gonna_go_my

Everyone in this room, at some point, if it hasn't happened already will have the same question asked of all of you --- either by a teacher, a parent, a guidance counselor or probably all three. And it goes like this

At some point, EVERY person in this room will have to answer that question. For you 7th & 8th graders, this may not seem like a big deal yet. But if you're a junior or senior, this is probably a BIG deal for you.

But for everybody in this room, the clock is ticking, until you MUST answer the question, "What are you gonna do with your life?"

(I'm just curious, by a show of hands, how many of you KNOW what you want to do with your life?)

This question is a big deal because how you answer that question will have a big time influence on how you make decisions --- what kind of classes you take, what kind of grades you'll have to make, how much money you'll have to make, or how much schmusing you'll have to fake, to get to where you want to go!

What you want to do with your life determines if you go to college or a technical school, of if you pursue education after high school or not.

For a lot of you it determines WHICH college you go to. If you know what you want to do, chances are there's a college that specializes in it and you'll want to attend specific one.

And those decisions start narrowing our life down from a life of unlimited possibilities to limited realities (repeat).

This is really simple to catch check this: Right now, your life---what you're going to be, what you're going to do, where you go to college, who you're going to marry, what kind of car you're going to drive, what kind of house you're going to buy, what part of the country you're going to live in---- your future is WIDE OPEN right now your life is UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES.

But when you start to answer the question, "What are you gonna do with your life?" you begin to NARROW in on your future. You start shaping your life.

It's like, right now, your life is this enormous piece of clay that is as big as you can imagine that it is. And when you start making decisions that affect your future, you start cutting away and molding your clay or your life.

For instance let's say you decide to be an engineer or a pharmacist --- now your math and science classes just got really important to you. And it's a pretty good bet that for engineering or pharmacy, you're going to try really hard to get into Purdue University (right Kyle?)

You see? Now, you're shaping and defining your school clay, and you've just cut out a bunch of clay that had other colleges in it. Your clay is not limitless any more --- now it's limited and more defined. And in some way, the rest of your life will be affected by that decision.

Let's just say for the sake of argument, that right now you're sitting here and thinking I'm a little too serious, and that you're just a teenager and the priority right now is really about chillin' and enjoying life, having a good time.

But the reality is, we all shape our clay even if we're aware of it or intentional about it. We all make decisions about what we're going to be whether we know it or not.

Let me give you an abbreviated, but true story that explains what I mean. There was a guy in high school and when he went to parties he drank with the other kids, "just for fun." "It's harmless we're just drinking some beer."

And he did this through high school. When he goes off to college he does the same thing, "just having some fun." And he has fun all through college.

He gets out of college and he can't stop having fun. One day he wakes up and realizes his decision to start drinking has become an addiction he cannot stop. Now his clay is forever changed. His decision to start drinking in high school forever changed the shape of his clayhis life.

My point isn't that people who drink will have addiction problems. My point is decisions we make today have the very real power to affect our life tomorrow. Whether it's what college you go to or something as simple as a decision you make at a party. Make sense?

So basically, right now you have a life of unlimited possibilities and as you make decisions you are shaping your clay, or your life into limited realities. And your decisions have EVERYTHING to do with what your life is and what it will be. Your decisions shape your clay. (repeat)

So let me ask you again, "What are you going to do with your clay?" Or, "What are going to do with your life?"

Know what? That question is soooo tough and so broad, I don't know how you could be expected to answer it! Do you?!

It's like life is standing in front of you and it's saying, "C'mon, here I am --- I am millions of possibilities --- millions of options ---I am whatever YOU want me to be! C'monwhat will you decide to do??!" (pause)

And if that's not confusing enough the Big G God, starts sniffing around your life. He's like,

"Hey How you doin'? Ya know I can't help but notice you've got a big ol' life thereyou're tryin' to live Ya know, we don't know each other let me introduce myself I'm God. This placeall of it .the whole earthstarsmoonsuneverythingI made it! What do ya think?Do you like it?!"

"Ohuh, by the wayI made you toodo you like what I did?I know some of you think that your nose is a little too big some of you are obsessing a little much about your slightly crooked teeth

some of you are hung up a little too much about the proportions of your body ---this is too big---this isn't big enoughYa know, some days you guys in this age group specifically drive me NUTS with your thoughts about how I made you!"

"Anyway, I made you. And just for the record, I think you're beautifula "masterpiece" is the word I useI made each of you uniquedifferent than anyone else on the planet."

"And just so you know I made you because I want to be in a relationship with youdon't look behind you---I mean YOU--- I specifically want to be in a relationship with YOU!"

"But there's a problemya see I'm Holyand you can't understand or comprehend what Holy is because you've never seen anything Holy before Holy is like, perfectsinlessflawlesszero defects."

"So for a while, me and you guys---well not YOU guysme and Adam and Eve guyshad it going on . We were hangin' outit was WAY cool!there were pretty much no rules except for 'Don't eat the nasty fruit'"

"But they had to have it---I TRIED to tell 'embut too late in comes sin now there's a Gap---NO, not the place in the mall!! There's a big gap between you and me and the world hasn't been the same since believe me!"

"Anyway being Holy is really cool and all but it presents some problems See I can't be around sin sin and Holy can't be togetherno way no how."

"But I just couldn't take being separated from you guys it was driving me nuts And I decided I would do whatever I had to do to bridge the gap that's between us."

"And I decided that an extreme situation demanded an extreme solution so I sent my Son my ONLY Son, by the way to earth to cover your sin to bridge the gap between you and me I figured a death on a cross would cover any sin you could ever have . Now, I know you're thinking, 'How could a Father put His own Son on a cross?! I don't get that!'"

"Dude, you can't get that I'm God And only God can have so much love for you and your slightly crooked teeth and your less than perfect character that I would sacrifice my Son if that means I can be with you."//

So the question of "What are going to do with your life?" is really the question that God asks all of us. He says, "Are ya gonna go My way?"

To be clear, there are two ways. Our way & God's. It's a good news bad news thing. The good news is God's way leads to eternal lifethat's the good news. Our way leads to death --- that's the bad news!

Let me explain this a little. All of us our born with sin. It's part of our DNA. It's not a choice we make---it's more like the "sin gene" ---we ALL have it.

But what IS sin? Is Islama Bin laden sin? What about cheating on your English test, is that sin? What about taking the last brownieis that sin?

The word "sin" comes from centuries ago --- archers shot their arrows super long distances at targets---The distance was so long that they couldn't exactly see where the arrow landed, so there would be spotters near the targets.

After an archer shot the arrow, if it fell short or missed the mark, the spotter would shout, "Sin! Sin!" That's where we get the wordwhich means to fall short or miss the mark. (PPT)

So in God's terms what is the mark? It is perfectionflawlessness. I think that even though some of us think we're pretty darn excellent --- we'd have to admit, "perfect- we aint!"

Even I understand A-L-L. So if we realize we have sin, we have to look at what God says about it:

God says OUR way, leads to death. He says the WAGES or PRICE for sin is death forever separated from Him.

"but PPT the gift PPT of God PPT is eternal life PPT in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

This is the point where we can get kind of squirrelly about this deal and say stuff like, "You mean to tell me there's only TWO WAYS this life thing can GO?!" "Are you sayin' it's either A or B?!"

No. I don't. God does. He created the deal it's His ball His rules. He says, "There is only ONE God and there is only ONE way of being accepted by Him. He makes people right with Himself only by faith" (Rom. 3:30)-à

Earlier I said that what we decide to do with our life drives the decisions we make. And the decisions we make shape our clay --- shape our life.

I believe with my whole heart that there is ONE decision we can make that is the MOST IMPORTANT decision we will EVER make It has the supernatural power to guide us in ALL the rest of the decisions in our life

I told you earlier that your life is this HUGE piece of clay with unlimited possibilities and it's up to you to shape it up to YOU to determine what your clay looks like what your life will be.

God says our choice is A or B. If we don't choose God, then we decide that we're going OUR way and "our way" means that when we lie awake at night and wrestle with the struggles of the day we are truly alone.

And I'll just bet, for some reason most people don't lay there at night and reflect on all the blessings of each day and sail off to sleep with some kind of wistful smile on their face.

Do you wonder why your smile had to look exactly like it does? It was SO close to being ok.

Do you worry about why your parent's relationship could've been or could be so different than it really is?

Do you wrestle with why you don't get love from the person in your life, you really want it from?

If we don't go God's way, we are truly alone with those thoughts and emotions. We are truly alone in our insecurityalone in our fear alone in our concern.

If we don't go God's way, we are alone with the overwhelming task of molding our clay Alone in deciding what I'm going to do with this life.

But IFIF we go God's way we are not just signing some Holy insurance policy that entitles the bearer to everlasting bliss payable upon departure from planet earth. We're NOT just signing a Holy insurance policy.

God's plan is to do life WITH YOU. Every person who signs up, crosses the gap that separates us from God, and at that point, you are NEVER ALONE AGAIN. God WANTS to be with YOU. He is a God not of obligation, but He is a God of LOVE NO MATTER WHAT.

It's unconditional lovehe doesn't care how funky your breath is how screwed up your life is how much money your parents have what you did yesterdayHis love says, NO MATTER WHAT I love you and will always be with you.

Are you getting' this? When you're in a relationship with Christ, You can't wear out His patience you can't disappoint God so that He says, "That's itI've had it with you!"

"Do people see past the fake front that I put up---to the real me who doesn't have it all together?And if they do, what do they think of me?" (pause)

But if you invite Christ into your life, --get this He sees EVERY bit of you --- we CAN"T put a front for Him--- He sees ALL of our funk ---- all of our doubt --- man, He knows how much we don't have it together --- Trust meHe knows how much I don't have it together

There's NO relationship in my life that is a GUARANTEE. In any given day I could screw it upor someone else could blow it up. All my human relationships are without a net Because they involve humansand we all blow sooner or latersomewheresome how.

But my relationship with Christ is a LOCK And now, on my worst day, I have Someone who says, "ManI love you anyway and I'm ALWAYS here."

So when I'm laying awake at night and realize that truthit feels 180 degrees from when I was laying awake in high school truly all alone. One feels like the Titanic and the other feels like the warmest, safest place I know.

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39

Already this year you've heard me reminding you every week of promises God has made to us. But there IS a catch to God's promises

They're not for everyone. God's promises are rock solidfor those who believe that Jesus died for them who ask Him for forgiveness and ask Him to lead their lives

But, ya knowsometimes it's not easy to really understand the cross so I'd like to share this true story that I know will help you understand it.

Earlier this year, the TV show, Good Morning America, interviewed an old Jewish man who lived in New York City. They went behind his house and he had erected a makeshift altar of old stones and rocks that he had piled up and every day he went out to that pile of rocks and gave thanks.

His story was that he was a Jewish prisoner in Ravensbrook Concentration Camp in WW II Germany; And as he was there, every evening the German guards would call out a number and whoever represented that number they would drag him to the middle of the yard, put a bullet in a gun and shoot him in the head.

While they were doing it, they would announce over the loud speaker, "We're doing this because we're powerful and strong and the Jews are dogs. And the only reason we don't kill all of you is that bullets are too valuable."

It was a tough thing to go through, and especially one evening when his number was called and he just broke down and cried and yelled,

"No, that can't be the right number. Please somebody, you don't understand. I have a wife and kids who are out there. I need to be a dad. I'll change my life God, anything, help me!"

They were just dragging him forward like everybody else who had pleaded for mercy. As he was about half way through the yard a Catholic priest, also a prisoner at Ravensbrook, raised his hand and said in German, "I'll take his place." (DAVE BOTTOMLEY)

The German guards unbelievably stopped, shrugged their shoulders, went to the Catholic priest, dragged him to the middle, put a bullet in a gun and shot him in the head. Three months later that Jewish man was free having survived the hideous concentration camp.

When the TV crew went to the man's house, they showed his family and his friends, and his extended family, and children, and great- grandchildren and all of that was possible because of a Catholic priest who raised his hand and took his place.

And then they showed him alone with this pile of rocks, and he said with tears in his eyes, "I never knew that man's name. But every morning at 6 am, I come out to this altar and give thanks to the man who raised his hand and took my place."

It's a story about Jesus of Nazareth who raised His hand to take my place; to pay for my sin. And He took your place; and He paid for your sin.

The cross is a place where a King raised His hand and made eternal life and life where we're NEVER apart from Him possible.

The band is going to lead us in a worship songthat's a prayer we sing to Jesus. Some of you guys have felt your heart beat a little quicker in the last few minutessome of your minds have been weighing out if you buy all that I've been saying tonight

That's God knocking at your door that's Him doing His thing that's Him wanting to come inonly YOU can grant Him an all access backstage pass

During this songbe open to what He wants to do in you tonight---that's all I ask. And after this song I'm going to give you the opportunity to ask Him in.

And you don't need any "religious" training for this prayer to work. You don't need a truckload of faith for it to work. Last week Scott told us the truth that if we have the faith of a tiny mustard seed, that's all we need.

Romans 10:9-13 says, "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved

Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointedfor anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved."

If you wanna go God's way if you want Supernatural help molding your clay whisper this prayer with me.

And if you prayed this prayer so long ago, that you don't know if you really knew what you were doing whisper this prayer tonight for the LAST time.

- "We are the clay, You are the Potter; we are all the work of Your hand." Isaiah 64:8



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		Are You Gonna Go My Way? (youth ministry message) -Morgan Young FW 10.21.01 Everyone in this room, at some point, if it hasn't happened already will have the same question asked of all of you --- either by a teacher, a parent, a guidance counselor or probably all three. And it goes like this WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE?! At some point, EVERY person in this room will have to answer that question. For you 7th & 8th graders, this may not seem like a big deal yet. But if you're a junior or senior, this is probably a BIG deal for you. But for everybody in this room, the clock is ticking, until you MUST answer the question, "What are you gonna do with your life?" (I'm just curious, by a show of hands, how many of you KNOW what you want to do with your life?) This question is a big deal because how you answer that question will have a big time influence on how you make decisions --- what kind of classes you take, what kind of grades you'll have to make, how much money you'll have to make, or how much schmusing you'll have to fake, to get to where you want to go! What you want to do with your life determines if you go to college or a technical school, of if you pursue education after high school or not. For a lot of you it determines WHICH college you go to. If you know what you want to do, chances are there's a college that specializes in it and you'll want to attend specific one. Know what? What we decide to do with our life, drives the decisions we make ---> And those decisions start narrowing our life down from a life of unlimited possibilities to limited realities (repeat). This is really simple to catch check this: Right now, your life---what you're going to be, what you're going to do, where you go to college, who you're going to marry, what kind of car you're going to drive, what kind of house you're going to buy, what part of the country you're going to live in---- your future is WIDE OPEN right now your life is UNLIMITED POSSIBILITIES. But when you start to answer the question, "What are you gonna do with your life?" you begin to NARROW in on your future. You start shaping your life. It's like, right now, your life is this enormous piece of clay that is as big as you can imagine that it is. And when you start making decisions that affect your future, you start cutting away and molding your clay or your life. For instance let's say you decide to be an engineer or a pharmacist --- now your math and science classes just got really important to you. And it's a pretty good bet that for engineering or pharmacy, you're going to try really hard to get into Purdue University (right Kyle?) You see? Now, you're shaping and defining your school clay, and you've just cut out a bunch of clay that had other colleges in it. Your clay is not limitless any more --- now it's limited and more defined. And in some way, the rest of your life will be affected by that decision. Let's just say for the sake of argument, that right now you're sitting here and thinking I'm a little too serious, and that you're just a teenager and the priority right now is really about chillin' and enjoying life, having a good time. But the reality is, we all shape our clay even if we're aware of it or intentional about it. We all make decisions about what we're going to be whether we know it or not. Let me give you an abbreviated, but true story that explains what I mean. There was a guy in high school and when he went to parties he drank with the other kids, "just for fun." "It's harmless we're just drinking some beer." And he did this through high school. When he goes off to college he does the same thing, "just having some fun." And he has fun all through college. He gets out of college and he can't stop having fun. One day he wakes up and realizes his decision to start drinking has become an addiction he cannot stop. Now his clay is forever changed. His decision to start drinking in high school forever changed the shape of his clayhis life. My point isn't that people who drink will have addiction problems. My point is decisions we make today have the very real power to affect our life tomorrow. Whether it's what college you go to or something as simple as a decision you make at a party. Make sense? So basically, right now you have a life of unlimited possibilities and as you make decisions you are shaping your clay, or your life into limited realities. And your decisions have EVERYTHING to do with what your life is and what it will be. Your decisions shape your clay. (repeat) So let me ask you again, "What are you going to do with your clay?" Or, "What are going to do with your life?" Know what? That question is soooo tough and so broad, I don't know how you could be expected to answer it! Do you?! (play w/this part) It's like life is standing in front of you and it's saying, "C'mon, here I am --- I am millions of possibilities --- millions of options ---I am whatever YOU want me to be! C'monwhat will you decide to do??!" (pause) And if that's not confusing enough the Big G God, starts sniffing around your life. He's like, "Hey How you doin'? Ya know I can't help but notice you've got a big ol' life thereyou're tryin' to live Ya know, we don't know each other let me introduce myself I'm God. This placeall of it .the whole earthstarsmoonsuneverythingI made it! What do ya think?Do you like it?!" "Ohuh, by the wayI made you toodo you like what I did?I know some of you think that your nose is a little too big some of you are obsessing a little much about your slightly crooked teeth some of you are hung up a little too much about the proportions of your body ---this is too big---this isn't big enoughYa know, some days you guys in this age group specifically drive me NUTS with your thoughts about how I made you!" "Anyway, I made you. And just for the record, I think you're beautifula "masterpiece" is the word I useI made each of you uniquedifferent than anyone else on the planet." "And just so you know I made you because I want to be in a relationship with youdon't look behind you---I mean YOU--- I specifically want to be in a relationship with YOU!" "But there's a problemya see I'm Holyand you can't understand or comprehend what Holy is because you've never seen anything Holy before Holy is like, perfectsinlessflawlesszero defects." "So for a while, me and you guys---well not YOU guysme and Adam and Eve guyshad it going on . We were hangin' outit was WAY cool!there were pretty much no rules except for 'Don't eat the nasty fruit'" "But they had to have it---I TRIED to tell 'embut too late in comes sin now there's a Gap---NO, not the place in the mall!! There's a big gap between you and me and the world hasn't been the same since believe me!" "Anyway being Holy is really cool and all but it presents some problems See I can't be around sin sin and Holy can't be togetherno way no how." "But I just couldn't take being separated from you guys it was driving me nuts And I decided I would do whatever I had to do to bridge the gap that's between us." "And I decided that an extreme situation demanded an extreme solution so I sent my Son my ONLY Son, by the way to earth to cover your sin to bridge the gap between you and me I figured a death on a cross would cover any sin you could ever have . Now, I know you're thinking, 'How could a Father put His own Son on a cross?! I don't get that!'" "Dude, you can't get that I'm God And only God can have so much love for you and your slightly crooked teeth and your less than perfect character that I would sacrifice my Son if that means I can be with you."// (done playing God) So the question of "What are going to do with your life?" is really the question that God asks all of us. He says, "Are ya gonna go My way?" To be clear, there are two ways. Our way & God's. It's a good news bad news thing. The good news is God's way leads to eternal lifethat's the good news. Our way leads to death --- that's the bad news! Let me explain this a little. All of us our born with sin. It's part of our DNA. It's not a choice we make---it's more like the "sin gene" ---we ALL have it. But what IS sin? Is Islama Bin laden sin? What about cheating on your English test, is that sin? What about taking the last brownieis that sin? The word "sin" comes from centuries ago --- archers shot their arrows super long distances at targets---The distance was so long that they couldn't exactly see where the arrow landed, so there would be spotters near the targets. After an archer shot the arrow, if it fell short or missed the mark, the spotter would shout, "Sin! Sin!" That's where we get the wordwhich means to fall short or miss the mark. (PPT) So in God's terms what is the mark? It is perfectionflawlessness. I think that even though some of us think we're pretty darn excellent --- we'd have to admit, "perfect- we aint!" So sin is falling short of perfection. And the Bible tells us we all fall short. "For all have sinned: all fall short of God's glorious standard." Rom. 3:23(PPT) Even I understand A-L-L. So if we realize we have sin, we have to look at what God says about it: "For the wages PPT of sin PPT is death PPT " God says OUR way, leads to death. He says the WAGES or PRICE for sin is death forever separated from Him. "but PPT the gift PPT of God PPT is eternal life PPT in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23 (explainlook at ppt graph) This is the point where we can get kind of squirrelly about this deal and say stuff like, "You mean to tell me there's only TWO WAYS this life thing can GO?!" "Are you sayin' it's either A or B?!" No. I don't. God does. He created the deal it's His ball His rules. He says, "There is only ONE God and there is only ONE way of being accepted by Him. He makes people right with Himself only by faith" (Rom. 3:30)-à It's My way or the Hades highway if you get what He's saying. // Earlier I said that what we decide to do with our life drives the decisions we make. And the decisions we make shape our clay --- shape our life. I believe with my whole heart that there is ONE decision we can make that is the MOST IMPORTANT decision we will EVER make It has the supernatural power to guide us in ALL the rest of the decisions in our life I told you earlier that your life is this HUGE piece of clay with unlimited possibilities and it's up to you to shape it up to YOU to determine what your clay looks like what your life will be. God says our choice is A or B. If we don't choose God, then we decide that we're going OUR way and "our way" means that when we lie awake at night and wrestle with the struggles of the day we are truly alone. And I'll just bet, for some reason most people don't lay there at night and reflect on all the blessings of each day and sail off to sleep with some kind of wistful smile on their face. Do you lay there and wonder why your parents don't really get you? Do you wonder how well you're doing in the cafeteria's social Olympics? Do you wonder why your smile had to look exactly like it does? It was SO close to being ok. Do you worry about why your parent's relationship could've been or could be so different than it really is? Do you wrestle with why you don't get love from the person in your life, you really want it from? If we don't go God's way, we are truly alone with those thoughts and emotions. We are truly alone in our insecurityalone in our fear alone in our concern. If we don't go God's way, we are alone with the overwhelming task of molding our clay Alone in deciding what I'm going to do with this life. But IFIF we go God's way we are not just signing some Holy insurance policy that entitles the bearer to everlasting bliss payable upon departure from planet earth. We're NOT just signing a Holy insurance policy. God's plan is to do life WITH YOU. Every person who signs up, crosses the gap that separates us from God, and at that point, you are NEVER ALONE AGAIN. God WANTS to be with YOU. He is a God not of obligation, but He is a God of LOVE NO MATTER WHAT. It's unconditional lovehe doesn't care how funky your breath is how screwed up your life is how much money your parents have what you did yesterdayHis love says, NO MATTER WHAT I love you and will always be with you. Are you getting' this? When you're in a relationship with Christ, You can't wear out His patience you can't disappoint God so that He says, "That's itI've had it with you!" So much of our secret thoughts go like this: "Am I really loved by so-n-so?" "Am I really fitting in with my friends?" "Am I as weird on the outside as I am to myself some days, on the inside?" "Do people see past the fake front that I put up---to the real me who doesn't have it all together?And if they do, what do they think of me?" (pause) But if you invite Christ into your life, --get this He sees EVERY bit of you --- we CAN"T put a front for Him--- He sees ALL of our funk ---- all of our doubt --- man, He knows how much we don't have it together --- Trust meHe knows how much I don't have it together He sees the most frail and real parts of you and me and He says, I LOVE YOU ANYWAY There's NO relationship in my life that is a GUARANTEE. In any given day I could screw it upor someone else could blow it up. All my human relationships are without a net Because they involve humansand we all blow sooner or latersomewheresome how. But my relationship with Christ is a LOCK And now, on my worst day, I have Someone who says, "ManI love you anyway and I'm ALWAYS here." So when I'm laying awake at night and realize that truthit feels 180 degrees from when I was laying awake in high school truly all alone. One feels like the Titanic and the other feels like the warmest, safest place I know. Check out His promise to us: "And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from His love. Death can't and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away. Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." Rom. 8:38-39 (band up) That promise is made to us through Jesus' death on the cross Already this year you've heard me reminding you every week of promises God has made to us. But there IS a catch to God's promises They're not for everyone. God's promises are rock solidfor those who believe that Jesus died for them who ask Him for forgiveness and ask Him to lead their lives That's all there is to get in the "Jesus promise of the day club." But, ya knowsometimes it's not easy to really understand the cross so I'd like to share this true story that I know will help you understand it. Earlier this year, the TV show, Good Morning America, interviewed an old Jewish man who lived in New York City. They went behind his house and he had erected a makeshift altar of old stones and rocks that he had piled up and every day he went out to that pile of rocks and gave thanks. His story was that he was a Jewish prisoner in Ravensbrook Concentration Camp in WW II Germany; And as he was there, every evening the German guards would call out a number and whoever represented that number they would drag him to the middle of the yard, put a bullet in a gun and shoot him in the head. While they were doing it, they would announce over the loud speaker, "We're doing this because we're powerful and strong and the Jews are dogs. And the only reason we don't kill all of you is that bullets are too valuable." It was a tough thing to go through, and especially one evening when his number was called and he just broke down and cried and yelled, "No, that can't be the right number. Please somebody, you don't understand. I have a wife and kids who are out there. I need to be a dad. I'll change my life God, anything, help me!" They were just dragging him forward like everybody else who had pleaded for mercy. As he was about half way through the yard a Catholic priest, also a prisoner at Ravensbrook, raised his hand and said in German, "I'll take his place." (DAVE BOTTOMLEY) The German guards unbelievably stopped, shrugged their shoulders, went to the Catholic priest, dragged him to the middle, put a bullet in a gun and shot him in the head. Three months later that Jewish man was free having survived the hideous concentration camp. When the TV crew went to the man's house, they showed his family and his friends, and his extended family, and children, and great- grandchildren and all of that was possible because of a Catholic priest who raised his hand and took his place. And then they showed him alone with this pile of rocks, and he said with tears in his eyes, "I never knew that man's name. But every morning at 6 am, I come out to this altar and give thanks to the man who raised his hand and took my place." You know what guys? that story is our story---but WE know the Man's name It's a story about Jesus of Nazareth who raised His hand to take my place; to pay for my sin. And He took your place; and He paid for your sin. The cross is a place where a King raised His hand and made eternal life and life where we're NEVER apart from Him possible. The band is going to lead us in a worship songthat's a prayer we sing to Jesus. Some of you guys have felt your heart beat a little quicker in the last few minutessome of your minds have been weighing out if you buy all that I've been saying tonight That's God knocking at your door that's Him doing His thing that's Him wanting to come inonly YOU can grant Him an all access backstage pass During this songbe open to what He wants to do in you tonight---that's all I ask. And after this song I'm going to give you the opportunity to ask Him in. And you don't need any "religious" training for this prayer to work. You don't need a truckload of faith for it to work. Last week Scott told us the truth that if we have the faith of a tiny mustard seed, that's all we need. Now let God do His thing as we sing this song. (Be the Center) Romans 10:9-13 says, "For if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved Anyone who believes in Him will not be disappointedfor anyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." If you wanna go God's way if you want Supernatural help molding your clay whisper this prayer with me. And if you prayed this prayer so long ago, that you don't know if you really knew what you were doing whisper this prayer tonight for the LAST time. (feel it & go with His Spirit-----THIS IS IT!) (Repeat after me) "God I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son I confess that I have fallen short and sinned in my life I believe that Jesus died on the cross to pay for my sins. And as much as I know how, I want to follow You from now on. I ask Your Holy Spirit to come into my life Thanks You so much, GodAmen." (Ask to do the HARDEST thingstand up---LOCK IT IN) Worship Set!! Close: - You're not there...we're never there...just in process...it's a Marathon - "We are the clay, You are the Potter; we are all the work of Your hand." Isaiah 64:8 - "Who I am in Christ" read NIGHTLY - Talk w/you < back top o'page home page