] Speaker C: So I want to look at some verses before we get out of here today on how we can begin to respond to God in such a way that will lead us to significant change in our Life. Matthew, chapter 7, verses 7 and 8 says this. Ask and it will be given to you. [00:22:12] Speaker B: Pause. We love that part. [00:22:18] Speaker C: A lot of us. Stop right there. But I'm thankful that Jesus continues here. Seek and you will find. Knock and it will be open to you. For everyone who asks receives. And the one who seeks finds. And the one who knocks, it will be open. I want to tell you today, don't just ask. [00:22:36] Speaker B: Move into action. [00:22:38] Speaker C: This verse right here. If we could get this resonated in our hearts, it would be so significant. You're great at asking for things. You're great at at seeking things. But when Jesus asks you to knock at the door and he doesn't answer in 2.5 seconds, you get frustrated. I know some of you when you go to somebody's house, there's several ways that we knock. Some of you walk up to the. [00:23:02] Speaker B: Door, you do one knock and you expect it to be opened in 2.5 seconds or you're big mad. [00:23:14] Speaker C: Some of you walk up to the door and you beat it down like you own the place. Hey, it's 105 degrees out here. There's mosquitoes. What are you doing? Open the door. [00:23:26] Speaker B: And then the majority of you, you call and tell the person when you're down the road so that you don't even have to wait at the door. [00:23:39] Speaker C: That they will open it for you. [00:23:41] Speaker B: So you don't even have to wait. What are you going to do? Church. When you knock at the door and God takes his time to open it, he's going to answer it. But will you keep knocking and waiting? [00:24:01] Speaker C: I'm reminded of the story found in. [00:24:03] Speaker B: Genesis with Abraham and Sarah. [00:24:05] Speaker C: They desperately wanted a son, and God promises Abraham a son. And it took them 20 years, five years. [00:24:15] Speaker B: To receive the promise of God. But yet, when you look at scripture, Abraham kept knocking, kept believing, kept waiting, and then God opened the door in his perfect timing. [00:24:33] Speaker C: First John 5:3 says this. [00:24:36] Speaker B: It says, for this is the love. [00:24:38] Speaker C: Of God that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. If you're taking notes there, if you got a highlighter in your Bible, I want you to underline or highlight. [00:24:54] Speaker B: Not burdensome. [00:24:57] Speaker C: God's commands aren't inconvenient. They're protection. [00:25:04] Speaker B: When we love him, Church, we will also follow him. [00:25:11] Speaker C: Where we struggle to follow Jesus, for most of us in the room is that in America, we struggled with this concept of what love actually is. [00:25:23] Speaker B: We. [00:25:23] Speaker C: We look at love like it's in a feeling or it's an emotion. I'm here to tell you today that love is not an emotion. It's not a feeling. [00:25:30] Speaker B: That's loss. Love is a choice. Who's been married for more than five minutes in the room. [00:25:42] Speaker C: Who knows? You have the honeymoon phase where everything your spouse does is perfect, Especially when you're dating. It's like, hey, what's your favorite color? [00:25:52] Speaker B: Blue. [00:25:52] Speaker C: Oh, his favorite color is blue. Oh, what's your favorite movie? And then you go all on these dates and everything's perfect. [00:25:59] Speaker B: And then you, you move in together, you get married, you move in together, and then you realize all of a sudden, my spouse is not perfect. [00:26:09] Speaker C: He throws his clothes on the ground and doesn't put them in the baskets. [00:26:18] Speaker B: I've been married for 11 years, and this is one of the biggest struggles. [00:26:21] Speaker C: In my marriage is that I throw my clothes next to the baskets and not into the basket. [00:26:29] Speaker B: Y' all pray for my wife right now. [00:26:33] Speaker C: It drives her absolutely crazy. But I'm always, I told you, I'm in a hurry. I'm not got time to throw it in there. I've just got to change and go. Or if I forget trash day. [00:26:46] Speaker B: Man. [00:26:47] Speaker C: Then we got to have that piled up trash all week. [00:26:50] Speaker B: Who knows that some days you're not lovable, your spouse may not be lovable, and you get to choose to love each other anyway. There may be days that you go through that are very hard and difficult. But you get to choose to love God anyway. And you get to choose to love. [00:27:13] Speaker C: His commands and to follow him. [00:27:16] Speaker B: If you want change, if you want revival, it starts right here. And we choose God in everything. [00:27:25] Speaker C: We follow him in not our own way. This scripture, what he asks of us. [00:27:30] Speaker B: Should not feel like a burden. It should feel like a blessing that we have a God that loved us enough to lead us in this life. [00:27:39] Speaker C: John, chapter 14, verses 13 through 15 says this. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified, glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in My name, I will do it. [00:27:52] Speaker B: Here it is again. [00:27:53] Speaker C: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. [00:27:58] Speaker B: The Lord is willing to move on behalf of his sons and daughters. [00:28:04] Speaker C: True change happens when we walk in. [00:28:07] Speaker B: Our God given identity. Has anybody ever had somebody say something hurtful to you? [00:28:14] Speaker C: Does anybody ever hold onto something that was said to you for many, many years, and so much so that even has affected the way that you viewed yourself and others? [00:28:22] Speaker B: I'm here to tell you today that that was a lie, that that was wrong, and that you are a son and daughter of the Most High King. [00:28:34] Speaker C: The reason we're struggling in America is because we're in the middle of an identity crisis. Young people are looking everywhere for answers and they have no idea who they belong to or what life should look like because we have stopped teaching them. [00:28:50] Speaker B: What it looks like to walk as sons and daughters of the Most High King. [00:28:53] Speaker C: I read a study that happened in 2015 to teenagers. Those teenagers are now in their mid-20s. And so it makes a sense of a lot of things we're facing. But in 2015, these teenagers were pulled and they, they said that 95% of them felt insecure in who they were and felt inferior and were struggling to be secure in who they were. [00:29:20] Speaker B: Our lack of identity comes from our inability to submit to our Father. When you submit to his plan and his will, you understand exactly who you are. Matthew 21, verse 22 says this. [00:29:40] Speaker C: And whatever you ask in prayer, you receive. If you have faith, church God moves. [00:29:51] Speaker B: At the rate of our faith. [00:29:55] Speaker C: A lot of us say, man, I don't hear God, I don't see God. I don't know what I need. Here's what I want to tell you. Just start talking to Jesus, not this like sissy faith. Hey, God, what if you did this? No, what if you said, hey, God. [00:30:10] Speaker B: Would you come to Longview, Texas? Would you move in this land? [00:30:15] Speaker C: Would your spirit Invade this place? God, Would you use High Ridge Longview to completely transform and bring the whole community to Jesus? God, I believe you can do it. God, I believe you will do it. God. Why not Longview, Texas? God? Why not here right now, right not now? Why? Why not through me? God, Move in this place. Move in this city. God, we need you right now. [00:30:43] Speaker B: I want to encourage you today to increase your faith. What does this. It means to increase your trust in what God can do. But if you're struggling with faith, anybody ever struggled to have faith or trust, I constantly have to battle this because I'm always plain what ifs, which is a lack of faith. Increased faith begins with our ability to praise God, who knows that you are blessed. You're in this room. You have breath in your lungs. You drove in a vehicle here. You drink your morning coffee. You might have had breakfast, you might have donuts on the way. I don't know. You have a bed to sleep in. If all of those things resonate with you, that means that you're in the top 90% of the world in wealth. Did you know that? [00:31:38] Speaker C: See, so often our lack of faith. [00:31:40] Speaker B: Comes from what we don't have instead of what we do have. I promise you, I pray this every day. If you want to see your faith increase, start thanking God for everything that's going good in your life. [00:31:53] Speaker C: Every single day I wake up, I. [00:31:55] Speaker B: Say, thank you, Lord Jesus, for another day here on your earth. Thank you for allowing me to be a husband to Danielle. Thank you for allowing me to be the daddy to Layla and Layton. Thank you for allowing me to pastor in Minerals, Texas. [00:32:08] Speaker C: Thank you for. For allowing me to be a High Ridge Church in Minerals, Texas. Thank you for this house that I'm in this morning. Thank you for the car that I'm about to drive in. Thank you. Thank you for another day to be able to minister the New covenant to your people. I promise you when the day gets hard, because it will, if you can. [00:32:27] Speaker B: Stop and remember what he's done, it's so much easier to trust. If you want your faith to increase, allow your praise to increase. Luke 17, verses 5 and 6 says this. The apostles said to the Lord, increase our faith. And the Lord said, if you had faith like a grain of a mustard seed, you could say to the mulberry tree, be uprooted and planted in the sea, and it would obey you. Faith should be seen in our vocabulary. [00:32:59] Speaker C: We should be not just believing, but actively declaring the goodness of God. [00:33:07] Speaker B: So let's talk about social media for A minute. [00:33:11] Speaker C: I am getting to the point where I can hardly stand to get on Facebook or Instagram. Not because of what unbelievers say, but. [00:33:20] Speaker B: Because the way that believers treat other people. [00:33:25] Speaker C: I constantly want to jump in and I just say, nope, not worth it. The enemy is using something that brings great connection to divide his bride. [00:33:37] Speaker B: You know that I've never seen somebody win a debate on Facebook. [00:33:41] Speaker C: I've never just seen somebody say, you know what? [00:33:45] Speaker B: What a very wise response. I have completely transformed all of my worldly ideals. And you are right. [00:33:54] Speaker C: No, that has never, ever happened. It goes back and forth. [00:34:01] Speaker B: But Christian, did you know you can disagree and be kind to. Did you know you can disagree and that person can still know that you love them at the end of the conversation? We've lost the art of loving people even when we disagree. Jesus often disagreed with people, and guess what? He showed grace and he showed truth. [00:34:26] Speaker C: We can't do and say things all. [00:34:29] Speaker B: Day long and then expect God to move a mountain in our life. [00:34:34] Speaker C: So this scripture is like, hey, if you only had the faith of a mustard seed, which is a teeny, tiny little seed, then you can move a mountain. And then we, with our faith and our vocabulary all day long doesn't represent Jesus. And then at the end of the day, we listen to our one worship song as we're driving to the gas station and we say, God, move this mountain in my life. We can't say things all day long that don't signal faith and then expect. [00:34:58] Speaker B: A mountain to move when we're operating on an empty faith tank. We should be filling our faith tank all day long. We should be in his presence. We should be prophesying, which means to encourage and to build up people. Why? Because when you encourage others, it encourages you. [00:35:19] Speaker C: How do I do that? Just like this. [00:35:22] Speaker B: Pastor Zach, I am so thankful for the way that you lead him here. I'm so thankful that you love your city, that you love this community. [00:35:29] Speaker C: I think God is using you in. [00:35:31] Speaker B: A greater capacity than you even realize. And it's bigger than a regional impact, it's a global impact. And God is going to expand your. [00:35:40] Speaker C: Capacity in the upcoming season. [00:35:42] Speaker B: And I firmly believe that. He's encouraged, I'm encouraged we move forward in walking. Encouraged. Isn't it so much better to encourage somebody than tear them down? We should be pointing people to faith. [00:36:03] Speaker C: John 12, verse 26 says, if anyone. [00:36:06] Speaker B: Serves me, he must follow me. [00:36:09] Speaker C: And where I am I, there will my servant be. [00:36:12] Speaker B: Also if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him. [00:36:17] Speaker C: Anyone who wants the favor of God. [00:36:19] Speaker B: Should be a servant. [00:36:22] Speaker C: Favor is undeserved kindness and goodness. Anybody want that? [00:36:26] Speaker B: On your life change begins with his favor. If you are his, you should be a servant of the kingdom of God. I want to change your perspective. I don't have to serve the kingdom of God. I get to serve the kingdom of God. Where are all my dream team people in the room that serve here faithfully? Can we give them a round of applause? [00:36:51] Speaker C: So thankful for your servanthood. [00:36:54] Speaker B: And you don't have to serve here, but you get to serve here. But serving the kingdom of God is not just for Sunday mornings. This should be part of our everyday lifestyle that we get to serve because Jesus was a servant and your community desperately needs you. [00:37:12] Speaker C: James, chapter one, verses five and six says this. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to Him. But let him ask in faith with no doubting. For the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. Wisdom and doubt don't function together. [00:37:33] Speaker B: Anybody want some wisdom in this place? Stop doubting the wisdom that's given. [00:37:39] Speaker C: We want change. We want the wisdom of God. [00:37:42] Speaker B: But we have to understand that faith. [00:37:44] Speaker C: And wisdom are married together. I read this quote this week. It says this. All the wisdom in the world is. [00:37:49] Speaker B: But a grain of sand compared to God's infinite wisdom. Does anybody want God's infinite wisdom in your life? I want to encourage you to plug into the source. If you want true change, you need to live a spirit led life. [00:38:04] Speaker C: At the moment of your salvation. [00:38:06] Speaker B: Jesus gave you a gift called the Holy Spirit. [00:38:09] Speaker C: And then as a believer, you get to choose to open that gift and to be filled with the Spirit. And then if you listen to his voice, you receive God's wisdom. But anybody in here has ever struggled. [00:38:21] Speaker B: To hear the voice of God before? All the time. [00:38:26] Speaker C: I believe this is why Scripture says. [00:38:27] Speaker B: That he has a still small voice. And when you're struggling to hear him, it's because you've got everything louder than God. We have to turn down the volume of this world so that we can hear his still small voice. And the only way you can do this is to live a life less by the Spirit. I want to close today In Romans, chapter 8, verse 28 says, and we know that for those who love God, all things work together for good. [00:39:05] Speaker C: We love that. Probably one of the most misquoted scriptures. [00:39:14] Speaker B: In all of the New Testament. [00:39:16] Speaker C: Because man, if I just Take it without context, man. Everything works out for people that follow God. Who in the room has ever had. [00:39:24] Speaker B: Something not happen to you? That's great. [00:39:29] Speaker C: You need context because Paul is writing this to the people in the Roman culture that it's a lot like today. And he. He's also the same guy that says. [00:39:40] Speaker B: Hey, there'll be trials and tribulations. [00:39:43] Speaker C: There will be long suffering. He's the same guy that said, man, I want to do the right thing, but sometimes I do the wrong thing. He said, man, I'm tired of this thorn that's in my side. I'm tired of being thrown in prison and shackled. I'm tired of constantly having my life threatened. And here is the guy that says, and for those that know God, all things work together. But here's why he said that. You need to highlight right after it, too. For those who are called according to his purpose, a life of response begins. [00:40:27] Speaker B: With purpose. [00:40:30] Speaker C: Meaning those of you that are believers. No matter what happens to you here on this earth, it will work out. [00:40:39] Speaker B: Because you know who you get to spend eternity with. [00:40:42] Speaker C: Now we cloud purpose and calling and assignment in the American church. We hear these different words thrown out, and we're like, they kind of mean the same thing. What does it actually mean? Here's how I think it should be defined. [00:40:57] Speaker B: We all have the same purpose, and it's to bring glory to God with our lives, Period. We have the same calling, too. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. And we all have many different assignments. But if we would just connect to our purpose and bring glory to God in our life, how different would this world look? If you need change today, it begins with stepping into purpose and glorifying God with your life. If you would bow your heads and close your eyes. If you're here today and you say, the Lord highlighted something to me that I need change in, would you raise your hand? I need my faith to increase. I need my praise to increase. I need to learn to follow. I need to learn to follow instructions. I need to learn what it means to love God and obey his commandments. If you were one of the many people that just raised their hands, I want to pray for you. And I'm going to ask if you would just stand to your feet as a declaration of change taking place in your life. There are many that are standing up. If that's you, stand to your feet. Don't be embarrassed. I just want to pray for you. Praise God. If you would just open your hands in a posture to receive. Lord, I just pray that if we're blinded, we will be cleansed and that we can see. I pray that faith would increase, praise would increase, obedience would increase, our love for you would increase and that we would just respond to you every step of the way and allow you to change our lives. We thank you, Jesus. It's in your holy name we pray. You can take a seat. I've got one more prayer quickly and I'll close. All heads bowed down, no one looking around. If you're here today. [00:43:44] Speaker C: And you say. [00:43:45] Speaker B: I've never given my life to Jesus, I've never truly given him a heart. I've given him some lip service here and there, but I've never truly made Him Lord over my life. [00:43:57] Speaker C: And I'm tired of doing that. I want to know that I can. [00:44:00] Speaker B: Follow him every step of the way. I want to walk in a two way relationship with him and I want. [00:44:05] Speaker C: To live a life with my heart. [00:44:06] Speaker B: Surrendered to and yielded to him and. [00:44:08] Speaker C: Know that I can spend eternity with. [00:44:09] Speaker B: Him in all of his days. If that's you, friend, pray this with me right now. And I believe the God of the universe will change your life forever. So if that's you, friend, pray this. Lord Jesus, I give you my life. Pray this, friend, I give you my heart. [00:44:26] Speaker C: Forgive me of my sins. [00:44:27] Speaker B: I turn to you. Thank you, Jesus for dying on that cross. Thank you Jesus for raising from the grave. And thank you, Jesus for just now setting me free with all heads bowed down, no one looking around. I'm not going to embarrass you or. [00:44:46] Speaker C: Call you out, but if you just. [00:44:47] Speaker B: Made Jesus Lord of your life, you. [00:44:49] Speaker C: Just prayed with me just now. [00:44:50] Speaker B: Will you look at me? Give me a quick little wave. Got you right there, brother. Got you right there, brother. Just look at me. Give me a quick little wave. I'm not going to embarrass you or call you out. Praise God. Anybody else? Praise the Lord. Awesome. Praise God. Awesome. Where? Everybody look at me. There were two that just said yes to Jesus. Can we give it up for God in this place? [00:45:17] Speaker C: If you gave your life to Jesus. [00:45:19] Speaker B: Today, we would love for you to take your next step and be water baptized. Thank y' all so much for allowing me to be here today. I love y' all so much. I'm gonna hand it over over to Pastor James. [00:45:28] Speaker D: Y' all give it up for Pastor Ryan a little bit. We thank you so much, Pastor Ryan. Appreciate you coming in and being a part hey, for everybody else, you want to stand to your feet as we close out today, I'm going to invite the elders and their wives forward and they're going to be here to pray for you. We never want you to leave here without having the opportunity to pray. You got something going on. You need a little support. They are here for that. So please do that for everybody else. Let's pray and get out of here. Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for the word from Pastor Ryan. We pray for that, that it will resonate with us as we head into this week, Lord, that we will remember who we are, whose we are, and that we'll step into all that you're calling us to do with a yes, Father, I pray a blessing over every person in the room. Pray a blessing over their families as we head into this week. In Jesus name and everybody said amen. [00:46:19] Speaker A: Thank you so much for listening in today. Our prayer is that you are encouraged and strengthened by the message. If you haven't done so yet, be sure to subscribe to this podcast and leave us a review wherever you're listening. If you want to be a part of our online community, connect with us through Facebook or Instagram with the handle hyridgelv or you can check out our [email protected] lastly, if this ministry has impacted your life and you'd like to support its work, visit highridgelv.com we appreciate your support and we're believing with you today for God's best in your life. Have an incredible week and we will see you next time.

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