Ignition - Your Breakout Year

0:06 Welcome to another inspirational podcast at Real Life. Church for more great content and updates, visit Real Life Church, kc.com, good morning and welcome to Real Life Church. It is so good to see your smiling faces this morning here at Kentucky children's. Rail an online. Well, hey, we are excited. We're gonna really need all the way into Jesus, today's to stand on your feet. Let's worship God make together this week. Nah.

4:43 Got some praise this morning. If you're thankful for all he's done. There's Honey in the Rock water in the stone, no matter where I go.

5:35 You can satisfy sweetness now. I taste it. It's not hard to see. no matter where I go and I don't

8:17 need to Jesus, I trust in you.

9:11 Jesus come on, give it up for God me sweetie. It's where we serve a god? Whose bring a dead things back to life even today he's proving miracles in your life is changing the way for you. We're going to see about that together today.

15:01 Come on Church. Let's give it up big for a God. Who turns grades into Gardens. I'm going to tell you this folks. There is nothing you could do. There is nothing you've already done. One that can outrun, the love that God has for you today and we are just so excited to kick this new year off live in person giving it up big for him. Can you just give it a big for God one more time for all he's done? Man, it is a blessing and an honor to have you here in the house today. And I want you to help me with something real quick. Everyone in the room, we're going to welcome an awesome group of people hanging out with us today. They're online.

15:42 They're called Real Life Church online and I want them to hear you encouraging them. Lifting them up this morning. So, can we do that real quick? Awesome. Do you hear that Real Life Church online? That's for you. We love having you here. Hey, everyone in the room today. What a blessing. To see you in person after a couple weeks worshipping at home together, will you find someone around you? Someone, you don't know. Maybe you haven't learned their name yet. Make a quick connection and then have a seats. Love it. I love seeing you guys, connecting. Hey, if you're online, I want you connecting in the comment section right now saying, hey learning some names there in the cond in the comment section, throwing up that wave emoji.

16:30 However you want to do that. We love having you here. If you are brand new to Real Life Church, kind of say, welcome home. We love having you here. We hope you leave here today today, having connected with someone, we hope you leave here today knowing how much God loves you. That he has a plan for your life and 2023 your brand-new with us. I want to give you some action steps. I want to encourage you to fill out our digital communication card, couple ways you can do that. Your phone and text are L, Nu te 97,000, if you've got a seat back in front of you, there's a QR code. You can scan with your camera app. There's a link in the comments if you're hanging out with us online.

17:13 However, you do it takes you to the same place. You see, we've got to follow a team that would love to answer any questions you have about Real Life Church. We want to hear your story and we want to just be praying for you and your family this week. So will reach out to you, completely digitally. If you fill that out and we would just love Love to connect with you this week. If you're brand new in the room today, I want to give you another action. Step on top of that, maybe you're not brand-new, maybe you just haven't done this yet. We have a new here Booth right out there on our Hub. And we would love for you to stop by. We'd love to put a name to a face, and we do have a small gift for you, just our way again of saying. Thank you so much for being here with us this week at Real Life Church. Well guys, there's a reason that every week we meet here at Kentucky Keep Trail Elementary, and we turn it into Real Life Church that we set this up every week. It takes a little bit of time.

18:08 It takes a lot of help. We tear it back down and we do it again week after week. And the reason is because we are a church on a mission and that mission is to see people far from God, discover their real life and purpose in Jesus. And every one of us in this room at one point in our lives, we were far from God and through through people who loved and cared about us and poured into us through. God himself through the Holy Spirit, through his word, we're here today, wherever wherever your story is, it's because people living out this Mission and I'm going to tell you, man, we had an awesome 2022 because of people living out this mission 31. People were baptized at Real Life Church. Yeah, go ahead.

18:55 Give It Up. God sends some great things because of people living out this Mission. We've seen attendance grow by 18 percent over the last year and we are just pumped at the moment and we are excited to see how God can use us in 2023 to just meet people where they are. I said it before, I'll say it again. You cannot outrun the love that God has for you. I don't know what season of life you're in I don't care how messy things have been. God is ready to meet you here today. Exactly where you are. And it's people who are living out that mission that just want to pour into you today. So if you don't feel like you have a church home, if you don't feel like you've put down Roots anywhere, I just want to welcome you to do that at real life church, and you're going to hear some practical steps later in the Gathering, how you can join us on Misha, but one way that we all can do right now is be thinking about and praying about the people in your life that are close to you.

19:59 But are far from God, pray for them and invite them. God's got some exciting things happening here at real life. In 2023. We just want to reach out to them just like we want to reach out to you wherever you will guys 2023, it's January who out here made some resolutions. Anybody make any resolutions? Maybe a better question. Are you still keeping those resolutions? Have you fallen off the wagon. It's okay. If you have, we know that change is hard. Change is super hard. And a lot of times what we do is we try to bite off the big chunk and dive in headfirst into something and we fail pretty quickly, but I'm here to tell you today. If you fall in, if you failed, no big deal, get back on that horse.

20:44 But this time make small changes, small, habits and roll those day in today. And see where God can take you. I'm so stoked. As we continue this series to see how God can use us as a church in 2023 and Sean's going to come up here and lead us through how we can make 2023 your best year, yet your breakout year, give it up for Sean Petrie. He's got a word. Come on, man. Who's feeling blessed already this year? Guess who I'm blessed. I know Drew man. He had a good week off, he's got some spiritual we dz8 some toy and last couple weeks. So, I mean, I hope you guys had a great last Sunday, really through family and home and I'll say a special thanks to her dream team. It's really the team that really puts this together and just kind of tip of the spear for the things of God. And I really want to say thank you from by my heart for putting together is to really all you do for the kingdom of God. And it's it may not feel like you see it all the time, but every soul matters and to see those people come to Christ last year and decided to go public through faith and you talking somebody every other week to society. Get baptized and more than that, really into see their lives changed.

21:51 You play a part of every story. And so every number is really a soul and the souls matter to God, so he could give up her dream team and just say thank you for all they do make this place happen. Well today we launch into the second part of the series called your breakout year and I believe God has put something very special on my heart today. Something that's just been brewing inside of me and I've been seeing in other people and seeing myself and I ruined it is diving this idea of what it is to reignite, maybe your personal passion but really more importantly, your spiritual passion, your spiritual purpose in Christ. And so they I'm going to give you a message. It really entitled ignition and it's really about taking off in 2023, amen. It's really maybe Missing Link.

22:33 And I'm not going to give you a bunch of steps going to really dive into one key thought today that reveal later. And I believe it's just going to help you take off in this year in launching the things of God. And you think about New Year's and it's really about resolutions as true kind of point at and goals. And I'm not going to give you really a speech on goals, but I will say this goals are super powerful. Matter of fact that they really have a big impact and I think about a study that was taken at Stanford University. And it was a long study of a 15-year study, and they surveyed a large amount of their students and the kind of track You had goals, it had plans and so they asked these students and they came down to the only 16% of people had actual goals or plans and out of those 16, only 3% actually had written goals and plans will attract this for 15 years and this word really gets interesting that they found that those that had goals, just in their mind, dead planes.

23:22 And our mind actually made twice as much money as the rest of the 80 would be 84 percent of people. And that's pretty, pretty significant. But, what's really crazy is that the number of the 3% had written goals, they tracked and 15 years later, and found out. They made 10 times amount as money as all nice. And percent combined, is that crazy. And I lie to guys like this, like oh here we go, the gold speech. Here comes the tension, you know, like so your blood pressure went up, right? Because statistically many if not most or like 97% of us. Come on somebody. Do not have written goals. I mean, who has written goals for this year? Rochelle. So now you know, where to go ask money from. Come on somebody, I'm just kidding. I'm just kidding.

24:09 No, dude, be good, but the reality is for so many of us, we don't get out of the starting block. Almost died on the starting block. Come on somebody. Right? Let's be praying for me, but we don't we don't gather starting block. Well, we don't really get into the race. That matter of fact, we like self sabotage yourself before you even get where God is calling us to go. Because there's some voice in her head and every one of us, we Face these voices. There's, there's his voice. That's it. On our shoulders. And you have the voice of God and the Holy Spirit, you really got the voice of self and Satan and demons, and do your boring, right? There's a voice that just so overbearing for so many of us and its really voice to self-defeat. There's A voice that says this. Why Try Why Try it? Really comes down to really the self-defeat of Why Try.

24:50 You'll never make it look what happened last time. You said their goal. Oh, you tried and failed. And the enemy has a way of just twisting failure as defeat, instead of a lesson, you didn't. Learn is just a failure and over and over is this voice that happens or had all the time, you'll never make it white rice, too difficult and there's another voice that really speaks into our heads and through the voice of laziness. It's too much work. Come on somebody, right? It's too hard. Like, it's going to take extra effort. That that seems to get up and do some difference in these voices are just worn our head. And we come to this point where we really self sabotage yourself out of the good things and its really sad because there's so many things that we can talk ourselves out of like Health. Come on somebody, I mean you're like man, I know I should do this but in the voices come, right? Or we talked about maybe pursuing God and you know you are getting the word of God.

25:38 I said a spiritual goal. You know, and obviously people talk themselves out of Heaven, you Lily, give them a book to read the round, the custom-make sister Christ, and they're having this great conversations and then it's like, I just don't know and then they just walk away because they've reached themselves out of the feet away from Jesus. Matt fact people talk themselves out of making more money. They talk to themselves at a of building their marriage. I mean, it's like I know we should do something different but man, I don't know if I can. You talk yourself out of educating yourself of reading books. Come on, somebody. Yeah, I know you're like, oh no, it should read some books, but can we talk ourselves out? Learn this skill, and ultimately can talk ourselves realistically out of the mission of God. It's so easy to sit on our hands. It's so easy to stay more at.

26:22 We don't get out, the starting block, and so easy to really self sabotage our future. And we're the ones that very well do it more than anybody. And I mean, talk to myself a little bit. See right where this written out goals, like where we leaning into its direction? Do I have? And I would do something very special day. I want to look at the life of Paul and I want to just look at his Is Passion like what? Ignited Paul's passion. Like what gave him this Zeal? Like what made him go through all this hard stuff. Me Shipwrecked and left for dead and I mean he was they tried to murder him the first day became a Christian. Come on somebody. I mean, a lot of people can't get up, go to church. Come on, right? And Paul's being threatened to be killed and put other side of a wall to hide from people. Trying to murder his first day, becomes a Christian. Like, where does passion come from? And I've heard this said, there's two most important days of life, as they are born.

27:07 And they, you find out Why he has no it the day you find out why? And that's my prayer for you today. Is that the Holy Spirit would just whisper into your heart? That this is why that you just make room for God and you'd see the mission of God. You see the call of God in your life and you'd be reinvigorated for the things of God and say, hey! This is why, amen. So I want you to fight. You just close your eyes for a second. I don't you invite the Holy Spirit just in next to you just say God. Remind me of why I'm in the race Now. Give me a purpose to wake up to God. As of right, you to move in got to making room for you to speak. To me, don't make this my this is why moment today in Jesus name.

27:52 Amen. And I want you to look at the life of Paul in this story really starts out and I'm used some background. He give me Paul says well I mean he's got a lot of background but I'll give you a piece of what he says and spending Philippians chapter 3 verse 4. It says this it mean if someone else thinks they have reason to To put confidence in the flesh, I have more, I mean, if anybody is good, I mean they could be self-righteous and his ability to boast about great, they are and of accomplish things, man, it's me, it's Paul and I was circumcised. The eighth day. I was the people to Israel's Tribe of Benjamin, the best of the best. I was the elite. I was Hebrews of Hebrews. I was in regards to the law, a Pharisee. I was the leader of the law, memorize the books of the Bible. I knew the tour. I was perfectly righteous in the eyes of God and as for Zeal as her passion and he's so passionate is persecuting the church.

28:37 As for righteousness based on the law when I was faultless you think about Paul before he became a Christian this man was so full of himself. He had no room for God Amen. I mean it really was he thought he figured it out. Like he had all the right answers. He's persecuting the church you find in Acts chapter 7 the the first martyr in the New Testament you see Steven and Paul's one holding the cloaks. He's holding people's coats as they're throwing stones and killing Steven and he Paul just gets this passion a Zeal for what he thinks is right and our fact he starts arresting Christians and it's amazing. I just want to stop here for a second. It's amazing how God used Paul in a mighty way. Amen. It really is amazing.

29:17 You have you have a you have a murderer somebody that was it was going after Christians and killing them and then is transformed by the power of Christ by the Holy Spirit, you know called his life and also said he's going to he's converting people far from God to Christianity. Amen. He went from destroying the church to developing leaders in the church. Amen. Amen. You look at the last four books that Paul wrote he wrote specifically to leaders in the church like he's launching the church. Matter fact, almost 40% New Testament is written by Paul but Paul was on fire. He was ignited by the things of God. That's what say you day. You're never too messed up for God to use you. Amen you never to my stuff. You're never too messed up to add value to the kingdom of God.

29:59 I mean, if there's breath in your lungs, which own care guaranteed, none. Amen. God has a purpose for you. And the reality is this no matter how dirty you are messed up this season is or what have you did? You're never to duty dirty for God to love you. Amen. You're never. And we get hung up on this like I'm not good enough. I can't make it. I was going to encourage you. The question isn't are you precious to God? That's not the question because we have God's grace. Amen. God loved you through your sin. That's God's grace. He cares for you. You can never be too far from God for God. Not to love you. The real question in 2023 is God precious. Youyou is got precious to you, like it is here, like you got your ear to the Holy Spirit like you walking with him.

30:46 That that's really the question because out of that is birth your call and your passion that drives, really everything else in your life, something much deeper than a goal. So, when you look back at Paul's story and what really knighted his faith and really back into really his conversion, and he says this in Romans 15 is so last chapter of Romans, he says this, he says, therefore I Talk about Paul. I glory in Christ Jesus and my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except for Christ is accomplished through me. I'm not gonna talk about anything else. Am I going to boast in anything? I've done with my human ability but I will boast in. This only says in leading the Gentiles to obey. God teaching you obedient right? Matthew 28.

31:26 I'm not going to post anything. Everything secondary to the mission that God had me on. It's the only thing that matters Souls matter to Paulette men because they're on the heart of God. He said this on both anything but what I've said or done but the by the power of signs and wonders through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so from Jerusalem, all the way around to a liquor IAM, this is the place where you travel to his missionary Journeys. He says I fully proclaimed, the gospel of Christ made, wouldn't that be a goal for our lives? The fully proclaim, the gospel of Christ and has always been my what helped me out my So do my mission, it's always been my desire since day one, my passion my drive since the beginning, my purpose was to preach the gospel where Christ was not known. So I would not be building on someone else's Foundation rather as it is written.

32:16 There's this verse that Paul is going to quote and found Isaiah 52. This verse was in the heart of God or in the heart of Paul from God and it drove his ministry. It was the birthplace really of his passion. He says this those who are not told about Got him. We'll see. Jesus and those who have not heard will understand, really the gospel. And so we get some insights here from Paul really about real. His where is your passion came from and really season bishan was was to preach the good news to those who never heard to on his first day that he's always been a since day. One, this has been his passion and almost say this about Paul see Paul found his. Why not in the day that was born but the day he was born again. Amen.

32:57 The day you was born again is where he found his. Why like, you cannot unmarried the gospel from your passion and drive in life. Amen. Because that's why we're here. And so Paul, like he was born again, and he didn't find his passion and drive in life and something accomplished with his human hands in his own power and his own strength in his own, a building, his own self-righteousness and the things of the world, then we found it in. Jesus, matter of fact, when Jesus found him and Acts chapter 9, he was persecuting Christians. He was trying to get orders to arrest churches and kill Christians, and Jesus found him on the road, right? And that light shined in Paul's eyes, and blinded him is a who is this? And he said, this is Jesus and that was Paul's, oh, poop moment. Come on somebody, right?

33:42 Because, you know, if your are blinded her scales in your face and you know, the god, the Living God of all creation, who you've killed his followers, and you've talked blasted against all these things is in front of you. You're wondering if you're going to get zapped into eternity, come on. Just boom. I'm you can see the just the amount of sweat and fear and everything upon Paul and this is just Jesus as leading Paul to Jesus. Come on somebody, right? I mean this fear because he is gone the wrong direction. And since day one and his faith, he's born again, this is what he says, he tells don't test me in Galatians, this is his first book. He writes, Galatians chapter 1 verse 11, tells a story. I want you to know Brothers and Sisters of the Gospel. I preach is not of human origin. I didn't receive it from man. No, he didn't, nor was I taught it rather isolated by Revelation from Jesus Christ.

34:26 So, but who can say that Jesus led me to Jesus, and I was terrified for. Yeah, I've heard of my previous way of Judaism. I'm intensely, how I persecuted the church and I tried to destroy it. I was advancing your Judaism beyond my own age because, you know, he's told my self righteousness, right? Among people is extremely zealous of the traditions of my father, but when God come on, somebody who knows, this is what changed for you life to there's that. But when God moment and everything shifted for you, and what when God set me apart, when God purposed me, when God changed my My life because I realized who he was and says this, when God sent me apart from my mother's womb and called me by his grace was, please reveal his son in me. So, I might help me, I might what might preach the boys can be called to be a preacher of God preached Jesus among the Gentiles. Among those who never heard among those far from God. Can I say really quickly?

35:17 You are purpose from God. You are purpose from God. They got, you're not here to take up space. Amen. We're not here to fill a seat. You're not here to make it through 2023 and survive here. Live for the weekend, your purpose by God, there's breath in your lungs were called to do something about it. And the main thing is really share, Jesus and Obey. Jesus fall in love with Jesus, your set apart on a mission from the womb. In other words, you were made for this literally think about it made for this. The reason you're put together is because you're going to be called by God to live on mission on purpose for the things of Christ. In fact, the day you were born again, the spirit of God would whisper into your soul.

35:58 This is why. Amen, this is why you're not Ambassador for Christ. It really is a matter what career path and all the things of this world. What really matters is what did you do with Jesus? What is your passion and drive to to bring her co-workers to Christ or the friend of the neighbor or the person? Maybe you don't like come on somebody right by Walmart buddies, right? Like we're is that and that's what God is calling us to do. Matter of fact, I'll say this. You can't, you can't discover your purpose apart from God. You can't find it anywhere. You can't find it in self-help. You can't find it in money. You can't find it being self-actualized. Sorry Maslow. Come on, right? He took psychology come. All right, a long time ago, right?

36:40 But you have a God, right? Who has given you a purpose, it's in your DNA. Come on, it flows in your veins, it's in your bones, amen. This is where it comes from. And so, for Paul, like all of a sudden, his whole life was wrecked for Jesus, And God gave him a lie. And so in the Christian faith, when people say well, I can soar, it's too hard or it's not possible or like it's, this is self-defeat and all this. Like you get laziness all these things. That's the flesh speaking, that that's Satan, that that's not the things of God. Amen? Because you're serving a living God, who has given you a call and on Mission. So we don't use those words. Those are the words we choose the were we get up and say, okay God you give me a purpose of that. What's your purpose for me today? Like I'm going to live on Mission today. Look what happened.

37:24 When Paul found is why this is incredible, Paul became a Christian and he's on, he's on the road, right? And he has skills in space, and then there's a whole situation occurs. We're Jesus ends up in Jerusalem, heard Paul ends up in Jerusalem in the scales fall from space and Paul starts preaching day one. He starts proclaiming the gospel day one, he says going around, he's basically telling people. He was wrong and now they're wrong and they change and they didn't receive it. Very well, right, y'all been that church come on somebody, right? They didn't receive very well and so basically, they went to kill him. I mean these so he's Escaping the City by other disciples so he can survive. Now I know what your first week if you come to Christian look like come on somebody about how hard that was but I guarantee you it didn't look anything like this but his face was real day one that s.

38:07 There was no pretending there was no game. It was like Oh my Jesus is real and so he started proclaiming the name of Jesus. It is something very unique that he's called into the Wilderness. He leaves the crowd, the people, the mission of reaching people in that season and he goes and he spends time in the wilderness. Yes, it's a desert and tradition says that he spent time with Jesus. This was Paul's an apostle. He you'd be Apostle you have to actually been with Jesus. And so Paul is with Jesus and having conversations with Jesus, in the wilderness is being discipled or led by Jesus. And I just think about like this, like a fireside chat, right? Like imagine like a campfire and Paul stand there, or sitting there next to Jesus and making eye contact and and you know, you're asking Jesus all these questions. And I think the main thing that you'd pick up on is In the heart of God, because only what's on God's heart should be on our heart.

38:57 Amen. And so, Paul is like a g, what's on your heart? Like, why would you do all this? And I think if you just, I'm speculating here, right? But if you go back, there's a, there's a passage in Isaiah, the Paul referred to in his own life. And it's not as a 52 and maybe Jesus would open this passage and just describe a little bit about who he is as a fitted to it says this look, my servant will succeed. This is talking about Jesus himself. Look, I will succeed. And I'll be elevated. I'll be lifted high and greatly exalted. Just as many were horrified by the sight of you. He wouldn't talk about Paul but Paul would relate to this very quickly because they are tried to kill him. He said, I was so disfigured. I no longer look like a man, if my form was so marred. I no longer looked human and as Paul sat there with Jesus, Jesus would be counts, he would reiterate and he would share was like, to be crucified.

39:49 He would talk about the crown of thorns as pushed into his scalp and how I felt with the the nails push through his his wrists and his ankles and he would look at Paul talking about the tension of not calling on the angels to wipe out Humanity because he loves Humanity. He walked through the whole story, all the pain, the horror of being disfigured as a human that nobody recognize them and say Paul. I did it for you. Amen. I did it for you. But I didn't just do for you. I did it for them. Those people had to go back to you. I did it for love, all those Gentiles and all the kings, and all the nations in, Jesus would have quoted. This verse may be ready.

40:38 He said I will startle some versus a Sprinkle really means cleanse, the nation's, it's like this priest, like, sprinkling water over the nations with the gospel, like I will cleanse the Nations fall and Kings will Stand speechless and my presents the greatest among all grades in this world will chew jaw dropped at the name of Jesus for. They will see what they have not been told and they'll understand within I heard about and from this moment on this would have Paul's life worse. Amen. He just changed his. Tell a story in the first thing he says, is let me tell you about something. He says there's nations of you changed. It starts quoting. This verse, we think that came from that passion is just set into his heart. It's his passion with Why Paul's life to bring the gospel to all people?

41:23 He surrendered his heart to the heart of God. See, Paul do the reality that the nation's working to reach themselves. Amen. If no one tells them to never hear. How will they hear without somebody telling them? This is Paul, this is Romans 10, he's sharing this heart at church. It's like how is it empty? See going to make disciples. There's a lot of great messages preached around the world NBC's. They really are the Paul got it. He's like, I'm called, like I understand. It's our honor to go after the things of God. It's all know about you, but have you surrendered to the heart of God? Have you put your ear to the Holy Spirit? Have you listened? I mean, if God can save somebody like me, This is your town yourself that as well as me that I need to tell somebody else.

42:11 Amen. I mean, if God willing to reach our city, he would already done it, but he chooses use us. Amen, and that's what we're here for. We're here to make God big to show off his glory, his power, his strength in the faith, we have in Jesus, we lived out to a loss of Dying World, where a light, come on, somebody who we don't sit on our hands under a basket. We shine to the world. Amen. That's what God's called us to do. My bachelor, cool about Paul, he would go on to stand before Kings. It's pretty cool. That fact you'll find that Acts 26 T. He goes for the governor Festus. He's sitting in jail this point and they switched out some governor's and festive shows up and he's kind of confused on what to do with Paul because he's like, I will have a reason to send the wrong but he wants to go. But I don't even tell Rome.

42:58 So he calls on the Buddy of his who was King. Agrippa, this is the first time that Paul gets to share the gospel of this King if you get a chance to read Acts 26, I mean he lays it out cold. I mean he's just there and then Fest this is like hey you need to calm down, you're going crazy is, I'm not crazy and this Those not crazy because he knows the ways of this Faith. He's ours laying out to King Agrippa. There's one this verse in the Bible. This makes your hair stand on end because it's like, I mean, I hope that's not me because Ken Griffey makes this comment. He says, you were so close to persuade people. But you're not going to so many people. He left unchanged by the gospel and Paul is lays it out for. It's just so amazing because you standing in front of Kings like this verse that Jesus has given them is coming true. Matter of fact, Paul if you know a story is sent off to Rome. He's appealed as a Roman citizen. So he took that direction and he's sitting there and it in Philippians 4.

43:51 He's friends with the household of Caesar like the guards, the people of family members, right? And it says also in Acts 20. Seven that he's gonna stand for the a it's not found in the Bible read out, but we know full heartedly that Jesus would have Jesus Jesus welcomed us that Paul would have stood before Emperor Nero Nero, the Ceaser of Rome and shared the gospel. How crazy is that that your audience would be really the most powerful human in that moment of time in existence. Paul worked his way over God, moved him in that direction because he's willing to be passionate enough to be arrested, and shipwreck, and left for dead at home. Threats against him because he had a call on his life. Amen. This this is, this is, this is just the beginning of the Gospel spreading to really our world because a man like Paul was just faithful to the call of God does laughs. You know, I would say this poll didn't do a citizen's, you can't miss this, but Paul didn't do.

44:48 It is. So we people. It's like man of God who shows up this year, God's in a recent people and they wait for God to move a mountain or solve the problem. It's like, dude, that's why God put you there. Amen. Like you're there to move. See Paul had a call on his life, but he also had calloused hands. Amen, he went out. It was hard work. That's a scary word but it was worth it. Who knows the fortune favors the Bold, like the like the cause of Christ means for for those who have bold faith and Paul had the both faith. It looked like the way that he writes a story, but who exactly where God willing to be lived on Mission. He took action even though he would have been defeated in a threats and he was a tent maker. But here's a visually cool, he had a plan, I think about Paul, I chanted plan, he had a strategy, he knew what he's trying to do.

45:38 There's a reason that Paul was trying to get two kings and leaders and governors, it wasn't an accident like that was his mission. And look at the Romans 15 23, says this, since I, this is being Paul have been longing for many years to visit you. I what, how about I, I plan to biblical precedents, have a plan, come on, somebody. He had a plan, like, in his mind and his heart out. I think had a business plan. Come on somebody, I think it shows less thing out of stone to carry around on the parchment or something, but he had a plan, hit a plane to go visit these people in Rome when he's going to go to Spain, who knows that, you know, Paul's going to go to state. Maybe there's news for you today. But Paul tried to read the gospel around the world. I love about the Bible, she can find every place in the Bible.

46:20 Come on somebody, there's a lot of religious books, you can't find him place in Saint Paul, is that your Spanos was right about and Paul is to bring the gospel to Spain. He says I hope to see you while passing through and after me on my journey there and after I've enjoyed your company for a while, we had to go ahead and plant had a passion for the things of God his strategy in place like his goal was to go around here. You talk about north side of the Mediterranean Sea and bring the gospel to the Gentiles because that's what was called. You try to go to Asia and he's getting dragged around by the Holy Spirit and he's just making his way over to Spain to share the good news of the gospel. And you really tradition says he made to Spain. He would probably stood before Those Spain, They seized a Spain and shared the good news. Amen.

47:06 I mean 14, Paul. The gospel may not have made it so quickly to our corner of the world is when you think about 2023 and you think about the spirit of God talking to your life, I'm just going to tell you it has to revolve around Souls. It has to like the goal for your year. You have to have some kind of spiritual drive to see lost people found. Amen. But I don't want to get into like goal setting and I don't want get into. I think you should have goals. I think she write your goals and I think she's a direct your life and I think they're really important but I think there's something much deeper because when you get something hard in your life you're going to cool in that goal. Will you get Shipwrecked gonna quit in the goal when he thereby snake swamp? All right. You couldn't have thrown your flesh.

47:48 Why God Quinn? The goal. So I want to back up a step. I was type of spiritual passion. It's All About the Passion to follow through with the things of God in your life. You be real practical step if you're looking through like what is God calling you do? How do I reach people? I think about the heart of Paul in and you tell us spiritual passion, I'll give you a one tool, just one resource. I've had a really Define your spiritual passion and keep you motivated. This year to really go out there and set the goals and pursue the things of God and bring up Jesus. And not be ashamed of inviting people to church and witnessing and be an evangelist. And I mean, so many guys are freaking out right now. Like oh man, supposed to bring somebody in his cards on the seat. By the way, those aren't like recycled. Come on somebody. Want you to use those.

48:31 Amen. And something like, I can't, I just can't let you off the hook and it's not you, that does it. I mean, even as a preacher. I mean, some of your money this week is the foolishness of preaching. Amen. Like what I do is nothing, I'm just a fool for Jesus, but the Holy Spirit does something. Amen. And it is a cycle. You have to understand if you're going to be a good at falling. God, it's just not about you. It's not about your effort or you're not ever about your work or good. You are as nothing about you, you're just an instrument in the hand of God. Amen. Here's the vessel, it is emptied out and then God uses you. And the way it works is really simple to holy spirit, moves in your life and then you Proclaim and the holy spirit moves. I've else's life, get that cycle in your head.

49:12 So before you turn me off and say I can't invite somebody because fill in the blank, I was gonna let you off the hook that God does the work a man the Holy Spirit you just do this give room and you move on. If they don't like you there's a problem doesn't matter like just point people to Jesus. Amen. If we get past herself, you release the beginning of God. And so encouraged to let the Holy Spirit move and As listen in and follow his spirit in this, when we talk about spiritual passion drive, you can have to get dig deep on this. You have to really understand your own heart and your own motivation. That's only give you what I will call the love-hate list come also like you passion passion, evokes both emotion passion of all the things, you love and follows things you hate. And so if you just make the list like there's a call God your life the called gone Paul's life, don't you think about Paul? It is Mission to really reach the Nations and kings and he followed through.

49:57 There's some things you have to list out what Leslie love. I mean, Same things. We love right. He would love to see lost people found. Amen. He loved to see Nations. Who would never know about God? No. Because the gospel is proclaimed. It was always through him. It was through others, that he grew and said he would love to see people. We've broken free from the chains of sin. He would love find people find their purpose in Jesus. Paul love to develop leaders and send them out, but also some things that Paul would absolutely hate. He would hate for a nation to go without the gospel. You hate for a group of people not to know Jesus.

50:38 I mean, you would have driven him that he would hate for a king, not ever heard the gospel and this boy was prolific at getting in front of Kings because Jesus had called him to do. That was his mission. I think about what we love or as Christians, we should love and and what we should hate. I think about a really Lovelace like we should love for lost people to come home. Amen. I mean, we love us so much we endure really messy people. The do point, but it's not us. Right? We're all messed up, but the reality is this we go out of our way to bring people to Jesus. It should your whole schedule should be shifted around gospel moments. Amen. You should be picking people out and your life.

51:19 That's like, ah, man. I gotta go the gospel of them. You don't think about like, how many people are blocks, have we shared the good news of Jesus, with highly? People are blocks to be prayed for that know, Jesus. How many people are blocks have been invited to our church? How many On our blocks, you invited to take a seat for their knees, under a table, for the name of Jesus and for his glory, amen, you find. No other reason. But that this is why we exist we love to see people find their purpose and Jesus led to populate Heaven, little people get baptized and a life is changed when people are broken free from shame and sin and our life. But you know, we hate when prodigals can't find their way home or bigger yet. Would prodigals aren't welcomed home. When they show up and people are judgmental and they say I've my Pew, you know, and they feel like they're just not loved and cared for.

52:09 Do we hate that? Amen. We don't put her nose up at the world. People have a problem they like will pray for a loss but then they start coming and it's like a they're messy. Do we have a problem? All sudden, you know, it's like dude that we love people, right? We hate it. When lost people stay lost, we hated when we lose ground to division in the church, we hate it when Satan takes Glory. Hey It drives us, right? And so the question I have for you is this it is really simple. Are you willing to reignite your spiritual passion before you even answer? I would encourage you the story and give you a verse on bad hair day and its really something bigger happening. Then you probably beat your own eye.

52:49 I came across the story this last week and I thought was so powerful. There's this man, took his family to Disney World and he had two little kids. That's why I've save us pregnant. And they got only, it's like, calm a quad bike, or something? Weird, I don't know. They are, if you've been to have Cod these bikes apparently go around this. The doors kind of paddle in the kids are. All right. And anyway, there's a couple little Hills and these guys aren't in shape and he does it right but they're doing good you know. But it gets to the end is a little increased its kind of long it can get steeper and it really happen as parents you know you know how it is. You just dragging the kids around. It's like for the glory of God my kids. Amen. Right. And they get to the end, it's like thank God, we turn this in. Well, the kids are screaming in the basket, you know, no dogon Daddy. Go around kiss talk as adults in the dumbest things you know, look like fools dancing around the rims, get those pictures on the Maritza put his kids doing that.

53:34 And so, there's dad's, like okay, okay, well, we'll get he'll go again and so they go around, they get that last little section and all of a sudden it's like, these guys are going to make up the hill, right? This guy's like, penile strength is energy. He's sweating and his wife's like man. I'm not any value. Like I'm eight months pregnant like I'm just gonna go off the bike. That's okay. And he wasn't like, oh no, honey. I got, he's like, get off the bike, you know? And so she gets off the bike and he's pillow, pillow pillow, and all of a sudden just because the pointer like you can't tell anymore and starts to kind of go backwards, you know, people kind of pass on the side. He's like dude just got this energy get this. She liked Rudy's our spell as hard as you can. He gets off the top of the hill. It looks back to like kind of boasts himself, looking good. I did babe. It turns around he finds out. His wife is pushing the bike up the hill. Come on somebody right.

54:14 And y'all been there and he says get this moment humility because I was like and then like there's kids pass and going. Why is that my dad pregnant lady push their husband you know and he's like oh my gosh you know, it actually give you some hope today the reality is this is that there's somebody behind. You pushing you up the hill. Amen. There's a strength bigger. Than yourself. God is with you. Amen. He is with you, he's strengthen you, if it's a promise of God who will be with us, always into the other and you get to the end of Paul's life and when he letter, I mean, just a life on Mission and he just goes out like a star. I mean, just knowing it's his time, he wraps up puts a bow on top, you got, you got you got the verse right?

54:55 I mean, my father good fight. Come on somebody. I finished the course. I mean this is Paul right Andy. Gets the end is really second. Timothy is his last book, you last thing you wrote but me that we have in the Bible but it's real. It's time to sign off. So this is it and he gets the very end in this way. He says last the last couple of verses it's found in second Timothy last two verses, he said, but the Lord stood by me and strengthened me, Amen, in the race Iran. Will it called God? What? He was the one, he was the power force, he was on ignited, my flaming kept me moving forward, so that threw me. The message would be fully for claims. So all the Gentiles to hear, amen.

55:36 I mean, God got the glory. It was all because of him, and when those prison cells, it was because of him who was hard work. But I did it the name of Jesus and he was with me is behind me. And so I was delivered from the lion's mouth. Amen. I mean, the world Ain't Gonna Last Laugh. The Lord, the world are the Lord will deliver me from every evil deed. It will bring me safely into his Heavenly Kingdom to him. Be the glory forever and ever. Amen. And Paul signs off So this is my why it didn't look like. We want to put an idol and said, that's the life I live, but it was on mission for Jesus. Amen. And that's what were called to be men and women of the Gospel. So I was 10, where's your spiritual passion? 23, like what's going to keep you in that seat watching TV all day long, like what's, what's going to? But could hold you back when you got the good news of Jesus. Amen.

56:28 And so he's got to get up and make that list and I took that list and I've got on my mind. Mirror. And I got my phone and this is why I get up early and this is why he stable eighth. This why work endless hours? The Hope Center and this is why we set up and tear down. And this is why I invite people who knows awkward, and I'm off the gospel out sometimes, but this is why amen. And as believe in the church, if we just put that in our heart, man, the the force of the Gospel is Unstoppable. It is believed that God willing to reach people. Amen. And that's our purpose in this year, but you cannot marry the two. And so, as you look, Like forget the goal like that may change a little bit. I think you should write them out but look at your passion and that like develop a goal, develop a direction. And at the end of the year, I just know, like may be faithful to God.

57:14 Who knows regret take this church? Amen, I mean, we're seeing take your block or your family, or realistically, just you change. You God we come before you. I got I pray that our church will be full of spiritual passion. Thanks for the example of Paul. He wasn't perfect o Wretched, Man that I am, who delivered me from the This body of death, but he recognized, there's power in the spirit of God and the power of God was behind him and strengthened him all along his journey and I pray that to be our story. Then we sign off, we sign off like that, give him the glory, to Jesus living a life for him, bringing it pointing Kings and Nations to you. I'm pray for our church today those who say, no, and I'm renew my spirit passion this year like IMA have this.

57:57 My why moment, I'm getting serious about God and we passed by God this year that you just put your The spirit speaking to you, come on be full in. Come on. I see the hands across this place but he's down. Father, you see the hearts? You know, the hands of God, pray that unites something us got from you and I would fall in love with that gather. We please, you can help us to make a love-hate less of our passion because we never forget the cross, the pivot, life verse that we leave live on Mission. It would drive us every day of Our Lives. We pray for all my group people and that's those of you that would say, you know what, I'm not a king. But the gospel came to me today was actually I was here, they brought me this moment. Some showed me the door, it's a little on faith and wash online. God is met me here.

58:49 Neither the king but it came from me and that's you need Jesus to me the King of Kings. My life changed be forgiven and they knew the gospel to Edge. It feels infiltrate your life and change you from the inside out. If that's you, misread your Don't be looking around and say I need Jesus. Today, come on across this room. They don't mind. You click the button. Finding Jesus place your hand the back and bills. I need Jesus. That's you as encourage you to pray this prayer. It's not the prayer that saves. You just your heart towards God. Say thank you, Jesus for coming for a man. Like me got. Things are down across my sins. At taking the nails, taking my payment and making me hold and gods are in my life to you.

59:31 God give me around some passion and sealed. I share you today is my day one, the faith. Nothing to proclaim the gospel today to a lost and dying world. Amen. Come on. Give it up for the things of God. Come on. Lemnos here. Some passion and your clap today. Come on. Amen. Well that's you today. And you say, you know what my breakout year starts? When I say yes to Jesus, we are so excited for you. We have some resources. We'd love to connect with you. You can take out your phone and text RL. Next like, your next step to 97,000 that's going to connect you with our websites and resources to follow Jesus. And maybe this morning even you're like you know what, I don't know about this whole God, Jesus thing texted anyway, take you to our website, we would love to help you meet Jesus, who has changed our lives in such amazing. He's, and if you're joining us here in person at Kentucky Trail, we actually have some red bags in the back that you can grab.

1:00:25 It's got a free Bible, just a little word from us to help, get you encouraged and started on your journey with Jesus. And I know that man, the Journey of a Thousand Steps starts with four thousand miles starts with one step. And so, this could be your step today to have an amazing year. And for all of us have a few next steps. Mean we are pumped to be back meeting together at Kentucky Trail, and it was so much fun to connect online last week, but we have a big year. And a lot of big goals and dreams and vision that God has given us. And it starts, it starts with just like Sean talked about having that passion in your year to reach people, that's why real life exists. And that's why we're here and that's why we do what we do. And so, it starts with all of us. And so, I have a next step for you have Sean mentioned, these cards that are sitting on your chair. And I know if you know this, but I was the product of a church invite when I was a teenager, my group of friends, then invited Shawn to church.

1:01:18 And so, it's cool to look back and think about you, Know, the impact you're going to make with a simple invite of inviting. Someone to Jesus, maybe step of inviting them to church so they can meet him here. You don't know what God is going to do in someone's life. And so let me be the first to encourage you to take these with you pass them out to the Barista. When you're going through the drive-thru line talk with people hand them out to your neighbors. We have so much in store for them and when your life has been changed by Jesus, you want nothing more than to share that with others. And so let it be part of your new normal. All this year to be an inviter and not just an invite her, but we call these bring visitation. So don't just invite but bring them along with you. Save them a seat but do take these.

1:01:59 We have tons of them and they are your tool to be able to invite people to church. So they're here for you. And we would love to equip you to do that. And speaking of your new normal, maybe you've been hanging out with us for a little while here at real life. Maybe you never made that stuff to say. You know what, I just don't know what my next step is. What I know God's got something for me. We are resuming our crash course. It's going to be On January 22nd, you can go to our website, click events, all the details are going to be on there about where we're meeting. It's going to be from two to four Thirty next week, but I know that God has something big for your life, and I know that God has passion and purpose to you. So, maybe after you write down your list of, hey, what am I passionate about? God's going to spark something inside of you and will ask you that question to say, hey, would you be willing to take those gifts you have or that passion you have and use them to spread the gospel to our city. That looks a lot of different ways but we have a big dream to see.

1:02:50 People grow and to see people come to Jesus. We want to see fully functioning like worship teams in our youth and our kids space. We want to see our Hope Center up and moving with care groups, and Care Ministries and Outreach to our city. We want to see are Refreshments Ministry out in the hub. Serving people who come in the door and every single team across our church has Big Dreams for this year to grow. And so, we need your help. So, if you've never been to crash course, or maybe you've been to crash course, and you never fully took that step to join the team. I would love to connect with you come out to crash course, meet, with any of us have seen on stage. We would love to connect you with your next step in that way. And our last next step is this is that you all are incredible. We're looking at Drew shared so many of those numbers about what 2022 was it real life.

1:03:36 But our generosity was up 28% from 2021 last year. And that's because of you all. Because of the growth that we've seen here as people growing closer to God, taking a chance of Fate to say, you know, a God, I don't know what's going to happen but I'm going to give it so because of your Generosity, we were able to finish the construction phase of the Hope Center. Now, we get to move in and start some of these Ministries and all the things that there are continued needs for. And so if you're new with us today, thank you for coming. We don't want something from you if we want something for you, but if you call real life home and you have never thought about being a part of generosity, it's really what makes this whole thing go. And so the last step of your new normal would be making a difference through generosity. And so there's three ways that you can do that. You can go to Real Life Church kc.com, you can click go. You can text any amount of eight, four, three, two, one. Our website also has a give button that you can click on there to get connected to generosity and our buckets are going to pass here in just a moment. And as they do, if you or your family or an immediate need of food clothing or shelter, please reach into those buckets, grab any loose cash that you see, we want to be a blessing to your family in this time of need.

1:04:42 And then, lastly, Happy Spring almost. I wish it was spring, happy winter, but life groups are getting ready to launch. So, check out this video. A little more. Last week you were challenged to make gathering together. With the people of God, an important priority in 2023. I've got an awesome opportunity for you to do. Just that like groups are launching in a couple of weeks, come on, get excited to hang out with friends, make some new friends and do life together. This next semester, it's the small things that make the biggest difference and maybe twenty twenty two things got in the way of Joining a life may be things like not enough time for some guilt or fear or comparison to hear me.

1:05:35 When I say that where you fall short, Jesus shines make 2023 a breakout year with some Keystone habits. One of, which could be joining a life group. This year, we are crying out to God. For souls to be changed addictions to be broken relationships to be restored and people to be saved and sent. Out, and all of these things happen, through the context of relationships. You are opposed to the question last week, who do you want to become in the next six to 12 months? Maybe that's a Godly mom or wife, a bold witness for Jesus. Maybe 2023 is the year you become sober or clean or you become financially free.

1:06:19 And hey, maybe it's to take a step towards God this year to becoming a true man or woman of God. And I know that God will Can use life groups as a catalyst towards your personal. So, make attending a life group, one of your habits of 2023, I am certain that you won't regret spending time with the people of God. If you're interested in leading a life through this semester, or maybe you're considering going through our printing process, I would love to meet you and talk with you about what that would look like. I'll be hanging out in the hub after the Gathering over by the like groups wall. So come over and say hey, and be on the lookout next Sunday. Pay for all of the life groups that will be offering this semester so far. We've got hang out, groups, family groups. We've got a Hunger Games group, the coffee shop group, a book study, on the book of Jude, and a serving group, you are not going to want to miss out, hanging out with the people of God.

1:07:13 This semester who's ready for Life groups? You guys excited. If you haven't been a part of life group, can encourage you, is the best thing that you could do this year. You'll get so much out of It's really where you get connected with God's people and God will just change your life through. So can't wait to see you guys in a life group. This coming semester. Hey, I believe God is on the Move in the city, through life groups, to the Hope Center and I believe it starts with you guys. It starts with us as a group, simple advice, simple prayer, just so willing to say yes, and I know you guys will do that. So can't wait to see how God is going to use. You guys just move through the city this week and just change your circles, man. We pray for you guys.

1:07:54 If you guys also need for her for any reason, we'll have a team member of her. We would love to pray with you. You can't wait to hang out with you to see how God moves through you guys this week and talk about it next week at night when you're 11. And as always, remember whoever finds Jesus discovers the life and purpose. See you next