So, I want to start my I talk to you the next few minutes with just a question that some of you have already answered by coming forward today, but I want to talk a little bit more and expound on it. And and it’s a simple question. Do you want to be better? Do you want to be better?

Turn to your neighbor and ask them that. Just say, “Hey, do you want to be better?”

Everybody say, “My heart’s open. My mind’s ready. Make me better God. Make me better God by your word. I receive it. I believe it. I won’t be the same again. In Jesus name. Amen.

Can we get one more time? Thank the Lord for what he’s done, what he’s doing. Come on. Answers to prayer. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. I feel God’s presence here today.

John chapter 5. There was a crippled man who was at the pool of Bethesda for 38 years. I mentioned it just a moment ago, but I want to read out of verse six. It says, “When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, do you want to be well? Do you want to get well? Do you want to be better?”

Now that seems like an odd question, but when you live in a certain way for a long time, you get adjusted to the condition that you’re living in and it becomes a condition or a lifestyle that you literally accept and embrace as being who you are.

And when that happens, you’re stuck in a mindset and in a pattern. Pattern of failure, pattern of pain, pattern of poverty, pattern of negativity.

You’re stuck. Not because you have to, but because you’ve been that way long enough that you’ve adjusted mind, your mindset, your habits, your attitude, everything around that condition. And getting better means changing what you’re used to doing, right? and what you’re used to saying and how you’re used to thinking to start a new pattern of faith walking and faith talking and faith living.

And we can see here in this story by the response that this is what had happened to this man. Verse seven said that he responded to Jesus’ question. He said, “Sir, I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred.”

There was a certain type time of year when the water the Bible calls it troubled or stirred by an angel. And the people who got into that pool like today when we call you forward there moments there’s times and people that got there and got in received healing. Right.

And he said, “Here, I don’t have anyone to help me into the pool. While I’m trying to get there, somebody else gets there ahead of me.”

So, let me just ask you, do you see it? Do you see what I just said coming out in this man’s response?

He’s stuck. And he has his reasons. He has his logic. And it’s clear that he’s become hopeless and that his condition is a lifestyle that he’s accepted, he’s settled into it, he’s embraced it, and he’s even defending it. Any suggestion that it could be different, he defends that.

But you don’t know. He says, “You must be a stranger around here.” Let me tell you why.

And all Jesus did, like Jesus touched a nerve. All he did was said, “Do you want to be better? That was all.”

And you know what the answer is? Like yes. That that’s the simple answer. But this is what we do. Yes.

This is how our minds work psychologically is that we build a case around our infirmity. We build a case around our logic, our reasoning, our habits, our way of life, and then we just defend it. I’m guilty of it. You’re guilty of it. We’ve all done it. and are doing it.

But I came to help you today to just put it out here again and ask you, do you want like do you want to be better? Do you want your marriage to be better? Do you want your finances to be better? Do you want your health to be better?

You see, if there’s something that you don’t want to do, your mind will come up with reasons why you can’t do it.

And the opposite is true as well. If there’s something that you want to do, you’ll find ways. You’ll come up with ways.

I read this story again. I’ve read it many times and I thought 38 years and you can’t come up with a friend or two who will embrace your hunger, your thirst, your passion to be healed. You can’t like how unfriendly you must have been.

I was just thinking about it like a guy for how many people did you repel or just who could have been your friend cuz you know when you say I have no friends that doesn’t say something about other people it says something about you. Oh come on now.

[Applause]

When our when our desire is strong enough, our passion is great enough, we start moving in the direction of the things that we’re asking God for.

And a lot of times we’re guilty of, you know, praying for things. And this is beautiful today. the people that have responded, the people that have come close. Some of you who didn’t even maybe come close, but right where you were, you you prayed a prayer for yourself or for your family, you prayed a prayer. Maybe you put a hand on somebody’s shoulder next to you and you prayed a prayer of faith.

It’s so beautiful when we come to God. I’m just following that up to remind you that you can’t do what God can do in your life, but you can do something.

And the Bible says faith without works is dead.

And I just believe today we could be like moving out. We we had a great legacy season here. We put petitions on the walls at the, you know, in the lobbies and we pray in prayers. And I don’t want you to forget that. I want us to keep this going. I want us to keep eyeing, you know, eyeing. Keep the eye on a miracle. Keep an eye on a breakthrough. Keep an eye on an answer to prayer. Stay encouraged. Stay inspired. Amen.

God can do anything. All things are possible when we believe.

So we get to verse eight after the man had given all of you know his explanations and reasons why and then Jesus said to him he didn’t say just he didn’t say I’m so sorry I I just want you to get this side of Jesus.

A lot of people I only get the the you know the the lamb holding long hair chiffonwearing Jesus. I want you to get this side of Jesus.

Jesus said, “Get up.” Right? Get up. Or get up. I don’t know. Get up. I don’t know. But it wasn’t laced with any sort of nice, oh, I’m so sorry. You got to get beyond compassion. And you got to get beyond just mercy. You got to get beyond feeling sorry for yourself.

When when you’re eyeing something and you’re hungry for something, Jesus said, “Get up. Pick up your mat.”

He didn’t say, “Hey, people, help him.” No, get up. Pick up your mat and walk.

At once the man was cured. He picked up his mat and he walked.

Now, you probably when you read this, you thought he was healed first. I don’t believe that he was healed while he was making the effort to do what Jesus told him to do.

When I look at this and other miracles in the Bible, there’s always a directive toward action. miracles, breakthroughs, fresh starts always began with acts of faith.

Like in the Old Testament, God told the people via Joshua, “Go walk around the walls for seven days. Walk around the walls of Jericho, your enemy. Walk around those walls one time a day for six days. And then on the seventh day, walk around it seven times.” A directive toward action.

And I I’ve been to the where the walls of Jericho collapse. I’ve been where the archaeologists have dug up the walls of that city and dug around those walls. I’ve walked around and seen the the remains. And it’s a real story.

The walls collapsed and there was never a weapon that was was raised. There was never an attack that was made, but there was action that was taken and there were steps of faith.

The people moved in faith. Every day they walked one time around the city. And on the seventh day, seven times. And then the walls, the Bible says, came tumbling down.

When it came to the to the lepers, I almost preached on the lepers today. The lepers who were, you know, Jesus came across 10 lepers who had leprosy and they’re not allowed to mix with the other people because of their disease. And and uh Jesus said to them, “Hey, go show yourself to the priest.”

And the Bible says while they were going now, showing yourself to the priest, this is what you did when you were healed, you before you mixed with anybody in public, you went to your priest who inspected you to see that your skin was now free of the disease and then permitted you to go back into social life.

So what Jesus was saying is go show yourself to the priest and they’ve got leprosy. But the Bible says while they were going, while they were on their way,

a young man, a young mom I should say, at our Belleview location, Erica was diagnosed with cancer and she had emergency surgery that removed the whole tumor. And after that she was diagnosed with stage four lymphoma.

And after receiving those treatments she her story or testimony is that the doctors said they they were not very optimistic. But she began walking on her own. And she walks out on her own up and down the stairs. Carries her two-year-old daughter.

Every night she’s meditating on healing scriptures. Her and her husband every night are taking communion each night together, declaring and thanking God for her healing.

That’s what it looks like. I said that’s what it looks like.

Whatever you’re believing God for, act in faith towards what you’re believing for. Am I helping anybody today?

Change your schedule. Rearrange how you do things. Put some new habits in and old habits out of your life and just focus on what you’re asking God and believing God for.

And then and then start to act as if act as if lepers go show yourself to the priest. Act as if you’re going to show him that your skin is clear of disease.

Wow. Wow. Wow. Come on. Let’s give the Lord a great hand today. He is a healer. Amen.

We kicked off the giving season last week with our legacy offering. Thank God for all of the faithful, consistent, generous givers in the house. You amaze me. I’m so blessed to pastor you.

I’m going to tell you in a few minutes the end of the message today our offering total so far. I I’ll tell you where we got to, you know, so far, but I I want to keep moving here.

If you’re a believer who has sat down on tithes and offerings, that means you are at least subconsciously defending a pattern of not giving. And that pattern will hinder God’s work in your life.

He says give and it shall be given. He doesn’t say it shall be given and then give. And if you’re not giving, you’re at least the very least you’re you’re defending that pattern.

You’re you’re talking like the man 38 years. You’re you’re coming up with reasons and rationale of why you can’t afford to give.

And legacy season is an opportunity to get up from a negative pattern.

Somebody shout get up. Get up. Say it again. Get up. Get up.

to get up from what is holding you back and hindering what God wants to do in you and through you.

So, I’m appealing to you as your pastor to see the season we’re in as a church and get in it. Like, get up and get in it. Be a part of it.

Don’t sit in a pattern of trivial excuses when it comes to giving. All right? And start with the tithe.

Start start with the tithe. Like I don’t know if we said it last weekend or not, but we always like to remind people when it comes time for legacy giving that offerings are different from tithes. Legacy is our offering.

And I like to encourage people to step out in faith. If you’re not tithing, step out and start a tithe and give a tithe. We call it the tithe challenge, but start. Start now.

Does it sound harsh for me to say as a pastor? Get up.

If you’ve been sitting on the giving opportunity, get up. That’s right. Why not?

If you’ve been allowing your mind to just talk you out of it, get up. Get up.

If you’re if you’re in a season of your life where you’re dealing with lack, there’s some stories in the Bible just for you. Yeah. like has your name on it where there was a directive given.

One was a hungry prophet who God said, “You go to a woman and when you find that woman in the city, she’s the one who’s going to provide a meal for you.”

And when he went and he felt moved upon to approach the woman and say to her, “Hey, I’m hungry. I I need food.” She says back, “I don’t have much. I got a little bit. I got a little bit for me and my son.”

And it sounds callous to me, but it’s just it’s just a great example of God’s goodness when we’re brave and when we’re bold. And the prophet said back to her, “I want you to cook that up for me.”

Now, his intent, God’s intent was not to take a baby’s food. His intent was for her to have a breakthrough in her own life.

And the Bible says she went, she cooked it up, and she gave it to the man of God. And when she did, the Bible said she never again went to her pantry and it wasn’t it didn’t have food in it. She got a she got a delivery from Safeway that she didn’t have to pay for every single week.

Do you understand what I’m saying to you today? God is our provider. God is your provider.

Everything that you have that is good has been given to you by God. Nobody else has given you what you have that is good. It all originates in God.

And when you give, it’s showing him you know that. That’s what stewardship is all about.

What do you want to see God do in your life? This is not magic. This is not like a genie in a bottle. It’s a scripture.

It’s the scriptural basis for sewing and reaping. It’s as real as a farmer putting seed in the soil. Amen.

And when he puts the seed in the soil, he begins the process of a harvest.

God is faithful to us. God has been faithful to us. God will continue to be faithful to us.

But here’s my question. What if the man What if the man that day had just sat there instead of starting to move in the direction of what God what Jesus said to him?

What if he had not moved? What if they had not walked around the walls of Jericho? What if they had said, “No, we don’t have to do that. It’s not necessary. You’re supposed to be a good God. Just be good.”

Kind of quiet in here right now.

We’ve watched God work in the lives of people all these years. We’ve watched people’s lives be changed. Yes, we’ve watched people who had nothing.

We have a man right now who first time he was basically living from paycheck to paycheck, him and his wife years ago. And many of you know the story.

And I prayed, we prayed on a Wednesday night over a contract where he was trying to buy a piece of land he couldn’t afford. And that door opened up.

And then from there, he had just started tithing, by the way. And his own words was he was he was struggling with it.

But from there the rest of his life just started to flourish. Good things started to happen from his obedience.

We got we we we received notes. I I hope we get more of testimonies, but one came in that said, “Last year, I gave my first legacy offering at a time when I had experienced some financial setbacks. I was behind on my bills and it took a real sacrifice for me to give.

Reflecting over the past year, I’m now in a new job that pays very well. I pay all my bills ahead of schedule.

I just accepted another position in the same company that not only allows me to be 100% remote but also to be but also will provide another 10% financial increase over the next six months in my life.”

Somebody thank the Lord.

God is faithful. God is faithful.

A single mom who attends our church shared that when she gave her first legacy, she was a consistent tither, but she was also on government assistance, had less than $1,000 saved, bad credit, mounting legal bills, and 18 months later, she is off government assistance, and is debtree. [Applause]

See, God God is your Jehovah Gyra. He cares about you. He wants to bless you.

My wife and I were just two young kids, 26 years old, when we came to the Northwest with absolutely nothing.

We embraced what we believed God was calling us to do. There was debt in the church. The little church was in bankruptcy.

And we we said, “Okay, God, we’re going to be obedient. Less than 100 people.

Today, I look around and I think, God, you’ve been so good.

We left our families. We sacrificed. We had nothing to our name.

And there’s no way we would be here if it were not for God’s faithfulness and God’s goodness.

God’s so good. Come on. I said, God’s so good.

He’s a way maker. He’s a miracle worker. He’s a promiseke keeper. Come on. He opens up doors that no man can close.

And to all of your doubts today, let me talk to your doubts today. I want to tell you, God is for you.

Jesus often spoke up about God’s goodness and God’s desire to do good things for us. He explained it like this.

He said, “If an earthly father desires to do good things for his children, how much more does God want to give us good things?”

He is a good God, a generous God, a God of blessing. And I think we ought to celebrate him right now. We ought to thank him for what he’s doing in our lives.

Everything I need, everything we need. Our needs are met. Our needs are supplied. Everything I need. Thank you, God. Thank you, Jesus.

[Music] Raise your hands and worship today. Lift your head up and thank him today. So good.

I want to be better today, God. We want to be better.

We walk by faith, not by sight. every single taking steps of faith in Jesus name in Jesus name. In Jesus name declare and everything.

Thank you Lord. [Music]

All that I need will provide. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I know my God. Thank you, Lord. You’re not empty. He gives his blessings. Let’s sing. I’m still believing.

We walk by. I know the Lord. We walk by the answer to our prayer.

Thank you, Lord. Everything I need. Everything I need. Oh, my father has it.

The enemy is a liar. My father has it. Every single time, the Lord will provide.

Thank you, Lord. My father has it. My father has. [Music]

Amen. Thank you, Jesus.

God’s word never returns void. It always accomplishes what it’s sent forth to do.

And today, I know in your hearts there’s a for many of you, like the doors just got thrown wide open. You’re already thinking about acts of faith, steps you’re going to take, habits you’re going to change.

And then maybe some of you are still struggling with the idea that while you’re crippled, you would actually start to move. You’d actually make an effort.

I hope today moves you off of any hesitation where you don’t hold back. You let God really do what he can do.

Is there a conversation you need to have? Is there a prayer you need to change? Is there a habit in your life of doing good that can break the habits of bad?

What what is it like God would say to you today?

Our house is filled with people whose lives have been drastically dramatically changed. incredible stories of victory through the power of the name of Jesus and everything that you need our Lord will supply.

He said our Lord will supply.

the steps that we take is what heaven responds to.

And so today, I’m going to I’m going to wrap this up by just inviting you to take a step.

We call it the prayer of salvation. And today, if you’re not absolutely sure that you’re on your way to heaven, if something were to happen to you this afternoon, you can’t say for sure that I’m I’m right with God.

If if that’s where you are, I want to pray a prayer with you today.

I’m going to invite you to pray along with me and pray it from your heart. I’ll lead you in it. But it the words need to come from out of your heart.

So if you’re just sincere and you want to be right with God, you don’t have to be perfect. You don’t have to go through some kind of class. You don’t have to be able to recite the Bible or book of the Bible or even a chapter of the Bible.

But if in your heart right now you have faith in Jesus that he is your hope, your salvation, and you want eternal life to be given to you by him.

I’m going to invite you to pray this prayer at all of our locations. We’re all going to say it together, but you know who you are today. A man, a woman, a young person who would be saying this right now in earnest sincerity for a new beginning in your life. Just pray with us if you would.

Here we go. You ready?

Say it out loud. Say, “Lord Jesus, welcome to my world. Forgive me of all my sin. Come into my heart. Make me a new person. I receive you now. as my leader. And as my Lord, as my Lord, I walk by faith. Not by sight. Not by sight. I declare today. I declare today, I’m a new creation. All things are new. All things are new. In Jesus name.”

Welcome to the family of God. Welcome to the kingdom of God. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Welcome. Come on, let’s celebrate new beginnings today.