Relationship not religion

Good morning. What a wonderful week it was last week. I was blessed with the opportunity to spend the week with Jr Sr high students at Camp Galilee In Eldo.

It was such a wonderful week. In total we had 72 campers and of those 72.....16 accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior with 8 of those being baptized at camp and about 20 rededicated their lives to Christ

What a wonderful time and experience. God was on the move and it was humbling to be there among the Holy Spirit doing His work.

You may notice my new footwear on my right foot. Most know what happened but for those who don’t here is the story

I preached on Tuesday night at camp and 12 accepted Jesus and 16 rededicated their lives following the message. It was an amazing night watching the Holy Spirit move through God’s Word and the power of personal testimony

The camp has lots of traditions at meal time. One of them is ride the broom around the room. The campers sing

Ride the broom around the room and whoever they care calling out so in my case

ride the broom around the room pastor josh

ride the broom around the room pastor josh

we wont shut up until you saddle up

ride the broom around the room pastor Josh

So I grabbed a broom and began to ride it

The first step I took with my right foot landed on a slight incline in the floor and as I pushed off of my toes it felt like the broom hit me right behind my right ankle....it was hard enough I looked down to see what happened.

I took a second step on my right foot and felt something was very weird

I took a third and knew something was wrong so I stopped and that ride was over

They got me a chair to sit on and an ice pack and another chair to prop my foot up on as we decided what needed to happen.

I called our athletic trainer KP and she didn't answer so I was texting her and she called back and asked what I did....I told her the story and she laughed at me…which I expected.....then she said Josh I am sorry but that sounds like an Achilles tear.....I said that is what I thought but wanted to know what she thought

She said I could go to the urgent care there in eldo and they would probably put it in a boot and tell me I needed to followup with ortho and mri

The camp nurse had a boot at her house so she went to get it and even though it was too small it helped and because God was moving and I was not going to leave

Lunch came and as we were in line I told Gary Clark the director of that week of camp and a dear brother in Christ that I had to finish.....he said finish what....I said broom around the room.....and I explained why.....the broom around the room is nothing spiritual but I refuse to allow satan to steal the joy of last night with this stupid injury

so as lunch finished up he got on the microphone for announcements etc as he usually did and as he finished he started walking towards me and said there was some unfinished business and gave me the mic

I stood up and said to all the campers riding the broom around the room is not spiritual at all however last night 12 of you gave your lives to Christ and I refuse to allow this injury to steal my joy or your joy....i refuse to allow satan to win so because of that I am going to finish what was started this morning.....it may be the slowest broom around the room in the history of mankind but I am going to finish....Gary handed me the broom and i began to ride and the kids went crazy.....as i completed the ride around the room Gary reminded the campers that our God always wins.....it was a beautiful moment that a majority of the campers got and understood the heart behind it

As far as my injury we are still unsure of severity of damage as I go to get an MRI on Tuesday morning. After the MRI we will know if surgery is needed and develop a plan of action going forward. I will be slow for the summer but praise God for the salvations and rededications…this injury and all it entails is a very small price to pay for how the Spirit moved this past week.

After invitation I am going to ask that the other elders and you my family come and anoint me and pray over me as we are instructed to do in James 5.

Lets Pray

START RECORDING

This morning we continue our Living Unashamed For Christ series with the message Relationship not religion

Galatians 1:10

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For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

This is the main verse I want to look at today.

Whose approval are you seeking.....man or God

Most say God but what do your fruits

your works

your time

What do they say

do they confirm you are trying to please God or confirm you are trying to please man

Notice you cannot try to please man and be a servant of Christ

This is important stuff here church

As I was thinking and praying about this message at camp last week God reminded me that Paul use to be Saul

Acts 22:3–5

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““I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia, but brought up in this city, educated at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strict manner of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God as all of you are this day. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering to prison both men and women, as the high priest and the whole council of elders can bear me witness. From them I received letters to the brothers, and I journeyed toward Damascus to take those also who were there and bring them in bonds to Jerusalem to be punished.”

Saul was a Jew among Jews

Top dog

highly educated and respected

Gamaliel was the prominent rabbi of his time

Saul was educated by the very best

Saul was a top dog in the Jewish religion and carried out that religion with a zealous passion

He was relentless and stopped at nothing to be a God fearing Jew

Saul wanted to do what he had been taught was God’s will in order to please Jews and Jewish leaders

In fact he was headed to persecute

jail

maybe even kill Christians in Damascus when he met Jesus!!!!

Saul's entire life before Jesus was built around pleasing men

but all that changed that day on the road to Damascus

Acts 9 is where we find Saul’s conversion

I encourage you to read Acts 9:1-19 this week in your secret place but for this morning we will look at

Acts 9:3–9

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“Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank.”

Saul was brought to his knees by the very one he was persecuting....JESUS!!!!!!

For you and for me as we live lives unashamed for Jesus this is so important to know

Persecution focuses on Jesus and not you

If you face persecution it is because the world sees Jesus not you! Praise the Lord!!!!!

Saul’s entire life and most important eternity changed right there and then

His power and prestige no longer mattered to him

Nothing on this earth mattered to him any longer

Jesus was all that mattered to him from that moment forward

What about you?

Is Jesus and the Gospel and eternity all that matters to you?

Do you seek God’s approval or man’s approval

What does your fruit and time spent say about that?

Here was Saul the Jew among Jews

feared by all Christians

on his knees in full surrender and submission

He is now blind and being led by the hand

Jesus is King

You and I must bow to Him not man!!!!!!!

Jesus was crystal clear that pleasing men and religion and man’s traditions are all pointless and will send you to hell because Jesus doesn't want your religion He wants a true heart relationship

Proof of this is the fact that the sign of the covenant with God moved from physical.....physical circumcision to spiritual heart circumcision made without hands

Colossians 2:11–15

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“In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

Your human religion is worthless

your trying to please man is worthless

you must be dead to you

you must be dead to sin

you must be dead to your old ways

your old thinking

your old behavior

your old traditions

your old religion

it is all about your heart relationship with Jesus

What is the most important relationship in your life?

What does your time and energy and effort say is your most important relationship in your life?

You are to love your family well

you are to love your kids and grandkids well

you are to love your community well

but top priority and top love must be Jesus

I love Melody more than anyone or anything in this world but she knows she is 2nd behind Jesus

I know she loves me more than anyone or anything in this world but I better be 2nd behind Jesus

I know she loves me because she hasn’t killed me yet......i am not the best patient and listening to the doctors is not always something I am good at

We are at the point now that I just get the look....yep that one I am getting now.....that says stop right now sir!!!!!

Jesus gave all He had and all that He was on the cross to pay for…cancel your sin debt

He became your sin

He stopped at nothing to offer you an opportunity at salvation

2 Corinthians 5:21

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“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

We looked at this last week but wanted to look at it again here

Jesus became your sin

He knows your sin better than you know it

This is part of the power of the cross

Jesus completely relates to you

He completely understands your sin because He became it

Many can’t even give Him 2-3 hours on a Sunday morning let alone all that they have and all that they are

Who has your heart and devotion?

Church I love you so very much

I want you to have a dynamic

intimate

deep

personal relationship with Jesus

I pray that you truly desire that as well

Many say they do but they don’t

They can’t seem to find time to dedicate to the secret place every day

they can’t seem to find time to pray

they can’t seem to find time to read the Word

they can’t seem to find time to make it to Sunday School or church

they can’t seem to find time to make it to bible study or discipleship group

they can’t seem to find time to fellowship with family when those opportunities present themselves

they can’t seem to find time to serve Jesus and the church

it is not that they can’t seem to find time they refuse to make time

It is the fact that those things are not important to you

You find time for what is important to you

You find time to do the things you want to do

You have a choice

please man, including yourself or please God

You can’t do both

So many are caught up in religion

I have to do

I have my traditions

I have my place

I give my money

i do my time

I must love jesus

WORTHLESS!!!!!! ALL OF IT!!!!! WORTHLESS!!!!

You are loving religion not relationship

You are engaged in religion not relationship

Matthew 7:21–23

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“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Religion

Jesus doesn’t want your religion

Jesus wants you heart

Those who do the will of my Father

None should perish but all come to repentance

That is God’s will

If you do that will you will do all God commands

You will love people so radically they have no other choice than to see Jesus!

Your life will be so radically different than society people will flock to find what you have!!!!!

JESUS!!!!!!

You will face trials and tribulations and persecutions because the world sees Jesus!!!!!

And what you must understand is when you face trials and tribulations and persecutions because of Jesus your reaction to those trials and tribulations and persecutions clearly demonstrates your heart and who has your heart!!!!!!!!

You need to ask God today who has your heart?

Religion

The world

yourself

your family

your work

your hobbies

your pride

your money

or Jesus

What is the most important relationship in your life????

Religion

sin

world

self

or JESUS!!!!

Your answer determines your eternal destiny!!!!!!

God laid a lot on my heart this last week at camp

I had a sermon prepared going into camp but Monday night as my new brother Mark spoke God began to speak to me and completely changed the message

Mark spoke on how we live ashamed of Jesus and don’t do the things God calls us to do because of fear

One of the many things God spoke to me was to stop living in fear of worship

He made it clear at camp that I was to do invitation at camp after I spoke by myself

I play with groups

I sing with groups

But I have been afraid to play and sing by myself

I have been afraid to really sing

to really worship when I help lead worship because of fear

I was in fear because I was ashamed of my talent and gift given to me by God

I am tired of living ashamed of Jesus because I am in fear

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.””

I am tired of not living up to Jesus expectations

I refuse to live in fear a second longer!!!!!!!!!!

I even felt called to tell Gary Clark that next year I feel called to lead worship at camp

I pray going forward you will see a different worship from me and us as a worship team in the future

I am going to do one of the two songs I did for invitation at camp here this morning

as i sing if you need prayer come

if you need Jesus come

If you need to lay down a burden come

If you realize you have been pleasing men and not God come

Whatever it is come

STOP RECORDING

Invitation

STOP STREAMING