The Faithfulness of God

Speaker 1 0:30

Northgate . Will you give God some praise in here ? Come on , come on . How about you guys have one of the most incredible pastors I've ever met in my entire life ? Will you show him some love ? There you go . We have become fast friends , as he loves food , and so do I , and you guys have some good food . I just didn't know that y'all had the food game on lock like this . I mean , I've had some great food since I've been here . Today's going to be really incredible . I'm excited about preaching and starting off this sermon series .

Speaker 1 1:06

I got a chance to talk about faithfulness . Now I may ask you he said I'm a little interactive I may ask you to nudge the person beside you . So let's just do a practice run where you just nudge the person beside you and say you look good today . That's all you have to say . You look good . The first service , I literally saw a husband kiss his wife . I said you are really going to steal church time to get your little flirt in , and so , okay , tell the person on the other side you look good too . I don't want to leave you out . You look good too . I don't want to leave you out . There you go .

Speaker 1 1:39

Today we get a chance to unpack this idea of the faithfulness of God , and just a mere fact that we're sitting in these seats and I'm standing on this stage and you're watching online lets me know that God is faithful , because everybody didn't get here the same way . Somebody showed up and someone sitting in a seat , but someone barely got here today . Someone almost threw in the towel this morning . Somebody said , pastor , I arrived , but my soul is wounded . My spirit is wounded . I'm here , but I need to understand what is this faithfulness of God , because there are moments when my life doesn't seem like it is , so faith driven and I want to know where God is .

Speaker 1 2:15

Psalm 107 , 2, . This is the scripture I've been a little bit obsessive about and this is what it says in the scripture Psalm 107 , 2, . It says let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story . The redeemed of the Lord , that means if you've ever said yes to Jesus , you are the redeemed of the Lord . And it says let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story .

Speaker 1 2:37

Every person in here has a story to tell . You have something that you've walked through . You have something you've experienced . Maybe you're experiencing life right now , but there is a story , there's a journey , there's a reason . There's a place that you've come from . You have an absolute story to tell and you have to tell it .

The Power of Sharing Your Story

Speaker 1 2:55

The Bible says that the redeemed of the Lord tell their story . Why ? Because someone is watching your life and taking their cues from you . I know it's not just your cousin who watched you at Thanksgiving and has something smart to say . There's somebody at your job who's watching you . There's your neighbor who's watching you . There's your child who's watching . For many of you , your parents are watching you . Why ? Because they want to know if Jesus lives on the inside of you . Do you have a child ? Do you have a story to tell ? Do you have something to say about it ? What does God have to say about the matter ?

Speaker 1 3:26

I love this idea because it lets me know . Not only do you have a story , this city has a story . I was excited to come here because Aaron had told me about the food quality here and he's been taking me to all the great restaurants . I had sushi here . I've never had any place else . Okay , it just had all types of flavors going on . But then there's like a rich music history in this area and I'm a hip hop fan , but I'm also like an old school rock fan and all of the music that I love . I said it came from here , and why ? Because that lets you know that the culture has a story to tell . But it's not just the city . This church has a story to tell . This church is impacting a city , this church is impacting a state . This church is impacting family . Why Families ? Why Because we're committed to telling the story of God's faithfulness .

Speaker 1 4:17

When you walked in here today , you put gas in your car $5 gas . Thank you , jesus . We rebuked that from hitting Texas . Amen , in Jesus' name , my God , we will stay where we are and forgive me for complaining . In Jesus' name . All right , california , you guys are living by faith over here . I'm surprised you just haven't started putting water in that car stand . Well , let me see he turned water into wine . Let me see what he'll do with gas .

Speaker 1 4:48

But you walked in here today and this building is called the church , but we are also the church . Somebody say where's the church ? I hear you loud and clear . That's so good . We are the church . You want to know what I believe the church is the definition of .

Speaker 1 5:01

I believe that the church is heaven's embassy on earth . If you've ever traveled outside of the country . At some point someone will tell you . If you experienced trauma , if you have any problems , if there's any chaos and you're in another country , just get to the embassy and you'll be okay , because the rules that apply in America , though you're on foreign soil , if you just get to the plot of land that they've called the embassy , the rules that apply for you in America will apply for you at this embassy . That's why the church is heaven's embassy on earth . We're telling a story of the faithfulness of God , letting them know . I don't know what's happening on the outside of these walls , but whenever you walk into this building , whenever you encounter somebody from Northgate Church , the rules that apply in heaven are the rules that apply when you're around me . If there's favor in heaven , there's favor in this church . If there's joy in heaven , there's joy in this church . If there's healing in heaven , there's healing in this church . Why ? Because you happen to get around an ambassador . What am I ? An ambassador for the faithfulness of God .

Speaker 1 6:10

Can you remember that old school moment where life was trying to sing to you that it was all going to fall apart , and you're still standing ? Remember when you thought it was all over ? It's all over . It's not all over , but you're still standing . Why is it that you're still standing ? Because of the faithfulness of God . God is looking to cultivate an amazing story through your life .

Speaker 1 6:35

That word story . If you break it down , the etymology of that word is called Astoria . It is where we get the word history from . That means let the redeemed of the Lord share their history with God . That word history , a story , means the connection of events or connection of happenings .

Speaker 1 6:51

What are the events in your life where , when you pause and think about it , god , you were faithful . God , you were consistent . God , you were committed to me . God , you were there . History has taken over and I have history with heaven now . But I also have the ability to activate the resume of the Redeemer . Do you know that God has a resume ? Have you ever seen an indeed resume ? Have you ever built a resume ? It's like what makes you able to be God in my life ? Oh , your resume says you're faithful . Okay , I see that . Your resume says you're a Redeemer . Okay , I see that . Your resume says that you're a healer . Okay , I see that . What is God's resume in your world or in your life ? If you look at it , god is consistent with his resume . Why ? Because his history , his track record , is good . The same God that says I turn graves into gardens looks at your story and says watch me rescue you and take you higher . You're going to have impact . Maybe nobody else in your family ever had impact . Maybe no one else in your family ever moved the needle forward in their giving , in their generosity or in their Jesus story . But the Lord is looking at you , sitting in this seat in this house in this moment and saying I have tapped you with my finger to say you are going to be the person in your family to move forward in faithfulness , because you discover what God is faithful .

Speaker 1 8:16

I was talking to my mother the other day . My mom is 76 years old . Shout out to my mother my mom is a believer . Okay , mama , you see this . They're clapping for you . My mama's going to share this with all her friends , girl . They were clapping for me .

Experiencing God's Faithfulness and Loyalty

Speaker 1 8:34

I was talking to my mother the other day and she told me , in 76 , she said , courtney , I'm writing a book . I said you are mama . She said I'm writing a book . I said what is it about ? I said about the faithfulness of God . She didn't even know I was preaching this this week and I said tell me about it . She said , courtney , I got all kinds of testimony . My mom got saved in 1978 . She said but I remember the moment you were about three years old and the doctor said that you had a heart condition and I didn't know any scripture , so I just got saved . But all I knew that I could pray and I asked the Lord to be faithful over your life . And when I took you back to the doctor , there was nothing wrong with you . It was the faithfulness of God that I saw and I was like that is so cool . I didn't even know that moment existed . You just told me something about me that I didn't even know . She was like yes , courtney , you're a walking miracle . I said I am . I walked back in there around my wife . I said girl , you better put some respect on my name . I'm a walking miracle . Hey , courtney , how you doing , girl ? My name is Miracle . What are you talking about ? Well , my mama told me you have to be if people want to know what is your story about Jesus . Has Jesus walked into your life and been faithful about anything ? And if so , the big , the small , they want to know about it .

Speaker 1 9:49

One time with my mom we were sitting in a who remembers when churches have evening service . You remember churches , that evening service , sunday evening , you watch no sports back in those days , you just church , got something to eat , church again , go home time to go to school the next day , all right . And so back in the day when we would have like evening service , my mom she was a single mom who was raising three kids and this one particular day we didn't have enough gas to get back to evening service . And I really wanted to get back to evening service that day because I knew the drummer may not come and there was a chance they may let me play the drums . And this girl that I thought was cute , nevermind . And so my mama , she was going to sorry , mama , I'm sorry , surprise , I just told you .

Speaker 1 10:29

And so my mother , she was in the car and she was activating faith in front of me . She said , courtney , we don't have enough gas . But I believe by faith that if we pray that the God who turns graves into gardens , the God who actually helped David take out the lion , that same God will put gas in his car . And I'm just yelling like hey , whatever it takes , whatever needs to happen . Let's do it , let's activate . My mom starts praying and I'm saying that I'm praying too , my little six grade I mean a six year old prayer . And I'm like , yes , god , do it , lord . And I'm telling you now we watched that needle go from one place to the next place and when he got there , my mom said let's go to church . And we went to church . I didn't get the girl , but I did play the drums . I thought that was a wild story when I told it earlier , but two ladies that were sitting in here at the last service stopped me in the lobby and they said do never believe it . We have the same testimony . We had saw God put gas in our car and then somebody else stopped me in the lobby and they said you're never gonna believe this testimony . I ran out of gas and the Lord allowed me to coast for 15 minutes until I got a gas and I said what 15 minutes . God will show up and be exactly what he needs to be when he needs to be it .

Speaker 1 11:43

I told you , I grew up in church . In back in the 90s and the 2000s , we were obsessed with the idea that God was royalty . And it is true , he is royalty . He is royal in all of his ways . But when I told you we took it to the max . I mean we took it to the max of royalty where we started putting purple banners up everywhere . I mean we started putting , like , purple flags around the church . The carpet was purple , the chairs were purple . You didn't know if you were at church or a Lakers game , you like . Is he worthy or is that James worthy ? I don't really know what's going on , but all I know is a lot of purple happening in here . And they told us this idea that God is royal .

Speaker 1 12:25

But at some point after living life I discovered it's not just that God is royalty , god is loyalty . I didn't really have a grasp for him being royal , but I did have a grasp for how loyal he was , because I knew in my life what I was looking for when it came to loyalty with people that I love and people that I did life with . And I said now this I can understand If I ever get in a fight of life , god is loyal . He'll step in If I ever find myself getting jumped by life because , as the Gen Z say , life be lifeing . Sometimes you could be minding your own business . And if you don't know what life be lifeing means , I'll explain it . Life be lifeing means that stuff starts to happen . Okay , you're in the middle of minding your own business , you have a strategy , you have a plan and life will throw you a curve ball and in the middle of the curve ball you need a loyal God in your life .

Speaker 1 13:22

I didn't really understand royalty , but I totally understood loyalty and I understood that I could maximize the faithfulness of God and understand it better if I would not just try to pull on it in a one and done just one time . Oh God , come on , come on , be faithful . No , no , I found his faithfulness through the journey . It is through the process . I have a little tension with the word process because when I hear the word process I often think about being put through machines and a process like there's a lot of machines , it's canned , it's going to put me in a machine . But I love my Canadian friends who say process . They think they're so much better than us Process . You know Americans who are like process . How can they just like process ? I like it because it lets me know I'm not being processed into my next place of faithfulness . I'm being processed , which means I have to take , as a processional , one step and I have to trust the next step . And I got to keep walking forward because if I'm going to maximize what faithfulness looks like , I am going to have to process forward .

Speaker 1 14:36

Maybe you're sitting in here . You're wondering what your faith journey looks like . I want to tell you take the next step , take the next step . Take it in faith , even if you're struggling to believe . Take the next step . If you're struggling to understand it , take the next step . God has a way of showing up and showing out in a way that you can never imagine . That little boy who sat in this car and watched that gas need to move is the same little boy that later on , when he met his gorgeous wife Quenetta hey , girl , who met his gorgeous wife Quenetta and now we've been married 25 years , 25 . And so we've been married 25 years . We had no clue that around year three , when we wanted to have kids , we couldn't figure out what was going on . Why aren't we having these kids ?

Speaker 1 15:23

When we went to the doctor and what seemed like it should have been a simple doctor routine checkup , the doctor had some sobriety in his voice when he called us back and said Mr , mr Beard , I need you to come to my office as soon as you can . I said uh-oh , what's this about ? He said I'd rather talk to you face to face . We walk into that office I just preached the day before it's on a Monday . He sits us down . He says Mr Beard , I have some news for you . He said a phrase to us that many of us have probably heard in this room or we've heard of someone who's heard it . And he said Mr Beard and Mrs Beard , your wife has cancer . I said that's not possible , because I was just on stage preaching the other day and I know that he wouldn't do that to me because he's faithful . And then , all of a sudden , I'm starting to get a little discouraged because he tells me it's aggressive cancer .

Speaker 1 16:20

And we cry in that doctor's office and my wife , we look at each other and we're saying God is still faithful , with tears rolling down our eyes . God is still faithful . When our heart broken and despair , god is still faithful . Because I could not let myself go to the point of grief . Something had to stand between my grief and my reality and that was the faithfulness of God . The faithfulness of God has a way of putting one leg on the door and saying stay close and one arm forward and say stay there and say launch me , show myself to be faithful .

Speaker 1 16:57

The doctor went back in and did another surgery on my wife . He said I want you to just trust the process . My wife and I started playing worship music around the house because we said we need to shift our atmosphere . If faith comes by hearing , hearing the word , then we need to change what we're listening to . So we started listening to worship music all around .

Speaker 1 17:15

The doctor went in and did another surgery . He said Mr Beard , it looks worse than I thought it looked . I said Jesus , and so we said okay , you just let us know what the next step is . That doctor said he was going to call us back in a week . One week went by , he didn't call us . Second week went by , he didn't call us . Third week , fourth week I said I better call him . This must be pretty bad .

Speaker 1 17:33

He gave up hope on us . We call him the fourth week and he's stumbling . He says Mr Beard , you need to come into the office . I'll take my wife . We go sit in the office . He walks in a little shaken and he said Mr Beard , I have something to share with you and your wife . He said I have sent your wife's information to . We lived in Virginia . Then he said I sent it to the top specialists in Virginia , delaware and Maryland . He said and all of them can't even find a trace of cancer . It doesn't show that cancer ever existed in her body . And he said I don't know what this is . I jumped off the table and said let me tell you what this is . I began to talk to him . He said whoa , whoa , whoa . How , my atheist . I said you a believer .

Speaker 1 18:11

Today , let me tell you about Jesus . God is faithful , he's faithful . You know , my wife and I we never did have those kids that we were longing for . And even in the midst of us not having those kids that we were longing for , we're still able to point our head to heaven and say the truth is still the truth , though the earthly facts are the earthly facts . I know that I don't hold these kids , but I know that God is still faithful because I've seen what he's done in my wife's life , so I am not going to say that he can't do it . I know that God is still faithful . Growing in the process of faithfulness is realizing that , even when it's not the outcome that we desire , the truth is that God is still faithful . I watch this faithful God stand at force . How do I know ?

Speaker 1 19:02

Lamentations 322-24 says this God's loyal love couldn't have run out . Guys , if you have lost what to say to your girl , you just look at her and say girl , my loyal love never runs out . Take it right from the word God's loyal love couldn't have run out . There's no way his love could run out . How do I understand the faithfulness of God ? I first have to reconcile his love couldn't run out . I can't exhaust this love . I can't out send his love . I can't go so far that his love isn't still chasing me down and finding me . God's loyal love couldn't have run out . And we don't often understand loyal love because so many relationships are transactional . If you do this , then I want to be with you , but if you offend me , watch me walk away .

Speaker 1 19:55

God is saying I'm loyal , but he also says it's his merciful love . Couldn't have what Line up . You may feel like you're in a dry land , but His mercy hasn't dried up . His mercy is still there for you , ready to what , hydrate you with His love to move you forward . And then it says they're created new every morning . How great your faithfulness . I'm sticking with God . I said over and over he's all I've got left . I love this part right here , because he says they're created new every morning .

Speaker 1 20:29

Now , in order for me to really understand this , that the foodie that I am , I live in San Antonio , texas , where we have the world's best breakfast tacos you ever want to have in your life , and every morning I can wake up and I don't want some yesterday's taco . No , no , no . I want my tortilla made yesterday or today , last night or this morning . I prefer what is made this morning and I want fresh bean and cheese on my tortilla . And the barbacoa needs to cook all night so that way I can get it fresh . How in the world do I trust the Lord for fresh tacos , but not fresh love and fresh mercy ? Every morning that I wake up and I go get my breakfast taco , how do you just say it's not the taco that's fresh ? God is also fresh . Fresh in what ? Fresh in love .

Speaker 1 21:11

That means that when you wake up in the morning , if the first thing you're thinking about are your mistakes , grab you some fresh love and season it into your day Hello , god . Can I borrow that mercy and season it into my life ? Can I borrow that love and season it into my life ? It says how great your faithfulness . He's full of faith . How great is it . It's greater than you could ever

Faith and God's Faithfulness Power

Speaker 1 21:33

imagine .

Speaker 1 21:34

Then it gets a little bit braggadocious , and I love this about God . It says I'm sticking with God . I'll say it over and over again , because there are moments in life when the enemy in life is trying to overthrow your ability to understand and to walk out the faithfulness of God . That you'll need to say it over and over and over again . There have been moments in my life where I just had to walk around and just repeat the word God is faithful . God is faithful . It looks crazy . God is faithful . It looks like it's falling . God is faithful . It looks like it's not working out . God is faithful . It looks like it's going down . God is faithful .

Speaker 1 22:08

And I watch a loyal God reach into my lousy situation and pull it up higher . Why ? Because he's all I've got left . Have you ever been at the point in life where you wondered do I have anything left ? Do I have anything to offer ? Maybe you're at a place right now when you said I've run my race and I don't feel like I have anything left to offer . I want to tell you you still have something left to offer . This is not your sunset . You're just getting started .

Speaker 1 22:38

At the best of this next level , god is looking you square in the eyes and saying his faithfulness is still good . Why ? Because his loyalty is with his love and his mercy is with his love . Here's what I know . The Bible says faith comes by hearing . God's faithfulness gets partnered with by my yes . I'm praying for your yes this morning . I'm praying that your yes will stand up .

Speaker 1 23:03

You know , my faith was something that , as a young believer , I didn't ever want to mess up . You know , when I first understood , I said God , I'm going to be a good Christian . I'm going to be a good Christian because my faith is going to be good . And it reminds me of my wife . She is a counselor in middle school and high school and when the kids get new shoes and they don't want to crease them , they kind of walk like this because they don't want to crease the shoes . You know , why are you walking like that ? I don't want to crease my J's up , I don't want to crease my shoes up . So they walk a little funny . You will see kids who can walk perfectly fine , but those shoes , they're not going to mess them up , so they walk a little funny . That was me with my faith . Courtney , why are you walking funny in your faith ? Because I don't want to crease my faith . Until somebody said you don't increase your faith until you're willing to get your faith messy .

Speaker 1 23:49

Faith has to get into the dirt with you . Faith has to get into the trauma with you . Faith has to get into the triggers with you . Faith has to get into the things that really bother you . Faith has to get down into the depression with you . Why ? Because it's in that moment where you discover God is faithful , he's full of faith , he's full of loyalty . Faith is this .

Speaker 1 24:12

I got four things to tell you . Faith is the foundation of my journey , your journey . The foundation that it walks on is called faith . Tomorrow , when you wake up , I want you to tell yourself this is the day . Of faith steps Everywhere I walk . I'm not going to walk like that middle schooler . I want to walk like me , because if my faith gets a little bit dirty today , it's okay , it's a part of my journey .

Speaker 1 24:36

What's the second thing ? Faith is a door out of trouble . Are you in trouble ? Have you found yourself in trouble ? Has somebody worked your last nerve ? Has the traffic almost made you tell somebody something you're going to regret later ? You better activate your faith . Why ? Because faith is good when I'm in trouble . Maybe your job is on the line , Maybe for you you've lost your job . Faith will help you when you're at a place of trouble .

Speaker 1 25:00

What's the third thing ? Faith is an anchor for my soul . My soul , if you're taking notes . I always say this . My soul is my mind will , emotions , imaginations and affections . Faith is an anchor . It holds me down , because there are moments in life that if my soul is not anchored , I am going to make a Courtney decision and not a God decision , and that Courtney decision will mess up everything . But a God decision will move me forward to understand his faithfulness and to let the redeem to the Lord tell his story .

Speaker 1 25:32

And number four faith is a shield during a spiritual attack . Are you walking through something today that you just feel like it's just life , that you need to reassess it and say no , no , no , this is a spiritual attack . I see what's happening right here . My kids aren't crazy . This is just a spiritual attack . Right here , my life's not falling apart . This is a spiritual attack . Oh , okay , you tried to come against me . This is a spiritual attack . What do you need to finally assess as a spiritual attack that you cannot put your focus on ? You have to put your faith on , because your faith is going to walk through the door of that thing and it's going to cause heaven to stand up for you .

Speaker 1 26:07

Hebrews 11-1-2 says this Now faith . Everybody say now faith . Do you remember that person you nudged before who looked real good ? You know , do me a favor . You nudged him and say now faith . Touch the person on the other side and say can we go out to eat after church ? Okay , never mind , all right .

Speaker 1 26:24

Everybody say now faith . Now faith . It means right now , the faith that I have right now . Not the faith that I have later , but the faith that I'm willing to walk in on Monday , on Tuesday , on Wednesday , on Thursday . My now faith brings our hope into reality and becomes the foundation needed to acquire the things we long for . I don't know about you , but you walked in here . You're still longing for something . You're longing for something . You're longing for your purpose or you're longing to say God , how do you want to use me ? I don't know if I've ever given you my full yes . How do you want to use me ? And it says this it is all the evidence required to prove what is still unseen .

Speaker 1 27:02

This testimony of faith is what previous generations were commended for , previous generations . When I was a kid , I didn't understand the previous generations in their walk with God . I just thought they were crazy people . Why are you running ? Why are you jumping ? Why are you standing on faith ? Why are you screaming hallelujah ? Why are you raising your hand ? You can't ask questions in the middle of discernment or you're saying I agree , I get it , what are you doing ? What do these hymns mean ? What do you mean ? The Calvary's cross .

Speaker 1 27:32

Until I got older and I understood that when it said greatest of faithfulness , greatest of faithfulness , morning by morning , the mercies I see , all I have needed , thine hand has provided . Greatest of faithfulness to Lord , unto me . And when I begin to understand it , when I begin to understand faith , that sometimes the faithfulness of God is displayed in the melody , sometimes it's displayed in my restraint . Sometimes it's whoa , my restraint . Sometimes the faithfulness is in your restraint . Oh , I'm not . I could respond , but I'm not . I could say something , but I'm not going to say it . I am going to restrain . Look at me , god , restraining myself . Why ? Because you're faithful , you're full of faith . What does that mean ? So my mother was the previous generation who raised me in faith . I got married . My wife and I journeyed through the process of faith . Remember that faithfulness doesn't mean that I always get the outcome that I want , but it's me trusting God in the outcome that is , and stewarding it so well that people could look at my story and the redeemed of the Lord could tell their story . People went .

Speaker 1 28:59

A few months ago , my mother-in-law found herself in a situation where she was diagnosed with cancer . My wife went there to be with her and stood by her bedside and we watched my mother-in-law in this bed and we're like , oh my God , this is probably the end of the journey for her . And one day , while my mother-in-law was fighting , she's really fighting for her life . One day I'm preaching online and they're watching on an iPad . And one day I do an altar call and my mother-in-law was the only strength she has . I said who wants to give their life to Jesus ? She raises her hand up with all the strength that she has in that moment and she says to my wife I want Jesus . And right there , watching me online , she begins to say the prayer with me . And in that moment of faith we see God's faithfulness towards her because he says , daughter , I see you enough to be the salvation you need in this moment .

Speaker 1 29:55

We moved my mother-in-law back to Texas and I watched her get stronger and stronger every day . And can I just tell y'all something ? Can I please tell you something ? We took her to the doctor like a month and a half ago and the numbers were it was a 200 and something . Her numbers have gotten down to 60 something and we're celebrating Jesus that he's being as faithful as he said he'd be .

Speaker 1 30:19

I realized and I reconciled when I wasn't able to have kids that , in spite of , god is still faithful . I'm looking at you and saying no matter which direction it goes in , it does not change the truth that God is loyal , he's consistent , he's faithful and he always shows up . He always shows up . And so now , when I look at this and I didn't do this first service , but if you could throw that first scripture back up there for me one more time so when Psalm 107 and two walks into my life and it says let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story . I now have a story to tell where you celebrate Jesus in here . Stand on your feet with me , come on , go ahead , stand up . I told y'all I've been married 25 years . Right ? Can I give y'all one of the secrets ? Some of y'all have been married longer than that , so you gotta give me some secrets . But here's mine as a 25-year-old married guy 25 years married . Here's my secret . You ready ?

Speaker 1 31:30

I have learned , and my wife has learned , to celebrate the art of the little things . We aren't just waiting for big anniversaries to celebrate . It is waking up every day and saying girl , did you part your hair in the middle today ? That looks good . Oh , you know , you look good with the middle part . You know what I'm saying . You parted it on the right side today . I was hoping you parted it on the right side today . Your hair looks so good .

Speaker 1 31:56

Or looking at her and saying is that a new outfit ? Because I don't remember that outfit . Is that a new outfit ? It's the small things . It's looking at her and saying I'm so glad you walked through the door . Welcome home , love . I have found that it's celebrating the daily things which builds our muscles just in case the storm comes . We have history , we have foundation , we have a resume of the goodness and the gratitude of me loving on her and her loving on me .

Speaker 1 32:27

Not just waiting for the big moments , but celebrating the small moments . And that is how you process through life , one step at a time . You say , god , thank you for waking me up . It's a small thing , but I'm going to celebrate it . We often wait for the big things but start with something small . God , I'm able to just come to this church . Thank you , jesus . God , I was able to put gas in my coffee . Thank you for your faithfulness . I have bowls to put on . Thank you for your faithfulness . I was able to eat last night . Thank you for your faithfulness . My kid is actually doing good in school . Thought , you didn't get kicked out . Thank you for your faithfulness . Someone will understand this . My kid is potty trained . Thank you for your faithfulness . My kid slept in their room last night . Thank you for your faithfulness . And then you get bigger . Thank you for this job . Thank you for your faithfulness . And you look up and , day after day , you built this huge mountain of gratitude and when life happens , it's second nature for you to activate the faithfulness of God Because , like a marriage that's been together for 25 years , you used every day .

Speaker 1 33:35

Do me a favor . I didn't do this , the first service . Would you just mumble , not too loud , don't try to get attention Just mumble real soft , something that you're grateful for . Just mumble it . No one can hear you Just say it Go ahead , that's good , that's

Gratitude and Faithfulness Celebration

Speaker 1 33:50

good , that's good .

Speaker 1 33:51

Give me one more thing you're grateful for , just go . One more thing , go . Just mumble it , go . That's good . I don't know , it sounded like a bunch of secret keepers , everybody like sure In here . All right , give me a third one , just one more . One more thing you're grateful for . Don't make it big , make it small . It's just one last thing , but just say it a little bit louder than a mumble . One , two , three , go . I love that . And the God , who is able to listen to the volume of me talking right now , also hears the mumble of your gratitude , as you said it with the whisper , and he's looking at you and saying and watch me . Continue to be faithful .

Speaker 1 34:33

Northgate , will you help me and celebrate a faithful God in this place ? Come on , give God some praise . Come on church , make it loud in here for Jesus . I hear you , I hear you , I hear you , I hear you . I hear you from the front to the back , even online . We hear you Right in the chat Faithful , faithful , faithful .

Speaker 1 35:00

If you're here today and you're like Pastor Courtney , I love some prayer just for my muscles of faith . Can you just pray some more into that ? If that's you and you said , pastor Courtney , I want that prayer , raise your hand up high . We're going to do it quick , right here . There you go , raise it up all the way . Oh man , that's so good . Thank you , jesus . I want to pray this prayer . I just want you to hold your hand if you receive it . Father , in Jesus' name , I pray over every hand that's lifted . Father , by your name and your mighty right hand . Father , I thank you . Right now that you are walking in into the stories of our life , father , you are expanding our vision to see the faithfulness of who you are . Our hearing for the faithfulness of who you are , father , our life for the faithfulness of who you are , and we will not turn our back on it . In Jesus' name , we pray . Somebody say amen , give God some praise .