And so here's what I want to do today.  God's here he's with us he's moving we're going to start a new sermon series today it's been pent up and bound up in my heart for the last little while here and have you been hanging with us for a while over these last few months we've been spending a lot of time talking about grace, the revelation of grace, the finished work of Jesus, identity, righteousness, holiness purity, who we now are because of who he is and what he has done and what I love about this message of grace and what God's been doing with it.  I've been hearing from a lot of people and it's almost like people are getting born again, again.  So that makes sense.  It's like you got born again years ago, but you got born again and then you kind of stepped into religion and somewhere along the way you're now catching this revelation of what Jesus really did it's like getting born again, again and what I love about grace as grace doesn't empower us to sin it gives us the power to overcome sin.

Titus 2:12 says it grace teaches us to say no to ungodliness and worldly passions to live, self controlled upright and godly lives in this present age.  I love that grace is our teacher and because of grace we can say no to ungodliness and worldly passions and live the life that God has for us, and the life that we want to live as well in fact grace allows you to live higher than the law with joy.  So grace really does let you live higher than the law with joy I mean think about the law the 10 commandments for a second, the law tells you what not to do right.  The law can tell you do not commit adultery, but only grace can give you the power to love your spouse.  The law can tell you do not steal, but only grace can give you the power to live a generous life.  The law can tell you do not covet someone else's life their marriage, their possessions what they've got but only grace can make you grateful for the life that God has given you.

Grace empowers what the law demands it becomes our teacher and when you really get this grace, it will always lead you to this place of obedience and following after Jesus.  In fact, you know you're starting to understand the grace of Jesus really the gospel of Jesus Christ when you start passionately pursuing and willingly and obeying Jesus and so my question for you would be then based on that definition are you starting to understand the message of grace.  Are you finding yourself moving to this place of passionate pursuit and willing obedience of Jesus? So you can only obey out of one of three areas we obey out of fear duty or love.  Fear we're worried about what God might do if we do something wrong so that's an inaccurate view of God.  We can obey out of duty, duty is religion what I have to do that's an inaccurate view of what Jesus has already done well I can obey out of love, because he has been forgiven much and loves much.

And based on the love he's given to me I can't help, but love him back and passionately pursue and willingly obey and so that's what I want to talk about for the next few weeks.  Is that okay? It's kind of bound up inside here so you got your Bibles Mark chapter 10.  Mark chapter 10 here's what we're going to do? I'm going to read the story to you it's a familiar story then I'm just going to kind of walk through it.  Just want to walk through the story share a bunch of things to you.  It's a little bit jumbled up this isn't clean, I don't think it's meant to be I'm just going to kind of release a bunch of stuff that's in my heart.  I'm going to press on you, a little bit and so you grab what the Holy Spirit has for you I believe he's got something great for you.  Are you ready? Okay, verse 17 as Jesus started on his way.  A man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him good teacher he asked what must I do to inherit eternal life.  Why do you call me good Jesus answered.  No one is good except God alone you know the commandments.  Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.

Teacher, he declared all these I have kept doing since I was a boy.  Jesus replied, yeah right.  He didn't say that but he was thinking and I promise you, Jesus was thinking yeah right Jesus looked at him and loved him one thing you like he said go sell everything you have given to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven then come follow me at this the man's face fell he went away said because he had great wealth.  Jesus looked around and said to his disciples how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God.  This guy God comes to Jesus and when he first gets to Jesus it looks really good he gets on his knees and he starts talking to Jesus, but if you look a little bit deeper there's a problem there's actually three problems in the very first question.  He asks, Jesus he see and comes to Jesus and says good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life.  Three major problems in that first question first thing he says is good teacher, which means he has a low view of Jesus comes from says good teacher.

He doesn't see Jesus as Lord, as Savior, as supreme as everything as God he sees him as a good teacher.  That's a really low view of Jesus.  I mean, do you realize the world sees Jesus as a good teacher.  Other religions think Jesus is a good teacher the demons no, Jesus is a good teacher a good teacher is a really low view of who Jesus is.  In fact do you remember in Matthew 16 when Jesus says to the disciples he says hey who do all the people say that I am.  In other words, what's their view of me and the disciples respond back they say some say you're like john the Baptist other say Elijah, other say you're like prophet, and in other words they say you're a good man you are a miracle worker, you're somebody that people like to listen to a good teacher and he says okay I don't care about that what I care about is, who do you say that I am and Peter steps forward and he says you are the Christ, the Son of the living God and he says, bless it are you Peter, Simon, son of Georgia for this was not revealed to you by man, but by my Father in heaven.

It was an accurate view of Jesus and the reality is Jesus is constantly asking you, and I that same question.  Who do we say that he is? Do we think he's a good teacher? Do we think he's everything? You see this man shows up to Jesus and because he thinks he's a good teacher he's showing up for optional counsel, it's really why he's there.  Optional counsel, he decides that he's going to listen to what Jesus has to say and then decide whether or not he likes the council and whether or not he's going to listen to it.  If all you ever view Jesus as a good teacher then you're left to respond to what he says to you as you see fit and that's what this man does he listens, but he doesn't like the answer so he decides he's not really going to respond.  Listen, can I give you a little bit of encouragement today, decide you're going to respond before you even ask the question.  In fact, faith chooses to respond. before the question is even asked.  That's faith, faith is not figuring it all out having a completely understood and then saying okay I guess I can do.

No faith chooses to respond before the question is even asked.  You here say around here all the time you want to take next steps on your journey with Jesus, it's ask, listen, respond.  Before you ask decide you're going to respond, no matter what he says to whatever it is that you want to engage with him.  In fact, has anybody ever come to you to ask you for counsel and they didn't take it.  Every parent in the room your hand better be raised right now.  Right, that's an awful feeling.  Do you realize I'm going to break this to you guys.  Do you realize that's my entire profession is giving people counsel that they decided that they really want anything to do, hey that was good, but I'm not going to do anything with that and so they just can't move along that will make you feel a little bit better for me a little bit empathy there but that's a horrible feeling and that's what I think happens to God all the time.  So his first problem is he has a low view of God and then he says good teacher what must I do to inherit eternal life? What must I do he wants to talk about what he has to do?

His behavior, his obedience, his achievement and his work.  He wants to talk about the law.  Now, what's shocking to me is how Jesus responds.  If you come to Jesus and say to Jesus, like how should we get eternal life, we would think the typical gospel answer that Jesus should say is, Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved right.  Any good evangelical knows that mean that's the answer believe in the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved, but that's not what he does.  He responds with the law and he says do not commit adultery, do not murder he goes through the whole thing why? Because if you want to come to talk to Jesus about the law he'll always respond to you with the law.  If you want to talk about what you have to do Jesus is going to make sure you clearly understand there is absolutely nothing you can do and not only did this man have a low view of Jesus, he had a low view of the law, it's a second problem.  Low view of the law he actually thinks he can keep the law to what the Pharisees did this what this guy did they always broke the law down to this place.

I think that's what a lot of churches do today.  We bring it down to this place where we think.  Now I can try hard enough and make that thing happen baby just a little bit more effort, it's going to happen and if you look at the Gospels Jesus spent so much time going and taking the law and putting it back in the place where it belonged.  Back to Matthew chapter six Sermon on the Mount remember at Jesus says you have heard it said do not commit adultery, but I say to you if you even look at a woman with lust in your heart, it says if you've committed adultery, remember that.  That's Jesus taking the law and putting it back to where it belongs because they brought the law down and thought it doesn't matter what's happening in my heart so long as I don't act on it.  Jesus says no, no, no, you've missed the entire intent of the law or how about when, when Jesus says, you have heard it said do not commit murder, but I say you've even have anger in your heart toward your brother and says if you have done it, it's Jesus taking the law and putting it back where it belongs and when he says, you have heard it said love your neighbor as yourself, but I say to you, bless your enemies, bless those who persecute you, he takes the law, and he puts it back to where it belongs so we will have a high view of the law.

Because when you have a high view of the law it does nothing else, but drive you to a desperate need for Jesus and the problem is when we bring the law down here like this guy we think we can do it so what on earth do we need Jesus for that.  You see, can I encourage you, don't go to Jesus to talk to him about the law just don't do it.  Don't talk about what you need to do go and talk to him about what he has already done.  Go talk to him and say Jesus here's what you promised? Here's how you behaved? Here's how you performed? Here's what you did for obedience, go talk to him what he has done.  In fact, if you read the Gospels Jesus never gives the law to sinners tax collectors prostitutes and adulterous is why? Because they had a high view of the law and they knew there was no hope for them to keep it.  So Jesus just pours out grace upon them and they just receive it.  The reason I think we'd like to talk about the law and what we have to do instead of what he has done is it because it makes us feel like we're still in control.  Just a little bit and that makes us feel good okay.  So we got a low view of Jesus, low view of the law and then the third problem is this he says, what must I do to inherit eternal life?

In other words, he wants a ticket to heaven that is all he wants ticket to heaven save me.  The easiest way possible give me in the blessed me club right here and now he wants to take it to heaven.  Nowhere in what this man says, does he ever acknowledge relationship, discipleship, or lordship with Jesus.  Can I just tell you Jesus isn't looking for people, who want to identify with him, he's looking for people, who will follow him.  Jesus isn't really interested in having a voting block of people in the American government system you realized right.  I think sometimes we've reduced Christianity to an evangelical movement of who we can get and get out of office based on morality issues.  Jesus is looking for followers, who will passionately pursue and willingly obey and when you believe in Jesus, you can't help but follow him because his grace empowers you to follow him.

So, so I think this man's problems that sure sounds like the American church and they won't agree with that.  Low view of Jesus, low view of the law and all we want is a ticket to heaven.  Not you and me alright, but other people the person sitting next to you maybe.  Same problems we experienced today and so the story goes on the man thinks this is like good news, he looks at Jesus thinks his Jesus teacher.  Since I was a boy he's like waiting for the high five like Jesus going to put him on a pedestal raise him up and he's going to be the anointed at the right hand of Jesus right, so he's waiting for, but in verse 21 it says Jesus looked at him and left him, said one thing you lack.  Go sell everything you have given to the poor you have treasure in heaven then come follow me.  You won't talk about shockwaves.  This man was shocked, but the disciples were even more shocked because Jesus just asked this man to do something he didn't even ask the disciples to do.  Jesus never asked the disciples to give away everything so everything they have given to the poor so they could have treasure.

He never asked them to do.  He asks this man to do something he didn't even ask them to do why? Because Jesus went right after the man's idols.  The last thing this man wants to talk about is the first thing Jesus addresses.  Anybody want to agree that that's how Jesus rolls.  Last thing you want to talk about is the first thing he's going to always address.  Now, let's talk about this for a second okay.  An idolatry an idol is anything in your life that has more power and significance than God.  All it is, anything in your life that has more power and significance than god an idol is not a little statue that you picked up in India somewhere, it's not a golden calf that sits on your mantle and you have incense and you bow down to it, if you're doing that come up after service we need to talk to you, but I think in our mind that's how we view idols and idolatry is these little statues of foreign gods okay, and idols anything has more power and significance in your life and our idols are disguised as good things.

It look really good money, job, possession, a house, our spouse, our kids, our kids activities, religion, the way we look success significance, hobbies.  Our idols look really good to the world around us, that we get celebrated for our idols, we unintentionally brag about our idols and our idols are usually good things that somewhere along the way we've unintentionally begun to worship.  It's usually a good thing that we've elevated to an unhealthy place in our life and so I've been thinking about it this week because I'm thinking like if I said to, if I just was sitting down with you over a cup of coffee and said hey you got any idols in your life.  I think most of us would say no, because we're thinking of that creepy little statue on a mantel somewhere.  We are like no, no man I got good things in my life and so I've been trying to think okay how do we distinguish whether or not something has become an idol in our life more power and significance than God.

Maybe you want to write these down here's how I think we can tell.  First thing is this is passion what are you passionate about? What instantly just evokes this emotive response, out of you of excitement I mean do you find yourself going to other places and you can cheer and laugh and shout and engage and you come to church and your arms crossed and all of a sudden you become silent.  It's probably telling you something about what has power and significance in your life so passion, then conversation.  Bible says the mouth speaks out of the overflow of the heart so whatever's constantly coming out of your mouth is the main thing that's inside of you.  So is your conversation full of God, or is it full of some of these other things in your life.  After conversation it's sacrifice.  What do you sacrifice your time and your money for? Do you find yourself sacrificing your time and money for some other things, or towards God because the Bible tells us when our treasure is there a heart is also so lets us know, this is what's really important in our life.  How about joy level? Is your joy level determined by this thing.

This person, this object, this situation, this possession in your life or is your joy level determined by your relationship with Jesus.  After joy level it's comfort.  Where do you go for comfort when you're down or hurting or scared and then the last one is just focus.  What are you focused on? What's become the center point of your life? Now realize we don't want to evaluate ourselves that way, we're thinking about the person that we live with and we're thinking about oh I figured out their idol.  It's not about their idol it's about your idol.  What would those things tell you about what's in your own heart.  [Inaudible 00:21:39] they worship their idols, which became a snare to them.  Listen, God will always challenge your idols because your idols become a taskmaster that enslaves you.  God will always challenge your idols aggressively, even though you think it's a good thing in your life.

He will challenge it aggressively because your idols will enslave you as a taskmaster whatever you worship is what you serve.  Make no mistake about it your idols don't serve you.  You serve your idols and Romans 616 says it like this it says, do you not know that if you continually surrender yourself to anyone to do his will you are the slaves of him you obey.  Do you not know, I think if we're honest we really just don't know this, we don't know that this is true that if you continually surrender yourself to anyone to do his will, you are slaves of the one whom you obey.  In other words, whatever you worship you serve that thing.  Whatever has power and significance in your life becomes a taskmaster over you.  If you worship looks you're enslaved to looking good, enslaved.  If you worship success you're enslaved to performing well in your job.

Don’t matter what it is, can be a great thing, but if you worship, it becomes a taskmaster over you and God's a good father and he refuses to allow the children that he loves to remain in bondage.  He wants to set you free and keep you free, because he loves you, fiercely and he refuses to tolerate anything that enslaves you.  I think about it like this for a second.  Let me just maybe put analogy to a fourth.  Imagine there's a man, a husband and unintentionally throughout the years his job has become an idol in his life.  He doesn't even realize that he wouldn't use the word idol his wife wouldn't even use the word idol, but his wife has watched this man for years and years and she realizes that his job has him in total bondage, but he's totally enslaved to his job and he doesn't even realize it and imagine one day the wife says her husband, honey.  I don't even think you see this but you're like totally enslaved to your job.  It literally is like a taskmaster in your life.  It's the only thing you're passionate about anymore. It's the only thing you ever want to talk about anymore.

Your joy level is completely determined based on if things are going well in the office you're happy at home, things are going bad you're miserable at home.  I mean it is the focus of your life it's enslave you it's brought you bondage and so I want you to be free, so I think you should go ahead and quit your job, and I realize we're going to have to probably sell the house and downgrade our life, but I'm okay with that because I want you to live in freedom.  We would say that's a really good wife wouldn't where she wants her husband to be free.  I think sometimes ladies, we can keep our husband in bondage because we say I'm not willing to give up the house, or the car, or the vacations, or whatever it is, and idolatry creates more idolatry bondage creates more bondage okay, that's the husband let's take a student for a second.  Imagine parents one day just look at their student and then they realize unintentionally social media has become a taskmaster in their kid's life that every day other kid does is like on social media all the time.

And every day they're consumed by it it's their passion, it's all they talk about their joy level is totally determined based on what's happening and the parents say to the kid.  They're like, Hey, honey, like I see you and, and every day you go on this and if you didn't get invited to that party that's out there, it makes you miserable and if no one gave you thumbs ups and likes and responded to your tweet it just puts you in this awful mood and you're totally consumed by it and it's determining everything about you, you're in bondage to it so we think you should go ahead and close your account just so you could be free.  Oh [Inaudible 00:25:31] some good parents about this one I'll reverse it.  What if a husband one day comes to his wife and says, honey, I don't even think we realized this and we didn't do it on purpose, certainly, but I realize all of a sudden you're enslaved to our kids activities.  They become a taskmaster over you taking all of our kids to all these different games and activities and music things and so much, it's just become all consuming in your life it's all you talk about it makes you tired all the time.  You're always consumed with it it's the focal point of your life so I just thought Honey, what if we go ahead.

And get rid of some of the activities in our kids lives, not all of them, just some of them because I want you to live free and I really believe honey that, if God wants our kid to be a professional baseball player someday he doesn't have to be on the select team at two years old.  I think God's a little bigger than that and maybe if he wants our kid and that's his destiny to be an all star in the major leagues is going to happen whether he's in the Select league at three or not.  We don't like that one, I know because when you point out someone else's idol.  We respond with defense.  We would say that's a good husband and reverse, just like I said women can keep their husbands and idolatry husbands you can make your wife, live that in slave lifestyle because you really believe that if your kids not on six select teams he's not going to make a scholarship.

Come on God's bigger than that and if we think those are loving moments of people.  Why then when God does that to us do we get mad and offended at him? When God challenges your idol Why do we get mad about it? Why do we get offended at him? See, God will always address the one area you don't want to talk about.  Just playing on it, like just knowing in your heart I don't want to talk about this as all God's going to like probe around, he wants to talk about it.  The rich and rulers like Jesus talk about anything, tell me not to commit adultery, don't lie, obey my parents who are talking about anything just don't touch my money.  Just don't touch my money, but remember the analogy in the Bible is, He's the bridegroom and you're the bride, he refuses to share your affection with anything else.  Even if it's a good thing and usually, our pitches become unhealthy and I realize some of you are looking at me and you're thinking so wait a second, you're telling me I got to give up all my money to follow Jesus okay.

Okay, if you heard that, then that's the issue in your own heart because that's certainly not what's been said yet, is it.  No it is not about money, Jesus told Peter to give up fishing.  He told Matthew to give up tax collecting, he told Nicodemus to give up religion.  He will tell you to give up whatever it is that has gripped you and is enslaved you because he doesn't care if you have things he cares when things have you.  He didn't care if you have all the money in the world.  He cares absolutely though if 1 dollar has a control over your life whatever it is you don't want to talk about, it's probably the thing he's asking you to let go.  Because God cares more about what's holding your heart than what you're holding in your hands and we care more about what we're holding in our hands than what's holding our heart.  It is for freedom that Christ has set you free and catch, this Jesus loves you so much.  He will risk you walking away in order to set you free.

He loves you that much that he will challenge the idols in your heart and risk you walking away from him. In order to set you free, which is what happened to the man, since he left sad.  He left sad and Jesus said how hard it is for the rich to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  I mean this man wasn't at the end of himself he wasn't ready to let go.  He wasn't willing to give up his identity to get into the kingdom, but remember, the only way you get out of the kingdom of the world into the kingdom of heaven is by changing your identity, you're no longer defined by the things in this world you become defined by Jesus.  This man would rather have been defined by his money than by Jesus, which is why I think it's really hard for men in particular to get into the kingdom of heaven.  Think it could read, but how hard is the rich for the to get out of the king, you can read how hard it is for men to get into the kingdom of heaven because we don't like to be vulnerable, give up control or be dependent.

In fact, if you think of our guy in the story, he's open, but he's not broken.  He's interested, but he's not desperate.  He's hungry, but he's not starving.  How many men show up every week to church and they're open, but not broken interested in not desperate hungry, but not starving.  So they turn around and walk away.  Listen guys I love you and so I want to tell you, strong men trust Jesus weak men trust themselves.  Strong men trust Jesus they are pure, humble, submissive, dependent and they've given up all control.  Weak men trust themselves and they are self reliance self dependent, self made, and full of pride and it's only when we get to the end of ourselves that we fought in the beginning of life.  Listen to what Jesus has meant mark eight, when he called the crowd him along with the disciples crowded disciples this is everyone in the world.

And he said if you if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me in other words passionately pursue and willingly obey because of the grace, I will give you through the finished work of the cross for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  In other words, Jesus says if you try to hold on to everything you got as tight as you got you're going to lose your life, but when you let go and open up your hands and decide to trust and follow, it's at the end of yourself that you find the beginning of life and what's amazing in this story is our man leaves with all his money, which means he leaves with all his bondage.  Whenever you walk away from Jesus with the idol he's asked you to cast down you walk away with the thing you wanted to keep, but you also walk away with all your bondage and I think some of us are more comfortable with the familiarity of shackles than we are with the unknown of freedom.  I know how to live in chains I can do that.

I've got no idea what freedom looks like.  Jesus says follow we say where he says I'll show you. We say how long will it take to get there, he says, a while.  We say will it be an easy road along the way, he says no, but I'll be with you.  We say can I bring this thing with me.  He says no, you have to leave it behind.  What will it be like when we get there, better than you can even imagine.  See the key to this whole thing is verse 21.  Jesus looked at him and loved him, and said one thing you lack because everything you have give you to the poor, you have treasure in heaven then come follow me.  He looked at him and loved him.  He didn't catch us.  This man did not believe that Jesus loved him fiercely, so he couldn't hold on to his money loosely.

He didn't believe that Jesus loved him fiercely Jesus looked at him and loved him.  He didn't believe, so we couldn't hold on to his money loosely because at the end of the day this is this whole message of grace we've been talking about, until you believe Jesus loves you fiercely that he's aggressive and passionate and will pursue you the way a husband, a bridegroom pursues his bride with everything he's got until you believe that you will never be able to hold on to things loosely because you live with this hoarding this fear this doubt this worry, this anxiety, this poverty mindset, I got to hold on to everything that I've got because this defines me, but the moment I believe he fiercely loves me I'm like why on earth am I carrying this thing around for.  I'm free Jesus knew the father loved him fiercely so he held on to heaven loosely like of heaven to come to earth because you know the father loved him fiercely.  So I have said everything I've said tonight, which I realize maybe isn't the funniest message we've ever done together, to say this, what's holding you back from following Jesus? What's holding you back? Is it money, a job or a relationship? Is it an ungodly belief a thought that you have.

Is it a religion? Is it looks success significance? Is it comfort you just want to be more comfortable in life, convenience? Is it a goal? Is it a dream? What's holding you back from following Jesus or are you afraid to let go of.  What's that one area you don't want to talk about? What's the thing that Jesus has already asked you to do in life that you just haven't wanted to do? What's that thing? He loves you fiercely you can hold it loosely.  Listen, here's your homework for this week is just do this, ask two or three people in your life just say, what do you think is holding me back from following Jesus can even be unbeliever so you'll be amazed and this is [Inaudible 00:34:47] you can make me feel better take this counsel.  Say I received this counsel, just asked two or three people, what do you think is holding me back from following Jesus?

You'll be amazed at what they say and it's in those moments God will say, yeah, this is the thing I want to set you free from because it's a taskmaster in your life.  It is taskmaster, he loves you, fiercely.  You can hold on loosely first john 416, we know and rely on the love God has for us.  First john 419 there is no love and fear because perfect love casts out fear there's nothing to be afraid of.  Romans 831 and 32 If God is for us who can be against us, he who did not spare his own son, will he not been in him give us all things.  All things, which means if it's a good thing in your life that's become unhealthy and he asks you to throw it down, you throw it down follow him I promise you, he'll give it back to you and it'll be even better than it was when it kept you in bondage and I know some of you are thinking okay well how do I get rid of an idol in my life here's how you do it. swiftly and completely.  There's no like phasing out a percentage every year for the next you know 30 year plan here with Jesus until we get there.

Listen, this is why he tells the man, sell everything give it all away, because if you try to follow me with even 1 dollar in your pocket, you're still going to be enslaved to the spirit of Mammon to money.  Since you got to get rid of all of it and then when your heart gets established in me.  I can give it back to you, because now it won't have you, you will have it and it's only when we respond that way that we get set free.  Listen, I love how Jesus closes this whole thing let me wrap it up here's what he says everyone's shocked I mean just imagine how shocking this whole moment is so Peter like good old Peter does he pipes up and he's has everything to follow he's all stressed out about getting into the kingdom, and Jesus responds I tell you the truth, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me that pretty much covers everything for me and the gospel will fail to receive 100 times as much in this present age, and in the age to come eternal life.

In other words, Jesus says who ever gives up anything for him will get back a hundredfold in this life and in the life to come.  Do you realize I've never met one person that's ever regretted giving something up to follow Jesus.  I've met 1000s of people that have regretted not giving things up sooner, to follow Jesus.  What is that thing that's holding you back? What is that thing that's become a taskmaster in your life? What's that thing you don't want to talk about? This is what Jesus is asking you to let go off, not because it's a bad thing, but because it's enslaved you.  He wants you to be free.  That's the message of grace, that's the gospel of Jesus and some of you maybe you're sitting here today and in your mind, like maybe there's something that for the last like five years 10 years whatever it's been Jesus comes around and he asks you to deal with it and you say no.

And so he goes all the way around the mountain and he comes back and he asks you again and you say no.  He comes around and yes you again if you say, no, he's come back around today and he's asked you, and you say yes because it's only at the end of yourself when you find the beginning of life.  He wants to set you free.  The way a good father would do anything he could to get his child out of prison.  That's what the Father is doing for you and me as be free man toss it to the side.  So close your eyes on me.  I may ask you just what's the Holy Spirit saying to you? What's he whisper in? I mean his voice is full of love and compassion and kindness.  There's no condemnation or shame in the Holy Spirit.

He's in this room, he's in this place and he wants to set you free.  What's the one thing you don't want to talk about? I can almost guarantee you, that's the one thing he wants to talk about and not because he's mean spirited, not because he wants to say I told you so, but because he wants to set you free is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Some of you it's a job, some of you it's a thought pattern, some of you it's a relationship, some of you it's a really good thing that's become really unhealthy.  So Holy Spirit would you move in our hearts and in our lives speak to us in short any areas that are holding us back from following Jesus with passion.

And willing obedience.  Jesus pour out your grace into our lives we don't come to you to say what must we do to inherit eternal life? What must we do to be free we come to you today and we say, thank you for what you did and we now can be free, and we now can be healed, that we now can have the abundant life you've offered us.  Would you give us the courage and the strength and the boldness to know that you love us fiercely so we can hold on to the things of this world loosely that is faith in you and we choose to have that kind of faith today.  So we love you Lord.  Maybe in your own way, you can just see yourself, throwing that thing down and saying Jesus I don't even know how to live without this thing, but I'm going to trust you that you're going to show me in the days to come.

We love your heart.  Hey, if you're here and you need prayer for anything.  Maybe you need prayer for this, this issue is something in your life that's just patchy gripped come up and let these people pray for you they want to minister to the Holy Spirit's moving tonight so let him move in your life for those of you that want to give tithes and offerings there's boxes and all the doors on your way out remember that's the vision that we give to change lives.  That's how we trust in Jesus.  If you're new to Valley Creek we'd love to meet you and get central right out here our leaders will be there they want to say hi to you, but I pray that you go in the freedom, with which Christ set you free for, I love you blessings.