The passage this message was preached from, in full, with every other passage it reached for.
1 Samuel 16:7-12Read aloud to encourage Lissa and the worship team that God looks at the heart, not outward appearance
7 But Yahweh said to Samuel, “Don’t look on his face, or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for I don’t see as man sees. For man looks at the outward appearance, but Yahweh looks at the heart.”
8 Then Jesse called Abinadab, and made him pass before Samuel. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
9 Then Jesse made Shammah to pass by. He said, “Yahweh has not chosen this one, either.”
10 Jesse made seven of his sons to pass before Samuel. Samuel said to Jesse, “Yahweh has not chosen these.”
11 Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your children here?” He said, “There remains yet the youngest. Behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down until he comes here.”
12 He sent, and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with a handsome face and good appearance. Yahweh said, “Arise! Anoint him, for this is he.”
Main text for the sermon, used to introduce the theme of making room in your heart for Jesus's message
31 Jesus therefore said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you remain in my word, then you are truly my disciples.
32 You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s offspring, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How do you say, ‘You will be made free’?”
34 Jesus answered them, “Most certainly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is the bondservant of sin.
35 A bondservant doesn’t live in the house forever. A son remains forever.
36 If therefore the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.
37 I know that you are Abraham’s offspring, yet you seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you.
38 I say the things which I have seen with my Father; and you also do the things which you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered him, “Our father is Abraham.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham.
40 But now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth, which I heard from God. Abraham didn’t do this.
41 You do the works of your father.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father, God.”
42 Therefore Jesus said to them, “If God were your father, you would love me, for I came out and have come from God. For I haven’t come of myself, but he sent me.
43 Why don’t you understand my speech? Because you can’t hear my word.
Referenced in Brian's paraphrase about Gentiles as wild olive shoots grafted in, and Israel being grafted back in
1 I ask then, did God reject his people? May it never be! For I also am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God didn’t reject his people, which he foreknew. Or don’t you know what the Scripture says about Elijah? How he pleads with God against Israel:
3 “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have broken down your altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.”
4 But how does God answer him? “I have reserved for myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to Baal.”
5 Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace.
6 And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work.
7 What then? That which Israel seeks for, that he didn’t obtain, but the chosen ones obtained it, and the rest were hardened.
8 According as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear, to this very day.”
9 David says, “Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, a stumbling block, and a retribution to them.
10 Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see. Bow down their back always.”
11 I ask then, did they stumble that they might fall? May it never be! But by their fall salvation has come to the Gentiles, to provoke them to jealousy.
12 Now if their fall is the riches of the world, and their loss the riches of the Gentiles; how much more their fullness?
13 For I speak to you who are Gentiles. Since then as I am an apostle to Gentiles, I glorify my ministry;
14 if by any means I may provoke to jealousy those who are my flesh, and may save some of them.
15 For if the rejection of them is the reconciling of the world, what would their acceptance be, but life from the dead?
16 If the first fruit is holy, so is the lump. If the root is holy, so are the branches.
17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive, were grafted in among them, and became partaker with them of the root and of the richness of the olive tree;
18 don’t boast over the branches. But if you boast, it is not you who support the root, but the root supports you.
19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off, that I might be grafted in.”
20 True; by their unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by your faith. Don’t be conceited, but fear;
21 for if God didn’t spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you.
22 See then the goodness and severity of God. Toward those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in his goodness; otherwise you also will be cut off.
23 They also, if they don’t continue in their unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.
24 For if you were cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and were grafted contrary to nature into a good olive tree, how much more will these, which are the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree?
25 For I don’t desire you to be ignorant, brothers, of this mystery, so that you won’t be wise in your own conceits, that a partial hardening has happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,
26 and so all Israel will be saved. Even as it is written, “There will come out of Zion the Deliverer, and he will turn away ungodliness from Jacob.
27 This is my covenant with them, when I will take away their sins.”
28 Concerning the Good News, they are enemies for your sake. But concerning the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sake.
29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.
30 For as you in time past were disobedient to God, but now have obtained mercy by their disobedience,
31 even so these also have now been disobedient, that by the mercy shown to you they may also obtain mercy.
32 For God has shut up all to disobedience, that he might have mercy on all.
33 Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past tracing out!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has first given to him, and it will be repaid to him again?”
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
The message in order, in a few minutes of reading.
This message was week three of a series called Pack Your Bags, built around preparing the Tribe fam for a twenty-one-day journey to develop a heart for Israel. Pastor Brian walked through two passages to lay a foundation, then called the congregation to make a public commitment, written on a card and laid at the front, about what they would fast or deny themselves starting September 8. The series had been building toward this moment.
What was said
Pastor Brian opened with a word he felt the Lord gave him during worship, drawn from 1 Samuel 16. With a major music festival happening in Jackson that weekend, he said the Lord had walked through all of it and was simply unimpressed, but that the worship offered by Tribe's volunteer team, with their humble setup, was what caught his attention because of the heart behind it.
Moving into John 8, Pastor Brian pointed out something the congregation might assume about that passage: Jesus is not correcting Pharisees or obvious opponents. He is talking to people who believed in him. They were with him, following him, amening him, and yet he stepped on a specific sore spot to expose that there was no room in their hearts for what he wanted to say. The title Pastor Brian gave the message was "Make Room in Your Heart."
The connection he drew from Matthew 6 was that the heart follows appetite, not the other way around. Whatever a person feeds, that is where their heart tends to settle. That is why Jesus said to store up treasure in heaven rather than on earth, because earthly appetites can be corrupted or taken away. Pastor Brian quoted C.S. Lewis from memory: "All that is not eternal is eternally worthless."
Proverbs 27:7 came in to press that point further. A person who is full refuses honey, but bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. The application was plain: if there is no hunger, there is no room. Fasting and self-denial are not ends in themselves but a way of creating an appetite for what God wants to put in.
A question from the congregation pushed on why Israel specifically, when the gospel is for all nations and there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Pastor Brian and others in the room worked through the question together. The answer they kept returning to was that the principle of the firstborn passes through the cross unaltered, that God's promises to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still in effect, and that Romans says God's gifts and calling can never be withdrawn. Gentiles have been grafted in and receive the same standing, but Israel carries a covenant weight that is distinct and still active.
Pastor Brian then laid out what the twenty-one days would actually look like. Starting Friday September 8, the congregation would fast or deny themselves something, guided by a daily prayer PDF developed by IHOP Kansas City for their Isaiah 62 fast. He also pointed to three documentary films called Covenant and Controversy from Frontier Alliance International as something families and Shabbat groups could watch together over the three weeks. The twenty-one days were timed to end as Sukkot begins, which he said was not accidental.
He closed by naming his own commitments out loud: no social media, no beer, and a partial fast from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday dinner for each of the three weeks. He invited everyone to fill out the card in their seat, photograph it for their own memory, and bring it forward. He framed the whole thing not as a rule to follow but as a physical act meant to open a space for something spiritual, a way of saying to God that there is room now for whatever he wants to deposit.
Touch points
Things you could actually do this week.
Fill out the 21 Days for Israel card, write down what you are committing to fast or deny yourself starting Friday September 8, and take a picture of it so you remember your commitment.
Sign up for the text blast so you receive the 21-day prayer guide PDF that the staff will send out later this week.
Find one or two people from your life to share your commitment card picture with so you are not doing these 21 days alone.
Go back and listen to all three weeks of the Pack Your Bags series if you missed any of them, especially last week's sermon on fasting.
Plan to watch the three Covenant and Controversy documentary films produced by FAI Frontier Alliance, one per week, with your Shabbat group or some friends during the 21 days.
Doing a Bible study?
Here is a guide we have prepared for you: the passages
in order, questions for the group, and room to write.
Brian read from 1 Samuel 16 about God looking at the heart rather than outward appearance. Where in your own life do you find yourself judging by what you can see rather than by what God sees?
Jesus was speaking to people who already believed in him when he said there was no room in their hearts for his message. Is there an area where you follow Jesus genuinely but still feel resistance when he steps on your toes about something specific?
El pastor Brian abrió el mensaje con una palabra de aliento para el equipo de alabanza, tomada de 1 Samuel 16, recordándoles que Dios no mira las apariencias sino el corazón. Luego presentó el tema central del sermón a partir de Juan 8:31-43, donde Jesús le dice a un grupo de creyentes que no había lugar en sus corazones para su mensaje. Brian señaló algo importante: Jesús no les estaba hablando a los fariseos, sino a personas que ya creían en él. Eso fue el punto de partida para invitar a la congregación a hacerse una pregunta honesta: ¿hay lugar en nuestros corazones para lo que Dios quiere depositar?
El sermón se centró en preparar a la familia de Tribe para un ayuno de veintiún días enfocado en Israel, que comenzaría el viernes 8 de septiembre. Brian usó Mateo 6:19-21 y Proverbios 27:7 para explicar que nuestro corazón tiende a seguir nuestros apetitos, y que para hacer espacio a algo nuevo hay que negarse a uno mismo. Dejó en claro que el objetivo no es fabricar un amor por Israel, sino crear las condiciones para que Dios mismo lo forme. La congregación llenó tarjetas de compromiso describiendo de qué ayunarían o se privarían durante esos veintiún días, y las depositaron en un espacio preparado como altar.
Brian también respondió a una pregunta genuina de un miembro sobre por qué Israel ocupa un lugar especial si el evangelio es para todas las naciones. La respuesta giró en torno a los pactos y promesas que Dios hizo a Abraham, Isaac y Jacob, que no fueron cancelados por la cruz, y al principio del primogénito, que atraviesa el Antiguo y el Nuevo Testamento sin alteración. El período de veintiún días fue diseñado para coincidir con el comienzo de Sucot, y la iglesia recibiría durante la semana una guía de oración y devoción diaria para acompañar el proceso.
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Pasajes bíblicos mencionados:
1 Samuel 16 (el Señor mira el corazón, no la apariencia)
Juan 8:31-43 (no hay lugar en vuestros corazones para mi mensaje)
Mateo 6:19-21 (donde esté tu tesoro, allí estará tu corazón)
Proverbios 27:7 (al que está saciado le disgusta la miel, pero al hambriento todo lo amargo le es dulce)
Romanos (los gentiles como ramas de olivo silvestre injertadas; los dones y el llamamiento de Dios son irrevocables)
Read the full transcript9,698 words
Yes, Lord. We just rejoice in that. Sing, oh, precious. Sing how priceless, how precious. How priceless, how precious there's power in the god of Jesus how priceless and how precious there's power in the blood of power available today Oh, we stand in that love today.
We stand in that love today. We continue to worship you today by digging into your word. We continue to worship you by honoring, Lord, your word today and the word preached. We tell you, come have your way in this place today. Speak to us about what's important to you today.
We wanna care about what you care about. Teach us today. We tell you we love you, Jesus. And everybody said, amen. Well, turn around and greet somebody.
Say good morning. If there's someone you haven't met before, say good morning. Introduce yourself. And there is a it was like Christmas Eve series. All the crystals.
Yeah. Freezing. If it's too cold.
Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning.
Almost fell off my stool. Good morning. Good morning. Alright.
So, I don't know if you guys know. Am I in the house? There we go. Now I'm in the house.
That'll That'll get them. Good morning. Now it
sounds like I'm in the house. So during worship, I felt like I had a a word. During worship, I felt like I had a a a word. The Holy Spirit just whispered to my heart for Lyssa, and I'll I'll share it with you. You don't need to turn there, but it's from first Samuel.
There is a music festival like I don't know some sort of like like like I don't know neo hippie cowboy hip ster mountain man. There's a lot of fringe, there's a lot of rhinestone, there's a lot of bone handled knives in leather, a lot of beards, lot of whiskey like this weekend. There's a lot there's a lot of like very very talented and professional musicians that are here this weekend and during our humble little gathering this morning I felt like the Lord whispered to my heart and he was saying, hey B, I was walking around this facility, campus, and I was just like yawn yawn I heard all of the extremely talented musicians. I saw all of the the million dollars millions of dollars worth of equipment. I've seen the tour schedules of these professional musicians.
I listened to their conversations. I heard their musicianship. I was at their late night jam sessions. I've seen the the decades of dedication that they've put into their musicianship and building their brand and all I can say is,
yeah. And
then the Lord put on my heart first oh, I need my reading magnifier spectacles. First Samuel chapter 16. You don't need to turn there, but this is for Lissy and for the worship team. Lissa is on paid staff. Everybody else on the team is volunteer.
First Samuel 16 says, but the Lord said this to Samuel, don't judge by his appearance or by height for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn't see the things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. Then Jesse told his son Abinadab to step forward and walk in front of Samuel, but Samuel said, this is not the one the Lord has chosen. Next, Jesse summoned Shemaiah, but Samuel said, neither is this the one the Lord has chosen.
In the same way, all seven of Jesse's sons were presented to Samuel, but Samuel said to Jesse, the Lord has not chosen any of these. Then Samuel asked, are these all the sons you have? And then Jesse, ouch, is like, well, they're still the youngest. But he's out in the fields watching the sheep and goats. Send for him at once, Samuel said.
We will not sit down to eat until he arrives. So Jesse sent for him. He was dark and handsome with beautiful eyes. Then the Lord says, this is the one. The this is the one.
Anoint him. I feel like with our humble equipment literally sitting next to all of whatever that is and our musician ship and the offering that we bring and your voices that were combined together were literally the highlight on the Lord's heart this whole weekend. He loves your heart. He loves what you bring for him. All of these others, he's just completely and utterly unimpressed with.
But what gets his attention is your your heart Amen. For the Lord. So
Yeah. Thank you, brother. Yeah.
Good. Now, you can really turn to John chapter eight as we get started today. So, this is week three of pack your bags. Last week, Joyce spoke to us about the incredibly exhilarating topic on fasting. Yep, yep, yep.
And so, this is week three of pack your bags and if you recall, we're in a three week series to prepare us for the journey that we feel like God has called us to go on and it is a journey of twenty one days for Israel and I'm gonna explain more about that today but at the end of today's conversation, you will have I almost said, could you close those doors, but they're really not gonna do any good. Just sit back there, listen to the message and just bob with the beat. First Samuel chapter, excuse me, John chapter eight verse 31. At the end of today, I'm going to invite you to write down your commitment and I'm gonna ask you to put your money where your mouth is. I'm gonna ask you to to hop on the bus that the Lord is driving.
I'm gonna ask you to throw a leg over the mechanical bull the Lord is operating. I'm gonna ask you to really sniff what as a tribe fam we're stepping in. But we're gonna start. What? We got we got a ways to cover.
We're gonna start in John chapter eight. We're gonna read verses 31 through 43. We do have a mic in the room, right? So that we can continue our normal vibe of this conversational atmosphere. And so with that in mind, would somebody please start reading in John chapter eight, start reading in verse 31.
We'll go all the way to verse 43, but you don't have to go that whole way of start us off and then hand the mic off. John eight.
Eight thirty one. Jesus said to the people who believed in him, you are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. But we are descendants of Abraham, they said. We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean you will be set free?
Jesus replied, I tell you the truth. Everyone who sins is a slave to sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is a part of the family forever. So if the son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes.
I realize that you are descendants of Abraham, and yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my father, but you are following the advice of your father.
Verse 39. Our father is Abraham, they declared. No, Jesus replied. For if you were really the children of Abraham, you would follow his example. Instead, you are trying to kill me because I told you the truth, which I heard from God.
Abraham never did such a thing. No. You are imitating your real father. They replied, we are we aren't illegitimate children. God himself is our true father.
Jesus told them, if God were your father, you would love me because I have come to you from God. I'm not here in my own, but he sent me. Why can't you understand why I'm saying, it's because you can't even hear me?
Okay. There we go. Oh, yes. Sorry. No more.
Okay. So in this particular passage, we can see Jesus having a conversation with a group of people and they make a statement. And, one of the things that one of the things that they say in verse 33, we are descendants of Abraham, they said. We've never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean we'll be set free?
And, what there's that there's that meme that goes off in my head about that guy that's like, are you sure about that? Are you sure about that? Because like, is that not a significant chapter of the history of Israel being slaves to Egypt for four hundred years? Yet, in their arrogance, they say, we've never been slaves to anyone. Jesus has to check them pretty hard in this conversation.
And if we look at verse 37, we get to the crux of what it is that we're going to talk about today. Verse 37 says this, yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham and yet some of you are trying to kill me because there's no room in your hearts for my message. If you're taking notes this morning, you can write at the top of your notes the title of this morning's message, Make room in your heart. Jesus literally has to spell it out very plainly for the people that he's speaking to by saying, the words that are coming out of my mouth have no effect on you because you have not made any room in your heart for my words. Now, who is he talking to?
Who do you think he's talking to? You can just shout it out. Who do you think he who would you assume he's talking to?
Pharisees.
Pharisees. Who who did you say? Jews. Jews. Pharisees.
This is interesting. We can't go too far down this rabbit trail but we see who Jesus is talking to by looking at verse 31. What does verse 31 say? Who is he talking to? Does not say well, maybe in your translation, says Jews.
What does it say? Disciples. Disciple does yours say disciples? It does. Yeah.
Really? Yeah.
The Jews who believed him.
Jews who believed him. So in the NLT that I read from in verse 31, Jesus said to the people Jesus said to the people, who believed in him? The people who believed in him. Isn't that interesting? And if you and if you were to go back and you can you're you're I invite you.
I implore you. I cajole you. I welcome you.
More. One
more. I encourage you. I encourage you. Go back and read leading up to verse 31. They were like, yes.
We're with you. Yes. Amazing. Incredible. Go for it, Jesus.
They were amening him, amening him. In verse 31, Jesus said to the people who believed in him. This moment is a record scratch for the people that he's speaking to because because he's saying something very challenging to him. Like, we're with you. We're with you.
We're with you. And then he takes one more step and he steps on their toes by bringing up an issue as a specific issue and this particular issue to step on their toes to reveal their heart is he just he uses a a triggering issue. He intentionally triggers them by talking about slavery, and that set them off. And what it did was it revealed the true condition of their heart in a particular area. Did you know that you can believe in Jesus, follow him, love his teaching, try to pattern your life after him, and he will still step on your toes and bring you to a place where you're like, oh, don't know about that.
In fact, that is his specialty. Jesus is always reliable, but he is always unpredictable Because he wants to bring you and me to a place where we are unoffendable and we will follow him no matter the cost. Jesus used this particular issue of slavery in order to highlight to them because he already knew it. In order to highlight to them that there was no room in their heart for what he wanted to deposit. So what we are going to do as a tribe family is go on a twenty one day journey to make room in our hearts for Israel.
I did this illustration several weeks ago and Joy referenced it, but if you if you think about this big jar as your life and these pickle ball balls or just pickle balls? Pickles. Thank you. These these jar of pickleball balls represent all the different things in your life. They represent your priority, your value, your schedule, your your beliefs.
How can God place something that in your heart where there's currently no room in your heart for what he might want to do? It just it just it just doesn't fit. And so what we're going to do is go on a twenty one day journey to make room in our hearts for Israel. Now, I want us as we're talking about this idea of making room in our hearts, I want us to turn to another passage in Matthew chapter six. Matthew chapter six.
We're gonna look at verse 19 through 21. Would somebody please either read that from their bible or from the screen or from your screen out loud in the mic so that our livestream families can listen and participate along with us. Matthew chapter six nineteen through 21. Who's got it?
Can I do it with the hand signs from my church camp?
We that is but only if you come up here, Lanisha.
Is probably one of my favorite things. Oh,
is she in the is she in the field of view? Okay. Here we go.
Don't store up your treasures here on Earth where the moths come and eat them and destroy them all, where the thieves break in and steal. Store them in heaven, where moths
Am I the only one? Come on.
And the rust Cannot cannot destroy destroy. And thieves cannot break in and steal forever your treasure is. There your heart will be
awesome. And
with that, Liz, I like this. Do not store up treasures here on earth where moth Oh, man. I always have to be so careful because the tendency is to say rust rust and moth destroy them but where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven where wrath and must cannot destroy and thieves do not break in and steal. In verse 21 is the crux.
Wherever your treasure is there the desires of your heart will also be. Did you know that our heart tends to follow our appetite? Wouldn't it be great if it were the other way around? I have a heart for Jesus therefore my appetite is for him but the reality is whatever it is I crave and desire that tends to be where my heart resides. Our hearts tend to follow our appetite.
Our appetites are whatever it is that we are feeding and feasting on and putting in our life. Appetite and this is basic human nature but we have appetites for our for sense of belonging and appetite for security, appetite for sexual gratification. Will do anything to fulfill it including going to great and unusual links, appetite for success, appetite for feeling that we belong. We have these appetites and when we feed these appetites that tends to be where our heart gravitates towards. That's why Jesus said, don't store up for yourselves treasure here on earth.
These earthly appetites. Many of these things that I just listed in their proper place aren't necessarily bad. Some of them are wicked and destructive when they're in their right place. But he says, don't store up for yourself treasure on earth where they can be corrupted and when they can be taken from you, but instead store up your treasures in heaven. Place your appetites redirect your appetites onto things that are not of this earth but that are eternal.
One of my favorite quotes from CS Lewis, you've heard me say it so many times, he says, all that is not eternal is eternally worthless. You've heard me say that before.
So because of last week's sermon, I started fasting again. And the one thing that I tried to to do was on days that I fasted on Monday and Wednesday, I didn't allow anything on my phone to be outside of work, but to be had to be spiritual.
Mhmm.
I listened to sermons, I listened to prayers, I listened to Christian music, but but it was that's all that I fed my myself. Life changing.
You you
cannot allow the world to affect you unless you're willing to turn away from it. Sure. So it was, I mean, the transformation this past week has been incredible and I feel like I'm re energized and re focused on what I should be.
Let's real time fact check that. Nancy?
Well
here's the thing.
He's lost 10 pounds in one week.
Holy. Do you know how long it takes a woman to lose Oh, yeah. I'm just saying. So I'm happy for you.
It was actually 11.
So, here's what you're here's what you're doing. Kids, there's only one of them left at home for just a few more weeks. Before we launch him. We talked a lot when our kids were home we talked a lot about bossing yourself around. Hey, you got a boss yourself around.
Of course we want to sleep in like especially on Tuesday as everybody, all the students head back to school and teachers head back to work like the attendee Oh, wait. We're excited for that? Yes, we're excited for that because we love learning. And we pray for our teachers and our preschool directors. But, we all all know, right?
There are times when we need to boss ourselves around and that's what we're doing is we are telling ourselves our flesh wants what it wants, how it wants it, when it wants it, and those are the the appetites of our flesh. But sometimes we have to boss ourselves around and redirect our appetites. This is an incredible verse that Clay beautifully segue into segue into Proverbs twenty seven seven. This one is so good. When I was in high school, I read a book called The Tao of Pooh.
Oh, yes. Are you familiar with it? Yes. All truth is God's truth even if Taoism borrows and takes some things, but one of the things that they said in the Tao of Pooh which holds no weight compared to the authority of scripture okay fine get on my back. Winnie the Pooh.
Yes. Sorry. The Tao of Pooh. Winnie the Pooh. But one of the things they said in the book is one has to eat bitter in order to taste sweet.
And I was like in high school, I was like really into like rock climbing and I wanted to be a Himalayan mountaineer. And so I took the I deflated my water bed and I just slept on like the plywood frame inside of my bed because I wanted to eat bitter so that like whenever I did get to sleep on like a real mattress it would just taste so sweet. And I wanted to subject myself to suffering and and cold and harsh environment so that when it was sunny I was like, oh, this is so nice. And God's truth is in the bible when it says Proverbs twenty seven seven, a person who is full refuses to eat honey but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. These two verses, the verse in Matthew six nineteen, specifically verse 21, here's what I like to do.
I like to create my own analog hyperlinks in the bible. So in my bible, in Matthew chapter six verse 21, I will write in the margins Proverbs twenty seven seven. And then I go to Proverbs twenty seven seven and I write Matthew chapter six verse 21 right out in the margin. I create this analog hyperlink in my brain so that I can So as I come across one, it will draw me to the other. But this verse speaks of bossing yourself around and managing and controlling your appetites, and I'm not talking about food right now.
A person who is full. Just think, I mean we've all experienced this at Thanksgiving like for for many years we've thanksgiving ed as a verb. Thank you. With the the Abbads and and or the laks and everybody brings such yummy food and Schuler is there with us like our Shabbat group we just roll right into Thanksgiving together and whoever brings the dessert is so yummy and so amazing, but what have I done? I ate too much turkey and the cranberry dressing and because my mom made this I feel nostalgia.
I don't like the fancy cranberry dressing. I like it right from the can, it can even have like the can ridge marks still on it, that's fine with me, It reminds me of my mom and like I love it. But after I have stuffed myself on turkey and dressing and cranberry sauce, out comes the amazing incredible desserts that these women bring and it's like bling. There's just no room. I'm so full.
A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. If you've spent much time like in the in the backcountry, what is the best seasoning in your spice kit? What is it? Hunger. Hunger.
The best seasoning in your spice kit in the backcountry? Hunger. So our lives are like this. A person who is full refuses honey. I understand if right now in your life as we talk about going on this journey twenty one days for Israel that you're like, I don't understand.
I don't get it. Like, what? I I totally understand that and I have been there for a large majority of my life. I've always thought like, yeah, yeah, yeah, Israel. You know, like, yeah, you know, yeah, Israel.
Because that's what was emphasized, that's what was taught, that's what was talked about from the pulpit was like like you know Israel. It whispered and maybe you went to one of those churches where the pastor's wife was like really big about Israel. Anybody ever go to one of those churches where like the pastor was like doing his thing over there but like once a year the wife would get up and be like, let's take up an or like an offering for like the orphans of Israel, you know, something like that. Like they were little orphans as a as like a pet project. Like, that's what how I had always like Israel was always portrayed to me.
There was no room in my heart for Israel. A person who is full refuses honey, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry. I like how the message translation says this. When you're when you've stuffed yourself, you refuse dessert. When you're starved, you could eat a horse.
Okay. So here's what we're gonna do guys. Starting September 8, not today, not today, September 8, is what day? Friday. Yeah.
Friday. Alright. Very good. As a tribe family, we are going on a twenty one day journey to allow God to give us a heart for Israel. And when I say Israel, I mean the people, the land, and the city of the great king.
And there are two parts to to this journey. Two parts. Number one, there is his part, God's part. His job is to align and calibrate our hearts with his heart for Israel. We're not going to manufacture it.
We're not going to just make a conscious decision. Now, I love and stand with Israel because like what Lissa says all the time, if somebody can talk you into it, it doesn't take that long before somebody else what? Talks you right out of it. But once you have an encounter and receive a revelation from God, it don't matter what anybody else says. Right?
It's the same way that we got saved. You've encountered the forgiveness of Jesus and it forever changes you. His part is to align and calibrate our hearts with his heart for Israel. Now, we have our part. What's our part?
To make room in our hearts for Israel. So the question is, how are we going to do that? We make room in our hearts by denying ourselves. And I just feel like the I feel like I hear the the voice of the Holy Spirit whispering to my heart that for some of you in here or maybe some that listen to the podcast or watch the live stream either right now or come back and watch the live stream later that with So if you're listening to the podcast I have a big jar here with a bunch of pickleballs in it and there's just barely enough room, and you can you can imagine the visual illustration that I'm giving to our live street to our three d real life family right here. But I feel like the Holy Spirit would say for some folks, not only will you need to deny yourself or fast for Israel, but during this twenty one day journey, I'm going to need to remove a a taproot of some stinking thinking about Israel that you have been taught that is inaccurate, incorrect.
And the tap and and it's a taproot. Thankfully it hasn't sprouted and blossomed yet. Just see this picture of just a little weed trying to grow. For some of you this journey may be more painful than for others because it will challenge what you have been taught and told about Israel's place. Specifically, politically, when it comes to Israel and Palestinians.
And and what I want to do, what I'm asking you to do is to make room in your heart for the Lord to speak to you about that. But for some of you, it might be a little bit painful or uncomfortable as you're challenged with God's heart for Israel. Thoughts or questions about any of this so far, and and then we're gonna get down into some nitty gritty details about what we're gonna do as a family. I just thought this would be a good time to check-in. And I'm not putting you on the spot at all per conversation that we had via Firata this week, but I love your contribution and your questions, Jay, because many times you make comments or ask questions that everybody else is thinking.
So if it's like bubbling up like don't be afraid. Oh, well, there he goes.
Brian and I have been having a pretty big dialogue over this with Israel because for those of you that know me, I have a big evangelist heart. And it's my desire, as it is God's, to see everybody be saved and come to know Jesus. And so one of my biggest questions when going through preparing for these twenty one days for Israel is I'm kind of like, why is Israel so special? Aren't we supposed to we're supposed to make disciples of all nations and go to everybody, and there's no difference between Jew or Gentile. That's the whole point that Jesus came, so that we could all be saved.
So I'm like, why are we reverting back to this Old Testament, oh, the Jews are the special gold star in their chart, special child, firstborn. Why is that kind of our mindset? Because I'm a I'm a middle child. I get forgotten all the time, and I'm I'm getting PTSD.
Poor buddy. Somebody rub his shoulders. There you go, buddy. Step step on toes.
You were just nodding yourself.
I was just nodding to when I hear that, I'm thinking, there's a lot there to unpack. And I think the more that we actually get into the narrative of the scripture, the more that we will see the covenant and the promise of who Israel is to God. And it doesn't negate the nations
Mhmm.
But it unfolds and is one with that salvation would be for all. But there's something vital about Israel, about his covenant people. From the very beginning, promises to Abraham, da da da da. I mean, you can just really go off on that, which is awesome. But it's steady, and it's time, and it's prayer, and it's steady.
But I think the more that we're actually in the word, the more that it's easy to catch God's heart for Israel.
Mhmm. I I I love it. Your your your question or the thought that you're chewing on is great and valid and reasonable. And that's part of why we're going collectively together as a family on this journey so that we can make room in our hearts for God to speak to us about Israel. And it will be really cool to see what if anything he has to say to you about that at the end of the 21.
So so let's see how the lord might answer that question. I will add my 2¢ in and I think I've said this the other day but when we look at the cross and the Old Testament versus the new, the as we filter the old covenant through the cross of the new covenant, the cross either confirms, deletes, or modifies things. Animal sacrifices through the cross, it gets Deleted. Deleted. Right?
It gets deleted because Jesus Look, behold the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Worship. Modified. Yeah. We'll worship him in spirit and truth not only in Jerusalem, but what about the principle of the firstborn?
Just it comes right through the cross unaltered and certainly not deleted. Israel is the firstborn. Oh. Oh.
Yeah. And just to say
that Just
to say that, yes, I mean the covenants, the Mosaic covenant, the new covenant, but before all that, the promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God is not going to not fill those.
Right.
There are some serious promises to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as it relates to the land, as it relates to who they are, as it relates to his kingdom. Those stand. And even though with the new new testament, new covenant in in place, those promises are still in effect.
In effect.
Yeah. So it's like it's it's an interesting study to distinguish promise and covenant.
Mhmm.
So divide these things in a way too. Because then there's really not that much confusion.
When we As we go on this journey, there'll be verses to unpack and things we're we're gonna dive into the nitty gritty like the nuts and bolts of how in just a moment. But one of the verses that I come back to that John will probably be able to give me the address for, but but the Brian Hunter paraphrase is like, hey, Israel like had all this great stuff coming to them. They've decided to go take a few laps in the wilderness for a while and you, us Gentiles, as wild olive shoots have been grafted in, look at the blessings that you've received, look at the blessings of of of the world through you, and then God says, oh, if you think that's cool, it's gonna blow your mind when Israel, my firstborn, nationally and ethically, looks upon the one whom they've pierced, weep, and mourn, and receive Jesus of Nazareth. Yes, born in Bethlehem, the city that births the great kings like King David says, oh, Jesus of Nazareth, you are the Messiah and they get grafted back in. Paul says, oh, oh, happy day.
Yeah,
it's Romans seven and it says, for god's gifts and his calling can never be withdrawn. That's right.
God's gifts and calling can never be withdrawn. So let's look at the card in your seat. There are two cards and one pen. Let's where'd my card go? Oh, here.
Let's look at this card that says twenty one days for Israel. We are we are practically going to make room in our hearts for twenty one days by denying ourselves and or through fasting. Enjoy, talk to us about fasting last week and if you weren't here last week, I really encourage you to go back and listen to that podcast. If you've been gone two weeks, I encourage you to go back and listen to all three weeks of this series called Pack Your Bags because week one, I just unloaded like drinking through a fire hose a bunch of verses and passages hearing God's heart for Israel. Then last week Joy talked to us about fasting.
How do we practically make room in our hearts by either denying ourselves or fasting? And this week, as I've been saying for three weeks, this is where the rubber meets the road and I'm going to ask you to today to declare what you are going to deny yourself or how you might fast for the lord so that he can give you a heart for Israel. How do I make that declaration with this card right here? So you read on here starting Friday, September 8 through Friday, September 9, I'm committing to fast and or deny myself the following. Then there are blanks for you to fill in.
Don't fill anything just yet. I mean, unless you've been thinking about it and you already know. And then we have here the purpose to make room in my heart for God to speak to me about his heart for Israel and to pray for Israel. Now, why do I why do I need to why do I need to do this? You don't have to, but I'm asking you to do this as a declaration to God in the presence of your faith community.
It is biblical for leaders. We see this in the Old Testament. They were kings. I'm not a king. I'm I'm one of your pastors here, I'm your pastor.
One of the rights and terrible responsibilities of pastors is they can call the congregation to fast and pray. I am inviting you to deny yourself and to fast and pray and I am asking you to make a public declaration of what you are going to deny yourself and how you might fast on this card and then let's in a moment we'll we'll create a space right up here and we'll turn this fireplace in a bar into an altar where after you have filled out your card, you'll be laying this before the Lord. Now, I'll tell you, as a staff team, we're gonna collect them, we'll and we'll look through them on on Monday or Tuesday, not to be like, that's all you're giving up. I think you could do better and hand back your homework. It have your name on it.
Doesn't but we'll analyze the handwriting. Like there's no place there's no place to sign it. There's no place to sign it. But here's the idea, you fill out this card as you're thinking and Sarah I can tell that you're thinking right now and it's beautiful. You fill out this card and then here's what if your memory is like mine, I will walk out of here and then immediately forget, wait dang it, what did I commit before the Lord and in this faith community?
So so so write down one or two or three things. I'm going to tell you what I'm fasting and denying myself from in a moment, but fill it out and then what I'm going to do is take a picture of my card so that I have it. And, if you want an an additional measure of accountability during this denying yourself and fast. If you want to share that picture, picture with your friends, people that you're doing life with, family, whatever, that would be really cool. And let's see.
Help me fill in as a staff team. We've been talking about this for like months now. As as we're doing this, what else? Ah, why are we bringing this? Why are we like laying these cards here?
Our our staff team's gonna collect them. We'll look at them like just for fun and to be able to celebrate with you and pray for you, but we are not holding you accountable. I'm not gonna hold your hand and like check on you every day like, are you laying off those milkshakes? Like that that I don't want that. It's not my job.
Let your accountability partner or somebody else do that for you. The reason why we set them here is is in the it is a a means, a physical means of a physical act that we can create a sacred space where God can do something spiritual, a physical act to release something spiritual. You're turning these cards into the Lord. Are are you with me?
Yes.
We talked about that as a staff a lot like, is it gonna be weird? Is that but nobody thinks it's weird. Alright. Good. Okay.
Oh, poor Micah. Might have to deny yourself wearing those super cute corduroys for twenty one days. He can't do it. Here's what I wanna do. I wanna look at the calendar for for a a few moments.
Here we are in September. We're in September 3. Tomorrow is Labor Day. Friday, September 8, the twenty one days for Israel begins. Okay?
And it will go until the twenty fourth but then here's what's really cool. We have timed and planned this feast. If you would go to the next calendar. Yeah. There we go.
Yeah. 20 yeah. Line a little too early. But then what's really cool is we have we have planned these twenty one days to dovetail with the beginning of Sukkot. And if you are new to our tribe family, if you're new to our tribe family, during during COVID, we said, Lord, what in the world are you doing?
And he's like, hey, let's use COVID to as the world is being shaken and thrown off balance, God says, hey, for those who are listening, I will use this disruption disruption to recalibrate your rhythms. What are the Lord's rhythms? They are in alignment with the feasts of the Lord, the seven feasts throughout Israel, they're they're not Jewish things, they're God's things. It's just that Israel got to celebrate them first. And so what's really cool is we will wind down the twenty one days for Israel as we kick off and start a week of celebrating Sukkot together and as we get closer to Sukkot we will talk about some really fun things.
I will just say it right now into the mic and I don't know I might have to like walk it back later, but we've talked about as a staff team how cool would it be if we could find as close as possible to like town and life and work a big giant group campsite and then you set up camp there and then like we can do breakfast and dinner together and you go off on your merry way during the day to like go do your things, but then we all meet back together in the evening. Creepy?
Granite creepy.
Granite creepy. That yeah. I think I think granite I heard creepy and I was like, oh, no. Yes. It does sound a little compound ish.
Yes. But, guys, that's where I'm moving you towards anyways. I'm creeping you down that road. So, we've looked at the calendar and we as a tri family, I'm I'm winding down, and so I'll I'll invite Lissa or Amanda up. We are as a as a as a staff, we want to help set you up for success.
Later this week, maybe Wednesday or Thursday, we will e on the text blast, we will send you a PDF document with a twenty one day prayer guide and devotion for Israel. Now, this prayer guide has been developed by IHOP in Kansas City. Do you know like Mike Bickel in Kansas City and those guys? They did a it's called the Isaiah sixty two fast which is twenty one days for Israel back in May and I was told about it by one of our dear tribe family members Dawn and she's like, you doing this? And if I could be honest I was like, yeah yeah.
And then a few days before the fast started back in April, March or May, I don't know. I heard more people like getting involved with this and I was like, oh wait a minute, my FOMO kicked in and I was like looking at it and I was like, oh this is so good. And so at the last minute, I inflicted like our our our friends were on a big group text called shalomis, just some of our friends. And, I was like, guys, let's do this together like pick what you're gonna do. And, we're like, okay, fine.
And, like, you know, we kinda like got started, like the gun goes off and we're like, oh, great. Quick. Catch up. So we did it. It was wonderful.
It was great. And I said, tribe family needs to go through this. But for months, we've been sitting on when to do this. I feel like the Lord has said, now is the time to do this. So the twenty one day prayer guide PDF document that we will send you, you'll see the IHOP logo on the bottom.
I fully endorse prayer guide. Who knows? There could be a few bones in the really rich meat. Just be mature, discerning Christians, and if you find any bones, just just spit them out. And it will every day give you, like, a little bit of information and like a nugget, a scripture, and then a few things to pray over.
Now, there will be additional things that you can do on your own. I encourage you to supplement that twenty one day prayer guide with going on your own bible adventure of digging into God's heart for Israel. Go back and meditate on those verses that I gave you at the beginning week one of pack your bags. Study those. Write those down.
Commit them to memory. Remember, we're making room in our hearts to deny ourselves. How unfortunate would it be if we denied ourselves and or fasted for twenty one days but didn't put anything in it? There will also be some book recommendations that we that we give to you, and then probably one of them the one of the biggest things that we will ask you to do as a tribe family, And if you if you Shabbat with people or on your own or get some people together, there are three documentary films produced by our friends at FAI Frontier Alliance called Covenant and Controversy. And what I'm going to invite our shalomis to do is to take the next three Fridays and we watch one of those each week.
Let me tell you about those doc films. They are long. Like, you need endurance to stay with it, but, like, break it up, give yourself plenty of time, call pauses and talk about it if you need to. But they do a beautiful job of highlighting scripture and explaining the weight that Israel carries to this, the crushing crushing weight that Israel to this day carries, that even though we as wild olive branches have been grafted in to all that God has, and when Paul says in Romans adopted into his family, the idea in Roman culture and society of adoption is adopted into the family, carries with it all of the exact same rights and privileges and legal right standing as a natural born child, but Gentiles do not carry the crushing weight of the eternal covenant of the God of the universe that he has placed uniquely and specifically on Israel. These doc films will give you just a sense and a taste of the weight that Jews carry to this day as part of developing a heart for Israel for twenty one days.
You were gonna say that here.
Oh, here's what I'm gonna oh,
you're making
me say it out
loud. Yeah.
I need to hear
before I write my Here's what here's what here's what I'm going to do. I'm for twenty one days, for those of you who get all of my amazing memes, I'm going to fast from all social media for twenty deny sorry. Thank you. I'm gonna deny myself all social media for twenty one days. I'm going to deny myself beer for all twenty one days.
I will enjoy wine on Shabbat with my friends. And then I am going to fast. After Sunday lunch, I go home and I take my pastor nap, and I'll not have dinner Sunday night. I'll not have breakfast Monday, not lunch. Monday, not dinner.
Monday, not breakfast. Tuesday, not lunch. Tuesday. But then I will have dinner with you who come to Tuesday service as we enjoy a meal together. I will do that fast for those three cycles of, you know, those three weeks.
And that's what I'm doing. Last thing, I know that it's like back to school time. Some of you've dropped off your widow tiny precious six foot three babies at college, but they've gone across the country to go to Tufts University, or you go home this weekend to pack their like book bags and their crayons and their rulers and their pencils and their like two boxes of Kleenexes to put on the teacher's desk, you know, at the beginning, you know, we all went through that. Brian, why aren't we doing a series on parenting? Why aren't we doing a series on on grief?
Why aren't we doing a series like like you know, just think of all the series of messages that you've sat through at the church that you've come from, the why Israel, why right now? My answer is I don't want to play the God card. I don't wanna play the God card because it's so easy to be manipulative. I don't wanna play the God card, but we believe and we talk about all the time how we try to, in everything we do, make Jesus the senior pastor. He sets the sermon series and win the sermon series.
And he spoke to us for months about twenty one days for Israel. And as we were looking at Sukkot, he goes, do it right here. So I believe that it is a strategic time to go on this twenty one days for Israel in your hearts, in the hearts of our tribe family, and potentially in the geopolitical landscape of the world around us. I'm not saying that something might pop off in Israel during these twenty one days. I'm not saying that at all.
But as we go on this twenty one days and there's room in our hearts for Israel in the days ahead to unfold, as the situation intensifies in Israel, we'll be like, ah, this is why senior pastor Jesus was preparing us and our hearts in these days for the days ahead. So let's take a few moments. Maybe you've already started writing, but let's take a few moments and let's just write out. And I would encourage you if if my things that I said like, that's all you're doing, PB? Well, you're not me, and I don't care what you think.
These are the things that are hard for me and what I feel like the Lord put on my heart to fast and deny myself from.
In order beans and then beer. It's close.
But what would the Lord lay on your heart? And the more room you make, the more room you give him to fill it. Let it hurt a little.
For those of y'all who may go into some deep depression if you give up your social media, if you will use that to look up and be fed during that time and that be the only thing that you watch on social media or YouTube, whatever would be sermons and prayers and and music. You can actually get a lot out of this fasting from what the world is offering you. Brian.
As you are hearing from the Lord, an additional component is of us doing this together as a community. And so we'll text you updates and or you can give us your own updates that text blast number that ends in 5053, that's a two way conversation. You can talk to us about what's going on. And if you don't get the text blast, that's why we've put this card, additional card in your seat so that you can fill this out. And we'll put your contact in our database so that when we send out text You didn't need to say that.
Everyone knows it's mine because I text everybody.
No. Now they do. Trying to protect your anonymity, whatever shred is left. Let's make this a holy moment. Lord, how would you have us deny ourselves?
Just take two minutes. Just hear from the Lord. We will name this jar holy unto the Lord. And fill it out, take a picture of it, and then as you feel that, you can just come and put it right in there. Sweetness.
Sweetness. The I just I hear the Lord saying, oh, the sweetness, the sweetness of the aroma that will come from your life that you would deny yourself. For my firstborn just delights my heart. You make room in your heart for my firstborn. Oh, fill it.
They they they're undeserving. They're noncomely. There's nothing attractive about them, but I chose them sovereignly. And the fact that you would be willing in your life of ease and comfort and distant and removed would be willing to even consider the passion of my heart. Oh, I'll fill your heart.
I will fill your heart. I will break your heart for what breaks my heart. And I will give you the slightest glance, the the slightest measure of feeling the weight that the people of the covenant carry with them. God, I ask that you would receive people's commitments to fast or deny themselves. And that not in a rule follower like a a proctor at a test.
You better not cheat. But as a loving father cheering us on that you would that you would help us to honor these things that we're denying ourselves. And when our appetites rise up that we would deny or fast ourselves from, that you would encourage us, that you would come from us. Receive these in Jesus' name. And all who agree say, amen.
How about stay standing? I'll invite Jay up to lead us in one more type of of worship, quick announcements, and then we'll we'll get out of here because we have to tear down and turn it back over to the heathens by now.
Kinda funny to come up here after we already are giving so much and laying so much upon the altar of the Lord and to ask for your tithe and offering. And I was hanging out with somebody somebody yesterday and they just kinda came and were like, man, like what do I have to do to like get closer to the Lord? Like like what do what do I have to do? And lately I just kinda have this revelation about the rich young ruler, which is us by the way. If you live in America, if you live in Jackson, I don't care what your paycheck looks like, you are some of the wealthiest people in the world.
We are all the rich young ruler. And the rich young ruler approaches Jesus and says, teacher, what would you have me do? And he's like, oh, do you pray? Do you read? All these things?
And he's like, yes, I do all these things. Jesus is like, alright. Well, like, are you for real about this? And he's like, yeah. He says, sell all that you possess and give to the poor.
And when the young man heard this, he went away sorrowful because he had great possessions. Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I tell you, is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. That's us. And so I hear that cry of like, man, I'm already given so much.
But I hear Jesus saying, I'm asking for it all. And so that's what fasting is doing is is we are creating room right now to stand with Israel. You don't have money to give to the poor or the hungry? Fast. That money that you would have spent on food, that's the money that you give.
Make room in your budget. Make room in your heart for Israel by denying yourself or fasting from food. That's how we do it. So if you'll join me as we pray over the the tithe and above and beyond that offering today. Lord, would you just bless this this offering today?
Our hearts, we long for you. We we trust that where you lead us that that we will follow and what you feed us, we will swallow, Lord. As pastor Brian leads us, God, give us the we we we trust that you have put him in this place of authority in our lives and that your spirit will lead us into all truth. We believe that today. So we surrender our our time, our talents, and our gifts, and our treasure, and we lay it on your altar, Lord.
It's all yours anyways. It's in your name we pray. Everyone said, amen. Couple quick announcements are we got a big hootenin' coming up right at 1PM if you're riding the tri bus. Is it leaving from the TMC?
At one. At one. Yeah. Be at the TMC at one if you're riding the tri bus. We got all the churches from the area coming together to worship, and there's gonna be testimony.
It's gonna be a really beautiful time. And we also have one of our dear church friends' food truck that's gonna be there, and that's a great opportunity to support her and what she's doing. Yeah. Some breakfast burritos and maybe even like little like donut things. Oh, really, really good.
Lanisha's in the truck with Tori, so you know it's gonna be good.
Oh, my god. No. No. She's not. Not today.
Not today. Okay. Gotcha. Gotcha.
But she's like, I'm in that truck.
So there's that at one and then yeah. Make sure to fill out a connect card if you haven't yet and you don't get those texts from our anonymous number. It's really important just to be able to stay up to date with what we're doing. Because, yeah, we wanna emphasize that these twenty one days for Israel, we are doing together as a church family and as a body. If you're doing it alone or on your own strength, that's when you get let off on your own and and you isolate and it's just no bueno.
So really encourage you guys, have other people hold you accountable. Do this together. Do life together. That's what church is all about, is getting these community of believers together. Phoebe, if you wanna come up and press out.
Thanks, Jay.
The Hootenanny's in Bondurant in case you're worried.
It's down in Bondurant.
Just send me a text if you want the address because you wanna just drive separate. Come for some of it. It. You can do it too.
But I don't know why you wouldn't want to ride on the trip bus.
It sounds so funny. It sounds so
somebody near you and across the aisle. Let's hold hands. So we do this as a community. Might have to stretch. Jesus, here we are as a faith community, and those people that are watching from home, those people that are traveling that will listen to the livestream, and even we join hands with our 30 plus young adults that come to the Tuesday service.
We're joining hands with them. As we join hands with you, Holy Spirit, we cannot wait for the adventure of the journey that you're gonna take us on. As we ask that you would bless this twenty one days for Israel as we deny ourselves and fast. And God, I ask, I command a blessing over our tribe family as they go on this twenty one day journey. Bless their week.
Bless the work of their hands. God, I ask that peace and clarity and comfort and wisdom would wash over all of our tribe fam. We pray these things in Jesus name, the strong son of God. And everybody said, amen. I love you so very much.
I want you to have a great week. We start on Friday. And remember, you got this.
